March 3 2013

7:24 PM

Winner's bag: Michael Thompson

Michael Thompson is the first Ping staffer to win on the PGA TOUR this season. (Franklin/Getty Images)

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

Michael Thompson secured his first PGA TOUR title with a two-shot victory at The Honda Classic. Thompson, who finished T2 last year at the U.S. Open, became the first Ping staffer to win on the PGA TOUR this season.

What's in Thompson's bag?

Driver: Ping i20 (9.5 degree), 45 inches, Aldila Tour Green 65-X shaft
Fairway woods: Ping G25 3-wood (15 degrees), 42.5 inches, ProLaunchRed Fwy-X shaft; Akira 5-wood with Prolaunch Red Fwy-X shaft
Irons (3-9): Ping S56, +1/2 inch, True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 shafts
Wedges: Ping Tour-S (47 degrees),+1/2 inch; Ping Anser Forged (52- and 58-degree),+1/2 inch, True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 shafts
Putter: Ping Anser 4

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March 1 2013

4:15 PM

Stories from the Equipment world

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

Each week the PGATOUR.COM Equipment Report will take a look around the equipment world and highlight some of the most talked-about stories.

Golf Digest's Mike Stachura profiles Bill Morgan, better know as the man behind Titleist's growing golf ball empire. [Golf World]

Golfweek's Shaft Month continues with a look at Oban, one of the few companies that doesn't make a single tour-only shaft. [Golfweek]

Can Bushnell's Tour V3 rangefinder top last year's highly-successful V2 line? The Hackers Paradise takes the new rangerfinder for a test drive. [The Hackers Paradise]

Scotty Cameron had a number of different putters on the practice green at PGA National. GolfWRX was there to take photos of every single model. [GolfWRX]

Golf.com takes a peek at the clubs Tiger Woods had in the bag at The Honda Classic. [Golf.com]

Still stuck in freezing temperatures? MyGolfSpy reviews five winter apparel products that won't make you hate playing golf in the cold. [MyGolfSpy]
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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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10:05 AM

Westwood using new wedge at Honda

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

Lee Westwood opened the season with PING's Tour Gorge WS (wide sole) wedge in the bag, but following a practice round with Ian Poulter last week at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, the Englishman decided to make a change to his 60-degree wedge, putting a PING Tour Gorge TS (thin sole) version in play at the Honda Classic.

Looking for a wedge with less bounce and the ability to nip the ball on tight lies and get it in the air with ease, Westwood gave Poulter's Titleist Vokey Design wedge a try -- it had a similar grind to the Tour Gorge TS -- and liked the way the thinner sole performed.

While Westwood went to the TS in the 60-degree, the sole change wasn't an across-the-board switch, with the 54-degree PING Tour Gorge WS remaining in the bag.
 
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