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‘Money didn't play a role’: Why Charles Howell III says he’s ditching lucrative PGA Tour career for LIV Golf

Jessica Marksbury — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 17:58:34 +0000

Forty-three-year-old Charles Howell III has enjoyed an incredibly lucrative PGA Tour career.

Though he only won three times over more than two decades as a pro, Howell earned a reputation as one of the Tour’s most consistent players, making the cut more than 76 percent of the time in 609 events, with 98 top 10s and 16 runner-up finishes.

As a result, Howell has banked a whopping $42 million in earnings — good enough to place him at 21st on the career earnings list.

So it came as a surprise to some when Howell announced he would become one of the latest PGA Tour defectors to LIV Golf, which tees off in its second stateside event at Trump Bedminster in New Jersey this week.

News

How a $39,100 check helped Charles Howell III tie a staggering PGA Tour record

By: Zephyr Melton

Most of the players who have left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf have reportedly traded their Tour status for lucrative LIV Golf signing bonuses. But in his pre-tournament press conference at Trump Bedminster on Wednesday, Howell was adamant that money had nothing to do with his decision.

“Money didn’t play a role,” he said. “Money was not a factor. For me, I’ve been [on the PGA Tour] for 22 years, and it’s been awesome. I’ve got nothing but great things to say about the PGA Tour, what they’ve given me, the opportunities, et cetera. But when this came along, I’m 43 years old, I’ve done a lot of that. I still love the game. I love the game more today than I did five years ago.

“Now that my son is playing competitive golf, I’m even more incentivized in the game,” he continued. “This is something really new and exciting. As these guys have alluded to, I even got a bit more excited when someone, let’s say Bryson reaches out and says, I’d love for you to be a part of my team. That’s a compliment, but it’s also a responsibility. Okay, I’ve got to play well; I’m responsible not only for myself but for Paul, for Bryson, for others. It’s new and exciting. Not that the PGA Tour got boring, but I’m extremely excited to be here for the next few years, and yeah, it’s a new venture, and at this age and this part of my life, it’s perfect.”

This week, Howell will be playing on Team Crushers alongside Paul Casey and South African Shaun Norris, captained by Bryson DeChambeau.

The LIV Golf Invitational Bedminster begins on Friday, July 29.

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Where’s Tiger Woods’ mind at in comeback? This pro has a bagels story.

Nick Piastowski — Thu, 26 May 2022 23:46:52 +0000

Charles Howell III has a story about bagels. And if you’re wondering where Tiger Woods’ mind’s at in his comeback, it’s worth your time.

Some backstory first. Howell’s been a pro since 2000. He’s won three times and cashed over $41 million in PGA Tour paychecks. Of course, when he left Oklahoma State 22 years ago, he had earned none of that, though he wasn’t without an idea of how to get there.

Be Tiger’s neighbor, silly.

“So I moved to Orlando right out of college, and one of the reasons to move here was to be around Tiger Woods,” Howell said on this week’s episode of GOLF’s Subpar. “And, you know, he was the guy. I figured if I want to do this as a pro, let’s hang around maybe the best to ever do it.

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‘They knew it was all of us’: Pro talks sneaking into Augusta National, putting on 12th green

By: Josh Berhow

“From practicing with him and playing with him at home and all that, it was clear that he was better than me at everything. So it wasn’t just his driver, it was the 3-wood, it was the 3-iron, it was chipping, it was putting; like there wasn’t any weakness of this guy’s game at all. And we all remember, say very early on in his career, that he struggled a bit with his short irons, distance control some. And John Cook and Mark O’Meara, who lived here in Orlando, he went to them for help. Within a period of a few months, he was the best in the world at that. So matter what it was, he was going to be better than you, and he just was. And it was so great to play him in practice with him, but it was so humbling in the fact that I felt like every Tour event I went to, I was awful.”

Nevertheless, they practiced together often. And Howell told Subpar hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz that Woods would freely share.

“One-hundred percent,” Howell said. “That’s what he was so great about.”

Which, if you think about it, is also a sign of Woods’ competitiveness: Here, take everything I know, and I’ll still beat you. Then there’s the story about bagels.

Yes, Woods is cutthroat, even over a breakfast food.

