What’s in the Bag: Brian Harman at the Wells Fargo Championship

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By Rick V., Team Titleist Staff

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  1. Rick V., Team Titleist Staff

    Rick V., Team Titleist Staff
    Duxbury, MA

    Team Titleist Staff

    Hey Team Titleist,

    The PGA TOUR is in North Carolina this week for the Wells Fargo Championship. Titleist Brand Ambassador Brian Harman will be looking to defend the title he won last year, but he’ll have to do it on a different course. After a brief absence to serve as host of the 2017 PGA Championship, Quail Hollow Club will again welcome players to Charlotte.

    Harman, who was playing a Pro V1 ball for the first time at last year's Wells Fargo, hit an amazing 78% of greens in regulation at Eagle Point Golf Club. He made birdie putts on the final two holes, including a dramatic 28-footer at the 72nd that sealed his one-stroke victory.

    Though it would be nice to carry some of those fond memories into this week, Harman isn’t fazed. In 2013 he finished T10 at Quail Hollow and took a share of 13th here at last year’s PGA Championship, won by fellow Titleist Brand Ambassador Justin Thomas.

    “It’ll be interesting to see how the tournament plays out,” said Harman. “It was extremely difficult for the PGA, really tough to chip around the greens because it was so tight, but with the overseed, you have a little more grass, a little more cushion to play from now. The greens won’t be quite as fast as we had at the PGA, but those closing holes 16, 17 and 18 are tough no matter what.”

    As Brian prepares to defend his Wells Fargo title, let’s take a look at the equipment he’ll be relying on this week:

    Golf Ball: Pro V1

    Driver: 917D2 (8.5º) 

    Fairway: 917F3 (13.5º) and 917F2 (18°)

    Irons: 718 CB (3-9)

    Wedges: Vokey Design SM7 pitching (46.10 F grind), gap (50.8 F grind), sand (54.10 S grind) and prototype lob (59.04 L grind)

    Scroll to take a look inside Brian’s Titleist...
    Scroll to take a look inside Brian’s Titleist staff bag.1/17
    Let's start with the most important piece of...
    Let's start with the most important piece of equipment in Brian's bag...2/17
    ...his Pro V1 golf ball. Brian first played the...
    ...his Pro V1 golf ball. Brian first played the Pro V1 at the 2017 Zurich Classic. Johnson Wagner, his partner in the team event suggested they play a Titleist ball, which Brian had played in college. "We had a nice tournament, especially the last day. It got really windy. I was hitting some shots with Johnson's ball, shots that I just couldn't hit with the ball I was playing. After that round, I decided to switch to the 2017 Pro V1. I won the next week with it (the 2017 Wells Fargo Championship), the very first week I played it."3/17
    Brian loves hunting, as you can tell from the deer...
    Brian loves hunting, as you can tell from the deer tracks he draws to mark his ball.4/17
    The defending Wells Fargo champion trusts a 917D2...
    The defending Wells Fargo champion trusts a 917D2 driver. "The D2 is a great fit for me. It went right in the bag," Brian said. "It's one of the easiest hitting drivers I've ever hit." The Titleist Tour staff shortened his driver shaft by 1/2" and were able to improve his accuracy off the tee without sacrificing any speed.5/17
    Brian’s 917D2 is set to the D4 setting on the...
    Brian’s 917D2 is set to the D4 setting on the SureFit hosel. For a left-hander, this lowers the standard 8.5° loft by .75°, essentially giving him a 7.75° driver that optimizes his launch angle and spin.6/17
    Brian also carries two Titleist 917 fairway...
    Brian also carries two Titleist 917 fairway metals, beginning with his 13.5° 917F3.7/17
    Brian sets this club to C4 on the SureFit hosel...
    Brian sets this club to C4 on the SureFit hosel setting, reducing the loft by .75° and also adjusting the lie .75° flatter. This produces a more penetrating flight that also makes it easier for Brian to fade the ball.8/17
    Brian's second fairway metal is an 18° 917F2. ...
    Brian's second fairway metal is an 18° 917F2. The F2 launches the ball slightly higher and is more forgiving than the F3, a perfect option for Brian to bring the ball in high and land softly on greens. His SureFit setting on this club is also C4.9/17
    In the irons, Brian trusts 718 CB (3-9). As he...
    In the irons, Brian trusts 718 CB (3-9). As he told us, “I started with 716 CBs in Palm Springs a fews years ago and I'm playing 718 CBs now. I just love the look at address and how they feel. But more important is the consistency. I can control the trajectory and I know exactly how far the ball is going to carry.”10/17
    Brian carries four Vokey Design SM7 wedges,...
    Brian carries four Vokey Design SM7 wedges, beginning with his 46.10 F grind pitching wedge.11/17
    For his gap wedge, Brian carries a 50.08 F grind....
    For his gap wedge, Brian carries a 50.08 F grind. Like all his SM7's, Brian favors a raw finish.12/17
    Next up, Brian relies on a 54.10 S grind sand...
    Next up, Brian relies on a 54.10 S grind sand wedge.13/17
    In this photo you can really see the ribbon of...
    In this photo you can really see the ribbon of relief that Voke grinds off the trailing edge to create the S grind.14/17
    The most exotic club in Brian's bag, a new...
    The most exotic club in Brian's bag, a new 59.04 SM7 prototype lob wedge.15/17
    Check out the new 2018 Tour Prototype toe stamp...
    Check out the new 2018 Tour Prototype toe stamp that The Voke and Aaron Dill are using this year.16/17
    See the channel that Aaron has grinded into the...
    See the channel that Aaron has grinded into the sole of this modified L grind? That groove allows the wedge to play with very low bounce when it’s square but if Brian opens the face, it can play with quite a bit of bounce. A versatile option for use on tour where players often face very tight lies on one shot and very deep rough or soft sand on the next.17/17

  2. ADeLucia

    ADeLucia
    Clayton NC

    so cool to see how AD ground down that L grind! such a unique touch
  3. Archie S

    Archie S

    Does Brian drop a wedge occasionally? He is listing 14 clubs without a putter

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