Why Fully Equipped co-host can’t use these clubs anymore

A few weeks ago I played in the only weekend of golf where I truly care about what I shoot. It’s a tournament called Player’s Cup. It’s a Ryder Cup style event hosted by my buddy Bryan LaRoche from @BryanGolf in Fleming Island, Fla. I had to lock my bag down to make sure that I practiced with the proper gear. Now that Player’s Cup is over (our team dominated) and its now open season on the bag, I figured it was as good of a time as any to do a little update to the What’s in the Bag, and my first installment on the Fully Equipped platform. I promise it will be the first of many. 

To say my game is in a good spot would be a very confusing statement. I can hit my driver into a bucket, no par-5 is safe from me having an eagle putt, and inside 50 yards I’ll likely get up and down. But from 140-200 yards, it’s really anybody’s guess. On days that I hit my irons well, which I have the best shot at with this current set, I’ll score close to par. On days that I don’t, I’m struggling to keep it under 80. If nothing else, it’s quite the adventure. I managed to get by at Player’s Cup winning all 3 of my points, and my singles match on Sunday showed a very promising game, but still, from 140- 200yards it was a toss up for success. 

I have learned a few new things this year, and some of those discoveries have lead to some fantastic equipment changes. Other discoveries have sank me. For the first time in my golfing career I went through actual swing changes over the 2024-2025 winter, and starting this season my game was in shambles. The exact reason why I never wanted to get lessons was that I never wanted to have to break myself to fix myself. But there I was at the start of the season barely able to break 80 with a handicap index going up, up, up and away. 

By the start of June things started to mellow out, and some equipment discoveries were made: 

Go. Get. Fit.

One thing that I am absolutely terrible at is getting properly fit. I have a very nice access to equipment, but lots of times it’s plug and play with familiar options and when something “kinda works” it’s good enough to go in the bag. But earlier this year I did a brand agnostic irons fitting at Carl’s Golfland, and it opened my world up to a change that I desperately needed to make, and that was the turning point this year where I realized that all hope was not lost and I could probably make it work and bring the scores back down to Earth. You can watch that fitting video on my Made for the Range YouTube here. (no surprise I’m not using those irons)

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Playing a fairway wood

I have a tendency to bucket myself into certain equipment that I want to play, and restrict myself from testing out other options or getting fit for things that might not “fit” what I would traditionally think to play. The top end of my bag is where that shines the most. Last year I was dead set on playing a mini-driver, and I still love all my mini drivers. But the reality is that my game was better served by sacking up and figuring out how to hit a fairway wood. Which in my head means getting fairway woods and testing them until I find the one that I feel sucks the least. There was no sense in having a mini driver that goes 260 yards off the tee if I can’t hit it into long par-5s consistently. So, you’ll actually see a fairway wood in the top of my bag. Which is a shocker for my long time followers. 

Driver set-up is phenomenally important

I currently hit my driver set-up better than anybody I know. I have no shame in being incredibly braggy about it. I got to play with Wunder for two rounds and I think I missed three fairways in total, and they were because I was trying to do some hero type nonsense. Even he told me that if I ever change away from this driver he’d disown me. So there’s that. But having a driver that I trust this much has unlocked so much more. More confidence in tight holes, more confidence in long par-4s, and no fear of having to hit my irons out of weird or penalizing lies. 

I love hitting wedges

This is the best part of my game no doubt. Hitting a good 75% 50-degree wedge is such a joy. Long bunker shots with a back-foot 56-degree? No problem. Spinners off of a tight lie? Bring ’em to me. It’s lovely. I’ve got the coolest set of wedges I’ve ever owned in my bag, and it shows. I’ve always loved my wedges. I’ve had stock, custom, lasered, stamped, you name it. Wedges are my little art piece, and I continue to learn about the best way to create my set and take advantage of the amazing wedge market we find ourselves in. 

The Wilson Staff Model X deserves more credit

My goodness do I love this golf ball. I credit this ball for saving my game. At the start of May I switched from a TP5x (lower spin ball) to the Staff Model X at the suggestion of Ed Garland from Wilson Golf, as well as the Ballnamic Fitting Tool, and BOY WAS HE RIGHT. Playing a spinnier ball allowed me to make the driver switch that I now swoon over, as well as unlocking some performance benefits with the irons that I desperately needed. The golf ball is durable, it feels great, it spins like a top, and it couldn’t care less about the wind. The perfect combination for a guy who plays his golf in Chicagoland’s tree-lined suburbia. 

