Age: 20

Lives: Thailand

Story: Won 2022 LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year. Has two LPGA victories.  History makerI won the 2017
Ladies Thailand Championship as a 14-year-old amateur. That made me the youngest person to win a professional golf tour event.

I was in the field because of a sponsor’s exemption. Winning that tournament was a life-changing event for me. It opened up all the experiences I’ve
had since.

Driver

Specs: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond, 9°, 45.5 inches, Fujikura Ventus Red 5S shaft. 

This is my favourite club. I’ve used it since last December. The launch numbers say it’s better than my previous driver. My spin rate is where I want it, and my clubhead and ball speed are up.

Fairway Woods/Hybrid 

Specs: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond, 15°, Basileus FWSS 60S shaft; Callaway Apex UW, 22°, Basileus UT 70SR shaft.

I’ve been using this 3-wood since December, too. I hit it longer than my previous 3-wood, which has made a big difference. The hybrid has been in my bag since 2021. I’m very comfortable with it, so I’m reluctant to change. 

Irons

Specs: Callaway Apex Pro, 4-iron through pitching wedge, Shimada K 3001 shafts, Elite A50 grips.

When I hit the 4-iron through 7-iron, the sound is like “boom!” It’s almost too loud, but I’m used to it. The 4-iron is rare on the LPGA Tour, but I still hit it high enough to stop shots on the green.

Wedges

Specs: Callaway Jaws Raw (48°, 52°, 58°), Shimada K HW 120 shafts.

The grind is different from my previous wedges because I use each of them
in a bunker depending on the distance. Each one has my nickname “Jeeno” surrounded by stars stamped on them. Every Thai person has a nickname because our names are so long.

Putter

Specs: Odyssey Toulon Atlanta, 33.5 inches, 3°.

This putter went in the bag last year after a visit to the Callaway Performance Centre in Carlsbad, California. It’s much larger in shape than my previous putter, but the style suits my eye, and I like the feel. I have a Texas-themed headcover that I got in Dallas. It’s cool.

Work of art

I mark my Callaway Chrome Soft X by drawing a crown on it, which is the logo I designed for my agency back home. I also put “J” on each side of the number.

Hand signal

My grips are all different colours so that my dad watching on TV in Thailand knows which club I am hitting (the pink one is the 9-iron, for instance). I’ve done this since I was an amateur.

The real jeen

I have Jeeno on my wedges but Jeen on this ball marker. Even though people call me Jeeno, my real nickname is Jeen, which means “Chinese people” in Thai. 

 EQUIPMENT: MICHAEL WILLIAMS • thitikul: ezra shaw/getty images • grips courtesy of callaway

The post What’s In My Bag : Atthaya Thitikul appeared first on Australian Golf Digest.

Age: 26 

Lives: Orlando, Florida

Story: Has won 19 LPGA Tour events, two of them majors.  keep an open mindAs a free agent, testing clubs for the 2023 season, I was ready to try anything. Having an open mind led to some surprising changes: you may not have heard of Proto Concept, the Japanese irons I play, or my IOMIC grips, which I’ve used for a long time. Test without expectations; what’s best for you could be something you would never consider.

Driver

Specs: Titleist TSR3, 9°, Mitsubishi Kurokage XD50 S shaft. 

The most important piece of information for me when testing drivers is accuracy. I’m not one of the longest hitters on the LPGA Tour, and I don’t feel pressure to change that. My goal is to increase my fairways-hit percentage [66.4 in 2022], and this driver is accurate.

Fairway Woods/Hybrid 

Specs: Titleist TSR2+, 13°, Mitsubishi Kurokage XD60 S shaft; Titleist TSR2, 18.0 fairway, Mitsubishi Diamana PD60 S shaft; Ping G425, 22°, Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 65 R1 shaft.

I find hybrids easier to hit than long irons. In fact, I’ve never even carried a 4-iron.   

Irons

Specs: Titleist T200 (5-iron), Proto Concept CO7 (6-iron), Proto Concept CO5 (7-9); all Aerotech SteelFiber FC 70 shafts, IOMIC 1.8 grips.

