Bryson DeChambeau made one key equipment change before start of The Masters
Bryson DeChambeau took matters into his own hands by designing a custom set of irons for the first major of the season.
Bryson DeChambeau is renowned for tinkering with his equipment and using his physics degree to make the most of every club in his bag.
The former Cobra man shot an opening round of 7-under 65 on Thursday at Augusta National and currently holds the lead.
A number of players have yet to finish their rounds due to rain delaying the start of play on the opening day.
The key to DeChambeau's low scoring? A new set of custom-made irons, he helped design.
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Sticking with a formula that worked for him during his time with Cobra, the long-hitting American's irons are one length, typically all the length of seven iron.
The custom set was created by a small boutique golf brand called Avoda.
After tinkering with several brands following his split from Cobra last year, DeChambeau's coach, Mike Schy, suggested speaking to another one of his students, Tom Bailey, the owner of Avoda Golf.
Working with Bailey and his brother, DeChambeau mapped out exactly what he wanted the irons to look like, and then the team set out to find a manufacturer in China that could produce the set.
Much to their dismay, they were told the design wasn't possible, and after discovering CNC milling wouldn't work due to the two-piece construction, the team ended up 3D printing the clubs instead.
Check out GolfMagic's picks for the 2024 Masters at Augusta National on episode one of the Par FORE Podcast presented by GolfMagic
The USGA initially rejected the final product because the grooves were too narrow, but Connor Olson, manager of DeChambeau’s company BAD, managed to fix the issue by grinding the grooves until they were deemed to conform to USGA regulations.
The USGA finally signed off on the irons on Monday.
The irons' unique feature is the bulged design on the face, which is typically only seen on drivers and woods.
By incorporating a bulged design on the face, the irons are meant to have less curvature at high speeds, which in turn should return the ball to the target on off-centre strikes.
Speaking to Golf Channel after his round, DeChambeau briefly explained the difference the new design makes.
He said:
“It’s a speed thing… when I miss hit on the toe or the heel it seems to fly a lot straighter for me and that’s what has allowed me to be more comfortable over the ball.”
The new changes have already made a big difference for DeChambeau, helping him card nine birdies in his opening round.
He also found the green in regulation 15 times during the round, on route to completing his lowest-ever round at Augusta National.
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