Equipment

Houston Open Tour Report: Driver, fairways and shafts ready for launch in the Space City

Published

2 months ago

Mar 27, 2026

It was all systems go in Texas with the Houston Open serving up a perfect spot for big-name brands to launch new products for Tour validation, most notably Titleist’s all-new GTS driver (and surprisingly fairway) lineup.

We’ve had plenty of coverage across channels about the launch, but check out this week’s Inside the Ropes action for feedback and analysis from Tour players about their first impressions of the lineup.

Let’s dive into some other changes that happened this week, along with more gear launches.

Aldrich Potgieter just got longer

Did Aldrich Potgieter really need more distance? He’s currently second on the PGA Tour in driving distance and ball speed, so potentially, there is margin for him to make up.

At the 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open, he may just have found it, and some forgiveness to go with it.

Heading into the first of two stops in Texas before the season’s opening major championship, Pogeiter is looking to make some hefty changes to his driver setup. One of a few big-name stars to join the PXG ranks in the offseason, Potgieter started out 2026 playing the Lightning Tour head. At Memorial Park Golf Course for the Houston Open, things have changed as he’s looking to use an unreleased Tour Max prototype.

“I hit it yesterday for the first time and it’s really good,” Potgieter said in Houston. “Picked up probably about 2 or 3 miles an hour ball speed, which is huge. So we’ll hopefully keep that out on the course. But no, it’s looking good.

“I feel like some of the miss-strikes are straightening up, I think it has a bit more bulge and rolls as well,” Potgieter said. “So yeah, we’re definitely looking forward to it. It’s been great on the range, so this is a big driving week for us as well on the golf course. So if we can hit a lot more fairways, it’ll be good.

Hear more from Potgeiter about the swap and also another change in his setup before his second Masters appearance next month.

More on Potgieter here.

Fujikura’s strongest shaft

Along with the driver head switch, Potgeiter’s new setup also saw him add the latest Fujikura shaft release. Both the Red and Black Ventus TR VeloCore+ shafts hit the Tour for the first time in Houston. The South African added a Black 7x, which helps contribute to the increased ball speeds.

“The Black is one of the stiffest shafts we’ve ever created,” said Andrew Haong, Fujikura Tour rep. “… We got a lot of feedback from Tour players, that we want to see something that’s extremely stable and extremely stout.

“The one thing that we didn’t want to sacrifice, though, is feel and that’s where I feel like VeloCore+ has been a great addition to this line, where we have a beautiful blend of a lot of stability without sacrificing feel. You’re going to find a lot of players out here that will find something that will keep up with their swing speed, keep up with their tempo, but they’re not going to have something that just feels like a 2×4.”

Neal Shipley also tested a Ventus Black shaft, tipped 2 inches, and Haong mentioned that a previous shaft setup like Shipley’s had hit almost 320 CPM (Cycles Per Minute) during the testing to determine its true stiffness. It’s beefy!

More on the new Ventus shaft here.

Denny McCarthy’s Spider putter switch

Since 2018, Denny McCarthy has been in the top five in Strokes Gained: Putting all but once. In his bad season in 2021, he ranked 22nd, still gaining half a shot a round, nearly on the greens. So when he makes a putter change, it’s a pretty big deal.

The 33-year-old pro from the University of Virginia has pretty consistently gamed a Scotty Cameron GoLo putter for most of his career. He’s one of the first names that pops into the head of many when thinking of the specific putter. Even Michael Brennan, who recently switched to a GoLo at the Valspar, joked that by changing to the model, he hoped to putt like McCarthy.

But in Houston, McCarthy is the latest to succumb to Spider fever. He changed into a blacked-out, double-bend TaylorMade Spider Tour X, to hopefully improve his putting woes, which sees him 106th in Strokes Gained on the greens.

Fowler’s custom kicks

Rickie Fowler has had some interesting outfits in the past. Ones that spring to mind are the hunting attire he wore during the WM Phoenix Open in 2025, or the Knickers he donned at the 2014 U.S. Open. But in Houston, Fowler has a special pair of custom kicks designed by patients at Texas Children’s Hospital.

The sky-blue pair of Puma Ignite Elevate 2 golf shoes features custom-painted sections, including a space rocket, the Houston skyline, Houston sports teams, and Memorial Park Golf Course.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Texas Children’s Houston Open (@tchouopen)

Club of the week

We might have to switch this to “clubs” of the week, because again, I have two.

Firstly, Jason Day added a custom Avoda W3 lob wedge to his bag in Houston. According to Avoda, the W3 wedge is a high-bounce, high-leading-edge-height design built for softer conditions.

Looking at Day’s first-hand, there seems to be more fall off in the trailing-edge release, especially in the heel of the head.

