Bag of the Day: Kevin Streelman

With the conclusion of the Children's Miracle Network Classic (won by Stephen Ames) the 2009 PGA Tour season is now in the books.

We've got 51 days until the pros tee it up at the Plantation Course at the Kapaula Resort in Hawaii to begin the 2010 campaign. Between now and then, every Monday through Friday, The Shop will bring you a fresh Bag of the Day. And who better to kick off the series than Kevin Streelman, who won $1 million on Friday by capturing the inaugural Kodak Challenge.

Here is a list of the clubs in Streelman's Bag:

DRIVER: Cleveland Hi Bore XLS Monster (8.5°) with Miyazaki Blue Water 72x shaft
FAIRWAY WOOD: Tour Edge Exotics (14°) with Mitsubishi Diamona Red Board 83X shaft
HYBRID: Adams Idea Pro Black (18°) with Matrix Ozik XCON HM2 shaft
IRONS: Cleveland CG 7 Tour (3-9) with Project X 6.5 shafts
WEDGES: Cleveland 588 (47°, 54°, 60°) with Project X 6.5 shafts
PUTTER: Odyssey Two-Ball Blade Lined
BALL: Titleist Pro V1x

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(Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Cleveland Goes Light and Long with Launcher DST Driver

The lighter your driver, the more clubhead speed you can generate and the farther you can hit the ball.

This simple truth lies behind the design of the new Cleveland Launcher DST driver, which uses a system the company calls Sub 300G Technology.

The Launcher DST comes with a 45.75" Mitsubishi Diamana Red series shaft (3/4-inch longer than standard length) that weighs just 47 grams. Cleveland says the total weight of the club, 292 grams, is about 25 grams lighter than standard drivers. However, it maintains a traditional D4 swing weight, so it shouldn't feel especially whippy. Cleveland also says the Launcher DST will deliver between 3 and 10 extra yards off the tee.

The 460cc head has a traditional pear shape, and because the face has variable degrees of thickness, Cleveland designers were able to move 6 grams of discretionary weight to the lower, rear section of the head. This should increase the moment of inertia and promote higher, straighter shots.

The Draw version of the Launcher DST features a face that is 3° closed and internal weighting that promotes a right-to-left ball flight for right-handed players. The Tour version's head is slightly smaller (430cc) and has internal weighting that promotes a left-to-right ball flight and a face that is 2° open. In addition, the Tour version comes standard with a 64-gram Mitsubishi White series shaft.

In the video clip below, Rob Waters, Cleveland Golf's director of tour operations, explains what happened in Las Vegas when PGA Tour player Kent Jones tried the Launcher DST for the first time.

Look for the Cleveland Launcher DST to hit pro shop shelves in November for about $300.

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Vijay Singh's 2009 PGA Championship Golf Clubs

CHASKA, Minn. – The winner of the 2004 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, Vijay Singh, made a few equipment changes before teeing it up at Hazeltine National.

Last week in Akron, Ohio, during the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Singh had a Never Compromise NCX-Ray SFT belly putter in his bag. But this week he's wielding a standard-length Never Compromise Milled Series 1 putter.

When Vijay was asked whether or not he brought his belly putter with him to Hazeltine, he smiled and said, "Yeah, I have it in my locker. It's not too for away."

Singh has also decided to put his old Callaway Big Bertha Steelhead fairway wood into play this week instead of his Adams hybrid.

"There is a big gap between my 3-iron and my 3-wood," he told me. "I need a middle club. And 5-wood, I can hit it up to 230, 250. And from the rough, it's a great club."

