The incredible numbers behind Titleist’s recent success
Hello. It’s been a busy month for me, most of which has been spent in my car. I went to Royal St David’s to play in the Welsh Open and then to Devon for the English Amateur Championship – with a couple of scratch matchplay events for Yorkshire Ladies thrown in between.
I decided to start writing a blog about my tales from the amateur circuit so I hope you’ll enjoy that. I promise it will get a lot spicier. (You’ll get the pun if you read the first blog.)
Anyway, that’s not why you’re here. So here’s some equipment news that has caught my eye since my last column, starting with…
Titleist takeover
Titleist have achieved a clean sweep on the PGA Tour this season, topping every equipment count category a total of seven times. So let’s delve a little deeper into Titleist’s success on tour this season…
At the PGA Championship we saw another win for Pro V1, the ball’s eighth win in nine majors. So far this year the Titleist worldwide ball count stands at 10,558. To put that into context, the nearest competitor is on 1,297.
Most recently we saw Bernd Wiesberger secure his fifth European Tour win with the Pro V1 in play and Kevin Na won the Charles Schwab Challenge with the Pro V1x.
This year Titleist has been the most popular driver on the PGA Tour, topping the driver count at 17 events.
The TS3 driver has been the No. 1 driver model at nearly every event on the European Tour in 2019 and was also the No. 1 model at the recent PGA Championship.
A rejuvenated Jordan Spieth matched his best performance at a major since winning the 2017 Open Championship, finishing tied 3rd. The Titleist brand ambassador recently tested a new TS2 fairway metal, putting it in play for the first time in competition at the PGA Championship.
With the option to play any ball, the PGA Championship and US Open winner, much like the 2018 Masters and Open Championship winners, chose the Pro V1x golf ball.
Brooks Koepka also trusted the performance of Vokey Design SM7 wedges (52° and 56°), a TVD lob wedge (60°) and a Scotty Cameron Newport 2 SLT T10 putter, for his short-game success at Bethpage.
Want more? Head to the Titleist website.
When one driver isn’t enough
Phil Mickelson has decided to put two drivers in play at the Memorial.
It’s not the first time he’s done it, but if you’re not aware, he has a shorter shaft in one to hit a safe cut shot for when he wants to find the fairway. The second is longer and set up “for hitting bombs”.
The tactic seemed to work. On the opening day, Mickelson hit a 340-yard drive on the 14th, the longest drive of the day on that hole.
Longest drive of the day at No. 14 …
340 yards. 👍 pic.twitter.com/hUv4prEkyC
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 31, 2019
On the dotted line
A couple of equipment deals have been signed in the last few days…
We noticed last month that Charley Hull had put new TaylorMade equipment in her bag but now the company have made it official.
TaylorMade signed Hull ahead of the US Women’s Open Championship and she will play a full bag of TaylorMade equipment excluding the putter.
“It was a very easy decision for me when the opportunity arose to become a TaylorMade staff player,” Hull said. “Not only is the equipment second to none, but the service I get from the team there is the best I’ve ever received.
“It’s cool to be an ambassador alongside so many world class players, and I’m really excited about being part of Team TaylorMade.”
You can find out more on the TaylorMade website.
Also signing a new deal is Harold Varner III, who has put pen to paper on a metalwoods, putter and tour bag deal with Callaway.
He had already been seen with Callaway equipment in the bag and he was using a Callaway Tour bag at the PGA Championship where he made it into the final group on Sunday.
Typically Callaway sign players to a full bag deal so it is interesting to see they are changing this up with their most recent signing.
There’s more on the Callaway website.
Seen any equipment news you need more information on? Leave me a note in the comments below or you can tweet me.
Hannah Holden
Hannah Holden is the Equipment and Instruction Editor here at National Club Golfer. If you’re looking to improve your game, by changing your golf swing or upgrading your golf equipment she’ll have the answers.
As well as writing lots of features and reviews you can find her on our YouTube channel giving you insights on the latest rules, clubs and tips to improve your golf game.
Hannah is a member at Alwoodley golf club. You will either find her here or driving up and down the country playing in a variety of elite amateur events.
