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The post Pro explains why amateurs would ‘dread’ Southern Hills’ hardest hole appeared first on Golf.

The story of the week, until Sunday rolls around, has been Gil Hanse’s restoration of Southern Hills Country Club. There were all the trees he had removed, the reshaping of bunkers, etc. You’ve heard it by now. But one of the aspects of Hanse’s work that has been somewhat overlooked has been the restored presence of the creek.

It’s part of what makes the 18th hole so difficult for amateurs, as Matt Kuchar pointed out after his round Thursday. 

Kuchar made the course look relatively tame in the first round, making five birdies and carding a 67 to sit in a tie for fourth. He polished it off by making par seem easy on the 18th. It’s definitely not. The 491-yard finisher at Southern Hills was the hardest hole on the course, a distinction it will keep every day this week. It’s hard from the tee, hard from the fairway and hard up around the green. 

If it’s hard for pros, you better believe it’s hard for amateurs, too. Kuchar knows it. 

“I have to think the members must dread 18,” Kuchar said. “I try to envision how they play it.  I don’t know that they can tee off enough forward to enjoy that golf hole.”

Courses

This isn’t just a pro reminding you how much better he is than you are. No, this is Kuchar genuinely trying to understand course architecture, considering what ails those amateurs he often plays with during week pro-ams. 

Running downhill from the tee, and completely uphill after the creek, the 18th is treacherous on first strike, lengthy on the second. I don’t know that they can tee off enough forward to enjoy that golf hole. In other words, he doesn’t know how forward the tees must be so amateurs can comfortably cover the creek. If they must play short of the creek, then it’s a full 200-yard shot up the hill into a green surrounded with bunkers. That’s a meaty carry, just because the creek keeps even the best amateurs from launching driver.

“It’s hard. It’s a beast,” Kuchar continued. “I saw Cameron Davis in my group thought hit a perfect drive, bounced down into the creek.”

For the pros, the creek is clearly in play off the tee. For amateurs, much the same. Hanse’s team restored what he called “a kicker slope” during an interview with The Fried Egg, which takes even the softest drives and sends them bounding toward the creek. Hitting it too good is a reality, as it was for Cameron Davis as well as World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler Thursday afternoon.

Hanse’s recent restoration makes life difficult up by the green, too, with five bunkers encircling the green. There used to be just two, and if you cleared them, you were good. Now, a low-trajectory approach, the kind that amateurs often play from 200 yards or more, likely kick right through the green in to a back bunker. And those bunkers? Well, even the best in the world are struggling to hit it close from the sand. From there, the slope runs off the front side, leaving plenty of room for ping pong chip shots back and forth. 

“I come in with a 5-iron, and my 5-iron is not landing very softly, I assure you,” Kuchar said. “It’s a tough one to control that distance and how the ball rolls out.”

No one knows it better than Hanse himself, who shared a simple description with The Fried Egg in this video:

“That hole just doesn’t let up. You know, long shot into the green, and then the green is super challenging.”

Players taking it on for the first time might want to build up a little bit of a scoring cushion. That’s what they’re really saying.

Want to overhaul your bag for 2022? Find a fitting location near you at GOLF’s affiliate company True Spec Golf. 

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The post What PGA Tour player would you most want to trade golf clubs with? appeared first on Golf.

The post What PGA Tour player would you most want to trade golf clubs with? appeared first on Golf.

PGA Tour players are better golfers than we are. That’s the hard truth. They also have access to custom, one-off equipment that most of us retail buyers don’t necessarily have access to, or the budget to buy.

Realistically, though, most amateur golfers wouldn’t even benefit from using the same exact clubs that PGA Tour players use. They swing fast and consistently, so they often play with unforgiving club heads equipped with super stiff shafts. Some of their clubs just look so cool, though!

PGA Tour players’ clubs have always been the envy of golf equipment aficionados, but the question is, which Tour player has the most enviable setup?

That question was recently posed during a Q&A episode of GOLF’s gear-focused Fully Equipped podcast: “If you could trade golf clubs with one PGA Tour player, who would it be?”

As co-host Kris McCormack rebutted, “I’m not fast enough to play any set configuration that’s out on Tour,” which is a fair point. Most golfers would benefit from using more forgiving options with softer shaft flexes, but hey, it’s a fun hypothetical rather than a realistic offer.

The most financially sound answer, of course, would be Tiger Woods. After all, he does have a putter that’s likely worth millions of dollars, but that’s a little too obvious. The more eclectic answers below are from the Fully Equipped co-hosts.

As you read our answers, think about it for yourself. If you could switch golf bags with a Tour player, who would you pick?

