News
Rory McIlroy using new Odyssey putter, Titleist Pro V1x in South Africa
There’s finally visual proof that Rory McIlroy is using a new Odyssey mallet putter at the European Tour’s South Africa Open Championship, as well as a Titleist Pro V1x golf ball. The Odyssey putter uses the company’s Microhinge insert, a new design Odyssey announced on Monday.
We can also confirm that McIlroy is using four Titleist SM6 Vokey wedges (46-08 F Grind, 52-08 F Grind, 56-10 S Grind and 60-08 M Grind) as well as a Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage XT 70TX shaft in his Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero driver.
Related: See video of Rory swinging Callaway’s GBB Epic Sub Zero driver.
The European Tour posted a story on Rory’s equipment change, which said TaylorMade’s M2 fairway woods were in his bag. McIlroy also has a set of set of Callaway Apex MB Prototype irons (3-PW) in his bag with Project X 7.0 steel shafts.
“They are the clubs for this week but that could change week to week,” McIlroy said in his pre-tournament interview. “This is my first event with this set-up so we will see how it goes this week. You never really know until you have a card in your hand and at the end of the day the person swinging the club is more important than the club itself.”
GolfWRX will keep you updated on what clubs McIlroy puts in the bag for Round 1 of the tournament, which begins Thursday. He tees off at 7:10 a.m. local time (12:10 a.m. in New York).
Related
- Rory McIlroy WITB 2017
- See what GolfWRX Members are saying about McIlroy’s 2017 equipment changes in our forum.
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News
Morning 9: Wyndham Clark on back injury | DiMarco’s bold Champions Tour take | Houston Open photos
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News
Four books for a springtime review
One thing that never changes over time: snowy evenings give purpose to reading (is it the other way around?) It has been a snowy 2024 in western New York, and I’ve had ample time to tuck into an easy chair with a blanket, coffee, and a book. You’re in luck, because despite the title of this piece, I’ll share five books and their worth with you.
There is great breadth of subject matter from one to five. Golf is as complicated as life, which means that the cover of the book isn’t worth judging. The contents begin the tale, but there is so much more to each topic presented within. If you’re like me, your library grows each year. Despite the value of the virtual, the paper-printed word connects us to the past of golf and humanity. Here’s hoping that you’ll add one or more of these titles to your collection.
Hughes Norton interviewed with Mark McCormack for 20 minutes (30 if you count the missed exit at Logan International) while driving the founder of IMG from Harvard to the airport. The lesson of taking advantage of each moment, of every dollar, because you might not get another opportunity, is the most valuable one that life offers. I say to you, be certain to read this book, because another opportunity to bend the ear of Hughes Norton may not come our way.
Hughes Norton was with Tiger Woods for waaayyy fewer years than you might guess, but they were the critical ones. Be warned: not all of the revelations in this tome are for the faint of heart. Some, in fact, will break your heart. Golf was a sleepy hamlet in the 1990s, until the 16-lane interstate called Eldrick “Tiger” Woods came into town. Everything changed, which meant that everything would change again and again, into eternity. Once the ball starts rolling, it’s impossible to stop.
My favorite aspect of this book is its candor. Hughes Norton is well into his time on Planet Earth. He has no reason to hold back, and he doesn’t. My least favorite aspect is that George Peper got the call to co-author the book (and I didn’t.) Seriously, there is no LFA for me, so this is the best that I could do.
Decision: Buy It!
The Golf Courses of Seth Raynor
Michael Wolf, James Sitar, and Jon Cavalier, in abject partnership, collaborated to produce a handsome volume on the work of gone-too-soon, engineer-turned-golf course architect. Seth Raynor was pulled into the game by Charles Blair MacDonald, the crusty godfather of American golf. Raynor played little golf across the 51 years of his life. His reason? He did not wish to corrupt his designs with the demands and failings of his own game.
Jon Cavalier began his photography career as a contributor to the Golf Club Atlas discussion group. I met him there in a virtual way (we still have yet to shake hands) and have exchanged numerous emails over the years. Despite the demands of his day job, Cavalier has blossomed into the most traveled and prolific course photographer alive today. His photography, both hand-held and drone, makes the pages pop. Michael Wolf invited me and two friends to play his home course, despite having never met any of us in person. His words, melded to those of James Sitar, are the glue that connect Cavalier’s photos.
My favorite aspect of the books is the access it gives to the private-club world of Raynor. Fewer than five of his courses are resort or public access, and knowing people on the inside is not available to all. My suggestion? Write a letter/email and see if a club will let you play. Can’t hurt to try! My one complaint about the book is its horizontal nature. Golf is wide, but I like a little vertical in my photos. It’s not much of a complaint, given the glorious contents within the covers.
Decision: Buy It!!
Big Green Book from The Golfer’s Journal
Beginning with its (over)size, and continuing through the entire contents, there is no descriptor that defines the genre of the Big Green Book. It is photography, essay, layout, poetry, graphics, and stream of consciousness. It harnesses the creative power of a lengthy masthead of today’s finest golf contributors. Quotes from Harvey Penick, verse from Billy Collins, and prose from John Updike partner with images pure and altered, to immerse you in the diverse golf spaces that define this planet.
One of my favorite aspects is the spaces between the words and photos. Have your friends and others write a few notes to you in those blank areas, to personalize your volume even more. One aspect that needs improvement: the lack of female voices. I suspect that will be remedied in future volumes.
Decision: Buy It!!!
Troublemaker and The Unplayable Lie
Books that allege discrimination and mistreatment check two boxes: potentially-salacious reads and debate over whose perspective is accurate. In the end, the presentation of salacious revelation rarely meets the expectation, and the debate over fault is seldom resolved. Lisa Cornwell spent years as a competitive junior and college golfer, before joining The Golf Channel as a reporter and program host.
