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.

Luke Donald has been testing three drivers and might make a change soon. (Lecka/Getty Images)

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

Update (3:07 p.m.): As expected, Luke Donald swapped drivers on Thursday and went with a 9.5-degree TaylorMade R1 (Accra XC 65x shaft). 

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Comparison testing on the range doesn't always lead to a quick equipment switch. Luke Donald spent that last couple of months doing driver testing between TaylorMade's R1 driver, RocketBallz Stage 2 and TaylorMade RBZ (9.5 degrees) — the model he's currently playing — but it wasn't until Tuesday at THE PLAYERS Championship that he seriously considered making a change.

Working on a launch monitor with the three driver models, Donald noticed the R1 was performing better than his RBZ driver and RBZ Stage 2. Aside from the sheer statistical advantage, he also noted he was very comfortable with R1's launch characteristics, consistency and shot dispersion.

Playing with Thorbjorn Olesen in a practice round on Wednesday, the Dane snapped a photo of Donald teeing off with the new driver. Donald retweeted the photo later in the day.

Equipment changes aren't official until a player steps on the tee for the first round of the tournament, but based on the photo and the positive feedback Donald received early in the week, it appears a driver switch is imminent.

Donald opened the 2013 season with last year's clubs in the bag before adding a 14.5-degree TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 at the Northern Trust Open. Needless to say, the Englishman is incredibly particular when it comes to his equipment.

Donald was still playing the 2005 model of Titleist's Pro V1x until late last year when he switched to the 2013 model and won the Japan Golf Tour's Dunlop Phoenix tournament.

PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider Jonathan Wall gives an update at the 2013 PLAYERS on the featured grouping of Adam Scott, Rory McIlroy and Steve Stricker.

Matt Kuchar's RIFE putter paved the way to the 2012 PLAYERS Championship. (Getty Images)

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

Professional golfers will tell you every club in the bag plays an important role during a tournament.

But as we've seen over the years at THE PLAYERS Championship, there's usually one club in the bag — it could be a hot putter or pinpoint driver — that separates the winner from the rest of the field.

Here's a look back at the key club in the bag for the last five PLAYERS Championship winners.

2012 -- Matt Kuchar / RIFE Island Series Barbados belly putter: Holding a three-shot lead over with three holes to play, Kuchar watched from the fairway on the par-5 16th as Fowler rolled in his second straight birdie on the par-3 17th to cut the lead to two shots.

Needing a birdie putt to maintain his cushion, Kuchar hit his approach shot to 15 feet and calmly rolled in the putt with a RIFE Island Series Barbados belly putter he started working with at the beginning of the tournament.

“We made Matt a brand new Barbados with a special bend and bore angle that would fit his putting style better," said Jim Barfield, RIFE's V.P. of Tour Operations. “It has 5 degrees of loft and a 70 degree lie angle. I joked with Matt’s dad on Monday and said it was a “magic putter” that we put together for him.”

The putter certainly felt like a magic wand in Kuchar's hands. He finished the week second in strokes gained-putting, fifth in putts per round (27.5 avg.) and fifth in putts per GIR (1.642 avg.) with the new putter en route to the biggest victory of his professional career.

2011 -- K.J. Choi / TaylorMade R11 (9 degrees; Matrix Ozik XCON F6M2 shaft) driver: The 2011 PLAYERS Championship will be remembered for the putt David Toms missed on the first playoff hole, but that shouldn't take away from K.J. Choi's impressive driving display during the tournament.

Choi only recorded six bogeys (and one double bogey) and ranked T10 in driving accuracy en route to his only PLAYERS Championship title. Following the win, he donated the R11 to the tournament.

2010 -- Tim Clark / Cleveland CG14 (60 degrees) wedge: Three shots back with 10 holes to play, Clark reeled off four straight birdies to vault into the lead.

A long bunker shot on the par-5 11th was one of the most important during that stretch. Clark, who was trying to keep the momentum going at a critical juncture in the tournament, blasted the ball out with a 60-degree Cleveland CG14 wedge to five feet and made the birdie putt.

"I don't mind bunker shots," Clark said following his win, "so I was quite happy if it went over the back into that bunker. I knew I'd be playing back into the wind and would probably have enough green to play the shot.

