Equipment
Details on the putter Bubba Watson credited for his Hero win
After Bubba Watson won the Hero World Championship in the Bahamas this weekend, he credited a new Ping putter with a “dot system” for the three-shot win. As it turns out, the dot system is less complicated than it sounds — Watson switched to a dot alignment aid on the top rail of a new Milled Anser 1 putter instead of his typical sight line on the flange. What Watson didn’t tell us about the putter, however, turns out to be the more interesting part of the story.
The putter Bubba used to win the 2014 Masters.
According to Ping’s Director of Communications Pete Samuels, the Ping team wanted Watson to try a new putter, something different than the rainbow-finished Milled Anser 1 that he used to win the 2014 Masters and has been his go-to putter ever since. So Ping milled a one-off putter to Watson’s specifications through its WRX (custom) department, which was ready for him when he arrived at Ping’s HQ in Phoenix on Nov. 19 for a video shoot.
Bubba testing the new putter at Ping HQ (Photo courtesy of Ping)
The head weight of that putter was 318 grams (the total weight was 493.5 grams), which turned out to be too light for Watson, but he liked the sight dot alignment aid he requested and asked Ping to make another one, this time heavier.
Bubba watches his putter being milled to his specifications (Photo courtesy of Ping)
Ping delivered the heavier model (head weight 339 grams, total weight 520.6 grams) to Watson before Thanksgiving, which proved to be slightly too heavy for his taste. The Goldilocks game ended when Watson returned to Ping HQ on Nov. 30, and the Ping team machined 10 grams of weight off the face of the putter while Watson waited, giving the putter a head weight of 329 grams (total weight 510.6 grams).
As for the finishing touches, Watson had his first and last name engraved on the bumpers of the putter with the letters painted red, white and blue. The putter measures 34.5 inches, and has 2 degrees of loft with a lie angle of 69 degrees. Watson’s grip is Ping’s PP58 Midsize Gray with three wraps of grip tape.
From Twitter (@bubbawatson)
Click here to see photos of the rest of the clubs Watson used to win the Hero World Challenge.
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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Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (15 degrees) Shaft: Project...
Charlie
Dec 9, 2015 at 5:42 pm
The Nike Method 001 that Tiger uses has the same dot as well.
Bill Schoneberger
Dec 9, 2015 at 1:52 pm
Cool putter but I’m MORE interested in the Pool/Putting TABLE picture. Why the heck is it up in the air like that and what is PING learning from it??
Scooter
Dec 9, 2015 at 11:16 pm
Just a guess … looks like a large slab that is precision installed to make sure the surface is completely flat, no break in any direction
Alex
Dec 9, 2015 at 7:29 am
They way Bubba putts, the smooth swing, the square face… He can make putts with a hockey stick.
Tom Duckworth
Dec 8, 2015 at 6:47 pm
All jokes aside but is that the same face pattern as a Rife putter? Is it stainless steel?
Jay
Dec 8, 2015 at 4:06 pm
I want to know what finish that is because it’s not the nickel plated finish on the Anser Milled line. That putter looks great!
mike
Dec 7, 2015 at 8:44 pm
I’m still not following what the Dot Alignment has to do with his Choice of change of putters?. I agree it does look a lot like a Rife.
rex235
Dec 7, 2015 at 3:54 pm
Actually Ryan, at PING they do, but they just won’t market it.
(See Phil Mickelson British Open, and the Callaway Mack Daddy Wedges)
PING might offer the putter as a series, but it could be $$$$ if you want your name milled too.
Already have 3 LH Dale Head Ansers at various weights.
“BubbaDale” may not work.
tom
Dec 7, 2015 at 2:42 pm
Great info. So much for the theory that everyone should use heavier putters on faster greens. Most amateurs these days would scoff at a 339 gram head weight, saying it’s too light. Yet Bubba is playing PGA Tournamnet greens with one. Interesting.
Joe Duffer
Dec 10, 2015 at 9:27 pm
Bubba’s final putter had a 329 gram head. Lighter yet and very similar to Tiger’s.
MJ
Dec 7, 2015 at 12:35 pm
What’s the “dot system”?
All I see is a dot on the top line. Is that the whole system?
Rife
Dec 7, 2015 at 12:12 am
It’s a RIFE!!!!
Ryan S.
Dec 6, 2015 at 10:11 pm
If Bubba dosn’t want the 318 gram putter I’ll gladly take it off their hands. Lefties don’t get many chances like this.
Mike
Dec 6, 2015 at 7:59 pm
Great looking flat stick!
Chuck
Dec 6, 2015 at 7:47 pm
Interesting. But of course for the retail market, where players can’t get heads milled to their weight preferences, interchangeable weights make sense.
The thing I really wanted to know about was the groove configuration on the putter face. As people were asking in the photo thread on Bubba’s new putter, is that a new design? A mod of the current retail Ping configuration (“True Roll”) or something else? A proto design?
Rife
Dec 7, 2015 at 12:15 am
RIFE