By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

The minimalist running shoe movement has produced some ultra-light golf shoes over the last few years, with a few models tipping the scales at just under 10 ounces.

While it's unclear if there's a limit to how light golf shoes will get going forward, PUMA Golf became the new leader in the ultra-light clubhouse with the introduction of its Faas Lite Mesh shoe.

Weighing in a 6.5 ounces, the spikeless, minimalist golf shoe was designed to be worn "from the street to the course in lightweight, maximum comfort and trend-setting style." The shoe features a zero heel-to-toe drop that gives golfers the feeling they're playing barefoot, thereby allowing for a more natural stride and posture during the swing.

Even though the shoe is spikeless, PUMA added SmartQuill traction technology to Faas List Mesh that provides "directional grip elements to enhance ground contact for improved stability and traction." The shoe also includes corrugated flex grooves for more natural movement, increased flexibility and ground contract throughout the swing.

Along with Faas Lite Mesh, PUMA Golf also released a lightweight (8.7 ounces), waterproof version called Faas Lite. The shoe features Microfiber leather with stormCELL for waterproof protection, and comes with the same SmartQuill traction technology and zero heel-to-toe drop as Faas Lite Mesh.

Faas Lite Mesh will be available in three colorways (Brilliant Blue/Limeade, Vibrant Orange/White and White/Black) and retails for $90. Faas Lite will also be available in three colorways (White/Vibrant Orange, White/Black/Brilliant Blue and Black/Castle Rock) and retails for $100.

By Jonathan Wall, Equipment Insider

IRVING, Texas — Despite having only posted posted only one sub-70 round in competition since he switched to TaylorMade's Ghost Spider S belly putter, Padraig Harrington said he has no plans to go back to a conventional-length model anytime soon.

Harrington changed putters at the Wells Fargo Championship and opened with an 8-over 80 in the first round and promptly missed the cut. He followed the rough week up with a T75 at THE PLAYERS.

"I had no three-putts last week," Harrington said. "In my own stats, I only missed two putts under 8 feet which would be an all-time record, so it's still in the bag. And that was on tough greens last week. I would be happy if I putted like that all the time."

Looking for a something that would improve his putting stats -- he's currently ranked 123rd (-.123) on the PGA TOUR in Strokes Gained-Putting and 131st in putts made from inside five feet -- Harrington decided to give the belly putter a try.

“The R&A and USGA support the rules of golf and (anchoring) is well within the rules,” Harrington said at the Wells Fargo Championship. “I think (anchoring) is bad for the game of golf. But if something’s going to help me for the next three and a half years, I’m going to use it."

Like most putters, Harrington said the belly model has taken some getting used to -- especially on tap-in putts.

"I nearly dropped [the putter] on the ball at one stage last week because I'm not used to handling the putter and things like that. You're still not quite sure when you go to tap in a putt even from 18 inches when you're leaning in you just go and do it normally or as a belly putter, the familiarity is an issue."

Doug Bell from SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio visits with Johnson Wagner, who gives some insight into the clubs in his golf bag.

Nike Golf's new TW'14 shoe will come in three colors and will retail for $180. (Courtesy: Nike Golf)

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

Tiger Woods won his second PLAYERS Championship title with a new Mitsubishi Diamana White Board 73x shaft in his Nike VR Tour driver on Sunday afternoon. But it wasn't the only change the 78-time PGA TOUR winner made at TPC Sawgrass.

For the first time in competition, he was also sporting Nike Golf's TW'14 golf shoe, which, according to the Beaverton, Oregon-based company, "brings enhancements and a modified look" to the second edition of Woods' footwear line.

Like last year's version — Nike debuted the TW'13 late in the 2011 season before bringing it to retail in 2012 — the TW'14 was created using Nike's Free technology and has a number of new additions, including a new upper that delivers added ventilation, as well as an improved "natural motion engineered outsole" that allows Woods to keep contact with the ground longer during his swing.

“With this shoe, we worked diligently to take every detail to a new level,” said Tobie Hatfield, Nike's Athlete Projects Innovator in Nike’s Innovation Kitchen. “Tiger’s relentless focus on getting better makes us better. His insights force us to never stop innovating and delivering technology that will enhance a golfer’s performance. In the TW ’14, he wanted more stability with mobility and we've accomplished that by using Nike's Dynamic Flywire technology which moves with him, but stabilizes his foot when he swings. We also increased breathability of the shoe by using a full mesh tongue."