The bunker shot was tame compared to some of the putts Clark rolled in late in the round, but it allowed the South African to keep his birdie streak alive.

2009 -- Henrik Stenson / Yes! putter (Donna model): Stenson's Donna model Yes! putter wasn't red-hot the entire week — he needed 33 putts and three-putted twice on the back nine during the third round — but when the Swede needed the putter most, it came through on Sunday afternoon.

Stenson posted a bogey-free 6-under 66 and didn't miss inside five feet during the final round of the 2009 PLAYERS Championship. The putter Stenson used that week was a 355-gram model that featured a stainless-steel body with an aircraft-grade-aluminum face.

2008 -- Sergio Garcia / TaylorMade Tour Burner (9 degrees) driver: Garcia never got the putter going during the 2008 PLAYERS Championship, finishing the week T69 in putts per round.

He was, however, nearly flawless off the tee. Garcia was first in driving accuracy and greens in regulation for the week and managed to defeat Paul Goydos on the first playoff hole.

Making putts at TPC Sawgrass is key, but as Sergio Garcia learned that week, keeping the ball in play on the tight layout is just as important. It shouldn't come as a surprise that Garcia donated his TaylorMade Tour Burner driver to the tournament following his victory.

Matt Kuchar's new Bettinardi signature putter. (Jonathan Wall/PGA TOUR)

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Matt Kuchar won his first PGA TOUR event with a Bettinardi mallet putter at the 2002 Honda Classic. On Tuesday at THE PLAYERS Championship, site of the biggest win of his professional career, Kuchar officially joined Bettinardi Golf's staff and announced the unveiling of two Matt Kuchar signature models to the company's putter line.

Kuchar has been one of the most consistent putters on the PGA TOUR over the last few years and recently came to the forefront of the USGA's proposed anchor ban debate when Executive Director Mike Davis deemed Kuchar's arm-lock putting method — Kuchar putts with the grip against his left forearm in an effort to maintain a stable stroke through impact — to be legal.

"We would consider this not an anchored stroke," Davis said of Kuchar's method, "even though that the club is resting against him. For those that follow the PGA TOUR, this is a stroke that Matt Kuchar has used the last several years."

According to Kuchar, he started using the arm lock method after talking with instructor Dave Stockton at an event in Palm Springs a few years back.

"This has been a learning process," Kuchar said. "My style of putting with putting the putter up my left forearm started with a chat with Dave Stockton. I've always admired the way he putts and we were at a clinic together in Palm Springs and I just wanted to hear some of his thoughts. Before long, we were out on the green hitting a few different putts the way he used to do it.

"I wasn't doing it the way he wanted, so I said, What if I just take your putter, choke down on it and have the grip come up to my wrist and hit some putts. Dave said that was a great reminder, and it reminded me of the way I used to putt as a kid because I had a big forward press. It ended up feeling like an extension of my left arm."

Kuchar eventually picked up a belly at a PGA TOUR event and liked the fact that the belly putter grip went a little further up his arm for added stability and consistency through the stroke.

Looking to capitalize on Kuchar's unique stroke and notoriety, founder Bob Bettinardi went to work trying to talk Kuchar into collaborating on a signature putter for the company.

"I remember telling Matt at the BMW Championship at Crooked Stick that I wanted to build him a putter," Bettinardi said. "He came by our bag on the putting green and picked out a couple styles and finishes he liked. From there we sent him 15 to 20 different prototypes, and he would critique the model and relay back what he liked and didn't liked.

Through constant feedback and testing, Kuchar and Bettinardi were able to develop two different head styles for Kuchar's signature line.

The 400-gram Kuchar Model 1 is a 42-inch putter that has 7 degrees of loft — the putter also comes in a 350-gram, conventional-length model that's 35 inches and has 3 degrees of loft — and looks nearly identical to the 44.75-inch model Kuchar used to win the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

The heel-toe weighted, face-balanced putter has a wider profile, 2.5 degrees of shaft offset, a double shaft bend and features Bettinardi's F.I.T (Feel Impact Technology) that, according to Bettinardi, "removed 55 percent of the material from the face, resulting in a softer feel at impact." The putter also has a Pewter P.V.D. finish that prevents corrosion.

