IRONS: Srixon ZU85 (3), with Nippon Pro Modus3 Hybrid Tour X shaft, (4), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shaft, TaylorMade P-7TW (5-PW), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts.
WEDGES:Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (50, 56, 60 degrees), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts.
Scottie Scheffler won over $21 million in prize money last season and was one of the PGA Tour’s worst putters. His driving and iron play were that good. He played in 23 events and made the cut in all of them, earning top-10 finishes in 17 to go along with two wins and two runner-up finishes. He did all that while finishing No. 162 in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Scheffler tinkered with different putters in the second half of 2023, benching his Scotty Cameron blade-style putter for a prototype TaylorMade Spider with a milled face at the end of the PGA Tour season. That didn’t work, so Scheffler played a few events with a blade made by the Olson Putter Company at the end of 2023 and in early 2024, but that didn’t work out either.
Then, in the days leading up to the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March, Scheffler switched back into a TaylorMade Spider and won, leading the field that week in Strokes Gained: Putting. The following week, he won again at the 2024 Players Championship, finishing first in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee (naturally) and 37th in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Rory McIlroy’s prophecy appeared to be coming true because, speaking with Amanda Balionis at the Genesis Invitational in February as Scheffler struggled on the greens, McIlroy had said, “I’d love to see Scottie try a mallet, but selfishly for me, Scottie does everything else so well that he’s given the rest of us a chance.”
A few days before the Masters, Golfweek talked with Andrew Oldknow, TaylorMade’s director of product creation for putters, to learn what makes Scottie Scheffler’s new Spider Tour putter unique, how it is similar to Spider Tour X putters sold at retail and more.
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TaylorMade created two prototype Spider mallet putters with milled faces for Scheffler to try at the 2023 Tour Championship. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
Golfweek: Let’s go through a progression. Towards the end of last season, Scottie Scheffler started using a TaylorMade Spider putter with a milled face. Was the goal to create a mallet that would feel like the milled blade putters that he had before but that would provide the forgiveness or stability?
Andrew Oldknow: The goal, honestly, was to give him better alignment. While centering the ball with the alignment system, we were actually trying to get that thing to perform just like a blade.
We put a massive amount of tungsten in the front of that putter. We used all aluminum in the back. We gave it a profile of the Spider X shape, but under the backside, it really was all cut out. We were hollowing the whole thing out to get as much weight forward as possible so that the putter actually closed like a blade.
At the time, he loved the performance of his blade, he just felt like he didn’t have enough alignment out of it. True Path worked really well for him in terms of centering the ball. One of his biggest issues is he doesn’t always hit the ball center face.
Scheffler’s Spider Tour X putter is large enough to contain the True Path alignment system. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
GK: Got it. A blade simply doesn’t have the size to be able to accommodate a True Path-style alignment system.
AO: Correct.
GW: After playing a few events with an Olson blade, Scottie and his team asked TaylorMade for many different Spider putters with different hosel configurations, neck styles, and even different inserts. Obviously, he was very open then to the alignment system you talked about, and he wound up settling on a Spider Tour X with an L-neck hosel. That configuration is not available at retail. How much does that hosel configuration play into the way his putter swings for him?
AO: Yeah, great question. So, over the last few years, even Rory McIlroy has gone into a slant-neck version of the Spider Tour. They’re very similar, but the toe hang is going to be slightly different.
Scheffler’s Spider Tour X has an L-neck hosel designed to create some toe hang. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
We know that toe hang is slightly more toe down with the L-neck, so that helps [Scottie] rotate and feel more blade-like performance. Again, we’re trying to get him the good feel that he wants. He’s been in the blade for the majority of his life, and winning majors and so forth in a blade product.
So, we want to make sure that when he’s releasing the putter, that it has the right feel. A slightly more toe-down putter is going to have more of a familiar feel, and so that’s been the most important thing for him.
And yes, he asked for everything under the sun and our team has done everything we can to provide him with that.
GW: I noticed on the retail putters there is an X7 in the sole in the toe area, but on Scottie’s but an X1.
AO: Yep.
GW: Does that mean anything?
AO: Yeah, hosel, that’s the type of hassle on there. We have code names for our hosels.
