Equipment
Since switch, Ernie Els is the Tour’s best putter
En route to this weekend’s fifth-place finish at the Quicken Loans National, Ernie Els gained 1.99 strokes on the field thanks to his work on Congressional’s greens.
Of course, it wasn’t long ago that Els agonizingly took six putts from within three feet on the first green at Augusta National, and several videos of other painful misses from close range made their rounds on the internet.
In what is perhaps the equipment story of the year so far, since switching to a SeeMore mFGP Deep Flange Nashville Studio Series (with SuperStroke Flatso 1.0 grip, left-hand low) during the third round of the RBC Heritage, Ernie Els has effectively led the Tour in Strokes Gained: Putting.
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- Els’ putter is 35 inches long, has a lie angle of 70 degrees and 2.5 degrees of loft.
That’s right. Els went from a golfer so heartwrenchingly yippy from close range that some speculated his career could be over, to tops on the PGA Tour in putting.
Amazing stuff.
In 20 measured rounds with the SeeMore mFGP in the bag, Els has gained 24.08 strokes with his putter. And his average SGP over that time is 1.204, which is better than PGA Tour leader Jason Day’s work this season (1.145).
An incredible turnaround, and strong support for the ever-tinkering ways of WRXers: Finding the right putter, and one which inspires confidence on the greens, can truly make a difference.
Neal Shipley was the first to admit that he enjoyed his food while in college. But since his days at Ohio State, he’s slimmed down and earned a PGA Tour Card.
That hasn’t stopped him from having fun with his wedge stampings, though it’s led to some misunderstandings.
On the 54 (degree), we have ‘Big Fudge,'” Shipley told GolfWRX. “It was supposed to be ‘Big Fridge,’ so this happened a little while ago. ‘Big Fridge’ was a nickname between my college teammates and I, with ‘fridge’ meaning stomach, a big stomach.
“We told the Ping guys to put … ‘Big Fridge’ on it, and I think maybe some bad cell service or something, and they thought I said ‘fudge,’ so they put fudge on it.”
On Shipley’s 50-degree he also continues the food theme, this time with his go-to order at the “Golden Arches,” and his stamping “DONS 7.”
“The number 7 meal, the two cheeseburger meal, that was my McDonald’s order, back when I would have McDonald’s frequently,” Shipley shared.
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @raw10628 has a L.A.B. DF3 putter and Masters putter cover up for grabs.
From the listing: “Some great items here today, time to thin out and make room for next set of gear. All prices include shipping.
LAB DF3 Purple 33.5” 68° lie with TPT – $725. LAB Masters release DF3 cover – $150.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4
3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
5-wood: Ping G440 Max (19 degrees @18)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
Hybrid: Ping G440 (23 degrees)
Shaft: Oban Isawa Red Hybrid Shaft 04 Flex 70 Gms
Irons: Srixon ZXi7 (5-P)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i80
Wedges: Cleveland RTZ (50-MID, 54-FULL, 58-MID)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i105
Putter: L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i
Shaft: ACCRA Putter Shaft
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
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Maria Torres WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4 5-wood: Ping G440...
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Driver: PXG Lightning Tour Max (9 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees) Shaft:...
Si Woo Kim WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X Mini driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Mini...
Wyndham Clark’s winning WITB: 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (15 degrees) Shaft: Project...
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graymulligan
Jun 29, 2016 at 9:51 pm
There’s no question that the Seemore putters work for a ton of people, but I can’t get past the looks. Great stuff, but it just doesn’t fit my eye.
RP Jacobs II
Jun 29, 2016 at 2:10 pm
Great to see the Big Guy back in the game. They don’t come any classier. Nice article Ben!! Stay well My Friend and Have a Great and Safe Fourth
All the Best,
RP
Zeek
Jun 28, 2016 at 10:59 am
Great putter company. Great customer service!
cody
Jun 27, 2016 at 5:50 pm
glad to hear it. Wish he had figured this out 3 years ago. Would probably won at least 3 events.
ooffa
Jun 27, 2016 at 10:25 am
It has nothing to do with the type of putter. What he switched was his flawed thinking. Go get em Ernie. Time to own the second putt!
Ernie's Mind
Jun 27, 2016 at 4:46 pm
Hey Oofa. I’m thinking a number between 1 and 100. Bet you can’t guess it.
Double Mocha Man
Jun 27, 2016 at 5:47 pm
1.68. Ernie’s recent per green putting average.
Triple Mocha Man
Jun 28, 2016 at 3:32 pm
Man up double.