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My iron journey has been an experiment on my game | Fully Fit 2026

Johnny Wunder — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 14:43:42 +0000

Welcome to Fully Fit 2026, GOLF’s new platform for providing you with real-golfer insights into what 2026 gear might be best suited for your game. To this end, we assembled six GOLF content creators of varying abilities and ran them through the gauntlet of six full-bag fittings (driver to putter!) at six major club manufacturers in Phoenix and Carlsbad, Calif. Our hope: that you might see shades of your own game in one of our panelists and take some learnings and inspiration from their fitting experiences. In this installment (below), Johnny Wunder details his iron journey around Fully Fit 2026. You may browse each of our panelists’ full 2026 dream bags here:

The quest for the perfect iron set is never really a straight line.

As mentioned in my opening analysis during Fully Fit, I’m getting older (49), my game is a mess due to lack of playing and practice and I’m just at that point where my eyes are looking for comfort and fun VS precision and responsiveness.

I’m that guy who wanted a Porsche 911 for years, and now, at 49, vibed-out minivans hold more appeal. Make sense?

But what’s the end game? Why can’t I just find one set of sticks?

Well, the answer is actually quite fun… I found a bunch of them; they all work, and I’ll explain how and why.

Set 1: Cobra 3DP Tour, my unicorns.

The journey started with a fascination for a genuine new idea: the Cobra 3DP Tour irons.

Cobra’s utilization of a 3D-printed lattice structure inside the cavity wasn’t just a gimmick; it completely altered how they distributed weight. By using a lightweight structure in the center of the clubhead, they saved substantial weight and pushed it to the perimeter, creating an incredibly stable head in a relatively compact footprint. And looking into the future, they have the ability to make any iron your imagination can dream up.

Cobra Tour lead Ben Schomin fit me into a set that is still my favorite top to bottom. They look and feel INCREDIBLE, ball speed/launch/spin, all there. I put these in play at the Battle of the Beach down at Hammock Beach in March, and they were absolutely on point.

Cobra 3DP Tour Custom Irons

The KING 3D Printed TOUR irons utilize 3D printing technology to unlock a new realm of performance. Their one of a kind design features the most forgiving blade shape on the market, delivering the forgiveness that aspirational players need, and the sleek looks and soft feel that better players desire. 3D PRINTED STEEL CONSTRUCTION Each iron is fully 3D printed from 316 stainless steel. 3D printing provides significant advantages over traditional methods of casting and forging, unlocking more design freedom and significant performance improvements. FORGIVING PLAYERS BLADE SHAPE 3D printing has unlocked new design possibilities, enabling COBRA engineers to create a compact blade shape with the mass properties (high MOI, low CG) of a game improvement iron without sacrificing looks and soft feel that better players demand. INTERNAL LATTICE STRUCTURE COBRA took a muscle-back blade shape (similar in size and shape to the KING TOUR iron), and transformed the inside of the blade into a complex internal lattice structure to reduce the weight of the club by 33%. That discretionary weight was repositioned to optimize feel, CG position, and MOI.

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA Tour Superstore, Cobra

On the coastal terrain, these irons were exceptionally stable. Total distance consistency was remarkable because the strike didn’t need to be dead-center to maintain ball speed. But while they served their purpose beautifully, this gig provides new gear to be tested and new fitters to learn from.

They still remain the gold standard of what I tested, so many good shots and a user experience to get excited about.

The Push for one shot shape: PXG 0311T Gen8

PXG 0311T GEN8 Custom Irons

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA Tour Superstore, PXG

Next came a shift toward a more compact, tour-inspired shape with the PXG 0311 T Gen8. The Tour profile is arguably one of the cleanest shapes they’ve engineered—thin top line, minimal offset, and a short blade length that just looks right at address. The magic here is their updated weighting system that allows you to create nuanced “bias” in an iron head. This (like Cobra 3DP) is a new form of customization that really speaks to me.

I took them out to the Morris County Golf Club Member-Guest. I hit them great overall, but I ran into a persistent left miss on off-speed shots. Why? Because, against the advice of counsel, I overshot the heel weighting while trying to chase a specific shot shape and mitigate ANY right, which threw a heavy, long left miss into the setup.

Even with that left miss, two great things stood out from that week: first, the sheer level of customization you can achieve with their perimeter weights is unmatched; second, the technology actually works exactly how they say it does. Change the weights, change the flight—I just proved it a little too well.

The Comfort Correction: Callaway X-Forged Max

Callaway 2025 X Forged Max Custom Irons

Forged Precision, Pure Feel Crafted from a single piece of 1020 Carbon steel, X Forged Max Irons deliver the soft feel and crisp sound preferred by better players—along with a mid-compact profile that blends workability, feedback, and just the right amount of forgiveness. Clean Looks, Mid-Compact Shape X Forged Max features a more player-friendly cavity back and offset, mid-compact profile, and a refined topline—crafted to appeal to the eye of the better player looking for workability and forgiveness. Tri-Level Sole Design X Forged Max Irons feature a tri-level sole with beveled leading and trailing edge, promoting smooth turf interaction and precise ball control through impact.

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA TOUR Superstore, Callaway

Seeking a return to a true one-piece cavity back feel with a bit more structural footprint, the transition moved to Callaway and the X-Forged Max. The X-Forged line is a nod to classic Japanese forgings, featuring a pre-worn leading edge that prevents the club from digging too aggressively.

I LOVE THESE IRONS!

Going through this phase underscored how much a sole design impacts delivery. The feel of a pure, single-piece forging is hard to replicate with multi-material construction. Ball speed stayed incredibly tight relative to swing speed, and the spin characteristics were exactly what you want for holding firm greens out of the rough.

The flight was stable and predictable. But the pursuit of optimization never truly stops when you’re searching for that ultimate balance of speed and control. I also appreciate the fact that optically, although this is a player’s distance iron, they look like any tour cavity-back on the market. Compact shape, great lines, and a long iron to short iron progression for launch.

The cool kid set-up: Srixon ZXi5/ZXi7 Combo (Testing)

Srixon ZXi7 Custom Irons

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA TOUR Superstore, Srixon

This brings us to the present workspace setup, where two options are going head-to-head. The Srixon ZXi combo approaches performance by blending a multi-piece forged face in the ZXi5 long irons (5-6) with a single-piece forging in the ZXi7 scoring irons (7-PW).

Its primary traits are massive ball speed and spin consistency driven by its i-FORGED and MainFrame face technologies. We all know how well these things feel and get through the ground in any condition, and to be fair, I played them for a while last year when I started with Golf.com. I loved them, actually, just hadn’t tried them with Nippon 120X, so here we are.

This is an ongoing experiment to see if this type of platform works best for me, like X-Forged Max the Srixon combo has that “it” factor of look and feel, and it doesn’t hurt that on Tour they still remain one of the alpha irons out there.

The Play Your Best Matrix i540 / i240 / Blueprint S Combo (Testing)

PING i240 Custom Irons

The Tour-inspired i240 advances our popular Players technology, providing added forgiveness along with the control, look and feel that will appeal to a wide range of skill levels. It’s PING’s highest-launching Players model, giving golfers more control and the ability to consistently hit their distance numbers and stop the ball close to the hole. A new ABS badge in the true cavity-back design is 8.5g lighter, and combined with an elastomer insert allows for more perimeter weighting to increase the MOI in the mid and long irons. This helps achieve an 11% reduction in dispersion. The badge and insert contribute to a more desirable sound and a softer, responsive feel from the 431 stainless steel cast head.

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On the other side of the bay sits the project we’ve been dialing in, and it’s a completely different animal. This isn’t off-the-rack; it’s a highly planned blending of three distinct Ping platforms to build a progressive matrix. We started with the i540 in the 5-iron to give me that high-launch, high-ball-speed floor where my speed typically drops off. From there, it transitions into the i240 for the 6- and 7-irons, offering a perfect bridge of mid-iron forgiveness and stability, before moving into the pure, fully-forged Blueprint S for the scoring clubs (8-PW).

