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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Whats in the Bag
Chesson Hadley WITB 2024 (March)
- Chesson Hadley what’s in the bag accurate as of the Texas Children’s Houston Open. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 70 TX
3-wood: Titleist TSR2+ (14.5 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
Irons: Titleist T200 (3), Titleist 620 CB (4, 5), Titleist 620 MB (6-PW)
Shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 105 X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG 2-Ball
Grip: Odyssey
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Check out more in-hand photos Chesson Hadley’s clubs here.
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Whats in the Bag
Gary Woodland WITB 2024 (March)
Driver: Cobra Darkspeed X (8 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TZ5 70 M5
- The white circle that appears at the top of the face a removable sticker that’s used for launch monitor tracking, and Woodland removes it for competition!
3-wood: Cobra Darkspeed X (14 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TZ5 GW100 Prototype
7-wood: Cobra LTDx LS prototype (20 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TZ5 GW100 Prototype
Irons: Wilson Staff (18 degrees), Cobra King MB (4-PW)
Shafts: KBS Tour C-Taper Limited X
Wedges: Cobra SB (48), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-08F, 56-14F), Cobra King (60)
Shafts: KBS Tour C-Taper Limited X (48 degrees), KBS Tour V-Ten 125
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour 3.0P
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
See more in-hand photos of Gary Woodland’s WITB in the forums.
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Equipment
Q&A: Martin Trainer on his Bobby Grace “Greg Chalmers” putter, 6.5-degree driver, and “butter knife” 2-iron
As unbiasedly as I can put it, Martin Trainer has one of the coolest club setups in professional golf. (At some point soon, I’ll put together a top-10 list of “coolest club setups on Tour,” but I know that Trainer will be in the top-10)
What a lineup. He plays a 6.5-degree Wilson prototype driver, a 13-degree Wilson prototype 3-wood, a true blade Wilson Staff Model 2-iron, and a Bobby Grace “Greg Chalmers Commemorative” putter!
View this post on Instagram
I mean, look at this 2-iron from address…
To quote the great author R.L. Stine: “Goosebumps.”
On Wednesday at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open, I caught up with Trainer to learn more about his bag setup.
Here’s what he had to say:
You have the Internet going crazy over your bag setup, and your putter. Where’d you pick the Bobby Grace-Greg Chalmers putter up? How long have you had it?
MT: This was from when Bobby Grace came to my course in California: Cal Club. And for whatever reason, they just started having them in the shop. So then I took my buddy’s, started using it, and made, like, a million putts in a row, which is how every putter story begins, I guess.
And then, I bought a couple of my own, used it for years, got to the Tour with it, won on Tour with it (the 2019 Puerto Rico Open). Then, about a year later, started using another putter, did that for a couple years, but now it’s back in the bag.
When did it come back in the bag?
MT: December of this past year. So a few months ago.
What year would you say was the first time you threw that in the bag, or, like, when you bought it?
MT: God…Probably, 2016, maybe? 2018?
Do you remember how much you paid for it?
MT: I don’t know, actually. Maybe $100-150 bucks or something. I think that’s the only golf club I’ve bought between high school and now. Well, two, since I bought two of them.
The driver is interesting, too. What went into the prototyping process?
MT: That was a version of the current driver, but it was the prototype that they first came out with for Tour guys to try. And for whatever reason, I just never switched out to the new one.
It’s just 6.5 degrees, right?
MT: Yeah. Very low loft, yeah.
What kind of ball speed do you have with that these days?
MT: Like high 170’s.
Yeah, that’ll work. And then a 2-iron blade? We’re seeing fewer and fewer of those out here.
MT: Yeah. The butter knife.
Very cool thing to have in the bag. Have you done any testing with driving irons?
MT: Yeah, I used to have a thicker one, but it was a little offset, and I never hit it that well. And then finally, I started messing around with the butter knife. And I remember the first time I looked down at it, I was terrified. And then I ended up getting used to it, putting it in play, and it’s been in place since. It’s a pretty good club for me.
How far do you carry that?
MT: Like 235.
A good little wind club, I’m sure.
MTL Yeah, exactly. I can hit it very low. It’s great.
I love it. You have people shook looking at that. Thanks for the time, man.
MT: Absolutely.
To see more photos and discussion of Trainer’s bag, click 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!!!