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Dustin Johnson on the new TaylorMade Stealth Plus driver and the important area where it excels

Published

2 years ago

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In 2021, Dustin Johnson didn’t have the easiest time switching into TaylorMade’s SIM2 driver family. While he played most of the year with a new SIM2 Max 3-wood, he mostly stayed with his familiar 2020 SIM driver. For whatever reason, the man who historically switches into new drivers fairly easily struggled to find comfort with the SIM2’s driver performance.

This year’s new TaylorMade Stealth driver family, however, appears to be a different story.

When Johnson showed up on Monday to the 2022 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, he had two drivers in the bag that he was testing. Both were 10.5-degree TaylorMade Stealth Plus drivers equipped with LA Golf DJ-Series prototype shafts.

Dustin Johnson’s LA Golf DJ-Series prototype shaft

On Tuesday ahead of the event, GolfWRX caught up with Johnson to see what’s in the bag for 2022, and to get his thoughts on the new red-faced Stealth Plus “Carbonwood” driver.

Most notably, Johnson spoke on the increase in forgiveness and ball speed numbers on mishits.

“Speed-wise, it’s similar [to my previous driver], Johnson told GolfWRX. “I’ve seen my spin rates are more consistent, and I’m getting consistently faster numbers. For me, the mishits have been much better. I love the new driver. It’s great.”

When I asked about the all-new carbon face – which uses 60 layers of carbon in place of titanium – Johnson spoke highly of the sound and feel.

“The feel is great,” Johnson said. “It doesn’t feel like it’s – it still feels like it’s titanium. Feel is funny, because feel is all sound, so as long as the sound is good, it’s gonna feel right. They did a really good job with the sound, and I think it sounds really good. It sounds solid when you hit in the middle. Obviously, I can feel if I hit it off the heel or the toe, so I’m getting really good feedback from it, so I really like that. Then, like I said, the numbers have been really good, consistent, and that’s all I’m looking for.”

In 2021, Johnson ranked 18th on the PGA Tour in ball speed, averaging 179.36 mph. Being that he’s picking up more speed on mishits with the Stealth Plus, it seems likely that Johnson will eclipse 180 mph for 2022. It’s the accuracy stat that could use the biggest boost, though, since he ranked 136th in driving accuracy in 2021, hitting just 57.87 percent of fairways.

Fairway wood switch, too?

Based on our photos of his bag on Tuesday at Torrey Pines, it seems Johnson is switching out more than the driver. He had a new Stealth 3HL 16.5-degree 3-wood, a 21-degree Stealth 7-wood, and a Stealth 22-degree Rescue in the bag, as well as a Spider GT Rollback putter that he tested out on Tuesday.

Knowing Johnson, his bag setup could look different as the event progresses, but for now it seems DJ has made big equipment changes for 2022.

Click here for more photos of Dustin Johnson’s 2022 WITB at Torrey Pines.

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He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

6 Comments

6 Comments

  1. Pingback: Tour Report: Bryson’s new 5-degree driver, a $4,000 wedge, and a righty wedge in a lefty’s bag?! – GolfWRX

  2. Chris

    Jan 28, 2022 at 1:00 am

    I got fit for a stealth yesterday and should have it in a few weeks (hopefully). Stealth+ 10.5 (set at 9 deg) on stiff Hazardous 60g shaft. For whatever it’s worth I’m a 98-100mph swing guy and my current driver (cobra sz) averages 137-139mph…maybe the stealth demos are hot but everything I hit was 144-146mph, even the (numerous) mishits, I was pleasantly shocked by that. Feel was fine and sounded like a driver to me. Cheers

    Reply Report comment

  3. bobbyg

    Jan 26, 2022 at 5:25 pm

    Back to Nike Red and Black color scheme. Wonder who may have influenced that?

    Reply Report comment

  4. Kelly Gallagher

    Jan 26, 2022 at 3:46 pm

    What else is the pro that gets paid to play TM stuff going to say. Just more smoke and mirrors from Taylor Made.

