Welcome to Spotted on Tour, where we’ll highlight buzzy apparel, gear, gadgets and more that caught our eye over the weekend. Better yet, we’ll help you get your hands on your own.
Every year, the U.S. Amateur provides a perspective into the gear world that’s unmatched by any event on the PGA Tour.
And why does the U.S. Amateur provide such a unique perspective versus the one provided by the longest, straightest and most consistent hitters of golf gear in the world? Well, because those participating in the Amateur are, by definition, amateurs (duh!), which puts them in a different weight class.
Amateur golfers are unable to profit from their likenesses, lest they turn pro, which means they can’t sign equipment deals or wrangle with sponsorships. They play the clubs they want to play, whether they’re dozen-year-old putters or brand-new, top-of-the-line sticks. They’re no slouches with a club in their hands, and their selections are entirely, wholly, spin-free.
Sunday’s finals match at Bandon Dunes between Tyler Strafaci and Ollie Osborne upped the ante just a little bit more. With both players dueling well into the evening (and eventually all the way to the 36th and final hole of their match), both players found themselves in the midst of an unprecedented situation.
As they came down the back nine, a thick fog rolled in off the Pacific Ocean and over the golf course, wiping out any visibility. Suddenly, Strafaci and Osborne were locked in a battle of wits, relying on yardage books and a prayer off every tee. Trust in equipment — typically an expectation — had become a non-negotiable.
For Strafaci, that meant trust in his Titleist TS3 driver. Titleist’s T-series drivers have been favorites on Tour for years, gamed by the likes of Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth. The low-spin, low-launch profile makes it a perfect driver for low-handicap players looking to add distance off the tee, but GOLF.com’s testing also found a surprising amount of clubhead forgiveness for mishits.
Whether you’re swinging into the abyss en route to a U.S. Amateur win, or looking to stripe it down the center of the fairway during your weekend rounds, it’s hard to go wrong with the Titleist TS3.