“I mean, I knew he likes to talk some trash,” Knost said on the podcast. “But when you’re playing at home, does he make you aware that he is better at you at everything?”

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Tiger Woods’ WD at PGA begs the question: What’s his path forward?

By: Dylan Dethier

“One-hundred percent he does,” Howell said. “And it never ends. And he loved going to Einstein Bagels at 5:30 in the morning. So he would drag out of bed there, go up there, and it was always like a contest who got there first. Then it was who could eat the most. And then it was who could get back to Isleworth the fastest. Then it was who — and it was everything was a contest with the guy.

“And we all obviously know his competitive spirit, but it is real and legit. You know, when we played together at home, he wasn’t out on the golf course just to have fun and play. Like it was one ball, it was we’re going to keep a score, and we’re going to see who wins. And it was like that way every day. It was never, hey, let’s just goof around and hit extra balls. It was never that.”

So back to the beginning then. What do bagels tell us about Woods and his comeback? Maybe everything. The 15-time major winner is 15 months from a car crash and multiple injuries, though in April, he returned to play at the Masters, and last week, he played at the PGA Championship.

On the podcast, Knost asked Howell if he thought Tiger Woods would win again.

“I do, and I only say that because it is Tiger Woods,” Howell said. “That the more people that doubt him, the more people say that he can’t do it, he lives for that. I mean, that is why he gets up out of bed in the morning. Because, hey, listen, we all know financially he doesn’t need to play. We all know he loves hanging around Charlie and Sam. We all know he has different business ventures. So it’s not like he doesn’t have other things to do and other things to occupy his time.

“He is only doing this to win. And trust me, there is a deep-seeded part of him in there that he is doing this also to prove people wrong. And when he gets bull-headed in that way, he usually does it.”

You can view the entire Subpar episode with Charles Howell III below.

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GOLF's Subpar: Charles Howell III breaks down Tiger Woods' competitive drive

Wed, 25 May 2022 19:34:30 +0000

Subpar’s Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz are joined by 3-time PGA Tour winner Charles Howell III who explains how competitive Tiger Woods remained during off weeks at home.

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Thank’s to our official sponsor Dewar’s. Make sure to check out their Reserve Bar listings today: https://www.reservebar.com/collections/house-of-dewars

This episode was possible in part thanks to our partnership with TaylorMade. If you want to step into every shot you face and think, “I love it,” try the most complete ball in golf. Head to TaylorMadeGolf.com and use the promo code SUBPAR for free shipping.

This week’s episode is presented by FanDuel Sportsbook. If you’ve never tried FanDuel Sportsbook, what are you waiting for? Go to https://www.fanduel.com/subpar or download the FanDuel Sportsbook app to get started. Be sure to sign up with promo code SUBPAR so they know we sent you.

Disclaimer: 21+ and present in AZ, CO, CT, IA, IL, NJ, NY, or WY. 1st online real money wager only. $10 first deposit required. Bonus issued as non-withdrawable site credit that expires 14 days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See full terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), Call 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (NJ, IA, IL), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY(467369) (NY), or 1-800-522-4700 (WY).

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GOLF's Subpar: How a call from David Leadbetter convinced Charles Howell III to turn pro

Wed, 25 May 2022 19:14:39 +0000

Subpar’s Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz are joined by Charles Howell III who explains how a call from his coach David Leadbetter, after he won the team and individual NCAA National Championships, convinced him to turn pro.

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Thank’s to our official sponsor Dewar’s. Make sure to check out their Reserve Bar listings today: https://www.reservebar.com/collections/house-of-dewars

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Charles Howell III talks sneaking onto Augusta National, Tiger Woods' competitive drive

Tue, 24 May 2022 19:40:40 +0000

On this edition of GOLF’s Subpar, 3-time PGA Tour winner Charles Howell III joins former PGA Tour pro Colt Knost and jicky jack legend Drew Stoltz for an exclusive interview.

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Thank’s to our official sponsor Dewar’s. Make sure to check out their Reserve Bar listings today: https://www.reservebar.com/collections/house-of-dewars

The post Charles Howell III talks sneaking onto Augusta National, Tiger Woods’ competitive drive appeared first on Golf.

GOLF's Subpar: Charles Howell III talks sneaking onto Augusta National

Tue, 24 May 2022 19:23:33 +0000

Subpar’s Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz are joined by Augusta, Georgia native Charles Howell III who explains what it was like sneaking onto Augusta National as a kid.

