Equipment
12 Revealing photos from the 2016 Shell Houston Open
GolfWRX was live this week from the 2016 Shell Houston Open at the Golf Club of Houston, which is predictably in Houston, Texas. If you missed any of the photos from this, browse the galleries below:
J.B. Holmes is your defending champion this week, but the world’s now No. 2-ranked golfer Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler and Dustin Johnson will be there to challenge him for back-to-back titles. Will one of the big names emerge victorious, or will a first-time winner break out of his shell at the Shell?
Now let’s see if we can stay away from the puns in this week’s Revealing Photos: Shell Shocked at the Shell Houston (not off to a good start)…
Congrats on 25 years!
In 1992, title sponsors changed hands, and the PGA Tour event in Houston became known as the Shell Houston Open. Maybe it doesn’t have the tradition of the Open Championship, but impressive still.
And three out of those 25 years, Vijay Singh was the Shell Houston Open champion (’02, ’04 and ’05).
How’s Veej getting on these days?
He’s still tearing apart PGA Tour ranges, and apparently engraining how to hook putts?
I think we forget Vijay is 53 years old and still out on Tour competing against the world’s best. And out-working them, too. As for the putting stroke, he’s tried just about everything there is to try. Maybe a snap hook will finally be the answer.
Fowler droppin’ dimes or dropping dimes?
There’s three possible meanings to this “drop dimes…” stamping:
- He’s placing the golf ball where it needs to be. In basketball, the same sentiment would mean he’s passing the ball well and he’d be recording a myriad of assists.
- He’s snitching. To “drop a dime” would mean to inform the police or another authority about illegal activity. That would be an odd thing to stamp on a wedge, but you never know.
- He breaks up with beautiful women. To “drop a dime” could mean he’s breaking up with a dime, or a woman with a subjective 10-out-of-10 ranking. Could be plausible, since he recently reportedly cut ties with Alexis Randock.
I’m gonna go with the first option, but again, you never know.
Tots Units Fem Forca
Or in English is, “United/Together we are strong.” It’s a phrase used in FC (Futbol Club) Barcelona’s anthem.
Barca fans are no joke about their soccer. And I’m pretty sure they don’t like me calling it soccer. Whoops, that’s twice. Sorry!
Omar Uresti’s sick Scotty with… athletic tape?
O-Man, that putter is sweet. I’m going to guess that the athletic tape is there as some kind of training-aid support. But don’t quote me on that.
Rust and Tungsten
The rust on these Callaway Apex irons achieves quite a mesmerizing effect, and as such you can see exactly where the tungsten plugs are placed in the sole.
And some more awesome rust on the SM6 wedges below.
Rust just never gets old, does it?
Herm, the Rocket and Johnny Wags
PGA Tour player Johnson Wagner (Johnny Wags isn’t his real nickname, but he can borrow it if he wants), ESPN NFL analyst Herm Edwards and former MLB strike-out King Roger Clemens were all on the same team for the pro-am.
You might know Herm from the “Miracle in the Meadowlands,” a play that spawned the victory formation in football. Or maybe for his coaching mediocrity if you’re a Jets fan (I am not). Or, most likely, you know him from his “you play to win the game” speech, which will live forever on the internet.
You might know Roger “Rocket” Clemens for his strikeouts in the MLB, of which he has more than 3,000. Or maybe you know him for his alleged steroid use and courtroom controversies. But if you’re a Mets fan (I am), you know him for throwing a broken bat at our guy Mike Piazza. People don’t forget, Roger.
A Scotty Cameron Titleist CB iron?
I recognize those trademark red dots. You can’t slip one past me, Scotty.
Speaking of Scotties, here’s a huge gallery of customs
I know, I know. I shouldn’t have. But I did.
In the gallery below, you’ll see Thongchai Jaidee’s gamer, his backup and his backup’s backup. There’s also a stealthy, blacked-out X5R that Dustin Johnson was testing this week, and a few dirty GSS and Tour-Only putters. Enjoy.
Love the hustle
Name another golf coach who’s gonna put it all on the floor (putting green) for his players? Throwing his body around for the loose balls with no regard for his khakis? We can all learn from his hustle, grit and determination.
Maybe March Madness has rubbed off on me a little too much, but you get the point.
3 wedges, 3 OEMs
And a prideful Texas Longhorns stamping on his Callaway Mack Daddy 2. The local Texas fans will certainly appreciate the school spirit, especially after getting upset by the University of Northern Iowa in the first round of the NCAA March Madness.
Joey Logano rolls up to the Shell Houston
Let’s just hope Matt Kenseth wasn’t also invited.
Improvement
There’s digging it out of the dirt. And then there’s this.
Equipment
Neal Shipley, AKA, the “Big Fridge’s,” custom stamping
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.
Equipment
From the GolfWRX Classifieds: L.A.B. Purple DF3 with Masters cover
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
Whats in the Bag
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 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











































Jeff
Apr 2, 2016 at 12:49 am
Dropping a dime goes back to pay phone days, so it means making a call. It has been used in noir lit to mean snitching, as in drop a dime on a criminal by calling the police. Also means calling a girl, whether to ask her out OR to break up. My guess is that Rickie has it dialed in, so he’s dropping dimes.
RG
Apr 1, 2016 at 5:54 pm
BOOM SHAKALAKA!!
Notseeingwhatyousee
Apr 1, 2016 at 4:32 pm
Pretty sure those are drill holes in the back of that CB iron….
Cody Carter
Apr 1, 2016 at 6:33 pm
They are. I’m pretty sure that’s Matt Dobyns set. His irons are single length so the holes are to help the head weights match.
Brian mccoy
Apr 3, 2016 at 7:41 pm
I don’t see any evidence of what your speaking of. I would love to see a WITB for Matt Dobyns,
Weekend Duffer
Apr 1, 2016 at 3:40 pm
Does this website have an advertising deal with Titleist?
Bobby
Apr 1, 2016 at 10:05 pm
No it just happens to be the best equipment in golf son… no go back to your max improvement irons…..
Alex Bedwell
Apr 1, 2016 at 1:57 pm
Who is that in the last picture?
Todd Grant
Apr 1, 2016 at 2:41 pm
Luke List.