When elite players change gear, it’s tempting to assume they’re chasing distance or feel. But one of the clearest trends has been something much more practical.
Playfulness and forgiveness are emerging as priorities, even among the world’s best players.
That’s exactly what it does Rory McIlroy’s The last iron key is worth a closer look and why it matches what we measured MyGolfSpy 2025 Player Iron Test.
What has changed in Rory McIlroy’s bag
After years of playing a custom prototype iron setup, McIlroy moved to TaylorMade’s P·7CB cuff. The P·7CB is a retail model that amateur players have access to.
In addition to the iron change, McIlroy also made updates elsewhere on the bag, including a switch to Qi4D driver and new Qi4D freeway forests.
Why McIlroy was willing to change his iron setup
The most interesting thing about any equipment change for professionals is why. For McIlroy, the decision came down to how much a few mistakes cost him.
After his first-round press conference at the Dubai Invitational, he explained.
“If it’s going to help, I’m definitely going to take it. I’ve been thinking about it for a while. And even in Dubai at the end of last year, I hit a couple of 5-irons that I mishit a little bit, and instead of coming maybe 5 or 7 yards short, it was coming more like 10 to 15 yards.”
The difference between a five-yard loss and a 15-yard loss matters. At each level, this gap changes how often you hit the greens and how aggressively you can hit the targets.
McIlroy also described how the testing process unfolded.
“So I asked the guys at TaylorMade to make me a set. And I actually went down to Australia with them, and with that hard ground down there, I felt like those irons were going through the ground better than the blades. And since then I’ve been practicing with them at home.”
What amateur testing reveals
This explanation mirrors what we saw in MyGolfSpy’s 2025 Player’s Iron test.
Forgiveness in our testing is determined by durability. We analyze carry distance deltas, ball speed variation, spin stability and distribution patterns in more than 21,000 shots hit by amateur golfers with disabilities.
TaylorMade’s P·7CB performed well in areas directly related to Rory’s reactions. It was indistinguishable for raw distance. Instead, it produced tighter carry distances, more consistent spin patterns and compact dispersion compared to traditional blade-style irons.
These features reduce distance loss on slight mistakes. They also keep shot results more predictable, which were the exact issues Rory identified.
Final thoughts
Rory McIlroy’s iron wrench is ready reducing the penalty for minor mistakes. If you are still struggling with those errors, it might be time to check your devices.
If you’re looking for similar precision and stability traits in an iron this year, our 2025 results point to a small group of players’ irons that stood out for forgiveness and stability, including Srixon ZXi7, Toura SCB-1 AND Orca RS10 CB.
For a full breakdown of each model’s performance across accuracy, distance and forgiveness, you can view the full results of MyGolfSpy 2025 Iron Player Test.
Post Rory McIlroy’s iron switch is backed by amateur test results appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
