Updated August 8, 2023. This article was thoroughly audited by multiple golf experts and coaches for its accuracy. You can read more about our rigorous testing protocol here.
36-year old Gary Woodland made his mark on the PGA Tour with his 2019 U.S. Open win at Pebble Beach. Woodland has won four PGA Tour tournaments in his career and has long held a reputation for being a terrific player in majors.
Woodland’s primary sponsor is Wilson, as Woodland plays the company’s Staff irons and uses one of their more popular hybrids on tour. But he likes to mix up his set with clubs from a few different companies.
This Gary Woodland WITB (what’s in the bag guide) is tailored to help you better understand how his clubs can improve your golf game.
Table of Contents
What’s In Gary Woodland’s Bag?
Ping G410 LST Driver
Best adjustable features driver for low and high handicappers
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Pros
- Low spin performance to keep your drives along the target line for long, accurate distance
- Tour-designed face sits slightly open at address to improve sightline to the golf ball
- Adjustable weighting and loft sleeve provide excellent customization that tailors driver to your strengths
Cons
- Smaller 450cc head offers more control but isn’t as big as other drivers
Gary Woodland routinely ranks among the longest hitters on the PGA Tour. His driver, the Ping G410 LST, offers the golfer a lighter, faster option for keeping his average driving distance with the best in the world.
Featuring a smaller 450cc clubhead, the G410 LST produces marvelous swing speed. For golfers, like Woodland, who routinely produce ball speeds that break 190 mph, they rely on equipment like the G410 LST to provide power and accuracy from the tee box.
Pro golfers also want low spin from their drivers. Woodland loves how the Ping driver reduces spin to create a piercing ball flight that avoids flying off the target line even with severe wind.
The driver’s best feature is the adjustable weighting and loft sleeve. Both features provide customization rarely seen among today’s best drivers.
Great for boosting distance and ball flight, the Ping G410 LST driver is pure muscle.
TaylorMade SIM Max Fairway Wood
Best distance fairway wood for mid handicappers
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Pros
- V-Sole design improves turf interaction for high, soft launch that works well from fairway or with tight lies
- High-strength C300 steel construction provides a wider, taller sweet spot for longer distance
- Speed pocket technology offers more forgiveness without sacrificing clubhead speed
Cons
- Expensive fairway wood that costs as much as new drivers
TaylorMade’s SIM Max offers reliable performance through its streamlined design and improved features. The fairway wood comes in several loft options to cover all the distances you may need on the course.
The SIM Max is created using C300 steel that provides dependable strength that creates excellent response at impact.
Woodland utilizes two new features on the SIM Max to produce staggering distance with a dependable ball flight. First, the Twist Face Technology provides forgiveness on off-center strikes that keep the ball along the target line even when the impact zone drifts toward the toe.
The other feature is the new V-Sole Design. This innovation improves turf interaction by reducing friction while offering cleaner contact from the fairway or tight lies.
This fairway wood does come with a hefty price tag that rivals most top-line drivers, but the performance makes any golfer understand the elevated price point.
Wilson Staff Utility Iron
Versatile utility iron for advanced golfers
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Pros
- Lower center of gravity helps push the launch angle to a higher degree for more distance
- Improved forgiveness makes the utility iron more accessible to mid handicappers
- High-strength steel face produces high swing speed with increased accuracy
Cons
- Utility irons are difficult to hit for inexperienced and beginning golfers
Woodland’s sponsorship deal with Wilson is another reason he keeps the company’s Staff Utility Iron in his bag. But that’s not the primary motivating factor for Woodland as the utility iron offers excellent performance with long-distance and control.
Wilson moved seven grams of weight deeper in the clubhead for a lower center of gravity that helps lift the ball higher after impact. The resulting shot is longer, but softer for a more dependable ball flight.
Utility irons aren’t for every golfer. They require a higher degree of difficulty, so if you are a beginning golfer or find yourself struggling with consistent contact, this utility iron might not be right for your game at this point.
But if you are disappointed by your hybrid’s performance, a utility iron, like the Wilson Staff model, could unlock your lack of production from over 200 yards.
Wilson Staff Model Blades
Exceptional blade iron set for low handicappers
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Pros
- Offers a level of customization that helps accent advanced players’ skill set for maximum performance
- Marvelous distance and accuracy control with top-tier shot-making ability
- Precision-milled carbon steel body offers unreal forgiveness and improved turf interaction
Cons
- Players’ iron set that is tailored for low handicappers and not inexperienced golfers
Gary Woodland helped craft and tailor Wilson Staff Model Blades to his own specifications while also producing a premier players’ iron model for the company.
The Wilson blades give highly-skilled golfers the ability to shape shots with precision while maintaining their distance.
Made from a lightweight but incredibly durable stainless steel, the Wilson Staff blades provide great feel and response on each well-struck shot.
One of the best features on the irons is the rounded sole that helps improve turf interaction for cleaner and crisper contact with minimal divots.
For inexperienced golfers, the Staff Model Blades will be too hard to find consistency. The face of Wilson blade irons are smaller, helping provide more control, but they require precise contact.
Golfers like Woodland can take advantage of blade irons due to their swing speed and repeatable swing.
With outstanding design and an innovative approach to improving your game, the Wilson Staff Model Blades are a cut above the competition.
TaylorMade MG2 Wedge
Versatile, high-spin wedge for mid handicappers
Pros
- Versatile wedge with numerous bounce and grind options for customized performance
- High-spin wedge that produces staggering stopping power from the fairway or rough
- Milling across the face enhances forgiveness while increasing spin
Cons
- Raw face begins to oxidize after time, might be visually too distinct for some golfers
Woodland carries the TaylorMade MG2 Wedge in his bag, and once you see the club’s performance, it is easy to see why it is his preferred club around the greens.
