Stalder's Bag

[saevel25]

http://blogs.golf.com/equipment/2014/02/winners-bag-kevin-stadlers-gear-at-2014-phoenix-open.html?sct=hp4

Note the 3-wood, Callaway Steelhead III

I use to rock the Steelhead Plus. I still think one of the best 3 woods ever. I could hit that thing off of any surface. I think I still own it somewhere.

[Jakester23]

That's really cool to see someone playing what they like. I wonder how many top pros would like to do that?

[joekelly]

FAIRWAY WOOD: Callaway Big Bertha Steelhead III (17°) with a Matrix OZIK XCON8 shaft

HYBRID: Ping i15 (17°) with a Graphite Design Tour AD X Hybrid shaft

Seems odd that he would carry 2 clubs with the same loft.

How many of us, the common folk, would do that?  Poll, anyone??

[WUTiger]

  joekelly said:

.. Seems odd that he would carry 2 clubs with the same loft. How many of us, the common folk, would do that?  Poll, anyone??

I come close.

Tour Edge Exotics XRail 7W....21* loft...41" shaft

Adams Idea V4  4-Hybrid........22* loft...39.75" shaft

Shaft length makes the difference. 7W goes 200 yds./ 4H goes 185 yds.

4H has slightly lower launch, and 7W is better out of medium rough

For odd stuff: I got a preliminary online fitting from Ping site this summer. Suggested long clubs:

G20 5W...18*...42.5" shaft

G20 2H....17*..40.5" shaft

G20 3H....20*,,,40" shaft

[mvmac]

Just because it says 17 degrees doesn't mean that's what the actual measurement is.  If his longest iron is a 4 iron, that i15 hybrid is probably on the weaker side.

[Dave2512]

  joekelly said:

How many of us, the common folk, would do that?  Poll, anyone??

My 4i is 21* and my 7w 20* but the 7w shaft is nearly 4" longer. About a 20 yd gap for me. I also have a 20* hybrid I use from time to time if I don't carry the 7w. That's about a 15 yd gap between that and the 4i.

[saevel25]

  mvmac said:

Just because it says 17 degrees doesn't mean that's what the actual measurement is.  If his longest iron is a 4 iron, that i15 hybrid is probably on the weaker side.

Yep. I don't think companies want to show the real lofts on those clubs because they can't sell them like that. When you see a pro hitting a 9.5 driver, when its actually a 7 degree. I think a lot of amateurs will think, "I should be hitting a 7 degree". Well they shouldn't. So why not just label it 9.5 and market it with some slight of hand.

  joekelly said:

FAIRWAY WOOD: Callaway Big Bertha Steelhead III (17°) with a Matrix OZIK XCON8 shaft

HYBRID: Ping i15 (17°) with a Graphite Design Tour AD X Hybrid shaft

Seems odd that he would carry 2 clubs with the same loft.

How many of us, the common folk, would do that?  Poll, anyone??

Umm, you the hybrid might be as much as 1.5-2 inches shorter. That could easily be 15-20 yards.

[mdl]

  saevel25 said:

slight of hand.

You mean sleight of hand?  I know, I'm an a-hole ;-)  Couldn't resist...

Quote:

Originally Posted by joekelly

Seems odd that he would carry 2 clubs with the same loft.

How many of us, the common folk, would do that?  Poll, anyone??

I have two hybrids, and I actually prefer the lower lofted one for exactly this reason, but the higher lofted one has a newer grip and I haven't been bothered to regrip the longer one, so I often carry a 19˚ Titleist 585h and a 20˚ Titleist 695CB 3i.  The hybrid usually gives me 5-10 more yards, and it's enough of a different swing from my long irons that it's often nice to have the option in that range.  If the long irons are working that day then I'll just go with the 3i.  If I need regular 3i distance but the long irons aren't really feeling great that day, then I can just choke up or smooth out my 2h and hit that instead.

[amoszz]

I like the fact he is using a driver that came out in 2011. It makes me not want to update so often.

[mdl]

  amoszz said:

I like the fact he is using a driver that came out in 2011. It makes me not want to update so often.

I went back to the TM R7 (with a new Aldila shaft) after a few years trying other drivers.  At this point it seems like we've already seen a large percentage of the improvements that are available given the restrictions on club design, and updating every year (or even every 2 or 3 years) is unnecessary.  If you feel like your swing doesn't fit the club you chose a couple years ago, or you got a big raise and just feel like having some shiny new clubs, then sure, go ahead and update.  But updating more than every 4-5 years or so, on average, seems like succumbing to marketing, not part of a search for the best clubs for you right now.