Despite the dream assignments, there were clouds that covered the sun. Cornwell documents episodes of favoritism and descrimination against her, prior to her departure from The Golf Channel in 2021. Her work echoes the production of the late Marcia Chambers, who wrote for Golf Digest in the 1980s and 1990s. Chambers took issue with many of the potential and real legal issues surrounding golf and its policies of access/no access. Her research culminated in The Unplayable Lie, the first work of its kind to address issues confronted by all genders and ethnicities, and immediately predated the professional debut of Tiger Woods in 1997.
My favorite aspects of the two works, are the courage and conviction that it took to write them, and believe in them. My least favorite aspects are the consistent bias that many groups continue to face. Without awareness, there is no action. Without action, there is no change.
Decision: Buy Them!!!!
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
GolfWRX is on site in the Lone Star State this week for the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
General galleries from the putting green and range, WITBs — including Thorbjorn Olesen and Zac Blair — and several pull-out albums await.
As always, we’ll continue to update as more photos flow in. Check out links to all our photos from Houston below.
General Albums
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Thorbjorn Olesen – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ben Silverman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jesse Droemer – SoTX PGA Section POY – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- David Lipsky – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Martin Trainer – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Zac Blair – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jacob Bridgeman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Trace Crowe – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Daniel Berger – WITB(very mini) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Chesson Hadley – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Callum McNeill – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Rhein Gibson – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Patrick Fishburn – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Raul Pereda – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Gary Woodland WITB (New driver, iron shafts) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Padraig Harrington WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Pullout Albums
- Tom Hoge’s custom Cameron – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Piretti putters – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ping putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Kevin Dougherty’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Bettinardi putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Erik Barnes testing an all-black Axis1 putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Tony Finau’s new driver shaft – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tom54
Feb 6, 2017 at 7:45 pm
I’ve always enjoyed different clubs throughout my golfing days and can only be jealous of Rory being able to try all sorts of clubs whatever he wishes with clubmakers fixing him whatever he wants. They lead a charmed life for sure. I think somehow he’ll sign with Calloway.
tlmck
Jan 12, 2017 at 1:50 am
And I’m still using a 1990 Ping Anser 5BZ. Still works awesome on slick greens, even with modern balls.
Tom
Jan 11, 2017 at 9:31 pm
Ewww that stings. Scotty M 1 out for the first tournament of the season.
MB
Jan 11, 2017 at 6:40 pm
So which model putter is he playing?
Tom
Jan 11, 2017 at 9:37 pm
The soon to be famous Odyssey with the “microhinge” insert.
PXG
Jan 11, 2017 at 6:21 pm
“…at the end of the day the person swinging the club is more important than the club itself.”
Whoa, whoa, whoa…Don’t let Parsons hear you saying stuff like that. In fact, don’t let Callaway hear you saying that with an Epic in your hand.
Ian
Jan 12, 2017 at 10:46 am
+1
Greg Laves
Jan 11, 2017 at 6:10 pm
I haven’t seen any comments about the Titleist ball. That Pro V1x doesn’t look anything like the Pro V1x I can buy. I wonder if it is like some of the test golf balls Titleist sent out for evauation last year. One ball I got to test was really awesome. Longer and straighter off the tee with more spin around the greens on soft shots.
Dr Troy
Jan 11, 2017 at 10:21 pm
Yes, those are the new ones coming out soon
Teaj
Jan 11, 2017 at 3:12 pm
are the irons raw?
westphi
Jan 11, 2017 at 2:20 pm
Wow those irons look juicy!!!
Forsbrand
Jan 11, 2017 at 1:43 pm
Actually, has Rory borrowed the irons from Ryan Moore?! 🙂
Forsbrand
Jan 11, 2017 at 1:21 pm
So Titlesit 660 irons stamped Callaway then?!!!
Tom
Jan 11, 2017 at 9:44 pm
hawt damn. Ur right ……Thats brilliant. They must have bought the rights to the die sets.
KTM2000
Jan 12, 2017 at 2:39 am
The shape on the tip of the muscle is a bit different, and also the grind on the bottom.
Tom
Jan 14, 2017 at 12:33 am
grinding after the form process to get the final shape
Vince
Jan 14, 2017 at 11:43 am
The sole on the 660’s is a lot thinner then these Callaways.
MR B
Jan 11, 2017 at 11:34 am
PX 7.0 is stout
Dj
Jan 11, 2017 at 11:28 am
You can’t possibly tell me that there isn’t a deal in place with callaway with all of these prototypes he has that even every other callaway staffer doesn’t have.
emb
Jan 11, 2017 at 12:25 pm
Unless Callaway is paying him over $25m/year then why can’t you believe it? The rumor was that he’s getting around $25m from nike per year and that contract still exists. Any new deal he enters is subtracted from what Nike pays him ex. Callaway signs him for $10m therefore Nike now only has to pay him $15m to equal the $25m total. If he’s going to get the same money regardless of who its coming from then why would he sign with Callaway and lock himself into a deal? Now he has the freedom to play other clubs if these protos don’t work out. Plus he’s playing vokeys & a Pro V1x which probably wouldn’t fly with Cally if they signed him. Callaway obviously wants to sign him when his Nike deal is over so they are going above and beyond as he’s arguably the best player in the world.
Travis
Jan 11, 2017 at 12:29 pm
They don’t need to pay him for an entire year or sign a contract. Just pay him to use the clubs in a couple of events.
Joseph
Jan 11, 2017 at 7:28 pm
Does anyone know if he is playing the cast Vokeys or Japanese forged ones?
Zak Kozuchowski
Jan 11, 2017 at 8:10 pm
The cast ones.