March 20 2013

10:04 AM

Callaway releases new HEX ball

 
By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider
 
Callaway's HEX Chrome golf ball is getting an upgrade. Released last year as a three-piece urethane ball geared towards players with moderate swing speeds, Callaway's Golf Ball R&D team went back to the drawing board to figure out a way to improve on the ball's s-Tech core, which was designed to maximize ball speed without generating high spin. 

According to Dave Bartel, Callaway Golf's Senior Director of Golf Ball R&D, the company was able to improve the HEX Chrome model with a couple new additions. On Wednesday, Callaway unveiled HEX Chrome+ at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a four-piece urethane ball that's being touted as the fastest Tour ball the company has ever designed.

“HEX Chrome+ is hands down this is the fastest Tour Ball we’ve ever designed at Callaway and quite possibly our longest," Bartels said. "This new 4-piece construction has a single-piece core and dual-mantle system that were designed in unison to create more ball speed with the longer clubs without generating excessive spin, leading to longer distance." 
 
Moving from a three-piece to a four-piece ball, HEX Chrome+ now has a dual mantle — as opposed to a single mantle in the previous model — with a thin inner and outer mantle that work together to produce more ball speed and reduce
spin off the tee, as well as a firm, fast core that leads to more distance over a wide range of clubs and swing speeds. 
 
Like HEX Chrome, the new version also has the DuraSpin cover and refined HEX aerodynamics. Gary Woodland, who's in the field this week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, is the most notable Callaway staffer currently playing HEX Chrome+.
 
HEX Chrome+ will be available April 19 at a suggested retail price of $35.99 per dozen and will come in two versions — traditional white and Optical Yellow.
 
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February 28 2013

10:13 AM

D. Johnson, Woodland try new putters

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

Two notable names on the PGA TOUR could have new putters in the bag at the Honda Classic.

After using an original Odyssey White Hot 2-Ball putter recently, Gary Woodland switched to Odyssey's new Versa 2-Ball on Monday.

Woodland, who liked the look of the white/black/white Versa putter, had Odyssey Tour Rep Johnny Thompson build him one and immediately put it in the bag.

While Woodland's putter situation is fairly straightforward, Dustin Johnson's has remained fluid over the last few weeks.
The 7-time PGA TOUR winner opened the season with a Titleist Scotty Cameron Newport 2 prototype putter in the bag for his win at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, but switched to an Odyssey Versa No. 7 WBW (white/black/white) following three sub-par starts.

On Wednesday during the Honda Classic Pro-Am, Johnson was spotted with a Scotty Cameron in the bag -- only it wasn't the usual Newport 2 prototype.

The new putter in Johnson's bag was a Scotty Cameron Notchback prototype with what appeared to be a long single bend in the shaft that blended into the neck.

It's unclear if Johnson plans to put the putter in the play at the Honda Classic, or if he was just testing it during the Pro-Am, but if he does put it the bag, it would be the third putter he's used in his first seven starts.

Update (12:10 p.m. ET): Dustin Johnson's first round with the Scotty Cameron Notchback prototype was extremely positive. Johnson, who went off early at 7:25 a.m., fired a 4-under 66 and only needed 29 putts to get around PGA National. 

For more information or to buy the Odyssey Versa 2-Ball 90 putter, click here

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January 30 2013

12:58 PM

Woodland finds another 10 yards; more

Gary Woodland switched out his Callaway X Hot Pro (above) for a RAZR Fit Xtreme at Torrey Pines. (Gross/Getty Images)

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Gary Woodland switched from a Callaway X Hot Pro driver to a RAZR Fit Xtreme following the Humana Challenge — he felt the X Hot Pro was spinning a little too much for his liking — and promptly finished T27 at the Farmers Insurance Open. 

While Woodland was pleased with the new driver's performance, he made one slight change to his current setup on Tuesday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Testing out his 9.5-degree (set to 9.1 degrees) against an 8.5-degree (set to 8.7), Woodland noticed the 8.5 was going about 10 yards further than his current setup. Not one to pass on additional yards off the tee, Woodland decided to put the 8.5-degree in play at TPC Scottsdale. 

Moore goes with TaylorMade R1, RocketBladez Tour irons: After testing out new equipment during a photo shoot in Palm Desert during the week of the Humana Challenge, Ryan Moore put a new R1 driver and RocketBladez Tour irons in the bag at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He opened the season at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions with a set of Ping S56 irons.

Moore's also the first player to put Aerotech's Steel Fiber shafts in a set of RocketBladez Tour irons.

Teater makes changes to R1: You rarely see players make adjustments to their equipment following a big week, but Josh Teater spent some time on Tuesday making some tweaks to his TaylorMade R1 driver following his T2 at the Farmers Insurance Open. 

Teater switched from an Aldila RIP 60 (soft-tipped X) to a new Aldila Blue 65 X shaft that immediately straightened out his ball flight. He also picked up 3 mph ball speed and will likely put the shaft in play on Thursday. 

Divots: TaylorMade finally got Joe Ogilvie, one of the company's most traditional staffers, to put the company's new R1 in the bag. Ogilvie, who was a holdout because he disliked the crown graphics on the driver, tested the driver again this week and loved how it performed during a test session and practice round. He's leaning towards putting it in the bag. ... Chez Reavie tested a new set of RocketBladez Tour irons.

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January 16 2013

9:15 AM

Woodland switches for less distance

Gary Woodland switched to a steel shaft in his Callaway X Hot Pro 17-degree fairway wood.

By Jonathan Wall, Equipment Insider

LA QUINTA, Calif. -- Callaway Golf tour manager Dean Tekyl is used to having players ask for a slight adjustment to a club to get a couple of extra yards, but early in the week at the Humana Challenge Gary Woodland made an unusual request: He wanted a club that didn't fly as far as the one he'd been using.

Woodland felt his new X Hot Pro 17-degree fairway wood (bent open to 15 degrees) -- a club he was hitting 294 yards into the wind -- was too long for his liking. Tekyl and Woodland discussed a number of options before settling on an X-100 steel shaft.

"It was actually Gary's idea," Tekyl said. "Heavier is better for him. If he swings it, I think he can be more aggressive with it. The new club is a heavier swing weight and heavier overall. The dispersion is tighter and he swings down on it more like an iron. He loves the new setup and it went straight in the bag."

Woodland spent Monday and Tuesday testing the new fairway wood against his previous model that had a Graphite Design prototype shaft. Following a morning session on Tuesday, Woodland felt comfortable enough with the new steel shaft version to put it in play this week.

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