Equipment

The details on Jason Day’s 1-iron at the U.S. Open

Published

7 years ago

Jun 14, 2017

Zak Kozuchowski

Update 6/15/17 5:00 p.m.

U.S. Open - Round One

We’ve confirmed that Jason Day is playing the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open with the TaylorMade M2 1-iron. Read below for more information on the club.

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Modern fairway woods and hybrids make the game much easier for most golfers… just not Jason Day. The No. 3-ranked golfer in the world is considering using a custom 1-iron this week at Erin Hills to replace his 3 wood, which has called an “uncomfortable club” in the past.

Photo from TaylorMade Golf

Traditionalists probably wouldn’t call the fairway wood-replacement club a 1-iron, although there’s nothing quite like it currently in play on the PGA Tour. It’s a TaylorMade M2, the company’s longest and most forgiving iron model, that was produced for PGA Tour players in a 2-iron loft. It was then strengthened to a loft of 13.5 degrees for Day. The club is 40.5-inches long (about 2 inches shorter than the average length of a 3 wood on the PGA Tour) and has a Project X HZRDUS Black 6.5-Flex, 105-gram graphite shaft. The swing weight is D3.

Day is currently playing a TaylorMade M1 (2017) fairway wood at 15 degrees with a Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage Dual Core TiNi 80TX shaft. Throughout 2017, he’s used a TaylorMade PSi 2 iron with a True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 steel shaft that he regularly flies in excess of 250 yards. On courses with firm, fast fairways, it can roll out to more than 300 yards.

See his full 2017 WITB.

Discussion: See what GolfWRX Members are saying about Day’s 1-iron in the forum.

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Zak Kozuchowski

25 Comments

Still Newbie, but will come up with witty nomer soon

Jul 3, 2017 at 11:33 pm

Hogan Apex II 1 iron, MacGregor Jack Nicklaus Signature 1 iron, Muirfield 20th Anniversary 1 iron, Titleist 962 1 iron, Titleist 990B 1 iron, Titleist DCI-B 1 iron, Original Ping Karsten 1 iron, Ping Eye 2 1 iron, Callaway S2H2 1 iron. You learn to strike it well and with todays balls, you learn to increase your swing speed to actually get it airborne. Summer time approach’s on par 5’s if no water in front.

Reply Report comment
Darryl

Jun 26, 2017 at 3:05 am

Earlier that month in a Taylormade R&D meeting:

Marketing exec: “Right boys, we’ve fleeced them for 5-PW sets requiring 4 hybrids, lets come up with a way to make long irons cool again, custom build a low lofted hybrid for…………..let me see………let’s say Jason Day, then disguise it as an iron and if it gets loads of coverage put it into production in 8 different lofts with none of the extreme, expensive tech in the prototype included and sell them at a 15% mark up on a standard per iron cost. The poor bas***ds will be knocking the store doors down to get hold of them just to punt them on ebay for a 1/3 of the price 6 weeks later.”

Club designer: “But wait, we have a corporate responsibility here, should we also give them a load of hyper expensive shaft options as well?”

That’s not to say I wont be looking at one myself……

Reply Report comment
Jacked_Loft

Jun 18, 2017 at 4:24 am

Modern golf course design with forced carries and hard greens have made the 1 iron obsolete. Still got a couple of them but bag a 5 wood since 20 years.

Reply Report comment
mojoman

Jun 16, 2017 at 9:13 pm

“If you’re caught on the golf course in a storm and you’re afraid of lighting, hold up a 1-ron. Not even god can hit a 1-iron.” – Lee Trevino

Reply Report comment
Mad-Mex

Jun 15, 2017 at 10:02 pm

And every 18+ HDCP and wanna be pro is going to want one,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Reply Report comment
Bob the Chemisy

Jun 15, 2017 at 12:02 pm

Used one iron till in my late forties. Takes practice but not hard to hit, even off fairway. Switched to hybrids because they require to practice.

Reply Report comment
Chuck

Jun 14, 2017 at 10:44 pm

If it was a sword in Games of Thrones, it would be called Worm Burner.

Reply Report comment
rebfan73

Jun 14, 2017 at 10:30 pm

Nice!!!

Reply Report comment
Penile Disfunction

Jun 14, 2017 at 8:57 pm

It’s going to be used to scoop ice cream for his kids and slather the stuff perfectly flat on some cookies

Reply Report comment
Orvill

Jun 14, 2017 at 5:57 pm

If you can’t hit a 1-iron you can’t hit a driver. Conquer the 1-iron before you pick up a driver otherwise you will be flatulating in the wind.

Reply Report comment
- David Labbe
  
  Jun 14, 2017 at 7:18 pm
  
  I think you read too much.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Orvill
    
    Jun 14, 2017 at 10:27 pm
    
    I think you read too little.
    
    Reply Report comment
- Orvill
  
  Jun 14, 2017 at 10:27 pm
  
  Driver and 1-iron have many swing similarities, but if you’re afraid of a 1-iron keep on whiffing since you are a big driver man.
  
  Reply Report comment
Ben Jones

Jun 14, 2017 at 5:21 pm

Miss my Eye2 1 iron. Rocket ball. But it could go left.

Reply Report comment
Thomas A

Jun 14, 2017 at 4:06 pm

I have a 1-iron that I use to fish out balls that I hit into the right side pond with my 2-iron.

Reply Report comment
bg

Jun 14, 2017 at 2:34 pm

13.5 degrees for a 1-iron? Typical Taylor Made and their Jacked up lofts. 🙂

Reply Report comment
JD

Jun 14, 2017 at 11:18 am

This is probably used just to hack out of the rough. If I had 250 to go on a par 5 in thick rough, I’d love to have a 1 iron to fight it out of there vs. a hybrid or a wood that wouldn’t even touch the ball.

Reply Report comment
- O
  
  Jun 14, 2017 at 11:45 am
  
  No, it is not to hack it out of the rough. You don’t play golf much, huh.
  
  Reply Report comment
- LD
  
  Jun 14, 2017 at 12:03 pm
  
  Better than hitting a driver out of the rough.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - PD
    
    Jun 14, 2017 at 1:29 pm
    
    I find the putter is the best club to use out of the deep rough.
    
    Reply Report comment
Neil Odenbaugh

Jun 14, 2017 at 11:11 am

thats funny, I used to have a one iron, it worked like a putter for me, used to hit it dead right off the hosel, about two feet off the ground.
Could also hit it ‘thin’ and it would run right into the tall rough in front of the tee box, and go like 50 yards….

Reply Report comment
- Albuquerquedan
  
  Jun 14, 2017 at 12:28 pm
  
  I currently bag a 2 iron, bent strong to 14 degrees. It works like a medieval torture device for me. I hit it about 85 yards, dead left into the woods, and actually really low for the loft. Can also hit it ‘thin’, and get it to run about 150 yards into the creek on the right.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Old Putter
    
    Jun 14, 2017 at 1:21 pm
    
    Thanks for these….
    made my day
    
    Reply Report comment
  - BJB
    
    Jun 15, 2017 at 4:08 am
    
    legendary
    
    Reply Report comment
- Grizz01
  
  Jun 16, 2017 at 8:26 am
  
  1 iron and 2 iron need a high club head speed in order to get it up in the air. I’m still playing m 1994 Lynx Parrallax, I have the 17 degree 2 iron with it. Still can get it up in there air but I’m losing height year after year. I had a Golfsmith 1 iron from the same period and could get it 260yds off a tee. The graphite shaft snapped and put the head somewhere in my shop. Still can’t find it. Doubt I could hit it now.
  
  Reply Report comment

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

5 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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