Equipment
GolfWRX Members Vote: “Which manufacturer made Tiger’s TGR prototype irons?”
With Tiger Woods being back in the full swing of things, it’s only right for the world of GolfWRX to take a look at what clubs he’s using.
Based on a picture Tweeted at us from @kevinromangolf, Tiger has quite a mixed bag including TaylorMade PSi, TaylorMade RSi2 and TaylorMade UDI irons, as well as Nike VR Forged wedges. But most of the talk revolves around the “TGR” blade prototype irons he has in the bag… what are they?!
After speaking with a variety of industry insiders, the best insight we received was from a former representative at Nike who was around when the company still offered hard goods. Our source speculates that they are old Nike irons — we assume the source is referencing Nike’s VR Pro blades that Tiger used as recently as 2017 — but re-stamped with Tiger’s “TGR” company logo. Another interesting tidbit from the source includes Tiger’s testing process; he says when testing equipment coming off a long break, Tiger goes back to all of his old equipment to get “baseline” numbers and seeks improvement in relation to those.
But we still did not find a concrete answer for who exactly manufactured the irons, but rather, simply speculation from a former Nike representative. So we put the question to GolfWRX members, who are endlessly knowledgable about equipment and have followed Tiger’s equipment decisions for years.
Below are the results from our forum poll, answers from GolfWRX members in the forums, and Twitter responses. Make sure to check out the full thread here.
Other (5.10 percent of votes)
Golfingfanatic: Mike Taylor at Artisan Golf is my guess.
From_Parts_Unknown: My guess would be Endo (Thailand) finished by Mike Taylor.
Mizuno (8.28 percent)
Look like the new mizuno mp18s.
— Chris Parkhurst (@cpark29) October 11, 2017
MP-29 nickel plated OG.
Go get em’ Tiger!
— trippinthejar (@trippgolfpro) October 11, 2017
That’s a mizuno https://t.co/CZn3NICtba
— RodMau5 (@RodPiece) October 11, 2017
Looks very mp33 like
— James Grimes (@ripjsg) October 11, 2017
TaylorMade (17.20 percent)
Nard_S: They are Taylormade’s based off the Rory prototype.
HDTVMAN: Look like a custom version of the new TM P Series.
Probably custom TMs, considering his contract with them.
— Bryan Armstrong (@barmstrong1516) October 11, 2017
Miura (29.30 percent)
seetoo: Made for Nike by Miura.
DatSliceDoe: The original source is Miura, then Nike, then someone else who did the stamping.
J13: Miura for Nike For TGR for Tiger.
Nah I think those blades are Miura
— Tyson Marostica (@azsportsclinic) October 11, 2017
Look like MP18’s to me.
— Brandon Price (@Brandoni311) October 11, 2017
Nike (35.67 percent)
ago33: Old nikes because of the stamping.
Neverfaze: I mean the font on the 6 iron is straight from the VR series.. so..
KeithM38: Yeah they look like straight VR copies.
dalton044: Probably just some unstamped Nike heads he had.
PARthur: Guessing Miura, possibly TM or Titleist. Look like copies of his Nike blades. I imagine any mfg with great forgings could make them.
Kylekoz17: Definitely Nike heads, most likely finished by Mike Taylor at Artisan at the open Oven. Muscle and number stamps are identical to VR Pros.
Look like Nike to me.
— Robert Montgomery (@rmontgom826) October 11, 2017
???? stamped VR Pros? RT @kevinromangolf: @GolfWRX Here is a look inside Tiger Woods bag. pic.twitter.com/OqJRkhZNUs
— ? (@corioz) October 11, 2017
Nike blades, number stamps are straight from a VR blade. NO manufacturer who makes those style blades currently has underline on the 6 & 9.
— Ronnie (@Retbanker) October 11, 2017
Join the discussion about Tiger’s TGR irons here!
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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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Realist
Oct 20, 2017 at 12:24 pm
Based on the P stamp on his wedge, it is identical to the Nike VR series stamping. That has my vote
Jack Nash
Oct 13, 2017 at 8:23 pm
Ummm, who cares?
LenG
Oct 17, 2017 at 3:08 pm
You obviously do to read and comment here.
Jim
Nov 6, 2017 at 8:44 am
‘Zactly… so done with it/him.