Wilson Staff Model X Golf Balls

The Wilson Staff Model® X golf ball is a tour-caliber, four-piece urethane golf ball that delivers unmatched precision, speed and consistency. Made for players who want a firm, fast ball, the Staff Model X goes longer and has more spin off the tee and off of irons. Each Staff Model X ball is painted using a finely controlled application process that ensures a nearly flawless finish, resulting in the highest-caliber performance.

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The last thing I want to talk about is a quick story with my wedges. The entire process is going to be a YouTube video for all of you to watch soon, but the long story short is that I was able to sit down with Jose Miraflor of Cobra Golf who is a closet wedge guru. He trained under Bob Vokey, and doesn’t get credit for the wedge knowledge that he has in his brain. It was a phenomenal set of wedges and the day that I have to replace these, I am going to be very sad. I’ll probably end up going straight back to him, but you’ll notice below that I have a custom set of Cobra King RAW Wedges each custom ground by Jose himself. I’ll list the grinds that we started with for each and the changes we made. 

So here we go. My final hurrah WITB for BryanGolf’s Player’s Cup 2025. As of September 9th, it’s open season on the bag again. 

Golf Balls: Wilson Staff Model X

Driver: Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond Tour Draw 9.0º N/S Adapter

Shaft: Mitsubishi D-Limited 60TX Tipped 1” @ 45.5” 

Carry: 285yds

Fairway Wood: Wilson Dynapower Carbon 4W (16.5º) – Standard Loft/Lie

Shaft: UST Linq PC Blue Prototype 7TX Tipped 1” @ 42.5”

Carry: 260yds

Hybrids: Ping G440 3/5

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red HB Velo+ 9X

Carry: 235yds/215yds

PING G440 Custom Hybrid

The G440 hybrids appeal to a variety of skill levels, each engineered to deliver different ball- flight characteristics – from the slightly fade-biased 2 hybrid for off-the-tee performance to the draw-inducing 5, 6 and 7 hybrids that help optimize gapping. They all share a new, shallower and thinner face design, which improves face contact for more ball speed and higher-launching shots that hit and hold the green. 
FLIES HIGH LANDS SOFT
Optimized launch and spin ensure distance with stopping power. 
FREE-HOSEL DESIGN
Saves weight to lower CG, optimize launch/spin and increase forgiveness. 
ROUNDED SOLE 
Ensures pleasing face angle in all hosel settings 
CARBONFLY WRAP 
Lightweight carbon crown saves weight to increase MOI, lower CG. 

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Note: Fujikura deciding to add the Red HB profile to the lineup this year was genius. There wasn’t a red profile in the previous lineup and lots of people wanted it. The Red HB profile is a little bit different than it’s woods shafts counterpart, and it’s even easier to load and launch. A wonderful addition to make hitting your hybrids feel just a little bit easier. 

Irons: Callaway Apex TCB ’24 (RAW) 5-10 [10 Wedge is GOAT]

Shafts: Nippon Modus 120 X, Standard Length 1* Flat

Carry (5-PW): 200, 187, 175, 164, 154, 142

Callaway Apex TCB 24 Custom Irons

Since Xander Schauffele put a TCB iron in play,his strokes gained in approach have significantlyincreased year over year. Now in 2024, he is top 5 inthe world in strokes gained on the field, and has wontwo major championships with the new ’24 TCB Iron.
MAJOR SUCCESS
Trusting the ‘24 Apex TCB iron, Xander Schauffelewent on to secure two major championships in the2024 season.
TOUR FEEL
Combining our best in technology, the ’24 TCB usesa 1025 tour cavity back body with a 17-4 tour tunedface for consistent spin and control up and down thebag. The feel is second to none. Just ask Xander.
PRO LOOKS
The beautiful raw aesthetic and overall footprint isexactly what Xander was looking for. With a compact controllable shape, and shorter blade length, TCB ’24 are players irons for discerning golfers.