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Thank’s to our official sponsor Dewar’s. Make sure to check out their Reserve Bar listings today: https://www.reservebar.com/collections/house-of-dewars

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2 things golf's young stars would be wise to do, according to a PGA Tour veteran

Zephyr Melton — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 16:38:25 +0000

Long thought of as an “old-man sport,” golf is increasingly becoming younger and younger. At least, that’s the case on the PGA Tour. With a bevy of stars under the age of 25, the Tour is seeing a youth movement that has the sport feeling younger and cooler by the week.

All of that youth leaves plenty of room for growth. No matter how much we liked to think we knew everything about the world in our younger days, as we grow older, we realize that wasn’t quite the case. With age, come experience. That experience can provide wisdom.

That’s been the case for Charles Howell III. The 41-year-old has been on Tour for 20 years now, making him an elder statesman in the new, young and hip era of golf we find ourselves. And though Howell has won just three times in his 20 years, he’s played well enough to keep his card for two decades.

That savvy inside the ropes is impressive, but even more impressive might be the wisdom he possesses from those 20 years. Before this week’s Sony Open, he was asked about some of that institutional knowledge and how he would advise some of the young guns on Tour. He offered two nuggets of wisdom that were insightful. Check them out below.

1. Be grateful

“Back in 2000 when I first started, I remember handwriting letters to tournament directors and to sponsors, and I always felt it was important to come back to thank them in a way or to make them aware that it meant something to me; that I appreciated them taking a chance to let me in the golf tournament, but then that it meant something; I would come back.”

2. Play as much as possible

“I would encourage them to play a lot of golf, being young, because you don’t have the obligation of a family. You don’t have kids. You don’t have a school schedule that you’re dealing with. You’re not booking a father/daughter dance and a this and a that.

“So, while you’re young, my advice is to play a lot. It’s what you do. We are so fortunate to play the game of golf. The places we go; the way they take care of us; the purses we play for; that my advice to these young studs, because they are, they are awesome, is to go play a lot. Enjoy every minute of it.”

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The 2019 Shippys: the best, worst, weirdest, funniest and craziest of 2019 in golf

Alan Shipnuck — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 16:20:36 +0000

What a year it was for golf, from the sublime to the ridiculous. In fact, 2019 was so memorable it deserves its own set of awards, so we’ve created the annual Shippys. And the game will never be the same.

Content Creator of the Year

Matt Kuchar. The formerly bland veteran was a headline writer’s dream in 2019, and only nominally because Kuch had a career year between the ropes. The controversies were vast and varied, most memorably his stiffing of the caddie El Tucan (you can’t make this stuff up) after their victory together in Mexico. Throw in a couple of rules kerfuffles and a delicious non-gimme at the expense of Sergio Garcia at the Match Play and Kuchar was at the center of many of the year’s juiciest stories.

Honorable Mention: Phil Mickelson. Winning the Crosby Clambake at age 49 was nothing compared to the splash Phil the Thrill made by finally embracing social media. For decades Mickelson has been a preeminent smack-talker in practice rounds, locker rooms and press rooms, but he finally put it all out there for the world to see.

Antihero of the Year

Brooks Koepka. The World No. 1 has turned into Thanos in spikes, and not just because they share the same jawline. Koepka’s slog to world domination has been remarkably joyless, fueled by perceived minor grievances and open disdain for the “golf nerds” he counts as colleagues. Hey Brooks, you’ve made it to the mountaintop. Try to enjoy the view!

Honorable Mention: Sergio Garcia. No bunker, green or tee box was safe when El Niño unleashed his fury at, uh, well, we’re not really sure why he’s so angry all the time.

News

Brooks Koepka didn’t care what you thought in 2019 and it made golf better

Shot of the Year

Gary Woodland’s delicate pitch from the fringe front-right of Pebble’s 17th green to the back-left pin position. This deft up-and-down iced the U.S. Open and proved that Woodland is more than just a slugger.

