Equipment
Details on Jordan Spieth’s switch to the new Titleist TS2 driver
After years of stubbornly sticking with the Titleist 915D2 driver (9.5 degrees), it appears Jordan Spieth has finally made the switch into a new Titleist driver. This week at the 2018 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, we spotted Spieth with a new Titleist TS2 driver (10.5 degrees, A-1 Titleist SureFit setting), and a new Titleist TS2 3 wood (15 degrees). Spieth’s new driver has a Graphite Design Tour AD-IZ 6X shafts (45 inches), while the 3 wood has a Graphite Design Tour AD-IZ 7X shaft (43 inches).
According to Titleist Tour representative J.J. VanWezenbeeck, testing with the new Titleist drivers started two weeks ago at Trinity Forest — Spieth’s home track in Dallas — alongside his instructor Cameron McCormick. VanWezenbeeck says Spieth prefers to work on equipment changes away from tournament sites, thus allowing him to focus only on event preparation while on location.
After testing, Spieth decided to go with the Titleist TS2, seeing more speed and higher launch compared to his 915D2.
“We tested several driver options – both TS2 and TS3 – with Jordan in the day we spent with him and he felt most comfortable with the new TS2,” said VanWezenbeeck. “Jordan was able to see a little more speed and higher launch versus his previous gamer. The result was slightly less spin which provided him a few more yards. Our main focus, however, was direction. Jordan did a great job in 2018 increasing his distance following a previous driver fitting session earlier last season, which included setting and shaft changes. The new TS2 and its increased MOI provide him a greater opportunity to hit more fairways, more consistently.”
VanWezenbeeck says Spieth first saw the new drivers at The Players while they were still in prototype phase; Spieth provided feedback, according to VanWezenbeeck, and he was influential in developing the final design for the “Speed Project.”
Well, Spieth is finally gaming the driver on which he provided consultation. During Spieth’s first-round, 5-under 66 at the Shriners — the first competitive round Spieth has played with the new Titleist TS2 driver — Spieth averaged 309.6 yards (10 yards longer than his 2017-2018 average). Not a bad start with the new stick.
For more info on the new Titleist TS2 and TS3 drivers, click 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.”
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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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It seems like the RBC Heritage is full of new gear to be spotted, and you can add TaylorMade’s P-UDI utility irons to that list.
We spotted a 17-degree P-UDI 2-iron in Nick Dunlap’s bag yesterday, and now have some photos of both the 3- and 4-irons. Nick has his P-UDI 2-iron setup with a Project X HZRDUS Black 4th Gen 105g TX shaft.
From what we can tell, this new P-UDI utility iron looks to have some of the usual TaylorMade technology as we can see the Speed Slot on the sole of the club for additional face flexibility. A toe screw is usually used to close off the hollow body design that will probably be filled with a version of TaylorMade’s Speed Foam that is present in the current iron lineup. This hollow body, foam-filled design should offer additional ball speed, soft feel, and sound, as well as an optimized CG for ball flight.
“Forged” is etched into the hosel, so we can assume that either the face, body, or both are forged for a soft and responsive feel. The club looks good from behind and at address, where we can see just a little offset and a topline that I would consider medium thickness. We don’t have the full details on what is under the hood or how many loft options will be available yet.