Scottie Scheffler lines up his putt on No. 11 during the final round of the Masters Tournament. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Network
GW: So, the motivation for Scottie to change was really rooted in wanting to be able to align the putter more easily, and then you designed a Spider that would swing like his blade. But now, instead of hitting off a milled metal face, he’s using a grooved Pure Roll face. Is it the same one that is in retail putters?
AO: He was in the camp of wanting more metal face inserts versus the Pure Roll Surlyn insert. We provided him with milled prototypes and metal versions with different thicknesses to get different feels. And then, low and behold, Joe Ryon, who runs our putter lab, was like, “Let’s just throw one in with the actual, stock, Surlyn insert even though they’re not asking for it.” We wanted to give it to him.
A blend of Surlyn and aluminum powder create the feel Scheffler likes while the Pure Roll grooves encourage the ball to start rolling quicker. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
The Pure Roll insert has a little bit of aluminum powder in it, so it’s 80 percent Surlyn. We’ve player-tested pure Surlyn inserts (essentially ionomer resin) in the past, but they test too soft.
AO: Yes. The addition of the Aluminum flake slightly firms the compound to create a perfect balance of feel, sound and roll performance. And, as you can see, the score lines and grooves are angled down slightly. They will grab the ball better and get it rolling. In everything we’ve ever tested on our Quintic Ball Roll system here in The Kingdom, you will see that if you put somebody in this 80/20 Pure Roll insert, they will instantly get better numbers.
GK: What is the loft on Scottie’s putter?
AO: Our traditional Spider Tour putters have 3.5 degrees of loft, but Scottie’s has 3.1 degrees. You need some loft in there because the ball sits in a depression created by its weight. You have to get it out of the depression or else you end up just jamming it into the ground, but the grooves grab the back of the ball and stop it from back spinning.
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The TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper is designed to deliver driver-like distance with fairway wood control.
Gear: TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper Price:$449.99 with UST Mamiya ProForce 65 shaft and Golf Pride TaylorMade Victory Copper grip Specs: Titanium face and chassis with carbon fiber crown, adjustable sole weights and adjustable hosel. 11.5 and 13.5-degree models
Who It’s For: Fast-swinging golfers who want an alternative to their driver off the tee but who want more forgiveness and distance than most 3-woods provide.
The Skinny: Smaller than a driver, yet much larger than a typical 3-wood, the BRNR Mini Driver Copper combines exotic materials and driver-like technologies to create a powerful alternative off the tee for elite players.
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The Deep Dive: Aside from the possible exception of a driving iron, no club in golf is more macho than a mini driver. Carrying one says to the world that there are times on the course when your driver goes too far, and, you are skilled enough to get the ball airborne with a fairway wood that has driver-like loft.
TaylorMade has quietly made mini drivers available for a few seasons. The Original One Mini debuted in 2019, and in 2021, the 300 Mini driver was released. Last year, TaylorMade offered the BRNR Mini, and a few pros, including Tommy Fleetwood, have put it in play frequently. Now, on the eve of the 2024 Masters, TaylorMade is dropping the BRNR Mini Driver Copper, a club that is virtually identical to the 2023 BRNR Mini but cosmetically pays homage to the late ’90s Burner woods.
The BRNR Mini Driver Copper’s head size is 304cc, which is 34 percent smaller than most drivers on the market today, like the 460cc TaylorMade Qi10 Max. However, the BRNR Mini Driver Copper dwarfs 3-woods like the Qi10 Max (200cc) and Qi10 Tour (170cc). The BRNR Mini Driver Copper also comes standard at 43.75 inches in length, which is a half-inch longer than those 3-woods but 2 inches shorter than a stock Qi10 LS driver and 1.75 inches shorter than a standard Qi10 Max driver.
With specifications like that, and being available only in 11.5 and 13.5-degree lofts, some golfers will call the BRNR Mini Driver Copper a 2-wood instead of a mini driver. Regardless of what you call it, the club is designed to excel off the tee as alternative to a driver.
