Check Out The 15-Year-Old Irons Lexi Thompson Is Still Using At The KPMG Women's PGA Championship
Thompson is known as one of the best ball strikers in the women's game, but did you know that the irons she uses were released back in 2009? Here, we check them out!
When it comes to equipment, it's no secret that us golfers are a superstitious bunch. If we find a club that we like, chances are it'll stay in the bag for some time but, if it starts misbehaving, chances are it'll be left out too dry instantly...
If you look at the professionals, they often change their equipment to keep up with the increases in distance and forgiveness but, in the case of Major winner, Lexi Thompson, the American has a set of irons in her bag that date back to 2009, some 15 years ago!
The irons in question are the Cobra S2 Forged, which sit from 4-iron down to pitching wedge and feature Project X 5.0 shafts. As mentioned, they were released in 2009 and have slightly thicker toplines and wider soles, with a touch more offset. Overall, they are designed to be forgiving.
Set to retire at the end of 2024, Thompson has used these irons since day one. Speaking about them in an interview to Golfweek, the American stated: "With irons, I’m not one to use a blade, but the S2 is super forgiving and super soft coming off the face. I know that when I hit them solid, they are going to go the distance I need them to. They are going to be steady in the wind.
"I’ve been using the Project X 5.0 shafts, and people tell me, “You should be using 6.0 [which is stiffer],' and I’m like, nope. My golf swing is set up for them and every time I have tried something new, it doesn’t come out right. It’s just not the same".
It's not just the irons, though, where Thompson is seen using older equipment. If we were to look through the bag, we would notice a Cobra Radspeed Driver from 2021, as well as a Cobra King LTD from 2015. One of the newest clubs she has is the Cobra King Tec Utility 2-iron from 2023, whilst Thompson also has a custom Scotty Cameron putter.
Along with Thompson, Daniel Berger is another player who is known for using older equipment, with the American's irons dating back to a much more recent 2011...! Wielding a set of TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC irons, Berger has bought multiple sets of the Tour Preferred MCs due to the fact that TaylorMade don't build them anymore, with one of those coming from "some guy on the internet", Berger claimed.
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Like Berger, Thompson has the same issue with her S2 Forged irons but, according to the 29-year-old: "We’ve definitely had those conversations (with Cobra). I try all the new irons that Cobra makes, and they’re great. It’s just that once you find something you love, it’s hard to replace. But yes, we’ve had that talk. There may be something in the works, so we’ll see."
Matt joined Golf Monthly in February 2021 covering weekend news, before also transitioning to equipment and testing. After freelancing for Golf Monthly and The PGA for 18 months, he was offered a full-time position at the company in October 2022 and continues to cover weekend news and social media, as well as help look after Golf Monthly’s many buyers’ guides and equipment reviews.
Taking up the game when he was just seven years of age, Matt made it into his county squad just a year later and continues to play the game at a high standard, with a handicap of around 2-4. To date, his best round came in 2016, where he shot a six-under-par 66 having been seven-under through nine holes. He currently plays at Witney Lakes in Oxfordshire and his favourite player is Rory McIlroy, despite nearly being struck by his second shot at the 17th during the 2015 BMW PGA Championship.
Matt’s current What’s In The Bag?
Driver: Honma TW747, 8.75°
Fairway Wood: TaylorMade Rocketballz Stage 2, 15°, 19°
Hybrid: Adams Super Hybrid, 22°
Irons: Mizuno MP54, 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 Tour Satin, 50°, 56°, 60°
Putter: Cleveland TFI 2135 Satin Cero
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
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