Equipment
McIlroy puts Nike Vapor Pro driver in play at the Ryder Cup
GolfWRX readers have been talking about it since photos surfaced here a few weeks ago and now it’s official. World number one Rory McIlroy debuted Nike’s new driver, the Vapor Pro, at the 2014 Ryder Cup in Scotland. It’s risky to change equipment before a prestigious event, but McIlroy proceeded blast the ball down the middle off the first tee, hitting arguably the best drive of anyone in morning fourball matches.
The driver features a pear-shape, black crown with Nike’s bright “volt” color in the cavity back and Compression Channel. The Vapor Pro is designed to produce a penetrating flight, tour-launch with low spin and added speed across the face.
“The first thing I noticed when I hit this driver was how hot it was,” said McIlroy. “Then, I found that I could really control the flight and work it both ways on the golf course. I saw added ball speed on the monitor and am getting 10-15 yards more distance on the golf course this week.”
The Vapor Pro driver includes three key technologies: Nike’s new FlyBeam reinforced Covert Cavity Back design, a re-engineered Compression Channel and FlexLoft 2. All of these are vital to the golf athlete in achieving the ultimate in hitting their window of distance, speed and launch conditions.
“To elevate performance, we added FlyBeam technology to the Covert Cavity Back to focus energy into the variable-profile Compression Channel and NexCOR face,” said Nate Radcliffe, Director of Engineering. “This is the first time we have created a driver where the face and channel are measurably more flexible than the body.”
The FlyBeam construction stiffens the Covert Cavity in the back of the club, while the Compression Channel, with variable compliance, accentuates the spring-like effect across the face. Cohesively, the two work together to focus, store, and return impact energy to the golf ball for shots struck at all points on the face.
“This is the first time we have measured higher modal frequencies in the rear portion of the club than the front. This means impact energy is concentrated in the channel and face which tunes acoustics and maximizes energy transfer. This effect drives the increases in ball speed we are seeing in athlete and robotic testing,” added Radcliffe.
FlexLoft 2 allows the golf athlete the functionality of five lofts and three face angles within 15 different settings. The new, improved system is five grams (30%) lighter without compromising function. The redistribution of mass creates more stability, better launch conditions and faster swing speeds. Another benefit of FlexLoft 2 is its forward and backward compatibility. Golfers with previous generations of Covert can use shafts with the original adaptor in the new head or vice versa.
The 460cc Vapor Pro driver will be available on January 30, 2015.
Nike Vapor Pro
Availability: January 30, 2015
Specifications: 8.5° – 12.5° loft; Mitsubishi Diamana S+ Blue Board 60 shaft; RH/LH: R, S, X flex
MSRP: $479.99
TaylorMade Golf’s MySpider program underwent a substantial overhaul over the last month. Firstly, the company launched the option to customize the Spider ZT model, and now the program has returned with the MySpider Tour and MySpider Tour X.
The revamped page now gives golfers complete control over every visual and functional detail of their putter on the popular Tour and Tour X head, with every cosmetic idea thought of. In MySpider Tour, golfers can choose from four head finishes, 16 paint fill colors, nine Surlyn face insert colors, three aluminum insert options, six sightline configurations and four hosel options — L-Neck, Small Slant, Double Bend, Center Shaft. Six sightline options are available in MySpider Tour, including the optically engineered True Path alignment system. MySpider Tour X gives builders the option in four head finishes, four hosel configurations and five sightline options, also including True Path alignment.
One of the more interesting pickups from the new MySpider program is the offering of three distinct face insert options. Along with the usual Surlyn Pure Roll insert trusted by Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, which can be customized from nine colors, golfers can now also select firmer options. Two are offered with the black aluminum Pure Roll insert, slightly firmer than the traditional insert, or for the firmest feel, golfers can choose from two colors of milled aluminum inserts.
Another fun addition to the MySpider Tour is the ability to use the “Tommy Sightline.” The custom alignment aid design, which was first drawn onto Tommy Fleetwood’s putter by PGA Tour Rep James Holley, is based on the milled sightline on his Spider ZT head. There are five shorter lines on the left and right of a longer central line serving as the traditional short line alignment aid.
