Nick Watney's Bag

[chippen]

Has anyone seen what driver Nick was hitting last weekend? Titleist.com showed him using a 905R with an 11.5 deg loft. Holly crap that's a lot of loft and he wasn't shortknocking them either. Remember the days when the tour players were using 6.5's and 7.0's? I actually had a 7.5 deg. 975d with an x100 shaft and I gave it up in '03, still miss that beauty. It's the one in the picture to your left.

[jared]

Most I would say 95 percent of pros that you see playing high lofted drivers have the face angles bent open. For instance vijay singh has a 10.5 degree driver opened up over 5 degree so effectively the loft is around 8. Nick watneys is bent about 4 as well. With all the different types of shafts and balls out now hitting it a tad higher is not a bad thing if you limit the spin.

[jzatl04]

From titleisttourblog.com:

 

Golf Ball: New Titleist Pro V1x

 

Driver: Titleist Pro Titanium 905R 11.5°

Shaft: UST Proforce V2 (79g, X-flex, 44½")

 

Fairway: Titleist PT 906F2 15°

Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold (X100, 43")

 

Utility: Titleist PT 585.H 21°

Shaft: UST Proforce V2 Hybrid (104g, X-flex, 41")

 

Irons: Titleist 704.CB 3-4

Titleist 695MB 5-P

Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold (X100)

 

Wedges: Vokey Design Spin Milled Sand Wedge 56°

Vokey Design Spin Milled Lob Wedge 60°

Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold

 

Putter: Scotty Cameron by Titleist Newport Tour 350 prototype

 

It is an interesting setup for a player who's not a short hitter by any means. As Jared said, could be a variety of reasons why he has an 11.5º driver. Someone already posted a question on the tour blog, it'll be interesting to see Steve Mata's response:

Titleist Tour Blog Nick Watney WITB

[jared]

It's not an 11.5 degree driver guys. It's bent open at least a couple degrees. He plays everything right to left look at some of his shots they look like they are going dead right and always end up on target. He is probably the best pure ball striker on tour right now. With a swing path like that when you are sweeping the ball off a tee it formulates into even a bigger shot to the left thus the open face angle.

[chippen]

The plot thickens, I checked back on the titleist blog and Steve Mata's reply to the question is

 

If I remember correctly, his driver has never been bent.

 

– MATA

[joey3108]

Loft number on the sole of the club means nothing. Launch angle and shaft combo to get the right spin rate for the right consistentcy hitting the fw are what they are looking for.

 

Titleist heads have a aluminium sleeve and bore trough, i don't think you can bend it. That would be very risky cracking the sleeve and almost impossible to put the shaft in all the way.

 

I'm almost sure that they've just hand picked the head for him.

 

BTW, I've fitted a few tour players who end up w/ 10.5* and gained yardage and consistentcy. They were reluctant at first to try but after trying they were shocked on the result.

 

Just my opinions!

 

Joe :russian_roulette:

[Dixie Flatline]

I noticed how late he retained lag in his downswing in the slo mo's of his swing. His hands were quite a bit forward at impact with a driver. With this in mind, maybe he just fits into the 11.5 better.

 

Spalding

[JabboWookie]

It's not an 11.5 degree driver guys. It's bent open at least a couple degrees. He plays everything right to left look at some of his shots they look like they are going dead right and always end up on target. He is probably the best pure ball striker on tour right now. With a swing path like that when you are sweeping the ball off a tee it formulates into even a bigger shot to the left thus the open face angle.

 

Always great to hear from those who really seem to be "in the know". :russian_roulette:

[jared]

It's not an 11.5 degree driver guys. It's bent open at least a couple degrees. He plays everything right to left look at some of his shots they look like they are going dead right and always end up on target. He is probably the best pure ball striker on tour right now. With a swing path like that when you are sweeping the ball off a tee it formulates into even a bigger shot to the left thus the open face angle.

