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April 16, 2013 | 3:51 p.m.

Toy Box: Scott proves clutch with Cameron prototype

Adam Scott celebrates his winning birdie putt on the second playoff hole of the 2013 Masters.
James Achenbach

Adam Scott delivered two pressure-packed putts on Sunday – one that earned him a spot in a playoff, the other a Masters title – courtesy of a new Scotty Cameron putter.

“I’ve worked pretty hard with Scotty Cameron on a putter this year,” said Scott, referring to his 49-inch Scotty Cameron by Titleist Futura X prototype. “I had a kind of backyard garage prototype in my bag for a couple of tournaments, but now it looks more like a production model.”

The Futura is a high-MOI putter designed to be resistant to twisting. It includes eight-way adjustable weights. The geometric head is a mallet style with large metallic circles on the heel and toe.

Scott also used a Titleist 913D3 driver (9.5 degree); the Masters was the first time he had used the club in competition. His driver is 44.75 inches and equipped with a Graphite Design Tour AD Di8 X shaft.

The rest of Scott’s bag: Titleist 910Fd fairway wood (15 degree, with Fujikura Rombax Pro 95 shaft); Titleist 712U (2-iron) and 710 MB (3-9 irons, with KBS Tour X flex 130-gram shafts); Vokey Design SM4 (48 degree), Spin Milled (54 degree) and SM4 TVD (60 degree ...

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April 15, 2013 | 3:37 p.m.

The Toy Box Winner's Circle: Masters edition

Adam Scott's bag that he is using at the 2013 Masters.

In a new weekly video called The Toy Box Winner's Circle, our David Dusek breaks down Adam Scott's winning bag at the Masters. From his Titleist 913D3 driver to his Scotty Cameron putter, we tell you how Scott's equipment made an impact on his performance at Augusta National.

Click here or on the photo for the video.


April 14, 2013 | 8:36 p.m.

My Bag at the Masters: A look at Adam Scott's equipment

Adam Scott's bag that he is using at the 2013 Masters.
David Dusek

Adam Scott became the first Australian to win at Augusta National by defeating Angel Cabrera in a playoff on Sunday evening. Scott used this Titleist equipment to earn his victory at the 2013 Masters:

DRIVER: Titleist 913D3 (9.5 degree) with a Graphite Design Tour AD DI-8 shaft

FAIRWAY WOOD: Titleist 910F.d (15 degree) with a Rombax Pro 95 shaft

IRONS: Titleist 712U (2) and 710 MB (3-9) with KBS Tour shafts

WEDGES: Vokey Design SM4 (48 degree), Spin Milled (54 degree) and SM4 TVD (60 degree) wedges – all with KBS Tour 130-gram shafts.

PUTTER: Scotty Cameron for Titleist Futura X prototype

BALL: Titleist Pro V1


April 14, 2013 | 6:32 p.m.

My Bag at the Masters: Thorbjorn Olesen

Thorbjorn Oleson's clubs and equipment during the 2013 Masters.
David Dusek

Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen means "Thunderbear," and he certainly roared to life at Augusta National on Sunday. Playing in his first Masters, the 23-year-old carded a 68 using the following Nike gear:

DRIVER: Nike VR_S Covert Tour (9.5 degree) with a Graphite Design DI 7X shaft

FAIRWAY WOOD: Nike VR_S Covert (15 degree) with a Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana 'ahina 80x

HYBRID: Nike VR_S Covert Tour (18 degree) with a Mitsubishi Rayon Fubuki AX Hybrid X

IRONS: Nike VR Pro Blade (3-9) with Royal Precision Rifle Project X 6.5 shafts

WEDGES: Nike VR Pro (46, 54 and 58 degree) with Royal Precision Rifle Project X 6.5 shafts

PUTTER: Nike Method 001

BALL: Nike 20XI


April 13, 2013 | 9:54 p.m.

