Equipment

Magna is back and bringing oversized with it!

Published

7 years ago

Feb 9, 2019

Are you a hardcore golfer looking for multi-piece ball offering tour-level distance and spin around the greens? Well this ball isn’t for YOU, and thats ok.

BUT…

If you’re a casual, fair-weather, lower-swing-speed, higher-handicap, out-for-some-fun kind of golfer, who is looking to hit more fairways, and greens, or if you want something that feels nice and soft, along with being a great value from a premium ball company…

Callaway might have just created your new favorite ball: the Callaway Supersoft Magna!

Many people might remember the Magna name thank to TopFlite, but other than sharing a name (Callaway purchased TopFlite and Spalding brands years ago) this Magna is a whole new beast.

Built from the ground up, utilizing technology and materials from the SuperSoft line, the New Magna is soft-feeling, low-compression, low-spin, two-piece ball thats easier to get airborne, thanks to its large size (1.72″ vs a standard 1.68″) and higher center of gravity.

Similar to the way more people get enjoyment playing softball than “hardball” baseball, since that larger ball instills a bit more confidence to make contact, has a higher moment of inertia, and is inherently easier to hit.

BUT a larger ball means it’s worse in the wind right?

Callaway looked to solve that problem by re-engineering the Magna’s HEX Aerodynamics cover design, to help eliminate the extra drag created by the larger surface. They by no means claim that it has the wind piercing capabilities of a ChromeSoft, but the “Magna Player” should actually seeing improved distance thanks to the lower spin and straighter flight.

Available in both white and yellow (sorry, no Truvis yet) the Magna comes in at a very reasonable $22.99 a dozen, and could be a big (shall we say, “oversized”) hit (couldn’t resist) with the target golfer.

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Ryan Barath

Ryan Barath is a club-fitter & master club builder with more than 17 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. He is the former Build Shop Manager & Social Media Coordinator for Modern Golf. He now works independently from his home shop and is a member of advisory panels to a select number of golf equipment manufacturers. You can find Ryan on Twitter and Instagram where he's always willing to chat golf, and share his passion for club building, course architecture and wedge grinding.

32 Comments

Magna Watcher

Feb 17, 2019 at 7:10 am

Anyone play these yet? Are they easier to hit?

Reply Report comment
Safe Hans

Feb 12, 2019 at 7:56 am

How can a sphere have a higher centre of gravity??

Reply Report comment
Steve Cantwell

Feb 11, 2019 at 4:28 pm

Being a traditionalist, I don’t much care for the idea of a larger golf ball. However, being a realist, this seems like a pretty good idea. It’s not as if another player is taking money out of my pocket.

Reply Report comment
Joey5Picks

Feb 11, 2019 at 12:18 am

“…easier to get airborne, thanks to its large size (1.72? vs a standard 1.68?) and higher center of gravity.”

So the center of gravity is .02″ higher (half the difference in the diameter, about 1/2mm)? I don’t see how that will make it easier to get airborne.

Reply Report comment
- joe
  
  Feb 11, 2019 at 7:27 pm
  
  golf is a game of 0.inches!
  
  Reply Report comment
George Bush 3

Feb 10, 2019 at 9:51 pm

I really do not like black people.

Reply Report comment
Shank Haney

Feb 10, 2019 at 8:37 pm

My hosels will be definitely be seeing more action.

Reply Report comment
Brad

Feb 10, 2019 at 7:59 pm

This ball won’t go as far as a traditional ball for a decent player, nor would it give any advantages to them whatsoever. On the other hand, it would be easier for Junior or beginning player to hit and get in the air, making it a little less likely they would quit the game out of frustration.

How about the whiners keep playing their balata ball, 1950’s irons and persimmon woods and let the rest enjoy the game. Oh, wait I’ll bet none of the whiners have ANY problem using a 460cc titanium driver, super-juiced irons, and a super-low spin ball to make the game easier for them to play…so never mind.

Reply Report comment
Bruce

Feb 10, 2019 at 7:14 pm

I bought some yesterday and I’m excited about trying them whenever the weather clears up. They’re noticeably bigger even my girlfriend that doesn’t play could tell they were much larger than a typical golf ball. When I addressed the ball with a wedge it just gave you confidence. I’m only worried that you might loose some distance cause they also feel much lighter than a standard ball. I can see how hitting a fairway wood off the deck would give you huge benefits it’s almost as the ball is teed up.

