Equipment

My Fitting Experience at PING (i20 Content!)

Published

14 years ago

Jan 1, 2012

In early December I had the opportunity, along with fellow moderators Asleep and beruo, to tour PING’s facilities in Phoenix and get an in-depth look at their new i20 line of clubs. You can read about that here (woods) and here (irons). Being the young gun of the moderating team (21) and this being my first business trip of sorts, I was incredible excited for the experience.

One of the many highlights of the day (to be honest, I feel like everything was a highlight!) was getting to see and try out PING’s latest fitting and information gathering tool – ENSO. ENSO, which has been a collaborative project with Vicon (http://www.vicon.com) and Fujikura, is a camera system that uses lots cameras, all capable of taking tens of thousands of frames per second (PING is the first OEM with this technology). Using little reflective balls (think video game 3D imaging) that are placed on the driver head and shaft these cameras are able to track every little bit of information that an engineer would be interested in. From swing speed, shaft deflection, hand speed, shaft droop at impact, etc. PING’s engineers, led by Dr. Paul Wood, are able to learn why different things act different ways. By gathering this information they are able to better design future shafts and clubs. After hearing about the system of course I wanted to try it! So I put on my golf shoes, stretched out a bit, took some practice swings, and hit a couple balls. I wasn’t looking forward to hitting driver first without any prior warmup, but I did my best. I always knew I had a pretty high swing speed, but after trying ENSO I got an official, legitimate number (the use of cameras eliminates the error that can occur using launch monitors). After a couple mighty thwacks, I caught a good one on my third swing – 118 mph swing speed. While Asleep, beruo, and the 3 engineers showing us the system were taken back by such a high number, my jaw dropped a little bit as well. That was the highest I’ve ever been measured. I’m normally closer to 112, I must’ve had a little adrenaline going!

Better to read the original posting with all the photos and discussion: http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/561463-my-fitting-experience-at-ping-i20-content/

Following lunch, the second half of the day was spent demoing the entire i20 line. I was fortunate enough to go through a full on fitting with master fitter Bill, who does several hundred fittings a year for the likes of touring professionals, collegiate players, celebrities, and other VIPs. Having given them my current club set up prior to heading out to Arizona, there was a bag full of i20 clubs spec’d out to my current gamers to try out on the famous fitting range on the PING campus. After a quick warm up, I jumped to the i20 9 iron with CFS X-stiff shaft. Luckily for me my swing was ‘on’ after not playing much for the month previous. On maybe my fourth or fifth ball I mishit it a little bit and was asked by Mike Nicolette, the man who designed the S56 irons that I game (boy was that cool!) how far I thought the ball went. I said, “Well stock I hit a 9 iron about 150, so maybe that was 145ish?” I hit a few more, maybe 10 balls or so in total, with all the information being tracked by TrackMan and nFlight, then went over to take a look at my numbers. Initial thought – scary long. I averaged 165 yards of carry. I then went to 7 iron, which they had fitted with DG X100 (what I game). Again my numbers were scary, seriously freakishly long. I’d say on course, given normal conditions, my average carry distance is 170-175 or so – but with the i20’s per TrackMan, I was averaging 195 yards. I can’t make this stuff up. I don’t know what it was – the warmer weather, adrenaline, or something else (maybe these clubs are just stupid long?!) but the ball was going to say the least. I finished trying out the irons with a 4 iron which performed, felt, looked, and performed wonderfully. High ball flight, soft landing, consistent, and forgiving – the i20 irons truly have something going for them. Phenomenal performers that I know will be a huge hit on the iron market (not to mention there cavity isn’t gaudy looking, something I REALLY appreciate). While I game X100’s, and will continue to do so, let me say that the CFS shafts are awesome (note my dispersion was tighter with the CFS, but the X100’s give me a feel I’m used to and a flight I prefer). Period. Definitely worth trying.

Better to read the original posting with all the photos and discussion: http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/561463-my-fitting-experience-at-ping-i20-content/

After my insane session with the irons I was really looking forward to trying the hybrid and fairway wood. The i20 hybrid was a dream come true. With a slick matte black crown, black face, and black sole it looks great. Oh yeah, it performs pretty nicely too ;). Designed to take off a little spin compared to the i15 hybrid, I was hitting rockets. Long, high, straight darts from 250+. Looking back writing this, it feels surreal trying to gather my thoughts and memories from my fitting – almost like a dream, a dream come true. While I had gone through 2011 hybrid-less, opting for an extra wedge over my hybrid, I think 2012 might be the year I cave and drop my 3 iron to add a hybrid. The i20 fairway wood was also a great performer. Absolutely awesome club that does its job, and does it well. The only thing I can hold against the hybrid and fairway is that while the black/matte black looks good, I’m afraid it won’t hold up under normal usage. After just a short session trying them out the soles and faces has noticeable marks. Not big chips or anything, but something to be considered.

Better to read the original posting with all the photos and discussion: http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/561463-my-fitting-experience-at-ping-i20-content/

For the last bit of my fitting, I got to try out drivers. Due to my high swing speed, I was brought back into the garage (indoor/outdoor) fitting room that is, I dunno, 60 yards or so further back from where I had been hitting irons/hybrids/fairways. This is where all the pros get fit, which is really cool. Seeing staff bags embroidered with the names of people I have looked up to, knowing this is where they get fit for the best tools for their profession, is a unique feeling I was lucky enough to get to experience. I tried the i20 in 8.5º loft and 70x ‘ahina shaft a half inch under standard (so playing 45″ I believe). This is similar to my setup I use in my current bag, so I wasn’t surprised to see any dramatic difference. Simply a solid performer. An anti-left club if I had to put a word on it. More workable than most as well. I was hitting some bombs. The ball flight wasn’t quite what I wanted to see, so I asked if I could try out the G20 with the same shaft. I have always been that way in the past, 983K instead of 983E, 909D2 instead of 909D3, etc. so I thought it might be a better fit. It was indeed. Similar numbers to the i20, but for whatever reason I felt more comfortable with it. Bill (my fitter) agreed and said that it’s a 75/25 or so split between the G line and i line of drivers. Also in the picture that shows my TrackMan results, I was definitely aimed right. I do NOT hit a left to right ball, trust me. haha

So yeah, I think that about covers everything. If you have any questions just ask, I’ll be checking this thread out quite frequently.

Better to read the original posting with all the photos and discussion: http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/561463-my-fitting-experience-at-ping-i20-content/

Whats in the Bag

Christiaan Maas WITB 2026 (June)

Published

1 hour 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

1 hour 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

4 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.