Here is a complete list of the clubs he is using this week in the 2009 PGA Championship:

DRIVER: Cleveland Launcher (7.5°) with Miyazaki 72X shaft
FAIRWAY WOODS: Cleveland Launcher Steel (13°) with Mitsubishi Diamana White Board 83X shaft, Callaway Big Bertha Steelhead (19°)
IRONS: Cleveland CG Tour (4-PW) with Rifle 7.5 shafts
WEDGES: Cleveland CG12 (54°, 60°, 64°) with Rifle 7.5 shafts
PUTTER: Never Compromise Milled Series 1
BALL: Srixon Z-Star X

Steve Marino's 2009 British Open Clubs

Here is a complete list of the clubs that Steve Marino has used at the British Open.

DRIVER: Cleveland Hi-Bore XLS (9.5°)
FAIRWAY WOODS: Cleveland Hi-Bore XLS (15°), Launcher Comp (19°)
HYBRID: Adams Idea Pro (20°)
IRONS: Cleveland CG Tour (4-9)
WEDGES: Cleveland CG14 (48°, 56°, 60°)
PUTTER: Never Compromise NCX-Ray Full Mallet
BALL: Titleist Pro V1x (2005)

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(Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

Mark Wilson's golf clubs

For over a year, I've published lists of clubs used by winners of PGA Tour events. However, on any given weekend, I also get information on the equipment being used by other golfers. Since so many people want to know what clubs the game's best players are using, I'll do my best to publish more bag information, more often.

Here is a complete list of the clubs Mark Wilson used last week at Memorial:

DRIVER: Ping Rapture V2 (7.5°) with a Grafalloy Tour X shaft
FAIRWAY WOOD: Cleveland HiBore XLS (15°) with an Aldila NV 95 X shaft
HYBRID: Ping Rapture (18°) with a Graphite Design Hybrid YS 85 X shaft
IRONS: Ping i10 (3-SW) with Ping CS Lite shafts
WEDGES: Ping Tour (60°) with PING CS Lite shaft
PUTTER: Ping Karsten Anser

(Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

David Toms Players Championship Clubs

David Toms posted a five-under 67 Thursday at the Players Championship, and after his round Toms talked about his new flat stick.

"I put another putter in the week of New Orleans," he said, "because I felt like I needed something that would have a little more, how do you say, a little more flow to the toe. I was kind of shutting my putter coming back, so I needed a little more face rotation. That's why I changed putters. It's been pretty good."

Toms' new putter is a yet-to-be-released Scotty Cameron for Titleist Modern Classic #1. It has a honey-dipped finish and a channel cut out of the sole to adjust the feel and sound at impact. Titleist's Megan Morgan said the retail versions of the putter will have weights in the sole instead of the channel.

Here is a complete list of the clubs in his bag this week:

DRIVER:                     Cleveland Launcher (10.5°) with Grafalloy X 6A3 shaft
FARIWAY WOODS:   Cleveland HiBore XLS (15°) with True Temper BiMatrix Fwy S shaft
HYBRID:                     Cleveland Launcher (18°) with True Temper Grafalloy X HC1 shaft
IRONS:                       Cleveland CG7 Tour (3-9) with True Temper Dynamic Gold S-400 shafts
WEDGES:                   Cleveland CG14 (48°, 56°, 60°) with Dynamic Gold S-400 shafts
PUTTER:                     Scotty Cameron prototype
BALL:                         Titleist Pro V1 (2009)

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(Photo by Fred Vuich/SI)

Jerry Kelly's Zurich Classic Winning Clubs

Jerry Kelly put a new Miyazaki prototype shaft into his Cleveland Launcher driver this week before the start of the Zurich Classic. Michael Jolly, a tour rep for Cleveland Golf, told me in Augusta two weeks ago that Vijay Singh has also put the shaft in his driver.

Jolly told me that the Miyazaki shaft is very rigid and resists twisting to help fast-swinging players maintain control on slightly off-center hits. However, "unlike a lot of low torque shafts, it doesn't feel harsh," he said.

It's not available in retail now, but Jolly said SRI (Cleveland's parent company) may release it in the future.

