Equipment
Irons used by PGA Tour’s Top 10 in Strokes Gained: Approach
The term “ball striker” has long existed in golf to describe those golfers that hit a lot of greens, but with the advancement of statistics and strokes gained, we can go deeper and find out who the players are that truly excel against their peers not just hitting greens but hitting it close.
These are the irons used by the top 10 players in the “strokes gained: approach” category.
Number 1: Collin Morikawa
Irons: TaylorMade P790 (2), TaylorMade P760 (4, 5), TaylorMade P730 (6-PW)
Shafts: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White Hybrid 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Number 2: Justin Thomas
Irons: Titleist T100 4 iron, Titleist 620 MB 5-9, Vokey SM7 Raw 46-10F
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Number 3: Tyrrell Hatton
Irons: Ping i210 (4-PW)
Shaft: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 X
Number 4: Marc Leishman
Irons: Callaway X-Forged UT (3), Callaway Apex Pro 19 (4-6), Callaway Apex MB (7-PW)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 130 X (hard-stepped)
Number 5: Webb Simpson
Irons: Titleist 620MB (5-PW)
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Number 6: Hideki Matsuyama
Irons: Srixon Prototype Blades (4-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Number 7: Viktor Hovland
Irons: Callaway X Forged UT (21 degrees), Ping i210 (4-PW)
Shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD DI-85 X Hybrid (21), KBS Tour 120 X (4-PW)
* Be sure to check out John Wunders on the newest changes Viktor has made to his irons: GolfWRX Insider: Viktor Hovland dials in his Ping i210 irons
Number 8: Patrick Cantlay
Irons: Titleist AP2 718 (4-p)
Shafts: True Temper XP 115 S300
Number 9: Paul Casey
Irons: Mizuno HM Pro (3,4), Mizuno MP4 (5-PW)
Shafts: Nippon Modus 120 TX
Number 10: Russell Henley
Irons: Titleist T100 (4-9), Vokey SM7 48°
Shafts: True Temper Tour Issue AMT X100
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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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Equipment
Inside Collin Morikawa’s recent golf ball, driver, 3-wood, and “Proto” iron changes
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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John Izdrunk Daly
Aug 4, 2020 at 12:10 pm
Interesting there isn’t a single Project X shaft player in there…
tinmac
Jul 27, 2020 at 11:58 pm
Clearly CM is using P750 4 5 iron not P760
joro
Jul 22, 2020 at 11:30 am
7 to3 Cbs win.
Ty Web
Jul 22, 2020 at 4:11 pm
I count 5 to 5 if you consider cm a blade guy which i would considering he has 5 blades and 3 CBs in the bag.
Paul Pool
Jul 22, 2020 at 11:06 am
So what you are telling me is, it is the Indian and not the arrow.
TD
Jul 22, 2020 at 10:37 am
Casey plays MP-5’s (as pictured), not 4’s
JM
Jul 22, 2020 at 9:33 am
XP 115 S300…what a p*ssy
Jeremy Ireland
Jul 22, 2020 at 12:24 pm
Ranked #6 in the world I believe…
but yeah, that caught me eye also. …
mv
Jul 22, 2020 at 1:59 pm
Idiotic comment here. I play the same iron shafts with a driver ss of 122. Why? Because they keep my tempo in check.
I highly doubt you have the skill or the game to talk down to anyone on tour.
DS
Jul 24, 2020 at 9:18 am
????????. Some jerks just don’t feel good unless they’re being jerks. Social media’s downside.
Paulo
Jul 25, 2020 at 11:40 pm
I can guarantee that we need to take at least 10% off your stated speed to get the actual measured value
Bob Pegram
Jul 23, 2020 at 5:25 am
Maybe he likes more kick at the bottom of the shaft. You should use what works not what other people think is good. It is good you aren’t a caddy for a good player like Cantlay. You would be counter-productive.
Josh
Jul 25, 2020 at 12:00 pm
Cantlay’s shaft spec was the most interesting part of this article, IMO. I’m sure he plays them for a reason. Wonder if he switched to lighter shafts after his back injury. Would love to see a deep dive into his WITB.
Josh
Jul 29, 2020 at 3:16 pm
That tidbit about Cantlay’s shafts was the coolest part of this article. He must play them for a reason…just goes to show it’s not always the flex that matters but the weight. Wonder if he switched to lighter shafts after his back injury. Would love to get the full deep dive on his WITB.
Nathan
Jul 21, 2020 at 8:45 pm
NO.7 KBS TOUR 120=S 130=X. there is no 120X
Golf guy
Jul 21, 2020 at 11:05 pm
Unless they’re Tour V 120 X
Josh
Jul 25, 2020 at 11:58 am
There is a Modus 120 X and TX flex. 120 S flex is 114g, X is 120 and TX is 126g. Check Nippons website. Modus 130 is an entirely different shaft/weight profile.
Josh
Jul 25, 2020 at 12:41 pm
Sorry, thought you were talking about Hatton’s Modus 120 X’s.
Ryan
Jul 21, 2020 at 6:05 pm
Some of the pictures don’t match the iron description you list..
Acemandrake
Jul 21, 2020 at 11:52 am
Hit it straight with some distance control. Repeat.