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Anybody else see Luke Donald's putter at the NTO???

Badger_Golfer

Badger_Golfer

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Must say, Im kinda disappointed in Luke Donald. First he uses a TM driver and now I see he was using a putter that I dont think is a Bettinardi.
It looked to me like some kind of Odyssey XG.
Bettinardi definetly doesnt make a huge, ugly mallet putter with the weights sticking out the back like what Donald was using.
I understand that the players are free to use whatever clubs they want, regardless of who sponsors them, but youd think that with all the positive press the MX-700s have been getting and with how well-respected Bettinardi putters are, that he'd be using more Mizuno stuff. :confused2:
 
He's using what works for him I respect that more than a player who ho's themselves out to the highest bidder/dollar.
 
Bakemono,
Its about preference. But to be fair, this is the best he has been playing in a while. Maybe he should switch ore of his stuff.
 
Bakemono said:
Must say, Im kinda disappointed in Luke Donald. First he uses a TM driver and now I see he was using a putter that I dont think is a Bettinardi.
It looked to me like some kind of Odyssey XG.
Bettinardi definetly doesnt make a huge, ugly mallet putter with the weights sticking out the back like what Donald was using.
I understand that the players are free to use whatever clubs they want, regardless of who sponsors them, but youd think that with all the positive press the MX-700s have been getting and with how well-respected Bettinardi putters are, that he'd be using more Mizuno stuff. :confused2:
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even if he uses a Miz Bettinardi it is the same as a touring professional using a scotty... whatever is in their bag is far from whatever you'll find on the shelves of your local shop

84965092.jpg
 
speaking of which, i have seen a few pros playing an odyssey putter who are not callaway or odyssey players, most of which are titleist or taylormade actually
 
White Hot #7 in that pic. One of my favorites ever.
 
"Fang" has a very loyal following.
 
ActionJackson8 said:
He's using what works for him I respect that more than a player who ho's themselves out to the highest bidder/dollar.
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I think its kind of lame for a player to not use the equipment of the company who sponsors him/her.


JB said:
Bakemono,
Its about preference. But to be fair, this is the best he has been playing in a while. Maybe he should switch ore of his stuff.
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He probably play just as well no matter what equipment he were using. From what I understand, Donald had some health issues last year.
DDBowdoin said:
even if he uses a Miz Bettinardi it is the same as a touring professional using a scotty... whatever is in their bag is far from whatever you'll find on the shelves of your local shop
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True, but not all of us have the luxury of clubs that were custom made for us.
AK jr. said:
speaking of which, i have seen a few pros playing an odyssey putter who are not callaway or odyssey players, most of which are titleist or taylormade actually
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Thats nothing new. Theirs lots of players who use Cameron putters who arent sponsored by Titleist.
Shigeki Maruyama uses a custom-made one of a kind Bettinardi putter and he isnt sponsored by Mizuno.
JB said:
White Hot #7 in that pic. One of my favorites ever.
Click to expand...

Harry Longshanks said:
"Fang" has a very loyal following.
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Its just a shame that its so ugly. I tried one of those out last year at a local sporting goods store and it putted very well, but I just couldnt get past the looks of it.
 
I was the same way Bakemono. I ended up gaming it for a while. Still my go to putter when I am not putting well. Plus it has the best scooper around.
 
Bakemono said:
Thats nothing new.Theirs lots of players who use Cameron putters who arent sponsored by Titleist.
Shigeki Maruyama uses a custom-made one of a kind Bettinardi putter and he isnt sponsored by Mizuno.
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ok, great. thats pretty much what i was saying
 
Bake I think if you take a look at the WITB of touring pros you will find that a lot of them do not use one companies clubs from top to bottom.
 
Goydos in this months issue has all TM clubs and a Titleist 907 driver.
 
I don't recall seeing any players who used 1 manufacturer exclusively. Even Tiger uses a Scotty instead of a Nike putter.
 
ActionJackson8 said:
Bake I think if you take a look at the WITB of touring pros you will find that a lot of them do not use one companies clubs from top to bottom.
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dynarider said:
I don't recall seeing any players who used 1 manufacturer exclusively. Even Tiger uses a Scotty instead of a Nike putter.
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I dunno about you guys, but if Im a golf equipment company who is paying a player to use my stuff, they better either be playing my stuff or be telling me what I need to do in order to make my stuff better so that they do play it.
Id be pretty pissed if Im paying a player to use my stuff and he/she isnt.
I do understand though that its more about seeing the player win while wearing your logo on the hat or shirt and as long as they win and put your logo on TV, showing them making a great shot and holding up the trophey, what equipment they actually use in order to achieve that end isnt all that important.
I guess you could say its a case of the end justifying the means. I still dont think its right, but whatever.
 
According to amollerud there is a minimum clubs you have to have by your sponsor. I believe it is 11 IIRC, but that might be off.
 
JB said:
I was the same way Bakemono. I ended up gaming it for a while. Still my go to putter when I am not putting well. Plus it has the best scooper around.
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True, I could see how it would be really forigiving of mishits because of all the perimiter weighting it has.
Last week I tried out a Sabretooth and that putted really well too. I even TRIED hitting shots on the toe or heel and they still didnt go off line by much.
Same deal though, I just cant get past the looks of those putters. I like blades and I can even game a mid-mallet and be happy (thats what my TPM 5 is), I just cant stand full mallets or those huge Odyssey mallet putters.
 
Bakemono said:
Id be pretty pissed if Im paying a player to use my stuff and he/she isnt.
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Donald's contract with Mizuno probably doesn't include the putter (or driver, considering he was using a Titleist 909, then an R9 this past weekend.)

Donald probably has a 8 club deal (or something like that.) As a result, Mizuno wouldn't be paying Donald to play something that he isn't. Of course, without see the contract, it's impossible to know for sure, but pros don't typically violate their contracts by playing another manufacturer's equipment. If Mizuno wants to tie Donald to a Mizuno putter, they would have to up the contract.

EDIT: Pros do sometimes throw the headcovers of their main club sponsor on other clubs though - especially if they aren't getting paid to play them. (No free advertising.)
 
Id bet that he is contracted to play Mizzie irons. In any event, Im just glad to see Mizuno out there and being represented.
Its nice to see Donald, Brian Gay and now Stacy Lewis representing Mizuno on tour and doing well.
I sometimes get sick of seeing it be all about Titleist, TM, Callaway and Ping all the time. Its nice to see other brands that arent as well-known being represented.
 
I have heard that some of the pro's use disguised shafts, they will be sponsored by one company & so long as the logo is correct the company really doesn't care that it's not actually their shaft being used.
 
dynarider said:
I have heard that some of the pro's use disguised shafts, they will be sponsored by one company & so long as the logo is correct the company really doesn't care that it's not actually their shaft being used.
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could be... they do that in hockey a lot. Jason Spezza uses a wood shaft painted to look like a high end composite to sell more sticks

no idea how valid that would be in golf though...
 
In many cases they do not need to hide the stuff. As long as they play "their minimum", they are fine.
 
dynarider said:
I have heard that some of the pro's use disguised shafts, they will be sponsored by one company & so long as the logo is correct the company really doesn't care that it's not actually their shaft being used.
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Sort of like how when Tiger first signed with Nike and his Titleist driver and Mirura irons were remade with Nike logos on them and they put Nike stickers over the Titleist logo on his balls.
 
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