News

Rory McIlroy and his 6-iron: A love story

Published

12 years ago

Sep 4, 2014

The 6-iron is a traditional fitting club and the go-to club for hackers working on their games at the range. It’s also Rory McIlroy’s favorite piece of weaponry, according to a recent interview with PGATour.com.

It’s no surprise that Rory McIlroy presently plays Nike’s most recent generation of forged irons, the VR Pro Blades. Although we can assume he’ll be putting the soon-to-be-released Vapor Pro irons in the bag ahead of the upcoming 2014-2015 PGA Tour season.

Presently, in his 4 through 9-irons, Rory McIlroy plays the aforementioned Nike VR Pro Blades with Royal Precision Project X 7.0 shafts and Golf Pride New Decade MultiCompound grips (black/white).

When asked which club in the bag is his favorite, McIlroy said the following according Jonathan Wall of PGATour.com:

“My favorite club in the bag is actually the one I practice with the most when I’m on the range, which is my (Nike VR Pro Blade) 6-iron. It’s my go-to club when I’m working on something in particular because it’s right there between a long iron and a short iron. For me, I can hit a bunch of different shots with it, and over the years, it’s really served me well on the range and the course.

“I’ve actually become pretty accurate on approach shots from 175-200 yards because I spend so much time practicing with my 6-iron. I’m typically inside the top 5 or close to it every year in the PGA Tour proximity to the hole stat from 175-200 yards. I started using the VR Pro when I came on board with Nike and really like the look and shape of the iron.”

So, how is McIlroy’s iron play this year, particular from 175-200 yards out?

He’s sixth on tour in greens in regulation at 69.5 percent, and he leads the tour in strokes gained: total (2.31). He’s presently 15th on tour in approaches from 175-200 yards, averaging just over 30 feet from the pin across 85 tracked shots in that distance range. Last year, he was second on tour in the category averaging just over 27 feet from the stick with his trusty 6-iron in hand.

Rory-McIlroy-8-Iron

While we don’t have a shot of Rory’s 6-iron in-hand, he’s a picture we captured of the Ulsterman’s 8-iron.

See Rory McIlroy’s complete WITB here.

Related Topics:Nike

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Ben Alberstadt

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

8 Comments

marcel

Sep 16, 2014 at 10:44 pm

very smart article – depending on your course length and average drive length – we should practice the iron we use the most…

Reply Report comment
Bobbie

Sep 9, 2014 at 10:07 am

QU

Reply Report comment
William

Sep 7, 2014 at 6:45 pm

I personally believe my go to club is my 7 iron. When I feel out of sink I will spend time with my 5 wood. While I haven’t had a lesson lately I know my teacher preferred to work with the 6 or 5 iron. Golf is so mental so you should do whatever it takes to get you to a good place.

Reply Report comment
Derek

Sep 5, 2014 at 7:13 am

Strange that the 6 iron is what everyone else other than me considers the “middle”… haha

I mostly use my 7 iron when working on something as I feel as though it’s more in the middle even though generally considered a short iron.

4-5-6-7-8-9-P

The 7 is literally right in the middle haha. I guess the 6 iron makes more sense though as it definitely has more a long iron feel than a mid/short iron feel. At least to me.

Maybe I’ll start practicing more with my 6 iron. I’m already pretty accurate within the 175-185 range with it.

Reply Report comment
- Jeff Daschel
  
  Sep 5, 2014 at 4:15 pm
  
  Not of you consider the PW a a wedge in the same terms of gap, sand and lob. Rory’s PW is a wedge model, so his last blade style iron is his 9. Makes his 6 right in the middle of his irons
  
  Reply Report comment
Hugh

Sep 4, 2014 at 6:13 pm

LC

Reply Report comment
Snowman

Sep 4, 2014 at 6:09 pm

I think I read a long time ago that Jack Nicklaus preferred the 6 Iron as his “go to” club for practice.
I practice a lot with my 6 iron also, because it is a “tweener” (unfortunately I do not hit it 175)

Reply Report comment
Busterpar

Sep 4, 2014 at 3:01 pm

“What’s your favorite club in your bag?” The next one I’m gonna hit a shot with!!!!!

