What is the latest golf club changes ahead of The Open? We keep you up to date with the latest equipment news from Royal Troon.
Players are constantly trying to gain that extra edge in performance, so what golf equipment changes have players made ahead of The Open to get themselves dialled in for links conditions?
The Open presents challenges and conditions players rarely or never face on the PGA Tour. Firm ground, strong winds, and unpredictable weather all mean players are required to play different shots, so changes to equipment are inevitable.
Let’s dive into the various changes tour players have made ahead of this year’s Open.
Tiger Woods
Woods is back at Royal Troon for the first time since 2004 when he recorded a top-ten finish. At he has been tweaking his equipment to get ready for this weeks challenge.
Famously, Woods made a change to his flat stick in 2010 at St. Andrews. His ever-present Scotty Cameron blade was swapped for a Nike Method 001 blade, which helped him adjust to the slower links greens.
The American has gone for a different method this week adding lead tape to the back of his golf club to help him adjust to the pace of the greens.
He explained: “I added lead tape to my putter just because the greens are so slow”
The 15-time major champion has also been messing around with some new wedges. Having not played competitive links golf since 2022, the three-time Open Champion is no doubt readjusting himself to the firmer turf conditions and preparing for the different short game questions that will be asked of him.
“I’m monkeying around with the bounce on my 60°, said Woods.
“I got a couple 60s I’m kind of experimenting right now, one with a little bit less bounce for the chipping areas. Also, I need — I like the way my older 60 is going through the bunkers and then getting out. It’s not digging. So I’ve got to make a call on that.”
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The low, stinger shots associated with links golf will no doubt feature heavily this week. This possibly explains Woods’ slight set-up change to his 3-iron. A club I suspect will feature heavily this week.
Woods added: “I just bent my 3-iron yesterday one degree stronger just to be able to hit it off the deck and get that thing down and flighted and running.”
A change to Tiger’s driver set up has also been made, after the first two practice days. His Qi10 LS head is now 9.0°, making the switch from a 10.5°. The available roll out from the tee has inspired this change, and it will allow Woods to hit a lower ball flight, keeping it under the wind.
Rory McIlroy
Looking to bounce back from his US Open disappointment last month, Rory McIlory has made a change to his bag ahead of the test of Royal Troon.
A familiar friend has been re-added to the Northern Irishman’s bag this week. We all remember that stunning shot on the 18th at The Renaissance club to win the Scottish open last year. Well, that same P·760 2-iron is back in play this week.
Like so many this week, the Champion Golfer of the Year 2014 has taken out a fairway wood for a long iron. The unpredictability of the wind and the contoured fairways of Royal Troon mean high lofted fairway woods just aren’t playable.
McIlroy will use the HZRDUS Black shaft on his famous 2-iron. He will be hoping it can have a similar effect this week and end his near decade long major drought.
Dustin Johnson
Mini drivers. A trend that doesn’t seem to be going cold, in the professional game, any time soon.
A mini driver could be a smart play this week. The tight fairways on the back nine especially, peppered with bunkers and goose bushes, pose a real threat.
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The mini driver is more forgiving than a 3-wood so could be a strong alley in finding those sometimes allusive fairway. They also posses less loft than a 3-wood so a lower ball flight can be hit.
Players also use them as there more forgiving to hit off the deck.
Collin Morikawa
There’s a tint of deja vu with Collin Morikawa’s irons change. Three years ago, the American was crowned The Champion golfer of the Year after switching out his irons. This year, he has done the same.
Last week’s Scottish Open saw Morikawa debut the unreleased TaylorMade P•7CB irons. TaylorMade are yet to release any information on the new set of irons, though they do have clearly visible milling over the face of the club.
The change seemed to work as he finished in a tie for fourth at -14. Famed for his iron play, this switch might just have him in contention come the back nine on Sunday.
Morikawa’s overhaul doesn’t stop there. The American has followed the trend of putting a longer iron in his bag. He has added a P·790 3-iron.
The former open champion has also made a change to his wedge contingent. A Milled Grind 4 SBC 60° wedge in the bag for the week to help combat turf interaction.
New Titleist GT range continue their tour takeover
Olympic champion, Justin Rose, is the latest to add the Titleist’s latest Driver range to his bag, ahead of The Open. The turnover in players switching to the GT series has been remarkable. A trend that has been reciprocated on all the various tours.
Titleist’s GT series were the most played driver at the Rocket Mortgage Classic last month. Upon its release, 28 players debuted it on the DP World Tour.
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Rose has opted for the GT3 version of the new Titleist driver this week, with 9 degrees of loft. The English player added the big stick to his bag for the Scottish Open last week.
Additionally, Justin Thomas has also joined the GT revolution. Its popularity seemingly goes from strength to strength for the tour players.
Their fairway woods also seem to be popular. Former Masters champion Adam Scott opted to put a 3-wood in his bag at the Renaissance Club. The 3-wood could be an interesting play this week with so many tight tee shots on the back nine. Purely finding the fairway may be the priority at times this week.
Matt Wallace
When asked what golf club changes he made ahead of The Open, the Briton replied staunchly, ‘A 2 iron’.
As with so many others, the prospect of the treacherous wind conditions has impacted on Wallace’s bag.
“Take the hybrid out which was needed in America going to greens that are 250 yards (away). You need something that comes in soft and not too firm like a 2 iron – I hit a 2 iron 220 yards into wind yesterday (at the Scottish Open) and low, so that 2 iron goes 250 in the air normally, so that shows the strength of wind, but you need that height.”
“I’ve also got a different set of irons. I got Callaway to make up a set where the grind and the bounce on the bottom is a little sharper, so it goes into the turf if it’s a little bit firmer. You catch the ball slightly higher on the face, so the spin is more controllable than if it’s lower, it spins up.
Matt Wallace has made a similar golf club change ahead of The Open, to Morikawa. He has had his club manufacturer create some more specialist irons to combat Links conditions.
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He explains: “I’ve also got a different set of irons. I got Callaway to make up a set where the grind and the bounce on the bottom is a little sharper, so it goes into the turf if it’s a little bit firmer. You catch the ball slightly higher on the face, so the spin is more controllable than if it’s lower, it spins up.
“I can use that if needs be, and then from a personal point, I’ve got a different putter this week, a little bit heavier, more of a mallet style putter for the slower greens and you get the longer putts from 50, 60 feet that you need to put some energy into to the hole.”
Sam Horsfield
“I’m not an iron person”, said the British hopeful. Sam Horsfield will be hoping this week can mark a breakthrough week for him in Major Championships. The 27-year-old has only made the cut once at The Open, in 2021, and will look to bounce back from failing to qualify last time around.
He explained: “I love my 5-wood, it’s one of my favourite clubs in my bag. On a normal week, I always travel with 15 clubs, I take a 7-wood with me. A couple of times this year already, it’s replaced the 4-iron where you need to hit it up a little bit more.
“Playing up there in Scotland at Troon where it’s probably going to be pretty breezy, not the best conditions, getting the ball on the ground and get it running, keeping it down and out of the wind is going to be really important, so a 5-wood isn’t the ideal club for that – it’s going to be different to a normal week when we play where it’s more target golf.”
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Horsfield alluded to the different shot shapes he will be required to play this week, which will dictate what he puts in his bag.
“You have to think your way around a little more and play bounces. I had a gap wedge from 200 yards out (at Final Open Qualifying) and then a 6-iron from 150 on the next hole. You have to hit different shots.”
After more tour equipment? Check out our what’s in the bag page for all the latest gear on tour.
