A black TaylorMade R1 driver has been spotted on the USGA's conforming driver list. (Photo: USGA)

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The USGA's conforming driver list has become a popular place for equipment gossip during the last few weeks. The first photos of Callaway's Phrankenwood driver showed up in the database right before the first round of the Masters, leading to a flurry of rumors and speculation before Phil Mickelson set the record straight during his press conference.

Just a couple weeks removed from the first major of the year, TaylorMade joined the equipment rumor mill when a black TaylorMade R1 driver appeared on the site.

While the photo doesn't offer up a whole lot of details — except that it's a left-handed R1 driver with a TaylorMade logo alignment mark and black paint on the crown — TaylorMade Public Relations Manager Dave Cordero confirmed the model is a smaller-headed 400 cc (the current R1 is 460 cc), left-handed R1 prototype, but that it wouldn't be coming to retail.

Even though the driver is just a prototype, the fact that TaylorMade designed a black R1 in a left-handed model would lead you to believe the club was being built for a left-handed tour player to test at some point.

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A little more than a year after Hunter Mahan put PING's Nome putter on the map with wins at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship and Shell Houston Open, PING unveiled a new version called Nome TR on Monday at the Wells Fargo Championship. 

Taking a page from the recently-released Scottsdale TR line, which has an aluminum, variable-depth groove inset, PING added the same technology to 350-gram Nome TR with the addition of variable-depth grooves — the grooves are deepest in the center and get shallower toward the perimeter to deliver consistent ball speeds — that are milled directly into the face of the C805-aluminum putter head.

"The insert in the Scottsdale TR putter and Nome are both made out of aluminum," said Brad Schweigert, PING's Director of Engineering. "We were able to get weight out of the putter by milling the grooves into the face, and they work just the same as the inset you'd find in a Scottsdale TR."

While the milled grooves will likely be the most talked-about addition to Nome TR, Schweigert noted that a lot of work also went into improving the alignment bar and sightline.

As opposed to last year's model that featured a black alignment bar and white sightline, PING went a different direction, making the alignment bar white and the sightline black on the new model for easy aiming.

The reason for the switch? Schweigert said his team spent considerable time combing through alignment studies and found that by going with a non-glare matte-black body — instead of the original "nano nickel" satin-finish — they were able to get the alignment bar and sightline to pop against the putter head.

"Changing the color scheme doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but going with black makes everything disappear and allows you to focus on alignment over the putt," Schweigert said. "We did that before with Nome the first time around, but the new look definitely helps."

Like the first version, Nome TR remains a high-MOI putter that offers extreme forgiveness and balance due to a lightweight head and perimeter weighting in the form of tungsten-composite sole weights.

The putter comes in three different shaft bends to fit Straight, Slight Arc, or Strong Arc putting strokes. It will also be available in an adjustable-length version that can go from 31 inches to 38 inches.

Nome TR will be available in mid-May for $305 with a fixed-length shaft, and $340 with an adjustable-length shaft.

For more information or to buy a putter from PING's TR line, click here.

Rickie Fowler's photo proves how popular Club Glove's Last Bag is on TOUR. (Twitter: @RickieFowlerPGA)

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

Professional golfers are constantly on the road, traveling from tournament to tournament with their golf clubs in tow. Most players on the PGA TOUR log anywhere from 20-25 starts each year — which means the travel bag that's keeping their clubs safe during each trip takes a beating. 

"The last thing you want to worry about is your clubs making it to the course in one piece," said Jeff Herold, Club Glove's founder and president. "These guys have enough on their plate before the tournament starts."

Club Glove's Last Bag has been the top travel bag on the PGA TOUR since 1998 and, according to Club Glove, is currently used by more than 90 percent of PGA TOUR players.

While the figure may seem high, Rickie Fowler provided confirmation recently when he tweeted a photo of the players' locker room on a Monday afternoon with stacks of Club Glove bags waiting to be unloaded. 

"Darrell Survey used to do a travel bag count several years back, but the count was so lopsided in our favor that they stopped doing it," Herold said. "We honestly believe we have the best travel bag on the market, and players seem to think so as well. It's durable and you can use it forever."

The Last Bag weighs 10.6 pounds and is made with Cordura 1000 D water resistant nylon that's up to three times stronger and lasts up to five times longer than standard polyester. The standard version can hold the average stand bag and a driver that's up to 47 inches, while the XL version holds tour staff bags. 

The travel bag also has a high impact wheelbase with in-line skate wheels that make it easy to maneuver, two exterior shoe pockets and an over the top zipper for easy loading and unloading. 

Golfers can also add additional protection with Club Glove's Stiff Arm ($26.95). The fully adjustable telescoping crutch expands to fit just over the top of the tallest club in the bag for added protection during travel. 