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News

GolfWRX’s Father’s Day Gift Guide (2026)

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

A reminder from your friends at GolfWRX: Father’s Day is June 21. And as we do every year, we’re rounding up the best gifts for dad.

As we say every year, there’s no better golf-related Father’s Day gift than a round of golf with pops. Be it a country club or your favorite muni, take the time to get together to play 18 if you can.

Let’s get to the gifts.

Ghost Golf Qualifier Diamond Polo

We like the new polos that Ghost is offering, as the fabric and fit are so good. These new Qualifier Collection polos breathe well, are lightweight, stretch with your swing, and of course look great. You can wear them on the course, in the office, or just out at a casual event and they will fit right in.

Buy here.

STR8-Strip Grip Tape Remover

If your dad is an equipment aficionado and tinkers with his clubs, this tool works wonders. Removing grip tape has never been easier, just put a little head on the tape and the STR8-Strip peals it right off the shaft without any damage.

Buy here.

Why Golf: Putting Thing

When it comes to practice, it is good to have a purpose. This “Putting Thing” sure does it. We know from personal experience how challenging it can be and how rewarding it is on the practice green. This also provides some competition for your kiddo to see who will unload the dishwasher or do the next chore around the house.

Buy here.

OluKai Lae‘ahi Men’s Breathable Slip-On Shoes

Riding to and from the course in style and comfort is always a good thing. If you’re in a hurry, it’s a nice feature to slide into your shoes and get to the tee time. For the post-game shoe, at your locker or while putting your clubs away in the car. Nice to slide into a shoe that looks good anywhere. Pair that with meeting the family for dinner, no need to change!

Buy here.

Therabody Theragun Relief

A little wellness goes a long way. Keeping loose is a good way to go when it comes to the weekend game or treatment during the week. If there is a little ache or pain, the Theragun is there to help out. Help loosen up the back for a pre-game warm-up or cool-down.

Buy here.

World Cup golf apparel

Something for the soccer dads. Embrace the World Cup fever this summer on the course with custom gear to support the nation of your choice.

Buy here.

FootJoy Pro SL spikeless golf shoes

Give the old man a break and save his feet with the Footjoy Pro SL Men’s Spikeless Golf Shoes for some added comfort on the course.

Buy here.

Bushnell Wingman 2 GPS speaker

Combine all the hits as well as some game improvement with the Wingman 2 Golf GPS Speaker by getting audible distance readings from 38,000+ courses worldwide through the Wingman 2 remote or speaker.

Buy here.

Personalized Titleist Pro V1 golf balls

The No. 1 ball in golf is a safe bet, and the Pro V1 fits the largest chunk of the bell curve if you don’t know what ball pops plays. Add personalization for a, well, personal touch!

Buy here.

GolfWRX may earn a commission for purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 OccuNet Classic

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

With the PGA Tour across the border in Canada this week, GolfWRX Tour Photographer Greg Moore stayed stateside and headed to the OccuNet Classic presented by Amarillo National Bank in Amarillo, Texas.

It’s always interesting to see what the guys are playing on the KFT, and this week certainly hasn’t disappointed so far, with some incredible wedge stamping on display.

Check out links to all our albums below.

General Albums

2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT) – Monday #1

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

Luke Potter’s custom Cameron putter – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)

News

From the GolfWRX Classifieds: Scotty Cameron GOLO 6 with BGT Stability Tour2 2022 M Edition

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

Will Schube

At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @HuskerFlyer is sharing a Scotty Cameron GOLO with a BGT Stability Tour2 2022 M Edition shaft. While the putter is certainly enviable, the Augusta-inspired shaft is equally noteworthy.

From the listing:

Scotty Cameron Golo 6 with BGT Stability Tour2 2022 M Edition Scotty Headcover 34″ $375

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules.