The post The 3 biggest equipment changes of 2026 … so far appeared first on Golf.

The post The 3 biggest equipment changes of 2026 … so far appeared first on Golf.

Six months into 2026 and the PGA Tour season is nearly over as we approach the final major of the season next week.

The year has been a great one for equipment, and that’s led to some volatility in the bags of the game’s best players. Some moves have been more consequential than others.

While changes last month like Bryson DeChambeau’s prototype TaylorMade driver and Jordan Spieth’s near putter switch stole headlines, others had lasting impacts — and two even led to major titles.

There’s still plenty of golf left this season, but take a look at some of the biggest gear switches of 2026 so far.

Rory McIlroy dabbles with cavity backs

Rory McIlroy kicked off the year strong by gaming a set of TaylorMade P7CB cavity-back irons both at TGL and his first DP World Tour starts of the season in the Middle East.

Just a month earlier at the Australian Open, McIlroy first forayed into the cavity-back long irons, the first non-blades he’s played in competition, and liked them so much he switched to the rest of the set by the weekend.

That set was still in the bag for his first TGL matches and again at the Dubai Invitational.

Gear

Why Rory McIlroy is so excited about his major 2026 gear switches | Tour Report

By: Jack Hirsh

“If there’s help to be had, I’ll definitely take it,” McIlroy said after an opening-round 66 in Dubai in early January. “And even in Dubai at the end of last year, I hit a couple of 5-irons that I mis-struck slightly, and instead of it maybe coming up five or seven yards short, it was coming up more like 10 to 15 yards short.”

But while the early results were promising, the new cavity-back irons didn’t stick, and he was back in his custom RORS Protos by his first statestide start at Pebble Beach.

He revealed the rationale didn’t necessarily have anything to do with performance, but rather his familarity with what his blades did versus the cavity backs.

“So whatever way the weight of the head was or whether it was the blade length,” McIlroy said in February, “I’d make swings that I feel like I’d make with my blades that would be a very neutral ball flight, and then with the cavity backs, they would just like start to tail off to the right.

TaylorMade P7CB Custom Irons

BEST-IN CLASS FEEL Using Tour feedback and modal analysis we’ve strategically designed mass placement for best in class feel. Crafted using Compact Grain Forging and 2000 tons of pressure to deliver the purest feeling 1025 soft carbon steel possible. PRECISE CONTROL Precise milled face and grooves combined with a constant CG the P•7CB is designed to deliver an optimal launch and spin combination for the ultimate control and precision. CONSISTENCY Created to maximize accuracy and consistency. The P•7CB optimized perimeter weighting and co-forged tungsten designed to deliver a beautiful blend of stability and workability. COMPACT TOUR SHAPING Every aspect of shaping in this iron was intended to meet the needs of discerning ball strikers. A compact blade length and thin topline create a confident, clean look in the playing position while the sole camber and progressive bounce profile provide consistent turf interaction.

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA Tour Superstore, TaylorMade

“It made me feel like I could fully release like my iron shots, which is great in theory and great in practice, but then once you get on the course with a card in your hand, for so many years I’m used to feeling that like held-off position through impact, and then to go from that to trying to release it, it just was a different feel, especially under pressure or in the heat of competition,” he said. “Just didn’t feel as familiar as I wanted it to.”

Ultimately, McIlroy was gaming the RORS Protos when he won his second straight Green Jacket in April, but he seemed like he left the door open on using a cavity back iron in the future.

We’ll stay tuned on that one.

Wyndham Clark finds ‘the one’

It’s rare that a gear free agent falls in love with a club so much that they end up signing with the company that makes it, but that was a match made in heaven for Wyndham Clark and Ping’s Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset putter.

Putters

Wyndham Clark's Ping putter deal couldn't have been timed any better

By: Jack Hirsh

Clark, newly a free agent to begin the year, started playing putter and driver roulette at the beginning of the season, trying five drivers in as many weeks to start the year and then moving on to putters.

He later joked that he was “dating” a lot of golf clubs as he explored options.

It even got to the point where Clark showed up to the Players Championship with a putter he bought at his home club’s pro shop.

But ever since Houston, he’s stuck with Ping’s Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset putter and later moved to a new counterbalanced build of the head. Since then, his putting stats have returned to the all-world level that saw him win three times in nine months, including his first U.S. Open.

PING Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset CB Custom Putter

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA TOUR Superstore

Clark and Ping formalized their relationship on Wednesday of the U.S. Open week, and that deal couldn’t have been timed better as Clark won his second U.S. Open title, cementing his comeback and giving a ton of publicity for their new putter line.

McLaren debuts with big Justin Rose splash

McLaren Golf launched with much pomp and circumstance at the end of April, but no move was flashier than the announcement that Justin Rose was coming on board as both an ambassador and an investor.

News

Justin Rose's shocking McLaren move was years in the making

By: Dylan Dethier

Rose had won twice in the past eight months and finished top-3 at the Masters for the second straight year. At 45, Rose could have easily continued on his free agent ways, but instead he’s gone all in with the super car maker’s new venture into golf equipment.

The former World No. 1 debuted a combo set of McLaren’s Series 1 and Series 3 irons that utilize Metal Injection Molding technology at the Cadillac Championship.

“McLaren Golf has been something that’s been on the back burner for a good number of months,” Rose said at his pre-tournament press conference that week, his first comments after the announcement. “Obviously, to launch a brand out of the ground obviously has been going for a lot longer than a year. It’s something I’ve been involved with from the outset, really helping the engineering team, really testing the very first editions of the club. So yeah, I’ve been kind of working with the project for well over a year, probably.”

McLaren Golf Series 1 Custom Irons

A Tour blade with the feel you expect and the forgiveness you don’t. Series1 is a modern Tour blade, engineered through Metal Injection Molding. It delivers a level of forgiveness traditional forging can’t achieve, while maintaining the feel and workability often lost in cast designs. The result is performance without compromise – a blade for elite players who demand more from their irons.

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Since his debut in Miami, Rose has continued to make tweaks to his iron setup and teased that more clubs are coming down the road.

In his past five events, Rose has finished outside the top-25 just once.

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

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

The post The 3 biggest equipment changes of 2026 … so far appeared first on Golf.

The post Chris Gotterup’s clubs: What’s in his John Deere Classic-winning bag appeared first on Golf.

The post Chris Gotterup’s clubs: What’s in his John Deere Classic-winning bag appeared first on Golf.

Chris Gotterup fired a remarkable nine-under 62 to come back and win the John Deere Classic on Sunday for his third PGA Tour title of the season and fifth of his career.

In a spectacular last 12 months, Gotterup has won four times, and he’s changed very little in his golf bag. The only minor change to his bag from his wins earlier this season was a switch from a TaylorMade Qi35 5-wood to a newer Qi4D 7-wood.

The most notable piece of gear in his bag, however, is his Bridgestone Tour B X golf ball with MindSet. Gotterup switched to the most updated version of Bridgestone’s flagship Tour golf ball at the beginning of the season and immediately won two of the first four events of the year.

He’s also the only player in the last seven years to win with Bridgestone golf clubs, as he plays the company’s 220 Series MBs. The 220 series irons were the first golf clubs the company had released in five years, and Gotterup added them to the bag last year before picking up his breakthrough win at the Scottish Open.

At the putter, Gotterup continues to employ a heavily lead-taped Spider Tour X L-Neck and notches the 10th victory for the TaylorMade putter family, the most on Tour after the company led the Tour in putter victories a year ago too.

