Post-Masters Headache

There isn’t much equipment news around this week

By Tony Dear

Equipment news is a little thin on the ground following the Masters as we come to terms with Rory McIlroy’s remarkable repeat at Augusta National. Masters-themed gear releases and the players’ clubs at the first major of the year have dominated equipment pages for a week or two, so we have an opportunity to look back on some newly-released items.

Ping recently introduced its Scottsdale TEC putters featuring the company’s new Eye Q alignment technology, PEBAX inserts, and an aluminum body with steel sole plate. The line consists of three mallet designs (four if you count the counter-balanced version of the Ally Blue), and the putters are priced at $435 each.

Cobra released a limited-edition OPTM X driver with hunting brand Realtree. The club’s 15-zone H.O.T. face, resistance to Products of Inertia (POI), and FutureFit33 hosel, will help you stay out of the woods which is ironic given Realtree Edge’s camo design – $699.

Six Vokey SM11 lob wedge (58˚/60˚) grinds – L, A, K*, A+, V, and 62M (available on a 62˚club) – usually reserved for its roster of Tour players, are being made available to the public through its WedgeWorks department – $229 each.

The two-tone SYSTM 2 putters from TaylorMade ($250 each) offer three blades and two mallets (more compact than Spider) milled from 304 Stainless Steel.

One news story that was released shortly after the Masters is that Titleist (which didn’t have a great Masters visually as Brand Ambassadors Cameron Young and Russell Henley didn’t really deliver – Young wearing an Empower hat on Sunday and Henley not getting a lot of camera time) is continuing its Tour launch of the GTS2 and GTS3 fairway-metals at this week’s RBC Heritage and the LPGA’s JM Eagle LA Championship. The company’s GTS Driver was introduced on the PGA Tour three weeks ago, since when more than 40 players have put it in their bag. Young used the 21˚ GTS3 7-wood in tying for third at the Masters.