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Wedges: Cobra King 50 V Custom Grind, 56 W Custom Grind, 60@62 T Custom Grind 

Custom Stamping: 50 AHK (Niece), AAK (Nephew), M4TR 

Shafts: Nippon Modus 125 Wedge, BGT ZNE 130

Carry(50-62): 130, 118, 105

Note: I always do custom work on my wedges. I like the personalization of it, and it’s also nice to keep reminders of my niece and nephew in the bag. Been known to calm down a potential club toss every now and then. My niece is always on the gap wedge loft, nephew on the sand wedge loft, and some sort of nod to Made for the Range on my lob wedge. I’ve done this for the last 4 or 5 sets of wedges that I have had! 

Cobra KING Custom Wedge

Crafted from 8620 steel using MIM (Metal Injection Molding), KING Wedges are one of the softest feelings in market. Choose from four new grinds (DROP, WIDELOW, VERSATILE, TOUR) for enhanced greenside creativity and optimized CG with Flight Window Technology (F.W.T) for tour inspired launch. The redesigned Cobra Speed Notch, 67% larger than before, ensures better glide and speed on open-face shots.
MIM (METAL INJECTION MOLDING)
Experience precision with MIM technology, offering 50% tighter tolerances than traditional casted wedges. Each head is heat-treated to nearly 1400°C, ensuring a tighter grain structure for a softer feel and enhanced longevity, resisting groove degradation for lasting performance.
COBRA SPEED NOTCH
Discover the newly redesigned Cobra Speed Notch, featuring softer, blended shaping that complements our new grinds. Now 67% larger, it ensures smooth glide through the ground while maintaining speed and delivering high spinning shots.

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Putter: Toulon Chicago Smallbatch Prototype (Double Bend)

Shaft: BGT Stability Carbon (Red Coupler)

Specs: 34.5” Length, 72º Lie Angle

Grip: SuperStroke 1.0P 17

Note: This is a prototype of a future small batch putter. The Chicago shape for this small batch has been modified slightly, but the core design remains. This time they’ve taken a 904L material head and topped it off with a glossy sort of piano black finish. Combined with the sight dot, it’s the best Chicago they’ve ever made. Truly a work of functional art. 

Grips: SuperStroke REVL Comfort on Woods / REVL Element on Irons and Wedges

PAYNTR Jason Day Eighty Seven SC (Men’s)

In collaboration with Jason Day our newest model has arrived, the Eighty Seven SC! 

CLARINO Trivela microfiber upper delivers lightweight support and flexibility
Full WATERPROOF+ breathable membrane fused to lining and sealed with bottom gasket.
ARIAPRENE® tongue & bootie offers supreme foot lockdown to provide maximum stability and lightweight, breathable support.
TPU Outsole, with Fast Twist insert system, delivers traction in three dimension for the life of the shoe.
PMXNitro+ Footbed delivers lightweight responsive cushioning for the life of the shoe.
PMXNitro+ Midsole provides maximum energy return & ultimate under foot support.

CARBITEX GearFlex propulsion plate allows golfers to more effectively harness ground reaction forces.

*Discounts are not applicable to this style*

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Before we wrap up, I also need to make specific mention of my golf shoes. I have worked with the Softspikes team over the last couple of years. I’ve learned more than I ever needed to know about spiked footwear, and I’ll never return to spikeless shoes, at least not in play. I’ve been able to test tons of different shoes over the last year and my favorites without a doubt are the Payntr Jason Day Eighty Seven SC. They come stock with Softspikes Tour Flex Pro spikes which gives the most traction for players right out of the box. The shoes are insanely comfortable right out of the box, the provide a high level of stability while still being flexible enough to work with your feet when you’ve got a less than flat stance on a hill, standing on debris, or in wet conditions. Highly recommend. 

So that’s it. Or, that was it. Now it’s open season. Nothing is safe. The rules for the rest of the year are that nothing you just read is allowed to be gamed unless I have enough money on the line for it to matter, or I somehow end up in a tournament where my score affects others like it did at Player’s Cup. 

My first thought? Boy do I need to find a new set of irons. 

To start your own bag exploration with a club fitting visit your local True Spec Golf location.

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