For more on Gotterup’s detailed setup, keep reading below.

Chris Gotterup’s winning WITB at the John Deere Classic

Driver: Ping G440 LST 7.5˚
Actual Loft: 7.0˚
Ping Trajectory 2.0 setting: Dot (Standard)
CG shifter: 32 g, Neutral
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 TX
Length: 45.375″
Tipping: 1″
Swingweight: D5+

PING G440 LST Custom Driver

The G440 driver family (MAX, LST, SFT) is optimized to deliver more ball speed through multiple advancements, including PING’s deepest CG in a driver to date and a shallower, thinner face, while continuing to ensure the game-changing forgiveness expected from a PING driver. The G440 LST (Low Spin) design appeals to players with faster swing speeds, providing lower spin and more control in 9° and 10.5° lofts with the three-position back weight. HIGHLY FORGIVING Lighter head weight allows for heavier back weight.  FASTER FACE  Shallow, thinner, face increases ball speed for more distance, higher launch.  SOUND DESIGN New shaping, carbon crown and internal ribs produce muted impact experience.  FREE-HOSEL DESIGN Saves weight to lower CG, increase forgiveness. Allows for more heel-side face flexing for consistent ball speed across face. 

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Project X HZRDUS Gen 5 Black Wood Shaft

Just when you thought HZRDUS Black couldn’t get any better, it did. One of the most successful low launch/spin shaft models of the past decade continues to innovate with the addition of our new 4D Optimized Carbon weave. Strategically utilized in the midsection, the part of the golf shaft that undergoes the most stress, and angled for improved torsional resistance, HZRDUS Gen 5 Black powered by 4D Optimized Carbon is designed to enhance performance and maximize energy transfer like never before.

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Mini driver: TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black Gen. 4 80 TX

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.

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7-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D 21.0˚
Lie: 59.5˚
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 83 TX
Length: 41.5″

TaylorMade Qi4D Custom Fairway Wood

PROVEN RECIPE TaylorMade Fairways have dominated on Tour for over a decade because of their unique performance recipe, which enables maximum distance and versatility. The Qi4D fairway is designed for golfers who want the most advanced technology while still prioritizing versatility and control with amazing distance. ADJUSTABLE PERFORMANCE Utilizing a single Trajectory Adjustment System weight (8g x1) provides the golfer a more mass efficient way to adjust flight, spin and swing weight. 4° loft sleeve can be used to adjust loft, lie and face angle for optimized flight and is available in all lofts. REFINED ATTRIBUTES, BIG CHANGES Engineers conducted an objective analysis of all the performance attributes and discovered new methods to enhance performance and confidence. Sit points, lie angles, address views, and center of gravity locations were all updated based on Tour feedback and the expertise of leading fitters worldwide, ensuring the optimal fairway across skill levels. TOUR-PROVEN TECHNOLOGIES New and improved cut-through Speed Pocket™ protects ball speed and reduces spin on low-face strikes. Advanced CAD modeling creates a design with a clean and powerful sound, a foundation for TaylorMade fairway performance. Twist Face™ features corrective face curvature designed to provide straighter shots on mishits. Multi-Material Construction allows engineers to maximize performance by increasing discretionary weight.

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Irons: Bridgestone 220 MB (4-9)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper 130 X

Bridgestone 220 MB Custom Irons

Forged players muscleback clubhead design Tour Groove Design with super precise .02mm groove for stable consistent spin on all shots Consistent ball flight from the balanced center of gravity throughout the set Compact clubhead to maximum workability

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1/4

2/4

3/4

4/4

Wedges: TaylorMade Milled Grind 5
Lefts/Grinds: 46-SB, 52-SB, 56-SB, 60-LB
Lies: 62.563/63.5/64
Shafts: KBS C-Taper 130 X (46), Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 Black Onyx (52-60)
Lengths: 36.25″, 35.75″, 35.5″, 35″

TaylorMade Milled Grind 5 Custom Wedge

FORGED FEEL Incredible feel is a must for having a great wedge game. MG5 has been forged from soft carbon steel and designed with geometry to provide excellent feel with great feedback. MAXIMUM SPIN MG5 uses all-new, more aggressive grooves designed to maximize spin. Saw-milled grooves produce tighter tolerances allowing engineers to design steeper walls and sharper radii intended to maximize spin in both dry and damp conditions. PERFORMANCE IN ALL CONDITIONS RAW face with Spin Tread technology channels away moisture to help retain spin. The same way that tire treads help your car stay connected to the road, laser-etched channels redirect water at impact and creates more friction between the club face and golf ball to maintain spin in wet conditions. CRAFTSMANSHIP MEETS CONSISTENCY  Crafted by hand and then milled to perfection. Each wedge and sole grind are precision-milled to eliminate the natural human error that comes with hand polishing. Our grinds deliver unmatched consistency and craftsmanship that players can count on every time. CHARCOAL FINISH MG5 debuts a sleek, sophisticated charcoal finish that reduces glare and enhances its aesthetic appeal in the bag.

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Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X L-Neck
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol 2.0

TaylorMade 2025 Spider Tour X Black L-Neck Custom Putter

  SPIDER TOUR X L-NECK For nearly two decades Spider putters have been delivering championship-winning stability and performance to professionals and amateurs alike. Scottie Scheffler recently joined this group by stepping into the winner’s circle for the third time in four starts with a Spider Tour X L-Neck in the bag. TRUE PATH™ ALIGNMENT Navigate the greens with clarity with the optically-engineered True Path™ Alignment system. This legacy tech from TaylorMade helps you better visualize the line to the hole while also making it easier to aim the putter towards your target. WHITE TPU PURE ROLL™ INSERT Experience a softer feel with our White TPU Pure Roll™ insert. Crafted from a blend of Surlyn and aluminum, it features grooves angled at 45° for optimal forward roll and better overall roll characteristics. PRECISION WEIGHTING AND DESIGN A thin wall undercut and steel wireframe allow for precision CG placement, creating a superstructure with enhanced stability and forgiveness.

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Ball: Bridgestone Tour B X ’26 with MindSet

Bridgestone 2026 TOUR B X Golf Balls

THE NEW TOUR B X IS PUSHING THE LIMITS OF DISTANCE UNBOUND DISTANCE: New VeloSurge core-mantle integration technology delivers breakthrough velocity for unmatched distance off the tee TOUR CONTROL: The Reactiv iQ cover adheres to the clubface longer, generating tour-level spin and precision control on shots around the green The TOUR B X delivers increased ball speed for MAXIMUM DISTANCE off the tee and HIT & SIT performance on approach shots Bridgestone Golf is the #1 BALL FITTER IN GOLF: The TOUR B X is higher compression for swing speeds OVER 105 mph Designed for players who want additional distance TIGER WOODS, JASON DAY, CHRIS GOTTERUP and KURT KITAYAMA assisted in the development of the NEW TOUR B X and they along with HARRY HALL and MATT KUCHAR play it in professional competition

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Grips: Golf Pride Z-Grip

Golf Pride Z-Grip Cord Swing Grip

Z-Grip Cord Swing Grip The Z-Grip® Cord is the firmest cord grip available from Golf Pride. Combining two layers of texturing for feedback and control, the Z-Grip features a deep “Z”-shaped texture pattern that winds vertically around the grip for control, while a heavy cord texture throughout provides moisture management. This design pattern is enhanced with a white end cap and distinctive white body paint fill. Now available in Midsize. ALL-WEATHER CONTROL Moisture-wicking brushed cotton cord for added stability and traction in all conditions. MAXIMUM SURFACE TEXTURE “Z”-shaped texture pattern provides superior traction and channels moisture away from the hands. FIRM FEEL Our firmest grip maximizes feedback at impact. Specifications: Grip Size: Standard, Midsize Core Size: 60 Round

Buy Now$12.99 from PGA TOUR Superstore

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

The post Chris Gotterup’s clubs: What’s in his John Deere Classic-winning bag appeared first on Golf.