To make this mix work seamlessly, we bent the entire set to Power Spec lofts, creating a perfectly linear gapping progression: a 23.5° 5-iron, 28° 6-iron, 32° 7-iron, 36° 8-iron, 40° 9-iron and a 44° pitching wedge. Built 1-degree upright with Nippon Modus 120 X shafts at a D3 swingweight, the build feels incredibly unified. This set is built around problem-solving mis-hits.

On the TrackMan, this progressive matrix solves my north-to-south dispersion issue.

The Blueprint S short irons give me total control over the spin axis and launch angle when I want to flight a wedge down, while the i240 and i540 heads ensure that my long-iron ball speeds don’t bunch up and stay in a fun spot when I hit it thin. Which I do…a lot.

This will be a really fun experiment

WHY THOUGH?

When looking at the hard truths, there isn’t a set here that won’t work; they all have that performance baseline that helps a guy like me.

I wanted to take this summer to understand a recipe for building a great iron set for me as I go into my 50’s, I even considered combo-ingredients OEMS based on each iron. ie. take the best 5-iron, 6-iron etc. They are all the same spec, so I could pull that off.

Is that realistic? no. Is it interesting? yes.

Keep in mind that any good fitter can get you where you wanna go quite easily, I’m just a little nuts and doing this off the reservation.

Ready to overhaul your bag in 2026 like our Fully Fit panelists? Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

The post My iron journey has been an experiment on my game | Fully Fit 2026 appeared first on Golf.

I thought I knew what irons were for my game. I was wrong | Fully Fit 2026

Wadeh Maroun — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:31:21 +0000

Welcome to Fully Fit 2026, GOLF’s new platform for providing you with real-golfer insights into what 2026 gear might be best suited for your game. To this end, we assembled six GOLF content creators of varying abilities and ran them through the gauntlet of six full-bag fittings (driver to putter!) at six major club manufacturers in Phoenix and Carlsbad, Calif. Our hope: that you might see shades of your own game in one of our panelists and take some learnings and inspiration from their fitting experiences. In this installment (below), Wadeh Maroun details his irons journey around Fully Fit 2026. You may browse each of our panelists’ full 2026 dream bags here:

Fully custom-fit irons were never supposed to be the headline of this trip. They were just one box to check on a longer list of equipment that needed dialing in.

I had my identity as an iron player figured out: a cavity-back guy through and through, with maybe a more forgiving 4-iron thrown in at the top of the bag for good measure.

Simple. Settled. Done.

Boy, was I wrong.

The Moment Everything Changed

It all came to a head on Day 1 at the Ping Proving Grounds, working alongside Ryan Carr — a legend of a human being and an even better fitter. We started exactly where I expected to start: cavity-backs, with a more forgiving long iron up top. On this particular day, that meant Ping Blueprint S irons paired with an i240 at the 4-iron.

We went through the motions. The numbers came in exactly like they always had. The good swings were genuinely good — tight dispersion, solid numbers. But the misses told a different story. Every mishit was 20 yards short of the target, no exceptions.

Ryan studied the data, looked over at me, and did something I wasn’t expecting: He reached into his bag and pulled out a demo of the then-unreleased Ping i540, a hollow-bodied players-distance iron.

“I don’t think this is the iron for you. But let’s try it anyway,” he said.

First swing: every number hit, baby draw right on line. Second swing, same thing. Third, fourth, fifth — it just kept happening. The consistency was enough to pull Johnny, Jake and Jack over from other bays on the range, all wearing the same puzzled expression, all asking some version of the same question: “What is that you’re hitting?”

Throwing out the ego

From that point on, the rest of the trip took a different shape. I stopped reaching for cavity-backs out of habit and started hitting nothing but players-distance irons. The TaylorMade P770 felt built for my swing tempo. The Callaway Apex Ai150 impressed. The Cobra 3DP Tour and MB both had moments where they felt like the answer.

It was a genuine revelation: all I had to do was set aside the ego and play what actually fit what I was trying to accomplish — instead of boxing myself into a category because of how I’d always identified as a player.

The 2026 irons that stood out to me

By the end of the trip, three irons rose above the rest: the Ping i540, the Cobra 3DP and the TaylorMade P770. I ultimately went with the P770, which produced the most consistent north-to-south dispersion of the group — the kind of repeatable pattern that builds trust on the course, not just on the range.

Since making the switch, I’ve shaved a full stroke off my handicap, and now I’m down to a 1.1 index in my goal of getting to the coveted 0.0. Scratch.

Ping i540

PING i540 Custom Irons

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I’m just going to say it: these things jumped off the face in a way I genuinely wasn’t prepared for. And the numbers backed up exactly what I was feeling, which doesn’t always happen.

Cobra 3DP Tour

Cobra 3DP Tour Custom Irons

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This was the wildcard of the whole trip and easily the most mind-blowing piece of technology I got my hands on. The first time I flushed one of these, my jaw dropped. It looked like a blade. It felt like a blade. And it forgave like something two or three categories bigger. Now I understand why Max Homa and Rickie Fowler have them in the bag.

TaylorMade P770 (Gamers)

TaylorMade P770 Custom Irons

SOLID FORGED FEEL Improved for a more solid feel like never before. The 2024 P•770 has been strategically tuned using a player’s forged construction and modal analysis to create a notable improvement and the best feeling P•770 to date. MODERN PLAYERS IRON TaylorMade’s FLTD CG™ coupled with precision milled face and grooves, deliver the launch and spin modern players demand. Designed with forgiving, high launching long irons and lower launching, high spinning scoring irons for accuracy and control. CONSISTENCY Consistent ball striking and accurate shot making from a forged iron construction designed with meticulous mass optimization and an updated tungsten weight design for more forgiving long irons. REFINED SHAPING Refined shaping for a cleaner look and improved turf interaction. The 2024 P•770 has a thinner topline visual balanced with a confidence inspiring, compact head shape. A newly modified leading edge design helps deliver consistent shot making and crisp turf interaction.

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What I kept seeing on the monitor, shot after shot, was this incredibly tight north-to-south dispersion that none of the other irons could match. The distance wasn’t just good — it was consistent.

Bottom line

If there’s one lesson from this entire process, it’s this: try everything when you’re gearing up for a new set of irons. Don’t let a label talk you out of testing a club. The iron you swore you’d never play — simply because of how it’s classified — might be exactly what takes your scores lower.

Editor’s Note: Wadeh Maroun is the president of Fairway Jockey.

Ready to overhaul your bag in 2026 like our Fully Fit panelists? Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

The post I thought I knew what irons were for my game. I was wrong | Fully Fit 2026 appeared first on Golf.

Why this mini driver could improve your game off the tee

Jessica Marksbury — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:36:44 +0000

“Sometimes smaller is better.”

That’s the lesson Drew Stoltz learned in the latest episode of Emergency 9, presented by Cobra, when he took the Cobra KING TEC mini driver out for a spin.

What benefits can a mini driver offer you? The smaller head can help eliminate your big miss, leading to more fairways off the tee — and as a result, better approach opportunities and potential looks at birdie.

“Take, for instance, you’re a guy who struggles off the tee with his driver,” Stoltz said. “I’ve seen people switch to this mini driver and immediately become infinitely better at driving the golf ball than they were before.

“It’s easier to hit. It’s easier to get up in the air,” he continued. “If you’re a guy that fights a big slice, I see this thing straighten it out all the time. You can still tee it up off the ground.”

News

Drew Stoltz explains how to make your game 'hater-proof'

By: Jessica Marksbury

While you may sacrifice a bit of distance off the tee with the mini, Stoltz says it may well be worth it.

