The majority of PGA Tour golfers look to lock up an equipment deal each season, with the sponsorship funding a player’s operating costs for the year.
But when you look outside this group and at the players who get to pick and choose what they play without being handcuffed by a major OEM, plenty of them follow similar trends.
Eleven players currently inside the top-50 in the Official World Golf Ranking aren’t tied up to a full bag sponsorship, with Matt Fitzpatrick, Wyndham Clark and Chris Gotterup all in the top 10.
So what are the trends they’re all following?
TaylorMade fairways favorite
The list is pretty staggering. Fitzpatrick, Gotterup, Justin Rose, Aaron Rai, Ben Griffin, Patrick Reed, Kurt Kitayama and Maverick McNealy all game TaylorMade fairway woods of some kind in their setups. Now they aren’t all the latest and greatest that the company has released. While Gotterup, Griffin, Rose and Kitayama all play the Qi4D, there’s plenty of other models on display.
McNealy opts for the oldest head, gaming a Stealth 2 7-wood, while also dabbling between an HL version for his 3-wood and the new Qi4D model. Surprisingly, both Fitzpatrick and Reed use the Qi35 option, a head that wasn’t as popular as its predecessor, the Qi10, and the option that PGA Champion Rai uses.
While Rose is in the newest TaylorMade model, he was using an M6 3-wood and it was in the bag for his victory at the Farmers Insurance Open earlier this season.
Blade putters aren’t dead
Something about being an equipment free agent seems to give players the freedom with the flatstick. There’s no conforming to the mainstream mallet, and five (if you count Fitzpatrick, who only has a Bettinardi putter deal) of the 11 equipment-independent golfers in the world’s top-50 back the blade.
Joining Fitzpatrick are Reed (Scotty Cameron Tour Rat 1.5 Tour Prototype), Bryson DeChambeau (SIK Pro C-Series Armlock), Kitayama (Scotty Cameron Circle T GSS Prototype) and McNealy (Odyssey Toulon Design Prototype).
Fitzpatrick, Reed and McNealy all tested a mallet-style putter this season, but instead have opted to go back to their trusty blade of choice.
Vokey variation
Titleist’s Vokey Design wedges are the preferred wedge of choice, but when it comes to which model, there’s plenty of variation. The most recent SM11 design can be found in the bags of Clark, Rose, Reed and Kitayama, but people like Patrick Cantlay (SM7) and Rai (SM9) opt for some pretty outdated options.
Out of the 11 free agents, seven of them have a Vokey style of wedge in play. TaylorMade is the next closest with only three players using the Milled Grind wedges.
Oldies are goldies
Arguably the best part about free agency is the license to not be bound to the latest piece of equipment. Look no further than Rai or Cantlay. Rai lifted his first major championship trophy this season, all while using a TaylorMade M6 driver released in 2019. While Cantlay didn’t win a major, he’s outdone Rai by using some Titleist 718 AP2 irons from 2017.
If you look further into the elder movement, only four of the free agents are using drivers released in 2026.
See below for the full list of free agents and what they trust.