The post How golf-club makers design clubs based on Arccos data appeared first on Golf.

The post How golf-club makers design clubs based on Arccos data appeared first on Golf.

Arccos has become a valuable asset to golfers everywhere to help them learn more about their own game, but the company is actually helping OEMs develop new golf clubs too.

On this week’s episode of GOLF’s Fully Equipped, Arccos CEO Sal Syed explained how the company has relationships with almost every OEM to use their data and explained some of the examples to co-host Jake Morrow.

Syed mentioned Ping has used Arccos data for multiple club development and fitting applications.

“This is something that they have talked about, so I can talk about it. For the last 400 years or so, golf gapping, the iron gapping has been linear,” Syed said. “But what they realized was for the improvement player, for a mid-handicap player, linear gapping doesn’t need linear loft gapping, so the four-degree or four-and-a-half degree, whatever the difference is, doesn’t actually lead to linear differences in distance on the course.

“Now they have a non-linear proprietary gapping algorithm that they have based on Arccos data, so that was a fundamental change that had been based on real-world data.”

Arccos data was also able to show Ping that players were using their wedges more from the rough than the fairway, which encouraged designers to change the grind and bounce options and tailor them more for play out of the long grass.

PING G440 Custom Hybrid

The G440 hybrids appeal to a variety of skill levels, each engineered to deliver different ball- flight characteristics – from the slightly fade-biased 2 hybrid for off-the-tee performance to the draw-inducing 5, 6 and 7 hybrids that help optimize gapping. They all share a new, shallower and thinner face design, which improves face contact for more ball speed and higher-launching shots that hit and hold the green.  FLIES HIGH LANDS SOFT Optimized launch and spin ensure distance with stopping power.  FREE-HOSEL DESIGN Saves weight to lower CG, optimize launch/spin and increase forgiveness.  ROUNDED SOLE  Ensures pleasing face angle in all hosel settings  CARBONFLY WRAP  Lightweight carbon crown saves weight to increase MOI, lower CG. 

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA TOUR Superstore

Morrow brought up the example of the G440 hybrid’s progressive face angle design by loft.

“They looked into every bag of players that were playing hybrids, or Ping hybrids specifically, and there was basically nobody playing a 2-hybrid and a 5-hybrid,” Morrow said. “So they said, why are we trying to build these the same? This 2-hybrid is for this guy, this 5-hybrid is for this set of players. And I thought that that was just such a unique way to use data.”

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

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

The post How golf-club makers design clubs based on Arccos data appeared first on Golf.

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

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

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:

Jake Morrow (+0.3 handicap) | Jack Hirsh (1.1) | Wadeh Maroun (1.1) | Johnny Wunder (2.8) | Maddi MacClurg (5.7) | Sean Zak (7.6)

MORE FULLY FIT: Fully Fit hub page | Why we’re ‘testing’ golf clubs differently this year | Inside 6 days of fittings and testing | Browse 2026 drivers | Browse 2026 irons | How 5 days of club fittings changed my mind on golf equipment

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

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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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.

The post Why Viktor Hovland finally retired his longtime driver for something new appeared first on Golf.

The post Why Viktor Hovland finally retired his longtime driver for something new appeared first on Golf.

When Viktor Hovland started testing drivers at the Truist Championship earlier this year, he was 117th in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee. This week in Connecticut, he led the category and he won the Travelers Championship in a playoff over Scottie Scheffler Monday morning.

What changed? He finally switched to a new driver.

From 2020 to 2024, Hovland was a top-25 driver every season courtesy of his Ping G425 LST. His comfort was the main reason it was so difficult for him to switch out of the now five-year-old club.

But in 2025, Hovland fell outside the top 80 and then cratered to outside the top-100 after the first four months of this season. That was despite previous attempts to move into Ping’s new G440 line both last year and at his first Tour start this season in Phoenix.

“I tried out the new 440 last year because it is faster,” Hovland said at the WM Phoenix Open, before putting the K in play for the first time. “The spin consistency off the face is a joke. If I hit it off the heel or the toe with a 425, the spin discrepancy is very large. Like if I hit it off the toe, I can spin it under 2000. If I hit it off the heel, I can maybe get up to 3000. Versus the 440, it’s very tight. It goes from maybe 2000 to 2600, so a huge gap.

“However, the problem is it launches a little bit higher for me. And for some reason, just with the setup that I’ve tested with, it tends to go a bit more to the right. Right now, with my golf swing, when I get stuck, my miss is already a high-right miss. If I hit this driver, it’s just getting accentuated.”

Starting at the Truist Championship and then continuing the following week at the PGA, Hovland began testing both the G440 K and G440 LST again. Ping Tour Rep Kenton Oates initially thought the more forgiving K would get the nod, but as they went on, the LST had a clear advantage in start-line, just a touch more right than the K.

Drivers

Viktor Hovland brought 1 driver to Canada. It wasn't his gamer | Tour Report

By: Jack Hirsh

Hovland also started liking the LST more when they tested it with a Fujikura Ventus TR Black+ 6-X shaft, which has a stiffer mid-section, more like the Speeder 661 TR shaft he plays in his 425. Ping has a very limited number of Speeders left for Hovland, so they only use them in backup 425 heads at this point.

“As he tightened his swing up a little bit, to me it felt like it was just coming out of the proper start-line every time,” Oates told GOLF. “TR Black Plus was a home run on paper right away because it should have dropped his spin, and it should give him a better feel.”

After getting comfortable with the new build at home, while taking three weeks off after the PGA, the new 440 LST was the only driver Hovland brought to Canada.

“That’s one way to switch,” Oates joked. “Leave your security blanket in Oklahoma and call it a day.”

This week at TPC River Highlands, Hovland was first in SG: OTT and missed just 13 fairways for the event. On both of his tee shots on the 18th hole — on Sunday, then on Monday morning in the playoff — he split the fairway, setting himself up for the clutch approach and the winning birdie putt in the playoff.

PING G440 LST Custom Driver

The G440 driver family (MAX, LST, SFT) is optimized to deliver more ball speed through multiple advancements, including PING’s deepest CG in a driver to date and a shallower, thinner face, while continuing to ensure the game-changing forgiveness expected from a PING driver. The G440 LST (Low Spin) design appeals to players with faster swing speeds, providing lower spin and more control in 9° and 10.5° lofts with the three-position back weight. HIGHLY FORGIVING Lighter head weight allows for heavier back weight.  FASTER FACE  Shallow, thinner, face increases ball speed for more distance, higher launch.  SOUND DESIGN New shaping, carbon crown and internal ribs produce muted impact experience.  FREE-HOSEL DESIGN Saves weight to lower CG, increase forgiveness. Allows for more heel-side face flexing for consistent ball speed across face. 

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Specs
Ping G440 LST 9.0
Actual loft: 7.4
Ping Trajectory 2.0 setting: Flat Dot
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black w/ Velocore+ 6-X
Tipping: 1″
Length: 45.75″ EOG
Swingweight: D5+
Grip: Golf Pride MCC Black/Blue 60R (+1 wrap)

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

The post Why Viktor Hovland finally retired his longtime driver for something new appeared first on Golf.