Honorable Mentions: Tiger’s fairway bunker shot during the second round of the WGC-Mexico City, when he bent a 9-iron around a towering tree, uphill, into the wind, and spun his ball across the green for a kick-in birdie. Pure artistry. And Jennifer Kupcho’s sweeping draw with a hybrid on Augusta National’s 15th hole for the kick-in eagle that helped propel her to victory at the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur, which was a home run thanks to her gutsy play and wondrous sportsmanship, and the mega-talent she vanquished: Maria Fassi.

Worst Shot of the Year

Rory McIlroy’s opening drive at the Open Championship, which hooked out-of-bounds, sending a shiver down the spine of the golf world. McIlroy’s 79-65 at Portrush was symbolic of a year during which he played a lot of great golf but, in this writer’s mind, struggled when it mattered most.

Most Unexpected Hog-on-Hog Violence

Razorback alum John Daly canceling Walmart, another Arkansas institution, on Twitter after complaining about “lazy” staff and how the store he visited had only one open checkout lane. Or maybe they just failed to provide a motorized cart?

Same here! 1 line open, lane 13 while 4 of them stood around talking telling us to self checkout! So, I self checked out with over 100 items just to have fun with it and tie those up too!

— John Daly (@PGA_JohnDaly) May 1, 2019

Putt of the Year

The 6-footer by Suzann Petterson on the final hole to win an epic Solheim Cup for Europe. It’s the kind of putt that even a golfing machine like Bernhard Langer found overwhelming, but Pettersen—a controversial captain’s pick because she had taken the preceding year off after giving birth—hearted it and then punctuated the moment with a mic-drop retirement announcement.

Honorable Mention: The walk-off winning putts on the 72nd holes by young guns Matt Wolff (for eagle!), Adam Long and Keith Mitchell.

Round of the Year

Shane Lowry’s Saturday 63 to seize control of the Open Championship. This electric performance was a monument to Lowry’s skill set: booming drives, creative shotmaking, deft touch around the greens and deadeye putting. The singing of the delirious fans from all corners of the Irish island that carried Lowry home was the most unforgettable soundtrack of the year.

Honorable Mentions: Haotong Li making four eagles during the second round of the Saudi International, and only one of them on a par 5! He holed two approaches on par 4s and then drove the green (and nearly aced) the downwind, 388-yard 17th hole. Also, McIlroy going out with the 54-hole lead at the Canadian Open and then stalking a 59 before settling for a 61 and a blowout win.

Most Unsettling P.R. Campaign

The inaugural playing of the Saudi International. While the Kingdom was engulfed in controversy over the murder of Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi, the European Tour blew into town with great fanfare, thus allowing many top players to scoop up huge appearance fees. Patrick Reed partook of an awkward photo op at an elementary school and Bryson DeChambeau went on TV to enthuse that the tournament was “amazing.” Guys, next time just be honest and say, We don’t care how violently oppressive the host country is as long as the check clears. Bonus points to McIlroy and Paul Casey for willfully boycotting the tournament.

News

Phil Mickelson commits to play controversial event in Saudi Arabia

Worst Damage Control

DeChambeau… again. He became the poster boy for the slow-play scourge after a Zapruder-like video surfaced of The Professor agonizing for more than two minutes to take (and miss badly) a routine 10-footer. Instead of begging for forgiveness, DeChambeau blamed his pace of play on other caddies for their slow walking. He then got into a war of words with, and then confronted, Koepka—a bad idea on both fronts; insisted that data proves he’s not a slow player, but failed to supply said data; posted a defiant video on Instagram pronouncing, “So screw all y’all haters, no big deal.” Apparently the one thing Bryson does quickly is burn up goodwill.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1E2_Moh8Tx/?hl=en

Most Flaccid Controversy

Brandel Chamblee calling Koepka’s diet for a semi-nude photo shoot “the most reckless self-sabotage that I have ever seen of an athlete in his prime.” Chamblee’s turgid monologues make him must-watch TV, but this pronouncement, during Masters week, looked rather limp when Koepka nearly won the event and then took the PGA Championship a month later. Koepka posting on social media a photo of Chamblee wearing a clown’s nose was a chef’s kiss.

Best/Worst Trend in Golf

Twitter feuds. From Justin Thomas’s war of words with the USGA to Joel Dahmen saying Sung Kang “cheated” to various pros ripping DeChambeau for his pace of play—golf beefs have never before been so public. It’s undeniably entertaining for the rest of us but doesn’t exactly burnish the image of the gentlemen’s game.

