Equipment
Tiger Woods puts a new grip on the “Elder Wand”
Yes, it’s just a putter grip, but hey, it’s Tiger—and the most famous putter in the world.
We spotted TW at Winged Foot this morning with a fresh (but super old) Lamkin Deep Etched Pistol grip to replace his trusty Ping Blackout, which he has played for the majority of his professional tenure (although Woods has opted for the non-blacked-out version in recent years).
Users on social media cited Woods using the grip in combination with an Odyssey Dual Force 660 putter while at Stanford and early in his career. Interestingly, while we’re used to seeing a Blackout grip in Woods’ hands, he used multiple cord and etched grips in his pre-Elder Wand days.
Photo Courtesy of Worthpoint.com
As our Gianni Magliocco pointed out earlier this month, the world No. 21 is in the midst of the worst putting stretch of his career.
Woods tried a Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Timeless Prototype at the PGA Championship, but ultimately that experiment was short-lived.
Woods plays Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord grips on his woods and irons.
This week, we have our Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, on the ground at the OccuNet Classic at Tascosa Golf Club in Amarillo, Texas, for the 14th event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season. With that, we see some great things in the Lead Tape Report as we roll into Amarillo.
Joel Thelen
Monday Qualifier, Joel Thelen is in the field this week. He has played on the Korn Ferry Tour for a full season in 2023, and he is back in action this week. A couple of clubs caught my eye this week in his bag.
First off: His trusted Titleist 816 H2 hybrid. This club came out in October of 2015, and it still remains strong in the bag. Also, take a look at this Odyssey White Hot OG 7, putting a capital S in the 7S model. This custom neck has some impressive lean for an arm-lock-style putter. The bottom of the putter is covered in tape for optimal weighting.
Mitchell Meissner
Taking a look at Mitchell Meissner’s bag this week, we have some great lead tape coverage. Top to bottom working from fairway metals, irons, and wedges. We can see on the short irons and wedges that there is tape at the base of the grip, adding a little counterbalance. Along with that, some tape on the short irons and wedges as well. Moving to his putter, he rolls the Odyssey 7 Bird putter. Meissner putts left-handed and strikes the ball right-handed.
Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.
Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: Titleist GTS3 (15 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 70 TX
7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 80 TX
Irons: Titleist U505 (3), Titleist 620 MB (4-9)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 8 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putters: Scotty Cameron Tour Prototype, Scotty Cameron GOLO 6.3 Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
In our forums, one user has offered up a prompt for the true sickos, inviting fellow forum members to share every set of irons they’ve ever owned. As to be expected, this is a lengthy forum topic.
@Lamosteve began:
Can you name every set of irons you’ve owned? Here’s mine
Spalding Dots
Spalding Eclipse
Ram Lazer FX
Lynx Parallax
Mizuno EZ Comp
Ben Hogans
Cleveland CG Red
Taylor Made R9s
PING i20
PING iE1
Taylor Made M6
Our members in the forum have been offering up their own collections. 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.
- macedan: “Started with a hand-me-down Golden Bear set from my brother when I was in high school, never really played more than once a year or got into the game until about summer of 2017. First purchased a set of Cleveland CG4’s (I actually really miss this set sometimes, soft & not terribly large for a GI iron), moved into Nike Vapor Fly’s by the end of the year. Those lasted until spring of 18 when I decided I wanted new, so I traded them in for TM Rbladez. Honestly, although I liked the Rbladez, poor decision on my part, I think this was really about the only time so far that after a week or two I was kicking myself for not staying with what I had. Rbladez stayed with me until late last summer when I switched to P790’s and (knock on wood) I am hoping this will be my longest lasting set.”
- JimmyC59: “MacGregor Jack Nicklaus Triple Crown. Palmer The Standard. Still play these.”
- jgrzask: “Tommy Armour 845u
Mizuno MP-32
Mizuno MP-33 (2 sets)
Bridgestone J33cb – still own
Srixon i-302 (2 sets) – still own
Tourstage X-Blades – still own
Mizuno Hot Metal – still own
Nike Forged Blades – still own
Titleist 714 AP1 – still own
Cobra Forged SS – still own”
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Bud Cauley WITB 2026 (June)
Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament. Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura...