The MG2’s laser milling creates deep, exacting grooves that enhance spin while providing outrageous stopping power once the ball reaches the putting surface.
With milling across the entire face, golfers who play the MG2 find it gives excellent forgiveness on shots that drift toward the toe.
The MG2 does have a compelling visual wrinkle worth noting, and that’s the raw material face. Over time the face will oxidize, leaving a rusted look to the club. It does not affect performance, but the look could throw off some golfers that prefer a clean chrome appearance.
If you are in the market for a distinctly unique wedge that gives you control from anywhere inside 100 yards, the TaylorMade MG2 Putter provides dependability that any level of golfer can undoubtedly appreciate.
Scotty Cameron Newport Putter
Well-balanced top-tier putter with excellent balance and control
Pros
- Heel to toe weighting stabilizes the putter through the impact zone with outstanding balance
- Milled putter face provides forgiveness with fantastic forward roll
- Offset provides a clearer look at the golf ball without distraction for easy alignment and sight of the target line
Cons
- Expensive putter that costs as much as some name-brand drivers
On the greens, Woodland prefers the Scotty Cameron Newport Putter. One of the tour’s favorite flatsticks, the Newport offers incredible performance with a variety of subtle, yet exciting features.
Golfers love Newport’s milled face with an extended, forgiving sweet spot. The milling allows the putter to grip the golf ball’s cover and begin the forward roll without skidding or bouncing.
Keeping the ball on the putting line is vital to tour golfers like Woodland, where every stroke matters.
Balance is maintained on the Newport through two interchangeable weights that reside in the sole of the club. If you prefer a heavier putter with a smoother stroke, it is simple to increase the weight with the help of a tool.
For the PGA’s best, like Woodland, the Scotty Cameron Newport Putter delivers exceptional feel, response, and distance control.
Titleist Pro V1 Golf Balls
Outstanding Tour-Level Golf Ball for All Golfers
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Pros
- Pro V1 offers a softer feel when compared to the Pro V1x
- The Pro V1 provides a more moderate shot height for extending distance with low spin off the tee box
- Offers outstanding control from fairway with lower iron spin for increased shot stopping power
Cons
- One of the most expensive golf balls on the market
Woodland loves theTitleist Pro V1 because few golf balls out there provide the combination of distance and feel of this ball.
Since Woodland is one of the longest hitters in the game, he needs a multi-layer ball that reduces spin off the tee but ramps up the RPMs around the green.
With the driver, Woodland believes the Pro V1 minimizes spin for a piercing ball flight that cuts through wind and offers long yardage.
On iron shots, the Pro V1 doesn’t spin as much as the Pro V1x, allowing Woodland to go for the pin with more confidence due to its shot-stopping abilities.
Around the greens, the Pro V1 satisfies as it gives you high spin to help you settle the ball on the putting surface, especially when coming out of high grass or sand.
Although it is expensive, the Titleist Pro V1 is one of the best golf balls for the amateur golfer.
Questions & Answers
Do professional golfers always play with their sponsor’s clubs?
Yes, professional golfers play with their sponsor’s clubs, although most sponsors allow for a few exceptions. While it is vital that their golfer highlights the sponsor’s products, the professional typically have total control over the clubs in their bag.
Gary Woodland has a sponsorship deal to play Wilson’s Staff irons, but he uses a Ping driver and TaylorMade wedges. For example, most golfers are allowed to play with a different company’s wedges and putters, although they use their sponsor’s woods and irons.
While sponsorship deals can be incredibly lucrative for professional golfers, the golfer’s performance in tournaments is ultimately the most important factor for both parties.
Why does a professional golfer play with blade irons?
A professional golfer plays with blade irons because they offer complete control over the shot. Blade irons are typically made with one piece of steel, rather than multiple types of material, providing a complete experience.
Amateur golfers primarily use super game-improvement and game-improvement irons. Both styles of clubs help the golfer get the ball into the air while keeping it straight. The problem with these irons for advanced golfers is that they aren’t built for shot shaping.
Professional golfers want to have control over every aspect of their swing, and that includes their equipment. By playing with blade irons, they reduce the sweet spot’s size compared to other game-improvement irons, but they gain control over the flight of their shots.
How does the ball speed of a professional golfer compare to an amateur?
Professional golfers typically register around 180 mph with their ball speed, while amateur golfers’ ball speed usually correlates with their handicap. For example, an average amateur golfer registers around 133 mph. Scratch golfers fall short of professional golfers by about 20 mph as they reach 160 mph on average.
Golfers like Gary Woodland and Bryson DeChambeau can dial up their ball speed north of 190 mph for drives that regularly cross 320 yards in distance.
For Woodland, the secret is maintaining balance throughout the swing as he tries to focus maximum power onto the golf ball. Woodland’s clubhead speed routinely reaches 130 mph. The average professional’s clubhead speed reaches 114 mph on average, while an amateur’s average settles around 93 mph.
What is a great golf tip from Gary Woodland?
One of Gary Woodland’s best qualities as a golfer is his accuracy from the fairway. For Woodland, the best way to achieve accuracy means hitting his irons with three-quarter power.
By making the swing more compact, Woodland feels he gives himself a better chance of hitting the golf ball with more precision.
Instead of wanting a higher launch angle, Woodland wants a more moderate flight because it allows him to control the golf ball better. The golfer looks at all his iron shots as punch shots.
By taking an extra club and hitting it at 75-80 percent, Woodland feels he can find the iron’s sweet spot with higher regularity.