Tommy Fleetwood and Adrian Rietveld are a real one-two handful.
Getty Images
The best absolute thing about my time in the tour is to be a fly on the wall while the best mounts in the world call in the best players in the world.
The work itself is far from what you can see in your appropriate local place. What I mean by this is that all of these players hit the middle of the face almost every shot and their shot patterns stay quite stable.
In my experience, the overall needs of the tournament player and the strategy to optimize them can really help you. How? Well, just said, the tactics of all these fittings are about consistency, efficiency and risk mitigation – never hitting it. All time in the truck I have never heard a player seek to win the distance. On the tours the entire start line, start and rotate.
The other great thing about my time in the tournament are the friendships I have made with Reps Oem like Kellen Watson (Callaway), Adrian Rietveld (Taylormade), Kenton Oates (Ping), Aaron Dill (Vokey), Cody Hale (Odyssey) and Ben Schomin (Cobra). They are all masters in their craft and everyone has very distinct styles of relationships with their players.
The best tournaments of the tournament are good in the art of saying “no”. Yes, there are players who will solve the bad game by changing clubs well for weeks. It rarely works, and only unicorns kJ Choi can do it at will and still win. Good reps know when they say not to a player and let the technique develop with the right gear.
This six -piece series addresses each part of the bag as we will look for reps on tours their best secrets to help IT Today, we are starting with Adrian Rietveld of Taylormade.
In the first part, it permeates the importance of the golf ball and how it gets that part of the bag called for the likes of Tommy Fleetwood, Rory Mcilroy, Colin Morikawa and a bunch. He is a master of his craft and I’m sure you will learn a lot. Enjoy.
BALL
Adrian Rietveld, manager of Sr. Taylormade Tour
Rory Mcilroy passed to the Tayormades TP5 earlier in 2025 and has since won players and masters.
My philosophy in setting a golf ball for a tournament player focuses on choosing a ball that enhances a player’s strengths while addressing their weaknesses, all while minimizing performance trade. For example, if a player fights with enough rotation generating, I prioritize a golf ball with flight features that promote higher rotation rates, aiming at middle ground numbers that optimize control without sacrificing distance. Basically, the goal is to adapt a ball that compensates for a player’s limitations, making it possible for them to perform at their peak. A golf bag can be divided into distinct areas – drivers, straight forests, hybrids, cuffs, wedges and putter – and my goal is to find the best ball to maximize the overall performance in these segments with as little compromise as possible.
Process: A systematic approach from extremities essentially
My assembly process begins at the edges of the bag-the upper end (driver and straight street forests) and lower bottom (wedge for shots with short games such as pits and scraps)-Before you run medium (mid-uterus, long handcuffs, hybrids and 5- and 7-dru). I end with the placement, which is heavily influenced by the feeling. This sequence is intentional. At the top and end of the bag, the variables for optimizing the startup features are limited due to the design of the club and the shot. For example, with drivers, the concentration is at the ball speed, the starting angle and the rolling stairs for the distance, while the wedge requires rotation and control for accuracy. First by calling on these areas, I create a foundation for the Golf Ball performance.
Once the top and bottom are optimized, I move in the middle of the bag. Here, the club’s and Loft geometry offer more flexibility to adjust the performance through equipment adjustments, making it easier to fill the selected golf ball. This contradicts the top and bottom, where the ball itself is the main driver of performance optimism. Working from internal extremities, I assure the ball supports the player’s game holistically.
Consistency: Last Validator
Consistency is king in mounting golf balls. A high quality golf ball gives reliable release features-ball speed, rotation and trajectory-shot after purpose. The evidence of a successful assembly lies in the consistency of these numbers, which builds the player’s trust in their equipment. When a player knows exactly how the ball will perform, they can shake confidently, knowing that the result is predictable.
Bypassed factor: Cover and aerodynamics
A often overlooked aspect of golf ball performance is the pale pattern and model, which significantly affects aerodynamics. Players with different swing speeds and start profiles have unique needs. For example, some players, especially those with lower swinging speeds, benefit from a ball that helps to get the ball into the air or stand the elevator. In contrast, high -speed players often need a ball that reduces crawling to prevent excess height and keep flight stable. Selecting a ball with the right pale pattern and cover pattern is essential to optimize flight durability and tailoring performance for player specific needs.
cONcluSiON
Adapting a golf ball to a tournament player is an art and a science, mixing the analysis directed from data with a player’s unique game. Focusing on their weaknesses, systematically addressing each area of the bag, giving priority to the consistency and aerodynamic details of good adjustment, I aim to provide a ball that unblocks the full potential of the player. The result is a configuration that inspires confidence and gives performance under the pressures of the professional.
What to learn
Go to the process of assembling with an open mind. We all have our eyes on a certain golf ball for whatever reason. Yes, some are long, some rotate a bunch, some go low, high etc. Trick is finding the balance of all to YOUR The game all comes to be honest about what you have against what you miss. The golf ball can solve a ton of problems if fit properly. When a young player signs with a company, the biggest obstacle to dance is always the ball because it is so personal to that player. There is a thing that does not find that much with the other parts of the bag.
Whether it is a TP5, Pro V1, Chrome Tour, or a Kyrkland, put your energy in the proper intake of this part. If you have to lose a yard or two to become efficient, so be it. In many cases you will get more and more efficient if you know what to look for.
Johnny currently serves as director of equipment at Golf.comcontributing to platforms like fully equipped golf. Prior to this role, he was the content marketing manager at the Callaway Golf, where he led “The Wunder of Wunder of Callaway Golf”, a platform dedicated to the in -depth content of golf equipment. Before entering Callaway, he was the director of the original content and host of Podcast “The Gear Dive” Golfwrx.com. Beyond his professional efforts, Johnny is a golf player thirsty with a deep passion for the game after playing since his youth in Seattle, Washington.