The post Viktor Hovland’s clubs: Inside his Travelers-winning bag appeared first on Golf.

The post Viktor Hovland’s clubs: Inside his Travelers-winning bag appeared first on Golf.

Viktor Hovland defeated Scottie Scheffler in a one-hole playoff Monday morning to win the Travelers Championship for his eighth career PGA Tour victory.

Notably, six of Hovland’s seven prior wins came with his trusty Ping G425 LST driver, but Hovland seems to have finally retired that driver. Earlier this month at the RBC Canadian Open, Hovland brought only one driver to the event and it was a new Ping G440 LST.

Hovland and Ping have tried multiple times over the past two seasons to break into either the 440 LST or the G440 K, but Hovland kept returning to the safety net of the 425.

Finally, during the Truist Championship and PGA Championship, Hovland and Ping worked on a new 440 LST build with the new Fujikura Ventus TR Black shaft with VeloCore+. Hovland and Ping’s Kenton Oates saw the LST get to Hovland’s preferred start-line.

Hovland finally became comfortable at home during his three weeks off between the PGA and U.S. Open. A big factor was the TR Black+‘s stiffer mid-section, more like the Speeder 757 shaft he plays in his 425.

“As he tightened his swing up a little bit, to me it felt like it was just coming out of the proper start-line every time,” Oates told GOLF that week. “TR Black Plus was a home run on paper right away because it should have dropped his spin, and it should give him a better feel.”

The rest of Hovland’s bag is pretty similar to what he’s played his whole career. He’s still in the Ping i210 irons and using a Ping Glide 2.0 lob wedge, despite upgrading to the S259 sand and gap wedges.

“I think they (Ping) make phenomenal wedges, and the 56° and 50°, they just immediately go in the bag as soon as they come out with something new,” Hovland said at the WM Phoenix Open earlier this year. “It’s just the 60°. I’m still working a little bit with my technique, and that still has to get a little bit better.

“I do like in the old Glide 2.0 that the face is a little bit squarer and just how the heel is a little bit smaller, the sole is just a little bit smaller. And it’s just a feel thing, because when I try to compare the two, it’s very similar.”

For more on Hovland’s detailed setup, keep reading below.

Viktor Hovland’s winning clubs at the 2026 Travelers Championship

Driver: Ping G440 LST 9.0°
Actual Loft: 7.6˚
Trajectory 2.0 Sleeve: Flat Standard
CG Shifter: 29g neutral
Hot Melt: 5g forward
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black with VeloCore+ 7-X
Length: 45.75″ EOG
Tipping: 1″
Swingweight: D5+

PING G440 LST Custom Driver

The G440 driver family (MAX, LST, SFT) is optimized to deliver more ball speed through multiple advancements, including PING’s deepest CG in a driver to date and a shallower, thinner face, while continuing to ensure the game-changing forgiveness expected from a PING driver. The G440 LST (Low Spin) design appeals to players with faster swing speeds, providing lower spin and more control in 9° and 10.5° lofts with the three-position back weight. HIGHLY FORGIVING Lighter head weight allows for heavier back weight.  FASTER FACE  Shallow, thinner, face increases ball speed for more distance, higher launch.  SOUND DESIGN New shaping, carbon crown and internal ribs produce muted impact experience.  FREE-HOSEL DESIGN Saves weight to lower CG, increase forgiveness. Allows for more heel-side face flexing for consistent ball speed across face. 

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Fujikura 2026 Ventus TR Black Wood Shaft (Velocore+)

Built for speed and control, the Fujikura VENTUS TR Black Shaft is engineered for players who generate powerful swings and demand maximum stability through impact. The shaft is powered by VeloCore+ technology, Fujikura’s advanced multi-material core structure designed to reduce twist and increase energy transfer throughout the swing. The result is a more stable delivery that helps aggressive players maintain tighter dispersion and consistent ball speed.

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3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D 15˚
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue OG 7-X

TaylorMade Qi4D Custom Fairway Wood

PROVEN RECIPE TaylorMade Fairways have dominated on Tour for over a decade because of their unique performance recipe, which enables maximum distance and versatility. The Qi4D fairway is designed for golfers who want the most advanced technology while still prioritizing versatility and control with amazing distance. ADJUSTABLE PERFORMANCE Utilizing a single Trajectory Adjustment System weight (8g x1) provides the golfer a more mass efficient way to adjust flight, spin and swing weight. 4° loft sleeve can be used to adjust loft, lie and face angle for optimized flight and is available in all lofts. REFINED ATTRIBUTES, BIG CHANGES Engineers conducted an objective analysis of all the performance attributes and discovered new methods to enhance performance and confidence. Sit points, lie angles, address views, and center of gravity locations were all updated based on Tour feedback and the expertise of leading fitters worldwide, ensuring the optimal fairway across skill levels. TOUR-PROVEN TECHNOLOGIES New and improved cut-through Speed Pocket™ protects ball speed and reduces spin on low-face strikes. Advanced CAD modeling creates a design with a clean and powerful sound, a foundation for TaylorMade fairway performance. Twist Face™ features corrective face curvature designed to provide straighter shots on mishits. Multi-Material Construction allows engineers to maximize performance by increasing discretionary weight.

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3-Hybrid: Ping G440 20˚
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI-85 Hybrid X
Length: 40.25″
Swingweight: D1+

PING G440 Custom Hybrid

The G440 hybrids appeal to a variety of skill levels, each engineered to deliver different ball- flight characteristics – from the slightly fade-biased 2 hybrid for off-the-tee performance to the draw-inducing 5, 6 and 7 hybrids that help optimize gapping. They all share a new, shallower and thinner face design, which improves face contact for more ball speed and higher-launching shots that hit and hold the green.  FLIES HIGH LANDS SOFT Optimized launch and spin ensure distance with stopping power.  FREE-HOSEL DESIGN Saves weight to lower CG, optimize launch/spin and increase forgiveness.  ROUNDED SOLE  Ensures pleasing face angle in all hosel settings  CARBONFLY WRAP  Lightweight carbon crown saves weight to increase MOI, lower CG. 

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Irons: Ping i210 4-PW
Length: -.25″ (36.75″ 7-iron)
Lie: 1.5˚ flat (60.5˚ 7-iron)
Loft Progression: 23/26.5/30/33.5/37.5/41.5/45.5
Shafts: KBS Tour-V 120 X
Swingweight: D2

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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Wedges: Ping S259 (50-56), Ping Glide 2.0 (60)
Lofts/Grinds: 50/S, 56/S @ 55˚, 60/TS
Lengths: 35.25″/35″/34.75″
Lies: 62/62.5/62.5
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Swingweight: D4

PING s259 Custom Wedge

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Putter: Ping PLD Milled DS72
Hosel: Double Bend
Length: 37″
Loft: 2˚
Lie: 67˚
Finish: Patina
Grip: Winn 17″ AVS Red

PING Scottsdale DS72 Custom Putter

The Scottsdale family combines a one-piece face insert with a big jump in forgiveness across model styles and stroke types to fit every golfer and elevate performance on the greens. The lightweight PEBAX insert creates discretionary weight used to increase MOI while ensuring a soft feel, a pleasing sound, and consistent ball speeds. The Tour-inspired DS72 has a ball-width PEBAX face insert that matches the ball-width cavity to make aiming easier. The back cavity has perpendicular visual cues and a contrasting alignment line to create visual balance in this model that assists a straight stroke.

