Texas Children's Houston Open

Memorial Park Golf Course



The Loop

Winner's Bag: Branden Grace, RBC Heritage

April 17, 2016
Branden-Grace.jpg

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A recent driver change has assisted RBC champion Branden Grace. The South African put Callaway’s then-prototype XR16 Sub Zero driver in the bag at the WGC-Dell Match Play and has kept it in since. According to Callaway, Grace was drawn to the club’s shape, finish and particularly its sound. Grace also felt like he could shape the flight off the tee as well manipulate the trajectory up or down—all helpful traits at a course such as Harbour Town, where he used the club on the final hole to hit the longest drive of the week on the hole at 312 yards. Grace typically prefers low spin drivers, and prior to the Sub Zero had been playing the Big Bertha Alpha 816 Double Black Diamond, which he won with earlier this year on the European Tour.

This week Grace also changed to a 16-degree Callaway Big Bertha Alpha 816 3-wood due to the course conditions. The club had a softer shaft profile and was tipped less than his previous gamer to produce more carry.

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Driver: Callaway XR16 Sub Zero (Fujikura Six Tour X), 8.5 degrees

3-wood: Callaway Big Bertha Alpha 816, 16 degrees

Irons (3): Callaway Apex UT; (4-PW): Callaway X Forged ’13

Wedges: Callaway Mack Daddy 2 Tour Grind (52, 56, 60 degrees)

Putter: Odyssey Versa V-Line White/Black/White