 

Always great to hear from those who really seem to be "in the know". :russian_roulette:

 

What a productive comment. I grew up with Nick in Fresno played against him while he was at Fresno State and was good friends with his brother Josh. I do not ever remember him playing such a high lofted driver. Your telling me that every single person on tour playing 905R's has the face angle the exact same? I find that VERY hard to believe.

 

Thank you so much for adding value to this post. It is because of people like yourself that make me only utilize this forum to purchase and sell equipment.

[JabboWookie]

It's not an 11.5 degree driver guys. It's bent open at least a couple degrees. He plays everything right to left look at some of his shots they look like they are going dead right and always end up on target. He is probably the best pure ball striker on tour right now. With a swing path like that when you are sweeping the ball off a tee it formulates into even a bigger shot to the left thus the open face angle.

 

Always great to hear from those who really seem to be "in the know". :russian_roulette:

 

What a productive comment. I grew up with Nick in Fresno played against him while he was at Fresno State and was good friends with his brother Josh. I do not ever remember him playing such a high lofted driver. Your telling me that every single person on tour playing 905R's has the face angle the exact same? I find that VERY hard to believe.

 

Thank you so much for adding value to this post. It is because of people like yourself that make me only utilize this forum to purchase and sell equipment.

 

Please read above post by Joe Kwok and the reply from Mata on the Tour Blog, I would say he seems to be "in the know". If you hadn't been SO certain in telling us exactly how his driver was set up, I don't think I would have even replied. :(

[jared]

Seems to me that they have offered nothing other that speculative commentary also. What advice have you posted? What value have you brought?

 

None, so why post it?

[arkstorm]

It's not an 11.5 degree driver guys. It's bent open at least a couple degrees. He plays everything right to left look at some of his shots they look like they are going dead right and always end up on target. He is probably the best pure ball striker on tour right now. With a swing path like that when you are sweeping the ball off a tee it formulates into even a bigger shot to the left thus the open face angle.

 

Always great to hear from those who really seem to be "in the know". :russian_roulette:

 

What a productive comment. I grew up with Nick in Fresno played against him while he was at Fresno State and was good friends with his brother Josh. I do not ever remember him playing such a high lofted driver. Your telling me that every single person on tour playing 905R's has the face angle the exact same? I find that VERY hard to believe.

 

Thank you so much for adding value to this post. It is because of people like yourself that make me only utilize this forum to purchase and sell equipment.

 

True. Completely unnecessary to berate anyone here for their opinions. Please don't be turned off to this forum because of a comment from a guy with 15 posts that is non representative of the spirit of the Golfwrx community.

[arkstorm]

BTW - here's a link to the golf channel's witb for Watney:

 

http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?pa...mp;select2=9617

[Simp]

Nice post Arkstorm. Hey, when we playing again?

[arkstorm]

Nice post Arkstorm. Hey, when we playing again?

 

I was just thinking about that myself. If the weather continues to cooperate we should set something up very soon.

[sergizmo]

So assume he's using a normal 11.5 loft, he's probably using a high bend point shaft. Probably looking for a high launch with flat trajectory

 

Titleist says a 79 gram V2 in X flex. Pretty darn stout. It may also be tipped.

[jared]

I use the same exact shaft in a 9.5, except mine is the 86 gram. I cannot believe he hits an 11.5 I am thinking about going to an 8.5.

To each his own if he really is swinging that high of a loft I would be shocked but I assume it is possible. I agree his post was stupid especially being only his 15th however it is just discouraging when someone offers no opinion other than a saracstic retort.

 

So is life.

[skembo88]

Is it just me or does anyone esle thing he looks extremely like Andy Roddick!

[Simp]

Nice post Arkstorm. Hey, when we playing again?

 

I was just thinking about that myself. If the weather continues to cooperate we should set something up very soon.

 

Let's do it! Just let me know.

[eli_yates]

in his golf digest whats in the bag... he talks about how he has a low launch so he has weaker/old standard like 49* pw and so on and so forth. lofts on all of his clubs. and if you were watching the buick when they showed him hitting down the line with the driver he hit it so low. i also play an 11.5 driver but mines a titleist 983k. as for the hybrid he says he carries it also because he is has a low launch. again i got this from his golf digest whats in the bag.