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The BRNR Mini Driver Copper has a titanium face and body along with a carbon fiber crown. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
The BRNR Mini Driver Copper has a titanium face and body, along with a carbon fiber crown, to create a significant amount of discretionary weight, which engineers re-purposed in the form of two sole weights. With the 13-gram weight in the front and 1.5-gram weight in the back, the BRNR Mini Driver Copper produces more ball speed, less spin and a lower launch angle. However, with the 13-gram weight in the back port and the lighter weight in the front, golfers should see an increase in both spin and launch angle, along with more stability.
The BRNR Mini Driver Copper also has Twist Face, a shot-straightening technology that debuted in 2018’s M3 and M4 drivers, and it has a Speed Pocket slot in the sole to allow the lower portion of the hitting area to flex more efficiently on low-struck shots.
If players decide to play the BRNR Mini Copper off the deck, its K-shaped sole is designed to allow the bottom of the club to skim across and over the turf more effectively. But be warned: With a deep face and large size, this club was designed to be used primarily off the tee. Fast-swinging, skilled players will be able to create enough lift to get shots up in the air, but slower-swinging players might struggle to generate enough spin to maximize carry distance.
To fine-tune the spin and trajectory, the BRNR Mini Copper comes with an adjustable hosel that allows players and fitters to increase or decrease the loft by up to 2 degrees.
Even with all those modern features and technologies, the copper accents and the font used to spell the word TaylorMade on the sole will immediately be recognizable to golfers who remember using Burner drivers and fairway woods in the 1990s. And, if you recall that turning the head cover of last season’s BRNR Mini driver inside-out revealed a fuzzy rainbow design that some players opted to use, you will be pleased to know that turning the BRNR Mini Copper’s headcover inside out reveals a fuzzy blue-patterned option you can go with.
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Gear: Cleveland Launcher Halo XL fairway woods Price:$249.99 each with Mitsubishi Tensei AV Blue shaft and Lamkin Crossline 360 grip Spec: Stainless steel head and face. Available as 3- (15 degrees), 5- (18 degrees), 7- (21 degrees) and 9-wood (24 degrees)
Who It’s For: Mid- and high-handicap golfers who want a forgiving fairway wood that also helps to provide more distance.
The Skinny: The Launcher Halo XL fairway woods are bigger than most fairway woods and have a lower profile to make them easy to hit, while the railed sole helps golfers increase consistency and avoid digging.
The Deep Dive: The Cleveland Launcher XL2 drivers are designed to be forgiving and help golfers generate more ball speed and distance off the tee, and the players who like that type of club are precisely who Cleveland is targeting with the Launcher Halo XL fairway woods.
The Halo XL fairways have a large, reassuring look. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
Golfers who routinely shoot in the high 80s, 90s or low 100s tend to lack consistency with their long clubs, which is a problem because they often need fairway woods on long par 4s and nearly all par 5s. So, Cleveland made the Launcher Halo XL fairway woods bigger, with larger hitting areas from heel to toe while maintaining a lower profile. Standing over the ball, it’s a confidence-inspiring look.
Like the Launcher XL2 drivers, the Launcher Halo XL fairway woods have been designed with Rebound Frame, which adds a flexible region behind the rigid topline and seam where the face meets the chassis. The result is the whole hitting area flexes back at the moment of impact, broadening the sweet spot on the variable-thickness face and helping to protect ball speed on off-center hits.
Rails on the sole of the Halo XL fairways help them glide through and over the turf more easily. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
Cleveland designers added a pair of rails on the bottom of each Launcher Halo XL fairway wood. They help the club slide through the turf more efficiently and maintain speed through the hitting zone, reducing the effects of ground-first contact and helping players get more distance.
The Launcher Halo XL fairway woods do not have an adjustable hosel system, but they are offered in four lofts ranging from a 15-degree 3-wood up to a 24-degree 9-wood, so players and fitters should be able to find the combination of clubs that logically fills distance gaps.
Gear: TaylorMade SpeedSoft golf balls Price:$24.99 per dozen Specs: Two-piece, ionomer-covered ball available in white, yellow and Ink pattern (green, blue, orange, pink and red)
Who It’s For: Budget-minded golfers who want more distance off the tee.
The Skinny: TaylorMade designed a new, ultra-soft core for the SpeedSoft for more distance, then developed a new visual pattern to make it stand out.