Jonathan Wall’s pick: Scottie Scheffler

According to Wall, a fellow Texan, Scheffler’s bag is “a really good eclectic mix of gear, but a lot of those clubs are ones that people really want that maybe they can’t play. It’s a killer setup.”

No arguments here. Let’s breakdown what Scheffler has in the bag of late:

Driver: Ping G425 LST, (Fujikura Atmos Black 7X), 8.5 degrees

Fairway: Nike VR Pro Limited, (Aldila Rogue Black 70TX), 15 degrees

Utility: Srixon Z U85 (3-iron; Nippon Pro Modus3 Hybrid shaft)

Irons: Srixon Z785 (4 iron), TaylorMade P7TW (5-PW; True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 (50, 56 and 60 degrees; True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts)

Putter: Scotty Cameron Super Rat prototype

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Kris McCormack’s pick: Phil Mickelson

McCormack, a right-handed golfer, already admitted he can’t play with any Tour equipment setup, so he might as well pick a guy with the opposite golfing dexterity.

Here’s what McCormack had to say about his choice: “I suck no matter how I swing it so it doesn’t matter what I have in the bag… [Mickelson] has a bag full of really cool proto stuff at any given time. He just likes the bag jewelry.”

That he does. Let’s check out what Lefty had in the bag in his most recent professional outing:

Driver: Callaway Mavrik Sub Zero (Fujikura Ventus Red 6TX shaft), 9 degrees with 7.4 degrees of actual loft

Mini Driver: TaylorMade “Original One” Mini (Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft), 11.5 degrees

3 Wood: Callaway Epic Speed prototype (Fujikura Ventus Red 6X shaft), 15 degrees

Irons: Callaway X Forged UT (3 and 4 irons) and Callaway Apex MB (6-PW), each with KBS Tour V 125S+ shafts

Wedges: Callaway PM Grind prototype (52, 55 and 60 degrees; KBS Tour V 125 S+ shafts)

Putter: Odyssey White Hot XG PM Blade

Golf Ball: Callaway Chrome Soft X Triple Track

Andrew Tursky’s pick: Matt Kuchar

I’m a sucker for pro golfers who use older equipment, and Kuchar has a bunch of clubs in the bag that are 5+ years old. He told GOLF.com recently that he doesn’t switch into new product unless it’s truly better. I can’t help but respect the heck out of that mentality.

Kuchar was my first pick, so I’m sticking with it, but I did give a special shoutout to Tiger Woods’ 1997 Masters-winning setup and Anthony Kim’s setup circa 2007 on the podcast. Hopefully switching golf clubs with AK would come with one of his belt buckles, too.

Anyway, Kuchar’s club setup is listed below. For a super deep dive into his setup, and why I like it so much, check out the link here.

Note: He carries 16 clubs, but decides between a long iron, hybrid or extra wedge to get down to 14 clubs.

Driver: Bridgestone Tour J815 (Fujikura Ventus Black 6X shaft), 9.5 degrees

3-Wood: TaylorMade SIM (Fujikura Ventus Blue 7X shaft), 15 degrees

5-Wood: Ping G425 Max (Fujikura Ventus Blue 8X shaft), 17.5 degres

Hybrids: Ping G425 (17 degrees; Fujikura Ventus HB 9TX shaft), and Ping Anser (20 degrees; Fujikura Motore Speeder HB 8.8 X-flex shaft)

Gear

Irons: Fourteen Golf (4-iron; AeroTech SteelFiber i95 shaft), Bridgestone Tour J15CB (5-PW; AeroTech SteelFiber i110 CW shafts)

Wedges: Bridgestone J40 Forged (51 degrees), Cleveland RTX ZipCore Raw (54, 58 and 64 degrees; KBS Tour 120S shafts)

Putter: Bettinardi SS28 Dass prototype (right-hand armlock, 0 degrees)

Ball: Bridgestone Tour B X prototype

Want to overhaul your bag for 2021? Find a fitting location near you at GOLF’s affiliate company True Spec Golf. For more on the latest gear news and information, check out our latest Fully Equipped podcast below!

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The post Inside Matt Kuchar’s golf bag: 7 things I noticed while inspecting his clubs appeared first on Golf.

The post Inside Matt Kuchar’s golf bag: 7 things I noticed while inspecting his clubs appeared first on Golf.

Matt Kuchar does things a bit differently with his gear than most other players on the PGA Tour. Every player seeks to use the equipment that best suits their game, of course, but Kuchar is especially picky when it comes to putting new equipment in the bag.

