7 things I noticed while inspecting his clubs


Finau’s bag is full of interesting finds, including a custom Ping PLD Anser 2D putter.

Jonathan Wall/GOLF

Having covered gear for nearly a decade, I’ve come to appreciate how the pros add gear to the bag. Each component has a purpose, and it is always checked before being approved.

On a recent trip to Ping HQ, I had the opportunity to chat with Tony Finau about the purpose behind the gear he relies on every week at Tour events. Here are seven things that came out of our conversation.

large mittens

Finau grips have 13 wraps on the top and 12 wraps on the bottom.

Jonathan Wall/GOLF

I don’t know for sure, but I would bet Tony Finau has the biggest grips on Tour. Housed under the rubber on a single mid-sized Lamkin grip is an obscene amount of adhesive strips to construct the grip. That would be 13 turns for the top and 12 turns for the bottom.

It actually outperforms Bubba Watson’s 12 and 10 tower build.

I am 6ft 5in and have fairly large mitts, but even Finau’s grips felt oversized in my hands. As he told me while I was inspecting his irons, there’s a crazy method behind grips, and it starts with everything but eliminating the taper you typically see in a standard grip.

“I’ve always liked having consistent thickness throughout,” Finau told GOLF.com. “I don’t like the feeling that my right hand comes off the club when I release it. I just want the same feeling from club to club.

Finau can get away with tedious grip builds because he’s one of the best players in the world, but don’t expect your local club builder to offer similar treatment. If you want to test out a larger grip to see if it fits your game, start with a mid-size option and work your way up from there.

it must be the shoes

Finau’s Nike Shoe Putter Cover is one of the coolest things you’ve ever seen.

Jonathan Wall/GOLF

As a closet sneakerhead, I was immediately taken by the headgear on Finau’s putter. It’s unlike anything else I’ve seen on the Tour, and that’s saying something.

What I would later learn from the two-time Tour winner is that he actually uses the Nike Air Jordan I Off-White custom putter cover on his Ping PLD Anser 2 back putter – the non-player. I have never wanted a putter cover more in my life after inspecting this one from every angle. Too bad Tony didn’t pass it on.

follow the arrow

The arrow and corresponding alignment dash in the neck help keep Finau locked in at address.

Jonathan Wall/GOLF

Finau has two identical Anser 2D PLD putters, but he prefers to use the one with an arrow and alignment dash – located in the indented area of ​​the topline – which was added by hand by the Ping Tour rep, Kenton Oates. As the story progressed, Finau was looking for a way to get his eyes and hands in the correct position at address, so Oates added the arrow and dash with silver permanent marker to see if it worked.

“I know if the arrow is too close to my right foot, my face is too closed,” Finau said. “If it’s too close to my left foot, it’s too open. I’m trying to get that arrow between my feet and I know the putter is pretty square there. The line is an element that indicates where my hands are to ensure that they are neither too high nor too low. I think a big part of putting is putting the putter in the same spot every time – and these two lines do just that.

Alignment lines and reminders are everywhere these days, but if something isn’t available on the market, don’t be afraid to add an arrow or line to the head if it helps improve your configuration and your race.

Remaining power

Finau is one of two Tour players who still play with a Nike Vapor Fly Pro long iron.

Jonathan Wall/GOLF

Before Finau joined Ping in 2018, he was a member of the equipment staff at Nike Golf. When the Swoosh shut down its durable goods business in 2016, Finau’s deal morphed into an apparel-only deal. While most of the bag configuration has changed over the past six years, Finau continues to offer a Nike Vapor Fly Pro 3 iron. Besides Finau, Brooks Koepka is the only pro who still uses Vapor Fly Pro after all these years.

The hollowbody long iron is no longer available at retail, but with a backup handy, Finau can rest easy knowing he has a replacement if his player bites the dust.

“The one I’m using is actually one of my two backups,” Finau said. “My original lasted me about six years. So, with my calculations, if this one lasts me six years and my other backup lasts me another six years, I’ll be around 50 by the time I’m done. ‘use both. It’s a great club. It’s the one I’ve had in the bag since 2015, and I don’t think it’s going anywhere anytime soon. I hit it well.

Looks like the Vapor Fly Pro is here to stay – at least until it starts considering the Champions Tour.

Spin to Win

Finau plays Ping’s G425 LST driver, but he prefers to keep the spin on the higher side.

Jonathan Wall/GOLF

Finau plays a Ping G425 LST speaker at 9 degrees in the “big minus” loft neck setting, which essentially means it’s 7 degrees from actual loft. With his power and speed, one would assume Finau lives between 2,000 and 2,200 rpm to keep side spin manageable. Except you would be wrong.

While low spin can be your friend, especially if you’re a high-speed player, Finau prefers to live on the opposite end of the spin spectrum for very good reason. Too little rotation makes the driver unruly and difficult to control. Instead, Finau prefers a few extra RPMs to give himself room for the occasional misfire when the spin rate fluctuates.

“I always go for the mid-2000s with effects,” Finau said. “I think a lot of guys would say low 2000s, but I like to live a bit on the higher spin side just because I know if it disconnects, it disconnects less with more spin. For me, I like to be around 2400-2600 rpm.

That’s sage advice from one of the Tour’s greatest bombers.

Tour Preferences

Finau was one of the first Ping staffers to add the Glide 4.0 wedge.

Jonathan Wall/GOLF

Finau is easy when it comes to wedges. It plays a standard grind and makes no modifications to the sole. His move from Ping’s Glide 3.0 to the Tour-only Glide 4.0 was a seamless transition that only took a few test sessions.

“During testing I noticed it wasn’t a huge change from the Glide 3.0 I had, but it did launch a bit lower with more spin,” Finau said. “It’s always something the Tour guys are looking for. That’s what I’m looking for. I put it in the bag right away and saw results from the start.

Finau plays a 50 and 56 in the Glide 4.0, with a Vokey Proto 60T lob corner.

Maximum confidence

Finau’s G400 Stretch 3 blade has been around for four years.

Jonathan Wall/GOLF

The fairway wood remains the most difficult club to replace for the majority of pros on the tour, including Finau. His four-year-old Ping G400 Stretch 3 wood is the second oldest club in the bag behind the Nike 3 iron for very good reason. It offers a level of versatility that Finau has yet to find in a newer product.

Instead of trying to work his way into something that didn’t work, he continued with G400.

“Most guys try to match their driver and their 3-wood, but the 3-wood is a tough club to swap out,” Finau said. “I like a little deeper face because I want to hit it off the tee and off the ground. This club fits me perfectly and it’s hard to get off. I’ll have it in the bag for many years to come come simply because he went through difficult situations.

Want to redo your bag for 2022? Find a suitable location near you in GOLF Affiliate True specification golf. For more on the latest gear news and information, check out our latest fully geared podcast below..

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Jonathan Wall

Golf.com

Jonathan Wall is GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com Editor for Equipment. Before joining the team at the end of 2018, he spent 6 years covering PGA Tour equipment.

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