The Deep Dive: TaylorMade is trying to make significant inroads in the golf ball category in 2024, and the balls that you will hear the most about are the TP5 and TP5x, along with their TP5 and TP5x Pix counterparts. Those are the balls that Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Nelly Korda and Rickie Fowler are playing, and those are the balls that will put the most considerable dent in your wallet. For many players, $54.99 for a dozen balls is just not going to happen, and the $42.99 per dozen Tour Response may be out of reach, too.
For budget-minded golfers who still want a ball that delivers solid performance and doesn’t feel like a rock when you hit it, TaylorMade is releasing the SpeedSoft. This two-piece, ionomer-covered ball was designed to provide soft feel, more distance and possibly add some pizazz to your game.
The Ink version of the SpeedSoft ball is eye-catching. (TaylorMade)
At the heart of the SpeedSoft is the newly developed PWRCore. It is an exceptionally soft core, so every golfer should be able to activate it off the tee for more distance. However, because the SpeedSoft has a 50 compression, it holds the distinction of being the softest-feeling ball in the TaylorMade lineup.
The SpeedSoft does not create the same level of greenside spin that the urethane-covered TP5 and TP5x can. Still, its ionomer cover is designed to generate a mid- to high-launch trajectory with wedges, so golfers should be able to create stopping power by bringing shots in more vertically.
In addition to traditional white and yellow color options, TaylorMade is offering the SpeedSoft in a new Ink pattern that features splashes of green, blue, red or pink, along with a complimenting black. The pattern, which looks like splattered paint, is eye-catching, but there is still an arrowed side stamp for golfers who like to use a line on their ball when they putt.
Ping i530 irons are better-player distance clubs made to enhanced distance and forgiveness.
Gear: Ping i530 irons Price:$205 each with True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 steel shafts and Golf Pride 360 Tour Velvet grips. $220 each with Ping Alta CB Black graphite shafts Specs: Forged C300 maraging steel face with 17-4 stainless steel chassis
Who It’s For: Golfers who want the look of a better-player’s iron combined with the distance of a game-improvement club.
The Skinny: These hollow-bodied, better-player distance irons look like blades but were made to generate more ball speed and distance while also offering enhanced forgiveness and feel.
The Deep Dive: Ping recently released the Blueprint T and Blueprint S, the new irons that comprise the “precision” offerings in Ping’s stable designed for pros and accomplished players. With its machined back and classic looks, the just-released i530 appears like it fits into that category too. However, several hidden design features and technologies set it apart and position it as a better-player’s distance iron.
The i530 replaces the i525 iron that was released in 2022, and it has a hollow-body design that is similar to the design of Ping’s metalwoods. The thin, forged C300 maraging steel face is welded to the 17-7 stainless steel body, which creates a hollow chamber inside the head. This hollow-body design allows the hitting area to flex more efficiently at the moment of impact, so golfers can generate more ball speed and distance.
A toe screw and heel weight create more stability without making the i530 bigger. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
To improve the sound and feel of impact, engineers added a polymer to the back of the face. It soaks up excessive vibrations without restricting the bending of the hitting area at impact, so it does not reduce ball speed.
When golfers see the back of the i530, they might think the milled area is there for show, but each machined line represents an area where steel was removed from a high location in the head. Machining the back and making it thinner created discretionary weight that designers were able to reposition in the form of an internal mass pad that is 10 grams heavier than the pad found in the i525. Consequently, the i530 has a lower the center of gravity (CG) location, which should help golfers create a higher launch angle and more stopping power on the greens. A bonus of positioning extra mass low in the head is it puts more steel directly behind the area where golfers tend to hit the ball, which results in extra ball speed.
To make the i530 more forgiving without making the clubs larger, Ping designed each head to house a high-density toe weight that compliments a weight added to the hosel area. The added mass increases the perimeter weighting of the heads, making them more stable on off-center hits.
In addition to a Hydropearl 2.0 finish that improves performance in wet conditions, Ping gave the i530 MicroMax grooves. Introduced on the i59 and the i230 irons, MicroMax grooves are packed more tightly together in the hitting area to enhance performance in all types of moisture conditions and reduce the effect of flier lies.
