February 6 2013

4:46 PM

Holmes, Singh test TaylorMade putter

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR Equipment Insider

The newest putter model in TaylorMade Golf's Spider franchise could be making an appearance at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, after J.B. Holmes and Vijay Singh spent time early in the week testing out a putter called Daddy Long Legs.

Currently touted as the highest MOI putter TaylorMade has ever created, Daddy Long Legs appears to be the company's answer to the proposed 2016 ban on belly and long putters.

Designed to deliver a unique "counterbalance" performance through a heavier 15-inch grip that conforms to USGA guidelines, TaylorMade believes Daddy Long Legs' heavier mass putter head and grip is the new performance avenue for players looking for stability and high MOI in a larger mallet-style putter head at a non-traditional length.

TaylorMade brought two Daddy Long Legs putters to the Monterey Peninsula for Holmes and Singh to try out, but it looks like only one might make it into play on Thursday.

Holmes, who was actually the first to win with TaylorMade's original Rossa Monza Spider putter at the 2008 Waste Management Phoenix Open, started testing out a 38-inch Daddy Long Legs putter -- 652 grams total weight, 71-degree lie angle, 3-degree loft, 15-inch Daddy Long Legs midsize grip. He will likely take additional time before putting it in play.

Singh, on the other hand, could have it in the bag on Thursday. The 34-time PGA TOUR winner started working with a 41.5-inch Daddy Long Legs -- 627 grams total weight, 76.5-degree lie angle, 2-degree loft, Super Stroke 85 1.3 grip -- that's slightly different from the model TaylorMade plans to roll out this spring.

Singh's model is very light in terms of total weight when compared to the off-the-rack Daddy Long Legs model. Without the heavier grip -- Singh opted to keep his Super Stroke 85 1.3 grip on the putter -- the putter weighs just 627 grams and is equipped with a clubhead that's weighted for a standard length (35-inch) Daddy Long Legs.

While it may seem backwards from what TaylorMade is trying to achieve with the new putter, the company said the lighter putterhead at 41.5-inch should allow Singh to maximize the effect of Daddy Long Legs' "counterbalance" design.

The putter is projected to launch in April.

Filed under:        
| Permalink

January 28 2013

7:28 PM

Holmes adds new Callaway irons, driver

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider
 
Thanks in large part to improved turf interaction and the soft feel the irons produced, J.B. Holmes decided to put a new set of Callaway X Forged irons in the bag at the Farmers Insurance Open. Holmes usually has to grind the leading edge of each iron in the bag, but only one iron in the set required a little softening.

Holmes also tested and put in play a Callaway X Hot Pro 7.5-degree driver. The lower lofted head with a square face angle bumped up his ball speed and got rid of his misses to the left. Holmes' teacher, Matt Killeen, noted that the numbers on his new driver were as good if not better than his current gamer.
 
The driver was so good, in fact, that Holmes and fellow Callaway Tour Staffer, Gary Woodland, both hit drives that carried 337 yards on the lower range — which happens to be uphill — at Torrey Pines on Wednesday. The drives carried the players on the other end of the range, bounced off the road and hit a tour truck.
Filed under:        
| Permalink