Phil Mickelson can’t help himself when it comes to equipment. The man with five Major championships is an inveterate tinkerer and Lefty was at it again at the Memorial Tournament, using two Callaway Epic Flash drivers – one that’s a little shorter to hit “cute baby cuts” and the other a bit longer to hit “bombs.”
Mickelson announced his intention in a video that he posted to Instagram and Twitter, poking some fun at Bubba Watson along the way:
With the #USOpen coming up, it can’t be all about hitting bombs. pic.twitter.com/jwImeqeg4D
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) May 30, 2019
But while the video might have been lighthearted, the dual-driver strategy recalls numerous occasions where Mickelson has strayed from the norm in his equipment setup. On many instances he has left a 4-, or even an 8- or 9-iron out of the bag. He’s also played Majors without a driver, opting for a high-octane 3-wood instead. And this certainly isn’t the first time he’s employed two drivers at an event.
At the 2006 BellSouth Classic Mickelson used a pair of Callaway Big Bertha Fusion FT-3 drivers. Mickelson’s decision to try two drivers (and ditch his sand wedge) was done in an effort to work the ball both left and right without altering his swing. Although comfortable hitting his “baby cut” with his gamer, Mickelson had to change his move to hit a draw. The second driver was one-inch longer (46 inches as opposed to 45 on his gamer) with a lower centre of gravity. Along with moving some internal weight to make it more draw-friendly, the club provided Mickelson the desired shot with his normal swing and he won the BellSouth and the following week’s Masters.
The bigger question, however, is whether or not Phil will reprise 2006 and attempt to fill in the only missing line on his playing resume by using two drivers at Pebble Beach for the upcoming US Open (a big if considering not many holes at Pebble require a fade from a left-handed player off the tee). One thing that’s not debatable, however, is that it’s never dull in the equipment arena when it comes to Mickelson and his sticks.
