My husband has a shameless habit of sneaking a peek at others’ bags, which clues him in as to what kind of golfer he’s playing with. “If you have one Lamb putter there’s a good chance you have eight putters,” says The Husband, attempting to explain the vast world of golf equipment. “You don’t just have one Lamb putter. You might also have a Circle T Scotty.” And a true golf gearhead no doubt knows and reveres the name Mike Taylor, a craftsman whose Fort Worth workshop attracts golfers from all over the world. (The Husband is eagerly awaiting two Artisan wedges.) Here’s more on the local(ish) gear you need to know about.
These Bags Were Made for Walkin’
There are two Stitch boutiques in the whole world, and Inwood Village has one of them. The brand’s aesthetic is, as we’ve heard one golfer call it, “crispy,” which is to say the gear and apparel appeal to the type of guy who slings sweater sleeves over his shoulders. Whatever your style, your shoulders are sure to appreciate the SL2 Air Walker golf bag ($298), which weighs in at a mere 4.5 pounds. Also awesome: snazzy putter covers. Big bummer: not even a stitch of women’s wear. (C’mon!) Stitch, 5560 W. Lovers Lane, Ste. 245. 469-946-9545.
Get a Club Fresh Out of “The Oven”
Mike Taylor will go down in history as one of golf’s great craftsmen, having handcrafted Tiger Woods’ Nike irons as the golfer cemented his GOAT status. When Nike shuttered its golf operations in 2016, Taylor and colleague John Hatfield bought the equipment and kept grinding in Fort Worth under the name Artisan Golf. They are part of a dying breed: equipment makers who hand-draw and handcraft clubs for each customer. Artisan is best known for wedges (Patrick Reed and Bryson DeChambeau won majors with them), though they also make putters and irons. Buying clubs from their Fort Worth facility, aka The Oven, isn’t about shopping; it’s about the experience. artisangolftx.com
The Putters That Drive Golfers Crazy
Here’s the bind Tyson Lamb has put himself in: his Lamb Crafted boutique putters are pretty enough to frame, and demand far outweighs supply. He had to stop taking custom orders years ago and turn to a lottery model in which customers can only pray they score a putter for, at minimum, $1,250 or a ball marker for around $80. Golfers tend to get cranky when they have cash to spend but can’t get the goods they covet, but Lamb refuses to become a maker for the masses. Those dying for a piece of the Lamb pie can snatch a used stick off eBay for something like $5,000. Follow Tyson Lamb on Instagram for new product drops: @tyson_lamb
This story originally appeared in the April issue of D Magazine. Write to [email protected].
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