Proto Concept irons are so consistent yet forgiving. I don’t tend to launch the ball high, so I like that the higher ball flight with my Titleist T200 5-iron helps stop longer shots on the greens. 

Wedges

Specs: Titleist Vokey SM9 (46°, 48°, 54°, 59°); Aerotech SteelFiber FC 80 shafts.

If you look at the stamp on my 58, you’ll see a 59. It’s bent to 59 degrees. I’ve tried both 58 and 60-degree wedges, but I found the 59 is best because of its versatility. It has enough loft to do what you need to around the greens but not so much loft that you can’t hit pitch shots with it, too.

Putter

Specs: Scotty Cameron P5 GSS tour prototype; 34 inches, 3.5°.

This is my favourite club, and it helped me finish last year ranked No.1 in strokes gained/putting. I used a few putters throughout the season, but I always lean towards a mallet. The centre shaft fits my eye and helps my setup.

All-around ball
When testing the Titleist Pro V1 and the Pro V1x, I found the V1x gave me the spin I wanted around the greens and provided the distance I needed in my long game.

Snack pack
I like to snack on seasonal fruit with almond butter while I play. I always pack a big container of it. I also like to make sandwiches out of rice cakes and bananas.

Luggage locator
I’ve heard lots of horror stories about lost luggage this season. Some players used Apple AirTags to find their clubs. Luckily, I haven’t had to use mine, but it’s good to have just in case. 

Equipment images: Jensen larson; ko: donald miralle/getty images

The post What’s In My Bag: Lydia Ko appeared first on Australian Golf Digest.

Age: 26 

Lives: Jupiter, Florida

Story: Eight top-three finishes in his first 34 PGA Tour starts, including runner-up at the 2022 Open Championship.  

Career shot: I’m an equipment junkie – always trying to find the right combination. You want to make sure you have the right mix of wedges. I have a 58-degree wedge with virtually no bounce. I use it for practising off-speed stuff because it punishes you for digging too much and being too steep.

Driver

Specs: Titleist TSR3, 9°, Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro White 70 TX shaft, 45 inches. 

This driver went in the bag at the Scottish Open last year. It’s standard length and neutral settings. It’s as
vanilla as it gets. I can hit a variety of drives with it, but I’m usually going full bore, trying to hit a little draw. 

Fairway woods

Specs: Titleist TSR2+, 15°, Fujikura Ventus Black 80X shaft.

I had a 16.5 degree 3-wood in the bag, but that left too big a yardage gap between my driver and 3-wood – probably a good 50 yards. I can hit this 15-degree fairway wood something like 275 yards in the air easily.   

Irons

Specs: Titleist T200 (2-iron), Titleist T100 (4, 5-iron), Titleist 620 MB (6 to 9-iron), Nippon NS Pro Modus3 Tour 130X shafts, Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align grips.

I sometimes use an 18-degree 5-wood, but I’m mostly playing the 2-iron. It’s more consistent off the tee. The short irons are blades, and when I hit one correctly, it does what I want it to. 

Wedges

Specs: Titleist Vokey SM9 (48°, 53°, 58°), Titleist Vokey WedgeWorks (62°), Nippon NS Pro Modus3 Tour 130X shafts.

I have four wedges but only two lengths. The 48 and 53 are the same, and the 58 and 62 are, too. It helps me control my yardages. I like the muted-colour shafts on the wedges I use around the greens.
It puts my focus on the clubhead.

Putter

Specs: Scotty Cameron Phantom X5 tour prototype, 34.75 inches, SuperStroke Flatso 2.0 Zenergy grip.

This putter has a head shape that is fairly popular on tour, but it’s uniquely mine. It has a long knuckle neck that makes it face-balanced instead of having toe hang. I like the look of it because everything is 90-degree angles.

Easy on the eyes
I always mark with a quarter. There’s no real significance. I use one because anything smaller is tough to get out of your pocket, and anything bigger is annoying to look at on the green.

No complications
I keep it simple in the bag: alignment sticks, rangefinder, tees, balls, etc. I’m also anti-superstitious. If I park in a spot and shoot 64, and it’s open the next day, I’ll make it a point to park elsewhere. 

