Wyndham Clark’s Club Swaps, and Rory McIlroy Dishes on Unreleased Ball
Welcome to Wall-to-Wall Equipment, where we bring you the latest gear news from Pebble Beach. In this article, we’ll discuss the new clubs used by winner Wyndham Clark and the unreleased ball discussed by Rory McIlroy.
Wyndham Clark’s New Gear
After an impressive Saturday 60 at Pebble Beach, Wyndham Clark secured the win by one over Ludvig Aberg. While his new Odyssey Ai-One putter gained the most attention, Clark also had other notable additions to his arsenal.
Among the new clubs in Clark’s bag are the TaylorMade Qi10 3 wood, the 2024 Mizuno Pro FliHi driving iron, and the Vokey SM10 wedges by Titleist.
Additionally, Clark made a quiet change by switching to the Titleist TSR3 driver. This change was guided by JJ Van Wezenbeeck from Titleist, who mentioned that Clark experienced more consistent speed with the TSR3.
New Ping S159 Wedges
Ping has introduced its new S159 wedges on the PGA Tour, and they have quickly gained popularity among players. Many Ping staff players have already made the switch to these wedges, similar to the quick adoption of the Blueprint S and T irons.
It is expected that the S159 wedges will soon be available at retail, making them more accessible to all golfers.
Center-Shafted Putters Trending Again
Center-shafted putters, once almost extinct on the PGA Tour, are making a surprising comeback. Players are either using center-shafted long putters or exploring options that aid in alignment.
At Pebble Beach, almost every manufacturer showcased their center-shafted putter models. Leading the pack are Ping, Bettinardi, and Odyssey, with the expectation of seeing more center-shafted-putter winners like Matthieu Pavon in the near future.
Mitsubishi Chemical Putter Shafts
Not only driver and iron shafts can be customized and fitted, but putter shafts as well. Mitsubishi Chemical introduced two new putter shafts at Pebble Beach, offering various flex options to accommodate players’ stroke types.
This development, combined with Olson Manufacturing’s affiliation with TaylorMade, confirms their efforts to assist Scottie Scheffler on the greens.
Rory McIlroy’s New Ball
During a press conference at Pebble Beach, Rory McIlroy discussed his recent play and his switch to a soon-to-be-released TaylorMade golf ball. McIlroy found the new ball to perform well, with a lower launch and spin compared to his prior ball.
The two weeks of testing in Dubai allowed McIlroy to assess the ball’s performance in different conditions. He noted an increase in speed, especially off the tee, and a softer feel around the greens. McIlroy believes that the lower launch and softer feel were the key selling points of the new ball.
Mid-iron control is crucial for McIlroy, and he appreciates that the new ball offers low spin while still enabling him to hold greens effectively.
It appears that McIlroy has found a new TaylorMade ball for 2024, and more information will likely be available soon for golfers interested in trying it.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
What were some notable additions to Wyndham Clark’s golf bag after his win at Pebble Beach?
Wyndham Clark introduced several new clubs to his bag, including the TaylorMade Qi10 3 wood, the 2024 Mizuno Pro FliHi driving iron, and the Vokey SM10 wedges by Titleist. He also quietly switched to the Titleist TSR3 driver, guided by JJ Van Wezenbeeck from Titleist for more consistent speed.
Why are center-shafted putters making a comeback on the PGA Tour?
Center-shafted putters are experiencing a resurgence on the PGA Tour, with many players exploring options that aid in alignment. Almost every major manufacturer showcased their center-shafted putter models at Pebble Beach, with Ping, Bettinardi, and Odyssey leading the trend. The expectation is to see more center-shafted putter winners in the near future.
What did Rory McIlroy reveal about his switch to a soon-to-be-released TaylorMade golf ball?
During a press conference at Pebble Beach, Rory McIlroy discussed his switch to a yet-to-be-released TaylorMade golf ball. He found the new ball to perform well, offering a lower launch and spin compared to his prior ball. McIlroy highlighted increased speed, especially off the tee, and a softer feel around the greens as key selling points. The lower spin allows him better mid-iron control, making it a crucial choice for the 2024 season.
Leave a Reply