Equipment

TOUR REPORT: John Daly’s bizarre irons, Tiger’s surprising equipment changes

Published

4 years ago

May 20, 2022

Major championships aren’t always the best place to find interesting gear news. By the time it’s the week of a major, players are typically dialed into their equipment and focused on performance and preparation.

This week was different.

An abnormal amount of gear changes happened this week, and GolfWRX was live at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to cover them all.

Yes, Tiger Woods made significant equipment switches this week, but he wasn’t the only one.

In this week’s Tour Report, we highlight the noteworthy equipment news and coolest gear photos from on site at the 2022 PGA Championship.

Let’s dive right in.

Check out all of our photos from the 2022 PGA Championship

1) Tiger Woods makes big changes

Tiger Woods is the undisputed King of the 2-iron stinger. I don’t think I’ll get too many arguments there.

Most golf fans know Woods historically hit his patented stingers with a forged blade long iron. This week, however, Woods surprised us all by switching into TaylorMade’s P-770 2 and 3-irons to replace his usual 5-wood and P-7TW 3-iron setup.

As highlighted in our report for PGATOUR.com, Woods has found greater forgiveness, height and length from the hollow-bodied irons. Both of his new P-770 long irons are also equipped with True Temper’s new Dynamic Gold MID Tour Issue X100 shafts, which are designed for higher spin and launch.

The new irons weren’t the only changes Woods made to his bag setup, though. He also switched from TaylorMade’s MG2 (Milled Grind 2) wedges into the new MG3 wedges this week. His versions have a raw finish, come with his familiarly intricate TW sole grinds, and have more bounce than you may expect.

Any changes that Tiger makes are noteworthy, since he rarely switches his gear up, but he added four new clubs to the bag this week. Check out his entire new gear setup in the link below.

Tiger Woods’ full WITB at the 2022 PGA Championship

2) Webb Simpson ditches his blades

For essentially his entire career, Webb Simpson has been an old-school blade iron user.

Well, not anymore.

Simpson switched from Titleist’s 620 MB irons into the company’s new T100 irons this week. He spoke to the media on Thursday following his first-round 69 regarding the switch:

“I’ve had a couple of short stints with non-blades in my career but not many.”

“I haven’t been hitting my irons great. Approach to the green is typically a strength for me; this year it’s been a weakness, and I’ve struggled out of the rough. I keep getting told that these the irons I’m playing are better out of the rough, better with distance control, better with mis-hits, and so I guess I was being stubborn but finally listened and I really like them.”

“They’re not a whole lot different than mine the way they look, but we’ve had good results with them so far.”

According to Simpson, his caddie Paul Tesori played a role in Simpson’s intrigue in the new T100 irons.

“Yeah, honestly I hadn’t considered it that much at all. Paul mentioned it at Wells Fargo after that first round or maybe after I missed the cut on Friday. Then he came to Charlotte last Wednesday and we were doing some testing, and we were seeing some crazy numbers out of the rough with my blades.”

“Thankfully I live on the golf course, so we drove to my garage, picked up this other set — honestly I didn’t know if I had this other set still. I don’t know if Titleist will like this or not, but if I don’t use a set I give it to a friend. I’m trying to spread the word for Titleist, you know. So I might have given to a friend, but I see them in there, we bring them out, and all the numbers we tested were way better.”

“So I still wasn’t certain that I was going to put them in this week so I have both, but yeah, the biggest thing for me is when I look down I want to make sure it looks good, and then after that all I care about is the numbers and how it’s going to perform out of the rough, and so far they’ve passed the test.”

The lesson here for amateurs is to test a range of different irons to figure out exactly what suits your game best. Even the world’s best ball strikers sometimes opt for more forgiveness.

See more photos of Webb’s new Titleist T100 irons here

3) Dustin Johnson switches to a new putter

Dustin Johnson tests multiple different putters every week leading up to just about every single tournament he plays in. While he typically ends up back into his blacked-out TaylorMade Tour Limited Spider, this week he called up a new Spider GT Splitback putter into his starting lineup.

Here’s what TaylorMade Tour rep Bucky Coe had to say about the switch:

“It’s all about the aesthetics. From the feedback I got from him, he grabbed it off the putting green because he liked the longer shape in the back and felt it was more forgiving with the CG placement. The combination of a white cavity and the single sight line allows him to set it up square and align the ball easily.”

