Last month I took an epic trip to Oregon and got a sneak peak of the new LAB Golf OZ putter at the HQ just outside of Eugene. The new putter has a great story (developed with Adam Scott) and is the first LAB putter that looks "normal". Check it out 👇 4 TGL questions and reactions:I was a big fan of the first TGL match! Had a friend over, got some wings, and turned it into an event. Call me crazy. It seems like the avid golf market is totally split on if it's awesome or awful... But I'm in and it seems like a lot of other people were as well.
Here are my overly seriously dumb big questions 😂:
✈️ TRIP RECAP: I went on my second annual Bandon trip with Coach Will Robins and the crew this December.Here's the recap! Last year, I tried flying into North Bend, but my flight got canceled. I ended up in Eugene and had to take a $300 Uber to Bandon. Not exactly enjoyable for my stress levels—or my wallet. 😂 Because of that, I decided to fly directly into Eugene this year, which worked out much better. Plus, it gave me a perfect excuse to stop by LAB Golf—something I’d been looking forward to for a while. LAB is a company I’ve been fascinated by for years, and their putters have been in my bag for quite some time. Right now, I’m gaming the Mezz 1 Max Sweeper and loving it. They just released the new OZ putter, designed with Adam Scott, so it was a great time to dive into the story behind it—and, of course, try it out. 🙂 Here’s the thing: the OZ actually looks like a normal putter, which is a big shift from some of LAB’s earlier models that people often compared to spaceships. (That said, I still think the 2.1 is the best putter they’ve ever made. 😉) CEO Sam Hahn gave me a full tour of their facility, and I got to see just how much LAB has grown. It’s clear they’re working hard to make the best putters in the game and have some big plans for R&D and production growth. I also spent time with Liam, who shared all the latest on what LAB is doing out on tour. It’s wild to see how many putters they’re making for players we all know. From Eugene, it’s a stunning 2.5-hour drive through the mountains and along the Oregon coast to Bandon. Playing in December has its perks, and the $110 tee times with $55 replays are definitely at the top of that list. And this year we lucked out big time with the weather. First round was on the new Shorty’s course—19 holes of par 3s ranging from 50 to 150 yards. It’s a fun layout with that classic Bandon feel. My thoughts on Shorty's?
Monday brought sunny skies and clear weather. We played a solid 18 at Old Macdonald, then ran over to Pacific Dunes for a second round. We made it to holes 10 and 11 at Pacific right at sunset, and wow—those moments were unforgettable. I’m convinced 10 and 11 are the best back-to-back par 3s anywhere. After that, I became obsessed with the idea of replay rounds just to catch another sunset. 😂
This trip, I also brought along a new camera: a Fuji X-E4 with a 27mm lens and a Pro Mist filter. I started chasing pictures, and it added a whole new dimension to the adventure. That setup is pure magic. Played all the courses and here's where things shook out for me this year. 2024 Cordie Walker Bandon Course Rankings:
What changed? I now fully believe the weather you play in dramatically affects your rankings. 😂 Playing Pacific Dunes in good weather a couple of times gave me some incredible memories and bumped it to the top. Bandon, as always, never disappoints. That’s the one thing you can count on. 🙂
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