Schauffele reinserted Apex UW for the Olympics in France.
Jonathan Wall/GOLF
Return and take a look at the tools setup Xander Schauffele used throughout his newest triumph on the Open Championship. Now evaluate it to the instruments within the bag throughout his maiden main win on the PGA Championship.
What do you discover? Every thing seems to be to be the identical — with one exception. As a result of links-style situations, Schauffele changed his Callaway Apex UW with a Mizuno MP-20 3-iron throughout the two-week journey to Scotland. For somebody who not often adjustments their setup in-season, that is about as wild because it will get for the two-time main winner on the gear entrance.
With hyperlinks golf and diabolical climate within the rearview, Schauffele returned to Apex UW at Le Golf Nationwide for the Males’s Olympic Golf occasion. It’s not essential to flight it low below the wind; bringing it in excessive and tender is the way in which to go this week.
Jonathan Wall
Whereas it might appear to be a easy, unassuming change, it presents up the right alternative to focus on a membership that’s amassed a cult following amongst gearheads. It additionally occurs to be the favourite weapon within the bag for Austin Kaiser, Schauffele’s caddie.
“It does all of it,” Kaiser instructed me in 2023. “Can hit a bunch of various photographs and will get [Xander] out of bother. It’s a terrific membership to have within the bag.”
Launched in 2021, the “utility wooden” was designed round strategically positioned tungsten housed inside the pinnacle that delivered excessive launch and constant spin traits with a decreased draw bias. Normally, professionals don’t wish to see a heavy draw of their fairway woods and hybrids, as a result of potential snap-hook. It’s why most desire an providing with a flatter lie angle or anti-right setup. No matter retains the left facet of the course out of play.
Callaway up to date the Apex UW final yr, however Schauffele continued to depend on the unique model, with a number of minor modifications. As a result of his steeper angle of assault, the pinnacle loft is decreased from 21 to 19 levels.
Going stronger usually results in extra distance, however in Schauffele’s scenario, his steeper assault angle imparts extra spin on the ball. Should you fall into an analogous boat, turning down the loft is one solution to fight extreme spin.
Schauffele additionally performs his UW at 41.5 inches, which is barely shorter than most of right now’s 5-woods. The advantage of going shorter, on this case, is that it permits him so as to add one other “management” membership to the bag. For somebody who’s struggling to discover a membership that works off the tee and from the green, the UW checks loads of bins.
It’s no marvel among the finest gamers on the planet depends on it so closely as he chases Olympic gold as soon as once more.