Here is a complete list of the clubs in Jerry Kelly's bag:

DRIVER:                  Cleveland Launcher (7.5°) with Miyazaki prototype X shaft
FAIRWAY WOOD:   Titleist 906 F4 (13°) with Graphite Design Pershing 85g X shaft
HYBRID:                  Cleveland HiBore XLS (16°) with Graphite Design YS Hybrid 85 X
IRONS:                    Cleveland CG7 Tour (3-9) with True Temper Black Gold X shafts
WEDGES:               Cleveland 588 (47°, 53°, 60°) with True Temper Dynamic Gold S-400 shafts
PUTTER:                 Cleveland Classic #3
BALL:                     Titleist Pro V1x (2009)

Take a look inside more PGA Tour winners' bags.

Vijay Singh breaks out new Never Compromise X-Ray putter at Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Vijay Singh is competing this week with a new belly putter in his bag, a Never Compromise X-Ray. Singh, the 2000 Masters champion, had been using a Never Compromise GM2 Exchange #7 as recently as last week at the Shell Houston Open.

The X-Ray is a high-MOI mallet, which is designed to help players improve their alignment and remain steady at impact for improved distance control. There are five metallic "ribs" embedded in a soft insert to create a cushioned feel and help the ball start rolling faster.

Unfortunately for Singh, even with his caddie bending down to ground level to get a better look at the greens, he needed 30 putts to complete his first round at Augusta.

You can read more about the X-Ray, and other new mallet putters, in the GOLF Buyer's Guide.

(Photo by Schecter Lee)

Reader Question: David Toms returns to Cleveland Golf

A reader of the Shop Blog recently asked:

When and why did David Toms switch back to endorsing Cleveland? I looked on the TaylorMade Web site, and it still has a photo of Toms as a Staff Member. -- Jose

Toms, winner of the 2001 PGA Championship, battled injuries in 2008 and had just one top-10 finish, a tie for eighth at the Viking Classic played over the same week as the Ryder Cup.

In January, Cleveland Golf sent a press release saying:

"Cleveland Golf/Srixon is pleased to announce that PGA Tour professional David Toms has re-signed with the company after a two year hiatus and will once again be carrying Cleveland clubs in his bag. Toms, who signed a multi-year contract with Cleveland Golf/Srixon, will be wearing a Cleveland hat, carrying a Cleveland bag and playing Cleveland woods, irons and wedges.

"I'm excited to be back with Cleveland and involved with the company I've had so much success with in the past," said Toms. "Eleven of my 12 wins were achieved when I was playing with Cleveland equipment and now that I'm back, I hope to add to that number in the future."

"We're thrilled to have David back representing Cleveland Golf," said Greg Hopkins, President/CEO of Cleveland Golf/Srixon. "When a player has the success that David has had using our equipment, it brings to mind that old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." We all believe that David is fixed on having a big year in 2009."

According to Cleveland, here are the clubs Toms is currently using:
Driver:                       Cleveland Launcher (10.5°)
Fairway woods:       Cleveland Hibore XLS (15°, 19°)
Hybrid:                      Cleveland Launcher Hybrid 3i
Irons:                        Cleveland G7 Tour (4-9)
Wedges:                   Cleveland CG14 (48°, 56°, 60°)
Putter:                       Never Compromise GM2 Exchange #4
Ball:                           Titleist Pro V1

(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Good Value: Cleveland Classic putters

If you are in the market for a new putter but need to watch your pennies, be sure to check out the Cleveland Classic series.

All three designs are reassuringly familiar, if not particularly original. Click on the image to get a better look.

According to Cleveland, each putter is machine milled from 17-4 stainless steel and then hand polished to a satin finish to reduce glare. The Classic 1, Classic 2 and Classic 3 all feature 340-gram, heel-toe weighted heads to help the putters resist twisting on off-center hits, and they are available in 33-, 34- and 35-inch models. But perhaps the most attractive feature of these putters is the price—$69.

For more information, go to clevelandgolf.com