Do PGA Tour players play equipment off the rack?

[Doc Mcstuffins]

I would think most PGA'ers would be rock'n tour only gear....I know I would. Well, today I had a run in with Jason Gore and Pat Perez at the local golf store. Since they didn't make the cut they spent some time goofing around and trying putters out like you and I would. They tried everything in site and and Pat ended up buying a seemore mfgp and had them throw on a Odyssey grip while he waited.

 

Very nice down to earth guys. I just found it interesting that if he wanted that putter Seemore probably would have overnighted it to him on the house. :clapping:

[armchaircaddy]

I'm not at all surprised to hear your story. I bet most Tour players would play just about any club they felt they could WIN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS with. Just my opinion. Plus, seems like they had some downtime, so why not mess about in a pro shop with the average joes? It's not like they've tested every single putter out there, who has the time for that?

[iteachgolf]

If he wanted to he could send the reciept to them and I'm sure they'd credit him. There have been plenty of stories like that including Jerry Kelly buying his $69 cleveland putter than winning with it.

[cAsE sEnSiTiVe]

As you saw first-hand, they on occasion will game a putter out of the "barrel" as a change of pace, but I'd bet they don't EVER bag anything else that came from the rack.

[Bones01gt]

Maybe his is sponsored by another putter manufacturer??? Then again, maybe he wanted it right now....You know how golfers are, we sometimes make these impulse purchases. Maybe he thought "if I had this thing I'd have made the cut."

 

I don't think Tour issue gear is much different than retail gear other than the quality control and specs are alot tighter and more stringent. I assume it's all made the same way with the same equipment. Then again, I am just making an assumption....and I welcome correction if I'm off base here.

 

Anyhow, I really like Pat Perez' game. It's good to know he was cool and down to earth as you say.

[wolfpackblack]

If he wanted to he could send the reciept to them and I'm sure they'd credit him. There have been plenty of stories like that including Jerry Kelly buying his $69 cleveland putter than winning with it.

 

haha, I love stories like that. Or Kenny Perry and the Craz-e someone randomly gave him one day.

[pickerjohn]

The secret is out, now the Tour Pro's are finding out that

our Retail equipment is superior. My next BST ad will state

"straight from retail store, never has seen a tour van, will

supply COA". It should double the price.

[tbarr15]

I believe most equipment trucks leave before the weekend, so this might be why they were amongst the regular joes....great to hear that they are normal guys

[elementlax]

Here in Columbus after the memorial tournament I went to pick up a new wedge from the golfsmith right by the course, and saw ben Curtis there. Givin that he grew up five miles from the store, he was probably comfortable there, but he talkin to a few guys and ended up buying a rangefinder

[dentonia]

lol that one made me chuckle pickerjohn....and is brilliant!!! MUAHAHA :diablo:

[SpinMill75]

I read once in a golf mag that some pros like to play off the rack irons due to their favorite set being stolen or "lost in transit"......

If the clubs never show up, they just head down to the local golf shop and buy a set off the rack.

 

Makes sense, but I don't know how many players adopt that kind of thinking.

[wolfpackblack]

I read once in a golf mag that some pros like to play off the rack irons due to their favorite set being stolen or "lost in transit"......

If the clubs never show up, they just head down to the local golf shop and buy a set off the rack.

 

Makes sense, but I don't know how many players adopt that kind of thinking.

 

I can remember whether it was Paula Creamer or Morgan Pressel, but I remember reading that one of them had to do that a few years ago for a major.

[Geo]

I would think most PGA'ers would be rock'n tour only gear....I know I would. Well, today I had a run in with Jason Gore and Pat Perez at the local golf store. Since they didn't make the cut they spent some time goofing around and trying putters out like you and I would. They tried everything in site and and Pat ended up buying a seemore mfgp and had them throw on a Odyssey grip while he waited.

 

Very nice down to earth guys. I just found it interesting that if he wanted that putter Seemore probably would have overnighted it to him on the house. :clapping:

 

While he waited? That right there is some serious tour treatment. I was under the impression that it took upwards of 12 hours to change a grip (justifying both time and price). :D

 

The part about them messing around and trying a bunch of putters was more than a little entertaining. Something I can definitely relate with. That would have been cool to see. Thanks for posting. :good:

[BigPete]

I'm sure most of us like to think that tour pros play some magical set up that only the special tour van can provide. I bet alot of em play pretty standard gear. Especially when they've had a say in the design in the first place..

I heard Luke Donalds clubs are basically off the rack - stock shafts and even standard lie length etc. Makes sense really - easy to just grab a new set and go rather than fiddle about with grinds and all that to try and get it just so.

Even tigers iron shafts are pretty ordinary - I'll bet half this forum has more exotic gear

[straightshot7]

I would think most PGA'ers would be rock'n tour only gear....I know I would. Well, today I had a run in with Jason Gore and Pat Perez at the local golf store. Since they didn't make the cut they spent some time goofing around and trying putters out like you and I would. They tried everything in site and and Pat ended up buying a seemore mfgp and had them throw on a Odyssey grip while he waited.

 

Very nice down to earth guys. I just found it interesting that if he wanted that putter Seemore probably would have overnighted it to him on the house. :clapping:

 

While he waited? That right there is some serious tour treatment. I was under the impression that it took upwards of 12 hours to change a grip (justifying both time and price). :D

 

The part about them messing around and trying a bunch of putters was more than a little entertaining. Something I can definitely relate with. That would have been cool to see. Thanks for posting. :good:

 

Not really special pro treatment there. I've had my putter grip changed right in front of me in 5 mins. in a store I'd never been to before.

