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Rickie Fowler makes the switch to TaylorMade TP5/X

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It all started with what appears to be an internal email sent by Taylor Made CEO David Abeles that was posted online last week….

“We are preparing to make one of the most significant announcements in company history – a new addition to our athlete team that will light up the industry and enhance the impact of our brand like never before. Please stay tuned. You will hear from us in a couple of weeks!”

The buzz and speculation that ensued in the GolfWRX forums was nothing short of a Gear Junky FBI-esque investigation. The rumors of who and why covered everyone from Phil, Brooks, LeBron, Steph Curry and I even think former President Obama got tossed into the mix. The code word around Taylor Made was “Project Orange”…kinda love them taking a page from the Lucas Film here.

DRUM ROLL…..As of 8:30AM PST, Monday the 19th of January, the news is now official. Four time PGA Tour winner and World #13 Rickie Fowler has signed a multi-year Ball and Glove Contract with Taylor Made. Fowler will make his first start with the new set up this week at Torrey Pines for the Farmers Insurance Open.

“It’s been fun to see what the ball can do. Extra yardage on irons, more spin around the green. One less club for me into many holes is a pretty big advantage, too. What more do you want?”

—Rickie Fowler

Now, I realize this announcement may not seem as sexy as a full bag deal or a Callaway to TaylorMade Mickelson switch.

However this signing is important for TaylorMade for two main reasons.

  1. It shows the market that TaylorMade has a ball that performs well enough to attract someone like Fowler who has been a staunch Titleist loyalist almost since birth.
  2. In a market that has been and is still dominated by Titleist, its Taylor Mades first big shot across the bow that they are serious about golf ball innovation and are not hanging their hats on Metal Woods.

The Gear Dive’s Johnny Wunder spoke late last week with Rickie and Director of Golf Ball R&D Eric Loper on how this whole thing came to be.

See what the members are saying in the forums and join the discussion.

Below is the audio interview.

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14 Comments

14 Comments

  1. Tom

    Jan 22, 2019 at 3:08 pm

    This is it? What a let down….I thought they signed Uncle Rico!

  2. bj

    Jan 22, 2019 at 8:14 am

    TP5/TP5X are great!!!! Plus balls are where the money is.

  3. TM BOI

    Jan 22, 2019 at 2:16 am

    sorry, but how can a 3-time winner on the tour be the “the most significant announcements in company history ”

    Yesus…

  4. Jamie

    Jan 22, 2019 at 12:43 am

    Nothingburger, for now. Let’s see how he fares.

  5. NH Golfer

    Jan 21, 2019 at 6:12 pm

    Glad to see TaylorMade spending money on ball contracts. They have a great product! Hopefully this will be a start of something big.

  6. golfraven

    Jan 21, 2019 at 4:23 pm

    As if the V1 and the Players glove was not good enough. Everything looks good Ricky, no go and win.

  7. BRADLEY LANEY

    Jan 21, 2019 at 4:20 pm

    Today is Monday the 21st and TaylorMade is one word. You may want to proofread your releases John.

  8. JP

    Jan 21, 2019 at 2:46 pm

    Don’t see this as big of a deal as they try to make it sound.

    However… The TP5X is a better fit for me over the ProV1X. And I picked up 8-9 yards on the driver and around 4-5 with the longer irons. Plus it spins just as good.

  9. Travis

    Jan 21, 2019 at 1:13 pm

    Pretty sure Tiger Woods joining TM was much bigger than this lol

  10. EastpointeCC

    Jan 21, 2019 at 12:57 pm

    Tp5 or TP5X?

  11. Benny

    Jan 21, 2019 at 12:33 pm

    Well said Big T. Unfortunately for Titleist tho this is a HUGE issue for them. They are a ball manufacture first. This could be why Peter’s father stepped down as the writing was on the wall.

  12. Goldenballs

    Jan 21, 2019 at 11:49 am

    Yesssssss!!!!!
    TP5 is the real deal.
    ProVs are junk. And he just proved it

  13. Big T

    Jan 21, 2019 at 10:17 am

    Thats it?? This is the “BIG” news that “is one of the most significant announcements in company history”???? A ball glove deal??????
    To me its about the same as if the news came on with “Breaking new: Tree falls over in storm”

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Whats in the Bag

WITB Time Machine: Rory McIlroy’s winning WITB, 2015 Wells Fargo Championship

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Then-No. 1 player in the world Rory McIlroy began the week at the Wells Fargo Championship at 3-1 odds, if that gives you any indication of how well the Ulsterman was playing at the time. All he did at Quail Hollow was set the course record during his third round (61) and win the tournament by seven strokes.

Check out the gear Rory had in play nine years ago below.

Driver: Nike Vapor Pro (8.5 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana S+ 70 X

3-wood: Nike Vapor Speed (15 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Rombax Pro 95 X

5-wood: Nike Vapor Speed (19 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Rombax Pro 95 X

Irons: Nike VR Pro Blades (4-9) Buy here.
Shafts: Project X 7.0

Wedges: Nike VR Forged (46, 52, 56) Buy here, Nike Engage (58 degrees @59) Buy here.
Shafts: Project X 6.5

Putter: Nike Method 006 Buy here.

Ball: Nike RZN Black

WITB Time Machine is presented by 2nd Swing Golf. 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.

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Equipment

Rickie Fowler’s new putter: Standard-length Odyssey Jailbird 380 in custom orange

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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article. 

…The Jailbird craze hasn’t really slowed down in 2024, either. According to Odyssey rep Joe Toulon, there are about 18-20 Jailbird putter users on the PGA TOUR.

Most recently, Akshay Bhatia won the 2024 Valero Texas Open using a broomstick-style Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter and Webb Simpson is switching into a replica of that putter at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.

Now, Fowler, who essentially started the whole Jailbird craze, is making a significant change to his putter setup.

Fowler, who has had a couple weeks off since the 2024 RBC Heritage, started experimenting with a new, custom-orange Jailbird 380 head that’s equipped with a standard 35-inch putter build, rather than his previous 38-inch counter-balanced setup.

According to Fowler, while he still likes the look and forgiveness of his Jailbird putter head, he’s looking to re-incorporate more feel into his hands during the putting stroke.

He told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Championship that the 38-inch counterbalanced setup “served its purpose” by helping him to neutralize his hands during the stroke, but now it’s time to try the standard-length putter with a standard-size SuperStroke Pistol Tour grip to help with his feel and speed control.

Although Fowler was also spotted testing standard-length mallets from L.A.B. Golf and Axis1 on Tuesday, he confirmed that the custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 is the putter he’ll use this week at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.

Head over to PGATour.com for the full article. 

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Whats in the Bag

Akshay Bhatia WITB 2024 (May)

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Driver: Callaway Rogue ST Max LS (9 degrees @7.2, 2 grams lead tape heel, 4 grams toe)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X (44 7/8 inches, tipped 1 inch)

Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max D (9 degrees @7)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X

3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max (15 degrees @13.9)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X (43 inches, tipped 1.5)

Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW Prototype (19 degrees @17.8)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 10 X

Irons: Callaway X Forged UT (21 degrees) Buy here, Callaway Apex TCB Raw (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS $-Taper 125 S+

Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (50-10S @49, 54-10S, 60-08C @61)
Shafts: KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 135 X

Putter: Odyssey Versa Jailbird 380
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Split

Grips: Iomic

Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour

More photos of Akshay Bhatia’s WITB in the forums.

 

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