Rather than simply switching into the latest products that hit the market, Kuchar takes his time getting new technology into the bag. For the 43-year-old Bridgestone staffer who’s won nine times on the PGA Tour, that means he uses clubs throughout his bag from all different years.

Speaking with GOLF.com recently, Kuchar explained his selective nature with his gear.

“I think it’s challenging to make things superior … I’m not sure how much better this next generation driver is from the previous generation driver,” Kuchar told GOLF.com at the 2021 RSM Classic. “Even if [we’re talking about] irons. Are they really getting better? I’m truly looking for a better product. If it’s going in my bag, it’s gotta be a better product.”

Ahead of the 2021 RSM Classic at Sea Island, I was able to take in-hand photos of all his clubs (and got a putting lesson from him, which you can hear more on our recent Fully Equipped podcast). Below, I discuss the 7 most interesting things I found in the bag.

1) Old and new school

Kuchar is known more for his consistency than his distance, and he stacks the top-end of his bag with clubs that help provide him more speed, height and forgiveness. In addition to a driver, Kuchar uses a 3-wood, 5-wood, two different hybrids and a game-improvement 4-iron. This is a great example for amateur golfers to emulate with their bag setups, especially for those who don’t create enough speed and height to hold greens from long distances.

Most interestingly, Kuchar uses hybrids that were released to the market about nine years apart. His Ping Anser 20-degree hybrid was released in 2012, while his Ping G425 hybrid was released in 2021. This shows that Kuchar is ultra particular with the performance of his clubs, and that you don’t always need to focus on using brand new products in your own bag. Play with what works!

2) A driver from 2015

Kuchar is obviously in no rush to force himself into new technology just for the sake of it. While most golfers feel that technology is passing them by — especially when it comes to the driver — Kuchar still uses the cherry red Bridgestone J815 driver that hit the market in 2015.

Distance isn’t everything, even with a driver, and it’s sometimes more important to find a big stick that you’re comfortable hitting straight. Although Kuchar has had the red driver in his bag for years, he equips it with a new Fujikura Ventus Black 6X. A Bridgestone representative also told me he recently switched out the adjustable weight in the sole for a lighter weight to dial in performance.

Use Kuchar’s driver as a lesson for your own game. Even if you don’t change out the head for a new and expensive one, you can still adjust the shaft and weight settings for an improved feel and better performance.

3) Face marks

Reminiscent of the wear mark on Rory McIlroy’s TaylorMade SIM Max hybrid, Kuchar has worn out the center of the face on his SIM Titanium 15-degree fairway wood. Interestingly, though, the wear marks on the faces of his Bridgestone J15 CB irons is significantly more toward the heel. That could be due a number of reasons, such as center of gravity (CG) of the heads themselves, his swing plane with the irons vs. fairway woods, or the shot shape he’s trying to create. Either way, it’s clear Kuchar hits the ball consistently in one spot on the face whether it’s right on center or slightly toward the heel.

4) The importance of shaft fitting

As discussed in my recent deep dive into Davis Love III’s gear setup, fitting shafts individually into each of your club heads is incredibly important since each club is different. Don’t assume that just because one shaft model or brand fits into your short irons that it’s right for your long irons and wedges.

Along those same lines, Kuchar uses AeroTech SteelFiber shafts in his irons, then switches into KBS Tour shafts in his wedges. If you’re noticing that your golf ball is launching too low or too high, that could be a telltale sign that it’s time to try out different shafts.

Additionally, long irons, since they’re a bit more difficult to launch high and create enough spin, work better with slightly lighter and softer-flex shafts. For himself, Kuchar uses a SteelFiber i95 shaft in his Fourteen Golf 4-iron, whereas he uses a slightly heavier and stronger SteelFiber i110 CW (constant weight) shaft in his J15 CB iron set.

5) New proto golf ball

Kuchar may not switch into new golf clubs easily, but he recently switched into a new, unreleased Bridgestone Tour B X prototype golf ball at the 2021 RSM Classic.

While we don’t have any information yet about the technology used in the golf ball, we do have some exclusive insight for Kuchar himself: “This new prototype ball, what I’ve seen with my testing, it’s faster off the driver, and with the chip shots … as a tour pro, when you get that right feeling, that right trajectory, even off of a little pitch shot, you get excited, and this new golf ball has got me excited off the tee and around the greens,” Kuchar said.

6) A 64-degree wedge

I can’t personally recommend that every golfer needs to use a 64-degree lob wedge. In fact, wedge-making legend Roger Cleveland recommends using a maximum of 56 or 58 degrees. For those who have room in the bag and want to experiment with hitting higher and softer wedge shots around the greens, a 64-degree wedge could be an option.

