Equipment
14 Revealing photos from the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont
GolfWRX was live this week from the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania. If you missed any of the photos from the week, make sure to browse all of the galleries in the links below.
Oakmont is really difficult, the winning score will probably be over par and players will complain. Also, equipment companies released some awesome one-off gear for the U.S. Open.
Any other questions? Good. Now let’s reveal some photos from an awesome week in photography.
College vs. Pros
In American sports, you’ll often hear a hypothetical question posed that goes something like “Do you think the Alabama Crimson Tide could beat the Jacksonville Jaguars?” It’s a ridiculous question, but also very fun to hear both sides of the coin.
In golf, we have the U.S. Open to settle that debate. Since the U.S. Open is indeed an Open, and allows any golfer with a certain handicap a chance to qualify, you often end up with a slew of the best college golfers competing against the top pros in the world. So you’ll see a large number of college golf bags at Oakmont this year.
If you don’t know who to root for at the Open, maybe you can find a golfer who’s representing your alma-mater.
An Oakmont Ode to the “City of Champions”
Equipment companies always bring their best out for the U.S. Open. This year, Odyssey/Callaway stole the show with designs that represent Pittsburgh’s sports franchises, and Oakmont as well.
The putter covers are a shoutout to the throwback Steelers uniforms, with the number 16, which I’ll take a wild guess represents both the year 2016, and the 116th championship.
Also, the bags are a stroke of genius, with “Church Pew” and Steeler-logo zippers. The custom Oakmont logo is awesome, too.
The bag strap has 12 stripes, representing the 12 church pews in the iconic bunker between hole Nos. 3 and 4. I told you they were intricate.
Nike players are custom Ballin’
Can you guess the U.S. Open player that customized each of the golf balls, and what the logos stand for? GolfWRX members decode them in our forums. Click to see if you were correct.
Location, location, location
This tire shop knows exactly what it’s doing. As players at Oakmont invariably have the wheels come off on their rounds on Nos. 7 and 8, they can go right across the road and get them fixed. Brilliant.
What’s the local rule on Trucker honks?
Surely you know by now, if you’ve seen coverage of the U.S. Open, there’s a turnpike that cuts through the course, with holes 2 through 8 “across the road.” And the road is dangerously close to where players tee off on No. 9. A flinchy player could certainly be thrown off by an inadvertent, or purposeful honk.
There’s also a train track, which could cause even more of a distraction, especially for players putting on the 8th green (pictured to the left).
Will-it be put into play?
Danny Willet, as a proud Masters Champion, brought these custom Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana shafts out on the range at the U.S. Open. The green and yellow shaft has the date and rounds of his 2016 Masters victory.
Also, it was a big week for Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana shafts, as a few new models were unveiled. Check them out here and here.
Streb’s Stanley wedge
Robert Streb, king of wedge stampings, is from Oklahoma, so I’m not exactly sure why he has this stamping, but it’s cool nonetheless. The local Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup on the Sunday before the U.S. Open began, so it’s only right that someone in the field bagged a celebratory wedge, in custom black-and-yellow lettering.
The Three Sisters
Adidas released these BOA Tour360 shoes ahead of the U.S. Open, and a few were spotted on the range this week. While in Pittsburgh, of course I had to check out the inspiration for these shoes — the Three Sisters bridges.
If you’re in the area this week, or ever find yourself in Pittsburgh, I highly recommend taking the Duquesne Incline to check out this awesome view of the city and the patented-Pittsburgh yellow bridges.
Board up those swing flaws
There’s something poetic about being at the U.S. Open competing for millions of dollars, and practicing with a chewed up block of wood from the woodshed as a training aid to cure a swing flaw. Just goes to show, you don’t need the most expensive gadgets to improve your game, even at the highest level.
Dab on ’em
Harold Varner III brought the “Dab” dance into the world of golf, and now it makes its debut at the U.S. Open via this Florida Gator’s putter head cover.
It’s the dance that refuses to die.
Doing it big at the U.S. Open
Everything at the U.S. Open is bigger. The course, the grandstands, the Trackman tri-pods and even the cameras.
Check out how big this camera rig is. You now know what goes into producing the TV visuals of the panning shots on the putting green and No. 18.
Is Rory a GolfWRXer?
Only a GolfWRXer would be at the U.S. Open checking out another golfer’s driver shaft.
What’s a thicker lie?
Landing in this guy’s afro, or the rough beside 18 green?
It’s not all misery
The media and TV coverage will use words like grueling, a battle and a grind to describe the U.S. Open, but for fans the U.S. Open is often nothing but a good time. And oh yeah, “GolfWRX rocks!”
Bonus: Food Review
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m not a food expert, but I have consumed sustenance before. While the food at Oakmont was much more expensive that it was at The Masters, it did offer an array of options including Primanti Bros, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and Oakmont Grill.
Chicken Sandwich ($8.50)
Grilled chicken, with melted (kinda) cheese and bread; certainly nothing fancy. It was the vanilla of ice cream. But they let you put your own toppings on it, and you can’t beat the view (Church Pews pictured below).
Rating: 1 Oakmont Squirrel out of 5
Steak Sandwich ($15.00)
Fairly well seasoned. A bit dry. Some pieces were too overdone. But very tasty, especially after walking about 20,000 steps around Oakmont, and adding some creamy horseradish sauce.
Rating: 3 Oakmont Squirrels out of 5
Nearby “Best” Cheesesteak ($11.00)
So I recently read a ranking from USA Today that said a Cheesesteak joint — called Groove Cheesteak Co. in nearby Pittsburgh — had the best PHILLY Cheesesteak in Pennsylvania. Blasphemy, right? I had to check it out.
The veggies tasted fresh and weren’t too greasy, the cheese sauce was delectable, and the steak was juicy and flavorful. BUT, it was far from the best cheesesteak I’ve ever had, which makes me wonder why USA Today ventured outside of Philly to don the “Best Cheesesteak” award. Would definitely eat it again, though.
Rating: 4 Oakmont Squirrels out of 5
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





































Matty
Jun 18, 2016 at 11:39 pm
Anyone notice about Bryson’s new long irons on the Monday equipment photos? It looks like the Cobra Fly-Z+ Forged added with something at the cavity and the sole similar to the brass weights on the Edel long irons.
greg Moore
Jun 19, 2016 at 9:02 am
He’s had that in the bag for quite a while. Can’t remember if it was Bay Hill or Masters.
Grizz
Jun 18, 2016 at 9:50 pm
Streb is a diehard Pens fan.
Greg
Jun 18, 2016 at 11:19 am
Glad the “fro” made it!