He’s done. No one captures lightning in a bottle twice, no one’s afraid of him & he finally grew up. Tigger’s fini. It’s the Eldrick show now.
Maybe a win or two on SENIOR Tour down the road – if he stops that stupid squat move that ate his back in the first place…TKR before he’s 50…
I wish him no ill-will; go in peace my brother. Be happy, be well. I just don’t need or want to hear about it.
Mike
Oct 13, 2017 at 6:25 pm
There’s a guy out the back of K Mart putting them together
Why bother the tour has moved on and we are better for it
Jer
Oct 13, 2017 at 2:58 pm
They must be Spalding
Buck Futter
Oct 13, 2017 at 12:27 pm
Hattori Hanzo’s for sure
JR
Oct 13, 2017 at 11:15 am
Who cares? They would need to be forged by God himself if he’s ever to win again.
mw
Oct 13, 2017 at 12:30 am
those are rejects. the real new Tiger irons are labeled Cheetah.
shuttleston
Oct 12, 2017 at 8:45 pm
My WITB::
9.5* GBB Epic w/ RT Technologies Zeus 75g
16.5* Tour Issue TaylorMade M2 w/ RT Technologies Zeus 85g
20* Itobori Hybrid w/ RT Technologies Midas 88g
Itobori Black Copper Blades w/ AMT DG X100 4-PW
Itobori Custom Grind 51* & 56* w/ AMT DG X100
MannKrafted Yaupon
Vice Force Stand Bag
Vice Pro Plus
MB
Oct 13, 2017 at 2:27 am
And your handicap is 34? Amazing. Well done to you.
LenG
Oct 17, 2017 at 3:07 pm
He doesn’t play, he only owns his saxy clubs!
Jill
Oct 12, 2017 at 6:08 pm
You “guys” are silly. These are Wilson Staff blades for sure.
Thomas A
Oct 12, 2017 at 10:16 am
Basically everyone is commenting on who the wish made these clubs. “They’re Endo because I love that factory!”
“They’re Mizuno because everyone wants to play Mizuno because I play Mizuno!”
“They’re old Nike’s because now that they stopped making clubs Nike is retro cool!”
Bill Cunningham
Oct 12, 2017 at 11:25 am
In marketing circles it’s called “tribal product syndrome”.
People become the product name they advertise on their body.
I only associate with golfers who wear a Ping cap or Titleist cap.
You get the point. You are your ‘sign shirt”.
“I am Nike, hear me roar!!!!”
shuttleston
Oct 12, 2017 at 8:53 pm
Humanity is so pathetic. I never wear the logos of the products I use, unless they pay me. Just imagine what weak minds wear the name of products. They have the pride and intelligence of a 10 year old child.
MB
Oct 13, 2017 at 2:28 am
Yeah that’s why you have the Vice logo on your bag? What a dumba55
JR
Oct 13, 2017 at 12:05 pm
Owned!
RG
Oct 12, 2017 at 8:58 am
Straight Endo action. Just like his “Nike” irons. They used the old stampings the y had at Miura to put “TGR” on them. Tiger has always played Miura clubs, although they were dressed up like Nike. Why would he change now? If you get a taste for a Miura forging there’s no going back.
The dude
Oct 12, 2017 at 3:36 am
ENDO
Jim
Oct 12, 2017 at 12:40 am
I would say just ask Tiger…but then again he would not mention a company name without someone handing him a check.
2putttom
Oct 11, 2017 at 9:33 pm
so whats the end run? Will they be marketed or the consumer? Will they be affordable?
UnclePhil
Oct 11, 2017 at 8:56 pm
Looks like 3 Christmas Trees to me! Eldrick…..GO AWAY DUDE! Golfwrx, get off this guys jock strap!
PLEASE
Andrew
Oct 11, 2017 at 8:53 pm
Does it really matter?
etc.
Oct 11, 2017 at 8:39 pm
Tiger’s TGR line of muscleback blade irons will go into competition with PXG and will top their price too.
“No Screws or Foam Here — Just Pure Muscleback Power for Real Golfers” !!!!!!
Lotsa WOOOOOO in these clubs!!!
larry
Oct 12, 2017 at 1:00 am
First model: The Good Wood Club
shuttleston
Oct 12, 2017 at 8:55 pm
You know what they say — if you can’t get it up you can’t get it in.