Rory McIlroy has always been a traditionalist but with his switch to Taylormade Golf, a couple of years ago, he has embraced club-fitting. From trying new firmer grips, stiffer shafts & higher CG heads, Rory has shaken up things routinely to optimize performance.
Although at Quail Hollow, Rory went back in time!
1. One of the more significant changes were the grips
He's been gaming the Golf Pride's firmest grip, the Tour Velvet BCT (cord) for almost two seasons. An effect which we think is a result of the "Tiger Effect". Woods has played with these since the day he turned professional. Some say Golf Pride has changed design of the patterns for the Big Cat.
The grips are good for someone who struggles with their grip & is looking for an absolute feel at impact. With a firm feel, these are rough & take a toll on your hands if you aren't prepared with respect to mileage.
The switch was to the Golf Pride Multi-Compound (MCC). The MCC boasts the exclusive Brushed Cotton Cord in the upper hand area for firm all-weather control, and a performance rubber material in the lower hand for ultimate feel and responsiveness. It's a softer grip compared to the BCT & also, has better texture if you perspire more than usual. It's getting hot out there with the summer about to peak soon; It's a smart choice. Plus, McIlroy has used this grip for a majority of his career.
He plays this grip with "1" buildup. That means one masking tape with a standard double sided grip tape. It's partly for comfort & also technique (face rotation). Check out our other blog for more information on how to select your grip size.
2. The Trusty Project X iron shafts are back!
Just around the AT&T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach, back in Feb, there was a change to the Dynamic Gold X7 iron shafts. Again, same as Tiger Woods irons. There's nothing wrong with that. Plenty of golfers do that. Jason Day also plays with the same shafts. The initial switch had taken place from the Project X 7.0s. There's only a 2 gram difference between the two. Hardly anything right?
But you cannot neglect major differences like the weight distribution & load profile of the shafts. The X7s are perfect for a player with moderate tempo. The Project Xs are designed for faster tempo or commonly known as a faster transition.
Combine these changes in feel with a technique issue & now you have a "slump". Rory is a strong dude so you do not need to drop shaft weight but sometimes a change in feel can make things worse. Pay attention to that next time you decide to buy new clubs or change shafts.
After replacing his TaylorMade P7MB irons with a split set consisting of P750 and P730 at the Masters — an iron composition he’d used in the past — the four-time major winner turned the clock back even further and returned to the first set of “Rors” prototype blades he used when he signed with TaylorMade in 2017.
3. Switch to a certain grip for the first time ever!
Using Paddle design grips by Lamkin for almost 4 years now, McIlroy decided to put in a Superstroke Traxion Pistol GT 2.0 with his Spider X. Although the putter finish has been changed from copper to Silver Hydroblast finish, the putter has essentially remained the same i.e length, neck type (short slant). With a larger Superstroke grip, McIlroy might be trying to calm his hands down at impact. Handling & Trembling are important parameters to consider when you get fit for a putter. With a Capto device, it's easy to pinpoint how these parameters can affect dynamic loft & face angle at impact. You would struggle with poor distance control & start direction if your putter grip was not the right size for your stroke.
Here's the complete WITB:
Driver: TaylorMade SIM2, 10.5° with Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X shaft
3-wood: TaylorMade SIM2 (15 degrees at 13.5) with Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 80 TX shaft
5-wood: TaylorMade SIM2 (19 degrees at 18.25) with Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 90 TX shaft
Irons: TaylorMade Rors Proto (4-9), P750 3i . All fitted with Project X Rifle 7.0 shafts
Wedges: TaylorMade Milled Grind (48), MG2 TW (56 and 60) all with Project X Rifle 6.5 shafts
Grips: Golf Pride Multi-Compound (MCC) Black STD (+1 buildup)
Putter: TaylorMade Spider X Hydro Blast with Superstroke Pistol GT 2.0 (Red/White/Grey) grip
Ball: TaylorMade 2021 TP5x
