Rory McIlroy has made major changes to his bag with a new set of irons. Now he reveals the reasons behind his switch.
Rory McIlroy surprised the golf world earlier this year at the TGL when he debuted a completely new set of irons, making the first change since 2017. After already making some adjustments to his bag in late 2025, only his putter and 4-iron remain from his Augusta victory. Speaking at his season opener in Dubai, he explained the reasons and thoughts behind his switch.
\”If there’s help to be had, I’ll definitely take it\”
The Northern Irishman usually hits near-perfect shots, and even when Rory McIlroy mishits a ball, those shots would still be the best many have ever played. But in professional golf, centimeters can decide birdie or par, victory or defeat, and these small differences prompted McIlroy to change clubs.
\”If there’s help to be had, I’ll definitely take it. I’ve been thinking about it for a while,\” McIlroy said after his opening 66 at the Dubai Invitational on Thursday. \”Even in Dubai late last year, I hit a few 5-irons slightly off-center and instead of coming up five or seven yards short, they were more like 10 to 15 yards short.\”
TaylorMade Custom-Made Irons for Rory McIlroy
TaylorMade crafted him a custom set of P7CBs with a similar leading edge to his P760 long irons – in addition to his regular 4-iron, he also has P760 2- and 3-irons in utility configuration. The 4-, 5-, and 6-irons of this set were used in the opening rounds of the Australian Open last month, and he liked them so much that he also used the 7-, 8-, and 9-irons over the weekend. \”On the firm turf down there, I felt these irons moved through the grass better than the blades,\” he said. \”And since then, I’ve been practicing with them at home.\”
McIlroy also played with a new, yet unreleased 2026 TaylorMade TP Proto golf ball. He debuted the new setup last week, kept his P760 4-iron, and officially played the irons this week in Dubai.
The Trend Toward More Forgiving Clubs
The switch to more forgiving P7CB irons continues a trend increasingly observed at the highest level of golf. More pros are opting for cavity backs over blades, thanks in part to new technologies that, despite a forgiving design, do not sacrifice distance and maintain spin even on off-center hits. While these new clubs may not necessarily add more yards for McIlroy, they will help him make better mistakes, which can ultimately be the decisive difference between winning or losing.