These clubs helped the author reach his club championship final.
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
You know that feeling when everything just seems to be going right on the golf course? What constitutes that feeling is different for everyone, but for me it means that pars come without stress and a few birdie putts fall here and there.
To be honest, I haven’t felt that feeling in a while (we’re talking four years or more) during competition, until this past weekend.
I went on a bit of a Cinderella run of sorts, having entered my club championship at my home club, the 1912 Club outside of Philadelphia, as a 2-handicap not even on our club’s top inter-club match team, and after five rounds in three days, winding up as one of the last two players standing in the final match. Ultimately, I fell in the championship match, but the fact that I even made it to the final four, where the other three golfers were very accomplished plus-handicaps, left me feeling quite accomplished myself.
While many factors allowed me to find some of the potential to play some of my best golf this weekend, there’s no doubt in my mind that much of it had to do with getting my gear optimized in a way it hadn’t been in a long time.
Through my job as GOLF’s gear editor, I’ve been lucky to get opportunities to test almost everything and I’ve learned a lot and how it applies to my game. While everyone is different, my goal is to help pass down what I learn to you to see if you can apply it to your games too.
Thus, here are the six ways my gear has helped my game this year and how it’s going to continue to help me improve and be the best golfer I can be.
1. Ignore the shaft marketing
I have written about most of these clubs and will link to those articles. For the driver, I haven’t yet, so we’ll go more in depth here!
When I started this job last summer, I knew the first item in my bag was a TaylorMade Stealth Plus driver with a Fujikura Ventus Black 6-X shaft in it. This was not a club I was specifically fit for, but as new drivers came out, I upgraded to this one with a shaft pulled from another and it worked better than anything else I had.
I loved this driver for a while actually. I’ve always thought TaylorMade drivers had the best shape and when I got this Stealth (which I customized with a blue face and white topline to match the look of the SIM2), I hit it great for a while. But two years later, my swing was different.
As it’s been explained to me, I have a very late, body release, where I drag the handle of the club through impact. That late release is key, as with a super stiff profile like Ventus Black, the shaft kicks and actually adds dynamic loft through impact. That means, to keep spin under control, I had to dial down my 9.0˚ lofted head to 7.5˚, and even then, my misses would occasionally touch the high 3000s or even 4000.
Fujikura Ventus TR Red Wood Shaft
NEW FOR 2022! Introducing a new profile to the lineup, VENTUS TR. Born from the continuous quest for improvement and backed by enso®–driven analytics and Tour feedback, VENTUS TR builds upon one of the most trusted and best-selling wood shafts in Fujikura history.
Jockey Tip: The TR red is the softest tip section of the TR lineup and is ideal for players seeking a mid-high launch profile with controlled spin and increased stability.
Because I was struggling to time up the shaft, I also had an ugly two-way miss.
This is why it was suggested that I see Duane Anderson at the TaylorMade Kingdom. As part of the Qi35 launch this year, TaylorMade has a new shaft fitting methodology created by Duane to match someone’s release pattern and swing profile to the bend profile of the shaft.
It only took a few swings for Duane to hand me a Qi35 LS with a Ventus TR Red 6-X. The TR Red has the same handle section as the Black, which is great for someone who pulls hard on the handle like me to start the downswing, but then it has softer mid and butt sections, helping me time my release better.
With the softer profile, now the shaft kicks and deflects back, taking away dynamic loft. I don’t have to try to time up the shaft, it just naturally fits my swing. Yes, despite my being a very high ball hitter, I fit better into a “high-launch” shaft like TR Red than a “low-launch” one like Ventus Black.
This past weekend, I drove the ball brilliantly with the LS, set slightly open to help a right start line and with the heavy weight in the toe to get the CG behind my impact location. In five rounds, playing with seven different people, there was only one player who made me hit first.
2. Spin is your friend
I wrote about my mini driver experience earlier this summer and you can see that review here, so I won’t get too into the weeds here.
But my basic gist was that even though a mini driver doesn’t carry as far as the 3-wood I had been playing, the 3-wood was going to far and created some gapping issues in my bag. The mini driver spun more than the 3-wood, making it fit a better distance gap, and providing me far more control.
I rarely have shots where I need to fly something and hold a green from 265 yards, and the mini driver was clearly easier to hit off the tee, so I have firmly planted a TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini in my bag.
A Ping G440 hybrid was one of the first new clubs that cemented itself in my golf bag. Right now, it alternates between a Titleist U505 3-iron (more on that below), depending on conditions and it wasn’t in the bag this past weekend, but both of those clubs have really improved my game.
My fitter at Ping, James Lee, helped me identify that I am extraordinarily sensitive to total weight more than swing weight. Thus we ended up in a 3-hybrid build with a 112 g Nippon Modus 3 GOST hybrid shaft to help me get the feel of my irons in a hybrid that I can hit straight up in the air and carry 240 yards.
Because of the weight of that shaft, I can also step on it, flight it down and hit it 250 or more. It wasn’t in the bag this past weekend, as I prepared to go overseas, but it’s been a huge weapon for me all year.
