My Five: Costliest Equipment Switches

[GolfSpy_X]

My Five: Costliest Equipment Switches

 

This week it was announced that U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell, formerly under contract to Callaway, signed a multi-year contract for a reported $3 million per year to play Srixon irons, Cleveland wedges and the Srixon ball. McDowell is the latest to parlay a major championship into a lucrative equipment change, but it can be treacherous landscape. Although manufacturers are continuously refining the nuances of clubfitting and have largely stopped contractually obligating players to use one specific club or ball, potential pitfalls still exist. Here are five players whose games went south after a cash-fueled switch.

 

Read More http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/2011-01/photos-my-five-equipment-switches#ixzz1AIF6hbEO

[lowballhitter]

I'd have to rank Curtis Strange going from MacGregor to Maruman after winning back to back US Opens and a ton of events then proceeding to fall off the map forever.

[kmanhooks1]

I don't think it will matter much with McDowell. That crap back in the 80's and 90's was pure garbage, he shouldn't have that tough of a time with the Srixon transition. Phil won two Masters with different iron, and so did that guy who nailed all the waitresses...what's his name?

[Manavs]

I'd have to rank Curtis Strange going from MacGregor to Maruman after winning back to back US Opens and a ton of events then proceeding to fall off the map forever.

 

 

Curtis after the change even though he didnt win in the states (he had a few unofficial wins after that), he still had a run at a few majors in the early 90's - and point being that his equipment change was from forged blade to forged blade and I would have a strong argument for Curtis not to be in this discussion, and blame his decline on any number of other relevant items.

 

Back in the 90s you had all these players going from forged irons to cast monstrosities that the OEM's were trying to sell to the public through the hands of tour players that just did not want to play them. Plus dont discount the ball configurations. Those balls back in the 90's sucked compared to what we have now. So a player like Pavin going from blades and balata to VAS and hp2 was an exponential change that worked for him, and not so much for others - Stewart and Janzen come to mind.

 

I remember watching Zinger play in a skins event complain how he was hitting the big bertha pw over a par 3 pin 150yards away. He was complaining how the COG was so far away from the hosel and wasnt used to it.

 

fast forward to 2011 - and the gap between good equipment and great equipment has narrowed considerably. A $15 doz golf ball is as well made as a $60 doz (your ego may prevent you from playing it which is another matter).

 

McDowell is going to be playing a great iron/ball combination its not a piece of junk like the Hogan H40, or the bowl of soup top flite driver with the matching diamond sole irons you could find for $200 in their prime.

[HillWilliam]

It's a good article and I specifically remember Payne Stewart's career nosediving after he switched clubs.

I wasn't aware of Nick Price's situation. He was outstanding for a few years and then just fell off the map until he went to the Champions Tour...Too bad. The most curious one is Pavin. We all have spoken out on the Cleveland VAS (good club, looks only a mother could love). He had great success with it and then poof, he was gone.

[BIG STU]

I can tell you another one. Greg Norman played great in The Open a couple of years back he as playing macgregor equipment and then he jumped on the Taylor Made bandwagon and he has not played worth a hoot since. He had played Spalding or Macgregor equipment most of his career he did switch biefly to Colbra equipment in the 80s and the Colbra Aussie Blades looked a lot like Macgregor or Spalding blades at address

[Manavs]

I can tell you another one. Greg Norman played great in The Open a couple of years back he as playing macgregor equipment and then he jumped on the Taylor Made bandwagon and he has not played worth a hoot since. He had played Spalding or Macgregor equipment most of his career he did switch biefly to Colbra equipment in the 80s and the Colbra Aussie Blades looked a lot like Macgregor or Spalding blades at address

 

Norman was notorious for playing custom don white irons (macgregors) stamped with his current brand. when he was with titleist in 03 thats what he was playing.

[reg]

Greg Norman is a bit different, since the early 2000s he hasn't played much, he's more into his business. His effort at the British Open a few years ago was a one off. I think even he admitted he hadn't practiced much into the lead up.

[skihippy]

This does follow in the lead that Callaway will be selling out soon. Any word of when Phil will be jumping ship as well?

[BIG STU]

Norman was notorious for playing custom don white irons (macgregors) stamped with his current brand. when he was with titleist in 03 thats what he was playing.

You know I think I may have seen a set of those a few years back. I know they were curious looking and i remarked that the toe did look like a Macgregor. Most titelist forged blades look like old Spalding Elites from the late 60s early 70s to me at the address position. I know the Colbras that I mentioned before were real and had documentation on them. The guy was trying to sell them to us at our old shop but $1000 was too high for us on resale because most of our customers at thetime could care less about such things so needless to say we did not purchase them.