Matt Fitzpatrick (ball & putter)
Driver: Titleist TSi3 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw Orange 65 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw Orange 75 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 80 TX
Irons: Ping i210 (3-4), Ping S55 (5-9)
Shafts: Ping CFS X-Stiff (3-4), KBS Tour (5-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F @52.5, 56-08M, 60-08M @61.5)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S300
Putter: Bettinardi BB1 Fitz
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Wyndham Clark (ball & now putter)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (8 degrees)
Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX
3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees)
Shaft: Project X Titan Black 80 TX
5-wood: Ping G440 Max (18 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 90 TX
Irons: Titleist T200 (4, 5), Titleist T100 (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (2-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (44-10F, 50-12F, 54-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-A)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (44), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (50-60)
Putter: Ping Scottsdale Tec Ally Blue Onset
Grips: SuperStroke REVL Player Cord
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Chris Gotterup (ball and iron)
Drivers: Ping G440 LST (7.5 degrees)
Shafts: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Grey 6.5 TX 70 g
Mini driver: TaylorMade BRNR (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black TX 80 g
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 83 TX
7-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (21 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB Wood Shaft 83 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (3), Bridgestone Tour B 220 MB (4-9)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper 130 X
Wedges: TaylorMade MG5 (46, 52, 56, 60)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper 130 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X Torched PVD TP DB
Grips: Golf Pride Z Grip Cord
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B X Mindset
Justin Rose (ball and iron)
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max (9 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 63 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (15 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 80
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (18 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 80 TX
Irons:McLaren Golf CB Prototype (4-5), McLaren Golf MB Prototype (6-PW)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper 125 S+
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-08F, 56-08M), Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (60-04T)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper 125 S+ (52), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Prototype (56, 60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 5 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Claw 1.0
Grips: Lamkin JR Rel
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Aaron Rai (ball)
Driver: TaylorMade M6 (9 degrees)
Shaft: Aldila Synergy Blue 70 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X
Hybrid: Titleist GT2 (24 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White Hybrid 90 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P7TW (5-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (46-10F @44, 48-10F @49, 54-12D), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-L)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S300
Putter: TP Hydro Blast DuPage
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Ben Griffin (ball and iron)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D Max (9 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees)
Shaft: UST Mamiya LIN-Q PowerCore White 8 TX
7-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (21 degrees)
Shaft: UST Mamiya LIN-Q PowerCore White 8 TX Proto V1
Irons: Mizuno Pro S-3 (4-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: TaylorMade MG5 (52 SB-09, 56 SB-12, 60 LB-08)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Ball: Maxfli Tour X
Patrick Cantlay (ball)
Driver: Titleist GTS4 (9 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana ZF 60 TX
3-wood: Titleist 915F (15 degrees, C1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana ZF 70 TX
7-wood: Titleist TS2 (21 degrees, C1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana ZF 80 TX
Irons: Srixon ZXi5 (4), Titleist 718 AP2 (5-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM7 (46-10F @47, 52-08F @51), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-08M @57, 60-08M @61)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold S300 (46-56), S200 (60)
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X
Grip: SuperStroke Flatso 1.0
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Patrick Reed (ball)
Driver: Titleist GT3 (9 degrees)
Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 130 M.S.I. 70 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 X
7-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X
Irons: Grindworks PR-202 (4), Grindworks PR-101A (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Cleveland RTX6 Tour Rack (52-10 Mid), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-08M), SM11 (60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Tour Rat 1.5 Tour Prototype
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Bryson DeChambeau
Driver: Krank Formula Fire Pro (6 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 6.5
3-wood: Krank Formula Fire (10 degrees)
Shaft: LA Golf BAD Prototype
3+-wood: Krank Formula Fire (13 degrees)
Shaft: LA Golf BAD Prototype
Irons: Bryson DeChambeau Prototype (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7
Wedges: Bryson DeChambeau Prototype (45, 50), Bettinardi HLX 6.0 (56), Ping Glide 4.0 (60)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold
Putter: SIK Pro C-Series Armlock
Shaft: LA Golf C2L-180
Grip: JumboMax JumboFlat 17
Grips: JumboMax Tour Series (XL) Black/Silver
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Kurt Kitayama (ball)
Driver: Titleist GTS3 (11 degrees, SureFit D1 setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF-7 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF-8 X
7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI-9 TX
Irons: Titleist T250 (3), TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD VF Hybrid 105-X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (52-12F, 56-14F), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Putter: Scotty Cameron Circle T GSS Prototype
Grips: Iomic
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS MindSet
Maverick McNealy (ball)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 63 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 HL (16.5 degrees), TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Venuts Black 7 X
7-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 8 X
Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (48 SB-09, 52 SB-09, 56 SB-12), Cleveland RTZ Tour Rack (60 LOW-6)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Odyssey Toulon Design Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