TaylorMade also provided the full specs below.

Model: Spider GT Splitback
Loft: 2 degrees
Lie angle: 69 degrees
Length: 35.75 inches, end of grip
Swing weight: E7
Grip: SuperStroke Pistol GT 1.0
Shaft: LA Golf prototype

4) Custom PGA Championship gear

It goes without saying, but major championships are a big deal in the golf world. Adding to the hype and intrigue, golf manufacturers and apparel companies typically create custom gear that’s special to each of the major events.

With Tulsa, Oklahoma, as the artistic inspiration, golf companies developed their best tributes to the city’s culture and colorways. Which company do you think did it best?

(For reference, in the photo above, Callaway’s staff bag is on the left, Odyssey’s putter covers are top middle, Scotty Cameron’s “Golden Driller Statue” covers are in the middle, Axis1’s putter covers are bottom middle, and TaylorMade’s staff bags are on the right.)

See all of the custom PGA Championship gear

5) John Daly’s wild equipment setup

As we covered in our report for PGATOUR.com this week, 56-year-old John Daly came to the 2022 PGA Championship with a stunning gear setup.

Daly has so much lead tape on his TaylorMade P-770 irons that, honestly, it was difficult to immediately decipher what brand and model he was using.

After speaking with Scott “Scott E.G.” Garrison – his club builder – Daly needed the excessive lead tape because his oversized SuperStroke grips (with 6 wraps underneath) weigh in at 82 grams, which is about 30 grams heavier than standard. In order to offset the grip weight, Daly needed significantly more weight on the heads. Thus, his irons are absolutely caked in lead tape.

Daly also revealed a new PXG “TD” prototype driver; PXG is yet to comment on the driver design, but we’ll update you on GolfWRX.com’s front page as soon as we know more.

John Daly’s full WITB from the 2022 PGA Championship

6) Xander’s new Callaway wedge

The world is waiting on five-time PGA Tour winner Xander Schauffele to win his first major championship. Golf equipment fans are also waiting on more information about his new Callaway Jaws Raw 52-degree wedge. Unfortunately, we don’t know much yet, but we do have photos in his full WITB below from this week.

Xander’s full WITB from the 2022 PGA Championship

7) Patrick Reed’s new Grindworks driver

Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters Champion, has been playing a bag full of Grindworks irons since the end of 2019. The limited edition “PR-101A” irons are forged from S20C soft carbon, and they’re made to his exact look and feel preferences.

The Grindworks connection hasn’t stopped at just the irons, though. Earlier in 2022, Reed revealed a set of custom Grindworks “Barrett” wedges. Now, at the 2022 PGA Championship, Reed put a new Grindworks “Equinox X420” driver in the bag (at least, as of Wednesday ahead of the event).

Reed is a prolific gear tester, so it’s uncertain how long the driver will stay in the bag come competition time, but either way, he helped most of the golf world see the Grindworks driver for the first time.

Patrick Reed’s full WITB from the 2022 PGA Championship

And with that, we say goodbye to Tulsa and the 2022 PGA Championship. We’ll see you next week in Fort Worth, Texas for the 2022 Charles Schwab Challenge at the classic Colonial Country Club.

Check out all of our photos from the 2022 PGA Championship

Up Next

Here’s why Dustin Johnson is using a 9-wood at the 2022 PGA Championship

Don't Miss

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (5/20/22): Mint Cobra LTDx LS 9 degree driver head

Andrew Tursky

He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

Click to comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Equipment

PGA Tour Superstore launches Golf Simulator Showrooms

Published

4 mins ago

Jun 10, 2026

Will Schube

Looking to get your home simulator built, but don’t know where to start? PGA Tour Superstore is here to help you out. Superstores across the country have announced dedicated Golf Simulator Showrooms in stores nationwide.

According to an official press release, “The new showroom experience gives customers the opportunity to demo and compare a wide range of simulator solutions, from high-end systems featuring launch monitors, enclosures and projectors to entry-level net and mat options designed for residential, outdoor and commercial spaces.”

