ITALIANS IN GOLFI know how I play can help golf in Italy. But we need golf schools like in the U.S. Enthusiasm gets golfers started; training gets them to excel.
Photo By: David Cannon/Getty Images
MAKING THE CHANGEI switched to 14 Callaway clubs this year. When you change equipment, it's a bit of a guessing game. But I asked my friends who play Callaway, like Branden Grace, and they encouraged me to do it. It's been an easy switch.
DRIVER
SPECS: Callaway Big Bertha, 9.5 degrees, Mitsubishi Diamana Whiteboard X-flex shaft, 50 grams, 45¼ inchesThis 8.5-degree driver is really 9.5. We bumped it up a degree and shifted the weight toward the heel. It lets me draw it: my go-to tee shot.
FAIRWAY WOOD
SPECS: Callaway Big Bertha, 14 degrees, Oban Revenge X-flex shaft, 70 grams, 43 inchesI can hit a penetrating ball flight off the tee or play it back in my stance for a knockdown shot.
HYBRIDS
SPECS: Callaway X2 Hot Pro, 18 degrees (40½ inches), 20 degrees (40 inches) and Project X 6.5 shaftsI play two hybrids instead of a 3-iron. These help me launch shots high. It's vital on U.S. courses.
IRONS
SPECS: Callaway X Forged: 4-PW. Project X PXi 6.5 shafts, plus one-half inch, Lamkin 3Gen 58 ribbed gripsI picked up about half a club when I switched to these irons. They launch a little higher with less spin.
WEDGES
SPECS: Callaway X Forged, 52 degrees and 58 degrees, True Temper S400 shaftsThe classic look fits my eye. I have 12 degrees of bounce in my 52 and 10 degrees in the 58.
PUTTER
SPECS: Odyssey Versa 330, 34 inches, 3 degreesI've generally putted better with half-mallets like this, but I've also had success this year with the classic heel-toe blade shape of the Odyssey Versa #1.
SUBTLE TOUCHI mark my Callaway Speed Regime 3 balls by filling the logo with a tiny bit of red. I keep my mark as tidy as I can.
HONORING MY IDOLI got this ball marker at last year's Seve Trophy. I've always looked up to Seve Ballesteros. It's a thrill to play in an event dedicated to him.
MY CLUBMy favorite football team is AC Milan. (That's striker Mario Balotelli.) I live about 20 kilometers from the stadium, so it's easy to get to a game.
Photo By: Pierre-Philippe Marcou/afp/getty images