Equipment

Is the R&A coming for drivers?

Published

6 years ago

Jul 14, 2020

R&A chief Martin Slumbers has issued a stark message which could bring an end to the likes of Bryson DeChambeau’s recent dismantling of golf courses – and it could also spell big changes for manufacturers.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Slumbers unveiled the areas which the game’s two governing bodies are focusing on to help prevent golf courses being overpowered by today’s professionals, and hinted that significant changes could be on the way for modern driver technology.

“It is too simple just to say change the ball. Way too simple. You can do things with the ball. But it’s the relationship between ball and club which is most important, to me.

The fundamental change in the golf ball since 1999-2000, with the introduction of ProV1 technology, is the ball spins less. And drivers have been designed so it spins even less, which makes it go further.”

Bryson DeChambeau’s unprecedented length off the tee has been a hot topic of discussion since golf’s restart. While Slumbers hailed the 26-year-old’s “extraordinary” ability to combine that power with accuracy, the R&A chief declared that he would be coming back to the issue to address the current lack of balance between skill and power in the sport.

“Bryson, I’m fascinated by. I’m not sure I can remember another sportsman, in any sport, so fundamentally changing their physical shape. But what is extraordinary is that Bryson isn’t the first one to put on muscle in golf. How he’s able to control the ball, with that extra power, is extraordinary. All credit to him, he’s a true athlete.

But I still come back to the belief that golf is a game of skill. And we believe we need to get this balance of skill and technology right. Once we feel that the industry is stable again, which isn’t going to be tomorrow, because we don’t know what’s going to happen over autumn and winter, we will be coming back to that issue in great seriousness.”

Part one of the R&A and USGA’s Distance Report concluded that the increased gains from the bombers off the tee in the game was “detrimental to the sport”. Per his interview with the Mail, Slumbers reiterated that the desire for a balance between skill and technology would head stage two of the report.

“My view is very much that golf is a game of skill. It’s important to have a balance of skill and technology. We did intend to publish the next stage in March, sending out to manufacturers our specific areas of interest. Specific topics we wanted to evaluate before considering what equipment changes we would – or would not – put in place.

It’s all been put on hold because the world has a lot more to worry about. And we were conscious of the golf industry having the time to recover. But we will bring that topic back – because it does need to be discussed.”

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Gianni Magliocco

Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at [email protected]

18 Comments

Evan

Jul 15, 2020 at 4:37 pm

Reducing the cc on drivers would be interesting – back to say the great big Bertha cc head volume. And, given how much less the ball spins now, narrow up the fairways ~10%-15%. It would be interesting to see who’d benefit with those changes.

Reply Report comment
George

Jul 15, 2020 at 11:37 am

I agree with a comment earlier! This should have been addressed long ago. That being said, the game needs to go back to old school. Narrower fairways , lined with trees and rough. Shaping shots has disappeared. Definitely need to re-evaluate equipment.

Reply Report comment
Brandon

Jul 15, 2020 at 11:15 am

Slumbers: “It’s incredible the skill that Bryson has to have to keep the ball accurate at those distances.”

Also Slumbers: “But golf should be a game of skill”

Reply Report comment
Steve H

Jul 15, 2020 at 10:36 am

Stop overthinking it. Thick rough, narrow fairways and rock hard greens. Break out the earplugs. The money likes 350 yard drives and 20+ under tourneys. The Tour has a target score for every event and the only thing that changes it is Mother Nature and she doesn’t golf.

Reply Report comment
Rich Douglas

Jul 14, 2020 at 4:13 pm

Bifurcation is something that has been under discussion for years. It’s not the technology that causes pause, it’s equipment sales.

Reply Report comment
jason

Jul 14, 2020 at 3:57 pm

After Bryson’s 4th Major, then we can have this absurd and obtuse conversation.

Also, Lance Armstrong completely changed his body type to much thinner and toned, which is MUCH harder than getting bigger. Plus he had cancer.

Reply Report comment
- Craig
  
  Jul 14, 2020 at 9:58 pm
  
  Plus he had every PED known to man in his system.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Jack Nash
    
    Jul 15, 2020 at 4:25 pm
    
    Some people just don’t want to remember that part.
    
    Reply Report comment
Erik

Jul 14, 2020 at 3:33 pm

The issue is not the ball or the club, it is the players. If the problem were the ball and/or the clubs, amateurs would have gained as much as the pros, probably more due to a greater percentage of of center hits being corrected. If you check driving distance numbers, amateurs are up 8 yards from 1996 to 2019. The pros are stronger, more flexible, better coached, and have access to better data. Bryson more than anyone just proved that by adding 40 pounds of muscle adjusting his swing and driver based on trackman data and gaining 23 yards on average.

