My Five: Costliest Equipment Switches

In the wake of Graeme McDowell's recent equipment switch, Golf Digest Senior Writer Jaime Diaz reviews five previous changes that didn't pay off

By Jaime Diaz

January 5, 2011

This week it was announced that U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell, formerly under contract to Callaway, signed a multi-year contract for a reported $3 million per year to play Srixon irons, Cleveland wedges and the Srixon ball. McDowell is the latest to parlay a major championship into a lucrative equipment change, but it can be treacherous landscape. Although manufacturers are continuously refining the nuances of clubfitting and have largely stopped contractually obligating players to use one specific club or ball, potential pitfalls still exist. Here are five players whose games went south after a cash-fueled switch.

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1. Payne Stewart

Stewart had won the PGA and U.S. Open when he left Wilson to sign a $7 million dollar deal with Spalding in 1994. Forced to use game-improvement perimeter weighted irons for the first time -- as well as as the two-piece Top Flite ball -- Stewart lost much of his distance control and ability to shape shots. He went from sixth on the money list in 1993 to 123rd in 1994. In 1995, Spalding allowed him to switch to a forged blade, and played better. But when he won the 1999 U.S. Open, Stewart didn't have a club contract and was playing a mixed bag that included Mizuno MP-14 irons.

Stephen Szurlej