"We looked at everything and tried to figure out how we could make a bag that lasts," Herold said. "With the exception of adding updated zippers that are a little more durable and new straps, the bag, for the most part, has remained the same since we first designed it. We pride ourselves in the product we put out — especially since it's the only travel bag that's made in the USA."

Club Glove's Last Bag currently retails for $299; the XL version retails for $329. Both come with a limited lifetime warranty. 

For more information or to buy Club Glove's Last Bag, click here.

Bernhard Langer won at TPC Sugarloaf with the 2013 ProV1x. (Cohen/Getty Images)

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

Transitioning into a new golf ball doesn't happen overnight. Most players prefer to take their time before committing to a new ball — even if it happens to be the exact same brand and model.

Take Bernhard Langer, for instance. The two-time major winner had been playing the 2009 version of Titleist ProV1 for the past several years, passing on the 2011 Pro V1 because of the confidence he had in the older model.

But one week after Langer made a weekend run at the Masters at the age of 55, he decided it was time to finally switch balls at the Champions Tour's Greater Gwinnett Championship.

Working with Titleist golf ball tour representative Fordie Pitts in Georgia, along with the rest of Titleist Champions Tour staff, Langer put the ball into competition for the first time and won his first event with the 2013 ProV1x.

While there are a number of differences between the 2009 Pro V1 and the 2013 Pro V1x, Langer noted the new ball was most like the one he'd been playing for the last several years. He especially liked the ball flight, spin and feel he was getting from every club in his bag.

Equipment switches don't always produce instant results, but in Bernard Langer's case, a new golf ball helped him find the winner's circle once again.

For more information or to buy Titleist's Pro V1x, click here.

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider 

Even though Tiger Woods doesn't play a part in Nike's latest commercial, it's nearly impossible to watch the 30-second clip and not think of the top-ranked player in the world.

The ad for Nike's 20XI and One RZN golf balls features, among others, Rory McIlroy, Nick Watney and Kyle Stanley performing various trick shots with a red RZN core. While the ball and the faces in the ad may be new, this isn't the first time Nike's done a trick shot video to this catchy tune.

The background music was actually used in the iconic Nike commercial that features Woods bouncing a ball with his wedge before smacking it out of the air. The ad is considered to be one of the greatest golf commercials ever produced.

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

HILTON HEAD, S.C. -- Carl Pettersson has one of the more interesting driver setups on the PGA TOUR with 11.5 degrees of loft in his Nike VR Pro STR8-FIT driver, among the highest lofts in professional golf.

Not only that, his driver is 46.5 inches long, which is roughly 2 inches longer than the average driver shaft on the PGA TOUR. To put things into perspective, Bubba Watson, who's 6-feet 3-inches tall, plays a 44.75-inch shaft in his PING G25 driver. Pettersson, on the other hand, is 5-feet 11-inches.

Pettersson went with the unique setup last year because he believe the additional loft and longer-than-average shaft allowed him to increase carry with more spin. It seemed to be the perfect formula when Pettersson won the RBC Heritage last year with the driver in the bag.

As he returns to defend his title this week at the RBC Heritage, Pettersson still has the same driver in the bag, but following a range session on Monday, he decided to switch up the shaft, pulling the Fubuki Alpha 50 shaft (50-gram) for a sub-40 gram Project X PXv 39 shaft.

Weighing in officially at 39.5 grams and 46 inches raw length, PXv 39 is the first PGA TOUR-caliber graphite shaft that weighs under 40 grams and can handle high swing speeds.

Pettersson tried the shaft last year at the Northern Trust Open and liked it enough to consider putting it in his driver if he wanted to switch things up. 

According to True Temper Tour Manager Simon Wilson, Pettersson was flying the back net at Harbour Town's practice range and opted to go with the shaft because it created more swing speed. 

Assuming the shaft stays in the driver, Pettersson would be the first player on the PGA TOUR to use the PXv 39 shaft in competition.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. -- Carrying a handful of wedges in his right hand, Roger Cleveland, Callaway's Chief Club Designer, made his way down the range at Harbour Town Golf Links on Monday afternoon, stopping for a couple minutes along the way to chat with players and caddies about his latest creation -- a Callaway prototype wedge called "Mack Daddy 2."

Roger Cleveland shows off the three different grinds of his Callaway Prototype wedge. (Jonathan Wall/PGATOUR.COM)

According to Cleveland, the wedge comes in two lofts (58 and 60 degrees) and three different grinds (S-grind, C-grind and U-grind). The "S-grind" (Standard grind) and U-grind have a bounce of 10 degrees, while the C-grind has a bounce of 14 degrees. 