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Grip: Golf Pride MCC

Golf Pride MCC Swing Grip

MCC Swing Grip The MCC (New Decade MultiCompound) is an innovative hybrid grip that fuses the positive performance of rubber and cord. The MCC boasts the Golf Pride® exclusive Brushed Cotton Cord in the upper hand area for firm all-weather control, and a performance rubber material in the lower hand for ultimate feel and responsiveness. LARGER LOWER HAND The larger outside diameter simulates the feel of building up the grip with four extra wraps. This reduced taper encourages lighter grip pressure, promoting less tension in the hands and creating more fluidity and power throughout the swing. ALL-WEATHER CONTROL Our exclusive Brushed Cotton Cord fuses moisture-wicking cotton fibers into a new soft rubber material for added stability in any condition. MAXIMUM SURFACE TEXTURE Engineered for softer feel and strategically placed for high traction. A soft micro-texture increases traction and comfort, while texture placement is ideal for maximum hand coverage. Specifications: Grip Size: Standard, Midsize Cord Size: 60 Round

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Ball: 2021 Titleist Pro V1

Titleist Pro V1 2025 Personalized Golf Balls

h2>THE GREATEST COMBINATION OF SPEED, SPIN AND FEEL For players who prioritize total performance. New faster high gradient core Speed amplifying high-flex casing layer Spherically-tiled 388 tetrahedral dimple design Soft cast urethane elastomer cover Product Features New faster high gradient core delivers more speed and iron and wedge spin for more control Low long game spin from a speed amplifying high-flex casing layer Penetrating and consistent flight from a spherically-tiled 388 tetrahedral dimple design Excellent greenside spin from a soft cast urethane elastomer cover Player Benefits Extraordinary Distance Increased Drop-and-Stop™ control Very low long game spin Penetrating trajectory Consistent flight Very soft feel What’s New – (what performance attributes have improved) 2025 Pro V1 and Pro V1x produce more speed off the tee, more control with irons, more spin with wedges and more opportunity to shoot lower scores. Player Profile For players who prioritize total performance. Available Colors and Play Numbers White golf balls are available with play numbers 1-4, 5-8, and all the same play number 00 or 1- 99. High optic yellow golf balls are available with play numbers 1-4. Not available for purchase or shipment to Australia.

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

The post Viktor Hovland’s clubs: Inside his Travelers-winning bag appeared first on Golf.

The post Matt Fitzpatrick reveals what it’s like searching for a new driver | Tour Report appeared first on Golf.

The post Matt Fitzpatrick reveals what it’s like searching for a new driver | Tour Report appeared first on Golf.

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.

CROMWELL, Conn. — Matt Fitzpatrick put on a driving clinic Thursday in Round 1 at the Travelers Championship.

The World No. 4 missed just one fairway and gained more than a shot off the tee around TPC River Highlands, using a new Ping G430 LST driver for the first time.

It’s just one round, but Fitzpatrick’s mid-season search for a new gamer might be finally be over, and after his round, he dove into what that process was like.

“It’s not as straightforward as everyone thinks,” he said Thursday.

Two months ago, Fitzpatrick was the hottest golfer on the PGA Tour, having won three tournaments in just over a month and helped his brother earn PGA Tour membership while doing it.

Then his driver, a Titleist GT3, cracked just before the start of his next event at the Truist Championship.

Entering that week, Fitzpatrick was 12th on the PGA Tour in SG: Off-the-Tee. He lost more than a stroke off-the-tee that week at Quail Hollow and lost strokes in the category in two of his next four events, falling to 46th. After winning three of four starts from March to the end of April, Fitzpatrick’s results since his driver broke were T52, T14, T36, 2nd and 22nd.

“If you look at my off the tee from then, it’s quite telling that obviously there was something in that driver that was helping me out and I struggled to find one since,” he said Thursday.

Fitzpatrick tried a new GT3 head and then later an updated Titleist GTS2 at the Memorial, but nothing seemed to replicate what he had with his gamer.

“Through unbelievable effort from the staff at Titleist,” Fitzpatrick, a gear-free agent aside from his putter deal with Bettinardi, added. “You know, it’s nothing against those guys, but just for whatever reason, there hasn’t been one that’s kind of managed to suit my eye, I guess, and kind of match my swing intentions.”

This week at Travelers, Fitzpatrick tried a number of new drivers from other manufacturers and didn’t seem to make a decision on the new 430 LST until late on Wednesday afternoon.

At TPC River Highlands, the 2022 U.S. Open winner tested both Ping’s G430 LST and the newer G440 LST drivers, Ping’s Kenton Oates told GOLF.

“Right away the 430 provided the launch and spin Matt was looking for,” Oates said. “We then focused on getting the right setting to maximize center contact. We found this in the neutral dot setting.”

Once contact was set, the next piece of the puzzle was the crucial one for Fitzpatrick.

“When you fit a golf club, everyone has tendencies, and not to bore everyone, but my tendency is like I like clubs or a driver with the CG closer to the heel,” he explained Thursday, certainly not boring any passionate gearheads. “That’s kind of where I’ve lived for basically my whole career. And certain golf clubs are, like, made without that. Just the box one, the one you buy off the rack might have it on the toe side, which if you gave that to me I would hit it 500 yards right or whatever it is.”

Fitzpatrick hits a pull-draw off the tee and hates to see the golf ball go right. To help that, almost all of his drivers throughout his career have been heel-weighted to allow the club face to close more easily.

PING G440 LST Custom Driver

The G440 driver family (MAX, LST, SFT) is optimized to deliver more ball speed through multiple advancements, including PING’s deepest CG in a driver to date and a shallower, thinner face, while continuing to ensure the game-changing forgiveness expected from a PING driver. The G440 LST (Low Spin) design appeals to players with faster swing speeds, providing lower spin and more control in 9° and 10.5° lofts with the three-position back weight. HIGHLY FORGIVING Lighter head weight allows for heavier back weight.  FASTER FACE  Shallow, thinner, face increases ball speed for more distance, higher launch.  SOUND DESIGN New shaping, carbon crown and internal ribs produce muted impact experience.  FREE-HOSEL DESIGN Saves weight to lower CG, increase forgiveness. Allows for more heel-side face flexing for consistent ball speed across face. 

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA TOUR Superstore

Getting the weight just right and in the right spot is crucial. Too much weight or too close to the heel, and Fitzpatrick might hit it too far left or overcompensate. Not enough and he’ll start missing right.

“The detail is really important and it’s important to try and get that right as best as you can,” Fitzpatrick explained. “Everyone is different, their habits, how they move the club, how they react to different clubs. I tried one in Canada where it was literally exactly that, like neutral, neutral, neutral and I hit it 50 yards right, and that’s just the way I react. So I think people think that guys just get driver and it’s just going to go straight and away you go and there’s obviously a lot more to it than that.”

To dial it in just right, the 17g CG shifter on the 430 LST was moved to the heel position and then added another 3g of hot melt to the heel. He also tried a head with 6 g of hot melt, but that proved to be too much.

Every gram matters at that level.

Matt Fitzpatrick’s new driver specs
Ping G430 LST 9.0
Actual Loft: 8.2
Trajectory 2.0 hosel: DOT (Std)
CG Shifter: Heel (17g)
Hot melt: 3g heel
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Orange 65TX
Length 45.75″
Tipping: 1″
Swingweight: D7+

Rickie, Rose, Spaun and Spieth all make (or almost make) major putter moves

The practice green at TPC River Highlands was busy early in the week as several big-name pros considered flatstick changes.