The second model, known as the Kuchar Model 2, is a pear-shaped mallet that has a wider flange and longer sightline. The putter also has 7 degrees of loft, the same double shaft bend and 2.5 degrees of offset as Kuchar Model 1.

While 7 degrees of loft on the putter might seem excessive — standard putters have 3 degrees of loft — Kuchar said it imperative to get enough loft on the face so the putter head didn't look "shut" at address.

"The problem is when you start adding loft to a putter that's pre-milled is that the putter shuts and gets really hooked. It never really looks right; it sits down. To me, it looked like I was going to miss it left. I need to get a putter that had loft milled in the face and when it sat there, it sat square and didn't tend to shut. That was a key element."

The 2.5 degrees of offset was also necessary based on Kuchar's forward shaft lean with the putter. Looking for a little inspiration, Kuchar sent Bettinardi an old PING Cushin putter he used as a kid that featured a big shaft bend and additional offset for a forward press.

Another interesting addition to the putter is a stepless shaft — Kuchar called it a "ski pole shaft" — that's slightly heavier, and sturdier, than most conventional shafts.

"With a skinnier putter shaft you get some vibration in the arm on longer putts," Kuchar said. "So the heavy-duty shaft eliminates that vibration, and the heavier shaft gets a little bit more feeling in the putter head."

Since Kuchar started working with his signature putter, he said a number of PGA TOUR players have come up to try it out — including Bernhard Langer, who was one of the first to use a similar putting style, at this year's Masters.

"This has been a two-year process for me," Kuchar said. "I'm really happy with what Bob came up with, and I think it's putter design that, if you're struggling or want to try something new, golfers should consider."

Bettinardi's Matt Kuchar signature models will be available starting May 15.

Paul Loegering from TaylorMade and Sergio Garcia describe the equipment make and model that Garcia uses out on the PGA TOUR.

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Apparel scripting is no longer reserved for the four major championships. This week at THE PLAYERS Championship, Sean O'Hair, Stewart Cink, Justin Rose, Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia and Jason Day will be outfitted in custom pink Ashworth and adidas apparel for one of the highest-profile events on the PGA TOUR schedule.

O'Hair, Cink and Rose will wear a rotation of the four Ashworth shirts during the tournament but will all wear the Sunday shirt. Johnson, Day and Garcia will do the same thing with adidas' four shirts; however, unlike the last time around at the Masters — all three players wore the same outfit during the first round — the players will rotate the looks.

Ashworth and adidas will also release limited edition pink footwear in support of THE PLAYERS Championship's "Pink Out" on Sunday, May 12 (Mother's Day).

Rickie Fowler switched to Titleist's Pro V1 ball after years with the Pro V1x. (Ehrmann/Getty Images)

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Titleist's Pro V1x ball has been a staple of Rickie Fowler's bag since he turned pro in 2009. Even though he's never been quick to change balls — he used the 2009 Pro V1x for a portion of last season — Fowler has transitioned into the latest version of the ball over the years.

Earlier this season Fowler switched to the new 2013 Pro V1x and opened with four top-15 finishes in his first seven starts. But following a T-32 finish at the Masters, Fowler made the decision to start testing the 2013 Pro V1 on the range at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

One week later at the Wells Fargo Championship, Fowler put the Pro V1 in play at the Wells Fargo Championship. According to Titleist Golf Ball Tech rep Jeff Beyes, who spent time walking with Fowler early in the week at Quail Hollow, Fowler thought the iron trajectories and distances with the Pro V1 were similar to the 2013 Pro V1x he had been playing.

Where the ball really seemed to separate itself, when compared to his Pro V1x, was with the driver. Fowler and caddie Joe Skovron felt the Pro V1 was slightly longer with the driver, based on Fowler's launch, spin and overall flight characteristics.

To the casual golf fan, the switch may seem like a lateral move, but it's more common to see a player switch to an updated version of the same ball he was playing than to a slightly different model within the same family of balls. Especially when you consider Fowler's history with the Pro V1x.

As you'd expect, there are a few differences between the two balls. The three-piece Pro V1 is softer than the four-piece Pro V1x, spins slightly less, and flies marginally lower.