Kuchar himself uses a new Cleveland RTX ZipCore 64-degree wedge with just 8 degrees of bounce. This particular loft may be more difficult to hit for average golfers, but Cleveland offers plenty of other loft options in its ZipCore lineup.

7) One-of-a-kind putter

For years, Kuchar employed the new age armlock method of putting where he used a longer-length putter and ran the grip up into his left forearm. Recently, however, Kuchar has been experimenting with something slightly different, running the grip up his right forearm instead of the left.

Due to the change in how the putter sits and behaves at impact, Kuchar has had to adjust the loft of his custom Bettinardi prototype putter from around 7 degrees down to 0 degrees. For more information on the technique and technology that goes into this right-hand armlock style, read our in-depth breakdown here.

Want to overhaul your bag for 2021? Find a fitting location near you at GOLF’s affiliate company True Spec Golf. For more on the latest gear news and information, check out our latest Fully Equipped podcast below!

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The post Matt Kuchar dishes on new Bridgestone prototype golf ball, and his unique gear testing process appeared first on Golf.

SEA ISLAND, Ga. — If you take a look inside Matt Kuchar’s current golf bag, you won’t see many clubs that were manufactured in the last five years. It’s not that he’s stubborn when it comes to making changes, it’s just that he wants to switch when a product actually provides better performance.

“I think it’s challenging to make things superior…I’m not sure how much better this next generation driver is from the previous generation driver,” Kuchar told GOLF.com on Tuesday. “Even if [we’re talking about] irons. Are they really getting better? I’m truly looking for a better product. If it’s going in my bag, it’s gotta be a better product.”

Ahead of the 2021 RSM Classic at Sea Island, it appears that Kuchar has found a product worth switching. Except it’s not a golf club. After thorough testing with the team at Bridgestone Golf, Kuchar is switching from the current Bridgestone Tour B X golf ball into a new 2022 Tour B X prototype that he says provides more distance off the tee and better spin around the greens.

“This new prototype ball, what I’ve seen with my testing, it’s faster off the driver, and with the chip shots…as a tour pro, when you get that right feeling, that right trajectory, even off of a little pitch shot, you get excited, and this new golf ball has got me excited off the tee and around the greens,” Kuchar said.

Before making the switch this week, Kuchar says he did extensive testing with the Bridgestone R&D department.

As part of the process, Bridgestone presented Kuchar with multiple different versions of prototype golf balls, seeking his feedback on each in regards to feel and overall performance. The balls were blank, and Kuchar says he did his best to not gain any prior knowledge of technology differences beforehand. He wanted to give raw feedback without the bias of what each ball is designed to do.

“It’s a fun process to be a part of; it’s fun as a player,” Kuchar said. “I guess it gets to be fairly standard when they ask what you want out of a golf ball. The basics are I want to hit it further off the tee and I want to spin it more around the greens. And you go, ‘Well good luck doing that.’ I have been amazed, the last couple generations of golf balls have been able to do just that. And now, again, they came to me and asked the same thing. If you could change anything, again, it’s the same thing. Yes, I’d like to hit it further. Yes, I’d like to spin it more around the greens. I think they’ve done it again with this new generation.”

Balls

Speaking of the testing process, Kuchar does things a bit differently than some of his contemporaries.

While some other pro golfers prefer to test out golf balls starting with greenside performance, and then work backwards to the full swing shots, Kuchar starts by testing out golf balls with the driver. He says he first wants to find out which golf ball provides the most ball speed with the driver, and then he’ll take the balls over to the chipping green to see which provides the best spin characteristics.

Kuchar also says that flight stability in windy conditions is an important aspect of golf ball performance, so he’ll hit shots into the wind to put a new ball through the ringer. Apparently, his new Tour B X golf ball has passed wind inspection, since he plans on officially making the switch at this week’s RSM Classic, which typically hosts windy conditions.

Unfortunately, being that Kuchar’s Tour B X golf ball is still in the prototype phase, Bridgestone is staying mum on tech details. Look out for more information from the company regarding release date, pricing and design differences should the golf ball eventually hit the retail market in the future.

Want to overhaul your bag for 2021? Find a fitting location near you at GOLF’s affiliate company True Spec Golf. For more on the latest gear news and information, check out our latest Fully Equipped podcast below!

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The post Ray Whitney shares the story of his ‘a– whooping’ at the hands of Matt Kuchar appeared first on Golf.

The post Ray Whitney shares the story of his ‘a– whooping’ at the hands of Matt Kuchar appeared first on Golf.

For as long as there are professional golfers, there will also be fools who think they’re capable of beating them head-to-head.

