Equipment
Bryson DeChambeau preparing to put 48-inch driver in play
Bryson DeChambeau is on the hunt for his first major this week at the 2020 U.S. Open, but ahead of the second major of the year, the Californian teased a significant equipment change for the near future and the spectacular results it could yield.
Speaking to media in New York, DeChambeau revealed that he plans on using a 48-inch driver which could see him consistently hitting an astronomical 210mph ball speed.
“We’re working on testing a 48-inch driver after this week. It’s just going to happen, too. So we’ll see how far I can go. I’m working with LAGP to build a shaft that’s stable but that I can use to get my ball speed up to 210mph. That would be fun.”
Asked would he be comfortable putting the driver in play on tour, the 27-year-old was transparent in letting everyone know that the change may come sooner rather than later.
“A hundred percent, yeah, why not. If it’s as consistent as what I’m doing now, there’s no reason why. If I was 205-mile-an-hour ball speed, I’d be using it everywhere out here. It would be even more of an asset to me. That’s the way I look at it.
There’s this point of no return where if you’re around like 180 and you try and get faster but it gets that much more drastically off line, it really doesn’t help you that much. You don’t gain that much. But once you start getting 195 to 200 to 205, even though you’re missing it that far off line, you’re so far up close to these greens, it’s too big of an advantage to take away.”
As for this week’s test at Winged Foot, Bryson will have his regular 45.5-inch gamer in play. The strategy for this week probably won’t surprise you either, as the golf scientist plans on using the club as much as he can regardless of whether or not it’s flying straight.
“Even if it’s in the rough, I can still get it to the front edge or the middle of the greens with pitching wedges and nine irons. That’s the beauty of my length and that advantage.
Obviously, if it’s into the wind and there’s some of those situations going on, it’s going to be different. There are certain holes I might lay up on just because of the situation but for the most part I’m going to be trying to go after it as much as I possibly can.
Even if I hit it in the rough, I still feel like I can make birdies out here. I still feel like I can run it up the middle of the green and make a 20-footer.”
DeChambeau tees off for round one of the 2020 U.S. Open at 8.16 AM ET alongside Dustin Johnson and Tony Finau.
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”
Justin Rose WITB 2026 (April): Full WITB breakdown with new McLaren irons
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Memorial Tournament Tour Report: Rory McIlroy, Cameron Young switch up drivers, and more
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Russell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
Kristoffer Reitan’s winning WITB: 2026 Truist Championship
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2026 Cadillac Championship
J.T. Poston’s winning WITB: 2026 Memorial Tournament
Best irons 2026: Best irons overall, most forgiving irons, and more
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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joro
Sep 30, 2020 at 10:45 am
Clown ? What a bunch of dopes who can’t break 120 on a good day. This guy has a goal, how about you. Just cut the BS and mind your own business and leave the guy alone. You know nothing about the game or the people playing it.
HKO
Sep 29, 2020 at 11:56 am
PGA soon to be 5 rounds of 18000 yds double black teed 27 holes on one day and no doping test.
phizzy
Oct 14, 2020 at 9:20 am
PGA tour drug testing is a joke to begin with. I have a buddy who did play on the Mackenzie tour(won’t mention his name) who has the inside scoop on testing and says players are warned ahead of time and keep things hush hush for the most part especially for the top players due to the fact that the tour wants to keep a clean cut image so as to keep sponsors and what not. I like Bryson and what he’s doing. Bomb and gouge. It’s the way I play golf and I will say it makes the game a bit easier having wedges into greens rather than a 7 iron or up.
geohogan
Oct 19, 2020 at 10:37 am
and new commissioner will be Steph Curry
with renaming of PGA to Holey Moley III, Partie trois, Sequela.
Play-by-play commentator Joe Tessitore, color commentator Rob Riggle
finally MC who understand Americans and what they want.
“Make American Golf great Again” MAGGA
JTB
Sep 23, 2020 at 1:16 pm
Bring back shot-making to modern golf courses. This is ridiculous. I have a hard time believing he can control and work a 48″ driver left/right, but if modern day courses don’t require this, then he can just bomb away. Please don’t let Bryson turn the game into a joke.
geohogan
Sep 21, 2020 at 5:49 pm
Tiger was at top of his game and golf swing in 2000. He couldnt leave his swing alone
and tinkered himself into one injury after another.