Perhaps the most notable was the one that never happened: Jordan Spieth spent all of Tuesday and most of Wednesday working with a L.A.B. Golf VZN.1i mallet and a Scotty Cameron Phantom 5 OC prototype, but ended up sticking with his T.P. Mills Trad Forged II blade.

Spieth spent lots of hours working with the L.A.B. Golf mallet on Tuesday under the watchful eye of Cameron McCormick, with the Mills blade nowhere in sight. Spieth revealed earlier this month to Golf on CBS’s Patrick McDonald that he had been fit for L.A.B. putters over the offseason, but said that the MOI benefit of a mallet wasn’t worth it in putting.

“The mallet, the increased MOI is just so minimal on putting,” Spieth said. “It’s making almost no difference unless you really hit it off-center with putts. Which for pros, they don’t. I mean, you’re talking about a difference of 5 mm toe or heel for the most part and it’s not going to make that much of a difference.”

He specifically left the door open to trying something else down the road, which he did this week. He ended up using the L.A.B. during Wednesday’s Pro-Am, but walked off the course with at least three L.A.B. headcovers in his bag. By the end of Wednesday, the Mills had reappeared and he played it in Thursday’s round of 71.

Meanwhile, Justin Rose, Rickie Fowler and J.J. Spaun all went through with putter changes.

For Rose, he spent lots of time on Wednesday testing different putters on a Grasp Technology putting gate, before narrowing it down to his gamer Scotty Cameron Phantom 5, an updated version with a softer Studio Carbon Steel insert and standard top rail alignment aid, a Spider Tour F single-bend and an Axis1 SP Series-Axiom.

After some more work on the green, the Axis1 got the nod. Rose consulted on the design of the “zero-torque” putter, which has no shaft lean, minimal onset and adjustability weighting to help fit a player’s stroke profile.

Rose gained more than 2.3 strokes putting in an opening-round 65.

Fowler’s move was perhaps the most surprising of the bunch, setting aside his Scotty Cameron GoLo 7 S1 prototype for a new Xperimental tour prototype Phantom mallet. The shape resembles an oversized Phantom 11 and Fowler told GOLF the putter is an entirely aluminum construction.

While aluminum typically makes the sound a little brighter and feel firmer, Fowler said this one actually feels soft to him, possibly owing to the extreme MOI created by the entirely aluminum construction.

Notably, it’s the same traditional center-shaft design from his GoLo that he said he’s really become fond of over the offseason. After Fowler started using it, the center-shafted GoLo had a bit of a resurgence this season, with both Gary Woodland and Bud Cauley earning victories after switching to the model. Fowler was 34th in SG: Putting entering the week, his best standing since 2019, using the GoLo.

And lastly, Spaun tested numerous putters this week before leaving the L.A.B. Golf catalog entirely for a highly custom bronze-finished Phantom 9.5R with a flow neck. It also has an aluminium face, which is something Cameron has been doing more and more of recently.

Spaun made a mid-tournament switch at the U.S. Open to a VZN.1i after starting his title defense with an OZ.1i HS. He’s been testing putters each week since benching his U.S. Open-winning DF3, which he won again with earlier this year in San Antonio.

Srixon ZXi RKT drivers go for launch

Srixon’s successor to the ZXi drivers surfaced at the Travelers Championship and three staffers put new ZXi RKT (pronounced “Rocket”) drivers in play immediately.

In total, there were seven new heads posted to the USGA conforming list on Monday with five of them showing up in Cromwell.

Hideki Matsuayama immediately put into play the new ZXi RKT LS T262, which carries over the same prototype silver face he played on his current ZXi LS T252 gamer.

Ryan Fox added the ZXi RKT LS+ after some thorough testing on the range and Lucas Glover added the standard LS model late on Wednesday.

At Hazeltine for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Jenny Shin and Nasa Hataoka also gamed the new Srixon drivers.

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. This week, check out U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark’s driver setup. Before winning at Shinnecock, Clark dropped from a 10.5˚ to a 9˚ head.

Odds and Ends

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

Odyssey officially launched its TRTL Prototype putter on the PGA Tour this week. Nicolai Hojgaard put one in play and Min Woo Lee switched from a short slant to a double bend … Daniel Berger added the Titleist GTS Prototype 15.0 3-wood … Denny McCarthy added Titleist GTS2 driver … Jacob Bridgeman added a 9-wood to the bag in place of his 4-iron … Brandt Snedeker added a Spider Tour V Double Bend after winning with a Spider Tour X Double Bend earlier this year … Shane Lowry was spotted with two prototype Srixon 3-irons … Corey Conners went back to a Ping PLD Milled Ally Blue Onset after using the Ally Blue H recently … Fowler tested new prototype UST Recoil Dart XDC 120x iron shafts in his Cobra 3DP RF irons, but didn’t put them in play … Si Woo Kim added a 11.5˚ Callaway Quantum Mini Driver

3 things you should read/watch

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

What Scottie Scheffler’s under-the-radar wedge change says about him – Scottie Scheffler has changed lob wedges three times over the past four years, but not because of the course or conditions. He explained why this week.

The best Titleist ball for you may not be the Pro V1 – Johnny Wunder puts Titleist’s Tour Soft golf ball through its paces and explains why it could fit you better than the Pro V1.

Wyndham Clark’s Ping putter deal couldn’t have been timed any better – Wyndham Clark signed a putter-only endorsement contract with Ping on the eve of the U.S. Open. Safe to say it paid off.

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 Matt Fitzpatrick reveals what it’s like searching for a new driver | Tour Report appeared first on Golf.

The post Wyndham Clark’s Ping putter deal couldn’t have been timed any better appeared first on Golf.

The post Wyndham Clark’s Ping putter deal couldn’t have been timed any better appeared first on Golf.

Wyndham Clark may owe at least a piece of his U.S. Open title to his Ping Scottsdale TEC putter that he shouted out in his post-round interview Sunday.

Clark has a Ping deal now, but he first switched to the wand back in March without a contract. Ping announced a unique putter-only deal with Clark on the eve of the U.S. Open last week, a first for the company in more than 50 years of sponsoring Tour players.

Now, the company has its first major victory in over a decade and the potential for a gear-industry disruption.

For the first two-plus months that Clark had the all-white, center-shafted putter in his bag, he did so without incentive. It was a bit of a wild journey to get there.

The now two-time major winner’s previous equipment contract with Titleist expired at the end of last year, leading him to become one of the most high-profile gear free agents to start 2026.

Clark joked at the Memorial earlier this month that he was “dating” different clubs at the beginning of the year as he cycled through both drivers and putters. With the flatstick, he settled into a L.A.B. Golf DF3 at the end of last season, moving away from the counterbalanced Odyssey Jailbird with which he won the 2023 U.S. Open, but it wasn’t long before he switched things up.

First, he started playing the grip upside down. Then he bought a new Bettinardi putter at his home course pro shop and gamed it at the Players. Two tournaments later, Clark walked on to the Ping Tour truck to have some work done to his G440 Max 3-wood.

PING Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset CB Custom Putter

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“During a discussion in Houston regarding his equipment, we noted he was using a center-shafted onset putter and how we just introduced two new onset mallets in our Scottsdale TEC line,” Ping Player Development Manager Dylan Goodwin, who worked with Clark on the switch, told GOLF. “We explained the technology and our philosophy on torque. He liked the look of both models and the principle behind them. He requested we build both to his specifications at the time.”

