Matt Fitzpatrick's WITB: the best bag in golf that nobody pays for

The story of the bag

Kill the myth first. Fitzpatrick is widely described as a short-driver-shaft, control-over-distance player. It isn't true. His driver plays 45.75 inches at a heavy D7+ swingweight — at or above tour-standard length. The reputation is a hangover from a genuinely different era.

What actually happened is far more useful. In 2019 he averaged 112.8 mph of clubhead speed and ranked 117th on tour. By 2022 he was at 118.1 mph, with a peak measured average of 121.3. Driving distance went from 293.5 yards in 2021 to 303.8 in 2022 — and then he won a U.S. Open. Speed training changed his career. He is not the player who chose control over distance; he's the player who bought distance and kept the control.

The irons are the real lesson for the rest of us. Ping S55s from 2014, still in the bag in 2026, from a player with no contract obliging him to upgrade and every incentive to find something better. He has tried. They give him "the best combo of forgiveness and responsiveness" he's found while holding his spin. If you're wondering whether your five-year-old irons are costing you shots, a world top-five player is quietly answering that question every week.

The putter has had three acts. The Bettinardi BB1 blade won him the 2022 U.S. Open. In August 2025 he switched to a BB48 mid-mallet, won the DP World Tour Championship with it, then lost strokes putting in four straight starts and reverted to the BB1 at Sawgrass in March 2026. In July 2026 he debuted a links-spec version — same head, sole re-milled with a honeycomb texture so it grips turf and sits still on firm ground instead of sliding.

For context on the Ryder Cup: Bethpage Black in 2025 was comfortably his best, going 2-1-1 for 2.5 points, including a 5&3 foursomes win alongside Ludvig Åberg over Scheffler and Henley. Worth being honest that his career record is 3-8-1 — Bethpage was a redemption arc, not business as usual.

Frequently asked

What driver does Matt Fitzpatrick use?

A Ping G430 LST at 9° (playing 8.2°) with a Mitsubishi Tensei Orange 65 TX shaft, the CG shifter in the heel and 3g of hot melt added in the heel. He switched into it at the Travelers Championship in June 2026 after cracking his Titleist GT3 — and chose the older G430 over Ping's newer G440 LST.

How long is Matt Fitzpatrick's driver shaft?

45.75 inches, tipped an inch, at a D7+ swingweight — standard tour length with a heavy head feel. The widespread belief that he plays a short, choked-down control driver is not supported by his actual build.

Is Matt Fitzpatrick sponsored by Titleist?

No. He is one of the longest-standing equipment free agents in elite golf and has never had a major club contract. His bag mixes Ping, TaylorMade, Titleist and Bettinardi; the only equipment commitments reported are the Titleist ball and his Bettinardi putter relationship.

Why does Matt Fitzpatrick still play twelve-year-old irons?

His Ping S55 5–9 irons launched in 2014 and he has repeatedly failed to beat them in testing. They offer the best mix of forgiveness and responsiveness he has found while maintaining the spin he needs as a lower hitter — and with no club contract, nothing forces him to upgrade.

What golf ball does Matt Fitzpatrick use?

The Titleist Pro V1x, specifically the 2019 generation rather than the current one. He tried the 2021 model and reverted. In his own words: "There's no change in golf ball, I never change the golf ball."

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