Ever wonder what specific clubs Tiger Woods uses to hit those incredible shots? You’re not alone. We’re pulling back the curtain on the legendary golfer’s bag, breaking down every club from his driver to his iconic putter. This article gives you a complete What's In The Bag for Tiger Woods and, more importantly, explains the lessons you can learn from his choices to improve your own game.
What's in Tiger's Bag? A Look at the Legend's Tools
First things first, Tiger’s equipment setup is a highly customized toolkit built for one of the most demanding and precise swings in history. While the specific models can sometimes change based on testing and course conditions, the core of his bag has been remarkably consistent. He has a long-standing partnership with TaylorMade for his clubs and Bridgestone for his ball. Let's break down each piece of gear.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 LS (9.0 degrees)
Tiger plays the TaylorMade Qi10 LS driver, set at 9 degrees. The "LS" stands for Low Spin, and it’s a model designed for players with very high swing speeds who need to reduce backspin to achieve a powerful, piercing ball flight. For a player like Tiger, too much spin can cause the ball to "balloon" up in the air, robbing him of distance and control, especially into the wind.
His shaft is a Graphite Design Tour AD VF 6 X. Let’s break that down:
- Graphite Design Tour AD: A premium, highly respected Japanese shaft brand known for its stability and feel.
- VF: The specific model name.
- 6: This indicates the weight class, typically around 60-69 grams. It's relatively light for a Tour pro, allowing for maximum speed.
- X: This signifies an "extra stiff" flex. Trying to swing an X-flex shaft without the necessary speed is like trying to hit a ball with a rebar - the shaft won't load properly, leading to a low shot that usually goes right (for a right-handed golfer).
Coach's Takeaway: Don't Swing Tiger's Driver
The number one lesson here is that you shouldn't just buy what Tiger uses. His driver setup is designed to manage speeds well over 120 mph and hit very specific ball flights. Most amateur golfers will benefit far more from a standard or MAX forgiveness driver head, which offers more forgiveness and higher launch than a low-spin model. A regular or stiff flex shaft will also be a much better fit for the average player, allowing you to load the club properly and generate effortless power.
Fairway Woods: TaylorMade Qi10 3-Wood (15 degrees) & TaylorMade M3 5-Wood (19 degrees)
Here’s where things get interesting and show how much Tiger values trust and feel over the latest marketing hype. While his 3-wood is the current TaylorMade Qi10 model, his 5-wood is the TaylorMade M3, a club that’s several generations old. This is the club that delivered one of the most iconic shots in modern golf - his soaring approach to the 14th green during the final round of the 2019 Masters.
He trusts it implicitly. It hits a specific number for him, and he knows exactly how it will perform under pressure. It's a perfect example that "new" isn't always "better" for your personal game.
Coach's Takeaway: Trust Your "Old Faithful"
Are you still hitting a 5-wood or hybrid from five years ago really well? Don’t feel pressured to replace it just because a new model is out. If a club gives you confidence and fills a specific yardage gap in your bag consistently, keep it. Building a bag is about creating a set of 14 tools you can rely on, not just owning the newest products. Tiger’s M3 is the ultimate proof of this principle.
Irons: TaylorMade P-7TW (3-PW)
Tiger’s irons are surgically precise, just like his iron game. He plays a full set of TaylorMade P-7TW blades, a custom muscle-back iron designed to his exact specifications. "TW" literally stands for Tiger Woods. These are pure blades, meaning they are forged from a single piece of steel without a back cavity. This design offers the maximum amount of feel and feedback, allowing elite players to shape shots on command.
The tradeoff? Blades have a very small sweet spot and offer virtually no forgiveness on off-center hits. A mis-hit with a blade feels harsh and loses significant distance. His iron shafts are True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100s, the undisputed heavyweight champions of tour-level shafts. They are heavy and extremely stiff, designed for players who want to keep the ball from flying too high and need ultimate control.
