If you are a golf fan, you probably feel like you have watched Rory McIlroy grow up. Rory went from a kid who could play to a man who could dominate the PGA Tour.
Rory is a TaylorMade player, and the distances Rory gets out on the course say a lot about what the TaylorMade products bring to the market. I won’t tell you that switching to a TaylorMade Stealh 2 Plus will give you Rory-like distance off the tee, but there may be some technology here that could change your game.
Golfers change their clubs from time to time, but in this article, we will look at Rory McIlroy’s “What’s in the Bag” (WITB) as of October, revealing the equipment that makes winning on the PGA Tour look easy!
We will cover:
- Rory McIlroy WITB: Quick Facts
- Rory McIlroy WITB: Driver
- Rory McIlroy WITB: Irons
- Rory McIlroy WITB: Wedges
- Rory McIlroy WITB: Putter
Let’s take a look inside McIlroy’s golf bag!
Rory McIlroy: What’s In The Bag October
Rory McIlroy WITB October: Driver
The golf club in Rory’s bag that amateur golfers are most interested in is the driver. Rory hits the ball further than anyone, and he’s certainly not the biggest guy on the PGA Tour.
Is this the equipment or the user?
TaylorMade would love for you to think it’s a bit of both, and we would have to agree. The TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus is a long driver with a carbon face and tons of speed enhancements and adjustability.
Rory sets this one really low at 7.5 degrees, but you won’t need to do that unless you have his speed and attack angle.
McIlroy plays with the Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6 X in his driver, and he keeps things pretty consistent using the Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X and Fujikura Ventus Black 9 X in his fairway wood shafts.
Shafts help to improve the overall feel that golfers get at impact. If Rory has found a sweet spot and enjoys the consistency and launch of a shaft, it’s not a surprise to see that carried throughout the long game.
Also, if you are an equipment geek, you know that TaylorMade and Fujikura are like peanut butter and jelly.
In addition to the driver, McIlroy carries a 3 Wood and 5 Wood. The 3 wood is a match to the driver being the TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus model, and the 5 wood is the original TaylorMade Stealth Plus.
It’s actually quite common to see professional golfers keep a higher lofted fairway wood or hybrid in their bag a little longer than they would a driver. Don’t you have that trusty 7 wood hanging around?
Rory McIlroy WITB October: Irons
The irons Rory uses are clubs that you will have a hard time getting your hands on. The 4 iron is a standard P760, a player’s distance iron with pure feel and a penetrating ball flight. However, the 5-9 irons are the TaylorMade Rors Proto.
Will we ever see these come to market?
It’s hard to say, but we can tell you that this blade style iron is clean looking and certainly helps Rory with precision and accuracy on those approach shots to the green.
When you look at the differences between the 4 iron and the 5-9 in McIlroy’s bag, it’s easy to see why this 4 iron has its place in the setup. The 4 iron is the longest iron in his bag and having a little extra forgiveness and distance capability here is not a bad thing.
All of the irons in Rory McIlroy’s bag have the Project X 7.0 shaft. The Project X shafts are one of the most popular options on the PGA Tour. They give golfers a lot of workability and hold up well to players with incredibly high speeds.
Don’t be surprised that Rory continues these Project X shafts into his wedge setup.
Rory’s iron setup is without a doubt designed for a lower handicap player who strikes the center of the clubface with extreme consistency.
Rory McIlroy WITB October: Wedges
In addition to the mixed set of irons, Rory also carries a mixed set of wedges. In the 46, 60, and 54 degrees he uses the MG4 wedges. These all have a standard bounce and range from 9 to 11 degrees.
The MG4 is the latest release from TaylorMade, and it’s known for its soft feel and superb ball flight control.
For the 4th wedge in the bag, Rory has a TaylorMade MG3 set at 60 degrees with the 7-degree RM bounce.
The wedges in Rory’s bag are all equipped with the Project X 6.5 shaft. This is just a little softer than the 7 that he has in the irons.
Why would a golfer do this?
Many of the shots that are hit with wedges do not have as much speed as the ones that you hit with the irons. A half swing shot from 40 yards may be a little harder for him to strike with full speed, so a slightly softer Project X 6.5 is an intelligent decision.
Rory McIlroy WITB October: Putters
The only club in Rory McIlroy’s golf bag that is not a TaylorMade is the putter. Rory has a Scotty Cameron T-5.5 Proto, again a club we can’t get our hands on just yet.
Interestingly, when you look at this putter head, it does look a bit like a TaylorMade Spider putter. It has a modern mallet style with wings to help improve stability at impact.
Rory also uses a SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol Tour Grip. The grip helps improve overall consistency and ensures less wrist action through the ball. Even though Rory has this down, equipment to help support his game is certainly not going to hurt!
What Can We Learn From Rory McIlroy’s Golf Bag
One of the most important things about analyzing professional golfers’ clubs is not to run out and buy matching drivers or irons. The key is to look at what these professionals are doing to be successful on the golf course. Here is what we can learn from Rory McIlroy’s golf bag.
- TaylorMade is a manufacturer that focuses on speed in almost every product they make; with Rory being a strong golfer who capitalizes on speed it’s no surprise to see him with TaylorMade
- Shafts from the driver to the fairway woods are very consistent, and the overall feel and even launch will be similar, decreasing the number of variables for McIlroy on the course
- Rory did not choose a pitching wedge that matches his iron set; instead, he opted for the precision and control a blade style wedge can offer; if you are seeking extra spin around the greens, this is a good choice
- The 5 wood in Rory’s bag is not the latest model to hit the market; even professionals are playing with equipment that is not the latest release; if your clubs are working for you, stick with them for now
- Take a look at the low bounce on the 60 degree wedge for Rory; lower bounce is a great solution for firm conditions (like the PGA Tour) and golfers who like to take a very small divot. Match your game with the bounce that works for your course and playing style.