One such fool is Ray Whitney, the former professional hockey player and current scratch handicap, who belongs to Gozzer Ranch in Harrison, ID. Through his spheres of influence (the NHL) and affluence (at Gozzer Ranch), Whitney has been fortunate to see and interact with a large number of PGA Tour pros, Matt Kuchar chief among them.

Kuchar is also a member at Gozzer Ranch and, as Whitney explained on this week’s episode of GOLF’s Subpar, the pro and the Joe had a duel to remember (or forget!).

“Those of you who don’t know me out there, I’m not very tall, but I like to be a little cocky,” Whitney said. “I was very fortunate to win the club championship, and obviously Matt’s up there, he didn’t play in it. But I was at dinner with him when he got back, and I’d had just enough tequila in me to say to him, ‘Matt, just so you know, you’re the second-best golfer on property, and I had them put a ‘club champion’ sign on my golf cart.’ Just to give it to him.”

Kuchar, who has a reputation for his surprisingly wry streak, heard Whitney’s message loud and clear.

“He laughed and said, ‘Okay, what time are you playing tomorrow?’ And I said. ’10:10, same as always.’ And he says ‘Okay, I’ll be there tomorrow.'”

The next morning, Whitney met Kuchar on the first tee.

“He shows up at 10:09 in his pickleball uniform, he hasn’t even hit a ball yet, he’s coming in from the pickleball court,” Whitney remembers. “He changes into his golf shoes, we go out there, we play, and I’m mouthy right from the start as I normally am. We’re both three-under through four, and so I’m thinking, ‘We’re hanging!'”

No sooner did the thought come into Whitney’s head than did his round begin to crumble. By the time they reached the turn, Kuchar had taken a comfortable lead. By the time the afternoon rolled around, the 9-time PGA Tour winner had cruised to victory — naturally, with no warmup.

News

“Then he went on to shoot at 61, and ended up beating me by nine,” Whitney said. “The humble pie was served correctly. I knew it was going to happen, but I didn’t know it would happen like that.”

So, what did Whitney expect? Well, he says, not quite the whipping he received.

“I didn’t expect to beat him, there are enough good players at Gozzer Ranch for me to know that, but I didn’t know I was going to get an absolute a– whooping like that.”

To hear the rest of Whitney’s Subpar interview, including who his least favorite pro to lose to is, check out the video below.

The post Ray Whitney shares the story of his ‘a– whooping’ at the hands of Matt Kuchar appeared first on Golf.

The post GOLF’s Subpar: Ray Whitney talks playing matches against Matt Kuchar appeared first on Golf.

The post GOLF’s Subpar: Ray Whitney talks playing matches against Matt Kuchar appeared first on Golf.

Subpar’s Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz are joined by 2-time NHL All-Star Ray Whitney who explains what it’s like playing matches against Matt Kuchar at Gozzer Ranch.

—

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.

Must be 21+ and present in AZ or NJ. First online real money wager only. Refund issued as non-withdrawable site credit that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ). In AZ, 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342.

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The post Could reverse arm-lock putting be the PGA Tour’s new putting revolution? appeared first on Golf.

Matt Kuchar had just finished in the top 10 on the PGA Tour money list, but like every PGA Tour player, he wasn’t ready to stop there. His SG: Putting, then an impressive 31st on Tour, was solid, but Kuchar felt like it could be even better. But it wasn’t until a lesson with Dave Stockton that the specifics became clear: He crouched over low, and braced the top of the putter against his forearm.

“I said: ‘This feels kinda good,'” Kuchar remembers

He had a putter made to that end and put it in play, with a commitment that he’d cut ties with his experiment immediately at the first sign of trouble. It never came: He won the Players Championship in 2012 and five more times since. It prompted a surge of interest from his fellow Tour players — and collected its first major when Bryson DeChambeau used the technique at the 2020 U.S. Open — and renewed calls from some corners to outlaw the technique.

But now, Kuchar is onto a new experiment: Reverse arm lock putting, where the shaft of the putter is placed not against the lead arm, but the trail arm. Could Kuchar once again prove a trend-setter in eye-catching putting techniques? That remains to be seen, but in the meantime, here’s what you need to know about it.

The technique, by Luke Kerr-Dineen

When Matt Kuchar overhauled his golf swing and became the Matt Kuchar we know today, he did so under the watchful eye of his coach Chris O’Connell, and O’Connell’s mentor Jim Hardy. Every golfer swings the club differently, O’Connell explains, and Kuchar is no different. He tends to get his arms flat and around his body on the backswing, and in order to match-up his move and hit straight shot, Kuchar works on throwing the clubhead around his body on the downswing.

