Tommy Fleetwood explains why he added a 9-wood to his arsenal

Playing golf on the PGA TOUR is a test of skill, preparation, and adaptability. With a different course every week that has its own set of unique conditions and challenges, the ability to adjust to the surroundings is vital for players to find consistent success.

In the equipment world, that means arranging a versatile set of 14 golf clubs that can help get the job done week-to-week.

For many players that means keeping extra clubs handy that they can swap in and out depending on the variables they’ll face.

Case in point is Tommy Fleetwood. For the last several years, Fleetwood has switched between a 7-wood and a 3-iron depending on the conditions. When the wind is whipping, for example, Fleetwood has opted for the lower flying 3-iron. When conditions are wet, or he needs something with a higher launch to help stop approach shots on firm greens, he goes with the 7-wood.

“I think it’s a good club and I think it’s versatile,” Fleetwood told GolfWRX Tuesday ahead of the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play. “I would always switch between that and a 3-iron. They’re very, very different clubs in terms of how they work.”

Fleetwood first added a 7-wood to his club rotation in 2019, rotating between that and the 3-iron. But ahead of THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass, which was playing especially firm in 2023, Fleetwood tried something new, becoming the rare TOUR player to wield a 9-wood.

“It’s like hitting a wedge onto the green; it goes up and drops straight down,” Fleetwood said. “It’s not a club you’re going to drill and get more out of it, it’s just going to go up in the air and come straight down.”

Fleetwood tested an ultra-high-flying TaylorMade Stealth 9-wood to help land the ball even softer on long approach shots. The club is designed with 24 degrees of loft – the same loft as his 4 iron – and it allows Fleetwood to hit moon balls. Due to the center of gravity, club design, and length of shaft, fairway woods will naturally produce longer and higher-flying golf shots compared to their iron equivalents.

After a bit of testing, and making sure his yardages were properly spaced, Fleetwood added the 9-wood into his club setup at THE PLAYERS en route to a T27 finish. He also finished third at last week’s Valspar Championship.

Fleetwood hits the 9-wood about 235 yards, which fills the gap between his 4-iron (225 yards) and his 5-wood (250-260 yards).

Fleetwood hit the 9-wood plenty at THE PLAYERS, according to his caddie Ian Finnis.

“That 9-wood is incredible,” Finnis said. “It’s like a 9-iron or a wedge how high it flies and soft it lands. He hit it probably 10 or more times and stuck it (close to the pin) every time.”

Now, it’s not a club that will go into play every week due its high trajectory. When the wind is up, hitting the golf ball too high can leave the ball at risk of getting blown offline. On firm courses, though, it can be a weapon.

“It won’t be coming out in Scotland,” Fleetwood said, “but it could be perfect for the Masters.”

With the rainy and wet conditions earlier in the week at Austin Country Club for the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, Fleetwood said it was unlikely that the 9-wood will make an appearance.

But in Augusta? It could be just the club he needs to help hold the greens on long approach shots into the historically firm Augusta National greens and help propel Fleetwood to his first ever major victory.

Should he win the green jacket using the club, we propose a new nickname: "Tommy Nine-wood."