Equipment
Tommy Fleetwood’s TF Proto “2.5-iron” at the 2022 U.S. Open
For the last several years, Tommy Fleetwood has been part of a new wave of PGA Tour players who mostly opt to use a 7-wood in place of a 3-iron. High-lofted fairway options in the modern game help offer increased forgiveness, enhanced workability, greater versatility and higher launch for more stopping power on slick greens from long distances.
However, when the winds are high, or on particular courses, Fleetwood carries a 3-iron for a more penetrating ball flight. His latest 7-wood replacement provides even lower launch; it’s a long iron that his caddie refers to as a “2.5-iron.”
On Wednesday at the 2022 U.S. Open, Fleetwood had two 3-iron options in the bag; one is a TaylorMade P-7TW 3-iron (20 degrees), and the other is a TaylorMade “TF Proto” 3-iron (18 degrees). He won’t keep both in the bag during competition, so he’ll make the decision between them come competition time on Thursday.
Fleetwood’s caddie Ian Finnis calls the 18-degree TF Proto iron a “2.5 iron” due to its lower loft. Finnis also says that Fleetwood hits the 18-degree option “about 20 yards further” than his weaker-lofted P-7TW.
If the TF Proto iron does end up going into play at the U.S. Open on Thursday, it wouldn’t be the first time he’d be using the club in competition.
At the 2022 Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club, Fleetwood switched into the TF Proto 2.5-iron to hit low-flighted missiles that better navigated the blustery Texas winds.
But his experience with the TF Proto iron actually goes back even farther than that.
In 2019, as an equipment free agent, Fleetwood was using TaylorMade’s P-7TW prototype irons, which were designed for Tiger Woods. Then, in September 2020, just months before officially signing with TaylorMade that December, Fleetwood switched into his own set of TaylorMade “TF Proto” irons. The TF Proto name and aesthetics of the iron were reminiscent of the company’s other custom builds for players, such as Rory McIlroy’s “Rors Proto” irons, Justin Rose’s “Rose Proto” irons, and Dustin Johnson’s “DJ Proto” irons.
The TF Protos didn’t last in Fleetwood’s bag, as he switched back into P-7TW irons in 2021, and he still plays them currently. Well, that is, aside from when he dug back into his stash of TF Proto irons to bring back the low-lofted “2.5 iron” at Colonial late last month.
The TF Proto iron might just make another appearance at the 2022 U.S. Open this week, too. We’ll be on the lookout and update this story with more info when we confirm his game-time setup.
See more photos of the TF Proto 2.5 iron here.
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Whats in the Bag
Xander Schauffele WITB 2024 (May)
- Xander Schauffele what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship.
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees @10.1)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana PD 70 TX (45.5 inches)
3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana PD 80 TX
Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW (21 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Mizuno MP-20 (3), Callaway Apex TCB ’24 (4-10)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Mid X100 (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-10)
Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (52-10S), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-10S @57), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (60-K @61)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Putter: Odyssey Toulon Design Las Vegas Prototype 7CH
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour 2.0
Grips: Golf Pride MCC Align
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour
Check out more in-hand photos of Xander Schauffele’s clubs in the forums.
More Xander Schauffele WITBs
- Xander Schauffele WITB 2023 (August)
- Xander Schauffele WITB 2022 (July)
- Xander Schauffele’s winning WITB: 2022 Scottish Open
- Xander Schauffele’s winning WITB: 2022 Travelers Championship
- Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele’s winning WITBs: 2022 Zurich Classic
- Xander Schauffele WITB 2022 (January)
- Xander Schauffele WITB 2021 (October)
- Xander Schauffele WITB 2021 (September)
- Xander Schauffele WITB 2021 (May)
- Xander Schauffele WITB 2021 Masters
- Xander Schauffele WITB 2020 (October)
- Xander Schauffele WITB: 2020 Tour Championship
- Xander Schauffele’s winning WITB: 2020 Olympics
- Xander Schauffele WITB 2020
- Xander Schauffele WITB: 2020 Sentry Tournament of Champions
- Xander Schauffele’s winning WITB: Sentry Tournament of Champions
- Xander Schauffele’s winning WITB: 2018 WGC-HSBC Champions
- Xander Schauffele WITB 2018
- Xander Schauffele’s winning WITB: 2017 Tour Championship
- Xander Schauffele WITB 2017
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Whats in the Bag
Cam Smith WITB 2024 (May)
- Cam Smith what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D4 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6 X
3-wood: Ping Max G430 Max (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Red 7 X
7-wood: Titleist TS2 (21 degrees, D4 SureFit setting)
Shaft: UST Mamiya Elements Proto 8F5
Irons: Mizuno Pro Fli-Hi (2, 3), Titleist T100 (5-9)
Shafts: KBS Tour 130 X Custom Series
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (46-10F, 52-08F, 56-08M, 60-04T)
Shafts: KBS Tour 130X (46, 52, 56, 60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron 009M
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Tack
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Check out more in-hand photos of Cam Smith’s gear here.
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Whats in the Bag
Patrick Reed WITB 2024 (May)
- Patrick Reed what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G400 (8.5 degrees)
Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 125 MSI 70 Tour X
3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (15 degrees)
Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 125MSI 80 Tour X
Hybrid: Callaway Apex Pro (18 degrees)
Shaft: Aldila RIP Phenom Hybrid 100 TX
Irons: Titleist 716 TMB (2), Grindworks PR-202 (4), Grindworks PR-101A (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore (50-10 Mid), Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (56-08M @55), SM10 (60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Odyssey White Hot RX Pt Customs No. 2
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
More photos of Patrick Reed’s WITB in the forums.
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