What makes Scottie Scheffler (Titleist Pro V1) the most dynamic professional men’s golfer in the world today?

There are several factors, some directly related to his caddie, Ted Scott. There is also his equipment, notably use of lead tape on his irons, and switching from a flat Scotty Cameron Special Select Timeless Tourtype GSS Prototype blade to a TaylorMade L-neck Spider Tour X mallet prior to the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Let’s begin with Scott. Scheffler earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2020 but hadn’t won a PGA Tour event. That changed when he and Scott hooked up in the fall of 2021. Scott previously caddied for Bubba Watson (Titleist Pro V1x), with whom he won two Masters. Watson was bothered by a wrist injury and wanted to cut back on his competitive play, so he and Watson split amicably. Watson now plays on the LIV Golf circuit.

Since he and Scott joined together, Scheffler has won two Masters and 10 PGA events (at the time of this writing) and become the PGA Tour Player of the Year two years in a row and headed towards a third straight. He has also set records for earnings. It’s been written that based on a 10 percent fee that most PGA caddies receive, Scott is earning more

annually than many top PGA players. And that says nothing of the sponsorship he and Scheffler earn from product sponsors.

Scott told Scheffler he would only caddie for him if he worked on his temper. Looking at the way Scheffler plays now, you would never know he had a problem with his temperament. He has a steely demeanor, laser focused on just about every shot, rarely showing any negative outbursts, and only occasionally smiling, even after making amazing shots. He is totally dialed in to the process.

After winning his second Masters, he waited for Scott and walked with him to the scorer’s tent. With his wife back at home awaiting the birth of their first child, Scheffler wanted that special moment with Scott. It was a Master’s moment, to be sure.

Scheffler began playing with TaylorMade irons in 2020 and signed with the company in 2022. He added some TaylorMade clubs to his bag, and renewed his contract with the company this year.

“My relationship with TaylorMade goes well beyond just the equipment,” Scheffler said in a media release after the contract was renewed. “I’ve been able to build trustworthy connections with their teams knowing that they are always doing what is

best for me to accomplish my goals of winning on the PGA Tour. TaylorMade equipment has always been the industry standard in my eyes. I couldn’t be happier to continue this great relationship.”

In an interview with GOLF’s Jonathan Wall, he talked about his affinity for gear.

“I definitely will test stuff – I don’t love doing it in a tournament – so if anybody wants me to test, I’ll happily do it at home,” Scheffler said. “I want to use the best stuff. That’s why I was a free agent for so long. I liked certain club companies and what they did. Gotta try and get better and new gear helps.”

He uses lead tape on his utility irons as opposed to adjustable weights.

“The (3-iron) is different because (the lead tape) is more on the heel,” Scheffler told Wall. “But that’s just a trial-and-error thing. On the 4-iron, I was struggling with that club (in 2023) and we actually added that lead tape.”

The switch to the mallet putter, which happened after Rory McIlroy (TaylorMade TP5x) said in a TV interview that he’d like to see Scheffler use that club, immediately paid off with a win in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He’s won four of five tournaments since the switch and placed second in the lone loss.

"I don't have to use the line on the ball,” Scheffler told the media about the change. “I line the putter up really well, and I line up in the middle of the face, and pretty much as simple as that. Kind of gives me just a really good visual."

Here's an overall look at his equipment:

Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour Issue (8 degrees) with Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft. TaylorMade notes this driver has been strategically engineered to help players optimize distance and enhance forgiveness, wrapped in a clean, confident package. Designed for improved preservation of ball speed on off-center shots.

Fairway Wood: Qi10 (15 degrees) with Fujikura Ventus Black 8X shaft. TaylorMade notes lower CG projection aids in creating a fairway wood that is easier to launch, provides additional forgiveness and creates the platform for incredible distance. Mid-face height is engineered for versatility with easy launch from even the tightest lies and with confidence off the tee. Golf WRX says the club is really “stout” weighing 85 grams and has a stiff handle and stiff midsection. The shaft is for golfers who don’t have fast clubhead speed.

Irons: Srixon ZU85 (3-4) with Nippon Pro Modus3 Hybrid Tour X shaft, TaylorMade P-7TW (5-PW) with

True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts. Golf WRX notes the 3-iron is a 20 degree replacement that has a graphite layer on top that gets the stability of steel and the flexibility and ball speed of graphite. The 4-iron is 23 degrees and a matching shaft to his irons, producing low launch, low spin.

“I’ve been seeing more guys with the bigger, fatter irons, as I do in my 4-iron,” he told Wall. “It just so happens that I play a little different than a lot of guys do. That’s probably why I don’t change clubs that often, either.”

Scheffler said that playing a round with Tiger Woods in the 2020 Masters convinced him to use the P-7TW (5-PW).

“I watched him hit it. He hits so solid and he flights it so well and does all kinds of stuff with the ball,” Scheffler told Golf Weekly. “It kind of clicked in my head. I was like, “I used Nike clubs for so long when he was helping develop those irons. Why wouldn’t I at least test his new irons with TaylorMade because they’re his irons, and he obviously had some influence in the process of developing and producing the irons? I went home in the off-season, tested them out, and I saw that I was able to hit more shots with them. I was able to flatten out the flight a little

bit more if I wanted to hit it low or hit through the wind. And when I wanted to hit it higher, I could do that as well. It gave me a little bit more variety in what I could do than the P730. And it’s not a big difference. It’s just when you put yourself in a 20 mph wind in your face and want to flatten it out a little bit. I can flatten it out and have the ball be a little bit more stable with the head. It’s only a couple yards, but for me it felt like a huge difference.”

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (50, 56, 60 degrees) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue s400 shafts. TaylorMade notes the SM8 features a center of gravity that is pushed forward from the face, through the use of high density tungsten, producing a more consistent, pure strike that helps you hit your target more often. “The 50 is actually bent to 51 and the 56 as well for gapping purposes,” Scheffler told Wall. “I don’t even know the exact number, but they go the right distances that I like. I don’t change (the 50 and 56) too often. I’m not trying to add spin, so I don’t need fresh grooves too often.”

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X L-Neck prototype.

TaylorMade notes that since switching putters, Scheffler is averaging 2.32 strokes gained. The neck is a classic hosel that many golfers are familiar with on blade putters. But this hosel delivers a full offset look at address and provides the golfer with a bit less toe hang than the Small Slant #3 offering. GOLF’s Ryan Barath says the putter is the same style used by Rory McIlroy, the difference being the shape of the hosel. He says McIlroy uses a short slant neck, while Scheffler uses an L-neck, similar to the style he used on previous blade putters. He added the neck change creates a different visual from address to help some players with additional alignment.

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1.

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet (full swing)/Golf Pride Pistol (putter).