Rory McIlroy has made significant changes to his bag, now playing a new set of irons. He reveals the reasons behind his switch.
Rory McIlroy surprised the golf world at the start of the year at the TGL when he appeared with a completely new set of irons – his first change since 2017. Having already made some bag adjustments in autumn 2025, only his putter and 4-iron from his Augusta victory remain. Speaking at his season opener in Dubai, he shared the reasons behind his change.
‘If There’s Help, I’ll Definitely Take It’
Almost all of the Northern Irishman’s shots land nearly perfectly; even when Rory mishits, those shots would be the best many players could produce. But at the professional level, centimeters decide birdie or par, victory or defeat – and these small differences motivated McIlroy’s switch in clubs.
\”If there’s help, I’ll definitely take it. I’ve been thinking about it for a while,\” McIlroy said after his opening 66 at the Dubai Invitational. \”Even back in late 2025 in Dubai, I hit some 5-irons slightly off-center, and instead of missing by five to seven yards, I was missing by ten to fifteen yards.\”
TaylorMade Custom Clubs for McIlroy
TaylorMade crafted a custom set of P7CB irons with a similar leading edge to his P760 long irons. Alongside his regular 4-iron, he also has P760 2- and 3-irons in utility versions. The 4-, 5-, and 6-irons of this set saw action during the opening rounds of the Australian Open last month, and he liked them so much he added the 7-, 8-, and 9-irons over the weekend. \”On the firm turf there, I felt these irons sliced through better than blades,\” he said. \”Since then, I have been practicing with them at home.\”
McIlroy also tested a new, unreleased 2026 TaylorMade TP Proto golf ball. He debuted the new setup last week while keeping his P760 4-iron and officially played with these irons in Dubai this week.
The Trend Towards More Forgiving Irons
The shift to the more forgiving P7CB irons continues a trend increasingly seen at the highest level of golf. More professionals are abandoning blades in favor of more forgiving cavity-backs. Thanks to new technologies that maintain distance and spin control even on imperfect shots, these irons help generate better misses rather than extra yards – the crucial difference between victory and defeat.
‘If there’s help to be had I’ll definitely take it!’
Rory McIlroy explains the reason behind using new clubs and a new ball for