TaylorMade P-UDI 3-iron – 20°
TaylorMade P-UDI 4-iron – 22°
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage
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- Collin Morikawa what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. More photos from the event here.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 LS (9 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 60 TX (45 inches)
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (4), P7MC (5-6), P730 (7-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Mid 115 X100 (4-6), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (7-PW)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-SB09, 56-LB08), TaylorMade MG4 TW (60-TW11)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: TaylorMade TP Soto
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour 2.0
Grips: Golf Pride Z-Grip Cord
Ball: TaylorMade TP5x
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ogo
Nov 27, 2018 at 7:18 pm
The switch wasn’t a performance decision… it was a MARKETING decision…. to sell more new and improved titanium cans for the gullible golffing m a s s es….. soooo obvious
Connor Jones
Nov 21, 2018 at 11:39 am
I mean they have got to find him a driver cmon now. With all the testing they have the ability they have got to find something. He literally put it in play and then says he wasn’t getting his optimal numbers…. gimme a break
Flag Pepper
Nov 21, 2018 at 2:41 am
Like so many players Jordan probably has stipulated in his contract that he had to put the new woods in play for a week. Remember when Stenson suddenly had an Epic 3-wood? When DJ and Rose played the P750 for a week? No story here, just Spieth fulfilling his contractual obligations.
baller
Nov 12, 2018 at 7:58 pm
he needs new balls. not a new club.
Scheiss
Nov 12, 2018 at 1:44 am
Where are the details on Spieth’s switch back to the 915, and subsequent missed cut
JP
Nov 10, 2018 at 7:10 pm
Spieth needs a new putter, not a new driver.
benseattle
Nov 10, 2018 at 1:03 pm
Why is this still a FEATURED ARTICLE on the Front Page of Golfwrx? For some two weeks now, the website has been touting OLD NEWS.
Doesn’t this place have any Editors?
Of course, this is nothing new…. GolfWRX consistently leaves articles up on its front page WAAAY after their “sell by” date. To me, this just means the people who run the site need to Pay Attention.
Brain
Nov 9, 2018 at 9:13 pm
This story didn’t age well.
Tom
Nov 7, 2018 at 1:27 am
New Driver, same disappointing play…..
Jeffrey
Nov 5, 2018 at 6:14 pm
Still play the 913. I haven’t been able to get better performance out of all the later gimmicks er I mean later models.
Tom
Nov 4, 2018 at 5:34 pm
I like Spieth, but the wheels have come off his game, shoots 71-72 last two rounds in Vegas on a easy course, uh oh!
Scheiss
Nov 5, 2018 at 11:46 am
Obviously it’s the new driver, he’s going back to the 915
Tom
Nov 4, 2018 at 5:30 pm
I hit these new drivers and they deliver. I would say they get ya another 40-60 yards in carry and 80-100 more yards in total distance!
HDTVMAN
Nov 5, 2018 at 12:09 pm
Definitely. I have the TS3, and when I reach my drive, I pick it up and drop it 75 yards further down the fairway. It is long. (Of course, no one is looking)!
Kyle Price
Nov 3, 2018 at 11:27 am
Hit these new Titty’s both 2 and 3 are deep. Say what you about they past 913-17 clubs, which were shorter. These are longer and way straighter than my M2 with Oban. Got the TS2 with GD shaft. Bomber!!
JG
Nov 3, 2018 at 4:10 pm
Could you rewrite this in English?
Scheiss
Nov 2, 2018 at 6:28 pm
Yeah, 10 yards more, in the desert, in very dry, hard, fast conditions and in some wickedly strong wind.
Get real
JP
Nov 2, 2018 at 10:22 pm
Roll out in the desert is fantastic. I’m going to the Shriners this weekend, just played out here today (Friday). The thin dry air with roll friendly fairways gives me MORE than 10 extra yards from anywhere else I play.
Scheiss
Nov 3, 2018 at 2:54 am
Oh, forgot to add, on a rocky hillside canyon area that has many downhill tee shots.
That stats from this week are skewed and should not be taken seriously.
Show us the stats from sea level and on a flat course, next to the ocean with no wind and lots of moisture
BMoney
Nov 2, 2018 at 4:07 pm
Why do you care what people do with their money?
ogo
Nov 2, 2018 at 2:29 pm
Gotta sell sell sell the latest greatest improved drivers to the gearhead masses … and besides, Spieth gets $25 for each new driver sold to the suckers.
LoPro
Nov 6, 2018 at 12:41 am
Now that’s BS if I’ve ever heard it ..l..