One of the best ways to cure a classic “case of the Mondays” beyond going to Chotchkie’s to grab a coffee (is anyone getting this reference or am I wasting my time?) is to run a search on the USGA conforming list, and the standout today is a new 2+ Tour wood from Callaway.
You see, the USGA list is updated on Mondays with any new gear that has been approved for competition, and even though it is a niche market, lower-lofted mini drivers, a.k.a. 2-woods, continue to occupy a place in many bags, including LIV player Phil Mickelson.
Mickelson has gone back and forth with a number of mini-driver options over the last couple of years, and even though he is/was part of the Callaway staff, this spot in his bag was taken by a TaylorMade; either the Original One (below) or the newer 300 Mini.
Having one of your biggest staff players using a rival OEM’s club is like a Montague dating a Capulet (am I using too many references? That last one was from Shakespeare to demonstrate my range goes beyond obscure 90’s movies) and Callaway always said it had a plan to get the TaylorMade out of Phil’s bag.
What we can see
First up, there is no mention of JailBreak or the type of material being used, along with an almost complete lack of branding entirely. I would imagine based on the potential size it’s constructed of titanium.
The overall looks are extremely toned down with the Callaway 2+, and the 2+ Tour written on the head achieved from either laser etching or sanding blasting, which is pretty basic stuff for a club that you might find on retail shelves.
The other big clue that has us believing this is a club that Phil had a big hand in designing is the similarity between the sole shape of this new club and the TaylorMade Original One, which he had in the bag when he won the 2021 PGA Championship.
There is a recessed cavity at the rear of the sole and skirt and there looks to be wing-style shaping on the sole that does not align with other designs from Callaway’s past.
Only time will tell if this new Callaway 2+ Tour will end up in Phil’s bag, or any Callaway staffer’s for that matter, but the one thing we know is it is out in the wild, so we will certainly be keeping an eye out for it.
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