See below for the full specifications sheet for MySpider Tour and Tour X:
MySpider Tour
MySpider Tour X
Equipment
Then and now: Comparing Rory McIlroy’s current setup to his record-breaking 2019 Canadian Open victory
In Rory McIlroy’s first appearance at the 2019 RBC Canadian Open, he crushed the record books to earn his 16th PGA Tour title in dominating fashion, winning by seven shots over Shane Lowry and Webb Simpson.
McIlroy’s score of 22-under-par 258 is the lowest 72-hole score to date at the Canadian Open, and his closing 61 is also the best final-round score in the history of one of golf’s oldest tournaments. Finally, with his win in 2019, McIlroy became only the sixth player to win the career Triple Crown, adding to his victories at the U.S. Open in 2011 and The Open Championship in 2014, joining Tommy Armour, Walter Hagen, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and Tiger Woods in a coveted list.
So, with that, why not compare his current setup to the clubs he used to break all the records?
Driver
2019: TaylorMade M5 (9 degrees), Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 70 TX
2026: TaylorMade Qi4D (9 degrees @8), Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7X (45 5/8 inches)
McIroy led the Tour in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee in 2019; he’s doing the same in 2026. Between now and then, McIlroy has switched from the Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 70 TX (a shaft with slightly more feeling in the tip) to the original Fujikura Ventus Black 7X, having just made the change to the heavier version from playing the 60X.
What’s interesting about McIlroy’s 2019 setup is that the weighting on his driver is actually set in the high-draw setting, using the T-Track weighting system, whereas in the Qi4D, he’s currently using a heavily rear-weighted setup. (Two 13-gram weights in the rear and only two 4-gram front weights.)
The TaylorMade M5 driver he played in during his Canadian Open win was the company’s first head that they claimed to design to initially exceed the USGA’s COR limit, and then injected with tuning resin to bring it back in bounds.
Fairway woods
2019: TaylorMade M6 3-wood (15 degrees), Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 80 TX; TaylorMade M5 5-wood (19 degrees), Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 90 TX
2026: TaylorMade Qi4D 3-wood (15 degrees), Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8X; TaylorMade Qi4D 5-wood (18 degrees), Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 9X
The TaylorMade M6 fairway wood that McIlroy was using during the 2019 season is still in the bag of some of the best golfers on Tour in 2026. Just check out Justin Rose’s winning setup from the Farmers Insurance Open earlier this year. This year, though, McIlroy has still been searching for his top-end-of-the-bag setup, having played both the new Qi4D and the Qi10, which he won the Masters with.
The same shaft swap can be seen in the fairway woods as the driver, along with slightly less loft on the 5-wood.
Irons
2019: TaylorMade P750 (4) Buy here, TaylorMade P730 (5-9), Shafts: Project X 7.0
2026: TaylorMade P760 (4), TaylorMade Rors Proto (5-9), Shafts: Project X 7.0
The biggest difference between McIlroy’s custom set and the stock P730s is the groove design. While the P730s were constructed with 14 MX-9 grooves on their milled faces, McIlroy’s proto heads instead use the higher-spinning, 16-groove layout of the TW2 grooves. Other big differences between the sets are that McIlroy’s 7- and 8-irons have thinner toplines, are 1 degree stronger in loft, and are 1/4 inch longer than the original P730 builds.
With McIlroy’s 4-iron, the switch from P750 to P760 sees a transition to a two-piece construction with Speed Foam in it, which allows McIlroy to launch the ball slightly higher, with more workability.
Wedges
2019: TaylorMade Milled Grind (48-09SB), TaylorMade MG Hi-Toe (52-09SB, 56-09SB, 60-LB09), Shafts: Project X Rifle 6.5
2026: TaylorMade MG5 (46-09SB, 50-09SB, 54-11SB, 60-08LB @61), Shafts: Project X 6.5 (46-54), Project X 6.5 Wedge (60)
Between 2019 and 2026, McIlroy’s focus on his short game has been much more apparent. It was the reason why he switched back to the TP5 golf ball, to help with launch, spin and control with his wedges leading up to his career Grand Slam victory in 2025. The most apparent changes to McIlroy’s wedge setup are his lofts and bounce. He’s slowly delofted his pitching to a sand wedge, but has increased the loft on the lob wedge, bending his current 60-degree to 61. With that, adding more loft to his lob wedge also slightly increases the bounce and leading-edge sit point, so, as a result, he plays a lower-bounce lob wedge compared to 2019. The MG5 wedges are also softer than the first Milled Grind option from 2019. McIlroy also no longer plays the full-face grooves found on the Hi-Toe.
