Equipment

WRX Spotlight: 2019 Ping Hoofer Series golf bags

Published

7 years ago

Feb 8, 2019

I once told a joke to a Ping rep while at a demo day and it went along the lines of this: There are three things on this planet that will survive both an ice age and nuclear fallout: cockroaches, alligators, and an original Ping Hoofer bag.

It sounds like a bit of a stretch, but if there is one bag model that continues to push the boundaries or comfort, functionality, and durability, it’s the Ping Hoofer. It’s one of those things that if you take a moment to look up and down the range on any busy day in the middle of the summer you are almost guaranteed to spot.

The tradition of quality and functionality continues with Ping’s most recent lineup, including the 2019 Hoofer, a bag that has everything you would come to expect from Ping along with some interesting tweaks to the designs that once again show that the golf bag designers at Ping never stop trying to innovate. They have also gone above and beyond in offering some of their boldest color options to date including this “Multicam.”

One of the other highlights of the new design is the re-engineered strap system. It was always a point of contention for golfers when I used to work in big box golf retail many moons ago. The double strap system – essentially pioneered by Ping was made up of two completely separate straps that would cris-cross the golfer’s back to perfectly centre the mass of the bag, but because the straps were separate from each other many golfers not familiar with the system weren’t sure which one to grab first – leading to people choosing a different option. With the new strap connector, any possible confusion has been eliminated.

Another brilliant, although not completely new feature is hiding the rain hood in the hip/back pad on the bag — this is still a Ping exclusive in the industry and one of the absolutely smartest things I have ever seen when it comes to golf bag design.

Depending on the bag you pick in the Hoofer series, there are up to 12 pockets that do everything from holding your rangefinder to making sure you don’t lose your keys, all while being easy to access even on a cart. Speaking of carts, all versions of the bags easily sit on a standard pushcart or even fit easily on the back of a riding cart, because of the system used to optionally hold the legs in the closed position, and because of the squared-off shape of the bottom of the bag.

Whether it’s a full 14-way divided top Hoofer 14, or the more sleek and simplified Hoofer Lite, there is an option for any golfer looking for a new bag to carry or cart clubs around.

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”