TaylorMade released a video this week that is worth your time. Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood played a three-hole match … using each other’s clubs. If you care about fitting, I think you’ll like this one. It gives some insight that we don’t normally get from professionals. These are two of the best players in the world and neither of them could fully escape the clubs that weren’t built for them. Here’s what stood out.
Differences between the golf bags
The beginning of the video does not start with a full WITB or spec sheet for either player. Here’s what I was able to pull about some of the minor differences:
- Lie angle: Fleetwood plays 1-degree upright, Rory plays flatter.
- Iron shafts: Fleetwood is in a Project X 6.5, Rory a 7.
- Grips: McIlroy has cord on his wedges and woods, softer rubber on his irons. Fleetwood runs softer rubber throughout.
- Wedge loft: Fleetwood carries a 60-degree, Rory a 61.
- Putter length: Fleetwood’s is 35 inches, Rory’s 34.
Here’s a look at the current club setup for each player:
Tommy Fleetwood vs. Rory McIlroy (2026 WITB Comparison)
| Category | Tommy Fleetwood | Rory McIlroy |
|---|---|---|
| Driver | TaylorMade Qi4D LS | TaylorMade Qi4D |
| Fairway Woods / Top of Bag | TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver, Qi35 5W, Qi4D 9W | TaylorMade Qi10 3W, Qi4D 5W |
| Irons | TaylorMade P7TW (5–PW), GAPR Lo (4) | TaylorMade P760 (4), Rors Proto (5–9) |
| Wedges | TaylorMade MG Hi-Toe 3 (52°), MG Proto (56°, 60°) | TaylorMade MG5 (46°, 50°, 54°, 61°) |
| Putter | TaylorMade Spider Tour Black | TaylorMade Spider Tour X |
| Ball | TaylorMade TP5x | TaylorMade TP5 |
Truth 1: Lie angle is not a minor detail
The moment Fleetwood picked up McIlroy’s irons, the problems started. McIlroy plays his irons slightly flatter than standard and Tommy is one degree upright because of the way he releases the club at impact. That difference showed up immediately.
The 5-iron came out short and spinny, nowhere near where Fleetwood expected it. This is the fitting detail most amateur golfers wave off as something only Tour pros need to worry about. If your lie angle is off, your ball flight is off.
Truth 2: Clubs are built to produce a specific shot
McIlroy’s driver wanted to cut. Fleetwood mentioned it almost immediately and even when he tried to hit it straight, the ball kept moving right.
You saw the same thing with the 9-wood. McIlroy hit it a few times and it kept flying about the same distance, regardless of how he swung it.
These clubs are built to produce a certain flight, spin and distance window. When you put them in someone else’s hands, those tendencies don’t go away. Even the best players in the world have to work with the limitations a golf club puts in place.
Truth 3: Feel changes how you swing
Some of the biggest differences had nothing to do with ball flight. They were feel-based.
The grip differences and swing weight were two of the most obvious. Even the putter felt different enough to change how they approached the stroke.
Fleetwood noticed these feel differences in his tempo. When something feels heavier or just different in your hands, you instinctively adjust. You might not notice it right away but it changes how you move the club.
This is where fitting becomes so important.
The data still has to work but the club also has to feel right. If it’s too far off, you won’t swing it the same way, no matter what the numbers say. The goal is finding a setup where both are within a range that lets you perform.
Final thoughts
McIlroy and Fleetwood are two of the best ball strikers in the world and even they couldn’t just pick up each other’s clubs and go win an event. If that happens to them, think about what’s happening to you every round with clubs that were never fitted to your swing. Get fitted.
Ernie NOT Els
2 months ago
I agree, lie angle is super important. Many years ago (1985) I got fitted for a set of Ping Eye 2’s. At the time the fitting process was totally new to me. Of course, there were no simulators or launch monitors back then, and what I remember the most of the process was the Ping color chart. The fitter watched me swing the club a few times and looked at my positions at address and recommended I order the set with the “Brown” color dot with a lie angle of 3° flat. That was the beginning of many years of problems for me. With my previous set of Pings, which were stolen, they were off the shelf stock with a standard lie angle. I developed a really nice baby draw with these irons and I could score great rounds with these. Now with the “fitted” Eye 2’s I was fading all my shots and I lost 5-7 yards with closer to 10 yards with my long irons (2, 3, 4). I thought it was me being totally ignorant about club specs., so I just kept at it with this set for years. Fast forward to the last 5 years after having left the game for 20 years. Now thanks to more accurate and technology-assisted fittings I have dialed in on a lie angle of 1° flat. I started with 2° and started seeing the fade again, moving to 1° has brought back my draw and I am hitting my long irons with better length and more center strikes. Most people ignore lie angle and generally do not understand this parameter. Do not make the mistake I made, get fitted and make sure your fitter understands your expectations, especially carry distances and flighting.