Sam Burns explains the unique gear change he made to improve his wedge play

When we last saw Bryson DeChambeau, he was making an impressive run through the Professional Long Drivers’ World Championship. He hasn’t teed it up in a traditional event since the Ryder Cup, and isn’t scheduled to return to competitive golf until his match with Brooks Koepka on the day after Thanksgiving, followed by next month’s Hero World Challenge. DeChambeau has been busy during his “down” time. He said after leaving the long-drive championship that he intended to use his time away from tournament golf to get even longer. Then, earlier this week, he posted a video to his YouTube channel titled “My New Prototype Cobra Irons.” Naturally, we at the Equipment Report were intrigued. For as much adjusting as DeChambeau has done at the top (driver, woods) and bottom of his bag (wedges), he has been using since 2016 the Cobra King Forged One Length irons he helped design. Accordingly, we were even more intrigued when DeChambeau said these new clubs — a 3D-printed version of the Cobra MiM Tour One Length that has been tweaked specifically for DeChambeau — could go straight into the bag. On one of his first recorded strikes with a pitching wedge, DeChambeau’s ball speed was 138 mph. For reference, the average PGA TOUR pro’s ball speed with a 4-iron is only 137 mph. For a pitching wedge, it’s a little over 100 mph, according to TrackMan. Later in the video, DeChambeau carried a 6-iron 245 yards. So, he has no problem flushing the new irons. During testing, DeChambeau made note of how impressed he was with the ball speed and spin rate he was generating. While Cobra is mum on the specifics of the technology and the appearance of the clubs – the clubheads were blurred out in the YouTube video — Cobra’s Ben Schomin described them as having a “better player shape with a thin, rounded topline, small-to-medium sole width, and rounded sole camber.” DeChambeau prefers a simple shape in his irons with plenty of leading-edge bounce and some offset at the hosel, Schomin said. Interestingly, according to DeChambeau and Cobra, the prototype irons are 3D-printed (rather than cast or forged, the two traditional methods of making irons). Schomin told us DeChambeau’s 4- and 5-irons have always been 3D printed, but not so for the rest of his set. While offering similar performance to cast clubs, Schomin said 3D printing allows for more rapid and consistent prototyping than other methods of club creation. It also allows greater ease of “feel replication.” The fully 3D printed clubs are the latest iteration of a multi-year process that has seen multiple models printed, tweaked, and tested to adjust shapes, sole widths, face thickness, and bounce. It’s been a long process to find DeChambeau a successor in the iron department. According to Schomin, Cobra engineers have “made at least a dozen sets with various modifications over the last five years.” DeChambeau has had mixed results with the irons he has used for the past five years. He has ranked as one of the best players on TOUR in proximity from 200-plus yards, but has struggled mightily from 125 yards and in. DeChambeau wrapped the YouTube video by saying of the irons: “Going to be putting ‘em right in the bag. Little bit of loft adjustments for spin rates,” before describing the prototype irons as “baller.” We’ll be keenly awaiting further details on the prototype technology and whether we can expect a retail offering.

