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NEWS FROM THE TOUR VANS
BROUGHT TO YOU BY GOLF PRIDE, THE #1 GRIP ON TOUR
Much of Tiger Woods’ equipment has evolved throughout his career, but one notable exception is the iconic Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS putter he has used to win 14 of his 15 majors. The lone major victory without that magic wand was the 1997 Masters, in which Woods used a Scotty Cameron Newport Teryllium Tel3 with white vibration-dampening dots on the back.
The 20-year-old Newport 2 GSS has significant defining characteristics. It is made from German stainless steel, an expensive material not available at retail. It also features a face insert that was milled and then made smooth, a departure from the more pronounced milling patterns used in many putters today. Woods does not use a traditional Scotty Cameron grip, opting for a Ping PP58 grip that was fitted to the Ping Anser 2 putters he used as a junior.
One aspect of the putter most golf fans can recognize immediately is the red dot and “Tiger Woods” painted into the back of the head. That has taken on a different look recently because Woods added lead tape to the head during last July’s Open Championship and it stripped away much of the red paint when he removed it after the tournament.
On the other end of the spectrum, Viktor Hovland has set sail with a new putter he nicknames “the Viking” in honor of his Scandinavian roots. Hovland had been using a TaylorMade TP Black Copper Mullen 2 DB SS putter, but switched to a Ping Sigma 2 Wolverine H after spending time in the Ping putting lab, according to a Golf.com report.
For all Hovland has accomplished in his short time as a professional, he struggled to -.210 strokes gained putting and felt the need for adjustments. Decreasing his loft from 4 degrees to 2.5 degrees helped his spin rate, while moving to a plumber’s neck hosel instead of a double bend helped the putter sit more squarely at impact.
Hovland has reason for optimism with the new putter, and not necessarily because of anything that has transpired on the course. During his time at the lab, Ping fitters graded Hovland the best putter out of the more than 6,000 professionals and amateurs who have come into the shop. The “putting handicap” is based on variables like putter-head rotation, face angle at impact and tempo.
At the Zozo Championship, FootJoy won the shoe count (54 percent) and the glove count (32 percent).
Sean Fairholm