4. Irons fit with a purpose
When I was first fit by Titleist last winter, I wasn’t in love with the previous generation T100/T200 combo I was fit into, but I did like one difference compared to my gamers. They had weaker lofts.
When I came again to get fit to the new T-Series irons, my fitter, Louis Ranyard, wanted to go a step further. I had weakened my gamers to the spec of the T100s (34˚ 7-iron), but we went two degrees weak on the new T100 (35˚ 7-iron) and the results were shocking.
My launch angle went down and my spin and peak height went up because I was reacting to the loft by covering the ball better. We also went with a T150 5-iron and T250 4-iron with a consistent 4-degree loft gapping to achieve the proper ball speed windows. I had used a combo set before, but never before had I figured out the exact set for such a purpose.
The result was that every club in the bag now peaked at 120 feet and I was consistently landing the ball at 52 degrees. That meant I could now can stop the ball on a granite table if I wanted to.
That even goes for my U505 3-iron, which was called upon a lot this weekend, can fly nearly as high as the hybrid.
What that meant was I’m now able to fly the ball all the way to pin and stop there, or even take it past the pin and bring it back, meaning I can be more aggressive to front pins with less fear of missing short, or back pins with less fear of it bouncing long.
Without knowing at all what I was hitting, my fitter, Hunter Brown, was able to identify through sound, turf interaction and my own feedback which wedge would be the best for me.
It’s experience that really taught me a lot about how I use a wedge and how I can use the sole of my wedge to my advantage to catch those low spinners and have superior control around the greens.
My Vokey V-grind lob wedge and F-grind sand wedge were key, as they are always, this weekend as I set several clutch pitch shots around the greens to help me close out my matches.
I came in thinking I had a strong arc stroke and required a lot of toe flow, like the putter I had been gaming. Nope!
Turns out I had a pendulum stroke and needed very little toe hang, but a putter with similar sharp angles and 3/4 shaft of offset. I ended up in the Bettinardi BB28 and for the first four rounds, I putted lights out and made nearly everything I looked at.
The putter went cold in the final match, but that’s just somehow how it happens. That was me, not the putter for sure.
Bonus: Speed training
Speed Sticks Pro (NEW!)
2024 MyGolf Spy Holiday Staff Wish List
The most significant evolution of swing speed training since the release of our original SuperSpeed Golf Training System, the Speed Sticks Pro take speed training equipment to a whole new level. “These are some next-level innovations that will help you get to your personal bests in swing speed.” – Padraig Harrington, 3x Major Winner and World Golf Hall of Fame Inductee Features the Inertia Matching System 10 Piece Weight Kit to customize your speed sticks to precisely match your driver for optimal gains. Improved Aerodynamics with 3 air flow modulators making these the fastest speed sticks ever! Upgraded shafts including a Load Zone to optimize downswing loading and Torque Zone to optimize release. Tour Pressure grip to promote optimal grip pressure throughout the swing. A single club travel version where the middle weight blue club can be used as a stand alone with interchangeable weights. All SuperSpeed Golf Training Systems include lifetime access to our Free Mobile App for IOS and Android which includes access to all our Level 1 Training Protocols and ability to track your speed training gains. Bundle and Save up to $30! By adding our easy-to-use training technology to get instant feedback and track your progress
I have yet to write about my experience with the new Speed Sticks Pro, but I’d be remiss not to think my speed and consistency has nothing to do with the training routine.
Expect to hear more about my results with the Speed Sticks training this fall, but so far, I’ve gone from around 112-115 mph club head speed to 116-120 after recently completing the overspeed cycle 1. My ball speed has gone from the high 160s to the mid 170s too.
But I won’t give too much away on that now. Until then, let’s get into my official WITB!
Jack Hirsh’s clubs at the 1912 Club Club Championship
*I switch between the 3-hybrid and 3-iron
Driver: TaylorMade Qi35 LS 9.0 @ 8.25˚ (FCT Setting: 1 click lower; TAS: 13 g weight toe, 3 g weight heel and rear) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Red 6-X (45.5″, D4)
NEW FOR 2022! Introducing a new profile to the lineup, VENTUS TR. Born from the continuous quest for improvement and backed by enso®–driven analytics and Tour feedback, VENTUS TR builds upon one of the most trusted and best-selling wood shafts in Fujikura history.
Jockey Tip: The TR red is the softest tip section of the TR lineup and is ideal for players seeking a mid-high launch profile with controlled spin and increased stability.
Mini Driver: TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini 13.5 @ 12.75˚ (FCT Setting: 1 click lower; TAS: 7 g weight toe, 4 g weight heel, 13 g and 10 g weights rear) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7-X (42.75″, D4)
TaylorMade R7 Quad Custom Mini Driver
PERFORMANCE FOR THE MODERN PLAYER
Inspired by one of the most iconic models in TaylorMade history, the R7 Quad Mini Driver pays homage to what’s come before, while creating its own modern identity in the same breath. It’s that very modern design that incorporates proven TaylorMade technologies to give golfers versatility and playability.