Unlike the L.A.B. or the Bettinardi Antidote models Clark was using, Ping’s Scottsdale TEC Onset models are not “zero-torque” putters. Instead of the shaft going through the center of gravity of the head, Ping places the shaft directly in front of the CG to create stability by “pulling” the majority of the mass.

Clark tried out both the Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset and Ketsch Onset models and found the Ally Blue, with a slightly more face-balanced design with five degrees of toe hang versus 15 on the Ketsch, better fit his stroke. Specifically, he noted an improved start line, fixing a left miss.

He put a standard 35″ Ally Blue Onset model in play in Houston and used it for two events before going back to the Ping Truck at the RBC Heritage. There, Clark asked for a new Ally Blue Onset CB to match the same specs of the counterbalanced Odyssey Jailbird 380 he used to win the 2023 U.S. Open.

Clark was part of maybe the wildest gear story of 2023 when he earned his first two victories, including the major at the Los Angeles Country Club, with a counterbalanced Jailbird with lead tape covering the entire sole. Rickie Fowler was the first player to switch to that kind of build, and Clark asked for the “Rickie-build.” Both players, along with Keegan Bradley, a longtime user of the head, won that year.

Putters

Wyndham Clark signs Ping's first putter-only endorsement contract

By: Jack Hirsh

At the time, the Jailbird was a potentially forgotten-about Odyssey head, but within one summer it became the company’s flagship mallet and was back in production. Clark wanted that same heavy feel again.

“We initially built a standard 370g head at 38” with a SuperStroke 3.0 17” grip,” Goodwin said. “However, he felt this setup lacked the head feel and control he prefers. To address this, we built two new options: one with a standard head weight and a 17g tip weight, and another with a 400g head featuring tungsten in the sole plate. Since Wyndham adds lead tape to the sole regardless of the initial build, he found the 400g head too heavy with the added tape, but the 387g head (which finished at 400g with the lead tape) was perfect.”

Clark excelled with the added stability both from the shaft and CG placement, as well as the overall weight. It showed in the stats.

“Since I switched to this Ping putter, it’s been amazing,” Clark said at the RBC Canadian Open two weeks ago. “Now I feel like all the hard work I’ve put into my swing is paying off because when I hit the greens or hit it close, I’m actually making the putts, where maybe earlier in the year I wasn’t.”

After finishing 4th in the field at Shinnecock in SG: Putting, Clark has risen from 155th on the PGA Tour in the stat, where he was losing .725 strokes a round, to 43rd, gaining .239 strokes. He’s also 5th in putting average at 1.702.

“I played some ugly golf the last two days, but my putter and short game kind of kept me in it,” Clark told NBC’s Mike Tirico Sunday after hoisting the U.S. Open trophy.

There’s no telling whether Clark’s improvement will lead to the same fever around the Ally Blue Onset that surrounded the Jailbird three years ago, but it’s safe to assume that at least a few have jumped off the shelves in the last few hours.

Not since TaylorMade’s 2022 signing of Scottie Scheffler has a company pulled off a better-timed sponsorship agreement than Ping just did.

Wyndham Clark’s putter Specs:

Ping Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset CB
Loft: 3˚
Lie: 70˚
Length: 38″
Headweight: 400g (17g tip weight + 13g lead tape)
Insert: PEBAX
Grip: SuperStroke Tour 3.0 17″

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

The post Wyndham Clark’s Ping putter deal couldn’t have been timed any better appeared first on Golf.

The post Wyndham Clark’s clubs: The new Ping putter he credits for U.S. Open win appeared first on Golf.

The post Wyndham Clark’s clubs: The new Ping putter he credits for U.S. Open win appeared first on Golf.

Having just won the U.S. Open for the second time in three years, Wyndham Clark was quick to credit the club that helped him to victory.

“I played some ugly golf the last two days, but my putter and short game kept me in it,” Clark told NCB’s Mike Tirico at the trophy ceremony. “To make all the putts that I did with my Ping putter that I love so much has been amazing.”

On the 72nd hole, Clark lagged his 52-foot birdie putt to nine inches to secure his second major title and second victory of the season since making the move to a Ping Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset CB putter. Clark credited the putter multiple times over the past few weeks for the turnaround in his game from 2025.

Just this week, Clark signed a unique putter-endorsement contract with Ping to continue using the putter. It was the first putter-only deal for Ping in more than 50 years of sponsoring Tour players.

“I credit the new putter for helping me get back in the winner’s circle,” Clark said in a release announcing the deal. “The white finish first got my attention and when I started rolling putts with it, it set up easily and gave me immediate confidence. I’d never used a putter with onset before, so it was a new look for me that really matches my eye. The onset combined with the top-rail dot simplifies alignment and my consistency has improved. I’m sinking more long putts than ever.”

Clark started the year as a gear free agent after his previous contract with Titleist expired at the end of 2025. He cycled through putters for the first two months of the season, then switched to the Scottsdale TEC in March at the Texas Children’s Houston Open before moving to a heavier counterbalanced version at the RBC Heritage in April.

Since the move to the 38-inch counterbalanced model, Clark has skyrocketed in the PGA Tour’s SG: Putting category, going from losing .725 strokes a round and ranked 155th on Tour to T62 and.120 strokes gained on the field. Much of the improvement has come from 5 to 15 feet, where Clark’s make percentage has gone from 160th on Tour to 55th.

This week, Clark was T4 in Strokes Gained: Putting, picking up more than 6 shots on the field.

News

Wyndham Clark holds on at Shinnecock, wins 2nd U.S. Open title

By: Zephyr Melton

While he’s now tied down with his putter, Clark remains a free agent for the rest of his bag other than his ball. He continues to rep Titleist for the Pro V1x. Aside from the putter, the other club he has experimented with this season is his driver.

The 2023 U.S. Open champion began the year by using four different drivers in his first five events before settling on the TaylorMade Qi4D. He won in Dallas in his first week playing Project X’s new Titan Yellow wood shaft and made more changes over the past two weeks to the setup, dropping from a 10.5 lofted head because of high spin.

“It’s actually a high loft 9° head and we were just looking to get his spin rates down to like 2500-2400,” TaylorMade Tour rep Adrian Rietveld said. “So we handpicked the 9° head because we couldn’t do it with the 10.5˚.

“Same settings, same weight setup and everything, we just needed to find a loft setup. We had a fraction less loft.”

Clark finished 14th for the week at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in SG: Off-the-Tee.

The victory means that all five of the men’s and women’s majors this season have been won with TaylorMade drivers. Clark joins Rory McIlroy and Nelly Korda in winning four of the five of them with the Qi4D driver. He is the only major winner using the Qi4D without a contract.

The rest of his bag includes a Ping G440 Max 3-wood — making him the first player in the last seven majors to win without using the TaylorMade Qi10 — the same Titleist T-Series irons he played while under contract with Titleist last season and Vokey SM11 wedges.

For more on Clark’s detailed setup, keep reading below.

