Equipment

Rickie Fowler makes the switch to TaylorMade TP5/X

Published

7 years ago

Jan 21, 2019

It all started with what appears to be an internal email sent by Taylor Made CEO David Abeles that was posted online last week….

“We are preparing to make one of the most significant announcements in company history – a new addition to our athlete team that will light up the industry and enhance the impact of our brand like never before. Please stay tuned. You will hear from us in a couple of weeks!”

The buzz and speculation that ensued in the GolfWRX forums was nothing short of a Gear Junky FBI-esque investigation. The rumors of who and why covered everyone from Phil, Brooks, LeBron, Steph Curry and I even think former President Obama got tossed into the mix. The code word around Taylor Made was “Project Orange”…kinda love them taking a page from the Lucas Film here.

DRUM ROLL…..As of 8:30AM PST, Monday the 19th of January, the news is now official. Four time PGA Tour winner and World #13 Rickie Fowler has signed a multi-year Ball and Glove Contract with Taylor Made. Fowler will make his first start with the new set up this week at Torrey Pines for the Farmers Insurance Open.

“It’s been fun to see what the ball can do. Extra yardage on irons, more spin around the green. One less club for me into many holes is a pretty big advantage, too. What more do you want?”

—Rickie Fowler

Now, I realize this announcement may not seem as sexy as a full bag deal or a Callaway to TaylorMade Mickelson switch.

However this signing is important for TaylorMade for two main reasons.

It shows the market that TaylorMade has a ball that performs well enough to attract someone like Fowler who has been a staunch Titleist loyalist almost since birth.
In a market that has been and is still dominated by Titleist, its Taylor Mades first big shot across the bow that they are serious about golf ball innovation and are not hanging their hats on Metal Woods.

The Gear Dive’s Johnny Wunder spoke late last week with Rickie and Director of Golf Ball R&D Eric Loper on how this whole thing came to be.

See what the members are saying in the forums and join the discussion.

Below is the audio interview.

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14 Comments

Tom

Jan 22, 2019 at 3:08 pm

This is it? What a let down….I thought they signed Uncle Rico!

Reply Report comment
bj

Jan 22, 2019 at 8:14 am

TP5/TP5X are great!!!! Plus balls are where the money is.

Reply Report comment
TM BOI

Jan 22, 2019 at 2:16 am

sorry, but how can a 3-time winner on the tour be the “the most significant announcements in company history ”

Yesus…

Reply Report comment
Jamie

Jan 22, 2019 at 12:43 am

Nothingburger, for now. Let’s see how he fares.

Reply Report comment
NH Golfer

Jan 21, 2019 at 6:12 pm

Glad to see TaylorMade spending money on ball contracts. They have a great product! Hopefully this will be a start of something big.

Reply Report comment
golfraven

Jan 21, 2019 at 4:23 pm

As if the V1 and the Players glove was not good enough. Everything looks good Ricky, no go and win.

Reply Report comment
BRADLEY LANEY

Jan 21, 2019 at 4:20 pm

Today is Monday the 21st and TaylorMade is one word. You may want to proofread your releases John.

Reply Report comment
JP

Jan 21, 2019 at 2:46 pm

Don’t see this as big of a deal as they try to make it sound.

However… The TP5X is a better fit for me over the ProV1X. And I picked up 8-9 yards on the driver and around 4-5 with the longer irons. Plus it spins just as good.

Reply Report comment
Travis

Jan 21, 2019 at 1:13 pm

Pretty sure Tiger Woods joining TM was much bigger than this lol

Reply Report comment
EastpointeCC

Jan 21, 2019 at 12:57 pm

Tp5 or TP5X?

Reply Report comment
- Wunder
  
  Jan 21, 2019 at 2:01 pm
  
  TP5X
  
  Reply Report comment
Benny

Jan 21, 2019 at 12:33 pm

Well said Big T. Unfortunately for Titleist tho this is a HUGE issue for them. They are a ball manufacture first. This could be why Peter’s father stepped down as the writing was on the wall.

Reply Report comment
Goldenballs

Jan 21, 2019 at 11:49 am

Yesssssss!!!!!
TP5 is the real deal.
ProVs are junk. And he just proved it

Reply Report comment
Big T

Jan 21, 2019 at 10:17 am

Thats it?? This is the “BIG” news that “is one of the most significant announcements in company history”???? A ball glove deal??????
To me its about the same as if the news came on with “Breaking new: Tree falls over in storm”

Reply Report comment

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Equipment

From the GolfWRX Classifieds: Titleist Vokey Proto Wedges 54M, 60T

Published

52 mins ago

Jun 11, 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, @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.

Whats in the Bag

Ryan Palmer WITB 2026 (June)

Published

54 mins ago

Jun 11, 2026

Will Schube

Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (9 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Blue RDX 60 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 70 6.5

5-wood: TaylorMade SIM2 Max (18 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 80 TX

Irons: Srixon ZXiU (23 degrees), Srixon Z785 MB (5-PW)
Shafts: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 100 6.5 (4), KBS Tour 130 X

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (50-08F, 54-10S, 58-04T @59)
Shafts: KBS Tour 130 X

Putter: Odyssey Dual Force Rossie II

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Check out more in-hand photos of Ryan Palmer’s clubs here.

Equipment

Slab city on the Korn Ferry Tour — Lead Tape Report

Published

22 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Andrew Von Lossow

This week, we have our Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, on the ground at the OccuNet Classic at Tascosa Golf Club in Amarillo, Texas, for the 14th event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season. With that, we see some great things in the Lead Tape Report as we roll into Amarillo.

Joel Thelen

Monday Qualifier, Joel Thelen is in the field this week. He has played on the Korn Ferry Tour for a full season in 2023, and he is back in action this week. A couple of clubs caught my eye this week in his bag.

First off: His trusted Titleist 816 H2 hybrid. This club came out in October of 2015, and it still remains strong in the bag. Also, take a look at this Odyssey White Hot OG 7, putting a capital S in the 7S model. This custom neck has some impressive lean for an arm-lock-style putter. The bottom of the putter is covered in tape for optimal weighting.

Mitchell Meissner

Taking a look at Mitchell Meissner’s bag this week, we have some great lead tape coverage. Top to bottom working from fairway metals, irons, and wedges. We can see on the short irons and wedges that there is tape at the base of the grip, adding a little counterbalance. Along with that, some tape on the short irons and wedges as well. Moving to his putter, he rolls the Odyssey 7 Bird putter. Meissner putts left-handed and strikes the ball right-handed.