News
Retail versions of Wilson’s Triton driver ruled non-conforming by USGA
Retail versions of Wilson’s Triton driver — the winner of Golf Channel’s Driver vs. Driver reality TV show — were ruled non-conforming by the USGA, as reported by Wilson on Monday, Dec. 12.
The major concern is with the two interchangeable sole plates but it’s possible the issue will be rectified as early as Dec. 19, according to the company. Wilson has made an adjustment to the sole plates, indicated by “DvD” printed on the sole, which would make retail versions of the drivers legal by swapping out the old sole plates for the new. The Triton comes with two different sole plates — one is titanium and one is carbon; both were ruled non-confirming.
Related: Read more about the technology used in the Triton driver.
Due to the confidential nature of the television show, circumstances were different than a normal club release, according to Michael Vrska, Global Director of Innovation at Wilson.
Wilson explained further in a statement released on Monday.
While a traditional product submission process would afford Wilson Golf and the USGA the opportunity to review a product several months prior to its commercial launch, the timeline for testing, modifying, manufacturing and shipping a final, comprehensive Wilson Staff Triton driver was compressed. This shortened timeline was due to the nature and confidential format of the show. Since the time of our submission, we have worked closely with the USGA on its review of the Triton driver.
Crown: What Wilson hopes will be conforming by Dec. 19 (left), and the current retail version
The rear edge of the sole plate has been reduced “by a few millimeters,” according to a press release from Wilson.
The USGA has assured us this small modification to the sole plates will bring all three lofts into conformity with its “Plain in Shape” Rule. Further, this small reduction is consistent with the sole plates of the Wilson Staff 9-degree Triton DVD model.
The Triton 9-degree DVD model referred to in the statement above is the driver that’s expected to be played by Wilson staffers Kevin Streelman and Ricky Barnes, which is conforming under the USGA rules.
Sole: What Wilson hopes will be conforming by Dec. 19 (right), and the current retail version
While there was no concern from Wilson as drivers hit shelves on Nov. 22, it turns out the USGA had issue with the sole plate creating “two cavities” in it, according to Vrska. He maintains that there is only one cavity, which would make the driver legal, but apparently, the USGA disagrees.
A secondary concern by the USGA with the Triton driver deals with a particular setting, using a 12-gram adjustable weight in the 10.5 and 12-degree heads. The Triton driver has three weight ports in its soles, where the player can make adjustments to the center of gravity (CG) to give it a draw, neutral or fade bias. In a setting that has a 6-gram weight in the rear port, a 6-gram weight in the heel port, and a 12-gram weight in the toe portion for a max-fade bias, the driver did not pass the USGA’s inspection when hit on a certain area on the club. In this setting, “the USGA observed a CT (Characteristic Time) that was slightly above their allowable limits and testing tolerance,” according to a press release from Wilson.
To rectify the issue with that particular weight setting, Wilson will no longer offer the 12-gram weight in its adjustable weight kits that come with purchase of a Triton driver. To make up for that, Wilson is giving a dozen Duo golf balls to those who have purchased a Triton driver.
Wilson will also offer any refunds on drivers purchased, although Vrska doesn’t believe consumers will want to.
“We stand by the performance of the driver, and we know people believe in the technology,” Vrska said. “This is just a slight hiccup.”
Related
I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear
OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.
LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break
Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.
Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.
On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.
On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.
On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.
PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home
Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.
On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.
Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?
Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.
Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?
PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates
Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.
Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.
Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.
Card III and Bacha both miss their birdie tries on the first playoff hole.
We’ll play 18 again @OspreyOpen. pic.twitter.com/vNpHTdkHDg
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) August 3, 2025
GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.
Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.
Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.
