Equipment
Rickie Fowler makes the switch to TaylorMade TP5/X
It all started with what appears to be an internal email sent by Taylor Made CEO David Abeles that was posted online last week….
“We are preparing to make one of the most significant announcements in company history – a new addition to our athlete team that will light up the industry and enhance the impact of our brand like never before. Please stay tuned. You will hear from us in a couple of weeks!”
The buzz and speculation that ensued in the GolfWRX forums was nothing short of a Gear Junky FBI-esque investigation. The rumors of who and why covered everyone from Phil, Brooks, LeBron, Steph Curry and I even think former President Obama got tossed into the mix. The code word around Taylor Made was “Project Orange”…kinda love them taking a page from the Lucas Film here.
DRUM ROLL…..As of 8:30AM PST, Monday the 19th of January, the news is now official. Four time PGA Tour winner and World #13 Rickie Fowler has signed a multi-year Ball and Glove Contract with Taylor Made. Fowler will make his first start with the new set up this week at Torrey Pines for the Farmers Insurance Open.
“It’s been fun to see what the ball can do. Extra yardage on irons, more spin around the green. One less club for me into many holes is a pretty big advantage, too. What more do you want?”
—Rickie Fowler
Now, I realize this announcement may not seem as sexy as a full bag deal or a Callaway to TaylorMade Mickelson switch.
However this signing is important for TaylorMade for two main reasons.
- It shows the market that TaylorMade has a ball that performs well enough to attract someone like Fowler who has been a staunch Titleist loyalist almost since birth.
- In a market that has been and is still dominated by Titleist, its Taylor Mades first big shot across the bow that they are serious about golf ball innovation and are not hanging their hats on Metal Woods.
The Gear Dive’s Johnny Wunder spoke late last week with Rickie and Director of Golf Ball R&D Eric Loper on how this whole thing came to be.
See what the members are saying in the forums and join the discussion.
Below is the audio interview.
Neal Shipley was the first to admit that he enjoyed his food while in college. But since his days at Ohio State, he’s slimmed down and earned a PGA Tour Card.
That hasn’t stopped him from having fun with his wedge stampings, though it’s led to some misunderstandings.
On the 54 (degree), we have ‘Big Fudge,'” Shipley told GolfWRX. “It was supposed to be ‘Big Fridge,’ so this happened a little while ago. ‘Big Fridge’ was a nickname between my college teammates and I, with ‘fridge’ meaning stomach, a big stomach.
“We told the Ping guys to put … ‘Big Fridge’ on it, and I think maybe some bad cell service or something, and they thought I said ‘fudge,’ so they put fudge on it.”
On Shipley’s 50-degree he also continues the food theme, this time with his go-to order at the “Golden Arches,” and his stamping “DONS 7.”
“The number 7 meal, the two cheeseburger meal, that was my McDonald’s order, back when I would have McDonald’s frequently,” Shipley shared.
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @raw10628 has a L.A.B. DF3 putter and Masters putter cover up for grabs.
From the listing: “Some great items here today, time to thin out and make room for next set of gear. All prices include shipping.
LAB DF3 Purple 33.5” 68° lie with TPT – $725. LAB Masters release DF3 cover – $150.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4
3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
5-wood: Ping G440 Max (19 degrees @18)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
Hybrid: Ping G440 (23 degrees)
Shaft: Oban Isawa Red Hybrid Shaft 04 Flex 70 Gms
Irons: Srixon ZXi7 (5-P)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i80
Wedges: Cleveland RTZ (50-MID, 54-FULL, 58-MID)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i105
Putter: L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i
Shaft: ACCRA Putter Shaft
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
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Maria Torres WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4 5-wood: Ping G440...
Eric Cole WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: PXG Lightning Tour Max (9 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees) Shaft:...
Si Woo Kim WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X Mini driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Mini...
Wyndham Clark’s winning WITB: 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (15 degrees) Shaft: Project...
Tom
Jan 22, 2019 at 3:08 pm
This is it? What a let down….I thought they signed Uncle Rico!
bj
Jan 22, 2019 at 8:14 am
TP5/TP5X are great!!!! Plus balls are where the money is.
TM BOI
Jan 22, 2019 at 2:16 am
sorry, but how can a 3-time winner on the tour be the “the most significant announcements in company history ”
Yesus…
Jamie
Jan 22, 2019 at 12:43 am
Nothingburger, for now. Let’s see how he fares.
NH Golfer
Jan 21, 2019 at 6:12 pm
Glad to see TaylorMade spending money on ball contracts. They have a great product! Hopefully this will be a start of something big.
golfraven
Jan 21, 2019 at 4:23 pm
As if the V1 and the Players glove was not good enough. Everything looks good Ricky, no go and win.
BRADLEY LANEY
Jan 21, 2019 at 4:20 pm
Today is Monday the 21st and TaylorMade is one word. You may want to proofread your releases John.
JP
Jan 21, 2019 at 2:46 pm
Don’t see this as big of a deal as they try to make it sound.
However… The TP5X is a better fit for me over the ProV1X. And I picked up 8-9 yards on the driver and around 4-5 with the longer irons. Plus it spins just as good.
Travis
Jan 21, 2019 at 1:13 pm
Pretty sure Tiger Woods joining TM was much bigger than this lol
EastpointeCC
Jan 21, 2019 at 12:57 pm
Tp5 or TP5X?
Wunder
Jan 21, 2019 at 2:01 pm
TP5X
Benny
Jan 21, 2019 at 12:33 pm
Well said Big T. Unfortunately for Titleist tho this is a HUGE issue for them. They are a ball manufacture first. This could be why Peter’s father stepped down as the writing was on the wall.
Goldenballs
Jan 21, 2019 at 11:49 am
Yesssssss!!!!!
TP5 is the real deal.
ProVs are junk. And he just proved it
Big T
Jan 21, 2019 at 10:17 am
Thats it?? This is the “BIG” news that “is one of the most significant announcements in company history”???? A ball glove deal??????
To me its about the same as if the news came on with “Breaking new: Tree falls over in storm”