Why am I bringing this up? Because reverse arm-lock putting is an extension of that same technique.

With Kuchar setting up so his hands are behind the clubhead, it matches the feeling he’s comfortable with on his full swing. And because the shaft is leaning away from the target, it has the added benefit of avoiding the kind of unpredictability in distance control that comes when there’s too much forward shaft lean.

“It takes the load out of the putter shaft,” O’Connell says. “You don’t get those putts that come out hot and bounce because you’re delofting the putterface.”

This is especially useful on the fast greens Kuchar plays on the PGA Tour, O’Connell explains.

“It’s almost like shuffleboard,” he says. “He’s just pushing the golf ball down the target line.”

The tools, by Andrew Tursky

Since 2011, when Matt Kuchar started using his left arm to execute his armlock style of putting, he used a custom Bettinardi wide-body blade putter that had anywhere from 5-to-7 degrees on it. His exact loft often varied based on experimentation and tinkering, but the putter head always had significantly more loft than a standard putter. That’s because the putter was pressing toward the target since it was nestled against his lead arm. Without added loft, the left-arm leaning putter head would send the ball off the face with too little launch and cause skidding on the green. Loft was key to Kuchar’s arm-lock success.

Now that Kuchar is using his right arm as the piston for his armlock stroke, loft is the enemy. Since the putter is now leaning away from the target, using a putter with 5-7 degrees of loft on it would send the ball too high into the air and with too much spin.

To offset the issue, Kuchar’s new Bettinardi SS28 putter head is made with exactly 0 degrees of loft. This allows Kuchar to lean the putter head away from the target slightly and get just enough loft to optimize launch and spin for a smooth and predictable roll.

In order to build the custom head, David Kubiak, the Director of Tour at Bettinardi, custom welded a plumber’s neck hosel (rather than his old double-bend hosel) onto the head. Kubiak says that during the years-long experimentation process Bettinardi built many different heads for Kuchar to try. While he used to employ a head that had a single alignment line on the back flange, he now uses a head that has a dot on the top line in addition to the single line. Since the right arm ball position and setup is drastically different to the left arm, it’s possible that Kuchar finds the added dot to give him a more reliable frame of reference for his eyes during the stroke.

Kuchar also now uses a graphite LAGP golf shaft – a similar shaft to the one that Bryson DeChambeau uses in his arm lock putter – rather than his former steel shaft. At 40.5 inches, Kubiak says the ultra-stiff LAGP shaft makes sense because it reduces any twisting and torque throughout the stroke that may occur with a steel shaft. Being that the goal is to lock the putter onto his arm, reducing any flex is crucial to return the club head back to square.

In the end, below are Kuchar’s official specifications on his new right armlock putter.

Model: Bettinardi SS28 custom left armlock
Hosel: Plumber’s Neck
Loft: 0 degrees
Weight: 401 grams
Lie Angle: 72 degrees
Length: 40.5 inches
Grip: SuperStroke

Ready to dial in your swing? Find a fitting location near you at GOLF’s affiliate company True Spec Golf.

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The post Two former world No. 1s! Two Olympic medalists! Season may end for big names appeared first on Golf.

The post Two former world No. 1s! Two Olympic medalists! Season may end for big names appeared first on Golf.

A former world No. 1 and a Masters champ. Another former world No. 1 and a U.S. Open winner. Two of this year’s three Olympic medalists. And fan favorite Rickie Fowler. 

Gone? 

The PGA Tour’s first-ever “super season,” with six major championships and 50 events total, is playing the last week of its regular season, and with it, a few of golf’s bigger names may be playing the last week of their season, period. The Tour’s three-week playoff system begins next week, when the top 125 golfers in the season-long FedEx Cup standings tee it up at the Northern Trust, and it ends with 30 players competing at the Tour Championship over Labor Day weekend. 

The top 125 also are guaranteed their Tour cards for next season, though many of the aforementioned stars are exempt through other means. To note, players ranked 125 to 200 can attempt to win back full-time Tour status through the three-week Korn Ferry Tour finals, which begin next week. 

A look, then, at the stars who are playing this week’s Wyndham Championship — and then possibly might not play again on Tour until the next season begins with the Fortinet Championship next month: 

Adam Scott 

The former Masters champ and world No. 1 is No. 121 in the standings, and according to projections from the Tour, he likely needs to finish 51st or better this week to advance. Scott is exempt through the 2023-24 season thanks to his victory at the Genesis Invitational in February of last year. 

Scott, who has never missed the playoffs in its 14 years of existence, has missed just one cut this season, but has played in only 17 events, with his highest finish a tie for 10th at the Farmers Insurance Open at the start of the year. During Thursday’s first round at the Wyndham, he shot a four-under 66 and is four shots out of the lead. 