Click here to read the full article…

Click here to read the full article…

“Let’s play two!” was the famous cry of Cubs hall of fame shortstop Ernie Banks. Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, will become the epicenter of the PGA TOUR for the next two weeks as it will host the Workday Charity Open followed by the Memorial Tournament. The John Deere Classic usually takes place this week but has been put on hiatus until 2021. The Workday Charity Open at Muirfield Village Golf Club will feature a field of 157 players and a purse of $6.2 million ($1.116 million/500 FedExCup points for the winner) to kick off the fortnight. Now stretching to 7,456 yards (Par-72), MVGC has added six new fairway bunkers and three new teeing grounds to add to the challenge and deviate from the norm. RELATED: Power Rankings | Sleepers | Expert Picks Tournament Director Dan Sullivan remarked last month that there will be a “clear distinction” between the two events. Tiger Woods has said over the years that these are the fastest greens on TOUR (non-major) but that’s not going to be the case this week. Slower speeds on undulating greens will also bring in new pin placements that will be new to the entire field. This will be the fifth week running that the average green sizes play less than 5,200 square feet and the third week in a row putting on Bent/Poa. While the teeing grounds and pin positions will rotate to alleviate heavy traffic, the course routing and challenge of avoiding 74 bunkers and 13 water hazards remains the same. The rough will be similar in length and species (Bluegrass) as it was last week in Detroit but will be a bit bushier for the 120-man invitational next week. Recent Winners at MVGC 2019: Patrick Cantlay, -19 T11 or better in EVERY SINGLE CATEGORY minus driving distance; missed tying Tom Lehman’s tournament record by a shot as he closed with 64, the low round on Sunday. Weather will be 10-20 degrees warmer this year. Notables: Kevin Streelman (4th) played his final 54 holes 13-under. … Marc Leishman (5th) posted all four rounds in the red. … Hideki Matsuyama, the 2014 champ, signed for 64 on Saturday. … 2017 champ Jason Dufner and Jordan Spieth shared seventh while Bud Cauley, Emiliano Grillo and Billy Horschel rounded out the top 10 (T9). … Only the top eight were 10-under or lower. 2018: Bryson DeChambeau, -15 (not entered) Notables: Byeong-Hun An and Kyle Stanley were the victims of a two-hole playoff. … Cantlay played in the final group and missed the playoff by a shot. … Joaquin Niemann (T6) co-led with Stanley after 36 holes. … Niemann and Matsuyama (T13) opened with 65 to share the 18-hole lead. … 2010 champ Justin Rose (T6) also put all four rounds in the red. … Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas and Patrick Rodgers (T8) rounded out the top 10. … Top 22 players were 10-under or lower. 2017: Jason Dufner, -15 Came from four shots off the lead to win by three over Fowler. … Ball-striking clinic as he led the field in GIR, SG: Tee to Green and SG: Approach. … Set the 36-hole record opening 65-65. … Posted 77 in Round 3 and still won comfortably. Notables: Thomas and Matt Kuchar (T4) nipped Stanley, Bubba Watson and James Hahn (T6) for the last spots in the top five. … Only three players 10-under or better. … Dufner, born in Cleveland, joined Jack Nicklaus as the only Ohio natives to win the event. The following should give you a decent road map on who understands the routing at MVGC. Next week, with the Memorial proper, I’ll dig deeper into the course horses when rough and slick greens return. Key stat leaders Top golfers in each statistic on the 2019-2020 PGA TOUR are listed only if they are scheduled to compete this week. * – Top 10 since 2015 Strokes-Gained: Approach the Green 1 *Marc Leishman 3 Collin Morikawa 5 *Patrick Cantlay 6 *Hideki Matsuyama 7 *Justin Thomas 8 Viktor Hovland 10 *Gary Woodland (T4, 2016) 13 Russell Henley 13 Joel Dahmen 13 *Emiliano Grillo 18 Corey Conners 19 *Joaquin Niemann 20 *Jim Furyk (T5, 2015; 2002 winner) 21 Tom Hoge 22 Matthew NeSmith 23 Cameron Tringale 24 Harold Varner III 25 Russell Knox Putting: Birdie-or-Better Percentage 2 *Patrick Reed (T8, 2016) 4 *Justin Thomas 5 *Patrick Cantlay 11 *Justin Rose 12 *Jordan Spieth 13 Cameron Champ 14 Scottie Scheffler 17 *JB Holmes (T4, 2016) 21 Sebastian Munoz 22 Vaughn Taylor 23 Bronson Burgoon 25 Charley Hoffman Par-4 scoring 4 *Justin Thomas 5 Xander Schauffele 6 *Patrick Cantlay 8 Brandt Snedeker 8 Adam Hadwin 10 *Patrick Reed 10 Joel Dahmen 10 Scottie Scheffler 15 *Bubba Watson 15 Gary Woodland 15 Harry Higgs 15 *Hideki Matsuyama 15 Sungjae Im 25 *Matt Kuchar Ohio Connections Entered Ryan Armour (Ohio State; born in Akron) Jason Day (Westerville resident) Jason Dufner (born in Akron) Jim Herman (University of Cincinnati; born in Cincinnati) Bo Hoag (Ohio State; born in Columbus) Mackenzie Hughes (Kent State University) Jason Kokrak (Xavier University; grew up in Cleveland)

Click here to read the full article…