The wedge also features a textured face that has milling between the scorelines and, as Cleveland noted, grooves that are more aggressive but still conform to USGA groove regulations. 

Colt Knost and defending RBC Heritage champion Carl Pettersson tested the prototype wedge on Monday and both requested 60-degree wedges with the U-grind.

While it's unclear if either player will put the wedge in play this week, the prototype is already in the bag of two former major winners. Cleveland confirmed Phil Mickelson started carrying a 60-degree U-grind several weeks ago, and Ernie Els used one last week at the Masters.

(Courtesy of Titleist)

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

Titleist's 712U forged utility iron is no longer a Tour-only prototype. The 712U was officially introduced as the newest option in Titleist's 2013 retail line and will be available by custom order beginning May 15. 

The forged utility iron boasts a forged, hollow-body 1025 steel construction with a high-speed 455 carpenter steel face insert; a deep center of gravity that's positioned for a higher MOI that delivers increased stability and playability when compared to a traditional long iron; and a wider, camber sole design that promotes clean turf interaction

“During the development of 712U, we worked closely with our tour players to design a utility iron that delivers a great combination of consistency and control,” said Steve Pelisek, Titleist's Golf Club General Manager. “The deeper CG results in a higher MOI that increases stability at impact, helping players achieve more consistent distance and trajectory control, whether hitting shots high or low. 

Offered in a 2-iron (18 degrees), 3-iron (21 degrees) and 4-iron (24 degrees) with a satin finish, the 712U utility iron, which first made an appearance on Titleist's website back in October, has undergone extensive testing on the PGA TOUR over the last five months. 

Geoff Ogilvy (712U 2-iron), Adam Scott (2-iron) and Tim Clark (4-iron) are just a few of the notable names that have put the forged utility iron in play recently. 

“I don’t like the look of hybrids, but the 712U (2-iron) looks great at address,” Ogilvy said. “It is a bit stronger than a 2-iron, it goes farther than a 2-iron and it’s easy to hit. It feels great, performs how I need it to, and I like having it in my bag.” 

The 712U will be available by custom order with a suggested retail price of $209 (steel shaft) and $229 (graphite).

(Courtesy of Titleist)

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

Titleist's 712U forged utility iron is no longer a Tour-only prototype. The 712U was officially introduced as the newest option in Titleist's 2013 retail line and will be available by custom order beginning May 15. 

The forged utility iron boasts a forged, hollow-body 1025 steel construction with a high-speed 455 carpenter steel face insert; a deep center of gravity that's positioned for a higher MOI that delivers increased stability and playability when compared to a traditional long iron; and a wider, camber sole design that promotes clean turf interaction

“During the development of 712U, we worked closely with our tour players to design a utility iron that delivers a great combination of consistency and control,” said Steve Pelisek, Titleist's Golf Club General Manager. “The deeper CG results in a higher MOI that increases stability at impact, helping players achieve more consistent distance and trajectory control, whether hitting shots high or low. 

Offered in a 2-iron (18 degrees), 3-iron (21 degrees) and 4-iron (24 degrees) with a satin finish, the 712U utility iron, which first made an appearance on Titleist's website back in October, has undergone extensive testing on the PGA TOUR over the last five months. 

Geoff Ogilvy (712U 2-iron), Adam Scott (2-iron) and Tim Clark (4-iron) are just a few of the notable names that have put the forged utility iron in play recently. 

“I don’t like the look of hybrids, but the 712U (2-iron) looks great at address,” Ogilvy said. “It is a bit stronger than a 2-iron, it goes farther than a 2-iron and it’s easy to hit. It feels great, performs how I need it to, and I like having it in my bag.” 

The 712U will be available by custom order with a suggested retail price of $209 (steel shaft) and $229 (graphite).

(Getty Images)

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

SAN ANTONIO — In preparation for the Masters, Jim Furyk is pulling a page out of Phil Mickelson's book -- Mickelson won the 2006 Masters using two Callaway Fusion FT-3 drivers -- and going with two drivers at the Valero Texas Open.

Furyk, who said he rarely uses a gap wedge at Augusta National, decided to take the wedge out this week and put a 10.5-degree RAZR Fit Xtreme driver in the bag to go along with his 9.5-degree RAZR Fit Xtreme. 

The 10.5-degree is set up to be the more accurate driver off the two off tee, if Furyk's looking to place the ball in a particular spot; the 9.5-degree is being employed as the "bomber club" if he needs additional distance. 

Furyk spent the early part of the week working with the new setup on the course and liked it enough to give it a test run on Thursday. Assuming he goes with two drivers at the Masters, he'll likely put a higher lofted wedge in the bag instead.

For more information or to buy Callaway's RAZR Fit Xtreme driver, click here