Equipment
Here’s why Zach Johnson and Andrew “Beef” Johnston are using Titleist #70 golf balls at the U.S. Open
Titleist is celebrating 70 years as the No. 1 golf ball played at the U.S. Open this week. The streak started at the 1949 U.S. Open at Medinah C.C., which Cary Middlecoff won. According to Titleist, 32 players in the 1949 U.S. Open field used a Titleist ball, compared to 28 using the ball of nearest competitor. In the 2017 U.S. Open, 102 players used a Pro V1 or Pro V1x.
To commemorate that streak, Titleist created a golf balls printed with the number 70 on them to give to Titleist players. And actually, Zach Johnson and Andrew “Beef” Johnston have decided to use them in competition this week.
Below is a look at how they mark their golf balls.
Andrew “Beef” Johnston (left) and Zach Johnson
Four Reigning major champions, and The Players Champion
We also ran into the four current major champions — Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Patrick Reed — as well as The Players Champion Webb Simpson. They each gave us a look at how they mark their Titleist golf balls.
From top left to bottom right: Kopeka, Spieth, JT and Reed.
And here’s a look at Webb Simpson’s marking…
What’s your favorite marking, and how do you mark your golf ball?
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...
North Butte
Jun 14, 2018 at 9:08 am
When playing a white ball of a common brand, I like to take a bright magenta marker and make a huge random squiggle on it. That way I can identify my ball from 20 yards away in the fairway or even sitting down in the rough.
But usually I play a yellow ball of a type nobody in my usual group plays. No mark needed.
Brian
Jun 13, 2018 at 4:04 pm
I don’t mark my balls. You don’t find many K-Sigs in the wild, so I’m generally pretty sure it’s mine when I find it.
The dude
Jun 13, 2018 at 7:57 pm
K Sig…..for the guy that shows up at your party with a 12pack of Natural light and decides to drink your Heineken……and then leaves with his 12 pack of Natty….