Hunter Hits in Ohio

Those in charge of signing golfers to endorsement deals at Ping must be pretty happy these days. Their club design staff might also have a grin on their face as they get to work. However, it’s probably Ping’s Tour Pros with the biggest smiles and those ones finding a bit more money in their bank accounts this year. A lot of golfers thinking about a switch clubs might be looking to buy used golf clubs, and trading in their used golf clubs. Utilizing data from 2ndSwing and GolfStix Value Guide you can see if you want to make a change to Ping equipment like a lot of other winners on tour have done.

Ping PGA Tour Pro Hunter Mahan’s final round 64, moved him to 12 under at Firestone Country Club, and netted him a $1.4 million first place check at the World Golf Championship Bridgestone Invitational. It was his second win on the season, as he won the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and secured his place on the Ryder Cup team.

Mahan along with Louis Oosthuizen, Bubba Watson, and Lee Westwood are all Ping Pros having great seasons. Oosthuizen won at the Open Championship using the same Ping Rapture V2 Driver and S56 irons that Mahan used in Akron. Watson won at the Travelers Championship using a bag full of Ping technology. Westwood won at the St. Jude Classic using the same Ping i15 Fairway wood .

Mahan has been putting his Ping Rapture V2 to good work this season and ranks first on the PGA Tour in total driving, Mahan is ranked 53rd in driving distance at 292 and 29th in accuracy at 68%. He didn’t blow away the field in either category at Firestone, but at 21st in distance (306 yd average) and 30th in accuracy (62%) he once again showed his total driving ability.

The former Cowboy has given himself plenty of birdie opportunities this season employing putting his Ping i15 fairway wood, Ping i15 17 degree hybrid, Ping S56 3-PW irons and Callaway wedges to good use. He ranks 24th on tour in greens in regulation at 69%--he repeated that percentage in Ohio to rank 9th.

Mahan has been a little hot and cold this season with his putting--he’s ranked 168th in putts per round and 141st in putting average. However at Firestone, Mahan found his roll finishing tied for 3rd in putts per round, 1st for putts per GIR, and leading the field in birdies.

Mahan’s flatstick of choice right now is a Ping iWi D66. The Ping iWi were released late 2008, and D66 is a blade with a plumber neck hosel. The iWi series have a metal face inserted into a elastomer face combining which is an attempt to provide some of the feel that milled putters provide, with the soft elastomer face that many of Ping and Odyssey putters provide.

About the Author
Eric Vegoe is trying to get his handicap from a 9.4 to a 6.4 to play in the Minnesota Mid-Am someday, envies the equipment available at 2ndSwing Golf, and often looks up the trade-in value of his clubs at GolfSticksValueGuide to help him get there.

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