GolfWRX: Ben Silverman's Dual-Driver 'Thriver' Setup Turns Heads at John Deere Classic

A Second Driver Built for One Purpose: Finding the Fairway

Ben Silverman arrived at the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run with an eyebrow-raising WITB: a full 14-club setup that includes two drivers. Unlike Phil Mickelson's famous dual-driver Masters win in 2006 — which was about shaping shots both ways — Silverman's second driver has a single mission: never miss a fairway.

Meet the 'Thriver'

Silverman's backup driver, nicknamed the "Thriver," is a Ping G410 head trimmed to 3-wood length with roughly 12 degrees of loft and fitted with a cut-down Accra TourZ RPG 400 Series shaft. The result is a club that generates spin in the 3,000 rpm range, carries about 270 yards, and — critically — can be shaped at will.

The idea was born in 2019 when Silverman couldn't find a 3-wood that worked both off the tee and off the turf. His solution: scrap the 3-wood entirely and build a controllable, high-spin driver alternative.

Wedges and a Putter with Personality

Silverman's 56- and 60-degree Ping S159 wedges both feature the E grind, a design rooted in the iconic Ping Eye 2 sole shape. He credits the grind with generating noticeably more spin on chips and pitches around the green, particularly from deep rough where the high-toe design provides extra face exposure.

His custom Bettinardi putter is loaded with personal touches: lead tape, custom Hex milling, F.I.T. face technology, and a bespoke alignment aid. As a self-described "abstract visual putter," Silverman uses the two dots atop the putter and one at the back to construct a triangular sightline rather than relying on a ball line.

Strokeslab Take

Silverman's bag is a case study in creative problem-solving under constraints. Trading a 3-wood for a purpose-built tee club is an unconventional choice that reveals how much equipment configuration can influence SG: Off the Tee for players who struggle with dispersion.