Along with the release of three colors in the TW'14 line (white, black and grey), Nike also unveiled a fully customizable TW'14 iD version that will allow golfers to choose from a wide variety of color combinations, two uppers (waterproof or breathable) and two different outsoles (spike and spikeless).

The waterproof upper is made from multi-stretch synthetic leather that repels moisture; the breathable upper — only available through NIKEiD — features a lightweight mesh that's geared towards players looking for a hot weather shoe.

Nike's TW'14 will be available in white and black on June 7 for $180. The "cool grey with vivid blue and venom green" colorway is coming to retail on August 1.

Odyssey Golf will award staff pros patches for putts made from 10 feet or longer. (Photo: Odyssey Golf)

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

Callaway Golf's X Bomb patch is no longer the only patch in town. Building on the buzz surrounding Callaway's patch — awarded to staffers for drives hit over 325 yards with an X Hot or RAZR Fit Xtreme driver — Odyssey Golf followed suit and unveiled a "drain patch" for staff pros that sink putts of 10-plus feet during the month of May. Odyssey staffers are also carrying special staff bags.

Odyssey has a "Drain Tracker" that allows fans to track the status of the competition. Phil Mickelson is the current leader with 16 drain patches.

Tiger Woods used a new shaft in his driver en route to winning THE PLAYERS Championship on Sunday.
(Greenwood/Getty Images)

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

With a new Mitsubishi Diamana White Board 73X shaft in his Nike VR Tour driver, Tiger Woods captured his second THE PLAYERS Championship title on Sunday, closing with a 2-under 70 to win by two shots over David Lingmerth, Jeff Maggert and Kevin Streelman. Here's a look at what Woods had in his bag.

What's in Tiger Woods' bag

Driver: Nike VR Tour (Mitsubishi Diamana White Board 73X), 9.5 degrees

3-wood: Nike VR_S Covert (Mitsubishi Diamana Blue Board 103x shaft), 15 degrees

5-wood: Nike VR_S Covert (Mitsubishi Diamana Blue Board 103x shaft), 19-degrees

Irons (3-PW): Nike VR Pro Blade (True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 shafts)

Wedges: Nike VR Pro (56, 60 degrees; True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts)

Putter: Nike Method 001

Ball: Nike One Tour D

The group of Ernie Els, Dustin Johnson and Billy Horschel tees off at 1:39 p.m. ET in Friday's second round of THE PLAYERS Championship.

You can watch every shot from that group exclusively on PGATOUR.COM (click here for details).

To get you ready to watch that threesome, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider Jonathan Wall provides an equipment update on each player. Check it out below.

The group of Tiger Woods, Matt Kuchar and Brandt Snedeker tees off at 8:39 a.m. ET in Friday's second round of THE PLAYERS Championship.

You can watch every shot from that group exclusively on PGATOUR.COM (click here for details).

To get you ready to watch that threesome, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider Jonathan Wall provides an equipment update on each player. Check it out below.

PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider Jonathan Wall gives an equipment update on the featured group of Sergio Garcia, Luke Donald and K.J. Choi. Watch their first round live here.

Tiger Woods is using a different shaft in his driver this week at THE PLAYERS Championship. (Getty Images)

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Tiger Woods turned back the clock on Tuesday at the THE PLAYERS Championship when he showed up for his practice session with a Mitsubishi Diamana White Board shaft in his Nike VR Tour driver.
 
Woods used the shaft with much success several years back before switching to a Graphite Design AD DI-6X prior to his return to competitive golf at the 2010 Masters.
 
Woods had the White Board shaft in the driver that was initially in his bag, but he only hit a couple balls with it on the range before a Nike Tour rep handed him a similar Nike VR Tour with Woods' current AD DI-6X shaft.

Woods went on to spend a majority of his Tuesday and Wednesday practice rounds using the AD DI-6X in his driver.

Despite the lack of visible reps — he could've done additional testing outside the public eye — Woods swapped shafts and went with the White Board on Thursday afternoon.
 
Woods was also spotted on the range sporting a new pair of white Nike golf shoes. Nike officials confirmed Woods was wearing a new shoe — likely the TW '14 — and said details surrounding the model would be coming out in the near future.

Harrington spotted with adjustable Wilson Staff hybrid: Padraig Harrington is one of the biggest tinkerers on the PGA TOUR. Based on the adjustable hybrid Harrington was spotted working with on Wednesday, he may have the ability to adjust his Wilson woods in the future.