General Albums
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX
7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
Egor
Dec 15, 2016 at 11:14 pm
The top view of the driver strikes me as ugly. Even their own website product images barely show the top of the driver. Of all the rotation images, 5 are of the bottom, one of the side, none of the top. They have to know it is ugly looking down at it and for me, something has to go sideways in my swing for me to look at the bottom of the driver at address or during my swing. Tmag, ping, Callaway, Mizuno, all fairly pretty (some may say ‘sexy’) drivers from the address position.
jgpl001
Dec 13, 2016 at 6:15 pm
Conforming or non-conforming who cares???
This is piece of rubbish like all Wilson drivers, it will be long forgotten in a few months
Move on, and stop wasting valuable website time on this “nothing” club
Tom
Dec 14, 2016 at 1:26 pm
Booooo
tzed
Dec 14, 2016 at 2:26 pm
Try hitting it. I did at my shop and the ball flies.
jgpl001
Dec 14, 2016 at 5:46 pm
In the shop?
There are no scorecards in the shop, and everything flies on a monitor….even a Dunlop!
I am not against Wilson, I learned to play with a set of staff blades
But this driver is still rubbish, absolute rubbish
The Rules of Golf
Dec 13, 2016 at 8:29 am
See what I have to put up with?
Mike Honcho
Dec 13, 2016 at 7:18 am
Here’s a dozen Wilson Duo balls for your trouble….Hey Rusty, here’s shiny new nickel if you will rub Granny’s feet.
jon
Dec 13, 2016 at 1:28 am
Absolutely agree with you there, what a joke, Subjective rubbish – they were obviously butt-hurt because Wilson didn’t follow standard procedure and send in samples to the USGA before release. They got their retribution by claiming it doesn’t fit in with their “Plain and Simple” rule which has no quantifiable value. WS could probably sue here.
Alan
Dec 13, 2016 at 2:07 pm
Even stupider, golfwrx mixed up the driver heads in the 2nd picture. Even they can’t properly tell what is conforming or not. The one on the right is the conforming driver head not the one on the left. They had issues with the sole plate sticking out as a “lip”. so shaving it down to have a less rounded shape but no lip is more in line with “plain in shape.” “plain in shape” is a stupid term when it is purely subjective. Whether the sole plate sticks out or not probably has effect on the club performance I bet, its just a dumb way to keep golf archaic as its always been.
WAY TO GROW THE GAME R&A….
James
Dec 13, 2016 at 7:48 pm
And the big cavity in one of the past Nike drivers was OK?
Haamess
Dec 15, 2016 at 12:55 pm
Eggggggggggggggzactly!
Chris C.
Dec 12, 2016 at 8:42 pm
How can any amount of cavities or shape of a sole plate violate USGA’s artistic interpretation of “plain shape”? How can sole weight distribution impact the ability of the face to flex? Finally, the elimination of the 12 gram weight will result in swing weights less than D-0 when using the carbon sole plate. My local GG had the titanium sole driver set up at D-6 and the carbon sole set up at C-6.
James
Dec 13, 2016 at 7:51 pm
Again how did Nike get away with that huge cavity in their past model? Also 12 years ago there was the driver with the big hole in the bottom (which still sits in my garage)..
Yearight
Dec 14, 2016 at 10:57 am
I agree. The USGA’s usefulness as an organization is really waning. Maybe it’s time for a different ruling body to watch over golf with a more modern take on the game. Let’s make golf great again 😉
McPickens
Dec 14, 2016 at 6:25 pm
I know just the guy, unfortunately he’s busy for at least 4 years
Dugan
Dec 12, 2016 at 8:17 pm
“A secondary concern by the USGA with the Triton driver deals with a particular setting, using a 12-gram adjustable weight in the 10.5 and 12-degree heads. The Triton driver has three weight ports in its soles, where the player can make adjustments to the center of gravity (CG) to give it a draw, neutral or fade bias. In a setting that has a 6-gram weight in the rear port, a 6-gram weight in the toe port, and a 12-gram weight in the heel portion for a max-fade bias, the driver did not pass the USGA’s inspection when hit on a certain area on the club. In this setting, “the USGA observed a CT (Characteristic Time) that was slightly above their allowable limits and testing tolerance,”
I’m curious about one thing. If they don’t allow this weight configuration, what happens when someone sticks six grams worth of lead tape on the heel and uses it?
