Equipment
Forum Thread of the Day: “Five handicap looking for new irons – What do you buy?”
Today’s Forum Thread of the Day comes from 2717B who is a five handicap, and he’s considering splashing out on some new irons. 2717B currently has Mizuno MX200’s in his bag, and our members have been giving their suggestions for what could be the best move for the five handicapper.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- texcrom: “Titleist AP2’s – best combination of playability and forgiveness. Mizuno 919 Tour – Another great Mizuno forging. Ping Blueprint – hit these today. Only wish I were good enough to game these. Great feeling forging.”
- nosedive32: “Callaway Apex / Apex Pro. Taylormade P790. Ping I500. JPX 919 Forged or Hot Metal Pro. Pretty much my top picks in order unless you’re specifically looking for an extreme players or extreme game improvement iron. That’s pretty much the list of my favorite middle of the road clubs that have looks but some help to appeal to better players. I’m a mid to high single digit and I played P790s last year and have the CF19 Apex for this year.”
- Boydr12: “I’m a 2.5, and just switched from traditional players cavity backs which I have always played to the new Callaway Apex 19’s. I hit my irons very low with an insane amount of spin (don’t ask me how that’s even possible, I have no clue). The new apexes fixed all that and gave me almost two full clubs gained in distance. They are also very compact looking for what they are.”
- 518TitleistX: “I’ve played just about every iron in Titleist’s lineup. Ap1, Ap2, MB, CB… and all are great, but this year I switched to Mizuno JPX 919 Tours and picked up at least an extra club of distance and improved accuracy over my Titleist CB’s. Couldn’t be happier with this purchase.”
Entire Thread: “Five handicap looking for new irons – What do you buy?”
Whats in the Bag
Christiaan Maas WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D LS (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6 X

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 9 TX

Irons: TaylorMade P770 (3), TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7TW (5-PW)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 10 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold X100

Wedges: TaylorMade Prototype (50-SB09), TaylorMade MG5 (56-HB12, 60-LV07)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold S400


Putter: TaylorMade TP Juno

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Check out more in-hand photos of Christiaan Maas’ clubs here.
Equipment
TaylorMade MySpider Tour and Tour X: More customizable build options now available
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 of four head finishes, four hosel configurations, and five sightline options, also including True Path alignment.
One of the more interesting features of the new MySpider program is the availability 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.
-
Equipment6 days agoMemorial Tournament Tour Report: Rory McIlroy, Cameron Young switch up drivers, and more
-
News2 weeks agoRussell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
-
Equipment3 days agoBest irons 2026: Best irons overall, most forgiving irons, and more
-
Whats in the Bag4 days agoJ.T. Poston’s winning WITB: 2026 Memorial Tournament
-
Equipment1 week agoDetails on Jason Day’s latest prototype Avoda iron setup
-
Equipment3 weeks agoCJ Cup Byron Nelson Tour Report: Koepka and Kim’s newest putters finally get hot
-
News2 weeks agoCharles Schwab Challenge Tour Report: MacIntyre, Åberg and Spaun all switch putters, TaylorMade launches new Spider
-
Equipment2 weeks agoDetails on J.J. Spaun’s surprise putter switch

suncity online register 2020
Aug 11, 2020 at 6:29 am
Wow! Finally I got a blog from where I be able to
genuinely obtain useful facts concerning my study and knowledge.
Steve
Jun 8, 2019 at 4:32 pm
What kind of 5 Hdcp is this player. Is his home course short and wide open where he can just “bomb” his driver, leaving just a short iron approach. I have been that guy getting down to a 2 Hdcp. Then I moved to a new course that required a tactical approach. A reality check was quickly experienced. Blew up to a 6 Hdcp! Hence, while it’s a fun question to entertain, a valid response is impossible to give without knowing the player and his game. Even change just for the sake of change is purely personal.
s
Jun 8, 2019 at 10:59 am
Why would a 5 handicapper dump the iron set that made him a 5 handicapper? Lost the whole bag or just got tired of the look? I got my MP-37 when I was barely breaking 90 and now I’m hitting in the 70s. I have experienced a great amount of temptations for all those years but couldn’t find any excuses to switch. I still don’t know what to replace them with if my bag was stolen… MP-18, P7TW, or Wilson Staff Model Blades? Nah… probably MP-14 off of eBay, seriously.
joro
Jun 7, 2019 at 1:42 pm
Go hit them all and then decide. And, don’t ignore Wilson, they make fine Irons.
Peter
Jun 6, 2019 at 1:59 am
Muira irons
Any model, if you play to a 5 you might as well play the best
Richard Tucker
Jun 6, 2019 at 12:44 am
X Forged 18 5-PW, 4 Iron X Forged Utility.
Brandon
Jun 5, 2019 at 10:49 pm
Honma tw-x
John M
Jun 5, 2019 at 10:09 pm
Uhhhhh Seixon Z585/785 combo set. Butter soft, workable, forgiving
John M
Jun 5, 2019 at 10:11 pm
Sorry Srixon (typo)
Morris
Jun 5, 2019 at 7:32 pm
Everybody speak only about the head!!! Man, the most important part of a golf club is the shaft. So, go to a custom fitting centre and test only forged (carbon steal 1020 or S20C) heads for your handicap and change diferent shafts according to your desire ball flight. Then you will see the difference and you will understand what I’m trying to tell you.
Blades4life
Jun 5, 2019 at 6:15 pm
Goliath or northwestern blades be my opinion .
Dan
Jun 5, 2019 at 5:25 pm
I consider it a good thing that no one has mentioned the Srixon Z785 and Z585. Distance, accuracy and turf interaction with the club head is so damn good! I believe anyone who plays these has an advantage.
Alex
Jun 5, 2019 at 3:54 pm
Anything other than an mb.
J
Jun 5, 2019 at 3:13 pm
MP-18 MB split with JPX 919 Tour of course