“At PGA Tour Superstore, we are committed to helping our customers improve and get dialed into their game. Simulator technology has become an incredibly powerful tool for that, giving players real data and feedback to practice more effectively and play better,” said Troy, Rice, CEO, PGA Tour Superstore. “At the same time, it has evolved into something much broader, a fun, social way for people to experience the game and, for many, a gateway into traditional on-course golf.”

The Golf Simulator Showrooms will include offerings from the biggest names in launch monitor technology, including Bushnell, Foresight, Full Swing, Garmin, Rapsodo, SkyTrak, Trackman, and Uneekor.

To learn more about simulator options and packages, visit PGA Tour Superstore’s Simulator Guide on its website.

Equipment

200cc 3-wood recommendations – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

6 mins ago

Jun 10, 2026

Will Schube

In our forums, one user is asking for recommendations for a 3-wood in the 200cc range. Standard 3-woods come with heads in the 165cc to 175cc range.

@driverHATE asked:

“I still have and regularly came the Callaway 2 deep. Looking for something similar in size and function. Ideally, the head would be low spin. I have tried many of the other mini drivers from the past and they are either (a) too large or (b) way too spinny.

“Does not need to be a current offering. My research has pointed me to the OG SIM TI, which I will likely try. Just seeing if there are any other similar options I am overlooking. Thanks!”

Our members in the forum have been offering up advice on options driverHATE might consider trying. 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.

Ben B: “I mean the new Qi4D core is 185cc and the max is 200cc. Much like the Qi10 fairways, the 4Ds are starting to gain a lot of traction.”
phizzy30: “OG SIM ti has a bigger foot print with a deep face. It’s considered lower launch/spin with high ball speeds which I agree with after having one for years. I would recommend it or if you want something a bit newer that’s more versatile, the Qi10 tour is it. Qi4d tour is also amazing as well. These two have deeper faces as well and are great tee options. They’re also good off the deck as well provided you can elevate the ball.”
hammergolf: “You will be very hard pressed to find a better performing club than the OG Sim Ti fwy wood. If you can find a rocket model even better.”

Entire Thread: “200cc 3 wood recommendations.”

Equipment

Building the Bag: How Neal Shipley’s switch-up on spin has developed his setup

Published

20 hours ago

Jun 9, 2026

Alistair Cameron

Neal Shipley survived “Golf’s Longest Day” to qualify for the U.S. Open next week at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, and is set to make his first appearance at his national open since he earned low amateur in 2024. So what better time to be featured in another edition of “Building a Bag.”

It’s also a significant time for Shipley to have a breakdown of his setup featured here at GolfWRX, as the Ohio State alum has been through some substantial gear changes over the past few months to combat one thing – over-spinning the golf ball.

So let’s dive into Shipley’s setup:

Big changes start with the ball

Shipley’s major bag update for this season has been a change in golf balls. Initially, in the Titleist Pro V1, Shipley had to remove loft from his long irons to tackle the fact that he overspins the golf ball. But after testing and transitioning to the Pro V1x Double Dot, he was able to find the right numbers and also launch the ball higher.

“I’ve struggled with spin for a long time and I was battling that, especially in my longer irons and had to take a lot of loft off,” Shipley told GolfWRX. “So I struggled when I got the irons in the right spin rates in the right spin windows, not getting enough height. So I was able to go to this ball and add loft, get the lunch I need, without really adding too much spin.”

The lower-launching and lower-spinning Pro V1x variant is a golf ball that transformed Cameron Young’s game and plenty of players have tested it out on Tour, including Kris Ventura and Jhonattan Vegas.

“It’s been nice to kind of launch the ball a little bit more and get some height more with my launch rather than with the ball downfield,” Shipley added. “So it’s been a nice addition. It’s really good in crosswind. It’s great off the tee.”

Soft stepping experiment

From 5- to 9-iron, Shipley plays Ping’s Blueprint T irons, of which he believes are “one of the cleanest looking blades out there.”

The model has been in his bag even before they even went to retail. What’s most interesting about his iron setup, though, is what he’s doing with the shafts.

Shipley plays Dynamic Gold X100 120 shaft, a pretty common low-spinning, low-launch shaft out on Tour. What he and the Ping team have begun experimenting with is soft-stepping, for a few reasons.