Putter
2019: TaylorMade Spider X
2026: TaylorMade Spider Tour X
Notice anything similar. Yes, the copper finish on Rory McIlroy’s Spider X putter in 2019 is a slightly more reflective finish than the recently released torched PVD finish. McIlroy was using the True Path alignment system, but now uses only a single white sightline.
Ball
2019: 2019 TaylorMade TP5 (#22)
2026: 2025 TaylorMade TP5 (RORS)
As mentioned above, McIlroy had transitioned from the TP5 to TP5x golf ball since his victory in Canada in 2019, but now is black with the same style of golf ball as his victory at Hamilton Golf & Country Club.
Grips
2019: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
2026: Golf Pride MCC
Interesting, McIlroy actually used Golf Pride’s Tour Velvet Cord grips during his victory in 2019 (it was during a 2+ year switch to the corded TV) as opposed to his usual MCC grips, which he has played for most of his career.
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, @Putt4Dough is selling some prototype wedges from Vokey Wedgeworks. These include a 54 degree wedge with the M grind and a 60 degree wedge with a T grind.
From the listing:
(1) Titleist Vokey Proto Wedge 54M with a Tour Issue DGS400 shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet (logo down). Standard length, lie, and loft. BB&F ferrule. Raw wedge in good condition. No initials. Price is $200 shipped. Buy both wedges for $380 shipped.
(2) Titleist Vokey Proto Wedge 60T with a KBS Tour 130X shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet. Standard length, lie, and loft. Raw wedge in good condition. No initials. Price is $200 shipped. Buy both wedges for $380 shipped.
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.
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stripe
Oct 3, 2014 at 10:50 am
Rampant commercialization at this years Ryder Cup. Just one big commercial for the golf industry. Getting worse every year.
dot dot
Oct 3, 2014 at 10:53 am
Yep, just going to keep getting worse, the trend is becoming the norm.
bradford
Oct 7, 2014 at 8:26 am
Even posing as two separate people, you fail to provide an example. This thread is not the Ryder cup–and you should expect that a golf forum would be full of equipment junkies, with writers catering to them. Fact is, there was no more “Rampant commercialization” of the actual tournament than any other year.
dot dot
Oct 8, 2014 at 9:35 pm
disagree
stripe
Oct 8, 2014 at 10:09 pm
Don’t bother answering Bradford, his deal is to be annoying and disagreeable. Remember the old internet saying “don’t feed the trolls”
stripe
Oct 8, 2014 at 10:10 pm
Remember we are the same guy.
bradford
Oct 10, 2014 at 12:12 pm
You ARE the trolls…I just don’t mind feeding them, especially when they’re so bereft of a clue they need to create a second fake name to back themselves up. Perhaps you should add a third, maybe THAT guy will be worth talking to.
dot dot
Oct 14, 2014 at 1:16 pm
This Bradford guy that keeps responding is creepy.
Pingback: Vapor Unveiled - The Golf Shop Online Blog
Ballzo
Oct 1, 2014 at 12:36 pm
Put pink and purple polka-dots on the top, neon green on the bottom, Gigantic gold swoosh, a red shaft and a yellow grip. If its longer and straighter……I’ll pay for it and play it.
JEFF
Oct 1, 2014 at 10:52 am
LAME STUPID ASoNINE……. who cares what he plays? General public will never get close to what these over paid sissies play. Why care? why drool? golf is the next new dumb reality show!
bradford
Oct 1, 2014 at 11:44 am
You MAY not make a lot of friends in here…
Overpaid? We, as the golf fans, pay them–just like football fans pay to watch fat guys in tights, NASCAR fans pay to watch Rednecks all drive the same car in circles, Baseball fans pay to…. well, I’m still not sure what they pay for.
dot dot
Sep 30, 2014 at 8:47 am
@Bradford Thank you for admitting you were unable to back up your statements. You are a truly a gentleman. It was the proper think to do. Kudos.
