When elite players change equipment, it’s tempting to assume they’re chasing distance or feel. But one of the clearest trends has been something far more practical.
Playability and forgiveness are showing up as priorities, even among the best players in the world.
That’s exactly what makes Rory McIlroy’s recent iron switch worth closer examination and why it lines up with what we measured in MyGolfSpy’s 2025 player’s iron test.
What’s changed in Rory McIlroy’s bag
After years of playing a custom prototype iron setup, McIlroy moved into TaylorMade’s P·7CB irons. P·7CB is a retail model that amateur golfers have access to.
In addition to the iron change, McIlroy also made updates elsewhere in the bag, including a switch to the Qi4D driver and new Qi4D fairway woods.
Why McIlroy was willing to change his iron setup
The most interesting thing about any equipment change for professionals is the why. For McIlroy, the decision came down to how much certain misses were costing him.
After his first-round press conference at the Dubai Invitational, he explained.
“If there’s help to be had, I’ll definitely 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 mis-struck slightly, and instead of it maybe coming up 5 or 7 yards short, it was coming up more like 10 to 15 yards short.”
The difference between a five-yard miss and a 15-yard miss matters. At any level, that gap changes how often you hit greens and how aggressively you can play to targets.
McIlroy also described how the testing process unfolded.
“So, I asked the guys at TaylorMade to build me up a set. And I actually went down to Australia with them, and with that firm turf down there, I felt like those irons were going through the turf better than the blades. And I practiced with them at home since.”
What amateur testing reveals
That explanation mirrors what we saw in MyGolfSpy’s 2025 Player’s Iron test.
Forgiveness in our testing is defined by consistency. We analyze carry distance deltas, ball speed variation, spin stability and dispersion patterns across more than 21,000 shots hit by low-handicap amateur golfers.
TaylorMade’s P·7CB performed well in the areas that directly relate to Rory’s feedback. It wasn’t a standout for raw distance. Instead, it produced tighter carry distance ranges, more stable spin and compact dispersion patterns compared to traditional blade-style irons.
Those traits reduce distance loss on slight mishits. They also keep shot outcomes more predictable, which were the exact issues Rory identified.
Final thoughts
Rory McIlroy’s iron switch is about reducing the penalty on small misses. If you’re still fighting through those misses, it may be time to check your equipment.
If you’re looking for similar accuracy and consistency traits in an iron this year, our 2025 results point to a small group of player’s irons that stood out for forgiveness and consistency, including Srixon ZXi7, Toura SCB-1 and Orka RS10 CB.
For a complete breakdown of how every model performed across accuracy, distance and forgiveness, you can see the full results of MyGolfSpy’s 2025 Player’s Iron test.
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