Ryan Barath
July 3, 2023
Rickie Fowler plays the Cobra Aerojet LS
Ryan Barath
Welcome to Wall-to-Wall Equipment, the Monday morning team roundup in which GOLF’s equipment editor Jonathan Wall takes you through the latest trends, rumors and breaking news. This week’s Wall to Wall is brought to you by Jonathan’s partner in gear nerdiness, GOLF’s Senior Gear Editor Ryan Barathwhich was on the grounds of the Detroit Golf Club for the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Rickie wins again!
As a change of pace from our traditional weekly gear set, we’re going to take a deep dive into Rickie Fowler’s gear setup, not just to cover what he had in the bag last week for his win at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, but also to create a larger context for how it got here with some of its unique club specifications.
driver
Fowler’s Cobra Aerojet LS driver (shot at the Genesis Invitational).
Ryan Barath/GOLF
When it comes to his driver, Fowler has found something that works with his Cobra Aerojet LS. While Cobra, like many other OEMs, offers a new driver release every year, Fowler hasn’t always been quick to switch to the newest model and had returned several times to a Cobra F9 as of 2019, which happens to be. the last year he won.
Fowler moved to his new Aerojet LS model with a 70-gram Diamana prototype earlier this year and hasn’t looked back since, racking up big finish after big finish at the Tour. Judging by the impact pattern we got earlier this year, I think this new club is performing as well as anything I’ve ever used.
All of our market picks are independently selected and selected by the editorial team. If you purchase a linked product, GOLF.COM may earn a fee. Price may vary.
Cobra Aerojet, Aerojet LS and Aerojet Max drivers.
Click to buy a new Cobra Aerojet driver from Fairway Jockey.
BUY NOW
3-wood
Like his driver, Fowler moved to the Cobra Aerojet LS model after going through several options from Cobra and other OEMs earlier this year, but the only thing that hasn’t changed is the axle he uses: the Aldila Synergy 75X.
Cobra Aerojet, Aerojet LS and Aerojet Max Fairway Woods
$329
Click to buy a new Fairway Jockey Cobra Aerojet fairway wood today.
BUY NOW
What makes this combo unique is that when you go from your driver to your fairway wood, the shaft weights are closer to what most players traditionally use. While Fowler isn’t the only Tour player to set up the top end of his bag like this, it’s much more common to see a 10-20 gram (uncut shaft) weight increase rather than 5 grams when it goes from driver to fairway wood shaft.
5-wood
Rickie’s Cobra LTDx LS 5-wood.
Ryan Barath/GOLF
Fowler’s 5-wood is not only unique to him, but it’s a club that we could point to as starting a trend on Tour.
What makes it so interesting has less to do with the model itself and more to do with the way it’s set up: a stronger hardwood 5-wood built just 40.25 inches long, or the same length as a standard 3-4 hybrid. .
This combination of a fairway wood head with a smaller rail sole with a shorter shaft offers improved shot-making, especially from the dirt, and the ability to fly the ball lower when needed. Fowler has been using these general specs since the Cobra F6 launched in 2016, proving it’s possible to update models without having to overhaul how these clubs fit together.
We spotted a similar club in Gary Woodland’s bag as he prepared for this year’s US Open.
Gary Woodland Cobra 5-wood.
Ryan Barath/GOLF
irons
It was just a few years ago (2020-21) that Fowler had one of his worst ball-striking and approach game years on Tour, dropping to 157th in approach shots won. During this period he went through a number of changes with his irons, including switching to a set of RF protopalms, which, if we’re being honest, were actually pretty sweet clubs. He also changed the iron shafts on several occasions.
Fowler’s prototype RF blades.
Jonathan Wall/GOLF
Fast forward to today and Fowler is back to a more familiar forged cavity iron with his Cobra King Tour boards and all the way to 7th on the Tour in strokes gained, which is an incredible jump.
Fowler’s King Tour irons.
Ryan Barath/GOLF
Instead of using a combo set like Fowler has in the past, his set consists of the same model, from the longest iron (4-iron) to his launch wedge. Speaking of returning to a familiar feel, Fowler has also returned to the KBS C-Taper S+ shafts.
wedges
Fowler sports a set of custom Cobra wedges (pictured at the 2023 Genesis Invitational).
Ryan Barath/GOLF
While most of the clubs in Fowler’s bag can be found at golf stores or online, the one thing you won’t find anywhere else are their Cobra wedges. These wedges are custom-made for Fowler and other members of the Corba tour staff and offer a completely raw finish and heavy head weights that allow Cobra’s tour equipment technicians the opportunity to adjust to the aches and pains necessary for each player, including Fowler.
Putter
In case you haven’t been paying attention to gear news, Fowler, along with other players including recent US Open winner Wyndham Clark, use an Odyssey Jailbird mid-length putter.
Fowler switched to the Odyssey putter in January of this year after going through a revolving door of putters over the past few seasons, including some pretty cool unique designs from both Scotty Cameron and Cobra. But come Sunday, it was the Jailbird who delivered the goods on the 72nd hole and then in the playoff.
ball
Robot testing every golf ball 2023 – Here’s the best option for your game
Jonathan Wall
After growing up and turning pro with a Titleist ball, Fowler switched to the TaylorMade TP ball in 2019 and saw instant results with his win at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Since then, he has continued to rely on the TaylorMade TP5 for its combination of distance off the tee and spin around the greens.
Although he’s used the TP5X before, he’s moved on to the standard TP5 for the 2023 season, proving that just like his 5-wood, once you find something you can rely on, there’s no many reasons to change. .
Want to check your bag? Find a leading True Spec Golf fitting location near you and for more on the latest gear news and information check out our latest Fully Equipped podcast below.
Ryan Barath is the senior equipment editor for GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com. He has an extensive background and club training with over 20 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. Prior to joining the staff, he was the Chief Content Strategist for Tour Experience Golf in Toronto, Canada.
