Welcome to Fully Equipped’s weekly Tour gear report. Every Friday of PGA Tour weeks (more times, if news warrants), Jack Hirsh, GOLF Equipment Editor walks you through some of the biggest news surrounding golf clubs on Tour, including changes, tweaks and launches.
It may be time to pour one for one of the oldest fairway woods on the PGA Tour.
“I haven’t really tried anything,” he told Torrey Pines in January. “I’m not a tinkerer. If something works, something works and I don’t really change. I like everything I have in the bag. I feel like I have a good understanding of control, where are the misses.”
That attitude appears to have changed this week at the DP World Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, where Koepka made the surprising decision to retire his nearly decade-old TaylorMade M2 Tour fairway wood for a year. Driver R7 Quad Mini.
That 4-wood has seen a ton of action for Koepka, having been in the bag for all five of his major championships, with a Nike Vapor Fly Pro 3-iron from 2016, one of the only remaining Nike clubs in professional golf.
But, there is reason to believe that this could just be a temporary move for Koepka.
Inside Tour Golfthe crew recruiter on the DP World Tour who first reported Koepka’s move to the R7 Quad this week, is also reporting record mini driver usage for the DP World Tour this week. They counted 49 mini drivers, 29 percent of the field, this week.
A big reason why is the golf links strategy itself. Players generally hit far fewer drivers on the links courses due to the greater runout in the firm turf, as well as the extremely penal pot bunkers that line the fairways.
Mini drivers offer a popular alternative to fairway woods this week because players use them off the tee so often, they might as well go for extra forgiveness from the larger head.
While this is the first time we’ve seen Koepka step away from his M2 Tour, it might not be goodbye forever. It could very well be a temporary move, depending on the course. We’ll just have to wait and see.
PERFORMANCE FOR THE MODERN PLAYER Inspired by one of the most iconic models in TaylorMade history, the R7 Quad Mini Driver pays homage to what came before, while creating its own modern identity in the same breath. It’s that very modern design that incorporates proven TaylorMade technology to give golfers versatility and playability. R7 QUAD WEIGHTING SYSTEM The new quad weighting system features four movable weights (13g x2, 4g x2) that provide the ultimate in spin management and shot shape control. Forward CG creates a more penetrating flight to maximize distance while rear CG helps prioritize control and ease of use from the deck. The stroke shape can also be tuned to help create the most optimal flight. Additional weights can be purchased for a wider range of adaptability. INFINITY CARBON CROWN A new satin Infinity Carbon crown has been added to the R7 Quad Mini Driver chassis creating a stunning look while saving weight for better mass optimization. The cosmetic package is clean, elegant and confidence-inspiring.
As for Koepka’s Nike Vapor Fly Pro 3 iron, that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere at the moment and Koepka is also back in his Scotty Cameron T22 Newport 2 blade after mixing up several putters this season.
This week, McLaren staffers Justin Rose and Ian Poulter give us the first look at the 2 Series cavity iron prototype at Dunhill.
Poulter gave gearheads a sneak peek of the prototypes and confirmed they were Series 2 on his Instagram story last week. Both the name and design would seem to imply that the hollow-back fits right between the blades of McLaren’s Series 1 and the spacing irons of the Series 3 players.
It’s also evident based on how Rose and Poulter have built the new irons in their sets this week, with both players opting for the Series 2 in the 4-thru 6 iron while keeping the Series 1 blades in the 7-PW.
A muscular cavity with the sensation you expect and the forgiveness you don’t get. Series 1 is a modern muscular cavity, engineered for Metal Injection Molding. It offers a level of forgiveness that traditional forging cannot achieve, while maintaining the feel and workability often lost in cast designs. The result is uncompromising performance – a blade for elite players who demand more from their irons.
While McLaren has remained tight-lipped about the design, we can probably safely assume that the new cavity-back is a Metal Injection Molding (MIM) construction, as Series 1 and Series 3. There is also the presence of the structural network inside the upper half of the cavity, similar to the previous irons.
Check this out
This section is dedicated to the fantastic photos we’ve taken recently on the Tour, but haven’t had a reason to share yet. This week, check out the wear pattern on Brooks Koepka’s M2 Tour 4-wood.
If this is the end, it’s been a good run.
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
Odds and Ends
Some other gear changes and notes we’ll be following this week.
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