Bryson isnt the first and wont be the last.
Cody
Sep 24, 2020 at 11:43 am
He tinkered his way to 15 majors. You can speculate that he could have won more with his old swing(s), but reality is that his constant search seem to work pretty darn well.
phizzy
Oct 14, 2020 at 9:23 am
I agree. It wasn’t just the PEDS but also his violent swing that put a lot of stress on his back and knees which ultimately led to his injuries and multiple surgeries. I don’t like Tiger as a person, but he has tremendous talent and grit and is a once in a generation golfer. q
geohogan
Sep 21, 2020 at 5:27 pm
There is no way a 48 inch shaft can be controlled the same as 46 inches, unless the diameter of the shaft tip and hosel are increased to maximum currently, 0.370 inches
Question will be whether shaft or his body give out first.
Self destruction either way.
Johnny Penso
Sep 27, 2020 at 11:19 pm
His shafts are as stiff as rebar. Adding another 2 inches won’t make much difference.
geohogan
Oct 1, 2020 at 8:16 pm
Top driver shafts have 0.325 inch tip. This diameter is the limiter
for control as shaft gets longer and longer.
Its why 45 inches is about the longest the pros will play.
Increase thetip diameter and the mechanical properties allow somewhat longer controllable length, but that involves changes to the hosel as well as the shaft.
IMO, the USGA would be smart to get ahead of this madness and limit the tip diameters.
Dennis
Sep 20, 2020 at 12:10 am
Let him search for his ball by himself then, no ball spotters! That would be fun to watch 🙂
james sickels
Sep 19, 2020 at 4:24 pm
It will be great for courses with little ruff, but in deep ruff then the control of the second shot is very poor. He is experiencing that in the US Open on his green approach shots. Also as mentioned by other comments, the kinetic force going into his eco-skeleton is tremendous. He will have TWs banged up body 10 years earlier. Most of the many long drivers have all kinds of injuries to include rib seperation, knees, shoulder, and spinal issues. He’s fun to watch, but he may be in for a world of hurt in the future.
Bryson's Bro
Sep 21, 2020 at 9:14 pm
How’d he do in the US Open?
phizzy
Oct 14, 2020 at 9:27 am
Yes I agree. Look at Jaime Sadlowski and Jason Zubak who have lower back issues now. Putting a tremendous amount of stress on the lower back and knees from such violent swings will eventually give way to serious injuries. I myself am no slouch off the tee and have herniated discs in my lower back due to injuries from doing very heavy squats and dead lifts in my younger years from bodybuilding. My swing also isn’t doing any favors as my joint health is concerned either.
Speedy
Sep 19, 2020 at 1:48 pm
If he wore elevator golf shoes, he could go to 50″. Pray for Bryson.
Jason
Sep 19, 2020 at 11:42 am
What he isn’t taking into account is that at 48 inches, he will probably create more force than his joints can handle, which will cause his swing to breakdown biomechanically.
Trevion
Sep 18, 2020 at 10:59 pm
He’s not wrong. If he can actually hit 200+ mph ball speed and 350y+ carries consistently, he could dominate golf courses. All he’d need to carry around would be a driver, 4 wedges, and a putter. As he gets faster though he really needs to dial in his wedges better or it’s all going to be for nothing, really.
Johnny Penso
Sep 27, 2020 at 11:21 pm
I don’t know. I heard he won a tournament a couple weeks back so he must be doing something right.
Stephen Pearcy
Sep 18, 2020 at 10:59 am
I wonder how many tournaments are considering graduated rough,especially at 325-400 yards. Graduated so a really wayward shot is (at minimum) a 1-2 shot penalty.
KJ
Sep 17, 2020 at 5:37 pm
Sure he’s a bit of a clown, but I really enjoy that he’s willing to tinker at the highest level.
Dave
Sep 29, 2020 at 6:52 pm
me too. he will be trying a 48inch driver. it doesn’t mean he will be making it work & be worth it in tournaments. let’s just wait & see. if it does provide an (unfair) advantage then we can discuss that in the future. my personal metric is if someone drives the first at Augusta then Houston we may have a problem.