My Thoughts and Observations from Tuesday at the PGA Championship

Lord Thomas · August 17, 2006

Here are some thoughts and observations I had from the PGA on Tuesday. My good digital wasn't available, so I had to use my sister's point and shoot digital, and the picture quality just isn't high enough nor is it close enough, so some observations will have to do.

1) Brett Wetterich was using a 906F2 with YS6

2) Baddelley had Project X shafts in his MacGregor irons and wedges

3) Dimarco played I3+ Blades, and he had a Rapture 18* Hybrid. He had the iWedge in his bag, and a G5 driver with a UST V2 shaft. The Ping Rep brought over a Rapture with an Aldila VS-Proto driver described by the Rep as "long and light", but Dimarco didn't hit the Rapture

4) The X-Prototype looks great. I had the opportunity to touch them, and if I was a slightly better ball-striker, I would be all over these. The Callaway guys first tested them in Texas in May (except the *R* is on the hozel), and they were received so well that Callaway has brought them to the tour. They made their first appearance yesterday. They have the same *R* that the X-Tour Wedges have, and are very clean, with no undercut cavity, nor verticle scoring lines. This is the next step towards blades (according to the Callaway rep). The Callaway rep was really nice, but politely told me not to take pictures.

5) Mark Brooks is known as a "trailer rat" (something I think we can all understand), and he was testing 3 FT-3 drivers (with a YS-6, HTD of some sort, and a third shaft which was all black). He hadn't played Medinah until about 4:00 on Wednesday, which his caddy says isn't uncommon, and he was testing the X-Prototype, and a number of new hybrids (which according to his Caddy are prototypes, but I didn't get pictures).

6) Vaughn Taylor was using an r7 425, with what appeared to be a REAX shaft (under a Cleveland headcover)

7) Tom Pernice had 755s, and a Fourteen driving iron

8) Padraig Harrington had a Titleist driver, which he was just killing today.

9) I asked Olin Browne's caddy for a quick picture of the bag, and Olin said that I must really like Callaway if I wanted a picture of his clubs so badly.....he was walking away so I didn't get a chance to explain....

10) Billy Mayfair has a 906F2 with what I believe to be a YS-Power shaft (the same shaft is in his driver), and he has an Adams hybrid under a 585H Headcover. For being a week after Testicular cancer surgery, his ballstriking looks great, although he did complain of being winded.

11) Jerry Haas had Pro Combo irons, and a Never Compromise milled putter of some sort.

12) I spoke with Bob Vokey for a few minutes, and players apparently aren't doing anything too drastic with wedges in terms of lofts or grinds this week.

13) Trion:Z was everywhere, lots of caddies were wearing one or two of them, and a number of players were sporting them as well.

14) At the end of the day I saw David Toms, and he saw my "Warrior Golf" (my school, not the company....) shirt, and commented that he would have to be a "warrior" this week to do well; he didn't sound too high on the state of his game.

15) Tiger didn't make an appearance until very late in the day (about 4:45 - 5:00), and I didn't notice Phil while I was there.

-Thomas