Reply Report comment
- john
  
  Feb 11, 2019 at 11:44 am
  
  I’m opposed to these. I get a lot of free beers betting that I can get four golf balls in my mouth at one time. I’ll only be able to manage three with these even with my teeth out.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Charlie
    
    Feb 11, 2019 at 12:41 pm
    
    Tears are pouring down my face from laughing at this too hard.
    
    Reply Report comment
Wes B

Feb 10, 2019 at 6:57 pm

I think this is awesome. I’ll use these to help my little brother gain some confidence hitting the ball!! I’m not switching from my TP5X anytime soon but they might be fun to mess around with. Really good for the game here.

Reply Report comment
Seth Riser

Feb 10, 2019 at 6:30 pm

Wow. Congrats Callaway. You just dumbed down golf.

Reply Report comment
- Craig
  
  Feb 12, 2019 at 5:27 am
  
  That’s what they have been doing since the original Big Bertha.
  
  Reply Report comment
Simms

Feb 10, 2019 at 2:23 pm

Anything golf companies can do to help speed/enjoyment of the game is super important…here in California we have golf courses closing all the time because of lack of play and cost of maintenance. And the courses still open are being held on by the play of senior golfers during the week…so anything to improve their enjoyment is a must,

Reply Report comment
- Jim Garner
  
  Feb 11, 2019 at 1:07 pm
  
  I thought CA was closing them down to make homeless shelters for illegals.
  
  Reply Report comment
Magna

Feb 10, 2019 at 2:22 pm

It’s easier to find!

Reply Report comment
Chip

Feb 10, 2019 at 2:07 pm

Where the USGA/RA at on this?

Reply Report comment
- USGA/RA
  
  Feb 10, 2019 at 7:21 pm
  
  1.68″ is the minimum size of a golf ball. There is no maximum.
  
  Reply Report comment
Joseph D

Feb 10, 2019 at 1:41 pm

Oh so, 460 cc drivers and oversized putting grips are ok?

Reply Report comment
- Joey5Picks
  
  Feb 10, 2019 at 11:43 pm
  
  Yes
  
  Reply Report comment
Sandhills Golf

Feb 10, 2019 at 1:38 pm

What’s the big deal? If it makes a few sr’s, jr’s and lady golfers enjoy the game more or keep up better? Why not? Lot’s of baseball players use aluminum bats. I suspect with it’s intro the haters came out at that time as well.

Reply Report comment
- Adam
  
  Feb 11, 2019 at 9:42 am
  
  I wish there was a way to upvote this comment! 🙂
  
  Reply Report comment
- Mark
  
  Feb 11, 2019 at 1:04 pm
  
  Thank you Sandhills Golf!
  
  Reply Report comment
Bob

Feb 10, 2019 at 9:05 am

Why dont we just use rubber balls so we can all hit it 400 yards and just putt .think of the money we could save on irons . Lets get real about the game .

Reply Report comment
- JP
  
  Feb 10, 2019 at 1:15 pm
  
  In what way does this ball hurt the game? It’s tailored to a small minority that can’t hit it very far either way, so where do you see the problem?
  
  Reply Report comment
- Funkaholic
  
  Feb 11, 2019 at 12:19 pm
  
  If they aren’t competing with you, why do you get your panties in a wad over how another person chooses to enjoy the game?
  
  Reply Report comment
X

Feb 10, 2019 at 2:35 am

So sad.
Everybody wants to play away from the rules. And we’re selling them the drugs to fuel it.
And they wonder why there is rampant bad behavior all over the game

Reply Report comment
- scratchgolfer48069
  
  Feb 10, 2019 at 5:40 am
  
  Unless something changed this year, the rules govern a minimum size and maximum weight, so I don’t think the stretches or breaks any rules.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Rich Douglas
  
  Feb 10, 2019 at 11:10 am
  
  The ball breaks no rules. The rules say how SMALL the ball can be, not how large. They also dictate how heavy the ball can be, but not how light.
  
  This ball conforms.
  
  Reply Report comment
- USGA/RA
  
  Feb 10, 2019 at 7:22 pm
  
  So sad.
  Everybody wants to whinge about the rules, but yet doesn’t know them.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Johnno
    
    Feb 11, 2019 at 7:19 am
    
    Agreed
    
    Reply Report comment

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Equipment

Then and now: Comparing Rory McIlroy’s current setup to his record-breaking 2019 Canadian Open victory

Published

1 hour 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.

Equipment

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

Published

4 hours 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.