Equipment

14 Revealing photos from the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont

Published

10 years ago

Jun 18, 2016

GolfWRX was live this week from the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania. If you missed any of the photos from the week, make sure to browse all of the galleries in the links below.

Oakmont is really difficult, the winning score will probably be over par and players will complain. Also, equipment companies released some awesome one-off gear for the U.S. Open.

Any other questions? Good. Now let’s reveal some photos from an awesome week in photography.

College vs. Pros

In American sports, you’ll often hear a hypothetical question posed that goes something like “Do you think the Alabama Crimson Tide could beat the Jacksonville Jaguars?” It’s a ridiculous question, but also very fun to hear both sides of the coin.

In golf, we have the U.S. Open to settle that debate. Since the U.S. Open is indeed an Open, and allows any golfer with a certain handicap a chance to qualify, you often end up with a slew of the best college golfers competing against the top pros in the world. So you’ll see a large number of college golf bags at Oakmont this year.

If you don’t know who to root for at the Open, maybe you can find a golfer who’s representing your alma-mater.

An Oakmont Ode to the “City of Champions”

Equipment companies always bring their best out for the U.S. Open. This year, Odyssey/Callaway stole the show with designs that represent Pittsburgh’s sports franchises, and Oakmont as well.

The putter covers are a shoutout to the throwback Steelers uniforms, with the number 16, which I’ll take a wild guess represents both the year 2016, and the 116th championship.

Also, the bags are a stroke of genius, with “Church Pew” and Steeler-logo zippers. The custom Oakmont logo is awesome, too.

The bag strap has 12 stripes, representing the 12 church pews in the iconic bunker between hole Nos. 3 and 4. I told you they were intricate.

Nike players are custom Ballin’

Can you guess the U.S. Open player that customized each of the golf balls, and what the logos stand for? GolfWRX members decode them in our forums. Click to see if you were correct.

Location, location, location

This tire shop knows exactly what it’s doing. As players at Oakmont invariably have the wheels come off on their rounds on Nos. 7 and 8, they can go right across the road and get them fixed. Brilliant.

What’s the local rule on Trucker honks?

Surely you know by now, if you’ve seen coverage of the U.S. Open, there’s a turnpike that cuts through the course, with holes 2 through 8 “across the road.” And the road is dangerously close to where players tee off on No. 9. A flinchy player could certainly be thrown off by an inadvertent, or purposeful honk.

There’s also a train track, which could cause even more of a distraction, especially for players putting on the 8th green (pictured to the left).

Will-it be put into play?

Danny Willet, as a proud Masters Champion, brought these custom Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana shafts out on the range at the U.S. Open. The green and yellow shaft has the date and rounds of his 2016 Masters victory.

Also, it was a big week for Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana shafts, as a few new models were unveiled. Check them out here and here.

Streb’s Stanley wedge

Robert Streb, king of wedge stampings, is from Oklahoma, so I’m not exactly sure why he has this stamping, but it’s cool nonetheless. The local Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup on the Sunday before the U.S. Open began, so it’s only right that someone in the field bagged a celebratory wedge, in custom black-and-yellow lettering.

The Three Sisters

Adidas released these BOA Tour360 shoes ahead of the U.S. Open, and a few were spotted on the range this week. While in Pittsburgh, of course I had to check out the inspiration for these shoes — the Three Sisters bridges.

If you’re in the area this week, or ever find yourself in Pittsburgh, I highly recommend taking the Duquesne Incline to check out this awesome view of the city and the patented-Pittsburgh yellow bridges.

Board up those swing flaws

There’s something poetic about being at the U.S. Open competing for millions of dollars, and practicing with a chewed up block of wood from the woodshed as a training aid to cure a swing flaw. Just goes to show, you don’t need the most expensive gadgets to improve your game, even at the highest level.

Dab on ’em

Harold Varner III brought the “Dab” dance into the world of golf, and now it makes its debut at the U.S. Open via this Florida Gator’s putter head cover.

It’s the dance that refuses to die.

Doing it big at the U.S. Open

Everything at the U.S. Open is bigger. The course, the grandstands, the Trackman tri-pods and even the cameras.

Check out how big this camera rig is. You now know what goes into producing the TV visuals of the panning shots on the putting green and No. 18.

Is Rory a GolfWRXer?

Only a GolfWRXer would be at the U.S. Open checking out another golfer’s driver shaft.

What’s a thicker lie?

Landing in this guy’s afro, or the rough beside 18 green?

It’s not all misery

The media and TV coverage will use words like grueling, a battle and a grind to describe the U.S. Open, but for fans the U.S. Open is often nothing but a good time. And oh yeah, “GolfWRX rocks!”

Bonus: Food Review

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m not a food expert, but I have consumed sustenance before. While the food at Oakmont was much more expensive that it was at The Masters, it did offer an array of options including Primanti Bros, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and Oakmont Grill.

Chicken Sandwich ($8.50)

Grilled chicken, with melted (kinda) cheese and bread; certainly nothing fancy. It was the vanilla of ice cream. But they let you put your own toppings on it, and you can’t beat the view (Church Pews pictured below).

Rating: 1 Oakmont Squirrel out of 5

Steak Sandwich ($15.00)

Fairly well seasoned. A bit dry. Some pieces were too overdone. But very tasty, especially after walking about 20,000 steps around Oakmont, and adding some creamy horseradish sauce.

Rating: 3 Oakmont Squirrels out of 5

Nearby “Best” Cheesesteak ($11.00)

So I recently read a ranking from USA Today that said a Cheesesteak joint — called Groove Cheesteak Co. in nearby Pittsburgh — had the best PHILLY Cheesesteak in Pennsylvania. Blasphemy, right? I had to check it out.

The veggies tasted fresh and weren’t too greasy, the cheese sauce was delectable, and the steak was juicy and flavorful. BUT, it was far from the best cheesesteak I’ve ever had, which makes me wonder why USA Today ventured outside of Philly to don the “Best Cheesesteak” award. Would definitely eat it again, though.

Rating: 4 Oakmont Squirrels out of 5

Whats in the Bag

Christiaan Maas WITB 2026 (June)

Published

2 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

2 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

5 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.