Mickelson's hybrid developed for rough lies
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A new Callaway hybrid golf club that Phil Mickelson helped design, played a crucial role in his bid to claim the US Open title this week. The prototype rescue-style club proved particularly versatile from heavy, wet rough which was a feature of the Bethpage State Park Black course.
The club has a distinctive sole shape to help the World No.2hit the ball from various types of rough with more consistency but has a more iron-like trajectory, a wedge-style grind and grooves that run up the total face.
Apparently the world's best left-handed golfer has been working closely with Callaway engineers since the start of the year to develop the club.
Jeff Colton, the California-based company's head of research and development revealed: "We spent time with Phil in Los Angeles at the Riviera Club and talked to him about his needs from different types of lies, and the demand for more consistency with distance out of the rough.
"He wanted his hybrid to play more like an iron, as to where the centre of gravity is placed. And a unique, shallower sole shape allows him to use it out of a variety of different lies in the rough by hitting down and minimising turf interaction."
The grooves on the 18-degree head also conform to the USGA's new regulations for V-grooves in competition, due to be introduced in 2010.
"Phil really led the design process," says Colton. "He told us what he wanted and what he wanted it to do and our designers translated that and from sketch to finished product he's been involved.
