Of all the bags in professional golf, the one I know, understand and have a very small hand in belongs to Jon Rahm. Going all the way back to 2021 when I began my time with Callaway Golf, one of my big tasks was to create content and stories around Rahm, who at the time was also in his first year with Callaway. My boss at the time, Jeff Neubarth, told me simply, “get to know him, hang out, spend time because he’s a huge part of your job.”
After so many hours on the range, walking practice rounds, texts, calls and content shoots, I have a ton of knowledge about Jon and his game — nowhere near that of his caddie, Adam Hayes, or coach, Dave Phillips…but pretty damn good. I even slipped a club in his bag before the 2023 Ryder Cup, and it’s still in there today.
He’s without a doubt my favorite player, and I’ll give you all one more nugget: He’s a better person than he is a golfer. Best words to describe him are humble, thoughtful and honorable. I’ve learned so much from this guy in the 5-plus years I’ve been in his orbit. He’s special.
The foundations of Jon’s bag:
- Keep it SIMPLE: JR tries to eliminate as many variables as possible. That’s why you don’t see a ton of changes to the bag from one year to the next.
- Forgiveness over speed: Rahm will always take spin and forgiveness over speed. Always. “If I can’t control it, who cares how far it goes,” he has said. As we will see throughout the bag, Rahmbo plays with a ton of loft relative to others. With his bowed left wrist and shaft lean, it’s essential for launch/spin, but he takes it a step further in terms of loft to make sure spin always stays on the higher end of the spectrum. Xander Schauffele uses a similar tactic. Both are Tour rep Kellen Watson’s players — someone knows what he’s doing.
- He wants ownership: Rahmbo is always a player that will blame himself before the club. One of Watson’s complicated tasks is to make sure that Rahm isn’t “making something work.” Since Rahm is hyper-talented and could shoot 65 with a broom, Watson has to pay close attention to how Jon is swinging and reacting to a piece of gear. At this point, he’s got it cooked — if it’s off, Kellen can see it from a mile away.
- No compromise: If a club is not significantly better, it’s not going in the bag. Period. End of story. Key word there is significantly. A little here or there doesn’t move the needle, especially with the driver.
*Jon typically carries 15 clubs with him to each event. His only swaps are between the 5-wood and utility iron
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour X
NOTES: SPIN SPIN SPIN. Jon always wants to be in a spin surplus no matter what. The Tour X ball has been huge for him over the years, especially with the short irons and wedges. Having the ability to hit off-speed shots while maintaining spin is one one of the main reasons he swapped into this ball.
Callaway 2024 Chrome Tour X Golf Balls
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Driver: Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond 10.5@11 (9GF/12GB)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7X (45.25 EOG, Tipped 1, D4)
NOTES: Believe it or not, the Callaway Elyte TD driver has been Rahm’s favorite thus far. Why? Mainly forgiveness, but to take it a step further it’s been the lack of a BIG MISS that has allowed him to ramp up speed. Not to say he hasn’t loved ’em all, but this one in particular, he has told me, is fast, forgiving and he trusts it. The other fun thing here is the shaft switch that he made with Watson back in late 2023. That shift away from his Aldila Tour Green 75TX that was in the bag since his college years at ASU has leveled up his already elite driver game. Perfect stock numbers for Rahmbo with a driver are 11-12 launch/2300-2500RPM Spin/178-184 mph ball speed.
Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond Custom Driver
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3-wood: Callaway Ai-Smoke Triple Diamond T HL 16.5@15.8 (12GF, 7GB)
Shaft: Graphite Design AD DI 8X (43.25 Inches, Tipped 1.5, D3.25)
5-Wood: Callaway Ai-Smoke TD T 18@18.6 (14GF, 14GB)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD-DI (Black) 8X (42 Inches, Tipped 2, D4)
NOTES: The fairway woods haven’t changed since 2021. The Triple Diamond T platform was designed specifically for Rahm and also Tony Finau and Jonathan Byrd — no one else has it in the bag. The most notable feature of the “T” is the camber in the sole design that allows Rahm to hit down on it and get it through the turf (almost like a wedge). He wanted a profile that lived in the mid-spin range that wouldn’t dip too far down in spin on right-to-left shots, and this one has been perfect year after year. The Ai-Smoke is a carbon Copy of the OG Epic Speed TD T he had in 2021. Rogue and Paradym had a couple of tweaks to the design weight-wise, but this Ai-Smoke setup has been the team favorite. I don’t see these coming out of the bag anytime soon. Callaway didn’t make an Elyte version. In regards to the Graphite Design DI shafts in both, essentially it’s a feel-and-spin thing that he’s preferred all along. The profile vs the Ventus black is different but keep in mind that his angle of attack is much steeper with his fairways, which results in different needs shaft-wise. The DI works well in fairways for a ton of players because of its softer features from the handle to the mid section and a stiff tip. This allows the ball to get up with spin, which is ideal for a 3- or 5-wood.
Apex UT: (21@20.5) Used as a 3 1/2 Iron (10G Sole weight)
Shaft: KBS Tour Hybrid Prototype 105X (40 Inches, D2)
NOTES: The “chicken stick,” as we like to call it, sits pretty close yardage-wise (not carry) to his 5-wood and finds its way in when courses are running fast. It’s the only real swap to the bag he ever makes. The Apex UT that’s in the bag is over 10 years old (launched in 2014) and has been a cult classic ever since. In testing, Jon hit a bunch of options, but when he struck this club it was instant love. Now, the trick is finding back-ups.
Irons: Apex Pro (4) Apex TCB 24 (5-PW) All Irons D3 and +3/8 in length IE 38.375 in 5-iron
Lofts: 23.5/27/30.5/34.5/38.5/42.5/46.5
Shafts: (4-PW) PX 6.5
NOTES: Continuing the minimal variables theme, the TCB irons haven’t changed since Day 1. Specs are the same (shafts, grips, etc). TCB seem to work in this case because of the off-set of the iron and mid-bounce sole. Rahm typically hits a cut with every club and the offset of the TCB allows his start line to stay on or left of the center line. In regards to the “club I slipped in the bag,” the Apex Pro 4-iron made its way in during a content shoot in 2023. When the Apex Pro was launched that summer, I had a feeling JR would love the higher launch of the line all while keeping the speed and spin the same, which was the essence of that iron. If you watch the video below, you’ll see it all go down.
Watch 3:53-4:20…that’s when it happened. Literally. After the shoot, they tried to take it from him assuming it would never go in the bag; he grabbed it back and said, “this is staying with me.” The club has been cemented in the bag ever since.
Wedges: Jaws RAWM (52/10, 56/12@55.5) W/ PX 6.5, OPUS SP PROTO (60/06T)
Shafts: PX 6.5 (52/56) True Temper Dynamic Gołd Tour Issue S400 (60)
NOTES: Besides the LW, the wedges have also remained the same since Day 1 at Callaway. Jon likes the 52/56 because of the shorter heel-to-toe profile, and with the 60, he’s been in the Opus T grind since the 2023 U.S. Open at LACC and this new Proto since January of this year. The new LW has added lead tape to get it to the desired swing weight. Jon told me that the new SP has a fast feel through the ground and seems to launch lower with more spin.
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG Rossie S
INSERT: Micro Hinge Star
SHAFT: Steel Stepped
LENGTH: 37 Inches EOG
GRIP: Odyssey 56 (4 Wraps)
LOFT/LIE: 2.5/68
TOTAL WEIGHT: 544 Grams
NOTES: Quick nugget on swapping out of the Ai-One Rossie S Rahm has had in the bag since late 2023: The blue finish on that putter would dent when they put it into the loft/lie machine, creating two unwanted sight lines. Although subtle, Jon would notice them and it would affect how he aimed the putter. As a player that hates alignment aids, his silver OG Rossie S is a blank canvas and allows him to only focus on the red line on the ball. He also won both of his majors with that putter so there’s another reason.
Grips: Golf Pride MCC Mid Red/Black (1 wrap)
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