Golf’s Next Star Is The Only PGA Tour Player Gaming These Irons

Chris Gotterup has all the makings of a PGA Tour star.

The 26-year-old University of Oklahoma product has power for days, ranking No. 7 in driving distance last season. While the rest of his game can run hot and cold, Gotterup has plenty of hot weeks—including the recent Sony Open where he captured his third Tour victory.

Making the U.S. Presidents Cup team and next year’s Ryder Cup squad is definitely on the table.

For the most part, Gotterup’s bag is mixed but fairly standard.

• PING G440 LST driver
• TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper
• TaylorMade Qi35 5-wood
• TaylorMade MG5 wedges
• TaylorMade Spider Tour X L-Neck putter

He also, noticeably, brings out a vintage TaylorMade RSi TP UDI 1-iron for links golf.

But you will notice I omitted his main set of irons.

Gotterup plays Bridgestone irons

Wait, that’s a typo, right?

Nope. About 13 months ago, Bridgestone unveiled the first clubs they had made in about five years—the 220 MB, 221 CB and 222 CB+, along with two forged wedges.

Gotterup joined Bridgestone in February 2023 and extended his contract in 2025.

He initially gamed the 221 CB irons, a forged player’s cavity-back, but he has since switched to the 220 MB irons, a traditional forged player’s muscle-back blade.

The 220 MBs were not included in our iron test last year, but the 221 CBs were. They finished tied for 12th among 22 entries in the player’s iron category.

According to Bridgestone, the 220 MBs have Tour Groove Design with “super precise .02mm groove for stable consistent spin on all shots.”

They also laud the “consistent ball flight from the balanced center of gravity throughout the set” and “compact clubhead for maximum workability.”

It’s believed that Gotterup is the only Tour player using the brand’s irons.

He has KBS CTaper 130 X shafts (heavy, low launch/spin) to match his very steep angle of attack.

We know plenty of guys and girls using the Bridgestone ball but it’s a rarity to see a top pro—top 20 in the world, no less—playing irons that are pretty much absent in the pro golf world.

Gotterup ranked 105th in Strokes Gained: Approach last season and was right around field average last week at the Sony. He was a menace off the tee, ranking second in that category.

He’s also using the new Bridgestone ball

Gotterup is using the Bridgestone VS Black Proto which has since been announced as the 2026 edition of the Bridgestone Tour B X. The prototyping process for the new ball went through 20 different material formulations and more than 240 prototypes.

In November, the company showed testing results with regular golfers increasing ball speed by 2.3 mph, gaining 8.7 yards of added distance with different VS Proto balls. Tiger Woods said he saw ball speed increases and said he would play the new ball in competition when he returned.

What do we think of Gotterup’s unique setup? Has anyone tried the Bridgestone irons?

Let me know in the comments.

Top Photo Caption: Chris Gotterup used Bridgestone irons on his way to victory this past week. (GETTY IMAGES/Mike Mulholland)