Gary Woodland arrived at the BMW Championship as the first man outside the top 30, the cut for the Tour Championship. He had also changed his golf ball.
The switch
Woodland moved from a Titleist Pro V1 to a Pro V1x Double Dot, a version that began as a Custom Performance Option for tour players and launches and spins lower than the standard ball. Cameron Young moved to it the week of his first PGA Tour win, at the 2025 Wyndham Championship, and Bryson DeChambeau has played it too.
Woodland had tested it at Titleist's performance center and said he loved the window it launched in.
Why it made sense for him
- 127.55 mph His average clubhead speed this season, the fastest on the PGA Tour
- 3,004.6 rpm His average driver spin in 2025, the second highest on tour
At that speed, too much spin costs distance and control. A lower-spinning ball brings his numbers closer to where a player his speed wants them.
What happened
He got within one of the lead on Sunday before a double bogey at the ninth. He still finished tied fourth on 12 under, and that was enough to take him to East Lake.
For your game
Only if you spin it too much.
Most amateurs need more spin, not less. A low-spin ball helps fast swingers who balloon the ball. If you don't know your spin, a launch-monitor ball fitting will tell you in 20 minutes.
Sources: GolfWRX (August, Woodland ball switch); Bleacher Report and Gulf News (23 August, BMW result).