Adam Scott won the Masters last month with Titleist's 2013 Pro V1. Bubba Watson, Luke Donald, Webb Simpson and Zach Johnson are a few of the notables currently using the 2013 Pro V1x.

For more information or to purchase Titleist's Pro V1, click here.

Ben Curtis is the latest player to put Aerotech shafts his irons. (Cannon/Getty Images)

By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Equipment Insider

In preparation for the course setup at Augusta National, Angel Cabrera made a number of equipment changes for the year's first major. The 2009 Masters winner went back to his PING S56 irons and added a fourth wedge to the bag (48, 52, 56, 62 degrees).

In his first PGA TOUR since the runner-up finish, at the Wells Fargo Championship, Cabrera kept the S56 irons in the bag but went back to the three-wedge setup (48, 54, 60 degrees) he had pre-Masters.

Phil Mickelson goes with new driver shaft: Phil Mickelson went with a Mitsubishi Kai'li 60xx shaft in his 8.5-degree Callaway X Hot Phrankenwood driver at the Wells Fargo Championship. Mickelson had been using a 45-inch Fubuki k 70X Prototype.

With the new shaft in the driver, Mickelson ranked 21st in driving distance and 53rd in driving accuracy for the week.

Morgan Hoffman tweaks driver setup: Morgan Hoffman made a necessary adjustment to his Titleist 913D3 driver this week after working with Titleist PGA TOUR rep Chris Tuten.

Hitting it high and to the right with his 8.5-degree 913D3, Hoffman switched to a 7.5-degree head but noticed he was still hitting it off the heel. Tuten suggested Hoffman choke down on the club a half inch and he started hitting the ball off the center of the clubface.

"I built him a 44.5-inch UST V2 86X shaft, which was a half-inch shorter than what he was playing," Tuten said. "But when we tried that setup we noticed the ball was still falling out of the air. We changed a couple settings and eventually figured we needed to go to a UST V2 86X that was tipped one inch instead of an inch and a half."

Using Titleist's SureFit Tour hosel, Hoffman then adjusted the driver to the D1 setting with a straight face angle to get his preferred ball flight.

O'Hair goes with TaylorMade R1: Sean O'Hair switched to a 9.5-degree TaylorMade R1 driver (neutral sole plate, 8 grams in the heel and 4 grams in the toe) following early testing on Monday and Tuesday.

O'Hair, who had been using an 8.5-degree TaylorMade RBZ driver, was looking for a flatter flight with a higher tendency to draw the ball.

Steelfiber switch for Ben Curtis: Ben Curtis became the latest player to switch to Aerotech's SteelFiber shafts. Curtis had been playing True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts but liked that SteelFiber's i110 allowed him to keep his long irons in the bag — as opposed to using hybrids — with his preferred trajectory.

Gainey changes balls: Tommy Gainey switched into Callaway's new HEX Chrome+ ball following on-course testing early in the week. Gainey said added distance control and feel around the green were the main reasons why he made the change.

Webb Simpson won't make changes for U.S. Open: Asked during Monday's U.S. Open Media Day at Merion Golf Club if he'd make any equipment changes prior to the second major of the year, the reigning U.S. Open champion said he wouldn't adjust his current setup.

"I won't," Simpson said. "Technology now is so good that I have a hybrid 3‑iron and I can hit that 3‑iron as high as I want and as low as I want. Normally I might, it would be smart for me to take a 3‑iron up there because I will hit that off the tees a bunch but in terms of the middle part of the golf course especially where you'll hit a lot of 3‑irons and 5‑woods, I feel comfortable enough with being able to control my trajectory that I probably won't. And I won't. A lot of guys will put in a low lofted lob wedge, but I don't do that, so I probably won't change anything.

Divots: Looking for a new shaft setup in his driver, Stephen Ames switched to a new Accra Prototype shaft in his Nike VR_S Covert driver. Ames felt the new setup allowed him to get a couple extra yards off the tee. ... David Lingmerth was the first player to carry PING's new Nome TR putter. ... Aaron Watkins made a slight tweak to his Callaway X Hot Pro (7.5 degrees) driver, making it 1 degree more upright for additional control off the tee. ... Scott Brown switched from Nike's VR Pro Limited Edition driver to a Nike VR_S Covert Tour.