“You’re gonna be in play way more often than you would if you tee up driver every time and spray it,” he said.

Another benefit of the mini? It can replace a difficult 3-wood, which can be a tough club to master for some players.

“If you’re a guy that doesn’t like his 3-wood much, scared to use it off the tee, maybe hates it off the ground, any of the above, this is a quick fix for that,” Stoltz said. “You don’t have obviously quite as much distance as you’re gonna get with your with your regular driver, but it’s so much easier if you get 303ccs on this head [compared to 460ccs in modern driver heads], which makes it so much more forgiving, optimizes your speed, your dispersion. It’s just a lot easier to hit and get off the tee than the 3-wood.”

Stoltz said he likes Cobra’s KING TEC mini specifically because it’s built with Cobra’s PWRSHELL H.O.T. Face technology, which enhances forgiveness, straightens ball flight and tightens dispersion on off-center hits.

“You got two adjustable weights, one near the face, one towards the back. You got the FutureFit33 technology. You can move it up in loft, down in loft, go more upright, go more flat,” Stoltz said. “Whatever type of swing you have there’s a fit that’s good for you.

“It’s the most versatile mini driver on the market.”

Could Cobra’s mini be a fit for your game? Check out the club in detail below, and for more from Stoltz, you can watch the latest episode of Emergency 9 in its entirety above.

Cobra KING TEC Custom Mini Driver

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How to dial in your putting stroke before every round

Jessica Marksbury — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 18:08:14 +0000

If you’re wondering how to best prepare yourself for the round ahead on the greens, Drew Stoltz has a simple routine worth copying.

In the latest episode of Emergency 9, the Subpar co-host shared how he dials in his putting before each round.

Up first: straight shorties, which he said helps him get a feel for his tendencies on a given day.

“I like to start off with just some short straight putts,” he said. “All I’m focusing on is ball position and alignment. Speed doesn’t matter. I want a dead straight putt just so I can get some feedback. If it’s going in the right side of the hole, I know I may be aimed a little right. Same with the left side as well.”

Stoltz said he likes to see five or 10 short putts go in before moving to mid-range.

News

Drew Stoltz explains how to make your game 'hater-proof'

By: Jessica Marksbury

“I like to work my way around in a circle from about 6 to 8 feet,” he said. “That way, I’m getting putts that are right to left, I get putts that are uphill, downhill, left to right, you get all of it. It just gives you a good idea for the pace of the greens and how hard you need to hit it on your given line.”

After completing a circle around the hole, Stoltz moves on to the final stage of his putting warm-up: lags.

“Sometimes I’ll aim for the edge of the green, sometimes I’ll aim for a hole, whatever I can,” he said. “I just hit like, 40-footers over and over, uphill, downhill, just to get the pace dialed in for the longer putts. After that I try not to overthink it and head to the first tee.”

And Stoltz’s current flatstick, Cobra’s 3DP Tour Agera, makes alignment easier than ever.

“This thing’s been a game changer for me,” Stoltz said. “This putter has been really consistent for me ever since I put it in. Super consistent off the face, you get a lot of feedback too, whether you hit it on the toe or the heel, but you also get that consistent rollout.

“The main reason I think I like this is these two stripes on top make it super easy for alignment,” he continued. “That’s the thing I struggle with most, and I think that’s what a ton of golfers struggle with most is just getting set up correctly.”

Interested in testing Stoltz’s putter for yourself? Check it out in detail by clicking the link below. You can also watch Stoltz explain his pre-round putting routine in the video above.

Cobra 3DP Tour Agera Custom Putter

The COBRA AGERA putter is a multi-material 3D printed construction that brings ultimate stability in a flagship oversized mallet design. Featuring a single bend shaft designed for players with a straighter stroke type. Paired with LA GOLF’s Descending Loft Face Technology that delivers consistent launch and unmatched end-over-end roll performance in the market. MULTI-MATERIAL CONSTRUCTION An oversize blade shape combines a 3D printed nylon lattice cartridge-4g, a 304 stainless steel MIM frame–302g and a 3g carbon fiber crown that creates the ultimate design for stability. 3D PRINTED NYLON CARTRIDGE An intricate 3D printed nylon lattice cartridge optimizes weight savings allowing CG to sit low and forward to optimize energy transfer and stability. LA GOLF’S DESCENDING LOFT TECHNOLGY Featuring a 6061-aerospace grade aluminum insert with LA GOLF’s proprietary Descending Loft Technology, utilizes 4 descending lofts (4°,3°,2°,1°) to mitigate delofting and the addition of loft through head delivery during impact and provides an optimal launch for unparalleled end-over-end roll performance. ADJUSTABLE WEIGHTING SYSTEM Adjustable weighting system gives the player the ability to interchange to a lighter or heavier weight to achieve a personal feel. All putters ship stock with nominal 15g weights and can move +- 5-10g in either direction. Additional weights sold separately. (5g, 10g, 15g, 20, 25g)

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The post How to dial in your putting stroke before every round appeared first on Golf.

Shop Cobra's limited-edition OPTM X Volition driver

Jessica Marksbury — Tue, 05 May 2026 20:40:50 +0000

The latest limited-edition version of Cobra’s OPTM X driver just dropped, and fans of the brand’s Volition gear will be pumped by the inclusion of some cool new design details on the club head.

For those unfamiliar, Cobra-Puma’s Volition line of products includes patriotic performance apparel and equipment that supports the Folds of Honor Foundation, which provides educational scholarships to families of our fallen or disabled military heroes and first responders.

Gear

How Cobra OPTM fitters use this genius gadget to their advantage (and yours!)

By: Johnny Wunder

In terms of club performance, this limited-edition driver model contains all the technology of the original OPTM X, which was first released in January and prioritizes accuracy. If you’re a player who doesn’t struggle with creating too much spin, the OPTM X would be a good choice for you, as it’s specially engineered to balance speed, accuracy, and forgiveness for tighter dispersion off the tee.

The OPTM X Volition driver is the fourth limited-edition version of Cobra’s OPTM X to be released thus far this year, following the Arnold Palmer edition, the Palm Tree Crew and the Real Tree iterations.

The OPTM X Volition driver features an an abstract, classic military camo print in Army green on the club head and the word “Freedom” scattered throughout. The alignment aid on the top of the clubhead features a bell with a lightning bolt through the middle and a star on the top. And of course, there’s a complementary Army green headcover to go with the club, too.

Ready to upgrade your game with the latest limited-edition OPTM X driver from Cobra? Order yours now before they’re gone!

Shop Cobra’s limited-edition OPTM X Volition driver

Cobra OPTM X Volition Limited Edition Custom Driver

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The post Shop Cobra’s limited-edition OPTM X Volition driver appeared first on Golf.

Shop Cobra's limited-edition OPTM X Realtree driver

Jessica Marksbury — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:42:21 +0000

If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, chances are you’ve encountered Realtree — a popular camouflage pattern that features leaves, twigs and bark. The pattern has long been favored by hunters and fisherman, and if you count yourself among them, now you can play a driver to match.

The Cobra OPTM X Realtree driver is a limited-edition selection that features the Realtree camouflage pattern on both the top of the club head (where you’ll find the phrase “Adventure is out there”) and on the face.

Fans of Cobra’s OPTM X driver may also recall another limited-edition design dropping earlier this year, the Palm Tree Crew — the result of a collab between Rickie Fowler and DJ Kygo.

Drivers

Shop Cobra's limited-edition OPTM X Palm Tree Crew driver

By: Jessica Marksbury

Like its limited-edition sibling, the Realtree OPTM X possesses the same performance characteristics as the originally-released club. By prioritizing POI (product of inertia) rather than MOI (moment of inertia), Cobra’s OPTM family of drivers are designed to be more accurate than their predecessors. The OPTM X is suitable for good players who don’t struggle with creating too much spin, and is specially engineered to balance speed, accuracy, and forgiveness for tighter dispersion.