#growthegame @USGA https://t.co/jc5E0Y7TjP

— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) March 2, 2019

Most Uplifting Victory

Cam Champ at the Safeway Classic. After a year marred by injury and middling results, Champ produced an inspired performance as a tribute to his grandfather Mack, who taught him the game and had recently begun hospice care after battling lung cancer. The tearjerker restored Champ’s standing as a phenom but more importantly was a window into the soul of an otherwise buttoned-down competitor.

Honorable Mentions: Charles Howell’s victory at the RSM Classic, his first in nearly a dozen years, punctuated by his joyful embrace with his kids; and Nate Lashley’s win at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, 15 years after his parents and girlfriend died in a plane crash. Lashley’s victorious hug with his sister will long linger.

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Wall-to-Wall Equipment: Viktor Hovland makes surprise club change

Jonathan Wall — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 17:57:20 +0000

Welcome to Wall-to-Wall Equipment, the Monday morning gear wrap-up in which GOLF equipment editor Jonathan Wall takes you through the latest trends, rumors and breaking news. This week’s notes are highlighted by putter changes for Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa and Charles Howell III at the John Deere Classic.

Finish strong

With Viktor Hovland chasing PGA Tour status for the 2019-20 season, Ping was content to hang in the background and let the Oklahoma State standout secure his card before proceeding with further equipment testing.

Up until last week at the John Deere Classic, Hovland appeared to be content with his gear setup, including a TaylorMade TP Black Copper Mullen putter dating back to his time in college.

Then things changed during the third round.

After losing more than two strokes to the field with the putter over the first 36 holes, Hovland shook things up, replacing the Mullen 2 with a Ping PLD prototype mallet. Hovland and Tony Serrano, a senior design engineer at Ping, had been working on the flatstick since the Norwegian came on board — he conducted on-course testing with the mallet a few days before the first round — but there was no indication a change was imminent.

Then again, Hovland isn’t exactly the kind of guy who makes pre-planned equipment changes. During the U.S. Open, he added a new Ping G410 driver and a split set of iBlade/i200 irons in the eleventh hour.

Viktor Hovland switched things up with the putter after two rounds. Currently using 360g @PingTour PLD (face balanced) with patina finish. Sight line on top rail and flange. pic.twitter.com/bEr3l28b2y

— Jonathan Wall (@jonathanrwall) July 14, 2019

“I’m always open to change stuff if I feel like there’s room for improvement,” Hovland said.

Hovland’s 360-gram prototype mallet is made from 100-percent milled carbon steel and features a patina finish that was introduced during the U.S. Open. The finish accelerates the rusting process, giving the putter head a well-worn look Hovland took to during testing.

The putter gamble paid off for Hovland, who closed with 64 (T16) to move one step closer to earning his Tour card for next season. During the final round, Hovland gained nearly a stroke on the field with the putter alone. Not bad for a mid-tournament change.

Back to Betti

It only took Collin Morikawa five starts to earn his PGA Tour card. What makes the accomplishment even more impressive is that Morikawa hasn’t finished better than 22nd in strokes gained: putting in any start since he turned pro.

Hoping to get his putter on the same level as the rest of his game, Morikawa returned to a Bettinardi 3 Step Jam blade made from soft carbon.

“I’m still kind of working on some putting things,” Morikawa said, “but I’m hitting some good lines on my putts, and obviously when I get them close, I’m able to drop a few.”

Collin Morikawa's Bettinardi 3 Step Jam putter.

Morikawa used the Bettinardi for the better part of year before switching to a long neck TaylorMade TP Juno at the 3M Open, where he finished runner-up to Matthew Wolff. But the strong week in Minnesota wasn’t enough for Morikawa to continue on with the putter.

Morikawa finished T4 in the Quad Cities but still couldn’t get the putter going — he ranked 65th in strokes gained: putting — despite hitting all but four greens in regulation over the last 54 holes. Thankfully for the Cal product, he has time on his side when it comes to the putter — and a Tour card in his pocket.

Vegas, baby!

Speaking of mid-tournament putter changes, Charles Howell III followed Viktor Hovland’s lead and found immediate success with an Odyssey Toulon Stroke Lab Las Vegas. Howell added the putter during the third round and shot 65 while gaining 3.3 strokes with the face-balanced mallet.