“Trying and get a little more, just touch, more height and spin on the ball, a little more deflection,” Shipley said on the process of changing the stiffness of a set of irons by putting the lower-numbered iron shaft throughout the set and changing the distance from the first step in the shaft to the hosel. (ie. The 8-iron shaft is put in the 9-iron and so forth.)

Essentially, the shift makes the shaft slightly weaker by cutting more off the butt end of the club. The change aligns with the ball swap, with Shipley’s freedom now to launch the ball higher with loft without it overspinning. Shipley has also done the same to his i240 4-iron.

No need to de-loft

Shipley plays some of the lowest-lofted clubs out on the PGA Tour. His older Ping G440 LST has just 6.8 degrees of loft – yes, you read that correctly!

Now with the ability to add more loft, thanks to the golf ball change, Shipley’s current driver is at 7.6 degrees. The 9-degree LST head is cranked down on Big Minus on the Ping adapter hosel.

It’s still a stout build, however, as Shipley plays a Fujikura Ventus TR 7x that has been tipped at 2 inches. He also uses the heaviest high-density tungsten back weight available at 35 grams.

More than just the stamps

Shipley was the first to admit that he enjoyed his food while in college. But since his days at Ohio State, he’s slimmed down and earned a PGA Tour Card.

That hasn’t stopped him from having fun with his wedge stampings, though it’s led to some misunderstandings.

On the 54 (degree), we have ‘Big Fudge,'” Shipley said. “It was supposed to be ‘Big Fridge,’ so this happened a little while ago. ‘Big Fridge’ was a nickname between my college teammates and I, with ‘fridge’ meaning stomach, a big stomach.

“We told the Ping guys to put … ‘Big Fridge’ on it, and I think maybe some bad cell service or something, and they thought I said ‘fudge,’ so they put fudge on it.”

On Shipley’s 50-degree he also continues the food theme, this time with his go-to order at the “Golden Arches,” and his stamping “DONS 7.”

“The number 7 meal, the two cheeseburger meal, that was my McDonald’s order, back when I would have McDonald’s frequently,” Shipley shared.

There’s more to just the stamping. He’s stuck with the S159 wedges since graduating from the Korn Ferry Tour, as he feels confident in the head shape.

“I prefer the shape a little bit more of the leading edge, not as rounded of a leading edge, a little bit more straight on,” Shipley added.

The added confidence helps him with adapting to the different grinds needed week-in-week-out on Tour. Shipley is happy to game three different grinds with his lob-wedge.

“Primarily use the T, the H, and then I’ll do a 58S,” Shipley said. “These are actually at 59 degrees. I’ll do the 58 strengthen to take a little bit of bounce off in the S grind and then we’ll shave some trail edge and heel edge relief. Just helps act as like a higher bounce essentially. So kind of stick with those most of the time.”

Heavier the better

The final piece to Shipley’s puzzle is his custom Ping PLD Anser 4D. It’s somewhat of a gentle giant, featuring a heavier-than-usual head, but a custom aluminium insert.

“It’s a little bit heavier, I think this one’s 355 to 360 grams, so a little bit heavier head,” Shipley said. “So the heavier head I feel like has helped me on some of the shorter putts with a little bit of stability.

“But the insert, I think, has been helpful in some of the longer putts. Just kind of slowing the ball down with the softer insert in the grooves.”

Shipley’s one of the few players left on Tour playing an actual Anser blade, having said in the past that he naturally sets up to the right on putts and allows the face to rotate through. Something which he hasn’t been able to mimic with a mallet.

Shipley’s full bag:

Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees @ 7.6)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7X (45 inches, tipped 2 inches)

Mini driver: Ping prototype
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 8X

3-wood: Titleist TSR3 (13.5 degrees, C2 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8X

5-wood: Ping G440 Max (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black VeloCore+ 8X

Irons: Ping iDi (3 @ 19.25), Ping i240 (4), Ping Blueprint T (5-9)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 10X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 X100 (4-9 soft-stepped)

Wedges: Ping s159 (46-12S, 50-10S, 54-12S, 60 T or H @ 59)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 X100 (46-50), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (54-60)

Putter: Ping PLD Anser 4D

Grips: Golf Pride ZGrip Cord

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Double Dot