Style Insider: Sweater weather

Those keeping a close watch on equipment coverage often take notice of gear made specifically “just for the” PGA TOUR or “tour issue.” It’s every gearhead’s dream to find a way to procure a tour-prototype or something directly off a truck. Every now and then, the equipment manufacturers will make those “tour-issue” projects available in limited quantities. This week, Titleist Master Craftsman Bob Vokey released the tour-favorite T-Grind wedge — featuring a low-bounce and a narrow crescent surface — via WedgeWorks, the company’s custom-order arm. “Wedge play is an art, and the T-Grind brings out the best in the artist,” Vokey explained. “The leading edge stays low to the playing surface as the wedge is rotated which allows you to hit a variety of shots from tight lies. This is the wedge that really made Vokey Grinds an important part of our process and still to this day is a great option.” Designed for players looking for a shallow angle of attack in firm conditions, the Vokey T-Grind lob wedges both feature in the bags of PGA TOUR stars Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. Vokey Wedge representative Aaron Dill provides the lowdown on the new T-Grind: GolfWRX: What was the origin of the T-Grind? AARON DILL: “The T-grind started with the collaborative efforts of both Bob Vokey and Tom Pernice. Tom has an incredible short game and ability to articulate feedback that Bob trusts when designing and studying soles. Together they created the T; today one of the best low bounce offerings we have.” GolfWRX: Who is it for? DILL: “The T is a great low bounce option that caters to players wanting the ability to slide under the ball in the open position. The wedge fits firm conditions and firm bunkers, or players with impeccable technique who want the most versatility.” GolfWRX: What do Jordan and JT like about it? DILL: “Both Jordan and JT love this grind because it sits so close to the ground when open. This visual inspires confidence and gives them the freedom to be aggressive in every short game situation. “A great example of that was when Jordan was using a 60-04L — this wedge was in the bag for a while and the biggest adjustments we made to the wedge was in the profile reducing the par height to look slightly smaller and increase topline curvature. This profile was precisely the look Jordan needed to see to feel comfortable and it was my focus with every wedge I made. “One day at Trinity Forest, Jordan was working with coach Cameron McCormick and saw an old rusty wedge resting against the wall. When Jordan picked it up, he realized it was an old 60T that he has used ages ago. The moment this wedge was put in the playing position that old feeling came back. Jordan called me and said, ‘I have this old 60T in my hands. I just love this thing. Do you still make this wedge?’” The T-Grind features the same technology found in Vokey’s SM8 wedges, which includes a reimagined progressive CG pushed forward from the face for increased MOI designed to provide improved distance, trajectory control and better feel. The wedges also include 100%-inspected spin milled grooves that aim to produce maximum spin and shot control. The WedgeWorks T-Grind (RH only) is available for custom order in golf shops and on Vokey.com in both 58-degree and 60-degree lofts in Tour Chrome and Raw finishes. Each wedge costs $199, which includes custom stamping, custom ferrule, and custom shaft band options.

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Phil Mickelson issued an apology on Twitter on Tuesday in which the six-time major champion said he was sorry for recent comments he made about the PGA Tour and organizers of a Saudi-financed breakaway league.