Local flavour
I switched to the new Titleist ProV1x from the left-dot version because I wanted a little more height on approaches. The spin’s about the same, maybe 100 revolutions-per-minute difference. 

Photos Jesse Rieser; COIN: blackred/getty images

The post What’s In My Bag: Cameron Young appeared first on Australian Golf Digest.

Age: 32 
Lives: Jupiter, Florida
Story: Two-time SEC golfer of the year at Vanderbilt University with one Solheim Cup appearance and two LPGA Tour wins, most recently in May this year.  back on courseI got that first win in 2018 and played in a Solheim Cup, but from that point on my career went in the wrong direction. To get to a place where
I can win again is really cool. I’m now at peace with whatever happens with golf moving forward.

Driver
Specs: Titleist TSi3, 9.5° (B-1 setting), Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw Blue 65S shaft. 
The adjustable hosel is set to .75-degree flat. This gives me more consistent contact. It’s always hard for fitters to find the ideal spin rates without me losing launch, but this was the perfect launch and spin combo. When I mis-hit it, I still feel like I get a lot out of it.

Fairway woods, Hybrid 
Specs: Callaway Rogue ST LS (prototype), 15°; Titleist TSi2, 18°; Hybrid: Ping G425, 22°. 
It’s hard to find a 3-wood that is easy off a tee and off the ground. I found the Rogue ST on the range, hit three shots with it, put it in the bag and won. 

Irons
Specs: Srixon ZX5 (5 through 7-iron), Srixon ZX7 (8-iron through PW), LA Golf A-Series Mid 85 R-flex shafts. All grips Golf Pride Tour Velvet.
I was testing a lot of shafts (my bag weighed 32 kilograms when I flew to LA), but I like the stability, higher flight and spin of these. The two irons mix forgiveness and precision.

Wedges
Specs: Ping Glide 4.0 (46° bent to 49°, 53°, 58°); Nippon NS Pro 950 R shafts.
The shapes of these really suit me. I’ve had similar versions of the Ping Glide wedges the past four years. I weaken the loft on the 46 to get my distance gaps right. The shafts are steel, but they are still light, making for a better transition from my graphite iron shafts.

Putter
Specs: SIK Pro C-Series Matte Black (Plumber’s Neck), LA Golf TPZ One35 shaft, 33 inches.
Michelle Wie introduced me to LA Golf, including this putter shaft. Putting is such a tiny swing that I never thought clubface stability mattered. But I feel like I have a bit more awareness of where the putterface is through impact.

Uni girl
The black and yellow dots on my Titleist Pro V1x are ‘Vandy’ colours. Most LPGA Tour players prefer the Pro V1x over the Pro V1 because it spins more. It’s ideal for me, and I sure don’t swing 115 miles per hour. 

Protein power
I learned the hard way not to eat anything sugary on the course. I used to eat bananas – great for you but with all that natural sugar, I’d crash a few holes after eating one. Now, its fats and protein: jerky, nuts and protein-shake mix. 

Colourful bling
I never use a ball marker that matches my clothes. I’m not superstitious, that just makes sense. I carry a lot of Blingo ball markers in a bunch of colours, so I know I’ll never match. 

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Age: 30 
Lives: Listowel, Ontario
Story: Won the 2019 Valero Texas Open, becoming the first Monday qualifier to win in nine years. 
figuring it outI graduated from Kent State with a degree in Actuarial Mathematics. Risk assessment and making good decisions are attributes  that translate to my golf game. I have an analytical mind, but I don’t overdo it with the stats. It’s more about thinking things through properly. I got that from my studies.

Driver

Specs: Ping G400 LST, 9°, UST Elements Gold 6F5 shaft, 45.25 inches, D-4 swingweight. 

This is an older model, but I like how the ball flies, so I’m not looking to change. The launch, flight and spin match up with what I want to see. I don’t mess around with equipment too often. I’m just comfortable with this club.

Fairway wood, hybrid 

Specs: Ping G425 LST, 15.75°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.5 shaft; Ping G425, 20°, UST VTS Red 85X shaft. Both D-2.