Howell went on to replicate the score during the final round and post his first top-10 finish (T6) since the Genesis Open. The putter is highlighted by a multi-material Stroke Lab shaft (approximately 40 grams less than standard) that concentrates more weight in the steel tip to promote a smoother motion.

Based on the way Howell putted over the weekend, he won’t have to worry about locating a new putter at Portrush.

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Gear talk: Charles Howell III discusses his switch to Titleist and what makes his clubs unique

Jonathan Wall — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 23:35:18 +0000

Most professional golfers will tell you it takes, at the very least, several months to get acclimated to new equipment. Apparently, Charles Howell III missed the memo. Following a three-year run with PXG, Howell moved to Titleist at the beginning of the 2018-19 PGA Tour season and logged the second win of his career in his fourth start with new gear, including a 2019 Pro V1 prototype golf ball that he played for the first time at Sea Island.

The victory was the culmination of hours of hard work on the range with Titleist Tour reps in the run-up to the CIMB Classic — his first event of the new season. Just days after winning the RSM Classic, Howell spoke to GOLF.com about switching to Titleist, the arduous testing process to build his current setup and why his 7-year-old son knows more about the Pro V1 than he does.

On the decision behind switching to Titleist equipment:

CHARLES HOWELL III: The one thing I always observed was that when a new golf ball came out, [Titleist Golf Ball Representative Fordie Pitts] always came out on Tour and told us what it did. We’d verify it did exactly that and then put the ball in play. There was a lot of trust in the process. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a player question what the ball was doing. So I think it was that level of trust I’d built with the team over there with the ball, plus the years I was free on the driver contract and used a Titleist driver, that made me strongly consider them when I was looking around.

With this being what I’d consider to be the latter part of my career, and with the way the game is changing, I knew that the driver and fairway woods were going to be the most important part for me. I obviously needed something I could hit far, but I didn’t want to sacrifice accuracy along the way. I’m never going to hit it as far as Cameron Champ, who I played with at Sea Island, but I need to maximize what I have, in terms of distance and accuracy. I felt like the combination of the driver, fairway and ball gave me the best opportunity to win again.

On the driver testing process:

HOWELL III: I wore [Titleist Tour rep] J.J. [Van Wezenbeeck] out, there’s no question about it. Through the roughly 12 or so different heads we tested — equal parts TS2 and TS3 — right before I got on the airplane to fly to Malaysia, I left with a TS2 and TS3 that I loved. I’ve never really seen a company where multiple model heads could have gone in my bag right away. I ultimately settled on the TS3, but I honestly could have flipped a coin to make that decision. The one thing I’ve noticed so far is that my driving has been much more stable. My ball speed has increased for sure, but the overall dispersion for the drives I’ve hit has been much more stable. For me, that’s been extremely important.

As far as the process is concerned, we started with a standard TS2 and TS3 with my usual shaft, and the first thing I did was take swings with it in every single position along the adapter — even in places where I know I’m not going to be playing the driver. Doing that allows me to see what the driver does and build trust in the head. So I can throw it in one of the settings and verify it actually does what it’s supposed to do.

LET AN EXPERT DETERMINE THE PERFECT CUSTOM CLUBS FOR YOUR GAME

Once I find a setting or two that’s close, that’s when I’ll start hitting a lot of balls with TrackMan to dial-in the numbers. Once we get through that part of the process, the more arduous part is then bringing it on the golf course and playing with, say, other Tour players at home or members at the local club. You’re testing the driver with one shot, one ball to see what happens. It’s the most important step before you take it to a tournament setting. I love practicing and the testing process, but I also recognize the range isn’t a game situation. You have to be able to translate what you’re seeing on the range to those moments on Sunday where you need to execute a certain shot and have to trust your equipment is going to do exactly what you want.

On his love for testing equipment:

HOWELL III: I probably enjoy it too much. The challenge for me is to go through the process and do whatever I feel like I need to do to get it right until there’s a compelling reason to change it. It’s a fine line we all walk in an attempt to find an advantage. The margins on the PGA Tour are a razor’s edge. So if there’s something new that comes out, I’ll likely want to try it to see if it’s a better fit.

