“What’s in my bag”
Jon Rahm provides some insight on the Taylormade clubs he has been using to great effect on both the PGA and European Tours this yearé
DRIVER
Taylormade M5 9.5˚ Shaft: Aldila Tour Green 70TX
I’ve loved this driver from day one, and I’ve had this Aldila shaft since I got to college. I haven’t changed shaft for seven years! It’s set up to help me hit a fade – there aren’t many draws going on with the driver. I’ve always been an M2 and M4 player just because of the shape and how they looked, but when we tried M5 and M6 for the first time, I told them that I didn’t want to be biased towards either before hitting them. I started hitting and said, “I like this one”, and it was the M5. It was as simple as that.
FAIRWAY WOOD
Taylormade M5 17.5˚ Shaft: Aldila Tour Green 70TX
This used to be the worst club in my bag until Adrian on the Taylormade truck helped me out with my 3-wood. It says 15˚ on it but it’s a high launch – it’s set up higher so it’s more like 17˚. It spins more just to have a little bit more control and it’s set up in a way that makes it easier for me to turn, so it’s my draw club.
DRIVING IRON
Taylormade RSI UDI
Shaft: Project X 6.5
My RSI UDI has got the shaft and specs of a 4-iron, but it’s been delofted to somewhere just past a 3-iron. It’s between this and a 5-wood and the only time I carry it is when I know I’m going to use it off the tee more often. When I’m in America I usually have the 5-wood in because you need to carry it into those greens. This one I can hit high – not as high as the 5-wood – but it’s more a tee-shot club.
IRONS
Taylormade P750 (4-PW) Shaft: Project X 6.5
I played blades in college and my last few years of high school, but I wasn’t the best iron player, so I figured I might as well take the forgiveness. The P750s are very close to P730s – they’re so close to what musclebacks look like, but they just have a little bit more forgiveness. I’ve got used to them and I just like the forgiveness. Maybe the reason I’m such a good ball-striker is because I have these clubs! Some people say with the shorter irons they might like the musclebacks a little better, but I changed and it’s worked ever since. It didn’t take much to get adjusted to it and I’m more consistent with them if anything.
WEDGES
Taylormade Milled Grind Hi-toe 52˚, 56˚ and 60˚ Shaft: Project X 6.5
I hardly ever hit full shots with them – most will be three-quarter and feel shots. A full shot with a 56˚ would go about 102 yards on Trackman, depending on where I am in the world; the 60˚ is usually between 85 and 90 yards and the 52˚ is about 115-120. The only one I’ll hit full sometimes is the 52˚ if I don’t think I can spin it enough with the pitching wedge, but that’s about it.
PUTTER
Taylormade Spider X Tour Shaft: just over 37in
I had a 35in putter from 14 years of age up until my junior or senior year at college. Someone showed me a video of me putting at Pasatiempo, and I looked too hunched over. I actually went through a period where I couldn’t putt for more than 30 minutes because my back would start hurting. It dawned on me, what if I just got a longer putter? The first time I played a full round with a 37in putter I shot something like eight-under and made every single putt. I’ve now got better posture and have been putting better ever since.
BALL
Taylormade TP5
Both Taylormade balls are really good. My first two and a half years I played the TP5X, but I felt I needed a little bit more control around the greens and that’s where the TP5 comes in – closer to the greens it spins a little bit more. I put it into play in New Orleans, chipped in three times and haven’t looked back!