Both of these clubs are in the “plus” loft-hosel setting. I’m looking to hit these clubs high and land them soft. I’m not looking for a knuckleball effect at all.  

Irons

Specs: Ping i210 (4-iron), Ping i59(5-PW), Project X 6.0 shafts; Golf Pride MCC black/blue grips.

I love how these look. I didn’t think I would find an iron better than the iBlade. I used that model for a number of years, but these seem to have a tighter shot pattern, and my mis-hits go even farther, which is nice.

Wedges

Specs: Ping Glide 4.0 (50°, 56°); Titleist Vokey SM8 (60°); Project X 6.0 shafts.

The 56-degree is my favourite club in the bag. I use it for approach shots and a lot of shots around the green. I’ve never been one to change grinds or bounces based on conditions. I know how the club reacts in soft and firm conditions, and it eliminates a variable by not going back and forth.

Putter

Specs: Ping PLD Oslo H prototype; 35 inches, 2°, Ping PP58 Midsize grip.

I used a blade putter for a number of years, but now I’ve gone to a mallet. I put this one in play at this year’s Genesis Open. It just looked right at address. It frames the ball really well. It’s just so easy to line up. 

That’s my girl
I use the Titleist Pro V1 Star ball. It’s a little spinnier version of the Pro V1. I always mark it with my wife’s initials “MM” in red. I began doing that when we started dating, and I’ve kept doing it. 

Hockey fixation
I’m a huge ice hockey fan and played in high school. My favourite team is the Toronto Maple Leafs. I have their logo on my yardage book. I was gutted when they lost in the playoffs this year. 

Spare change
For a ball marker, I always use a toonie, which is a Canadian two-dollar coin. I don’t ever have to worry about running out of them. I have a small fortune of them stashed in my golf bag.  

The post What’s in my bag: Corey Conners appeared first on Australian Golf Digest.

Age 29 

Lives Palm Valley, Florida

Story Winner of six PGA Tour events, including the 2022 Open and Players championships. 

Time Travel I bought a Titleist 975D driver, a Titleist PT 15 fairway wood and a set of Maxfli Australian Blade irons on the internet a few years ago and had the guys from Titleist send me a dozen balata balls. I wanted to try the old equipment. The balls were done after a few rounds. They cut pretty easily.

Driver

Specs Titleist TSi3, 10°, Fujikura Ventus Blue 6X shaft, 45 inches, D-3 swingweight. 

I like having the adjustable hosel set in the A-1 (neutral) position. I want a driver with control, and that allows me to easily feel like I can find the start line a little left of the target and hit a gentle fade. It controls the spin better, too.

Fairway woods

Specs Titleist TSi2, 15°, Fujikura Ventus Blue 8X shaft; Titleist TSi2, 21°, UST Mamiya Elements Red 8F5 X shaft.

For me, a 5-wood into a green might go 30 metres farther than I want if I hit it off the toe. My 7-wood is more consistent and better out of the rough. 

Irons

Specs Mizuno Pro Fli-Hi (3-iron), Titleist T100 (5-9), Titleist Vokey SM9 (PW), KBS Tour 130 Custom Matte Black X shafts, Golf Pride Tour Velvet Super Tack grips.

When Titleist brought out the black heads, I fell in love with them. I was using the black shafts before that, so it completed the look. It makes the irons look a lot tighter, a lot neater.

Wedges

Specs Titleist Vokey SM9 (52, 56 degrees); Titleist Vokey WedgeWorks prototype (60 degrees), KBS Tour 130 Custom Matte Black X shafts.

I have three 60-degree wedges I choose from based on conditions. I mostly use the T grind with 4 degrees of bounce because we play on tight, firm turf.

Putter

Specs Scotty Cameron by Titleist 009 tour prototype, 35 inches, 3.5 degrees of loft.

I used to go through a lot of putters. I have at least 20. Now I feel it’s better to not change so often. I like the way this putter sits. I was using a putter with a larger head, but it had this neck on it. I said if I could get this neck on a 009 head, I’d use it. They made it for me. 

Tale of tails
Scotty Cameron saw I was growing my hair out into a mullet and made this putter cover for me. It’s actually a crawfish tail. That’s as close as they could get. I think it looks pretty cool.