[brett@oneworldgolf]

This is what the Tour Van had him using:

 

In the Bag: Nick Watney (PGA Tour - Buick Invitational)

 

 

Driver: Titleist 909D2 (10.5 degrees with Mitsubishi Diamana White Board 83-gram shaft)

Fairway Wood: Titleist 909F2 3-wood (15.5 degrees with Fujikura ZCOM Pro95 for Titleist shaft)

Hybrid: Titleist 909H (21 degrees with Proforce V2 hybrid 100 shaft)

Irons (3-9): Titleist AP2

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design (48 degrees), Spin Milled (56 and 60 degrees)

Putter: Scotty Cameron by Titleist Newport Tour

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x (2007)

Footwear: FootJoy Classics Tour (style #51458)

Glove: Titleist Players

[mrlongball]

I thought I saw a 909 in his hands on tv and in pictures (namely the one on the homepage for WRX) Watney went about his business like a veteran, just plug along, stay steady stay in striking distance and when someone erred, he was there to say 'thanks guys' and drained some huge putts!!!! Good to see he'll be at the Masters!!

[tjoncas]

Where do you guys get this info ? It's Rookieville on here today - he was not hitting any 700 series irons.. know this

 

 

- Watney's winning clubs .

 

Driver: Titleist 909D2 (10.5°) with Mitsubishi Diamana White Board 83 shaft

Fairway wood: Titleist 909F2 (15.5°) with Fujikura ZCOM Pro95 for Titleist shaft

Hybrid: Titleist 909H (21°) with Proforce V2 hybrid 100 shaft

Irons: Titleist AP2 (3-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design 200 Series (48°), Spin Milled (56°), Special "T" Grind (60°)

Putter: Titleist by Scotty Cameron 009 prototype

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x (2009)

 

s

[rascre]

Where do you guys get this info ? It's Rookieville on here today - he was not hitting any 700 series irons.. know this

 

The first posts actually refer to his bag a couple of years ago. Your information is correct, but if you look you can see that this is a pretty old topic (started in '07).

[newportbeach]

Where do you guys get this info ? It's Rookieville on here today - he was not hitting any 700 series irons.. know this

 

 

- Watney's winning clubs .

 

Driver: Titleist 909D2 (10.5°) with Mitsubishi Diamana White Board 83 shaft

Fairway wood: Titleist 909F2 (15.5°) with Fujikura ZCOM Pro95 for Titleist shaft

Hybrid: Titleist 909H (21°) with Proforce V2 hybrid 100 shaft

Irons: Titleist AP2 (3-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design 200 Series (48°), Spin Milled (56°), Special "T" Grind (60°)

Putter: Titleist by Scotty Cameron 009 prototype

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x (2009)

 

s

 

Where did you get the 009? That is different than a newport. Scotty's site lists the putter as a newport and the pictures I've seen are of a newport not an 009.

[tjoncas]

www.golf.com

[vonge]

I got to spend some time with Nick about a year ago. I was surprised to see him using that 11.5 degree loft with the driver so I asked him how he played it or why that gave him the best results. He told me, and you can see it looking at his swing in slow motion, he de-lofts the club so much at impact because his hands lead as much as they do.

[Prich]

Some great information here guys; I'm in awe of your knowledge and enjoy the reading. Heck knows, maybe I'll even learn something! :clapping:

[enterprise920]

his father is a regular at my golf course and Nick comes out for 9 every now and then. His drivers are bent WAY open and he was also using the V2 Counterbalanced 79X last time i spoke with him. Not the regular V2.

[daowens]

It all depends on your swing. My hands are ahead of the ball at impact with my driver. I went to PING Tour fitting in September and I got a V2 in a 10.75 launching at 14ish with 2300 rpm. As a collegiate golfer, I never thought I would ever hit any driver with more than 10 degrees of loft. My ball looks like it launches too high but it stays in the air forever, but I guess thats what 184 ball speed does for me haha.