Finally, Davis Chatfield has an interesting insert added to his TaylorMade Spider Tour X. The story behind it? Well, Chatfield played a Scotty Cameron GoLo during the second half of his promotion-clinching Korn Ferry Tour season last year. The team at TaylorMade created a beautiful milled insert to match the feel of that putter in a Spider head for this year, without the Pure Roll grooves.

More photos of Davis Chattfield’s WITB here.

For more from Houston, check out the latest episode of Inside the Ropes below.

Equipment

Tour Edge unveils all-new Exotics mini driver

Published

1 day ago

May 12, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

Tour Edge Golf has today introduced the all-new Exotics mini driver, engineered to deliver a powerful combination of speed, control, and versatility in the long game.

The Exotics Mini combines a titanium face with a stainless-steel body in design to balance ball speed with stability and control, creating a versatile option at the top end of the bag.

At the core of the design is Tour Edge’s proprietary Combo Brazing technology, a high-precision thermal bonding process that seamlessly fuses a titanium cup face to a stainless-steel body into a single, continuous structure. By eliminating energy loss found in traditional multi-piece constructions, Combo Brazing is designed to deliver faster face response, more efficient energy transfer, and a uniquely powerful yet controlled feel.

The multi-material construction also allows mass to be positioned lower and deeper in the head in a bid to increase stability, while the thin titanium face is engineered to maintain ball speed across a wider impact area.

“While the initial goal was to enhance control and versatility in the long game, Combo Brazing ultimately drove measurable gains in ball speed and distance within the mini driver category. In robot testing, we’ve documented higher ball speeds, higher launch, reduced spin, and increased carry and total distance compared to leading models.” – Vice President of R&D Matt Neeley

In addition to distance performance, the Exotics mini emphasizes forgiveness through a heavier stainless-steel body that shifts mass toward the perimeter. This configuration increases MOI relative to traditional all-titanium mini drivers, helping preserve ball speed and directional stability on off-center strikes. Paired with Pyramid Face Technology from the Exotics metalwood line, the design is intended to support consistent speed across the face.

To further enhance MOI, a lightweight carbon fiber crown frees additional mass that is strategically repositioned low and deep in the head in design to improve stability and promote optimal launch with controlled spin.

“We designed the Mini to be about five millimeters shallower than other mini drivers on the market. That change improves playability off the deck. From a clean fairway lie, it can function as a strong 3-wood alternative while still providing control off the tee.” – Tour Edge CEO David Glod

An adjustable hosel system allows for loft and lie tuning to dial in trajectory and shot shape, while a fixed 13-gram rear weight helps stabilize the head through impact to improve dispersion consistency. The Exotics Mini Driver is available in 11.5 and 13.5-degree lofts in right-handed models.

Pricing & Availability

The Exotics Mini Driver is available for pre-order beginning today for $399.99 USD at touredge.com, and will be available for purchase at retail outlets worldwide on May 22, 2026.

Equipment

Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

1 day ago

May 12, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

In our forums, our members have been pitting a Srixon ZXi combo against a TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo. WRXer ‘edutch22’ is on the hunt for a new set of irons and kicks off the thread saying:

“Looking at picking up a new set of irons and think I’ve narrowed it down to Srixon ZXi combo or Taylormade P7CB/770 combo. I am currently a 5 cap and allbeit I feel irons are my weakness. My miss is a little to the toe side. I am decently steep at 4-5 down. Always thought I am high spin but recently on trackman my 7 was spinning at 5800 roughly.

My question or looking for thoughts on which one would benefit me more from a forgiveness standpoint? Or is there another iron is should be looking at entirely? I only get to play about once or twice a week, if I am not playing a 2-3 day event. Thanks in advance.”

And our members have been sharing their thoughts and suggestions in response.

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

manima1: “You just can’t go wrong with Srixon ZXi7.”
MattM97: “You have to hit them to know, the V-Sole on the Srixon can be make or break for many.”
dmeeksDC: “P7CB is more forgiving for me than ZXi7 because my main miss is low middle and the P7CB still flies and spins great on that miss. These are both really nice irons but I like the P7CB more than the Zxi7 and the P770 (or P790) more than the Zxi5. The Srixons are larger so if that gives you confidence that is the way to go. I don’t feel like I get any benefit from the V-sole and the P7CBs live up to their high Maltby forgiveness rating so the TaylorMades have been great for me.”

Entire Thread: “Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”

Equipment

From the GolfWRX Classifieds: 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo

Published

1 day ago

May 12, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

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, @pianoman0123 has a 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo up for grabs.

From the listing: “2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade Combo. 4-8 irons are CB’s and the 9,PW are Blades. 5-PW have Project X 6.0 Shafts and the 4 Iron has a Steelfiber CW110 Stiff Shaft. Standard Length, Lie and Lofts. These are in very good condition the shafts just don’t work for me. Like new Lamkin Grips on the 5-PW and a stock Golf Pride on the 4 Iron. $525 OBO.”

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