[808golfers]

Wasn't Vijay's Boxer hybrid (when he first put it in play) from off the rack? (Reshafted with a VS Proto)

[hmx3]

Generally tour players have their own preferences. Spec. sole grind, swingweight, face angle, bias...... IMO only Mizuno make´s no difference between tour and retail.

[jokerusn]

Wasn't Vijay's Boxer hybrid (when he first put it in play) from off the rack? (Reshafted with a VS Proto)

 

I don't know about the Boxer but for the first ATT National, he found a cleveland launcher 11 wood in a used-club bin near his house that he had the tour guys reshaft so he could use it as a 150yds-from-the-rough club.

[teejaywhy]

Didn't Calc win the '07 PODS Championship with a putter he bought at a store earlier in the week?

[spring70]

As you saw first-hand, they on occasion will game a putter out of the "barrel" as a change of pace, but I'd bet they don't EVER bag anything else that came from the rack.

 

 

Wrong!

[TheMoneyShot]

I remember seeing Ben Crenshaw buying a used Cally FT-3 years ago at 2nd swing golf. He stated that he did not have a club endorsement deal at the time and liked playing whatever he wants. I found it kind of odd seeing a touring pro at a used golf store but hey, whatever works right.

[MtlJeff]

i think i remember reading that Calcavechia had bought some old Ping Lob wedges off ebay.

 

i'm pretty sure a lot of the Ping guys play retail heads. Though i'm sure the lofts are verified a bit more thoroughly.

[wolfpackblack]

i think i remember reading that Calcavechia had bought some old Ping Lob wedges off ebay.

 

i'm pretty sure a lot of the Ping guys play retail heads. Though i'm sure the lofts are verified a bit more thoroughly.

 

I was just about to mention that after seeing close-ups today from that killer round, I thought Mayhan's putter looks like an off the rack iwi D66 with a blackout grip. Anyone else know for sure?

[Pure745]

I would think most PGA'ers would be rock'n tour only gear....I know I would. Well, today I had a run in with Jason Gore and Pat Perez at the local golf store. Since they didn't make the cut they spent some time goofing around and trying putters out like you and I would. They tried everything in site and and Pat ended up buying a seemore mfgp and had them throw on a Odyssey grip while he waited.

 

Very nice down to earth guys. I just found it interesting that if he wanted that putter Seemore probably would have overnighted it to him on the house. :clapping:

 

That's pretty cool! I wonder if Perez will be using that putter at his next event. What does he normally game?

[robb01]

I remember seeing Ben Crenshaw buying a used Cally FT-3 years ago at 2nd swing golf. He stated that he did not have a club endorsement deal at the time and liked playing whatever he wants. I found it kind of odd seeing a touring pro at a used golf store but hey, whatever works right.

 

 

def. goes to show its the indian and not the arrow

[Doc Mcstuffins]

I would think most PGA'ers would be rock'n tour only gear....I know I would. Well, today I had a run in with Jason Gore and Pat Perez at the local golf store. Since they didn't make the cut they spent some time goofing around and trying putters out like you and I would. They tried everything in site and and Pat ended up buying a seemore mfgp and had them throw on a Odyssey grip while he waited.

 

Very nice down to earth guys. I just found it interesting that if he wanted that putter Seemore probably would have overnighted it to him on the house. :clapping:

 

That's pretty cool! I wonder if Perez will be using that putter at his next event. What does he normally game?

 

According to a recent golf digest witb, he was using an odyssey#7 sabor tooth putter. Funny, but that was what I was putting with in front of him, not knowing that was what he gamed. I seriously considered buying it (great putter).

 

When I say he and Gore tried everything, I mean everything. Every time they putted with a new one, they either stank if they missed it, or had to buy it if they sank the putt. No different than you and I would be with our buddies.

[rolltide4life]

Im pretty sure calc has said that his clubs can be bought right off the rack. thats the way it is with all pings depending on the color code.

[DH48]

I marshalled the pro-am at the AT&T and lumpy came through with his set of Ping Eye 2s. I asked his caddy if they were regular Eye 2s and he said yep but he doesn't have to buy them used they cast him a new set every year. So I'd say they are off the rack but discontinued.

 

DH

[ProjectX]

My club fitter has told me that anyone who has played the game for over 10 years pretty much plays off the rack at his shop because they didn't grow up or start playing golf with custom made clubs. They bought a set and learned how to play what they had. If they tried to change to something custom now it would only screw them up.

 

It makes sense. Custom Club fitting has not been around very long in terms of golf's history. It wouldn't surprise me if many tour pros were playing off thee rack stuff, but as time goes on there basically won't be ANY tour pros playing off the rack equipment. Almost everyone who takes up the game now gets fit with proper clubs.

[kdy663]

Have a tour player ('05 Presidents cup player) that used to play out of my club. He used to game a Sonartec 3 wood that was off the rack of our golf shop. He was "borrowing" it so he left the price tag sticker on the shaft under the grip. I know for a fact he gamed it for a few months and he told me that he got some grief from a few players for still having the price tag on it. As any player should, tour players use whatever works best for them! Tour or retail.