Connecting coin
This Anzac coin serves as my ball marker. It’s representative of the Australian/New Zealand Army Corps. My caddie is from New Zealand, and I’m Australian, so I feel this coin symbolises our connection. 

On the line
My Titleist Pro V1x is marked with a purple line, but I don’t usually use it to line up the ball to the hole. I found that sometimes it took away my natural feel, and I would hit bad putts. 

The post What’s in my bag: Cameron Smith appeared first on Australian Golf Digest.

Age: 26 
Lives: Dallas, Texas
Story: Winner of four PGA Tour events in 2022, including the Masters, that elevated him to
No.1 in the world. 
Building trust: Before joining the TaylorMade staff in March, I had avoided signing an equipment deal for a very long time because I liked being able to choose the clubs I play. I don’t put anything in my bag if I believe it might sacrifice performance. You have to be able to trust your equipment.

Driver

Specs: TaylorMade Stealth Plus, 8°, Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft, 45 inches, D-3 swingweight. 

I picked up ball speed with this driver, and it goes as straight as my old one. Since putting it in play, I fiddled around with the adjustable weight on the sole, moving it about half an inch from the fade setting to a more neutral position.

Fairway wood 

Specs: TaylorMade Stealth, 16.5°; Fujikura Ventus Black 8X shaft.

This 3-wood went in the bag at the Match Play and worked really well. I used it a lot off the tee on downwind holes. I get consistent distance across the face, especially when I hit it off the heel. 

Irons

Specs: Srixon ZU85 (3-iron), Nippon Pro Modus3 Hybrid Tour X; Srixon ZU85 (4-iron); TaylorMade P•7TW (5-PW), True Temper Dynamic Gold X100; Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips.

I grew up playing Nike irons like Tiger, so these had appeal. I found I could hit these lower and higher than my previous irons. That’s more options into greens.

Wedges

Specs: Titleist Vokey SM8 (50, 56 degrees); Titleist Vokey SM8 WedgeWorks prototype (60 degrees); True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts.

The lofts are altered so that my wedges are actually 51, 55.5 and 61 degrees. That lets me make sure I’m hitting the proper distance gaps that I need to.

Putter

Specs: Scotty Cameron by Titleist Special Select Timeless Tourtype GSS prototype, 36 inches, 3 degrees of loft.

The Scotty Cameron guys gave me this putter at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in February because they were tired of applying lead tape to my previous one to make it heavier. This one has adjustable weights on the sole, which eliminates the need for lead tape.

Numbers game 
I put two green dots and cover the Pro V1 stamp with a black line in case I want to line up my ball. I use Nos.5 through 8 to help me ID my ball faster. I’ve been guilty of hitting the wrong ball!

Hand-me-downs
When I was a kid, tour pros hanging out at Royal Oaks in Dallas would give me clubs. Justin Leonard gave me a few wedges (pictured is one of them), and I used Anthony Kim’s putter for a long time. 

Guiding star
I mark my ball with the same coin every time. It’s a Dallas Cowboys ball marker. I’m not superstitious, though. If I lost it, I’d probably just use a quarter. But for some reason I always bring it out. 

 Getty images: Scheffler: ben jared/pga tour; photographs by jesse rieser

The post What’s in my bag: Scottie Scheffler appeared first on Australian Golf Digest.

AGE 25 

LIVES Las Vegas, Nevada

STORY Winner of five PGA Tour events, including the 2020 PGA Championship and 2021 Open Championship. 

FREE ADVICE Although there are different levels of amateur players, I see too many playing smaller clubheads or less-forgiving clubs than they should. Most amateurs would benefit from more loft, weaker shafts and new grips. Many times new grips can greatly improve how the club feels in your hands.

DRIVER

SPECS TaylorMade Stealth Plus, 8.5°, Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 60 TX shaft, 45.125 inches, D-3 swingweight. 

The red face caught my attention, but it took only 10 shots to feel comfortable with it. I hit a little cut, so I like a driver that I can aim down the left side of the fairway, and it’s not going to go farther left. This driver does that. 