My Bag at the Masters: Brandt Snedeker

A look inside Brandt Snedeker's bag.
David Dusek

On moving day at Augusta National, Brandt Snedeker shot a 3-under 69 to grasp a share of the lead with Angel Cabrera. The two men are at 7-under 209. Snedeker crafted his bogey-free round with the following:

DRIVER: TaylorMade Burner SuperFast (8.5 degree) with a Fujikura Motore VC 7.2 shaft

FAIRWAY WOOD: Tour Edge Exotics CB4 (13 degree) with a Fujikura Motore Speeder 8.1X shaft

HYBRID: Ping Anser (20 degree) with a UST Mamiya 100 X shaft

IRONS: Bridgestone J40 Cavity Back (4-PW) with SteelFiber i95 Constant Weight shafts

WEDGES: Bridgestone J40 (52, 56 degree) and Titleist Vokey Design TVD (60 degree) with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts

PUTTER: Odyssey White Hot XG Rossie

BALL: Bridgestone B330


April 12, 2013 | 8:44 p.m.

My Bag at the Masters: Angel Cabrera

Angel Cabrera's bag at the 2013 Masters.
Golfweek Staff

— Some players can't seem to rise to the occasion when golf is played on its biggest stages. But Angel Cabrera doesn't have that problem. Here's what the Argentinian, who won the 2007 U.S. Open at Oakmont and the 2009 Masters, is playing this week at Augusta National.

DRIVER: Ping G25 (8.5 degree) with an Aldila Tour Green 75X shaft

FAIRWAY WOOD: Ping G25 (15 degree) with an Aldila RIP Alpha 80X shaft

IRONS: Ping i20 (3), Ping S56 (3-PW) with True Temper X100 shafts

WEDGES: Ping Tour with Gorge Grooves (54, 58, 62) with True Temper X100 shafts

PUTTER: Ping Scottsdale TR Shea H

BALL: Titleist Pro V1x


April 12, 2013 | 5:56 p.m.

Jack Nicklaus uses namesake driver in Masters' ceremonial start

 Honorary starter Jack Nicklaus tees off to start the first round of the 2013 Masters.
James Achenbach

— When Jack Nicklaus outdrove Gary Player and Arnold Palmer on Thursday morning in the ceremonial opening of the Masters, he used a 45-inch Nicklaus ML4 driver with a stiff shaft. The loft was 9 degrees, and the club had a customized Secret Grip from Boccieri Golf.

The grip was a wrap version of the all-weather Secret Grip introduced in January at the PGA Merchandise Show. Both grips weigh 92 grams, including a 17-gram tungsten weight.

A normal grip weighs about 50 grams. The heavier Secret Grip is designed to act as a counterbalance, lowering the swingweight and raising the balance point.

The wrap grip probably will be added to the line, according to a Boccieri spokesman.

In damp and overcast conditions, Nicklaus hit a 237-yard drive off the first tee at Augusta National Golf Club. Player's drive was 235 yards, while Palmer had the shortest but straightest drive – 218 yards in the middle of the fairway.


April 12, 2013 | 5:48 p.m.

Luke Donald's Masters arsenal includes MP-H4 3-iron

Luke Donald holds up his ball after making par on the second hole during the second round of the Masters.
James Achenbach

— Mizuno USA officials have high expectations for their new MP-H4 irons, which were boosted even more when Luke Donald practiced with the 3-iron and immediately put it into his bag.

Donald, the former world No. 1, is carrying the MP-H4 3-iron at the Masters. According to Chuck Couch, director of golf club marketing for Mizuno USA, the MP-H4 long irons are generating considerable interest among touring pros.

The 2-iron through 7-iron of this forged set are hollow, with the two-piece head (forged carbon steel and stainless steel) joined together by plasma welding. Hollow construction allows Mizuno to maneuver the weight for increased stability and a higher trajectory. Meanwhile, the short irons and wedges are solid metal.


April 12, 2013 | 4:39 p.m.