Brandon
Sep 30, 2014 at 10:41 am
I’m pretty sure people have stopped acknowledging you.
dot dot
Sep 30, 2014 at 5:08 pm
who is this
bradford
Oct 1, 2014 at 11:16 am
My statement was that you were an angsty little man, and you’ve backed that up FOR me, so thank YOU.
dot dot
Oct 2, 2014 at 8:21 am
You do understand that you are just angry with yourself,right. The thought that you are being combative about an observation is truly telling.
bradford
Oct 2, 2014 at 9:20 am
Never angry, just honest 🙂
dot dot
Oct 2, 2014 at 11:20 am
I’m pretty sure people have stopped paying attention to you
bradford
Oct 2, 2014 at 12:35 pm
you haven’t….
dot dot
Sep 28, 2014 at 10:07 am
This just shows what the Ryder Cup and golf in general has become. It’s not about playing with the equipment that gives you the best chance of winning for your country it’s about how much will you can get paid to play the latest released equipment. Forget national pride it is now all about money. Prize money is insignificant during the season. What the players endorsement contract is worth is all that matters.
cally golfer
Sep 28, 2014 at 2:16 pm
Lol 5&4 win over fowler I agree fowler must have switched his driver before the match against rory…lol piff
dot dot
Sep 29, 2014 at 9:06 am
I think you missed the point of the comment. I was addressing the commercialization of Ryder cup not Rory’s match. I always try to make my comments simple to understand, it’s baffling to me how some still require an explanation.
Signed
Exasperated with a an aura of disbelief.
bradford
Sep 29, 2014 at 10:20 am
This is only true for about 5 guys…and I saw almost no branding on the Ryder cup. I respect your right to rebel against the ways of the world, but do it with data. What actual event in the Ryder Cup made you feel this way? Don’t forget that this conversation isn’t actually part of the Ryder Cup…
dot dot
Sep 29, 2014 at 12:23 pm
See picture of Rory swinging his driver in the articles photo. That’s branding right there. New Driver comes out, Rory is swinging it, that generates press.
That’s all I’m referring to. Nothing else, no additional data needed. It’s a comment not a homework assignment.
bradford
Sep 29, 2014 at 1:23 pm
ok good then, so you admit there’s really nothing backing it up. Good, cause it’s a generic garbage statement and if it WERE a homework assignment you’d get a C. Should be an F, but everybody gets a C now–
I was very pleased that there was no blatant branding at the Ryder cup this year. I think it helps keep it pure.
bradford
Sep 29, 2014 at 1:25 pm
and again–this photo you refer to ALSO isn’t the Ryder Cup, nor are the “press” they generate.
dot dot
Sep 29, 2014 at 2:53 pm
LOL My comment would get an A- from the GWRX review staff.
You really took my thoughts way to seriously. It was an observation. Just because it’s a statement you didn’t like does not make it garbage. Blatant branding was rampant at the Ryder Cup this year. The fact that it didn’t register with you may be something for you to be concerned about. Powers of observation and all that.
By the way please document the branding you didn’t see. I need to see data proving that there was less branding this year than in years past. Let’s go your assignment is due. Ready Set and GO.
See how silly that just sounded asking you for documentation and data in a website comment.That’s how you looked when you asked for backup on an observation. I hope I have helped you and that you can learn from this.
bradford
Sep 30, 2014 at 7:07 am
Again, just because you’ve said something is true doesn’t make it so. You’re clearly an angsty little rebel, aren’t you? That’s ok, the idea of enjoying something for what it is comes with maturity. You’ll get there– until then-hate on. You’ll learn.
Nigel
Oct 1, 2014 at 9:12 am
I agree with what I think you’re saying….. basically golf is now being used for a lot of advertising. But like others have said, this is just the nature of the world with every single sport and every way of life. It just is what it is… and what it is is that this Driver will be in my bag next Spring.
Don’t underestimate that these players are exactly like the rest of us and want the latest, newest looking clubs and be the first to use them etc. We’re all human.
Golfwb
Sep 27, 2014 at 7:51 pm
The person that said he has been working a lot with people on launch monitors lately. Don’t you think he has been working with them since he went pro or got with nike?
He is not swinging the club well this week, an it’s abvious.
The switch might have been bold, but a lot on wrx know that it’s not the club and one can still be confident. If I got fit with something that I knew was made for me, I would go out 100% with it.