FAIRWAY WOODS

SPECS TaylorMade Stealth Plus, 14°; TaylorMade Stealth Plus, 19°; Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX for both.

Big hitters want 3-woods that don’t go as far as possible, but I want as hot a 3-wood as I can get. The 5-wood is the opposite. I don’t want a 5-wood shot that goes farther than I’m expecting. 

IRONS

SPECS TaylorMade P•770 (4-iron), TaylorMade P•7MC (5-6), TaylorMade P•730 (7-PW); True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 shafts; Golf Pride ZGrip Cord grips.

For the face, the smaller the better. Other irons have more forgiveness, but I’m not able to work them as much. The blades make me focus and match what I see and want to do with iron shots.

WEDGES

SPECS TaylorMade MG3 (50, 55 degrees), TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 (60 degrees); True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts.

I use a Milled Grind 2 lob wedge but go with the Hi-Toe on courses with long rough or tough bunkers. The tall face and long grooves give me the sense that I can elevate the shot better.

PUTTER

SPECS TaylorMade TP Juno, 34.75 inches, 2 degrees loft, Lamkin EBL grip.

I used a mallet for a while but felt like I was always adjusting my body and hands. Blades tend to sit really nice at address. I’m more comfortable aligning it, and having the longer neck makes it behave like a face-balanced putter. It has a mallet-like feel but with a blade look.

Ready for launch
I mark my TaylorMade TP5 with a line, but I don’t use it for putting alignment. A good ball is about spin, control and hitting the proper flight window, especially with the irons.

Pencil holder
This pouch is from the 2018 World Amateur. I had about 100 pencils from courses in there, but I’ve gotten it down to 15. I have great memories from representing the United States. 

Leave a mark
This ball marker is from the Fugawi event at Chevy Chase Country Club in California. I never played in it, but I use this marker. It’s the perfect size. I can see it from anywhere on the green. 

The post What’s in my bag : Collin Morikawa appeared first on Australian Golf Digest.

Age: 23 
Lives: Bradenton, Florida
Story: Six wins on the LPGA Tour, including the 2021 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Also won the 2021 Olympic gold medal.
Sister act: I’ve been swinging golf clubs since I started walking, using those cute plastic golf clubs at first. As I got older, I was never really lacking for golf equipment. I was always getting hand-me-down clubs from my older sister, Jess, and I would be very happy when I would get a full set. I was that annoying little sister who got everything.

Club Metres*

Driver 231

3-wood 219

7-wood 210

19˚hybrid 185   

5-iron 171

6-iron 163

7-iron 149

8-iron 142

9-iron 128

pw 117

50˚ 105 

54˚ 91

58˚ 77

*carry distance

DRIVER

Specs Titleist TSi1, 10°, Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 6S shaft. 

Ever since my rookie year, I’ve struggled to find a driver that suits me. I like to hit a draw, and when I tested this one, I fell in love with it. The slightly smaller look appeals to me, too. I won at Lake Nona
the first week I put it in the bag.  

FAIRWAY WOODS/HYBRID

Specs Titleist TSi2, 16.5°, Fujikura Ventus Red 70S shaft; Titleist TSi2, 21°, Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw Blue 75S shaft; Ping G425, 19°, Fujikura Ventus 80S.

I like that I can see the face on the 7-wood at address. I feel like I can hit it high, and that’s what I need because I tend to have a low trajectory.

IRONS

Specs Titleist T100 (5-PW), Aerotech SteelFiber i80cw F4 shafts, Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips.

I’ll take a look at the new T100s at some point, but the consistency of these will be tough to beat. I hit controlled shots at all times, a lot of 90 percenters. But when you hit controlled shots, you’re generating more speed. I’ve had irons in the past that got a little jumpy with that, but not these.

WEDGES

Specs Titleist Vokey SM8 (50°, 54°, 58°), Aerotech SteelFiber i95cw S shafts. 

A 4-degree gap has been my wedge setup since I was a junior. My bounces are pretty standard, and I don’t change them very often. My boyfriend’s favourite number is 22, so my 58-degree has 22s all over it. It reminds me of him while I’m playing. 

