Equipment
TaylorMade prototype irons spotted at The Memorial
What we know: Select TaylorMade Staff Members were testing one-off, milled prototype irons from the company at the range of The Memorial. The irons had three slots: a “Speed Pocket” in the sole and two “Face Slots” that were positioned just outside the grooves on the club face.
What we don’t know: The club’s name, release date and potential construction (forged or cast). The irons appear to have a size and shape that’s similar to the company’s current RSi TP irons.
TaylorMade’s prototype irons (left) and John Huh’s custom RocketBladez Tour irons.
Click here to see what GolfWRX Members are saying about the iron in our forum.
- LIKE135
- LEGIT24
- WOW16
- LOL17
- IDHT7
- FLOP23
- OB8
- SHANK174
Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
View this post on Instagram
OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
- LIKE4
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
- Pavon’s WITB accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 Max (9 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6 X
3-wood: Ping G430 LST (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X
Hybrid: Ping G430 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 10 X
Irons: Ping i230 (3-PW)
Shafts: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 X
Wedges: Ping Si59 (52-12S, 58-8B)
Shafts: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 X
Putter: Ping Cadence TR Tomcat C
Grip: SuperStroke Claw 1.0P
Grips: Golf Pride MCC Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Check out more in-hand photos of Pavon’s gear here.
- LIKE3
- LEGIT1
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
Tommy Fleetwood has been attached to his Odyssey White Hot Pro #3 putter for years now. However, this week at the Wells Fargo Championship, we did spot him testing a new putter that is very different, yet somewhat similar, to his current gamer.
This new putter is a TaylorMade Spider Tour X head but with a brand new neck we haven’t seen on a Spider before. A flow neck is attached to the Spider head and gives the putter about a 1/2 shaft offset. This style neck will usually increase the toe hang of the putter and we can guess it gets the putter close to his White Hot Pro #3.
Another interesting design is that lack of TaylorMade’s True Path alignment on the top of the putter. Instead of the large white center stripe, Tommy’s Spider just has a very short white site line milled into it. As with his Odyssey, Tommy seems to be a fan of soft inserts and this Spider prototype looks to have the TPU Pure Roll insert with 45° grooves for immediate topspin and less hopping and skidding.
The sole is interesting as well in that the rear weights don’t look to be interchangeable and are recessed deep into the ports. This setup could be used to push the CG forward in the putter for a more blade-like feel during the stroke, like TaylorMade did with the Spider X Proto Scottie Scheffler tested out.
Tommy’s putter is finished off with an older Super Stroke Mid Slim 2.0 grip in blue and white. The Mid Slim was designed to fit in between the Ultra Slim 1.0 and the Slim 3.0 that was a popular grip on tour.
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- LIKE13
- LEGIT2
- WOW2
- LOL1
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
Things got heated at the Houston Open between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti. Here’s why
Justin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
Tiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
Report: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
Report: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
Neal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
What we know about Bryson DeChambeau’s 3D-printed Avoda irons
Matthieu Pavon WITB 2024 (May)
Pavon’s WITB accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Ping G430 Max (9...
WITB Time Machine: Rory McIlroy’s winning WITB, 2015 Wells Fargo Championship
Then-No. 1 player in the world Rory McIlroy began the week at the Wells Fargo Championship at 3-1 odds, if...
Akshay Bhatia WITB 2024 (May)
Akshay Bhatia what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. Bhatia is deciding between drivers. More photos...
Emiliano Grillo WITB 2024 (May)
Emiliano Grillo what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Callaway...
-
19th Hole3 weeks agoJustin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
-
19th Hole3 weeks ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
-
19th Hole2 weeks agoLET pro gives detailed financial breakdown of first week on tour…and the net result may shock you
-
19th Hole3 days agoReport: LIV star turns down PGA Championship invite due to ‘personal commitments’
-
19th Hole1 week agoGary Player claims this is what ‘completely ruined’ Tiger Woods’ career
-
Whats in the Bag2 weeks agoTeam McIlowry (Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry) winning WITBs: 2024 Zurich Classic
-
Equipment1 week agoGolf fans left surprised by LIV’s choice of course for its 2024 individual championship event
-
19th Hole1 week ago
LIV star splits with swing coach after working together for 14 years
dcorun
Jun 12, 2015 at 6:17 pm
I play the TM RBZ Stage 2 Bonded driver and have for 2 years. I compare it to all the new ones that have come out since I bought it and it hasn’t been worth trading in yet. The Fly-Z and D200 came awful close though. I play the Cleveland 588 MT irons (1 1/2 yrs), a Cobra T-Rail+ Baffler hybrid (1 1/2 yrs) and a Ping Karsten TR PAL putter (1yr). My point is… who cares if TM and Callaway come out with new clubs every 3 months, just play what you like and feels right to you. Try them out against the new clubs and see if it’s time for a change but, like I said, who cares how many or how soon some companies come out with new clubs. No one is twisting arms to run out and buy them but, I do feel for the guy who just bought that new long distance driver to find out 3 months later that a new one just came out that’s even faster and longer. 🙂
Christosterone
Jun 7, 2015 at 3:13 pm
Like with all clubs, I see Ping influences….the s series in particular.
tim
Jun 5, 2015 at 11:28 am
The “they release too many clubs” comments are so beyond stale at this point. And I’ not a TM guy either. I didn’t like the feel of the RSI’s or any iron with a slot, at least not yet.
Graeme
Jun 4, 2015 at 8:15 am
Love the way people on here see a prototype and start hating on TM bringing out too many clubs too often. If it’s a prototype, good luck seeing it in any shops this year.
Also, no one is making you buy it or even making you read this article. It’s not like people buy the newest range of clubs every time they are released. Plus it’s better for the buyer because the ‘older’ technology will drop in price with each new release.
Sean Paul
Jun 3, 2015 at 3:58 pm
Love how people rip on Taylormade for coming out with new clubs “every four weeks” when Callaway does the same exact thing in addition to coming out with a new paint job for their putters every 4 months and marketing it as a whole new putter. Y’all just mad that Taylormade wins more tournaments than anyone else.
Jeff C
Jun 3, 2015 at 10:22 pm
What tournaments are you watching. TM isn’t even close to the #1 OEM winning the
most tourny’s. Different winner every week.
I really doubt you’re so poor you can’t pay attention………
mike
Jun 6, 2015 at 12:42 pm
Last time I checked tm doesn’t win that many. Go back and check this years winners. Not many tm.
Dan
Jun 3, 2015 at 3:27 pm
Mizuno MP-59 influence?
Tom p
Jun 3, 2015 at 2:44 pm
All these haters that keep commenting on the frequency of release need to get over it and get a life. We would have 12 different models of they released every 4 weeks. They have released a new iron and a new wood every year since 2015.
Go complain about phones and tvs and cars that get released every year. The Taylormade bashing is getting old. Some of us like to see what is coming out or a prototype.
By the way if you are counting Callaway has released more than TaylorMade the last three years…might want to give them some hateraid too.
Steve
Jun 3, 2015 at 9:02 am
Hard to make any judgements with the pics here. But sounds like the same old with the speed slots and a new 7 yards longer campaign.
G
Jun 3, 2015 at 3:32 am
Did TM actually say they were launching this iron? didn’t think so…hint for future, learn to read…
Lee
Jun 3, 2015 at 12:50 pm
Hint for commenter, the title of this article says nothing about Taylormade “launching” anything.
Steven
Jun 3, 2015 at 2:40 pm
I agree. Reading is fundamental. Such a bias against TaylorMade these days. Jealous much?
mike
Jun 6, 2015 at 12:58 pm
Jealously no, tired of the market being flooded with crap and over marketing more distance…… yes. Last time I checked the usga hasn’t changed the rules.
moses
Jun 3, 2015 at 2:12 am
All good by me. Can’t wait for the RSi TP’s to come down to about $300
Lowell Madanes
Jun 5, 2015 at 9:45 am
Im on the same mind set…. Or should I say RSI TP/MC’s since they are very similar
Go TMAG!!!
gabriel
Jun 6, 2015 at 7:03 pm
the mc are 599.99 right know AT GOLF TOWN
Jengus
Jun 3, 2015 at 2:05 am
lel @ everyone
golfprotj
Jun 2, 2015 at 9:49 pm
They change there line more often than some people change the underwear! J/k, lol/sorry T-Made fans, Complete joke, Any makes you wonder!!!
Lee H.
Jun 2, 2015 at 9:45 pm
Who cares if they put out a club every 6 months? If people are buying it, Taylormade will keep building it. If we, as consumers, don’t like the latest and greatest that seems to be coming out quite often from them, then we don’t buy it. If it ever gets to the point where Taylormade feels their marketing strategy is not working, then they will ease back. But until then, they will come out with as much new stuff as they feel is needed. We can choose to buy it or stick with what we got. The good thing about living in a democratic society is that no one is forcing us to do or buy anything that we don’t want to.
cb
Jun 3, 2015 at 1:00 am
we don’t have to buy it but unfortunately the golf shops have to stock it
jcorbran
Jun 3, 2015 at 1:24 am
no they dont
Tom p
Jun 3, 2015 at 2:46 pm
Well said.
Haters gonna hate hate hate…
Barack
Jun 2, 2015 at 9:17 pm
I was getting worried, they haven’t put out a new club in a couple of weeks
BigBoy
Jun 2, 2015 at 8:22 pm
How long is this BS going to go on for by the manufacturers, they chop and change and go no-where….at least the Japanese forged boys produce something you can hit till they wear out and not give you a new model every 4 weeks.
Winmac80
Jun 2, 2015 at 7:24 pm
Am I the only ones that feels weird of a mark on John Huh’s heel that could indicate a shank? maybe more than once? But RSi has been quite a solid iron and we should expect better irons from TM (and better price for RSi)
chad ryan
Jun 2, 2015 at 6:43 pm
Yea looks like a slightly chunkier mp 15. Not bad though. Their “slots” kinda ruin their irons for me though.
Sherwin
Jun 2, 2015 at 6:33 pm
More new TaylorMade irons! What is up with their product cycles?
RValdez
Jun 2, 2015 at 5:50 pm
If that is a tungsten weight behind the sweetspot it kind of reminds me of the Mizuno MP-59 with the TM/Adams slots.
Rip Torn
Jun 2, 2015 at 6:23 pm
Or it’s a TITANIUM slab to move the weight distribution to the heel and toe like the MP-59 or MP-15.
Yet another TM rip of Mizuno.
It’s a bit thick looking but I like it.
MHendon
Jun 2, 2015 at 6:23 pm
That would be titanium not tungsten
StG
Jun 2, 2015 at 6:27 pm
You mean Titanium. Not tungsten. Titanium is light, so that helps to distribute the steel’s mass towards the heel and toe and also adds anti-vibration feel to the middle.
Richard Valdez
Jun 2, 2015 at 11:29 pm
My fault on that one. I forgot it was titanium.