Ready to make this club — and its limited-edition look — your own? Check out the Cobra Realtree OPTM X driver in detail below. To add one to your bag, click on the link. But hurry! This limited-edition offering is sure to sell out quickly!

Shop Cobra’s limited-edition Realtree OPTM X driver

Cobra OPTM X Real Tree Limited Edition Custom Driver

Adventure awaits with COBRA x Realtree. This exclusive collaboration is designed for those who thrive in the wild. Combining Realtree’s iconic camo patterns with COBRA’s signature performance technology, this driver is built to embrace the freedom, excitement, and beauty of nature.

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The post Shop Cobra’s limited-edition OPTM X Realtree driver appeared first on Golf.

Why Rickie Fowler's 3rd driver of the year isn't cause for alarm | Tour Report

Jack Hirsh — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 18:36:04 +0000

Welcome to Fully Equipped’s weekly Tour equipment report. Every Friday of PGA Tour weeks (plus other times, if news warrants), GOLF equipment editor Jack Hirsh runs you through some of the biggest news surrounding golf clubs on Tour, including changes, tweaks and launches.

Rickie Fowler is using his third different Cobra OPTM driver of the season this week at the RBC Heritage — but his driver switches are not because of poor performance.

Coming into the week, the 37-year-old ranks 17th in accuracy, 18th in total driving and 18th in total driving efficiency, a combined measure of how far he is carrying it and his total yardage compared to his clubhead speed. He’s positive in SG: Off-the-Tee at just under three-tenths of a shot.

Got some more info from Cobra Tour Rep Ben Schomin, who told me Fowler has actually been fit for three of Cobra's OPTM heads this season, here is him using the OPTM LS at the Players last month. He confirmed the driver Fowler is using this weekend is the same low lofted Max-K… https://t.co/7IzAwHfzpm pic.twitter.com/xGjx8v6dJ5
— Jack Hirsh (@JR_HIRSHey) April 17, 2026

So why is Fowler continuing to cycle through drivers? This week, he’s using the OPTM MAX LS-K prototype driver, which his good friend Gary Woodland won with last month, but for most of the season, it’s been the OPTM X, the driver most of Cobra’s Tour players use. But he’s also used the OPTM LS earlier this year at the Players.

Turns out, Fowler and Ben Schomin had confident fits in all three of Cobra’s OPTM heads used on Tour.

“This is an interesting and good story,” Schomin told GOLF. “By mid-December last year, we had him fit very well into OPTM LS, X, and Max K. I think that’s a strong testament to our new lineup.

“He had three distinct drivers and the biggest decision was trying to decide which worked best at that time. He’s played the majority of the season with OPTM X, but has also played a couple of tourneys with OPTM LS. His overall driving stats have been good.

“So it’s not that he’s lost and searching, but rather has confidence in all three and wants to test drive their performance on the track.”

Rickie Fowler and Gary Woodland are close and they're influencing each other's bags for sure.

First it was Woodland gaming a center-shafted GoLo and Cleveland Offset wedge after seeing Fowler do it.

Now Fowler appears to be taking a page from Woodland's book by playing his OPTM… pic.twitter.com/GQEUXCOsqy
— Jack Hirsh (@JR_HIRSHey) April 16, 2026

Fowler also made a change in shaft length recently, going from a 44.125″ — one of the shortest on Tour — shaft UST LinQ Powercore White to 45″. The added length is potentially one of the reasons he wanted to consider the more forgiving Max-K head.

So far, that’s working well for Fowler as he opened with rounds of 65 and 69. He ranks 35th in SG: OTT, picking up nearly sevent-tenths of a stroke and has missed just seven of 28 fairways.

It shouldn’t be surprising either that Fowler is taking after Woodland. Woodland’s Cleveland RTZ offset lob wedge and Scotty Cameron center-shafted GoLo putter only ended up in his bag after Fowler started the year with them.

Cobra OPTM Max-K Custom Driver

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA TOUR Superstore, Cobra

Michael Kim broke his 3-wood. Then he stole’ Max Homa’s

Perhaps the worst time at a PGA Tour event to have an equipment issue is Wednesday afternoon, but that’s exactly the situation Michael Kim found himself in this week.

Kim took to Twitter Wednesday evening, as he so often does, as one of golf’s best personalities on the platform, to reveal he discovered a crack in his TaylorMade Qi10 3-wood.

“I was getting ready to hit my tee shot on 18 with my 3 wd and noticed a decent-sized crack on the face,” he wrote. “All the trucks are gone so the rep is trying to get it shipped overnight. My head pro from home is also shipping my backup from my locker.”

Tour Trucks leave Tour sites Wednesday around noon to get to next week’s event on time.

Have something happen after then, and you’re kinda at the mercy of FedEx or the local golf shop.

Michael tees off at 11:00 tomorrow, so it seems like he’ll be using Max Homa’s 4-wood for… https://t.co/kN1s1ZUPgO
— Jack Hirsh (@JR_HIRSHey) April 16, 2026

Earlier in the week, this would have been a non-issue as the Tour trucks from each OEM that follow the PGA Tour week-to-week could have easily built him a new one. But the Tour trucks typically leave events on Wednesdays around noon each week to have enough time to make it to the next event.

With the trucks already bound for New Orleans and next week’s Zurich Classic, Kim found an interesting solution. He intended to play with a borrowed Qi4D 3HL-wood from Max Homa.

In fact, Kim later wrote that several other pros offered their backup 3-woods to him, but Homa’s seemed to work the best, despite having a wildly different shaft, a Ventus Black 8-X with Velocore+ compared to his usual Graphite Design Tour AD UB-7 X.

“Def different profile, but it worked pretty well on the range,” Kim later told GOLF. He also added that he was expecting to get his backup 3-wood from his home course in time for his 11:00 a.m. tee time Thursday.

Luckily, it did arrive in time, but Kim said he remembered that he had flattened his gamer earlier this year, but not his backup, which has been sitting in his locker at his home course. Every shot overdrew on the range, he wrote. Again, no trucks around capable of making the lie adjustment to a fairway wood.

Happy ending https://t.co/55Me5ShwfL
— Jack Hirsh (@JR_HIRSHey) April 16, 2026

So Kim ended up gaming Homa’s 4-wood and despite the difference in shaft, he said he really liked it, enough to even ask TaylorMade to build him one. He hit 3/4 fairways with the club and gained .32 shots when playing it off the tee.

Titleist, TaylorMade begin seeding new lines

The week after the Masters was a big one for seeding of new products as both TaylorMade and Titleist launched new gear at Harbour Town.

TaylorMade had three players using its new 2026 Spider putters, including Tommy Fleetwood and Jacob Bridgeman, who are both using new versions of the Spider Tour.

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It’s the second putter change in three weeks for Fleetwood, who changed the alignment aid on his Spider Tour Black the week before the Masters. TaylorMade Tour Rep James Holley said the new model is identical to his old putter but with a different finish and wider “Pilot’s Eye” alignment aid.

Pierceson Coody is using the Spider Tour F he first put into play four weeks ago at the Valspar Championship. TaylorMade

TaylorMade also tied for the overall putter count after the first round with 21, but then pushed ahead in the second round after Ryo Hisatsune switched to a TaylorMade blade. Last year, TaylorMade had just 12 putters in play at this same event.

Tommy Fleetwood (first two pictures), Jacob Bridgeman (third picture, both Spider Tours) and Pierceson Coody (fourth, Spider Tour F) all are using TaylorMade's new 2026 Spider putters at Harbour Town this week.