Reply Report comment
- Craig
  
  Jul 14, 2020 at 10:01 pm
  
  Amateurs have gained. Not the high handicappers because they just hit it sideways, but for good players compared to mid 90s distance there is at least 20 yard gain.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Harry Vardon
    
    Jul 15, 2020 at 4:01 pm
    
    You have some data to back up your “20 yards” number or is your personal estimate aka mild BS.
    
    Most of the posters on this website are completely out of touch with the average golfer. You all talk like you are experts and scratch or better. 99% of you are armchair QBs who predict the past and reminisce about the future.
    
    The only people over powering courses or in danger of doing so are the professionals. Golf has been heading towards bifurcation for a long time. It’s the only way they will save the pro game and satisfy the manufacturers.
    
    How many of you experts are playing from the back on 7000+ yds courses? Probably just about zero.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Jack Nash
      
      Jul 15, 2020 at 4:28 pm
      
      I hit my best drive in ages the other day. 220 yds wind aided. Then again almost 70 yrs old with a new knee one that’s shot, along with a hip. I’m happy to hit it in the fairway.
      
      Reply Report comment
Donn Rutkoff

Jul 14, 2020 at 1:50 pm

Do club pros see the same distance problem among regular golfers? Club tournaments, USGA Amateurs, NCAA? Are regular distance golfers now permanent losers and only the longos winning at all these other levels? Isn’t this just a Tour level thing? Is it a problem in LPGA?

Reply Report comment
- Craig
  
  Jul 14, 2020 at 10:05 pm
  
  Elite amateurs have the same problem. LPGA it is less problem because they can just move back to the mens tees on most course without major course renovation, but they have big gains as well. Driving distance leader is 27 yards longer on LPGA compared to 1995.
  
  Basically the only people that haven’t experienced gains are those that can’t hit the ball straight, double figure handicappers.
  
  Reply Report comment
Larry B

Jul 14, 2020 at 12:09 pm

Titleist just showed how to rein in the distance with the dimpleless Pro V1 test, which cut distance by 50% to 60%. With a little engineering, a rule limiting either the number of dimples or the percentage of ball surface area allowed to be covered with dimples could make a distance limited ball for tour play, while still keeping competition between the ball marketers. Jack was right, control the ball.

Reply Report comment
brenner

Jul 14, 2020 at 11:06 am

Who the fck cares if greens are being driven. Which old guy that can’t hit it 200 yards suddenly determined that hitting it long is not allowed. Roll back distance and that will be the last golf tournament I ever watch. So sicj and tired of shitty, short hitters who are jealous of bombers trying to change the game. Its so fucking cringe. Watching the last ryder cup in Europe was the most boring form of golf in history, and thats the type of trash yall want at every event?

Reply Report comment
Shallowface

Jul 14, 2020 at 10:44 am

Regulating drivers would be another one of those things (so common today) where it looked like someone was trying to do something, but would have no real effect.

The problem is the low spin rate of the ball. Frank Thomas, who was the USGA Technical Director in the late 90s, never could get his head around the idea that pros would play anything but high spinning wound balls. I knew as a kid back in the 70s playing cheap Spalding rocks that the wound ball would eventually disappear. The hard ball popped high immediately off the clubface and was just fine for the short shots. It was superior for everything else, so none of this was a surprise to me.

The apologists will tell you that Tour driving stats haven’t changed all that much in recent years, but that is because the ball goes so far that a lot of clubs other than drivers (a 300 yard 4 iron for example) are hit from tees and all of that goes into the stats. But, the real problem isn’t the driver. It’s the 225 yard 7 iron, and that is entirely due to the ball. If you could lay up to 225 and still hit a 7 iron into a green, where is the stress in that? 225 used to be a 4 wood on Tour.

What needs to happen is determine how much a wound ball spun back when the original Overall Distance Standard took effect in the 70s, and legislate that spin rate into the rules. FOR EVERYONE.

That is what needs to happen. But it won’t. If the USGA or R&A attempted that, the result would be worse than them getting sued. They would be ignored. Rendered completely irrelevant. The PGA Tour would be the new rule making body. The USGA and R&A only have the authority they are granted, by individuals, member-guests, scrambles or professional tours. They will surface and bluster about this issue every so often, but at the end of the day they’ll do nothing and like it.

Reply Report comment
Billy C

Jul 14, 2020 at 7:31 am

Too late IMO…They have sat back until the ball is going so far greens are being driven and now all of the sudden its a problem. Jack told them years ago to roll it back but it fell on deaf ears.

Reply Report comment

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Whats in the Bag

Christiaan Maas WITB 2026 (June)

Published

10 hours ago

Jun 11, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

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

Published

10 hours ago

Jun 11, 2026

Alistair Cameron

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

Published

13 hours ago

Jun 11, 2026

Alistair Cameron

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.