Desmond
Sep 27, 2014 at 6:59 am
Vapor Pro is the Better Players Driver. I’ll avoid it and demo the other two models. MOI! MOI!
Larry
Sep 27, 2014 at 1:56 am
Lets see number one golfer in the world, been working with this new driver sense June…do you think maybe he has some of the best “Club Fitters” in the world helping him get the club fit right???? What does this say to all the high handicap players out there thinking getting fit for a new driver is really going to be worth the trouble???? answer ZERO. Play with what you like because that is the way you make the clubs work for you. Fitting golf clubs (for amateurs for sure) is not anywhere near a perfect science….your swing on Monday is not your swing on Wednesday otherwise your a single digit handicap….is that most of us????
Rwj
Sep 26, 2014 at 6:22 pm
The manufacturers run high profile players.
ed
Sep 26, 2014 at 4:29 pm
If you think this is busy, does anyone remember a couple drivers that TM put out a year back…R1 and RBZ Stage 2 ring a bell?? Now that is BUSY
Billy
Sep 26, 2014 at 3:28 pm
Retail is $399, same as Cover Tour 2.0.
Heads up.
God5peed
Sep 26, 2014 at 11:51 am
“The first thing I noticed when I hit this driver was how hot it was,” said McIlroy. “Then, I found that I could really control the flight and work it both ways on the golf course. I saw added ball speed on the monitor and am getting 10-15 yards more distance on the golf course this week.”
I think he is reading from the same advertising script for every driver that has ever been made.
Ral
Sep 26, 2014 at 1:06 pm
I’d like to see the CT and COR measurements on his club.
Cole
Sep 26, 2014 at 1:54 pm
Why? What would that do for you? The COR is as high as they can get it. If baffles me that people really think to themselves, “Man, I wonder what the COR on this driver is…” Like they really know how COR is measured. It’s going to vary between club heads, maybe you’ll get lucky and the one you buy from Dick’s is slightly above! Ridiculous.
jack from Omaha
Sep 26, 2014 at 3:12 pm
Rory helped the US by playing with that new Nike driver today in the Ryder Cup. I don;t believe he hot more than 5 fairways in 2 rounds.
Great decision Rory!!
The US Team thanks you.
Dumb, dumb, and dumber!!!!!
Why on earth would you ever change driver the way you owned your previous driver? Dumb, dumb, dumber!!!!
Ponjo
Sep 28, 2014 at 5:14 pm
Haha Jack. 9 under for 14 holes says it is working for the heir to the throne 🙂
gvogel
Sep 26, 2014 at 11:30 am
McIlroy might have piped it off the first tee, but he took himself out of the 18th hole with a very poor drive to the left.
When one is the number one driver of the straight long ball on the planet, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to change.
Don
Sep 26, 2014 at 11:06 am
I don’t really mind this club like I have with their past products. Looks kinda cool actually. And if the swoosh is really that distracting it isn’t anything that a jiffy marker can’t fix. Or use spray paint. Isn’t that what Tiger did with his Titleist driver when he switched over to the swoosh?
chad ryan
Sep 26, 2014 at 10:43 am
it still looks like a half eaten kiwi fruit……which doesn’t make me want to buy it….but it does make me hungry
cb
Sep 26, 2014 at 10:25 am
starting to like Nike’s stuff but unfortunately I saw my first problem with this driver. do whatever and put whatever color you want on the bottom of the club. But on the crown there is too much going on. it might have been fine with out the neon swoosh but you dont want something that will cause you to watch the club going back and not the ball
B
Sep 26, 2014 at 10:55 am
Completely agree. The swoosh on the crown I can tolerate, not so much the carbon pattern.
JJ
Sep 26, 2014 at 12:29 pm
Couldn’t disagree more. I am a Titleist/Ping fanboy all day, but the carbon looks awesome…in fact I think the crown is the most aesthetically pleasing part of the driver…
yolomcswag
Sep 26, 2014 at 4:16 pm
same here. love the swoosh, carbon just makes it weird
John
Sep 26, 2014 at 3:05 pm
if you’re watching the club go back in your backswing, and something like SLIGHTLY lighter shades of grey that you might not notice in the sunlight is enough to distract you, I think you need to be in the market for something other than new golf clubs.