Equipment
Rory McIlroy switches to Callaway, Titleist clubs in South Africa
Update: The European Tour shared close-ups of Rory McIlroy’s new clubs on social media. The photo shows at least three Vokey SM6 wedges in his bag, as well as an Odyssey putter cover.
New year. New gear. pic.twitter.com/GkFxhNvcUH
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) January 10, 2017
As reported by No Laying Up on December 31, Rory McIlroy has made wholesale changes to his golf equipment at the European Tour’s South Africa Open, which begins January 12. A photo from Golf Central Daily‘s Facebook page shows McIlroy with a set of custom Callaway Apex MB irons in his bag, confirming the validity of the photo that was posted in our forum four days ago by GolfWRX Member ghost5.
Photo from GolfWRX Member ghost5.
The photo also shows McIlroy with at least one Titleist Vokey SM6 wedge in his bag. He is said to be playing a Titleist Pro V1x golf ball as well.
An Instagram video posted by the European Tour also confirms that McIlroy is using Callaway’s new GBB Epic Sub Zero driver with a Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage shaft.
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/18/24): Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made.
From the seller: (@DLong72): “Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made. ?: $1150. ?? 100% milled collectors item from the limited releases commemorating when Ping putters won every major in 1988 (88 putters made). This was the model Seve Ballesteros used to win the 1988 Open Championship. Condition is brand new, never gamed, everything is in the original packaging as it came. Putter features the iconic sound slot.
Specs/ Additional Details
-100% Milled, Aluminum/Bronze Alloy (310g)
-Original Anser Design
-PING PP58 Grip
-Putter is built to standard specs.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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As you probably know by now, Collin Morikawa switched putters after the first round of The Masters, and he ultimately went on to finish T3.
The putter was far from the only change he made last week, however, and his bag is continuing to change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage.
On the range of The Masters, Morikawa worked closely with Adrian Reitveld, TaylorMade’s Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, to find the perfect driver and 3-wood setups.
Morikawa started off 2024 by switching into TaylorMade’s Qi10 Max driver, but since went back to his faithful TaylorMade SIM – yes, the original SIM from 2020. Somehow, some way, it seems Morikawa always ends up back in that driver, which he used to win the 2020 PGA Championship, and the 2021 Open Championship.
At The Masters, however, Rietveld said the duo found the driver head that allowed “zero compromise” on Morikawa’s preferred fade flight and spin. To match his preferences, they landed on a TaylorMade Qi10 LS 9-degree head, and the lie angle is a touch flatter than his former SIM.
“It’s faster than his gamer, and I think what we found is it fits his desired shot shape, with zero compromise” Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the RBC Heritage.
Then, to replace his former SIM rocket 3-wood, Morikawa decided to switch into the TaylorMade Qi10 core model 13.5-degree rocket head, with an adjustable hosel.
“He likes the spin characteristics of that head,” Rietveld said. “Now he’s interesting because with Collin, you can turn up at a tournament, and you look at his 3-wood, and he’s changed the setting. One day there’s more loft on it, one day there’s less loft on it. He’s that type of guy. He’s not scared to use the adjustability of the club.
“And I think he felt our titanium head didn’t spin as low as his original SIM. So we did some work with the other head, just because he liked the feel of it. It was a little high launching, so we fit him into something with less loft. It’s a naughty little piece of equipment.”
In addition to the driver and fairway wood changes, Morikawa also debuted his new “MySymbol” jersey No. 5 TP5x golf ball at The Masters. Morikawa’s choice of symbols is likely tied to his love of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
Not enough changes for you? There’s one more.
On Wednesday at the 2024 RBC Heritage, Morikawa was spotted with a new TaylorMade “Proto” 4-iron in the bag. If you recall, it’s the same model that Rory McIlroy debuted at the 2024 Valero Texas Open.
According to Morikawa, the new Proto 4-iron will replace his old P-770 hollow-bodied 4-iron.
“I used to hit my P-770 on a string, but sometimes the distance would be a little unpredictable,” Morikawa told GolfWRX.com. “This one launches a touch higher, and I feel I can predict the distance better. I know Rory replaced his P-760 with it. I’m liking it so far.”
See Morikawa’s full WITB from the 2024 RBC Heritage here.
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Equipment
Why Rory McIlroy will likely use the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper at the RBC Heritage
Although we spotted Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper last week during practice rounds at the Masters, he ultimately didn’t decide to use the club in competition.
It seems that will change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage, played at the short-and-tight Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head.
When asked on Wednesday following his morning Pro-Am if he’d be using the new, nostalgic BRNR Copper this week, McIlroy said, “I think so.”
“I like it,” McIlroy told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday regarding the BRNR. “This would be a good week for it.”
View this post on Instagram
According to Adrian Rietveld, the Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, the BRNR Mini Driver can help McIlroy position himself properly off the tee at the tight layout.
Here’s what Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday:
“For someone like Rory, who’s that long at the top end of the bag, and then you put him on a course like Harbour Town, it’s tough off the tee. It’s tight into the greens, and you have to put yourself in position off the tee to have a shot into the green. It kind of reminds me of Valderrama in Spain, where you can be in the fairway and have no shot into the green.
“I’m caddying for Tommy [Fleetwood] this week, so I was walking the course last night and looking at a few things. There’s just such a small margin for error. You can be standing in the fairway at 300 yards and have a shot, but at 320 you don’t. So if you don’t hit a perfect shot, you could be stuck behind a tree. And then if you’re back at 280, it might be a really tough shot into the small greens.
“So for Rory [with the BRNR], it’s a nice course-specific golf club for him. He’s got both shots with it; he can move it right-to-left or left-to-right. And the main thing about this club has been the accuracy and the dispersion with it. I mean, it’s been amazing for Tommy.
“This was the first event Tommy used a BRNR last year, and I remember talking to him about it, and he said he couldn’t wait to play it at Augusta next year. And he just never took it out of the bag because he’s so comfortable with it, and hitting it off the deck.
“So you look at Rory, and you want to have the tools working to your advantage out here, and the driver could hand-cuff him a bit with all of the shots you’d have to manufacture.”
So, although McIlroy might not be making a permanent switch into the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper, he’s likely to switch into it this week.
His version is lofted at 13.5 degrees, and equipped with a Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft.
See more photos of Rory testing the BRNR Mini here
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golfraven
Jan 12, 2017 at 5:50 pm
We all know he is a Titleist guy. Those blades could easily have Titleist written all over it. And the Epic woods are a 915 Hasbeens. You can pain those “irish” green as you like and they will still look like Titleist.
Ben
Jan 16, 2017 at 9:40 am
No, he is not a Titleist man,otherwise he wouldn’t of switched to Nike,plus Titleist woods and irons are so tired and lack any ground breaking tech,wedges are the only clubs i use,and the forged version.
Jay
Jan 11, 2017 at 5:58 pm
I think the sound in the slow mo videos of Rory hitting the M2 sounded much better.
Jim
Jan 11, 2017 at 8:42 am
For me they look like 100% custom made, by Callaway or some other brand (as were his Nike irons). Probably nothing in common with Callaway stock irons.
Brian
Jan 11, 2017 at 10:34 am
They look like Miura Tournament blades.
Bjorn Yesterday
Jan 11, 2017 at 7:37 am
European tour website is saying the fairway woods are m2s apparently
Frank
Jan 11, 2017 at 12:15 am
Bet those Irons are Miura with Callaway stamping? I knew there was no way he’d play the real Callaway Apex MB. What a laugh this all is!
Brian
Jan 11, 2017 at 10:36 am
They definitely look like the Tournament Blades
PKennedy13
Jan 11, 2017 at 10:45 pm
I dont understand why in the close up pictures they look so beat up. Its almost like he’s been using them for a while. Does anyone have any idea why?
Kevin Gardner
Jan 11, 2017 at 12:11 am
How is there no news/images of his putter? He’s playing on Thursday, surely he has been practicing putting..
mhendon
Jan 10, 2017 at 7:44 pm
There’s know way he’s playing those Callaway’s without some kind of financial agreement. They where simply the top bidder.
TM
Jan 10, 2017 at 6:37 pm
All of you people are morons if you think this has anything to do with spin, brands, etc.! It’s about the money! Nothing he will ever play will be close to what 99.99% of us will ever use let alone ever see.
C
Jan 10, 2017 at 5:52 pm
Do we know the putter?
Dr Troy
Jan 10, 2017 at 8:19 pm
Odyssey
C
Jan 11, 2017 at 1:35 pm
Got that thanks, wondering about the model.