Hannah Green WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Titleist GTS3 (10 degrees, D4 SureFit setting) Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana RB 53 S 3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees,...
Asterisk Talley WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 S 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (16.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue...
Brianna Do WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (9 degrees) Shaft: KBS PGW 3-wood: Callaway Elyte Titanium (15 degrees) Shaft: KBS PGW 5-wood:...
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The Hammer
Sep 20, 2020 at 8:29 pm
We call his putter Excalibur.
BigG
Sep 16, 2020 at 12:50 pm
Do you guys ever stop with this garbage. What next?
Tiger is eating a sandwich.
Tiger is tying his shoes.
Tiger is taking a crap.
Tiger is taping his finger.
Give it a rest.
John Wunder
Sep 16, 2020 at 10:18 pm
I think its fun. The guy doesn’t move the needle, he is the needle. If the guy changes shoe laces people care. You may not which is fine but if a poll was taken, I would bet money that anything the guy does is interesting to most.
gwelfgulfer
Sep 29, 2020 at 1:00 am
No John, if Tiger changed his shoe laces, no one other than the wrx ‘writers’ would care…
The Dude-Dudeness
Oct 3, 2020 at 9:38 pm
Hey when can hear about how and with who he cheated on his wife?
Or driving under the influence?
He was the greatest jerk of all time until this,
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/tiger-woods-dui-arrest-golfer-had-five-drugs-system-toxicology-n792856
DB
Sep 16, 2020 at 8:24 am
Main change here is the weight. PING is 58 grams, the Lamkin Deep Etch cord is usually 80-85 grams. That makes a big difference, most prefer a heavier putter head with the heavier grip.
Jordan
Sep 15, 2020 at 8:45 pm
He probably should give the greatest putter grip of all time a try: The Scotty Cameron Studio Design
John
Sep 16, 2020 at 8:55 am
LOL
Bobby
Sep 16, 2020 at 2:17 pm
The Pingman Blackout is basically the same exact grip as the studio design, just 2 grams heavier but very little difference between the two!
Gianni's dad
Sep 15, 2020 at 7:03 pm
Give is a few more starts, he’ll be in a super stroke 5.0 and left hand low.
Adult
Sep 15, 2020 at 6:26 pm
Is there anything cornier than calling his putter the “elder wand?”
Chris
Sep 15, 2020 at 7:42 pm
Only your name
Adult
Sep 15, 2020 at 8:32 pm
OK guy who thinks calling a putter “elder wand” is cool
John
Sep 16, 2020 at 8:56 am
What a sad comeback to a great post from chris.
Mike Dropped.
Adult
Sep 16, 2020 at 9:03 am
OK guy who thinks calling a putter “elder wand” is cool
Ryan
Sep 16, 2020 at 10:56 am
guy’s name is Eldrick. It sorta works and, since you asked, you probably cannot come up with anything cornier for his putter. You definitely nailed a cornier comebacks though!
Adult
Sep 16, 2020 at 11:01 am
OK guy who thinks calling a putter “elder wand” is cool
Mike
Sep 16, 2020 at 8:04 pm
Hey!
Funkaholic
Sep 16, 2020 at 8:53 am
You must be a blast at parties.
John Wunder
Sep 16, 2020 at 10:15 pm
Nothing corny about the Elder Wand…. watch Harry Potter, that stick was a world-beater.
Gene Kennedy
Sep 15, 2020 at 6:14 pm
It takes SO long for pro’s to change anything and they have access to Everything! Please, Don’t say superstition, or TW would’ve kept his original SWING~~
Delbert
Sep 15, 2020 at 3:07 pm
There’s feel in them old cords.
stanley
Sep 15, 2020 at 1:13 pm
this is a big change. putter grip isn’t anything to laugh at. i wonder if he is uncomfortable with his putting at this time.
Captain obvious
Sep 15, 2020 at 9:25 pm
You wonder? You wonder? I what gave it away?