Now that Masters Week is upon us, we felt compelled to point out that nine of the past 11 Masters champions have ranked in the top six in greens in regulation for the week that they won.
As such, we take a look at the top five in greens in regulation for the 2017-’18 PGA Tour season and the irons they use (note that No. 1 on this list is not in the Masters field). Choose wisely when you're filling out your Masters pools and making bold predictions this week.
- Kevin Streelman (above). Greens in Regulation for the 2017-’18 Season: 72.83 percent. Irons (3-9): Wilson FG Tour V6; (PW): Wilson FG Tour PMP. Tied for the tour lead with 603 greens in regulation on the season, matching the total of Tyrone Van Aswegan who needed 108 more holes to do it. Streelman uses Wilson’s FG Tour V6 irons for the bulk of his set (he utilizes a Wilson FG Tour PMP 48-degree wedge as his pitching wedge). The FG Tour V6 has 38 grams of mass behind the impact area to improve feel. But it also features forgiveness elements with tungsten in the toe and heel of the long irons to improve off-center hits.
- Brian Harman. Greens in Regulation for the 2017-’18 Season: 72.81 percent. Irons (3, 5-9): Titleist 718 CB; (PW): Titleist Vokey SM7. Harman used Titleist irons in college and decided to go back to them last fall. The results have been impressive. Harman is not only second in greens in regulation, but currently ranks 13th on the money list as well. Of note in Harman’s iron set is that the 3-iron is bent slightly weak. After encountering some trouble getting his 4-iron airborne he made the tweak to achieve the height, while keeping the 3-iron length to keep yardage gapping where he wanted.
- Gary Woodland. Greens in Regulation for the 2017-’18 Season: 72.76 percent. Irons (split set): (2): Titleist T-MB; (4-9): Titleist 716 MB; (PW): Titleist Vokey SM7. One of the tour’s longest hitters, Woodland now has accuracy with his irons as well. Woodland utilizes a split set of Titleist irons that contains the hollow-body T-MB as his 2-iron and Titleist’s new Vokey SM7 wedge at the other end of his set. In between Woodland goes old school with the company’s 716 model of its muscleback blade MB iron.
Related: Improve your iron game with Golf Digest All Access
- Pat Perez. Greens in Regulation for the 2017-’18 Season: 72.57 percent. Irons (3-4): PXG 0311 XF; (5-PW): PXG 0311. Another player using a split set is Perez, who has PXG’s game-improvement 0311 XF iron for his 3- and 4-iron and the company’s hallmark original 0311 model for the rest of his set. When Perez signed with PXG, company founder Bob Parsons said, “Pat’s a local guy. I know him. He’s played very well. I love that he’s outspoken. I couldn’t see a reason not to sign him.” So far, it seems to have worked out well for both parties.
- Kyle Stanley. Greens in Regulation for the 2017-’18 Season: 72.38 percent. Irons (4-5): Titleist 718 CB; (6-PW): Nike Vapor Pro Combo. A Nike staff player at the time the company announced it was exiting from the equipment business, Stanley’s game has rebounded nicely as he continues to use some of the company’s Vapor Pro Combo irons. Stanley also has added Titleist’s 718 CB model for his long irons. The 718 CB—a forged cavity-back with a 17-4 stainless-steel face insert and a forged 1025 carbon-steel body in the long and mid irons with tungsten in the heel and toe areas for forgiveness.
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