Equipment
Ben Kern WITB: 2018 PGA Championship (only PGA Club Pro to make the cut)
Driver: Titleist TS3 (9.5 degrees)
Shaft: UST Mamiya Attas G7
3 Wood: Titleist TS2 (16.5 degrees)
Shaft: Aldila Rogue Black 95 MSI 80X
Driving Iron: Titleist 718 T-MB (3 iron)
Shaft: KBS Tour Hybrid Prototype 95X
Irons: Titleist 718 AP2 (4-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 (50, 54 and 60 degrees)
Shafts: KBS $-Taper 120
Putter: Scotty Cameron T5.5M
Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1
WITB Notes: We photographed Kern with an Odyssey O-Works Red Marxman putter early in the week, but based on photos during the event, he switched into a Scotty Cameron for competition.
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...
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Jason
Nov 17, 2018 at 1:00 am
Not to be that guy but 16.5* is a 4 wood
Mat
Aug 28, 2018 at 4:48 pm
I love when guys take the time to paint their gear.
Francis
Aug 13, 2018 at 2:45 pm
Do most club pros have access to proto/unreleased clubs?
Billy Bob
Aug 13, 2018 at 4:25 pm
For big events like this, yes.
MnPro
Aug 28, 2018 at 5:49 pm
Depending on your relationship with the rep normally we do. We have had the TS2 and TS3 stuff for about a month now
steve
Aug 13, 2018 at 1:39 pm
Re horizontal strips of lead tape on wedges… probably 2-3 strips at the flange. The lead would nominally raise the CofG to reduce the height trajectory. Since lead is about 30% heavier than steel the added mass would be insignificant where it is located. To effectively raise the CofG Kern should have put the lead tape on the top line.
Robert B
Aug 13, 2018 at 3:57 pm
Ny guess is he was just adding weight to the head to change swing weight. I’ll ask, when I see him.
Gordo
Aug 28, 2018 at 10:47 pm
Need a ton of lead tape to change the flight. Prob so much it would be detrimental to the shaft performance. It’s purely to get the swing weight to his personal preference.
Lefty tx pro
Feb 23, 2019 at 9:44 pm
As a guy who has played a lot of golf with Ben. I can tell you it is there purely for weighting and it helps create a certain feel that he likes