“Obviously the season hasn’t gone how I wanted, and I feel like I’m kind of playing with house money,” Scott said. “I mean, I’m not really thinking about it. I’m more interested in getting my game into the shape I feel it should be, and it’s getting closer. I would like to play well this week and get a chance to play next week and keep getting my game into place. It’s hard to improve your game when you don’t have a chance to play, so at the moment, my goal is to just keep playing week after week.”

Matt Kuchar

Kuchar, a four-time member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, is No. 124 in the standings, and according to projections from the Tour, he likely needs to finish 42nd or better this week to advance. Kuchar is exempt through the 2022-23 season.

Kuchar, who also has never missed the playoffs, has made 11 cuts this season and been cut 11 times. On Thursday, he also shot a 66. 

Rickie Fowler  

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Fowler, one of the biggest names in golf, is No. 130 in the standings, and according to projections from the Tour, he likely needs to finish 21st or better this week to advance. Fowler is exempt through the 2022-23 season thanks to his victory at the Players Championship in 2015.

Fowler, who has never missed the playoffs in his career, tied for eighth at the PGA Championship, but he has no other top 10s and has missed eight cuts this season. On Thursday, he shot a 71 and is nine strokes out of the lead. 

“It’s kind of right out there laid out in front of me; I know exactly what needs to be done,” Fowler said. “So in a way, it’s just go play solid golf and that’s all I can control or do to control what’s — if I’m moving forward or not. Yeah, it’s pretty simple. Back up against the wall, go make some more birdies than I do bogeys and get a tee time next week, and if not, you don’t. Yeah, it’s kind of just all on me, that’s about it.”

Tommy Fleetwood 

Instruction

Fleetwood, a 2018 Ryder Cup star, is No. 136 in the standings, and according to projections from the Tour, he likely needs to finish 11th or better this week to advance. Fleetwood is no longer exempt after this season, but he’s 35th in the world golf rankings and could work his way into events through that route. 

On Thursday, Fleetwood also shot a 66. 

“It’s not going to make or break my year,” Fleetwood said of the playoffs. “Like I think I’ve had a long enough season, I’ve had enough events to be doing a lot better and I haven’t, so I’m not going to like, I’m not going to come into this week and overload myself with pressure thinking I need to get into the playoffs.

“Fact is, I’m not there. I really want to be there, and I also, I mean I just said it, I could still win the FedExCup. Like I could still have a great run and go to Atlanta and win the FedExCup and I’m not going to lose sight of that.”

Justin Rose 

Gear

Rose, a U.S. Open champion and a former world No. 1, is No. 138 in the standings, and according to projections from the Tour, he likely needs to finish 10th or better this week to advance. Rose is exempt through the 2023-24 season thanks to his victory at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in 2018.

Rose, the 2018 FedEx Cup champion, finished in the top 10 at the Masters and the PGA Championship — but those are his only top 10s this season. On Thursday, Rose shot, you guessed it, a 66. 

“The playoffs isn’t something you want to miss and it’s something I haven’t ever missed and it’s something that you don’t want to make a habit of,” he said. “Obviously I do have exemptions and this and that — that’s nice to be able to rely on — but from a pride point of view, I think it’s really, really important to make a run into the playoffs. The playoffs are designed to give someone an opportunity to make up for what hasn’t been a good season. 

Francesco Molinari 

Molinari, an Open Championship winner, is No. 140 in the standings, and according to projections from the Tour, he likely needs to finish sixth or better this week to advance. Molinari is exempt through the 2024-25 season thanks to his Open win.

On Thursday, he shot a 67. 

Rory Sabbatini and C.T. Pan 

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Sabbatini, the Olympic silver medalist, and Pan, the bronze medalist, could both miss the playoffs, and if Sabbatini does, he could be playing in the Korn Ferry Finals. 

Pan is 120th in the standings, and according to projections from the Tour, he likely needs to finish 60th or better this week to advance. Pan is also exempt for next season after winning the 2019 RBC Heritage. 

Sabbatini, however, is not exempt, though he could use a one-time exemption for being in the top on the Tour career money list. And he is 141st in the standings, likely needing a fifth-place finish or better to advance. On Thursday, he, too, shot a 66, while Pan fired a 68. 

“Obviously this is a huge week. I’ve got a big job to do,” Sabbatini said. “… I know I’ve got a tough job, it’s a good field, a lot of good players, so I’ve just got to keep my head down and keep trying to move forward and hopefully make it to next week.”