At Augusta, Ping showcases adjustable putters

Ping staff players, including Lee Westwood and Hunter Mahan, used adjustable Scottsdale TR putters, featuring grooves designed to enhance distance control on off-center hits.
James Achenbach

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- It is clearly the age of adjustability in golf clubs, yet no other major equipment manufacturer besides Ping is selling adjustable-length putters to consumers. Ping is promoting its new adjustable Scottsdale TR line, in which the putter length can be changed between 31 and 38 inches.

TR stands for True Roll, and Ping is using variable depth grooves to increase the rollout on putts that are hit off-center. Hitting putts solidly can be difficult, particularly on long putts, so Ping searched for a solution. Here’s what the company came up with: Deeper grooves in the center and shallower groves toward the heel and toe, designed to equalize ball speeds and enhance distance control.

A dozen different TR blade and mallet models are available. At the Masters, four Ping staff members showed up with putters belonging to the TR family.

The four Ping players and their putters: Angel Cabrera (Shea H model, 37 inches), Hunter Mahan (ZBS, 34.5), Louis Oosthuizen (ZBS, 33) and Lee Westwood (Anser 2B, 38).

Before the tournament started, Oosthuizen switched from the TR version of the ZBS to the original ZBS. Still, Ping representatives were pleased with three TR putters in the field ...

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April 12, 2013 | 2:45 p.m.

Fitting Month: Trackman adds science to art of fitting

Trackman launch monitors provide essential data to tour reps, helping them fit the world's best players, including Hunter Mahan.
David Dusek

Hunter Mahan spent much of the early season looking for a new 3-wood, and on the Wednesday before the Shell Houston Open he was testing clubs again.

Mahan rocketed one shot after another into the blue Texas sky as his caddie, John Wood, looked on. Also watching was Matt Rollins, Ping's senior PGA Tour manager, who had leaned four seemingly identical Ping G25 fairway woods against Mahan's bag.

Occasionally Rollins glanced down at an iPad Mini that lay on the turf next to a small, orange-faced box that stood about seven feet behind Mahan. After every shot, numbers flashed across the iPad's screen, verifying what the three witnessed – and why they saw it.

The box was a Trackman, a product that has become so popular on the PGA Tour that it's become almost synonymous with launch monitors.

"We've tested all kinds of stuff and used all kinds of stuff," Rollins says, "but at the end of the day we keep going back to Trackman."

Keith Sbarbaro, TaylorMade's vice president of tour operations, agrees.

"It's great because you can use it to fit any club that's being swung," he says. "I've never ...

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April 11, 2013 | 6:19 p.m.

Sandy Lyle draws Masters attention with giant Black Swan

Sandy Lyle of Scotland looks on from the second hole during the first round of the Masters. Lyle is using a Black Swan putter this week.
James Achenbach

— Black Swan and its slightly smaller sister, Black Hawk, are among the most-distinctive putters in golf.

There was a Black Swan sighting Thursday at the Masters, as former Masters and British Open champion Sandy Lyle used the putter while shooting a 1-over-par 73.

Both Black Swan and Black Hawk have huge rectangular black heads. They are probably the largest putter heads in golf. The concept of inventor David Kargetta, a longtime automotive engineer, was to enhance stability and create a putter that is extremely forgiving on off-center hits.

In his demonstrations, Kargetta likes to place three balls side by side, then use one of his putters to hit all three balls simultaneously. Invariably the three roll about the same distance.

The first Black Swan sighting came at the Sony Open in Hawaii in 2012, when Matt Every nearly won the tournament with a fearsome putting display. Later that same year, Lyle used the putter to shoot closing rounds of 66-64 and tie for fourth in the the Senior PGA Championship.

Shortly thereafter, Lyle put the putter in his closet. For the Masters, he reunited with the Black Swan.

“At the Senior PGA, I had a very, very good ...

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April 11, 2013 | 4:40 p.m.