    Reply Report comment

    • Mark fitzpatrick

      Jan 27, 2022 at 6:45 am

      True.maybe they should share the wealth to grass roots players. The people that actualy keep the game going.after all its a have and have not game…cmon big companies share youre wealth..give people like me who hit more misses that hits a chance to shine…

      Reply Report comment

    • James

      Jan 27, 2022 at 4:42 pm

      Sort of. I mean, from the pros on staff you’re absolutely right. For us in fittings at the shop I work at the results have been interestingly mixed. The fairways and hybrids are fantastic, but the drivers are split into two camps – people that hit it better, and people that actually get less ball speed on middled strikes.

      And we can’t work that one out

      Reply Report comment

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Equipment

Michael Block spotted with full set of TaylorMade “Proto” irons at Valhalla

Published

7 hours ago

on

May 14, 2024

By

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.

On Monday at the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, Block had a full set of TaylorMade “Proto” irons in the bag.

Block is the first player of many on the PGA TOUR to bag a set of the mysterious “Proto” irons. Rory McIlroy first switched into a “Proto” 4-iron at the Valero Texas Open, and Collin Morikawa followed suit at the 2024 RBC Heritage. Block isn’t using just the 4-iron, though, he’s using a full set to go along with a TaylorMade Stealth UDI driving iron.

Speaking with GolfWRX.com on Monday at the PGA Championship, Block revealed the full backstory.

“I hit a couple super “Proto” irons when I was at the Kingdom (TaylorMade’s fitting facility in Southern California) a couple months ago, and it was a 9-iron that didn’t have any badges or anything on it,” Block said. “I had no idea what it was … It was very similar to what I was using back then, you know, my old MCs, and very similar from the top. I hit it and absolutely loved it. For me to even think about switching irons from the last 11-12 years is crazy.

“I got this set about two weeks ago, and I’m working my way into them. I hit them more solid; it comes off the face more solid. Much higher. I think they’re still slightly too upright for me, so they’re being bent a degree flatter, because they’re going a little too high for me and drawing a little too much. When that starts to happen, I start to drop the club under and compensate too much, so I’m getting them flattened slightly, and I’m going to test them on the range again, and hopefully have them in play on Thursday…

“They go further, and they go higher … that combination is kind of a no-brainer. If I can take a 5-iron from 204 rather than a 4-iron, it’s good on me. It’s going to help me out for sure, especially at a major with the pin locations. Having that height coming in, that descent angle is going to be huge.”

With such new irons in the bag, after using the same irons for over a decade, surely you’d think there will be a bit of a learning curve. Block, however, is finding immediate comfort with the new “Proto” irons.

Head over to PGATour.com for the full article.

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Whats in the Bag

WITB Time Machine: Rory McIlroy’s winning WITB, 2014 PGA Championship

Published

9 hours ago

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May 14, 2024

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It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since Rory McIlroy outlasted Phil Mickelson at the 2014 PGA Championship. It’s even harder to believe McIlroy hasn’t hoisted a major trophy since his 2014 victory at Valhalla.

After a slow start to his final round, McIlroy tallied an eagle and two birdies on the back nine and his fourth major championship. Take a look at the clubs he played a decade ago in Kentucky.

Driver: Nike VR_S Covert 2.0 Tour (8.5 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Mitsubishi Kuro Kage XTS 70X

3-wood: Nike VR_S Covert 2.0 Tour (15 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Rombax Pro 95 X

5-wood: Nike VR_S Covert 2.0 Tour (19 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Rombax Pro 95 X

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

Wedges: Nike VR Forged (46, 52, 56, 60 degrees) Buy here.
Shafts: Project X 6.5

Putter: Nike Method 006 Buy here.

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

Ball: Nike RZN Black

Check out more in-hand photos of Rory McIlroy’s clubs from 2014 here.

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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Whats in the Bag

Tiger Woods WITB 2024 (May)

Published

11 hours ago

on

May 14, 2024

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Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 LS (10.5 degrees @9.75)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 6 X

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (15 degrees @13.5)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 X

5-wood: TaylorMade M3 (19 degrees @18.25)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX

Irons: 2023 TaylorMade P770 (3), TaylorMade P7TW (4-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 Raw (56-12TW, 60-TW11)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS prototype
Grip: Ping PP58 Blackout

Ball: Bridgestone Tour B X (2024)

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord 58R

More Tiger Woods WITBs

 

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