KK
Dec 12, 2016 at 7:37 pm
Wow. Punch to the gut for Triton and Wilson’s Driver vs Driver program. At least the dude gets to keep his $500k.
Guia
Dec 12, 2016 at 7:17 pm
The TV show was a joke and boring and Wilson’s decision to produce this Driver really hurts their credibility. For a company so long in the equipment business to make this mistake is unbelievable.
At one time they produced some of the best equipment available and of course ruled the forged iron sales for many years. This mistake will cost them many customers.
Someone needs to be fired!
Jeff D.
Dec 12, 2016 at 9:05 pm
I’m with you and that someone is Tim Clarke – President of Wilson Golf. I’d love to tweet him but he’s blocked me from direct tweeting him after I criticized him and the show, lol.
DM
Dec 12, 2016 at 9:19 pm
I cannot fault Wilson for taking a chance… if folks did not think outside the box we would still be using Persimmon Drivers and Bullseye putters with a wound ball…
If equipment makers stop innovating, why buy new equipment…
Rd
Dec 13, 2016 at 3:28 am
Er, no DM, we wouldn’t. People have always tried to make things better, go far, faster and hit straighter with all kinds of materials that are malleable. But it took a lot of technology advances to make them be cost-effective and feasible for mass production. Look at the way computers and electronics developed from the 50’s and 60’s and into the 70’s, and what they cost. The 70’s nearly killed the world with its oil crisis. Look at the weapons and rocket and airplane tech developed in the 60’s during the Vietnam period. It all coincides. It took a long time for all that tech to become small enough and skills to be good enough to manipulate the materials to get to where we are today.
Jerry
Dec 12, 2016 at 9:55 pm
Come on Wilson has been a joke all the way back to 1965 when they did not re-sign John Daly. How much do you think trying to get this club to market because Nike bailed may have led to a product not being tested properly, who else would release a club without it being on the USGA Conforming list…someone is looking for a new job today I would bet…
tzed
Dec 14, 2016 at 2:29 pm
John Daly didn’t resign in 1965? Ok then. I have an Infinite putter and two PMP wedges. I’ll put them up against anything.
jon
Dec 13, 2016 at 1:27 am
you aren’t serious right?
Remember when the Wilson Staff FG Tour F5 Driver was released? Nope, of course you don’t, because NOBODY was talking about it. This has been an absolute master class in brand awareness marketing strategy. You are talking about the new Wilson Staff driver. That man deserves a raise – not fired lol. This is why you make peanuts and they make millions my friend.
3PuttTerritory
Dec 12, 2016 at 6:27 pm
A darn, darn shame. I’ve seen people hit this driver well.
They still don’t buy it, but you know, not bad.
4puttfor90
Dec 12, 2016 at 6:13 pm
Poseidon called, he wants his copy-write back.
Wilson
Dec 12, 2016 at 5:58 pm
Nice of them to offer a refund, those 5 people that bought one will be very happy.
Boobsy McKiss
Dec 12, 2016 at 8:00 pm
ROFL.
alan
Dec 13, 2016 at 1:04 pm
“ROFL” ?? is this 1995 and we are in an aol chat room ttyl
new stuff!!
Dec 12, 2016 at 4:59 pm
it’s ok Wilson – at least this is something that can be fixed with out replacing the whole driver head.
silver lining = fixable + more press – this is the most I’ve ever heard about Wilson golf ever.
Jerry
Dec 12, 2016 at 9:58 pm
You missed John Daly winning the British Open with that odd looking Wilson Driver….
tzed
Dec 14, 2016 at 2:31 pm
Or Padraig winning 3 majors with Wilson.
DevilDog18
Dec 12, 2016 at 4:45 pm
Whoops $$$$