The Winners bag

THE WINNER’S BAG: Rory McIlroy’s convincing US Open victory was completed with a full bag of Titleist products. 

The Irishman who added his name to the record books in volume (broke or tied 12 U.S. Open records) relied on a Titleist 910D2 driver (8.5 degrees) and 906F2 fairway metals (13 and 18 degrees). He played MB irons (3-PW), Titleist Vokey Design pitching (48 degrees), approach (54 degrees) and a 60-degree lob wedge (McIlroy used True Temper Project X 6.5 shafts in his irons). He used a Scotty Cameron prototype Newport GSS putter (pictured) and his ball of choice was the Pro V1x. According to Titleist, since 1949 it has been the preferred golf ball by the majority that tee it up at the US Open. At Congressional, last week, 96 players, more than five times the nearest competitor with 19 choose to play Titleist.

The second youngest European major winner and the youngest U.S. Open champion since Bobby Jones in 1923 also wore FootJoy’s Sport golf shoes and a Pure Touch Limited glove in winning the US Open. 

Well done Rory.

What’s in the Bag: Nike Athletes in the Field at the 2011 U.S. Open

What’s in the Bag: Nike Athletes in the Field at the 2011 U.S. Open

Find out what golf clubs Paul Casey, Stewart Cink, Lucas Glover, Anthony Kim, Francesco Molinari, and Charl Schwartzel have in the bag at the 2011 U.S. Open.

Paul Casey

• Driver: Nike VR Tour 10.5-degree (Diamana White Board 73 X)
• Fairway Wood: Nike SQ II 3-wood/15-degree, SQ II 5-wood/19-degree
• Irons: Nike VR Pro Blade (7-PW); Nike VR Pro Combo (3-6)
• Wedges: Nike VR 52 and Nike VR 59-degree
• Putter: Nike Method Prototype
• Ball: Nike ONE Tour

Stewart Cink

• Driver: Nike VR Tour 9.5-degree (UST Black VTS 6X)
• Fairway Wood: Nike SQ II 3-wood/15-degree
• Irons: Nike VR Pro Combo (5-PW), Nike Pro Combo OS (2-4)
• Putter: Nike Method 005
• Ball: Nike 20XI X

Lucas Glover

• Driver: Nike SQ Sumo Squared Tour 9.5-degree (Apache Matrix F7 M2)
• Fairway Woods: Nike SQ II 3-wood/13-degree & 5-wood/19-degree
• Irons: Nike VR Pro Combo (3-PW)
• Wedges: Nike VR Pro 54-degree and VR Pro 59-degree
• Putter: Nike Method 003
• Ball: Nike ONE Tour D

Anthony Kim 

• Driver: Nike VR Tour 8.5-degree (Matrix Proto)
• Fairway Wood: Nike VR Pro Prototype 3-wood/15-degree
• Hybrid: Nike VR Pro 18-degree
• Irons: Nike VR Pro Blade (4-PW); Nike VR Pro Combo (3)
• Wedges: Nike VR 54 and Nike VR Pro 60-degree
• Putter: Nike Method 001
• Ball: Nike 20XI S

Francesco Molinari

• Driver: Nike VR Pro 9.5-degree (Mitsubishi Kai’li 70x)
• Fairway Wood: Nike SQ II 3-wood/13-degree
• Hybrid: Nike VR Pro 18-degree
• Irons: Nike VR Combo (3-PW)
• Wedges: Nike VR Pro 52-degree and 58-degree
• Ball: Nike 20XI X

Charl Schwartzel

• Driver: Nike VR Tour 8.5-degree (Fuji Rombax 7V05 X)
• Fairway Wood: Nike SQ II 3-wood/13-degree and 5-wood/19-degree
• Irons: Nike VR Pro Blade (3-PW)
• Wedges: Nike VR Pro 54-degree and 59-degree
• Putter: Nike Method 004 Prototype
• Ball: Nike ONE Tour D

Ping G20 Could be in Play this week

A recent posting (see below) on golf.com showcased the new Ping G20 Driver which looks like it will appear in some bags of PGA Tour professionals this week.

We have no further news on the Ping G20 irons however when we get any news or pictures we will let you know in due course

Ping's G20 driver is making its public debut this week at the PGA Tour's FedEx St. Jude Classic. (The club will be available at retail in mid-August.) Expect Ping's Tour pros, including defending champion Lee Westwood, to work with the new driver during the practice days, though, it remains to be seen whether anyone will put it into play come Thursday.

The company's "game-improvement" drivers are almost always among the highest-rated sticks in Golf Magazine's annual "ClubTest" program because of their ability to blend forgiveness and power. Ping's tried-and-true design checklist includes optimizing center-of-gravity location; aerodynamics; feel; clubface size; structure (how it interacts on shots around the face); and clubhead inertia (stability) on off-center hits (high/low or heel/toe).

The G20 driver has a heavier head than G15 (7 grams more than standard) for greater force at impact. Additional backweighting and a more elongated face shore up misses. (Ping "shaved" the head in the low toe area to meet the 460cc size limit.) The reconfigured clubhead — 5 percent higher moment of inertia on heel or toe hits — combines with a light, 45.75-inch "high-balance point" shaft (TFC 169D or TFC 169D Tour) to boost clubhead speed and, thus, distance. Specifically, the TFC 169D shaft has more flexible tip and butt sections for softer feel.

In total, G20 launches shots 0.75 degrees higher than G15, with 200 rpm less spin and 1 mph faster ball speed on center hits, which adds up to five yards more carry and roll.

FIRST LOOK – Ping G20 Driver

A recent post on my golf spy shows a picture of what potentially could be the new offering from Ping

The Ping G20 Driver is expected to be released in the autumn and it would be probable that the Ping G20 irons will 

also be released at a similar time.

These are only rumours however this is the first image that I have seen and it is possible that it could be a fake but the 

G20 range seems likely and we shall wait with anticipation to see what is officially released

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