Fleetwood's putter is essentially identical to the one he started… pic.twitter.com/T9DZQopkOQ
— Jack Hirsh (@JR_HIRSHey) April 17, 2026

Elsewhere, Titleist officially launched its GTS fairway woods at the RBC Heritage.

Cameron Young and Johnny Keefer both previously added the GTS3 7-wood at the Valero and the Masters, respectively, but four more GTS fairway metals were in play as well.

Bud Cauley (GTS3 15.0), Joe Highsmith (GTS2 13.5) and Jordan Smith (GTS2 13.5, GTS3 18.0) all added new GTS fairway metals for Harbour Town.

As with the drivers, there are few technical details out there right now, but from images, we do know both the GTS2 and GTS3 feature adjustable heel-toe weighting in addition to a silver face that was seen as a prototype on Young’s GT1 3-wood.

Titleist also had six GTS fairways in play at Harbour Town after they officially launched on Tour this week.

Cameron Young (pictured) and Johnny Keefer played the GTS3 7-wood at the Masters.

Here’s who else played them:
Bud Cauley: GTS3 15.0
Joe Highsmith GTS2 13.5
Jordan… pic.twitter.com/Cx4jjCIF7D
— Jack Hirsh (@JR_HIRSHey) April 17, 2026

GTS2 also appears significantly shallower than the GTS3.

There was, however, no mention of the GTS fairway wood that GolfWRX spotted Michael Brennan testing at the Houston Open three weeks ago at the GTS driver launch.

Check this out

This section is dedicated to cool photos we’ve snapped recently on Tour, but haven’t had a reason to share yet. For this week, check out Harris English’s 15-year-old Ping Scottsdale Hohum mallet.

Harris English has been using this putter since his senior year of college. Jack Hirsh/GOLF

Odds and Ends

Some other gear changes and notes we’re tracking this week.

Karl Vilips is playing without a driver this week, going with an R7 Quad Mini, 3-wood and a 7-wood … Patrick Cantlay became the first player to add Titleist’s GTS4 driver and three others also added a GTS driver this week … Jhonattan Vegas is the latest player to move into Callaway’s *still* unreleased Apex MB ’26s … Jason Day added Ping’s prototype mini driver … TaylorMade had 72 fairway woods in play with the next competitor at 24 … Denny McCarthy added an R7 Quad 11.5 … Chris Gotterup is playing his TaylorMade P770 3-iron … Jordan Smith is the latest player to get ‘Spidered’, adding Spider tour X … J.T. Poston has a new Qi4D 7-wood … Tommy Fleetwood switched to a Titleist SM11 T-Grind lob wedge … Garrick Higgo switched from a 9.0 to 10.5 Ping G440 K.

3 things you should read/watch

A selection of GOLF content from the past week that may interest you.

Meet the man behind Rory McIlroy’s Masters-winning Spider putter. The PGA Tour’s Spider-fever got another shot of momentum with Rory McIlroy’s second green jacket. Meet the man who is responsible for building and fitting all of the new ones out there.

TaylorMade Spider Tour X Custom Putter

THIN WALL UNDERCUT CONSTRUCTION We’ve engineered a super stable structure by removing excess weight to create high MOI and legendary Spider performance. STEEL WIREFRAME Allows engineers to better control weight distribution and CG location. HYBRAR ECHO® DAMPENER HYBRAR is behind the face to dampen unwanted vibrations, delivering premium sound and feel on every putt with the best possible sensation. DIFFERENT CG LOCATION Each Spider Tour model features different CG locations for optimal putter fitting. TSS WEIGHTING TSS weights provide balanced weighting and help optimize performance for all various putter lengths. GUNMETAL PVD FINISH The durable PVD coating creates a beautiful high-quality finish. TRUE PATH™ ALIGNMENT The patented alignment system provides visual clarity and helps golfers better envision the line to the hole. WHITE TPU PURE ROLL™ INSERT Made from a combination of Surlyn and aluminum, the white TPU Pure Roll™ insert creates a softer feel. Grooves are angled at 45° to encourage optimal forward roll as well as better sound, feel and overall roll characteristics. The white insert also creates better symmetry with the white True Path alignment. REFINED HOSEL DESIGNS Spider Tour Series includes two different hosel shapes and designs. The small slant produces toe hang, and the double bend produces a face balanced design.

Buy Now$349.99 from Fairway Jockey

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA TOUR Superstore, TaylorMade

Cobra’s R&D was asked to think outside the box. Now they’re 3D printing golf clubs. Jake Morrow takes you inside the process of bringing Cobra’s first 3DP irons to market and what the technology enables for the future.

Cobra 3DP Tour Custom Irons

Buy Now$329.99 from Fairway Jockey

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA TOUR Superstore, Cobra

This rising star has a golf bag built for the modern bomber | Bag Spy. For this week’s Bag Spy, we dive into the bag of Michael Thorbjornsen and what he’s changed to adapt to PGA Tour golf.

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.

Buy Now$479.99 from Fairway Jockey

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA TOUR Superstore, TaylorMade

The author welcomes your comments at Jack.Hirsh@golf.com.

Want to overhaul your bag in 2026? Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

The post Why Rickie Fowler’s 3rd driver of the year isn’t cause for alarm | Tour Report appeared first on Golf.

Cobra's R&D was asked to think outside the box. Now they're 3D printing golf clubs

Jake Morrow — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 22:13:03 +0000

For several years now, the No. 1 golf equipment story I have been obsessed with is Cobra’s 3D printing. Dig deep and you’ll find their process is the culmination of a decade’s-worth of work by a team who was challenged to think outside the box. Not only did this year find something new, they charged down a path of innovation that could be the greatest stride in golf equipment I will ever cover in my career.

The Fully Equipped team dove in on this story and spent two days with the Cobra team to discuss how they’ve gotten the project to where it currently sits, the trials they went through, the problem-solving they needed, special programs they use, and a glimpse into the future of what 3D printing means for the consumer customer. Here are my 3 biggest takeaways from our feature piece.

It almost didn’t happen… at several stages

Irons

Can Cobra's 3D Printing completely change the irons market?

By: Jake Morrow

The very first question I asked when we sat down to begin discussing the project was, “Who will raise their hand and take credit for being in a board room years ago and proposing such a wild idea?” Turns out that, as Director of R&D Doug Roberts pointed out, that man was Ryan Roach. Roach leads the Innovation Team at Cobra Golf and his job, in a nutshell, is to dream. There’s some pressure attached to those dreams, of course; in actuality it’s Roach’s job to justify his dreams. And that’s exactly what Roach saw in 3D printing: A dream.

The man who raised his hand: Cobra Innovation Team Lead – Ryan Roach. John Sodaro / GOLF

In theory, the idea was simple. Create the ability to make a 1-of-1 golf club for anybody who wants to order. Even 10 years ago, this was possible; it just cost a significant amount of money. You’d have to build the tooling for a set of irons, test those irons, make changes, invest in more tooling, create a new set, and repeat until you had the clubs you wanted. A single set made for a tour pro for example could cost tens of thousands of dollars. That may be worth it when you’re playing for millions on the PGA Tour, but not when you’re trying to win $5 off your buddies on the weekends. So the dream added an asterisk. Create the ability to make a 1 of 1 golf club for anybody who wants to order *and* at an accessible price point.

Chatting with Ryan Roach with a table full of prototypes, projects, and problems in front of us. John Sodaro / GOLF

Their first hurdle? Nobody knew how to do it and nobody knew where to start — until Roach brought the idea of 3D printing forward. It had been used in other industries, and the technology was rapidly improving, but the idea of bringing the technology to golf was unheard of. From what we’ve been told, those discussions alone were almost enough to stop the project from happening. Become an industry leader would take resources, people, and most terrifying of all: time.