Bag of the day: Marc Leishman

A look inside Marc Leishman's bag that led him to a 6-under 66 on Thursday.
David Dusek

An Australian has never won the Masters, but Marc Leishman took one big step toward becoming the first by shooting a 66 on Thursday afternoon. Here is a complete list of the clubs in his bag this week at Augusta National:

DRIVER: Titleist 913D2 (9.5 degree) with an Aldila RIP Phenom 70X shaft

FAIRWAY WOOD: Titleist 913F.d (15 degree) with a Mitsubishi Diamana S+ Series 82X shaft

IRONS: Titleist 712U (2) with a Mitsubishi Fubuki AXH 500 shaft; Titleist 710 AP2 (3-4); 712 MB (5-9) with NS Pro Modus 3 shafts

WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design (48, 54, 58 degrees) with NS Pro Modus shafts

PUTTER: Scotty Cameron for Titleist Tour Rat 2 prototype

BALL: Titleist Pro V1x


April 11, 2013 | 3:26 p.m.

Woods switches to VRS Covert 3-wood

Tiger Woods tees off on the second hole with his 3-wood during the first round of the 2013 Masters.
James Achenbach

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Tiger Woods carried a new Nike VRS Covert 3-wood in Thursday’s opening round of the Masters, replacing the Nike VR Pro Limited Edition 3-wood he had used for more than a year.

Woods has used a series of 15-degree Nike 3-woods, from a VR Pro in 2011 to the VR Pro Limited Edition in 2012 to the current VRS Covert.

Earlier this year, at Doral, Woods switched to a 19-degree Nike VRS Covert 5-wood. This same 5-wood was adopted earlier this year by Rory McIlroy, meaning the top two players in the world have switched to the same 5-wood in 2013.

Nike makes two VRS 5-wood models, one called VRS and the other named VRS Tour. Ironically, Woods and McIlroy use the standard VRS version (retail price $199.99). Why? Because it produces more spin, creating a higher ball flight and softer landing.

Nick Watney, on the other hand, uses the 19-degree VRS Tour 5-wood for a slightly lower trajectory.


April 11, 2013 | 2:53 p.m.

Toy Box: John Peterson's Masters Odyssey

A putter cover sticks out of John Peterson's pocket during the 2012 U.S. Open.
Sean Martin

— John Peterson gained attention at the U.S. Open for stuffing his putter cover in his back pocket while attempting putts at the Olympic Club. It was a move more common for an amateur playing his home course on a Sunday, not a competitor in a major championship.

There was no putter cover in Peterson's pants pocket Thursday at Augusta National, and no, it's not because he's become accustomed to pro life.

Peterson switched to a mallet putter – an Odyssey White Hot #7 – earlier this week. The larger headcover doesn't fit in his pocket. He had been using a center-shafted Anser-style putter.

"I love it," Peterson said of his new putter. "I'm going to sleep with it tonight."

Peterson needed 32 putts Thursday after hitting 13 greens.


April 10, 2013 | 5:22 p.m.

At Masters, Bradley sticks with Odyssey Sabertooth

Keegan Bradley considered switching to a slightly shorter version of his preferred Odyssey Sabertooth belly putter, but ultimately let "feel" make his decision.
James Achenbach

— Touring pros are very particular about their golf equipment, a current example being Keegan Bradley.

Bradley is a Cleveland/Srixon staff member but has a contract allowing him to use a putter from another company. So golf fans have become accustomed to viewing Bradley with a 46.5-inch Odyssey Sabertooth belly putter.

He won the 2011 PGA Championship with that putter, and he has used it ever since.

Because Bradley has gained 10 pounds, he figured he might be more comfortable with a slightly shorter Sabertooth. Emphasis should be placed on slightly, because we’re talking about a quarter of an inch.

Odyssey came to the Masters with a 46.25-inch Sabertooth for Bradley. Furthermore, at his direction, the putter head was painted with a black-and-white scheme used on the Odyssey Versa putter.

It sounded great, but Bradley ultimately decided to putt with one of his original 46.5-inch backup Sabertooth putters. Putting is all about feel, he explained, and this one felt great.

Nobody disputes the word (or the feel) of a major championship winner.


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