Rory McIlroy has made a notable switch back to his traditional blade-style irons after experimenting with cavity-back clubs for a short period. The decision comes in light of an unwanted right bias in ball flight that he experienced with the newer clubs, prompting him to prioritize the familiar feel and reliability of his old equipment.
Ahead of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am event, McIlroy confirmed his return to the TaylorMade RORS Proto irons, which he has relied upon throughout most of his professional career. Referring to his recent experiment, McIlroy remarked, “That experiment’s over, back to the trusty irons that I’ve played basically my whole career.”
The golfer’s trial with different clubs was strategically planned to see if added forgiveness from cavity-back options could enhance his performance. Earlier this year at the DP World Tour’s Dubai Invitational, he included a TaylorMade P760 4-iron in his bag while opting to try out the P7CB cavity-back irons from 5-iron through 9-iron. This blending of clubs aimed to provide greater forgiveness during slightly mishit shots while still maintaining distance.
McIlroy had previously expressed confidence in the potential benefits of the P7CB irons, particularly in terms of forgiveness. However, he soon discovered that the cavity-back design compromised his ball control, creating a subtle right bias that he found difficult to manage during critical tournament moments. “I felt like the cavity backs just had a little bit of a right bias in them,” he explained. This bias forced him to make adjustments in his swing, leading to discomfort when playing under competitive pressure.
Ultimately, McIlroy decided that the tradeoff was not worth it for him, stating that the added forgiveness was overshadowed by the loss of predictability and trust in his shot-making. “So it just didn’t feel as familiar as I wanted it to,” he noted.
As he heads into Pebble Beach, McIlroy feels confident after a productive off-season and two weeks of training with his coach Michael Bannon. While the P7CB irons could offer significant help for slight mistakes, McIlroy is aware that knowing precisely where the ball will land is often more crucial than gaining a few additional yards on mis-hits. This return to his classic equipment reflects his commitment to maintaining the high standards he has set throughout his illustrious career.