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Bryson DeChambeau was using a 4.8-degree driver at the Presidents Cup

As most golf fans already know, Bryson DeChambeau has put on some weight in recent months. He’s been bulking up, while he’s simultaneously been trying to become more pliable and flexible.

There’s clearly been something to the approach, as DeChambeau has already picked up some 10 yards on his PGA Tour driving average in this 2019-2020 season.

However, DeChambeau hasn’t solely been using his newfound muscle to launch longer drives. He’s had to make adjustments to his equipment to keep up with his swing speed, which can now get up to 125 mph with a driver.

DeChambeau said ahead of the 2019 Presidents Cup that he’s moved into a driver with a 4.8-degree head. That’s not a typo. A 4.8-degree head.

“I was producing too much spin,” DeChambeau said with a laugh on Wednesday in Australia. “I mean, a six-and-a-half degree was producing 3000 (rpm). I’m like, ‘OK, it’s not really going any farther. I mean, my ball speed is up but it still spins 3000.’ Maybe getting 6 or 7 yards out of it.

“So, once we got the driver in and it got approved last week, I used it. It was 2000 (rpm) spin — perfect. And I immediately gained a little bit of ball speed and maybe 15 yards more in carry.”

It sounds insane that DeChambeau had already gone down in loft to 6.5 degrees. Moving sub-5 degrees with his driver puts him in a loft range on level with World Long Drive competitors. However, for Bryson, he’s found a way to kill some spin with the lower-lofted head and still generate more carry. That has to do with his angle of attack and how he gets to the ball at impact. For most golfers, they’re looking at ideal spin rates in the mid-2000s, not on the low end. But, most golfers aren’t Bryson DeChambeau.

So far, so at Royal Melbourne. DeChambeau had to get special clearance from tournament staff at the Presidents Cup because he has been consistently carrying his driver over the range netting.

That carry? Some 310 yards.

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