Wyndham Clark’s winning clubs at the 2026 U.S. Open

Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D 9.0
FCT Setting: Upright One Click toward lower
Front TAS Weights: 9g heel, 3g toe
Back TAS Weights: 9g heel, 3g toe
Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX
Length: 45″ CUT
Tipping: 1″
Swingweight: D3

TaylorMade Qi4D Custom Driver

SHAPED FOR SPEED The re-engineered head profile increases ball speed thanks to improved aerodynamics developed through advanced simulations. FACE FOR DISTANCE 60x Carbon Twist Face™ is a technological cornerstone that provides weight savings, incredible ball speed and more consistency vs. a titanium face. ADJUSTABLE PERFORMANCE 4° loft sleeve can be used to adjust loft, lie and face angle for optimized flight. TOUR PROVEN TECHNOLOGIES New and improved cut-through Speed Pocket™ protects ball speed and reduces spin on low-face strikes. Advanced CAD modeling creates a design with a clean and powerful sound, a foundation of TaylorMade driver performance. Multi-Material Construction allows engineers to strategically place mass in areas of the head where it maximizes performance, speed, and stability.

Buy Now$649.99 from Fairway Jockey

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA TOUR Superstore, TaylorMade

Project X Titan Black Wood Shaft

You can only evolve so many times. Then you have to reinvent. Designed and engineered in our R&D Lab in San Diego, CA, Titan Black is built to meet the demands of today’s faster, more aggressive swingers. A more elastic handle section progressively firms through the mid and tip, delivering a smooth feel with added stability where it matters most. Synex Technology utilizes multi-axial carbon fibers to reinforce the shaft’s outer structure, increasing hoop stiffness from the handle through the mid-section for efficient energy transfer and enhanced control. By blending feel and stability, Titan Black gives players the confidence to swing faster without sacrificing dispersion or consistency.

Buy Now$350.00 from Fairway Jockey

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3-Wood: Ping G440 Max 15.0
Ping Tracjectory 2.0 setting: Big Minus (—)
Shaft: Project X Titan Black 80TX
Tipping: 2″
Swingweight: D3

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. 

Buy Now$369.00 from Fairway Jockey

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Irons: Titleist ’23 T200 3-5, Titleist ’25 T100 6-9
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X7

Titleist 2025 T100 Custom Irons

Unmatched precision meets unrivaled feel with T100 Irons. Fully forged with more aggressive grooves in the mid/short irons, T100 offers pure player’s feel with improved consistency in variable conditions. Now with higher long-iron launch for optimal trajectory control in every club. Forged Player’s Design   Masterfully forged into a pure player’s design that offers precision control and buttery feel. Superior Flight and Stability  Split High-Density Tungsten produces optimal CG with remarkable stability for precise shotmaking. Consistent Speed & Spin  New VFT technology and progressive groove design for consistent spin and speed across the face in variable conditions. Elevated Long-Iron Launch  Lower CG and a new muscle channel help improve peak height and carry. 

Buy Now$215.00 from Fairway Jockey

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Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM11
Lofts/Grinds: 44.10F, 50.12F, 54.14F, WedgeWorks 60L
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X7 (44), S400 (50-60)

Titleist Vokey SM11 Tour Chrome Custom Wedge

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Putter: Ping Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset CB
Loft: 3˚
Lie: 70˚
Length: 38″
Headweight: 400g
Insert: PEBAX
Grip: SuperStroke Tour 3.0 17″

PING Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset CB Custom Putter

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Grips: SuperStroke Revl Player Cord Midsize

Ball: 2019 Titleist Pro V1x

Titleist Pro V1x 2025 Special Play # Golf Balls

THE GREATEST COMBINATION OF SPEED, SPIN AND FEEL For players who prioritize total performance, with higher flight and higher spin. New faster high gradient core Speed amplifying high-flex casing layer Spherically-tiled 348 tetrahedral dimple design Soft cast urethane elastomer cover Product Features New faster high gradient dual core delivers more speed and iron and wedge spin for more control Low long game spin from a speed amplifying high-flex casing layer Penetrating and consistent flight from a spherically-tiled 348 tetrahedral dimple design Excellent greenside spin from a soft cast urethane elastomer cover Player Benefits Extraordinary Distance Increased Drop-and-Stop™ control Low long game spin High trajectory More consistent flight Soft feel What’s New – (what performance attributes have improved) 2025 Pro V1 and Pro V1x produce more speed off the tee, more control with irons, more spin with wedges and more opportunity to shoot lower scores. Player Profile For players who prioritize total performance, with higher flight and higher spin. Available Colors and Play Numbers White golf balls are available with play numbers 1-4, 5-8, and all the same play number 00 or 1- 99. High optic yellow golf balls are available with play numbers 1-4. Not available for purchase or shipment to Australia.

Buy Now$57.99 from PGA TOUR Superstore

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

The post Wyndham Clark’s clubs: The new Ping putter he credits for U.S. Open win appeared first on Golf.

The post Wyndham Clark signs Ping’s first putter-only endorsement contract appeared first on Golf.

The post Wyndham Clark signs Ping’s first putter-only endorsement contract appeared first on Golf.

Wyndham Clark said he was “dating” golf clubs as he started his year as an equipment free agent. Now it seems, at least with the putter, he’s ready to settle down.

On Wednesday, ahead of this week’s U.S. Open, Ping announced that Clark is signing an agreement to exclusively play the company’s new Scottsdale TEC putter line. The putter-only nature of the deal is a first for Ping in more than 50 years of sponsoring PGA Tour players.

Clark, who started the year as a gear free agent after his previous contract expired at the end of 2025, first switched to Ping’s Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset putter in March at the Texas Children’s Houston Open. He later moved to a heavier counterbalanced version at the RBC Heritage in April.

Since the move to the 38″ counterbalanced model, Clark has skyrocketed in the PGA Tour’s SG: Putting statistic, going from losing .725 strokes a round and ranked 155th on Tour to T62 in the stat, gaining .120 strokes on the field. Much of the improvement has come from 5 to 15 feet, where Clark’s make percentage has gone from 160th on Tour to 55th.

The 2023 U.S. Open winner returned to the winner’s circle in May at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson for the first time since 2024, shooting 60 in the final round on the strength of holing 158 feet on Sunday. He led the field with more than 12.5 strokes gained for the week.

“I credit the new putter for helping me get back in the winner’s circle,” Clark said in a release. “The white finish first got my attention and when I started rolling putts with it, it set up easily and gave me immediate confidence. I’d never used a putter with onset before, so it was a new look for me that really matches my eye. The onset combined with the top-rail dot simplifies alignment and my consistency has improved. I’m sinking more long putts than ever.”

Since winning in Dallas, Clark finished third at the Memorial Tournament and T11 at the RBC Canadian Open.

PING Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset Custom Putter

Buy Now$399.00 from Fairway Jockey

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA TOUR Superstore

“Wyndham comes into the U.S. Open this week as one of the hottest players in the world,” Ping President and CEO John K. Solheim said in a release. “He’s been using the Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset model since the Houston Open and has steadily climbed in the world rankings since then on the strength of a win and third-place finish in his last three tournaments.”

The Scottsdale TEC putter line was launched at retail at the end of March and features Ping’s EyeQ alignment technology, which aims to help golfers focus by keeping their eye still on the ball. Clark’s Ally Blue Onset model has a unique shaft placement near the center line of the putter head, behind the top rail but in front of the center of gravity of the putter.

That positioning, rather than directly through the CG like low-torque putters, gives the player the feeling of pulling the CG for increased stability. It also gives the putter toe hang rather than a toe-up balancing.

Wyndham Clark’s putter Specs:

Ping Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset CB
Loft: 3˚
Lie: 70˚
Length: 38″
Headweight: 385g + 17g tip weight
Insert: PEBAX
Grip: SuperStroke Tour 3.0 17″

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

The post Wyndham Clark signs Ping’s first putter-only endorsement contract appeared first on Golf.