Remember when Rickie Fowler ended his four-year victory drought with that dramatic playoff win at the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic? The emotional scenes of Fowler celebrating with his daughter Maya marked what many hoped would be the beginning of a career renaissance for one of golf’s most popular figures. Instead, 2024 brought frustration, with six missed cuts and just one top-20 finish, culminating in a withdrawal from this year’s WM Phoenix Open after a first-round 74 due to illness. Now, as Fowler returns to the Cognizant Classic, where he claimed victory in 2017, he’s banking on a completely revamped equipment setup to recapture that winning form.
As he returns to PGA National’s Champion Course with its notorious “Bear Trap,” let’s examine the arsenal he’s bringing to this battleground where he’s experienced both triumph and heartbreak.
Inside Rickie Fowler’s power arsenal: Driver, woods, and irons
At the heart of Fowler’s bag sits the new Cobra DS-Adapt X driver ($650) with 9 degrees of loft, paired with a Mitsubishi Diamana WB 73 TX shaft. “We have the new DS Adapt, X head, here in the D2 setting, which is just a touch upright,” Fowler revealed during a pre-tournament fitting session. “I feel like the X head, to me, looks a little flat. So having a little bit of an upright setting gives it what looks like more of a normal look to me.” This low-spin, front-weighted design has helped Fowler maintain his characteristic power off the tee, where he’s still averaging over 300 yards despite his recent struggles.
The versatility in Fowler’s long game comes from an interesting pair of contrasting clubs. Rather than carrying traditional fairway woods, he’s opted for a TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper (13.5 degrees) with the same Mitsubishi Diamana WB 73 TX shaft as his driver. “Still have a mini in the bag. We’ve been working on our own version, so, hopefully, that’ll be coming around soon,” Fowler revealed. “This is basically set up at 13 degrees. Working as a strong 3-wood, as well as an option off the tee.” Complementing this is his trusty Cobra LTDx LS 5-wood (17.5 degrees), fitted with a UST Mamiya Lin-Q M40X White 8F5 shaft for optimal trajectory control.
For his iron play, Fowler continues to trust Cobra King Tour Black irons (4-PW), a shift from the blade-style irons he used earlier in his career. “I don’t carry a 3-iron. My 5-iron is 1 degree strong. 4-iron is 2 degrees strong. Fills the gap there,” Fowler noted about his unique loft setup. This strategic gapping has helped him maintain consistent yardages throughout his bag, though his iron play has been somewhat inconsistent during recent tournaments.
Inside Fowler’s short game brilliance: Wedges, putter, and personal touches
Fowler’s wedge setup reveals his creative approach to the short game. He carries an eclectic mix with Cobra Snakebite wedges (54° adjusted to 52°, and 58° adjusted to 56°), plus a Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60.5-L) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts. This unique configuration gives him versatility around the greens, especially in the varied conditions he’ll face at PGA National, where the famous “Bear Trap” will test every aspect of his short game.
On the greens, Fowler has made perhaps his most significant change, switching to an L.A.B. Golf DF3 putter with an L.A.B. Golf Press Pistol 2 grip. This move away from the Odyssey Versa Jailbird that brought him success in 2023 signals his determination to solve the putting issues that have plagued his recent performances. Statistics show his putting has dropped from 42nd in Strokes Gained: Putting in 2023 to outside the top 125 this season.
Jun 10, 2024; Pinehurst, North Carolina, USA; Rickie Fowler putts on the 17th green during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament at Pinehurst No. 2. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports
What makes Fowler’s equipment journey particularly fascinating is his self-proclaimed “club geek” approach. “It’s something I’m kind of a club geek, as well, and it’s fun,” he admitted at the Cognizant Classic press conference. His enthusiasm for new technology extends to the innovative hosel design on his Cobra driver. “Now we have 33 different settings, and going from kind of being limited in what you can do loft and lie independently, now being able to have obviously a lot more options,” Fowler explained. “I think the biggest thing is being able to do loft and lie independently… I was in a slightly upright setting starting the year. I’ve gone quite a bit flatter.”
Rounding out his bag, Fowler maintains his loyalty to the Titleist Pro V1 ball despite previous reports of him switching to TaylorMade. His grips are Golf Pride Tour Velvet Tack throughout the bag, providing the consistent feel he prefers. The iconic orange-clad golfer’s equipment choices reflect both his technical precision and his willingness to experiment when performance dips.
As Fowler tees it up at the Cognizant Classic, all eyes will be on whether these equipment adjustments can help him rediscover the form that once made him one of golf’s most feared competitors.
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