Equipment
Rory McIlroy to use a TaylorMade Spider Tour putter at the U.S. Open
Update (June 14): McIlroy confirmed that he will use a TaylorMade Spider Tour putter at the U.S. Open at Erin Hills.
After Rory McIlroy signed with TaylorMade in early May, he was using 13-of-14 TaylorMade clubs as he opted to stick with an Odyssey prototype putter. But there were rumors circulating that he was testing out a TaylorMade Spider Tour Red putter.
When McIlroy showed up to the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on Monday, he had only one putter in his bag: a TaylorMade Spider Tour Red putter. Unlike the “Jason Day” version of the putter, however, McIlroy’s is stamped “Rors” in lime green lettering on the sole, and more importantly, it has a black sight line on the crown of the putter.
During his experimental phase with the Spider putters, McIlroy told Golf Digest that he wanted to try his with different face inserts than the soft, Pure Roll Surlyn insert that Day employs in his flat stick, and McIlroy also wanted a line on top of the putter for improved alignment. For comparison, McIlroy’s putter is pictured on the left and Day’s is on the right.
Rory McIlroy’s Spider (Left) vs. Jason Day’s
“I’ve hit a few putts with it,” McIlroy said. “They made one up for me, it’s the red one with a black line on top. DJ and Jason Day don’t have alignment aids on theirs, but the reason I went to a mallet at the end of last year was that having a line that I felt helped me aim better. When you put the Spider down it gives you a great visual of where you’re aiming. I do want to try a couple of different inserts and faces to get something that feels a little closer to what I’m used to [McIlroy prefers a firmer feel]. I like how it swings and even hitting one off center, it doesn’t seem to lose a lot of its energy, so I’m trying it out. It’s not in the bag yet. We’ll see where it goes from here.”
McIlroy’s Spider Tour Red putter is also outfitted with a black Winn Pistol putter grip.
Discussion: See what GolfWRX members are saying about Rory’s putter in our forums
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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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Jon
Jun 19, 2017 at 5:39 pm
Well, now that the “Big 3” using Spider Tour putters (DJ, Rory, Day) missed the cut at U.S. Open, maybe TM can be convinced to lower the price on this thing? …Not.
Philly Mick
Jun 15, 2017 at 9:38 pm
Rory couldn’t make a putt today or find a fairway with even a 3 wood. Taylor Made inferior performing products, struggled to find the 70 yard fairways today or make putts. Rory, you may want to call Titleist back so you can win another major.
jgpl001
Jun 14, 2017 at 5:08 pm
I will watch with interest…
He is a terrible putter, so this can’t make him worse
Jacked_Loft
Jun 14, 2017 at 11:11 am
If another player wins a major with this putter I think Scotty will start tearing his hair out.
George
Jun 14, 2017 at 10:00 am
Lexi needs one of thes – maybe she can get a blue one
Jonathan Damoante
Jun 14, 2017 at 1:48 am
Love that grip on my odyssey 9
Phil
Jun 13, 2017 at 1:52 pm
At least he’s fully committed to selling out.
nick
Jun 12, 2017 at 6:56 pm
OK, TM is salivating here as they are getting ready to announce the “NEW Spider Limited RORS Edition.” The next line of “limited” releases from the ever growing Spider family.
each Itsy Bitsy SL has been sold at $299 – i say the RORS goes for $349.
Andrew Rivera
Jun 14, 2017 at 9:16 am
I’m surprised they didn’t paint it blue and charge $500
McPickens
Jun 14, 2017 at 10:06 pm
That version will be released in time for Christmas sales and will retail @ $750
Barry
Jun 12, 2017 at 6:42 pm
Rors? More like “Bores”
Looper
Jun 12, 2017 at 10:17 pm
Wouldn’t you like to be him!!!