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AVONDALE, La. – Among the many elements making the Zurich Classic of New Orleans’ team format so distinctive is an intangible not usually present at individual stroke-play events on the PGA TOUR. Chemistry. With 80 two-man teams to start the week, the dynamic between partners can be a determining factor on which team holds up the new Fleur-de-lis crystal trophy after the final putt drops Sunday at TPC Louisiana. “I think chemistry helps,â€� said Billy Horschel, the defending champion along with teammate Scott Piercy. “Do you need it to play good team golf? No. But I think if you do have a good strong chemistry with somebody and get along and there’s a good mojo between you two, I think it can only enhance the teamwork-type deal…we all want to play great for our teammates.â€� That’s especially true on Friday and Sunday when Foursomes are played in the second and final rounds. Under the alternate-shot format, no player wants to leave his partner in a bad spot by hitting a poor drive. And certainly no player wants to miss a short birdie attempt after his partner just stuck an approach inside 5 feet. Without the right chemistry, without confidence in each other, a partnership can be strained if players are constantly having to bail out each other. Although they’ve yet to win, the tandem of Kevin Kisner-Scott Brown has played about as well as any since the team format was instituted in 2017. They lost in a playoff two years ago to Cameron Smith-Jonas Blixt, and last year were the 54-hole leaders before stumbling to a 77 in the final round. In their previous seven rounds before that, they were 47 under. It helps that they’ve known each other for 25-plus years. They were traveling roommates when starting their pro careers on the mini-tours and then the Web.com Tour. They’re practice partners in the off-season back home in Aiken, South Carolina, and they also spend plenty of time together off the course – or, as Brown described, “We hang out all the time.â€� That chemistry is one of the primary reasons they entered Thursday’s first round of Four-balls as one of the favorites. “Tons of camaraderie,â€� Kisner explained. “That helps out there when you’re trying to win a tournament or just from a teammate or partnership. It’s nice to know each other’s games so well.â€� Added Brown: “More so than anything, the bad shots don’t make us very upset at each other because we’ve seen each other’s bad shots on an everyday basis when we’re at home. We just kind of go out there and do our things like we do at home.â€� As for the defending champs, Piercy was born and raised in Las Vegas and attended college in San Diego; Horschel, meanwhile, is a Florida native. While they didn’t grown up together like Brown and Kisner did, they have become close friends since turning pro. Piercy didn’t play the Zurich Classic in 2017, while Horschel partnered with fellow University of Florida alum Matt Every and missed the cut. When Piercy put Zurich on his 2018 schedule, they decided to hook up. Their chemistry strikes a perfect balance – the emotional, talkative Horschel and the laid-back casual vibes of Piercy. It even extends to TPC Louisiana. Horschel loves the course, having won in 2013 when the Zurich Classic was an individual stroke-play event. Piercy, meanwhile, had missed the cut six times in his eight starts prior to last season. But now that he’s part of a team, he has a much more positive outlook since he can avoid some of the shots that have previously given him trouble. “I’ll say as an individual stroke-play event, this hasn’t been my favorite course,â€� Piercy said. “But a lot of the shots that I haven’t liked, Billy hits – and they’re mainly on odd holes. “For me, the chemistry that I feel from Billy’s vibe here, because he likes it so much, I’ll say that it picks me up and it makes me feel good.â€� Said Horschel: “I love being here. I have good vibes whenever I step on this golf course.â€� Added Piercy: “He’s riding cloud 9 around this place. He loves it. So it’s nice to get on that cloud with him.â€� While some teams have established chemistry, others are trying to build chemistry. In fact, that’s one of the big goals this week for International Team Captain Ernie Els. Not only is he playing with fellow South African (and assistant captain) Trevor Immelman, Els had a hand in determining some of the teams involving players who may be on his 12-man roster for the Presidents Cup in Australia this December. Not included the Els-Immelman tandem, there are 13 teams in which both players represent International Team countries. Els hopes whatever chemistry is developed by some of those teams this week at TPC Louisiana will carry over for the rest of the year. Getting accustomed to the Foursomes and Four-balls formats is also key to that chemistry building. At the 2017 Presidents Cup at Liberty National, the International Team trailed 14-1/2 to 3-1/2 after the completion of all Foursomes and Four-ball sessions, as the Americans nearly clinched victory prior to Sunday’s Singles. The International Team had a 7-1/2 to 4-1/2 advantage on a final day in which the outcome essentially was already determined. “We cannot win the Cup if we don’t play these disciplines very well,â€� Els said. “Foursomes and Four-ball is very important to winning the Presidents Cup in December. “Now, saying that, not all our players are here. We’re trying out some selections. Some of the guys just want to play together…we’ll see how it goes. We’ve got another plan when we get to December.â€� That plan, no doubt, will rely heavily on the chemistry built this week.

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