The second hurdle? Tour adoption. This concept wasn’t going to work if it didn’t work in the hands of the best players. This mean that the made-from-powdered-metal, stainless steel, lattice filled irons would have to perform, feel, and sound just like the forged options that players have been using for years. Any sacrifice in any category would halt the project.

Gear

Rickie Fowler changed nearly every club this year. He told us why | Bag Spy

By: Jack Hirsh

Thankfully Rickie Fowler, Max Homa, Matti Schmid, Lexi Thompson, and others have all settled in very nicely to their new 3DP irons, all of which are personal builds.

Lexi Thompson’s custom 3DP irons based off of her faithful S2 Forged irons John Sodaro / GOLF

Finding the digital speed to keep up with the analog speed

One of the most interesting things that came up during our interviews for the feature was their use of nTop. nTop is a computational design software that is a significant reason for the entire project’s success. Why it’s so interesting is because, in a weird turn of chance for the year 2026, the analog side of the 3D printing process was outrunning the digital side. Once a design was sent to the printer, it could be done in days, depending on the urgency. The issue was that the experimentation to actually design the clubs, particularly the internal lattice, was tedious and time consuming.

Bryce Hobbs talks about mass property research in our Cobra 3DP feature John Sodaro / GOLF

Cobra’s Bryce Hobbs, R&D Team Leader, speaks in the feature about their research into mass properties. Mass properties are essentially the determination of how the weight in the head is going to be distributed depending on the performance outcome they are trying to achieve. If we take a look at the retail line of 3DP.MB, 3DP Tour, and 3DP.x you can see mass properties shift. The MB has its weight more central in the blade for better control and a higher overall center of gravity. The 3DP Tour uses over 100 grams of tungsten that’s set out towards the perimeter of the blade with a wider sole for increased forgiveness, and a lower, deeper CG placement. The 3DP.x takes that even further to spread the mass out towards the perimeter and create Cobra’s most forgiving 3DP platform design. And that’s all decided by how the internal lattice is constructed.

I’m not incredibly versed in computational design programs, but from what I got out of it was that nTop allowed them to speed up their digital design process by 10x; specifically in the way they design the internal lattice structures. The reason the internal lattice structure is so crucial to the irons is that it controls the performance characteristics of that design. Depending on the characteristics desired by the designer and the eventual player, tungsten weight needs to be moved around inside the head. With nTop, they’re able to prototype, design, and test different internal structures, shapes, and even materials with no delay in their overall manufacturing process. The digital design process can support the timelines of the analog manufacturing times, helping to speed up the overall process but also taking steps to learn faster. This is where the genius of the club design and the 3D printing engine really starts to hit home, and gives us a glimpse into what the future may actually look like in pursuit of the *accessible* 1-of-1 dream.

A look at Ben’s computer with the nTop software active John Sodaro / GOLF

What ACTUALLY comes next?

It’s hard to know exactly what comes next, but we’ve now been given plenty of hints as to what is possible. It’s just a matter of what the Cobra team decides to do in the space, and how quickly they want to do it. Let’s recap what we know, and what we can infer for the future based off the available facts.

1. Tour pros are getting custom 1-of-1 irons.

For Cobra’s Tour staff and select others, there is nothing off limits. They can choose every aspect of their iron build that they want down to the head weight. CG placement, top-line thickness, sole shape, offset, speed, even the material the iron is made out? Everything is in play for those at the highest level of the game. They even converted longtime Cobra S2 Forged player Lexi Thompson into a new set of 3DP irons. How’d they do it? They printed her a set that visually retains the crazy offset those irons had and the interesting blade shape and sole, with an internal structure that gave her more speed and more forgiveness on off-center strikes. Mind you, Cobra’s S2 Forged came out 15 years ago. This is a pretty big deal.

So you’d have to imagine that in pursuit of an *accessible* 1-of-1 irons program, that would all be up for grabs with the consumer in some way. I have no idea, they were very careful about not leaking that info. But I’m just telling you what we know is currently possible.

Ben Lemery talks about the team at Cobra being just on the cusp of getting to that light at the end of the tunnel John Sodaro / GOLF

2.) The lattice is the key.

I would encourage you to watch the nTop portion of the feature over again and really pay attention to what Ben says. The lattice is the key to this entire thing. By being able to structurally achieved different mass properties, they can give players options that nobody else can. You love your MBs but you want that CG pushed a little bit lower? No problem. Massive performance change, zero visual change. Do you love the 3DP Tour but wish it had a bit less offset and spun a bit more? No sweat. Massive performance change, zero visual change. All by adapting the way the lattice is built and the weight inside the head is manipulated. And it’s all at the finger tips of Ben and his co-workers. It’s hard to even fully wrap a thought process around understanding the potential that that unlocks.

3.) Cobra WANTS us to be the beneficiaries of their dream

You hear it at the end from Caitlin Farley. Doug Roberts mentions the excitement they had for 3DP Tour to hit retail for the first time. Ryan Roach mentions his confidence in the project several times. Bryce Hobbs and Ben Lemery are both focused on the “light” at the end of the tunnel. That’s their dream. 1 of 1 sets for consumers. Cobra wants this. This project isn’t meant to stay a Tour-only thing. It’s meant to give every single player an accessible chance at creating whatever set of irons they need to shoot the best scores. The levels of this are hard to comprehend. If they can scan and print Lexi’s S2 Forged irons with 2026 performance inside, what’s to stop them from scanning any other iron?

Let’s all embrace this philosophy and maybe we’ll get our own customs sooner than we think. John Sodaro / GOLF

Everything is on the table. We don’t know when. We still don’t quite know exactly how. And we don’t even know if they’ll stop at irons. What we do know is that this continues to be the coolest story in golf equipment innovation, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have a front-row seat to follow along and see the eventual impact it’s going to leave on our industry. Everything we know right now is truly the lead up, the Part 1 of this entire story. Part 2 has seemingly just started, and the introduction is already astonishing.

It’s like watching a sequel for a great movie and the first 60 seconds of the sequel have already made you forget the original. We’re watching that sequel in real time.

The post Cobra’s R&D was asked to think outside the box. Now they’re 3D printing golf clubs appeared first on Golf.

These clubs were built just for Augusta National | Masters Tour Report

Jack Hirsh — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:38:14 +0000

Augusta National presents a unique challenge to the best in the world every year, but with near-perfect conditions, the test is even more demanding.

With a fairly dry lead-up to the Masters and the rare occurrence of no rain in the forecast for this weekend, Augusta National will be as firm and fast this weekend as the club wants it, meaning pros are searching for more height to stop the ball.

That’s why it shouldn’t come as a surprise that 11 players chose to drop 4-irons this week in favor of high-lofted fairway woods or hybrids. A few of those players are guys who don’t typically play a 4-iron, like Tommy Fleetwood, Zach Johnson and PGA Tour Champions players Vijay Singh, Mike Weir and Freddie Couples, who has his normal three-hybrid setup this week.

Heard a lot about firm greens this week at Augusta National. Lots of guys seeking more peak height because of the conditions.

Akshay Bhatia is one of them and he’s taking out his 4-iron (which was already an X Forged UT) and replacing it with a new 21-degree (@ 20) Apex UW that… pic.twitter.com/l8lyOPKJGJ
— Jack Hirsh (@JR_HIRSHey) April 9, 2026

But other players, including Akshay Bhatia, Brian Campbell, Jason Day and Matt Fitzpatrick, have all dropped the 4-iron for clubs they’ve had built specifically for Augusta National.

Bhatia added a new Callaway Apex UW ’26 21-degree this week in place of his normal 22-degree X Forged UT 4-iron.

“Basically, he was looking at incoming second shots to Nos. 13 and 15 and needing something hitting a higher apex to land softer on those greens,” Callaway Tour Content Manager Johnny Thompson told GOLF.

