Equipment
Full details of the TaylorMade SIM changes made by Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm, Matthew Wolff, and Collin Morikawa at the Sentry TOC
Earlier this week, GolfWRX Editor-in-Chief Ben Alberstadt reported the news of Dustin Johnson and Matthew Wolff being equipped at this week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions with the all-new TaylorMade SIM drivers which hit the USGA conforming list on Monday.
Ahead of round one at this week’s event, the company divulged further details on the new SIM additions in Johnson and Wolff’s bag as well as fellow TaylorMade golfer’s Jon Rahm and Collin Morikawa—including background behind the choices each man had made.
Dustin Johnson
As previously reported, during round one in Hawaii, Johnson played a 10.5-degree TaylorMade SIM Max driver with a 45″ Fujikura Ventus 6X shaft. According to TaylorMade representatives, Johnson has been extremely impressed with the consistency in spin rates, ball flight, as well as the extra head speed of the driver during testing.
The 35-year-old is also using a 15-degree SIM Max 3-wood with a 42″, 95-gram Project X HZRDUS Black shaft this week. Per the brand, Johnson made the decision due to the extra spin allowing him to carry 280-yards with the club, with the SIM Titanium 3-wood having too much ball speed, causing Johnson to carry the club too far.
Rounding out the SIM additions in Johnson’s bag this week is a 22-degree SIM Max Rescue club with a HZRDUS 105 Hybrid shaft. According to TM, Johnson has been mightily impressed with its consistent 255-260 yard carry as well it being an anti-left rescue club for the 2016-U.S. Open Champion. As a side note, Thursday’s opening round was Johnson’s first-ever competitive round in his life playing a rescue club.
Johnson is also using the brand’s 60 and 54-degree new MG2 chrome wedges and per sources, the American loves the raw faces on the wedges. Johnson is also playing a Spider X Copper putter in Kapalua this week.
Matthew Wolff
Matthew Wolff got his year underway on Thursday at the Sentry TOC, and he did so using a 9-degree TaylorMade SIM driver with a Graphite Design Tour AD TP 7 TX shaft, as well as a 15-degree SIM Titanium 3-wood with a new Graphite Design Tour AD XC 8 TX shaft.
According to TM representatives, Wolff feels that the driver is more consistent and forgiving than what he had previously been using, and stated that he loves the “flight and spin this week with the hard winds.”
With the 3-wood, Wolff claims that the clubs offer him more versatility with shots, calling it the “the best 3-wood I’ve ever hit” as well as it giving the 20-year-old “incredible confidence looking down at the shape” of the club.
Jon Rahm
The Spaniard began his 2020 with a 10.5-degree TaylorMade SIM driver with the same 75-gram, 45″ Aldila shaft he’s played in recent years. Per company sources, increased ball speed and distance with the club saw him choose it over the M5.
Rahm is also using 15-degree SIM Titanium 3-wood at 16.5 degrees, as well as a SIM Titanium 5-wood, both set to launch higher. According to TM, Rahm made the adjustments due to faster and longer results, and that the 25-year-old loves the shape and look of his new SIM Titanium woods.
Rahm is also playing a 50-degree new MG2 SB wedge with fresh grooves to start the year.
Collin Morikawa
The Californian has begun his year with a TaylorMade SIM driver with the head adjusted two notches higher, with a Mitsubishi Tensei White 70 TX shaft. Per TM, Morikawa has seen a 1-2 mph increase in ball speed with this set-up and has found his new driver easier to control, with the spin in an excellent window for his preferred fade shot.
Morikawa is also using a 15-degree TaylorMade SIM Titanium 3-wood with an MRC D+ 80 TX shaft, which according to the company, has given the 22-year-old a higher launch and 10 yards more carry on average than he previously had.
Morikawa is also using a TP Soto putter as well as a TP5 golf ball this week in Hawaii.
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/18/24): TaylorMade BRNR mini driver head
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 TaylorMade BRNR mini driver head
From the seller: (@lasallen): “For sale is a BRNR mini 11.5 deg head only in brand new condition. $325 shipped.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: TaylorMade BRNR mini driver head
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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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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Jack
Jan 21, 2020 at 1:00 pm
Testing has shown the SIM is shorter than most for non tour swings… this is a low sping how swing speed club.
Shane
Jan 4, 2020 at 1:29 pm
Length on Matt and Collin’s metals? Also Jon’s length?
gunmetal
Jan 4, 2020 at 11:37 am
Everything is awesomer about SIM than M5. Really. It is. More everything. It’s got magic sauce.
matt
Jan 4, 2020 at 6:48 am
Astronomical, stupendous & lovely was overheard on the range. These are the best golfers in the world results would be the same if they used a driver from 5 years ago.
Com’on Man!
Jan 3, 2020 at 5:14 pm
This whole article sounds like one giant ad for TM….
“According to TM reps so and so LOVES this new club”
“Per TM reps Johnson was hitting the other SIM 3 wood too far!!” And certainly the best of them all “Johnson is really happy with the extra club head speed he gets with the new SIM driver”. REALLY????? SMDH This has to be one of the worst articles on all of the internet. The crazy thing is people getting paid for this…
joshua jackso
Jan 3, 2020 at 5:06 pm
From what I saw of DJ’s drives this thing will be perfect for those that need help getting it to go left. Way left.
Bradley
Jan 3, 2020 at 2:59 pm
This new driver is so exciting. Is it and the shaft made in China?? So it will retail for around $199, right?
Rich Douglas
Jan 3, 2020 at 10:53 am
The real thing to note here isn’t the TM club–who cares anymore? It’s that all of these guys play a driver shaft shorter than what is sold off-the-shelf to consumers. If these guys can’t control a 45.5″ driver, why do you think you can?
HatlessHarold
Jan 3, 2020 at 11:22 am
I mean look at Rahm my man takes a 3/4 swing with a 45″ driver and yesterday was at least when I was watching producing high 170 mph ball speeds
Brent Blackburn
Jan 3, 2020 at 11:30 am
Agree 100%. It infuriates me how all the new drivers are 46 inches off the rack and I have to do all this lead taping and balancing once I cut my driver down to 43″. I laugh when they talk about forgiveness for off-center hits and accuracy…another way to cut down on off-center hits is to shorten what is becoming an absurdly long club, especially for players under 6 ft tall.
Prime21
Jan 3, 2020 at 6:11 pm
Or……you could have it custom made to spec instead of being CHEAP.
gunmetal
Jan 4, 2020 at 11:35 am
You sound like a hater.
Adam
Jan 3, 2020 at 10:40 am
TM staffers always sound like hostages when they’re promoting new clubs
Prime21
Jan 3, 2020 at 6:13 pm
& you sound like a hater.
Josh
Jan 3, 2020 at 10:02 am
I don’t think it’s Dustin Johnson’s first time ever playing a rescue. When he first came out, he played a rescue. The most recent time he played a rescue was in 2009 when he played the Taylormade Rescue TP.