Equipment

Spotted: Prototype wood shafts at the U.S. Open

Published

2 years ago

Jun 12, 2024

There is always a lot going on at a major championship. Fortunately, amidst the chaos, we were able to track down some new gear out on the range. This week we spotted a few different prototype shafts out at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. We don’t have any official details on most of the shafts, but we can speculate on a few details.

Mitsubishi Diamana BB (Blue Board)

We got the sixth-generation Diamana White Board a little while ago and now we get our first look at the Blue Board. The BB will be the mid-launch option in the latest Diamana lineup as its sibling the White Board is designed for low launch. Mitsubishi informed us that this new BB will mix the current Diamana GT and the slightly older Diamana BF shaft. This new Diamana BB should incorporate the firmer handle of the GT and the smooth feel of the BF for a high-performance shaft that feels great. Surprisingly, the Diamana BB is matte black like the WB, but with a blue “surfboard” — I think most of us expected a matte blue shaft! The new Diamana BB will include Mitsubishi’s latest shaft technology, like its Xlink Resin System.

UST Mamiya Lin-Q 2353OWv2

This looks to have very similar graphics to the current Lin-Q M40X White that is in the lineup. There are additional markings below the graphics that say, “PROTO 2353OWv2,” but I don’t think that really helps anyone outside of UST Mamiya. High tensile modulus M40X fiber is being used in the shaft, but I don’t see any TSPX Concept markings on the shaft, so I wonder if that material is being used in the full length of the shaft or just in strategic parts. The current Lin-Q M40X White is a low/mid-launch and spin shaft and a 6F5 (X-stiff) model comes in at 67 grams.

Graphite Design Tour AD GC

Graphite Design might have one of the most robust shaft lineups of any company out there, and some of the models it makes don’t even make it to the U.S. market. We don’t have anything official on the shaft but there was a tour rep at the Suntory Ladies Open who told the media the Tour AD GC was similar to the Tour AD PT and the Tour AD TP models. The tour rep mentioned it was a little “tighter” than both of those shafts. Now the PT model isn’t currently available here but it is a mid-launch shaft and the TP is mid/high launching with low/mid spin. We spotted a GC in 8 TX flex, meaning it is in the 80-gram weight range, so I think the shaft will be offered in the full range of 40-80 grams like most Graphite Design Tour AD shafts.

Newton Motion “6.5 Dot”

Newton is a newer player in the graphite shaft market but is experiencing success on professional tours. We spotted their Motion shaft out at Pinehurst N0. 2 this week with an interesting marking on it. Newton designates flex by the number of dots on the shaft, from one to six dots, and those correspond with the recommended swing speed. The current lineup has five-dot shafts for swing speeds around 105-115 mph and a six-dot flex for swings over 115 mph. The shaft we saw has seven dots, but the last one is not filled in. We can’t be sure what this represents as none of the other flexes seem to have any empty dots on them. Newton Motion shafts are hand-built with no spine for extreme consistency and accuracy. They also play a little softer for generating ball speed.

Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 U.S. Open

Equipment

Slab city on the Korn Ferry Tour — Lead Tape Report

Published

14 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Andrew Von Lossow

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.

Whats in the Bag

Bud Cauley WITB 2026 (June)

Published

14 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Will Schube

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

See more in-hand photos of Bud Cauley’s clubs here.

Equipment

Name every set of irons you’ve owned – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

14 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Will Schube

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”

Entire Thread: “Name every set of irons you’ve owned.”