Coach's Takeaway: Match Your Irons to Your Skill Level
This is probably the most important lesson in the whole bag. Blades look beautiful, but they are incredibly demanding. For 99% of golfers, cavity-back or game-improvement irons are the right choice. They feature perimeter weighting that makes the club far more stable on off-center strikes, helping you get more consistent distance and accuracy even when you don't find the exact middle of the face. Hitting blades requires a shallow, repeatable swing delivered with speed - something most of us don't have. Be honest about your ability and choose an iron that helps you, not one that punishes you.
Wedges: TaylorMade Milled Grind 4 "TW" Grind (56 & 60 degrees)
Around the greens, a maestro needs his favorite paintbrushes. Tiger uses a 56-degree and a 60-degree TaylorMade MG4 wedge. The key detail here is the "TW Grind."
A "grind" refers to the shaping and removal of material from the sole of the wedge. This customization determines how the club interacts with the turf. Tiger’s custom grind has high bounce on the leading edge but relief in the heel. This allows him to play high, soft flop shots off tight lies by opening the club face without the leading edge digging. It is hyper-specific to his technique and the variety of shots he likes to play around the green. His shafts, unsurprisingly, are the same X100s as his irons for a consistent feel.
Coach's Takeaway: Understand Bounce and Grind
You don't need a custom grind, but you should understand bounce. Bounce is the angle from the leading edge to the back edge of the sole.
- High Bounce (12°+): Great for soft turf, fluffy sand, and players with a steep angle of attack ("diggers"). Helps prevent the club from digging into the ground.
- Low Bounce (4°-8°): Best for firm turf, hard-packed bunkers, and players with a a shallow angle of attack ("pickers"). Allows for crisp contact off tight lies.
Choosing the right bounce for your swing type and home course conditions can make a huge difference in your short game consistency.
Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS
And now, for the most famous club in all of golf: "The Elder Wand." Tiger's putter is a Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS prototype he has used for 14 of his 15 major championships. It’s more than a club, it’s an extension of his will.
GSS stands for German Stainless Steel, a very soft and expensive material known for its feel. It's a simple Anser-style blade putter with a single sight line, hand-stamped red dots, and his famous black PING PP58 grip. He has tinkered with other putters over the years, but he always returns to this one. It's a relationship built on decades of practice and countless clutch putts.
Coach's Takeaway: Find a Putter You Love and Never Let it Go
The lesson here is not to find a Scotty Cameron Newport 2. The lesson is to find your Scotty. The shape, brand, and weight don't matter nearly as much as the confidence a putter gives you when you stand over the ball. Go to a store and try dozens of putters - blades, mallets, big ones, small ones. When you find one that sits perfectly behind the ball and feels solid at impact, buy it. Then, spend your time practicing with it instead of constantly searching for a new one.
Golf Ball: Bridgestone Tour B X
The final pieces of the puzzle are the golf ball and grips. Tiger plays the Bridgestone Tour B X, a three-piece urethane ball designed for high swing speed players seeking a combination of great distance and high spin around the greens. Grips are the Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord, which has a cord fabric woven into the rubber for extra traction in all weather conditions.
Coach's Takeaway: Don't Forget the Small Stuff
The golf ball is the only piece of equipment you use on every single shot - don't neglect it. Softer, lower-compression balls are better for slower swing speeds, while multi-layer urethane "Tour" balls like Tiger's offer the best performance for faster swingers. And grips? New grips are the cheapest, easiest way to make your clubs feel brand new and improve your connection to the club.
Final Thoughts
We've learned that Tiger Woods uses a set of highly-specialized tools built for one of the best to ever play the game. The true lesson is not to copy his exact gear but to adopt his philosophy: use equipment that is perfectly fitted to your swing, a process of careful selection that inspires total confidence on every shot.
Trying to understand whether you need game-improvement irons or what kind of shaft flex fits your swing can feel complicated. That’s why we built Caddie AI. You can ask our app these specific questions and get a simple, expert-level recommendation in seconds. It deciphers the technical jargon and gives you the smart advice you need to choose the right gear, so you can stop guessing and start playing with more confidence.