MT
Jan 10, 2017 at 5:44 pm
and what you have to know is that he doesn’t play McDaddy wedges but decided on Titlest. It seems like a good choice.
MT
Jan 10, 2017 at 5:24 pm
anyone knows if he plays proV1x or a harder version of that ball that is available to tour players only?
jgpl001
Jan 10, 2017 at 4:31 pm
What a ho!
Well done Rory, now you are a true WRX’er
Prime21
Jan 10, 2017 at 2:35 pm
The driver sounds kind of hollow.
Matt Waite
Jan 10, 2017 at 2:16 pm
Question: If the PROV1X spins too much with the Nike irons, then what ball works best with the Nike irons? Anyone have any insight? Im guessing Nikes ball, but since they no longer make them…. what ball works best? Maybe this is really a question for Crossfield
G
Jan 10, 2017 at 12:56 pm
He is going to ROCK those things for sure!!
Tom
Jan 10, 2017 at 12:00 pm
Handsome irons. I think Callaway will be a good fit for Rory.
Ryan
Jan 10, 2017 at 10:46 am
Just showing Callaway is making the most superior equipment right now. All the years developing a similar face technollogy and not jumping from gimmick to gimmick like Tailormade.
Hil
Jan 10, 2017 at 1:04 pm
Yeah and that sliding weight thing in the back and the two-bars aren’t gimmicks ????
Brian
Jan 10, 2017 at 3:10 pm
lol…he’s not even playing commercially available irons, so I don’t know how you’re drawing this conclusion.
JustTrying2BAwesome
Jan 10, 2017 at 9:55 am
These are fully custom irons. Nothing like the Apex MB’s. Looks something like a cross between Mizuno MP33 and Taylormade Tour Preferred MB. Why then would he have Calloway make these for him? His comments to NLU said he knew he was going to play ProV1X, that his Nikes would be too spinny with that ball and that these irons work the best with it. But these aren’t a known club so why Calloway? Is he considering a full Calloway bag? He’s pretty close as it is right now.
Tom
Jan 10, 2017 at 10:01 am
They look a lot like the tournament blades he’s been playing his entire career. Now they just have a Callaway logo vs a Nike one.
S Hitty
Jan 10, 2017 at 5:29 pm
Exactly.
nolper
Jan 10, 2017 at 12:23 pm
callAway
Brian
Jan 11, 2017 at 10:32 am
Callaway is one of three manufacturers that can afford him and allow him to play custom irons that look nothing like they offer at retail; Titleist and Taylormade being the other two. Been there, done that with Titleist, plus I don’t think they pay nearly as well as Callaway and TM on club deals.
I’m guessing TM already has too much $ sunk into DJ, Day, Rose, Garcia, etc and likely aren’t looking to sign any big endoresement deals while they’re trying to find a buyer. All that being the case, Callaway makes the most sense.
Frank Gifford
Jan 10, 2017 at 9:29 am
I believe we will now see a lot of the top pros going to a mixed bag now. They don’t need the money and can play whatever now.
JustTrying2BAwesome
Jan 10, 2017 at 9:56 am
Only the Nike guys. Everyone else is under full equipment contracts, except the Nike guys. They’re the only ones with the contractual freedom to play whatever they want, generally speaking.
Chopper
Jan 10, 2017 at 12:26 pm
I think what you would find if you were able to actually read all of these contracts is that the majority of them are not “full equipment contracts” but rather a number of clubs in the 8, 9, 10, 11 range.
Tom
Jan 10, 2017 at 10:00 am
Many might not need the money, but few has as much as Ror’s, where it’s entirely possible that anything that isn’t a 9 figure contract might not be taken as seriously.
Plus, with his Nike contract, he still get’s the entire contract, less what any other company pays him, so if he gets paid by Callaway or not isn’t really relevant, unless they’d pay him more than Nike, which isn’t likely. He worked out a pretty sweet deal with Nike in that regards. If they were paying him $250M, and he took $100M from Callaway, he would still get $150M from Nike, on top of the $150M from Nike.
gwillis7
Jan 10, 2017 at 10:27 am
I love it, it is nice to see what they really deem will give them the best chance to win
Michael
Jan 10, 2017 at 8:47 am
Very interesting…