Equipment

Lydia Ko uses Game Golf in preparation for her win

Published

12 years ago

Apr 29, 2014

If you watched Lydia Ko’s pre-shot routine during her practice round on Wednesday, it may have looked slightly different than it did on Sunday, when she earned her first LPGA Tour victory as a professional at the Swinging Skirts Classic.

What was different? During her practice round, Ko could be seen “tagging” her clubs to a device on her hip before each shot, using Game Golf technology to collect statistics. Although the 6-under-par 66 on Wednesday may not have impacted her win, the greater awareness of her game due to Game Golf may have played a role.

Game Golf is a technology that allows golfers to place tag markers on the butt-end of their golf clubs and “tap” it against a sensor device, which clips to their belt/pants, before each shot. Its GPS tracking system captures the player’s location, the tag marker measures the distance and golf club being used, then the technology generates statistics from the round. All the player has to do is upload it to the web application.

The results from the upload allow the player access to stats, distances, and a visual representation of their round (as seen below).

LydiaKo

Pictured above is the visual representation and statistics from Lydia Ko’s practice round, where she shot a 6-under 66.

Check out her stats and average distances:

100 percent fairway accuracy.

72 percent greens in regulations.

1.4 putts per hole.

100 percent scrambling.

Ko’s club distances (median distance):

Driver: 256

3 Wood: 236

5 Wood: 227

6 Iron: 170

7 Iron: 138

9 Iron: 121

Game Golf allowed Ko and her fans take a comprehensive look into the numbers from her practice round leading up to her first professional victory. Did it help her preparation, and ultimately her win of the LPGA Swinging Skirts Classic? No one can be sure, but we’re looking forward to more information like this in the future from top-ranked players.

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Andrew Tursky

He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

7 Comments

Gary McCormick

Apr 30, 2014 at 4:22 pm

Great – I’m hitting every club the same distance as girl who is 40 years my junior… ;^)

Seriously though, reading about Lydia Ko’s game is one thing, and watching it unfold in person is another. I followed the last group around Lake Merced on Sunday afternoon, notebook in hand, watching her match Stacy Lewis and Jenny Shin (who actually shot a lower score than either Stacy or Lydia in the final round) pretty much shot for shot. Their three approach shots – blind approach shots – to a tough front flag on the 18th green constituted one of the most remarkable instances of shotmaking under pressure I have ever seen.

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thefullsp

Apr 29, 2014 at 10:26 pm

I think we can all take a lesson from the LPGA players… Buttery smooth swings and find the centre of the club sooooo consistently. Good distance for her as well…

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spank

Apr 29, 2014 at 4:14 pm

The gap is because she could have hit a punch shot could have been wind or elevation also. It’s not her exact distances she hits the ball. Could have been half shots also

Reply Report comment
paul

Apr 29, 2014 at 1:40 pm

6 iron probably a typo. She plays a few hybrids as well. I can’t wait to order one of these amazing tools.

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RobN

Apr 29, 2014 at 1:05 pm

What the… a 32 yard gap from the 6 iron to the 7 iron?

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c m jaxun

Apr 29, 2014 at 12:41 pm

huge gap between 6 and 7 iron. any particular reason that someone can see?

Reply Report comment
Laddie

Apr 29, 2014 at 12:03 pm

Awesome.

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Equipment

Putters that never made it: Check out some of the best tour builds that didn’t make the cut

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

Alistair Cameron

Arguably, the best perk of being a professional golfer on the PGA Tour is the ability to request or even just be handed pretty much any club you could think of. It happens more often than you think, usually with putters around the practice green from one event to the next. Come Wednesday, the Tour bags lining the edge of the putting surface become resting places for fallen flatsticks that never made the cut.

So let’s take a look at some of the best we’ve seen out on Tour this year that never made it to the competition. (You may notice none of Hideki Matsuyama’s custom Scotty Cameron putters made this list. There are too many.)

Let’s start with this custom Damascus Milled Odyssey Rossie made for Ryo Hisatsune. Featuring a single line and the short-slant hossel, we’ve seen plenty of Number 7 and jailbird heads featuring the Damascus Milled insert, but this is the first and only one we’ve spotted in a Rossie. Hisatsune primarily putts with an Odyssey Black Series iX #9, but we have seen him recently with a TaylorMade TP Collection SOTO, so there could be potential that the Damascus Milled Rossie could end up in the bag.

Everyone wants to be Cameron Young right now. We’ve had Justin Thomas and Tom Hoge both game the Scotty Cameron 9.5R prototype. Well, for the PGA Championship, Brooks Koepka nearly joined that list after requesting the same style of putter, with the full-length alignment line. But the Scotty Cameron reps took the request a step further and made one specially for Koepka with a Teryllium insert, similar to one in his previous Newport 2 gamers. The reason why this one didn’t go into play, though? Because it was too heavy.

Harry Hall was the third-best putter on Tour last year, so when Bettinardi made him a custom proto, you know it was going to be good. The custom BB28 blade features VDF face milling, a custom-welded single-bend shaft, and the owner’s initials – HH – on the sole of the putter. Hall, who usually games an Odyssey O-Works #7 W, has dabbled with a TaylorMade Spider Tour X already this year. Maybe there’s a chance this Bettinardi might make his bag.

Honestly, this one doesn’t need a description. It’s Kieth Mitchell’s custom Scotty Cameron Napa. One Scotty Cameron face stamp, two Scotty Dogs, two Scotty Cameron 7-Point Crowns and one Circle T. That is all. Oh, except for the Cashmere Cameron headcover.

Finally, and just for fun, how about we pour one out for this TaylorMade Spider Tour X made for Scottie Scheffler in its new torched finish. It’s unlikely we’ll see a putter change anytime soon from the best golfer in the world. In fact, he hit just two putts with it on the Harbour Town practice before going back to his trusty gamer.

Whats in the Bag

Patrick Reed WITB 2026 (May)

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

Driver: Titleist GT3 (9 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 130 M.S.I. 70 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 X

7-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X

Irons: Grindworks PR-202 (4), Grindworks PR-101A (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Cleveland RTX6 Tour Rack (52-10 Mid), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-08M), SM11 (60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Tour Rat 1.5 Tour Prototype

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

See more photos of Patrick Reed’s clubs here.

Equipment

Which of Tiger’s major winning irons are your favorite? – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

In our forums, our members have been discussing their favorite major winning irons used by Tiger Woods. WRXer ‘golferdude54’ kicks off the thread saying:

“Mizuno MP 14/29. Titleist 681T. Nike Forged Blades. TaylorMade P7TW.

Among these irons that helped Tiger win 15 majors, which is your favorite in terms of looks?”

And our members have been naming their favorites and why in response.

Here are a couple of posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

SwingBlade: “I prefer the early blades he played and the more recent TM TW’s especially because after Tiger had his major behavioral setbacks, part of Nikes support payback was making Tiger play a Nike putter and cease using his beloved uniquely customized Scotty putter.”
ProjectX: “This (Nike Forged Blades) and there’s not even a close second.”

Entire Thread: “Which of Tiger’s major winning irons are your favorite? – GolfWRXers discuss”