Bhatia’s gamer OG prototype UW, which is closer to 17 degrees in loft, remains in the bag as his 5-wood alternative. Despite the roughly three-degree gap between the two clubs, the new UW is more than two inches shorter, which provides an optimal carry yardage gap.

Akshay Bhatia’s new Apex UW specs
Apex UW ’26
Loft: 21˚ @ 20˚
Lie: 58.2˚
Sole weight: 14 g
Hot melt: 2 g crown
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 10-X
Length: 39.375”
Tipping: 2”
Swingweight: D1.8

Campbell, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour last season, like Bhatia, also does not play a traditional 4-iron week-to-week, opting instead for Ping’s iDi long iron replacement. But this week, he’s got a G440 Max 9-wood to help him get even more stopping power on the firm greens.

“When he hits it on No. 4 or into 5, that 9-wood is just going to allow it to stop so much faster than even that [iDi]4-iron,” Ping Tour Rep Kenton Oates told GOLF. “The 4-iron gets in there fine, but it still spins like a 4-iron — it’s just not going to react the same.”

Oates said the spin is the real difference maker when it comes to switching from an iron to a fairway wood or hybrid. He could build a 4-iron that nearly reaches the same height a high-lofted metal wood, but it’s the extra spin that really gives a player control on the greens.

PING G440 Max Custom Fairway Wood

The G440 fairway family (MAX, LST, SFT) advances PING’s reputation as a Tour-preferred model of choice through a re-designed face structure and low CG system. The face is taller for more confidence off the tee while maintaining a CG location that delivers high- launching performance off the ground. The MAX model (which fits most golfers) is available in five lofts (including a new 4-wood) to provide more gapping solutions. HIGH MOI Easy to launch, stable design increases forgiveness. FLEXING FACE Maraging steel face flexes for more ball speed, optimizes spin. TALLER FACE PROFILE Improves performance off the tee, maintains low CG. FREE-HOSEL DESIGN Saves weight to lower CG, optimize launch/spin and increase forgiveness.

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“It’s probably not a huge difference on a TrackMan peak height number — maybe only about 15 feet — but that extra height is coming from spin. When the height is coming from spin, that’s when you really start to see the ball actually react on the green and stop. That’s the difference,” Oates said. “That extra 15 feet can end up being 15 feet closer to the hole when it lands.”

Ping had three 9-woods in play this week, 10+ 7-woods and Carlos Ortiz gamed a 26-degree G440 5-hybrid.

Shane Lowry, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Jason Day all used TaylorMade 7-woods, but the interesting note there was that Fitzpatrick and Day both kept the 5-woods they already had in the bag, bucking the trend of either having a 5- or a 7-wood. Lowry dropped his Srixon ZXiU 3-iron for the Qi4D 7-wood.

“Sometimes I feel like you need it, especially with the added length,” Day said on Wednesday of the extra fairway wood. “You kind of need a better gap at the top end for some of these holes around Augusta National. So nothing too dramatic, but just the top end.”

Other cool TM fairway note is that Jason Day (Qi4D 7-wood) and Matt Fitzpatrick (Qi35 7-wood) are both using 3w-5w-7w gappings in their bags without 4-irons.

Other TM players who have four woods and no 4-iron in the bag this week like Fleetwood (MD-5w-9w) or Casey Jarvis… https://t.co/fLSumdq9hE pic.twitter.com/0gDXN7WZM5
— Jack Hirsh (@JR_HIRSHey) April 10, 2026

TaylorMade’s Adrian Rietveld told GOLF that both Day and Fitzpatrick have shorter builds on their 7-woods, but otherwise, there’s nothing different about the spec for it to cover both a 3-iron and 4-iron distance. Rietveld said both players are using shot-shaping to hit higher, more floaty shots when they need to cover 4-iron yardage.

Basically, the 7-wood acts as two clubs in one.

Mini Mania at Augusta National

A whopping 23(!!!) mini drivers in play this week at the Masters. TaylorMade had eight including Tommy Fleetwood. Callaway had several in the new Quantum Mini prototype including some big names like Min Woo Lee and new co-leader Justin Rose. And Ping's unnamed prototype mini had… pic.twitter.com/DyhnpJK2mQ
— Jack Hirsh (@JR_HIRSHey) April 10, 2026

Mini driver usage has been growing steadily on the PGA Tour over the past two years, but it seems like it might be peaking at the Masters.

A total of 23 players played a mini driver at Augusta National and it seems the consensus is that the clubs are built for the modern game at the historic course. Callaway lead the way with 10 while TaylorMade had eight.

While several of those mini drivers were from players like Fleetwood, Max Greyserman and Min Woo Lee who game one every week on the PGA Tour, other players like Justin Rose, Harris English and Tom McKibbin had them built in the weeks prior specifically for this course.

“I think it’s all about predictability when it comes to a mini driver,” Callaway Tour Representative Kellen Watson told GOLF. “You have a driver where you know it’s going to carry this bunker, but you don’t know how much it’s going to roll out. With this, you want to know the carry number and have the total be very tight — like nine yards or so — which is perfect.”

Even as the Masters tees have been lengthened over 500 yards in the last 20 years, the bends in the fairways — and the firmness of those fairways — make several holes ideal for players to use a mini driver.

The most obvious case is the long downhill dogleg left par-4 10th, where a drive down the left benefits from the steeper slope. But because a mini driver is easier to work right-to-left, it’s also favored on Nos. 5, 7, which have awkward run-outs and slants in the fairways.

TaylorMade R7 Quad Custom Mini Driver

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For many longer players, there’s also only one hole where a 3-wood off the deck comes into play: The uphill par-5 8th. But No. 8 allows players to hit a low approach and chase it up, a shot well-suited to a mini driver.

“If you’re a longer player, there are basically no 3-woods off the ground here,” said Oates. “So now the mini driver fills that gap, especially when you combine that with the number of tee shots where you have to work it right-to-left. That combination makes it really valuable.”

Oates said English, who primarily plays a fade with his driver, was hitting his mini driver on 6-7 different holes during practice rounds.

Max Homa also tested out a Cobra King Tec mini that Ben Schomin said was to give him an option off the tee to move the ball right to left.

“The idea was to be able to make a stock swing and have the ball turn over without having to do anything differently with setup or alignment,” Schomin said. “But also have the ability to really swing it around when you need to, like on 10. He felt very comfortable doing both.”

Schomin and Homa had the club dialed for an 8˚-10˚ launch and 2800-3100 spin, but Homa ultimately decided on a 3-wood instead.

Quiet week on the trucks

One common theme with all of these new clubs players have in their bags this week is that the vast majority weren’t built this week.

In fact, Masters week, like most major weeks, is a fairly quiet one on the Tour Trucks.

“There’s really not much going on. I mean, there’s really not much we can do,” Watson said. “At this point, if you haven’t done your job already, then you probably shouldn’t be here.”

Much of the work is validating or re-validating clubs that were built for this week, or minor maintenance jobs like re-grippings and loft and lie checks.

Justin Rose is a perfect example as he had clubs, like his Callaway Quantum Mini Driver and prototype Cleveland RTZ wedge, built for him weeks ago specifically to get ready for the Masters.

The Ping Tour Truck built 109 clubs this week, but the majority of those were players like Vijay Singh, who doesn’t get serviced regularly, or guys like Sandy Lyle, who aren’t even playing this week.

“A lot of the stuff you’re seeing built this week is for past champions or guys we don’t see as much,” Oates said. “The Conners and the Hovlands, they’re already dialed. There’s really not much for us to do.”

Harry Hall goes nuclear on the bag after Round 1

Harry Hall started his Masters with a brand new driver, a Ping G440 LST, one that helped Ping tie Titleist for the lead in driver count for the week, a first in roughly two seasons for Ping.

He also had Ping’s prototype mini in the bag as he continues his torrid pace of gear switches throughout this season.