Will Zalatoris 

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Then there’s Zalatoris. His name is nowhere to be found in the standings. And the only way he can play next week is if he wins this week. But he’s ranked No. 29 in the world and finished second at the Masters and eighth at the PGA. 

What gives?

As described by GOLF’s Jessica Marksbury here, Zalatoris is playing this season as a special temporary member, and he’d have to gain his Tour card through a Wyndham victory to move on to the playoffs. He has, however, accumulated enough points to play next season.

On Thursday, he shot a 68. 

“Even if he’s ahead of me in the FedExCup playoffs, I think he deserves to be in the playoffs,” Webb Simpson said on Wednesday. “Nothing that the Tour has done wrong, I just think it’s a tool that really needs to be looked at and revised. He’s played long enough now and in enough events and played well enough, he deserves to be there. The only reason he’s not there is because of the way the rule is written, but I feel like I speak for pretty much all the players that I’ve talked to at least that Will should be in New York next week and it stinks that he won’t be unless he wins.”

The post Two former world No. 1s! Two Olympic medalists! Season may end for big names appeared first on Golf.

The post The hilarious prank that legendary jokester Matt Kuchar had pulled on him appeared first on Golf.

The post The hilarious prank that legendary jokester Matt Kuchar had pulled on him appeared first on Golf.

The Matt Kuchar you know and the Matt Kuchar Bryce Molder knows are two very different people. You know Kuchar as the perennial PGA Tour winner and the beloved owner of golf’s finest Dad energy. Molder knows him as the goofy college student at Georgia Tech, where Kuchar’s original star was born as one of the country’s finest young … pranksters.

On this week’s episode of GOLF’s Subpar podcast, Molder told some of his favorite stories involving Kuchar — his old college teammate. But for all of Kuchar’s joking prowess, no story could top the time that Molder and his teammates conspired to prank the prankster at a gala in front of the entire school.

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“So Matt actually had a whole article like a six-page spread in Sports Illustrated about him being this fun-loving prankster, and at the time like Sports Illustrated magazine was massive, right?” Molder remembered. “Everybody in the athletic association had read it and Matt’s just a superstar. Didn’t matter who was in the lunchroom, that was the superstar, and he was the prankster.”

In Molder’s memory, the story begins when Georgia Tech officials handed out name tags at the beginning of the gala.

“Everybody’s wearing a coat and tie no one looks like it’s right. None of us look good because we got a name tag,” he said. “Matt’s idea was to start putting name tags on some of the baseball players’ back. So we started doing it to Matt too, because he’s the closest one to the speaker so he’s kind of turned around, we all start kind of doing it to him.”

As the back of Kuchar’s jacket began to collect name tags, the light bulb went off in Molder’s head.

“I’m like nudging my buddy, sitting next to me, I’m like ‘hey, I’m getting an award, and they told me I was gonna speak. What are the chances I can get Matt to stand up?'” Molder said. “I thought it was gonna be difficult, it was really easy.”

Moments later, Molder walked up to accept his award, and his moment of genius struck.

“I started to a story, and literally mentioned his name for a quarter of a second,” he said. “I was like, ‘you know, we went to a baseball game at Fenway and Matt Kuchar gets us our tickets, and you all know Matt.’ Before I could say stand up, he shoots out of the chair. Hand couldn’t be higher, big smile, he’s going around in every direction, name tags all over him.”

After a few minutes of laughter, Kuchar began to realize something was amiss.

“It’s one of those moments where you’re like, ‘I kind of feel like I’m the butt of the joke,'” Molder said. “Matt kind of starts reaching behind his back. He starts picking them off one by one.”

A lifelong prankster like Kuchar couldn’t help but to tip his cap toward his college buddy. Molder had gotten him good.

“He never said a word, but it was like, I don’t think he’s ever respected me that much,” Molder said. “At that moment, it didn’t matter. All the golf stuff like whatever, but that he’s like, you kind of got me. I was scared.”

To hear the rest of Molder’s interview, including how Tiger Woods and a hot dog overshadowed his first win, check out the video below.

The post The hilarious prank that legendary jokester Matt Kuchar had pulled on him appeared first on Golf.

The post GOLF’s Subpar: Bryce Molder talks Matt Kuchar going from prankster to prankee appeared first on Golf.

The post GOLF’s Subpar: Bryce Molder talks Matt Kuchar going from prankster to prankee appeared first on Golf.

Subpar’s Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz are joined by PGA Tour winner Bryce Molder who talks how Matt Kuchar went from prankster to prankee in short order.

The post GOLF’s Subpar: Bryce Molder talks Matt Kuchar going from prankster to prankee appeared first on Golf.