Schauffele also took Apex UW to the Olympics in France.
Jonathan Wall/GOLF
Take a look back at the machine setup Xander Schauffele used in his recent victory at the Open Championship. Now compare it to the tools in the bag when he won his biggest at the PGA Championship.
What do you notice? Everything looks the same – except one. Due to links style conditions, Schauffele replaced his Callaway Apex UW with a Mizuno MP-20 3-iron during a two-week trip to Scotland. For someone who rarely changes his setup during the season, this is as strange as it is for a two-time major winner at the front of the gear.
With the golf links and bad weather in the background, Schauffele returned to Apex UW at Le Golf National for the Men's Olympic Golf event. It is no longer necessary to fly it low under the wind; bringing it up and soft is the way to go this week.
Jonathan Wall
While it may seem like a simple, unselfish change, it provides a great opportunity to highlight the club that has amassed a cult following among gearheads. It is also a favorite weapon in the bag of Austin Kaiser, Schauffele's caddy.
“It does everything,” Kaiser said in 2023. “He can hit a lot of different shots and score [Xander] get out of trouble. It's a great club to have in the bag.”
Released in 2021, the “utility wood” was designed in an ideal setting with tungsten embedded inside the head that delivers high launch and consistent spin characteristics with reduced bias. In general, pros don't like to see heavy drafts on their fairway woods and hybrids, because of the potential snap-hook. That's why many choose an offering with a flat lie angle or right offset setup. Whatever keeps the left side of the course from playing.
Callaway updated the Apex UW last year, but Schauffele continued to rely on the original version, with a few minor changes. Due to his strong angle of attack, the head loft is reduced from 21 to 19 degrees.
Being stronger usually leads to more distance, but in Schauffele's case, his tighter angle of attack gives more movement to the ball. If you're in the same boat, lowering the loft is one way to combat excessive spin.
Schauffele also plays his UW 41.5 inches, which is slightly shorter than most of today's 5-woods. The advantage of going short, this time, is that it allows him to add another “control” club to the bag. For someone struggling to find a club that works off the tee and fairway, the UW checks a lot of boxes.
It's no surprise that one of the best athletes in the world is relying heavily on it as he chases Olympic gold again.
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