Already this year, Hall has switched between no fewer than four different drivers, two sets of irons, three sets of wedges, two putters and a golf ball change just for this week.

After Round 1 at Augusta, where he shot 77, he seemed ready to do all of that between then and his Friday morning tee time.

Gear sicko https://t.co/ZROO5X2e80
— Jack Hirsh (@JR_HIRSHey) April 10, 2026

“I’m going to change my driver. I’m going to put two drivers in play tomorrow, different ones. I’m putting a new putter in play and going to figure out on the range,” Hall said Thursday. “I don’t think I spin my irons enough either. I went into a spinnier ball this week, but I still, you know, can’t stop it on a dime like I need to. So I probably need to add off to my irons or do something to compete in these majors.”

Hall appeared to only use the TaylorMade Qi4D driver he was playing most recently before this week and he did switch from his longtime Odyssey O-Works putter to a TaylorMade Spider that he started using at Bay Hill.

After all of that, Hall had a wild Round 2 of five birdies, five bogeys and eight pars for an even-par 72 that puts him at five over for the week and likely to miss the cut.

Golf Pride continues major dominance

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No surprise here as Golf Pride continues to dominate grip counts at majors.

Of the top 10 betting favorites heading into the week, eight of them used Golf Pride grips with multiple models represented, including the Tour Velvet, MCC and Align Max families.

Overall, 80 of the 91 players in the field are using a Golf Pride grip.

Check this out

This section is dedicated to cool photos we’ve snapped recently on Tour, but haven’t had a reason to share yet. For this week, check out some more of the Cleveland prototype RTZ offset wedges that are sneaking into multiple bags on the PGA Tour. Take a guess who this one is for. Check out the full story behind them.

Cleveland’s RTZ offset wedges are based off the legendary 588 design. Johnny Wunder/GOLF

Odds and Ends

Some other gear changes and notes we’re tracking this week.

Justin Thomas (GTS2), was among three players to add a new Titleist GTS driver this week. The others were Dustin Johnson (GTS2) and Cam Smith (GTS3) … Cameron Young added a Titleist GTS3 7-wood in place of his GT1 hybrid … Thomas also gamed a Vokey WedgeWorks 60L lob wedge, a grind that sits between his normal 60T and 60K* gamers … Vokey had 114 gap, sand and lob wedges … Ping and Titleist tied for the driver count lead with 25 and the G440 LST was the most played model… Vijay Singh had a new Ping G440 K … Keegan Bradley tested a TaylorMade Qi4D LS driver but stuck with his G430 LST … Wyndham Clark has a new TaylorMade Qi4D Tour 3-wood, replacing his G440 Max … Justin Rose has one of Cleveland’s prototype RTZ wedges with a 588 Wide sole … Aldrich Potgieter has a new TaylorMade Spider, one of 16 in the field … as he continues a search for a new putter … U.S. Mid-Am champ Brandon Holtz asked the USGA to send him his Callaway Paradym Ai-Smoke TD that he won the Mid-Am with an donated to the USGA Museum, but chose not to use it … TaylorMade had 79 fairways in play, including two from Rory McIlroy, who switched back to his Qi10 3-wood … Odyssey led the putter count with 28 … Fujikura swept the counts for driver (36/39.6% of field), woods (116/41.3%) and hybrid shafts (10/62.5%)

3 things you should read/watch

A selection of GOLF content from the past week that may interest you.

Cameron Young’s bag is constantly evolving. Dive into how he got here | Bag Spy – In the latest edition of Bag Spy, take a deep dive into Players champion Cam Young’s golf bag, with his high-lofted driver, game improvement wood and hybrid and prototype golf ball.

Titleist GT3 Custom Driver

GT3 – Speed-Tuned Distance & Control GT3 offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization. With a speed-tuned design that allows you to precisely match performance to your most frequent contact location, you can make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping. For players with a relatively consistent impact location, GT3 offers a precisely adjustable CG Track to max out distance and directional control. Seamless Thermoform Crown A reimagined ultra-lightweight design, born from a new Proprietary Matrix Polymer. The tunable acoustic properties of this unique composite allow Titleist engineers to realize new material gains while maintaining our signature sound and feel. All wrapped in a clean look that inspires total confidence. Split Mass Construction A breakthrough in internal weighting unlocks longer drives and enhanced directional control in GT3. The Adjustable CG Track now sits closer to the face for more dynamic CG control, while additional discretionary mass is pushed to the back of the club to maintain optimal stability through impact. Advanced Aerodynamics GT3 features a new raised tail contour that represents a dramatic shift in driver aerodynamics. Previously impossible to execute due to design constraints, this advanced shaping results in a driver that swings faster while still providing optimal CG control.

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Why Rory McIlroy decided on these clubs – Take a deep dive in Rory McIlroy’s bag as he defends his Masters title with his fitter, Adrian Rietveld.

‘Failure’s not an option’: Augusta National chairman reaffirms club’s rollback stance – At his annual Masters press conference, Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley called for action to end the uncertainty around golf’s rollback.

The author welcomes your comments at Jack.Hirsh@golf.com.

Want to overhaul your bag in 2026? Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

The post These clubs were built just for Augusta National | Masters Tour Report appeared first on Golf.

Is the type of driver head dying a slow death? We explain | Fully Equipped

Jack Hirsh — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 17:39:35 +0000

With Gary Woodland winning in Houston using a prototype Cobra OPTM Max-K driver, the days of LS heads dominating the PGA Tour are surely over.

Just a few years ago, it would have been unthinkable for a fast player like Woodland, who leads the PGA Tour in clubhead speed this season, to consider anything other than a compact low-spin style driver.

But thanks to modern technology, more and more players are opting for more forgiveness-minded drivers, while still getting plenty of speed.

On this week’s episode of GOLF’s Fully Equipped, co-hosts Johnny Wunder and Jake Morrow debated the death of the “LS” driver.

Woodland said earlier this year that he opted for the OPTM Max LS-K, a prototype version of Cobra’s high-MOI Max-K driver that would still be considered a more forgiving head with a deep and low CG, because he realized he drives it best when the weight is deep.

Wunder realized that when he was at Callaway, Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele also drove it well with the weight in their drivers more neutral instead of forward, the characteristic of LS drivers.

Cobra OPTM LS Custom Driver

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA Tour Superstore, Cobra

“None of those guys were frontloaded weights and they all drove it well when they played,” Wunder said. “The only time that they had a ton of weight up front is if they played with a lot of loft. So what I’m seeing is that these core heads, for example, if we’re going to talk about Callaway, the reason why the TD Max works so well, is that you can make it super low spin or you can make it super fast and super forgiving. [TaylorMade] Qi4D is like that. That’s why you’re seeing so many Ping players go from 440 LST into 440K. Because you can go down in loft.”

Because adjustability has come so far in modern drivers, companies are able to take more forgiving shapes and make them low spin by neutralizing the CG and lowering the loft. The only issue there is struggling to see the loft, which can be fixed with minor optical tricks like drawing lines on the face or brighter faces.

Morrow pointed out that the line between a company’s core model driver and the LS driver has blurred over the years, thanks to that adjustability. But that also means LS heads have gained forgiveness, which makes them great tools for players who fight a slice.

“I have put a lot of slicey people into a low lofted LS head that’s lofted up because it closes the face and it eliminates a lot of spin,” Morrow said. “They’re like, ‘Well, I’m supposed to be playing this because this is for the fast guy.’ Well, no, no, no. It’s just a spin thing.”

So is the LS driver ready to die? Probably not, but the use cases for them are definitely changing.

For more from Wunder and Morrow, listen to the full episode of GOLF’s Fully Equipped here, or watch it below.

Want to find the best driver for your bag in 2026? Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

The post Is the type of driver head dying a slow death? We explain | Fully Equipped appeared first on Golf.