PUTTER

Specs Scotty Cameron by Titleist Special Select Squareback 2 tour prototype, 35 inches,
3.5 degrees, Scotty Cameron Pistolini grip.

This putter has a longer flange than the putter I was using, and that longer alignment line works for me. As a junior I used a lot of mallets, but I had a choppy stroke back then. Going to a blade I could see and feel my stroke smoothing out.

FUN FLAIR

I always raid the putter-cover stash when I go to Scotty Cameron’s studio. This one is fun. I’ve had it for a couple of years. I also have a USA one from the Solheim Cup. In all I probably have more than a dozen putter covers.

BY THE NUMBERS

My ball superstition is using numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 on Thursday through Sunday. I was using the 2017 version of the Pro V1 until going to the 2021 model last year. I get more peak height and carry, and it feels great around the greens.  

TRAVEL MATES

These tiny stuffed animals hang on my bag, and I travel around the world with them. My best friend gave me lions, and I have ones from my mum, caddie and from a Czech children’s show. It’s quite the group.

Photographs by Steve Boyle

 Nelly Korda photo: chloe knott/r&a via getty images

The post What’s in my bag: Nelly Korda appeared first on Australian Golf Digest.

AGE: 25 
LIVES: Choudrant, Louisiana
STORY: Has two wins on the PGA Tour, both coming in 2021.
GIVING BACK: I played in a lot of American Junior Golf Association events growing up. Junior golf is such an incredible experience. The AJGA reached out to me about hosting an event this year, and we got it done. For me, I just wanted to give back to that organisation. The AJGA not only created opportunities for myself, but does so for so many young golfers around the world. It was an honour to be a part of it.

Driver

Specs Callaway Mavrik, 10.5°, TPT prototype shaft, 45.0625 inches. 

After my bag was shot for this article I switched to Callaway’s Epic Speed at the WGC–FedEx event. I was getting a little too much spin with my Mavrik driver. The Epic Speed lets me optimise spin yet still easily work the ball both ways. 

Fairway wood / hybrid 

Specs Callaway Mavrik Sub Zero, 17°, Fujikura Ventus Black 8X shaft; Callaway Apex Pro, 23°, Fujikura Atmos Blue 8X shaft

My fairway wood is multi-purpose. It’s really good off the tee, but having a little extra loft adds some height and spin for shots off the fairway. You need that when hitting long shots into PGA Tour greens.

Irons

Specs Callaway Apex TCB (4-9), Project X 6.5 shafts, Golf Pride MCC 58 ribbed grips.

I was playing the Apex Pro before but did some iron testing at the start of last season. These irons give me more control. When I take speed off, I can maintain the same spin. That’s so important. A lot of times on tour I’m not hitting a lot of full shots, so the ability to maintain spin throughout the bag is very helpful.

Wedges

Specs Callaway MD5 Jaws Raw (46°, 50°, 56°, 60°), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts. 

The 46-degree is my pitching wedge, not a matching piece of my iron set. The grinds and bounces are pretty standard, although I mess around with the 60-degree to make it more versatile around the greens. 

Putter

Specs Odyssey O-Works 7S, 35 inches, 3 degrees, Odyssey rubber putter grip.

I’ve been using this putter pretty much since I turned pro in 2017. It’s a club I’m comfortable with, and it sets up well for me. I’m not one to switch putters very often. Having the comfort level, seeing the line and having good results make it difficult to take this out of the bag.

Quiet, please

Hunting and fishing are great breaks from tour life. It’s an escape from everything. To be outdoors and see God’s creations with no distractions is cool. When I go with my dad, it’s nice to be able to share that bond with him.

Wind cheater

You can get some wind at a lot of tour courses, and this Callaway Chrome Soft X is great in the breeze, especially in crosswinds. I go through three or four balls a round. I mark the ball with a single black dot over the last “a” in Callaway.  

Keeping it clean

My family is in the car-wash business in Louisiana. They were opening a new facility recently,
and I conducted a putting contest. Anyone who beat me got free car washes for a year – and there were a few people who did.

Burns: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images • Hunting: Courtesy of Sam Burns • Ball: E. Mike Johnson • Car Wash: Jupiterimages/GettyImages

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