Equipment
Spotted: Bubba Watson’s new Ping PLD mallet putter
So far in 2017, Bubba Watson has had a year to forget on the golf course. He’s dropped to No. 46 in the Official World Golf Rankings, his top finish is a T5 at the 2017 Zurich Classic, and he missed the cut at both The Masters and the U.S. Open.
Time to switch it up, apparently.
While Watson has used an Anser-style putter throughout his professional career, he put a new Ping PLD mallet putter in play at the 2017 Open Championship… and maybe he’s found something. Although Watson finished T27 at Royal Birkdale, he recorded the second-most amount of birdies (17), tied with Open champion Jordan Spieth. He also had one of the best putting rounds of the week among all competitors, needing only 24 putts during the second round.
We spotted him at the 2017 RBC Canadian Open with the Ping PLD putter still in the bag. Check out in-hand photos of the putter in the gallery below.
Discussion: See what GolfWRX members are saying about Watson’s new putter
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
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
Russell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
Photos from the 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
CJ Cup Byron Nelson Tour Report: Koepka and Kim’s newest putters finally get hot
Charles Schwab Challenge Tour Report: MacIntyre, Åberg and Spaun all switch putters, TaylorMade launches new Spider
Details on J.J. Spaun’s surprise putter switch
GolfWRX Launch Report: 2026 Titleist GTS drivers
Photos from the 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
PGA Championship Tour Report: Fitzpatrick, Koepka among big-name putter switches for Aronimink
Photos from the ShopRite LPGA
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...
Eric Cole WITB 2026 (June)
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...
Rick
Mar 11, 2018 at 2:28 pm
Jack you must not be very old Scotty Cameron copied all of Karstens original designs! Use google!
chris
Jul 30, 2017 at 11:13 am
Every putter made is a Ping knockoff
Jack
Jul 27, 2017 at 3:55 am
Yeah, if it weren’t for Scotty Cameron, Ping would run out of ideas! On another subject, is it just me or have club manufacturers and their photographers lost their minds? If you’re going to take photos of a putter, iron, wood, etc., for goodness sake, give us a shot of the club behind the ball (top down profile). What is wrong with you people?
Tom54
Jul 26, 2017 at 7:17 pm
Ping had their last good putters in the early 90’s I believe. Any of their beryllium models Anser and Anser2, B60, Zing 2. All of those were wonderful examples. I still have all of mine since they are not allowed to use those alloys anymore. The newer ping putters just don’t seem to be as simple as those were.
Lloyd
Jul 25, 2017 at 6:01 pm
Nothing new hear and just a redux of old putter designs to sucker golfers into buying Ping.
Mad-Mex
Jul 25, 2017 at 9:04 pm
I agree, PING has never released a putter which revolutionized the golf industry or has been copied by others,,, except for the Anser,
Mad-Mex
Jul 25, 2017 at 9:04 pm
or the Anser 2
Mad-Mex
Jul 25, 2017 at 9:06 pm
or the My Day,,,,,,,,,
Lloyd
Jul 25, 2017 at 10:12 pm
Ping 1A, the first Solheim design, was adequate to pop a golf ball.
tlmck
Jul 26, 2017 at 4:59 pm
Or the 5bz