R7 QUAD WEIGHTING SYSTEM
The new quad weighting system features four movable weights (13g x2, 4g x2) that provide the ultimate in spin management and shot shape control. Forward CG creates a penetrating flight best suited for maximizing distance whereas rear CG helps prioritize control and ease of use from the deck. Shot shape can also be fine-tuned helping create the most optimal flight. Additional weights can be purchased for a wider range of adjustability.
INFINITY CARBON CROWN
A new satin Infinity Carbon Crown has been added to the R7 Quad Mini Driver chassis creating a stunning look while saving weight for better mass optimization. The cosmetic package is clean, elegant, and confidence-inspiring.
The G440 hybrids appeal to a variety of skill levels, each engineered to deliver different ball- flight characteristics – from the slightly fade-biased 2 hybrid for off-the-tee performance to the draw-inducing 5, 6 and 7 hybrids that help optimize gapping. They all share a new, shallower and thinner face design, which improves face contact for more ball speed and higher-launching shots that hit and hold the green.
FLIES HIGH LANDS SOFT
Optimized launch and spin ensure distance with stopping power.
FREE-HOSEL DESIGN
Saves weight to lower CG, optimize launch/spin and increase forgiveness.
ROUNDED SOLE
Ensures pleasing face angle in all hosel settings
CARBONFLY WRAP
Lightweight carbon crown saves weight to increase MOI, lower CG.
Utility Iron: Titleist U505 3-iron 20˚ (59˚ lie) Shaft: Project X HZURDUS 80 HY 6.5 (39.375″, D4)
Titleist U505 Custom Driving Iron
An extremely versatile, high-launching utility iron that now looks and feels dramatically better.U•505 lets you reclaim your long iron game. Drawing on Tour input, the refined design provides the high, explosive launch you expect from a utility, now with a remarkably solid feel and sound.U•505 is the ultimate, high-launching utility. A new, cleaner design creates more confidence at address, while the refined Max Impact Technology, reengineered chassis and new Variable Bounce Sole all improve the feel and overall performance. It all adds up to a versatile utility that plays like an iron.
TOUR-VALIDATED LOOKS
With a shorter blade and shallow face, U•505 sets up the way Tour Pros feel a utility should. Now with an even cleaner design, there is nothing to distract you from hitting the exact shot and shape your playing position demands.
ENHANCED FEEL
With distance as a priority for a utility, engineering feel becomes a unique challenge. For U•505, Titleist engineers use a refined Max Impact Technology with added dampening in the polymer muscle badge to guide the frequencies created at impact into the ideal player range.
IMPROVED OFF-CENTER ACCURACY
U•505 features a more stable, reengineered chassis and a lower CG position to help maintain speed and stability on strikes made away from center. The new single taper face improves performance towards the heel for tighter overall distance dispersion.
EFFORTLESS TURF INTERACTION
Working with Tour Pros and the grind experts at Vokey Design, our engineers were able to further improve our Variable Bounce Sole by softening the trailing edge to allow the club to flow faster through the turf, even after contact. A scoring iron refinement for one of the longest clubs in your bag.
Unmatched precision meets unrivaled feel with T100 Irons. Fully forged with more aggressive grooves in the mid/short irons, T100 offers pure player’s feel with improved consistency in variable conditions. Now with higher long-iron launch for optimal trajectory control in every club.
Forged Player’s Design
Masterfully forged into a pure player’s design that offers precision control and buttery feel.
Superior Flight and Stability
Split High-Density Tungsten produces optimal CG with remarkable stability for precise shotmaking.
Consistent Speed & Spin
New VFT technology and progressive groove design for consistent spin and speed across the face in variable conditions.
Elevated Long-Iron Launch
Lower CG and a new muscle channel help improve peak height and carry.
Titleist Vokey WedgeWorks SM10 V Grind Custom Wedge
The Vokey Design V Grind, a lob wedge that offers players increased bounce on square-faced shots with enhanced relief for open-faced shots, is now available through WedgeWorks on Vokey.com.
V Grind, the lob wedge of choice of Tour players such as Ludvig Åberg and Billy Horschel, features high measured bounce forward on the sole, which works to prevent excessive digging. However, when the face of V Grind is opened, its heel, toe and trailing edge sole relief allows the leading edge to stay closer to the ground, providing exceptional versatility.
This grind is ideal for players with a steeper angle of attack playing in normal to soft conditions.
V Grind is offered in 58 and 60 degree lofts with a Raw finish.
Putter: Bettinardi BB28 (Loft 4˚, Lie 67˚), Fly mill face, 35 1/2″ EOG, Golf Pride Reverse Taper Small Pistol
Bettinardi BB28 Slotback Putter
After a successful debut in the last BB line, RJB took his BB28 back to the workshop for some artful and game-changing modifications resulting in the newly refined BB28 Slotback. The new and improved wide-body blade is slightly more compact, with shortened heel-to-toe and pocket lengths, while also featuring taller muscles and bumpers. The slotback milled from the flange serves as a natural alignment aid, allowing you to frame the ball perfectly at address. The near-face-balanced BB28 Slotback has a single bend shaft that flows seamlessly into the spud neck, providing a three-quarter shaft of offset for simple setup and a consistently effortless putting stroke.
Jack Hirsh is the Associate Equipment Editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.
