What’s in my bag – Equipment – golfer reviews and discusses his equipment
Bernhard Langer
`Why change something that works?’
Most of my equipment hasn’t changed much over the years. I’ve always played blades, and I used a wooden driver until 1997. Of course, going to the long putter was a huge change.
I tried it in 1988, but it felt uncomfortable, and I thought I would never use it again. But then I started putting poorly in late 1996, and after talking with some of the other players who were using one, I decided to give it another try. Almost immediately I started to feel like I could make all the four-footers. It took about two weeks to fully convert, and it didn’t hurt my long putting, either. I see the line better, and I can practice more because it’s easier on my back. Would I switch back? I don’t know. Sometimes I goof around with my 12-year-old son, Stefan, and I putt pretty well with his putter. When it comes to putting, I’ve learned never to say never.
FAIRWAY WOODS
3-wood: Orlimar Hip Steel, 12 degrees, EI-70 shaft, X flex; 5-wood: Cleveland Quadpro, Dynamic Gold steel shaft, X flex. It’s a good club, and I hit it the distance I want to hit it.
IRONS
Hogan Apex, 3-PW. I played Hogan blades for eight years in my 20s, and now I’m playing them again. Regardless of the brand of irons I’ve played, I’ve always preferred Apex 4 shafts, tipped 111/42 inches.
DRIVER
Titleist 975J, 8.5 degrees with a Tour X flex EI-70 graphite shaft. I tried other models, but this one gives me the best ball-flight.
WEDGES
I tend to change wedges over time. Right now, I use a Cleveland Gun Metal 588 sand wedge and a Titleist Vokey Design lob wedge. But for me they wear out every six months, and it’s hard to find the exact same thing. So you end up trying something new.
PUTTER
PureStroke Titan, 49 inches long, 2.2 degrees of loft. For some reason, I aim better with the long putter.
DRIVER
I have a 44-inch shaft on my driver. That’s as long as I can go. How about you?
BALL MARK
I use a German mark to mark my ball. It’s practical. I know right away which is my coin, even from 30 feet away.
BALL
I participated in the advance testing for the new Ben Hogan Apex Tour ball. It’s interesting to see what happens to a ball when you tweak one thing or the other. Sometimes what you think should happen does, sometimes it doesn’t.
GRIP
Golf Pride Victory. I rotate them to the left 4 degrees. I tried it one day and the ball went straight, so I kept it that way. With my strong grip, it fits in my hand better, too.
MY YARDAGE (loft, carry)
WOODS
Driver: 8.5 [degrees], 266
3-wood: 12 [degrees], 240
5-wood: 19 [degrees], 225
IRONS
3-iron: 22 [degrees], 210
4-iron: 25 [degrees], 199
5-iron: 28 [degrees], 188
6-iron: 32 [degrees], 177
7-iron: 36 [degrees], 165
8-iron: 40 [degrees], 154
9-iron: 44 [degrees], 144
PW: 49 [degrees], 121
SW: 56 [degrees], 100
LW: 60 [degrees], 91
RELATED ARTICLE: Here’s Johnny!
“Amateurs tend to judge a 3-wood by how far they can hit it. But the 3-wood is all about control. Whether you’re going for a par 5 in two or just trying to keep the ball in play off the tee, the primary goal is accuracy.”
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