The one part of the equipment that does change pertains to how your swing changes over time. In an ideal world, your swing improves as the year goes on, so the equipment may need to be changed. That right there shows part of the importance of the fitting process, but also the communication I’ll have with Titleist where I’ll say, ‘Okay, here’s what I’m trying to do. Let’s keep monitoring these things because the equipment may need to be changed.’ Throughout history, you’ve seen multiple players change equipment in that manner. Just because a setup works for you today, that doesn’t mean there isn’t something better out there for down the road.

On the most important part of the testing process:

HOWELL III: It’s think it’s your ultimate trust in how far your ball is going on a windy day on the course. Fortunately for me, we get wind this time of year in Florida, so it was actually a really good time to test equipment. I was able to get on the course in the wind and test the golf ball, irons, etc. We can sit on the range with a launch monitor and figure out a full 6-iron goes X yards, but what you really need to figure out is what that 6-iron will do in a 30 mile per hour wind where you might need to take a little bit off to hit a certain number. I need to figure out what that number is and if this particular club is the one for that scenario. For me, that’s the most important part of the testing process; it tells me a lot about if a club is really good.

On how he built his mixed Titleist 718 iron setup:

HOWELL III: I grew up always playing a cavity-back club. I never played blades. I still remember my days playing at Oklahoma State [University] when coach [Mike] Holder would pound in our heads that we weren’t good enough to play blades, so I’ve learned that I need all the help I can get when it comes to the irons. A personal preference for me is that I don’t like to see a lot of offset, so the great thing for me was I had the opportunity to go through all of the Titleist 718 models and figure out the best breaks in offset between the sets that best fit my eye. The AP2 5, 6 and 7 really fit my eye, while the 8, 9 and pitching wedge in the CB were the best option because they still have some forgiveness but not a lot of offset.

That’s the one thing I think amateurs can learn from my setup. Your equipment is ultimately supposed to help you; you’re not supposed to spend your time on the course fighting your equipment. If you take the time to get fit, sometimes you’ll wind up with two or three models in the bag that fit your game.

On why he chose to switch from Titleist Pro V1x to Pro V1:

HOWELL III: I loved everything about the Pro V1x ball off the driver and fairway woods, but when I started working on the ’19 version, Fordie Pitts and the guys told me I might want to consider trying the Pro V1. During testing, I was just as long with the Pro V1 as I was with the previous Pro V1x, but the benefit I found in the V1 was that it was softer around the greens for me. Feel is extremely player-dependent, but for me, not losing any ball speed and getting that responsiveness with the scoring clubs was like getting the best of both worlds. It was a no-brainer. Plus, the ball was cutting through crosswinds like it was no big deal. Anytime you don’t have to worry about the ball ballooning in those situations, that’s a good thing.

On his 7-year-old son’s recent visit to Titleist’s Ball Plant 3:

HOWELL III: They flew up for the tournament in Boston and Titleist was nice enough to give them a tour of Ball Plant 3 and, my gosh, did my son have the time of his life. I’m quite sure he wore that tour guide out with a million different questions. He’s reminded me multiple times that he’s been to Ball Plant 3 and I haven’t, and that he actually saw the new Pro V1 before I did. It’s pretty bad when your 7-year-old is more knowledgeable than you are when it comes to the ball.

On his son’s admiration for Justin Thomas:

HOWELL III: Dude, he thinks Justin Thomas hung the moon. I don’t even register on the list. He knows JT’s entire bag setup, follows him on the PGA Tour app. When we’re both playing, I don’t even have to ask him who he’s tracking. That’s his favorite player without a doubt.

On the club that impressed him the most during testing:

HOWELL III: The TS3 driver for sure. It happened when we flipped the SureFit CG to a slightly draw biased setting. It immediately knocked spin off — roughly 300 RPMs across the board — and I was able to draw it just a touch. That second right there was the “holy cow moment” where I knew I’d found my driver and the perfect setting. It impressed me what a difference that setting made.

On what makes his club specs so unique:

HOWELL III: I play my irons a little bit longer in length — a half-inch long — for posture and golf swing reasons. Other players my height would normally have shorter irons than my current setup. I’ve had guys pick up my set and many are surprised because they are expecting something around standard length.

The post Gear talk: Charles Howell III discusses his switch to Titleist and what makes his clubs unique appeared first on Golf.