Equipment

Here’s why Vijay Singh has red numbers written all over his irons

Published

3 years ago

Nov 9, 2023

As one of the hardest-working and most precise golfers in the game, Vijay Singh can see and sense tiny changes in his golf clubs, so it’s important that he’s fully comfortable with the look and feel of his clubs.

On Tuesday at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship at Phoenix Country Club, I noticed that Singh had big red numbers written all over his Srixon irons.

Interesting.

After a closer look, it became clear that the numbers were each one digit higher than the “actual number” that’s stamped into the sole of the irons by the manufacturer.

So…what’s the deal? Why the mismatching red numbers?

As confirmed by Brian Rhattigan, who builds Singh’s clubs on the traveling Champions/PGA Tour equipment truck, Singh doesn’t like the look of offset on his irons. In case you don’t know, “offset” refers to the distance between the leading edge of the iron face, and the hosel of the iron. If there’s a large gap between the hosel and the leading edge, then the club is said to have a lot of offset.

Again, Singh does not like offset. He prefers the leading edge and the hosel to match, or even have “onset,” which is when the leading edge is actually in front of the hosel.

This makes sense since Singh prefers to play a cut shot, and more offset typically leads to a draw shot trajectory, which would be counter to Singh’s desired ball flight.

Therefore, Singh has each iron bent four degrees weak, which helps to more closely align the leading edge with the hosel and visually reduce the offset of the iron. That’s why Singh writes “8” on his 7-iron, (and so on), because his 7-iron is bent four degrees weak, which effectively makes it his 8-iron.

According to Rhattigan, Singh has been using this tactic for decades, so it’s not the technique that’s any different, it’s just the red numbers. The red writing simply helps reduce any confusion.

See more photos from the 2023 Charles Schwab Cup Championship here.

Related Topics:featured irons Srixon vijay singh

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Andrew Tursky

He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

14 Comments

Ryan

Nov 28, 2023 at 11:54 am

Srixon can’t send him a custom set with correct numbers?

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Chuck

Nov 23, 2023 at 8:50 pm

Okay.

I like Vijay, and I like stories about his equipment and work habits.

But my burning question; What sort of red pen writes permanently on nickel chrome?

And with all of the exotic wedge stamping going on, why not just a new-number stamp (and paintfill) on the toe, with removal of all the paintfill from the OEM numbers?

Reply Report comment
vajayjay sing

Nov 17, 2023 at 11:51 pm

What a moron, would be easier to just know your iron lofts and that the little number doesn’t matter, just how you relate it to your distances.

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Brian

Nov 17, 2023 at 10:33 am

This is a terrible solution. Just get clubs that work. Now he has a ton of bounce on every iron that either needs to be ground down or what?

Reply Report comment
C

Nov 16, 2023 at 7:35 am

Guess he can deal with the extra 4* of bounce because those soles don’t look ground down at all, interesting.

Reply Report comment
Leo

Nov 13, 2023 at 3:41 am

Please dear Srixon/Cleveland weld the old number and stamp a new updated number and degree for Mr. Singh!

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Antler Spray Aficionado

Nov 10, 2023 at 10:52 am

These virtually meaningless arbitrary numbers written on my clubs are all wrong! I’m going to take a red sharpie and give these clubs new arbitrary numbers. Did I hit a 7? No way, see I wrote a red 8 on the club so I hit an 8!

Reply Report comment
Pro Jock

Nov 10, 2023 at 10:44 am

So not only does Singh work his caddie to death with his notorious love of practice, but also tries to confuse him with these mismatched irons? Respect!

Seriously though… why wouldn’t Srixon just custom build a properly numbered set? Dude has 3 majors and been a HOF’er since 2006.

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Kevin

Nov 9, 2023 at 2:38 pm

You’d think one giant red number would be enough.

Reply Report comment
jamho3

Nov 9, 2023 at 1:28 pm

It’s be cool if we could see his clubs at address.

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NMBob

Nov 9, 2023 at 1:25 pm

4 degrees, thats some 4 degree of bounce added on those when you change loft

Payne Stewart was similar in he wanted offset, but did not want to see it., and apparently had a set built , by Tom Wishon I think, with the hosel piece hole off center or sanded down on one side so it would look less offset.

Reply Report comment
Mike

Nov 9, 2023 at 9:52 am

This article comes across that he go in the truck and has them bent weaker and puts the appropriate shaft length.

With all the custom ability that players have, why not just have a set built the way he likes it; as many players do? To each his own, I guess.

Reply Report comment
Wally

Nov 9, 2023 at 9:43 am

Boy thats going to add some bounce to them clubs

Wk

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Equipment

Putters that never made it: Check out some of the best tour builds that didn’t make the cut

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

Alistair Cameron

Arguably, the best perk of being a professional golfer on the PGA Tour is the ability to request or even just be handed pretty much any club you could think of. It happens more often than you think, usually with putters around the practice green from one event to the next. Come Wednesday, the Tour bags lining the edge of the putting surface become resting places for fallen flatsticks that never made the cut.

So let’s take a look at some of the best we’ve seen out on Tour this year that never made it to the competition. (You may notice none of Hideki Matsuyama’s custom Scotty Cameron putters made this list. There are too many.)

Let’s start with this custom Damascus Milled Odyssey Rossie made for Ryo Hisatsune. Featuring a single line and the short-slant hossel, we’ve seen plenty of Number 7 and jailbird heads featuring the Damascus Milled insert, but this is the first and only one we’ve spotted in a Rossie. Hisatsune primarily putts with an Odyssey Black Series iX #9, but we have seen him recently with a TaylorMade TP Collection SOTO, so there could be potential that the Damascus Milled Rossie could end up in the bag.

Everyone wants to be Cameron Young right now. We’ve had Justin Thomas and Tom Hoge both game the Scotty Cameron 9.5R prototype. Well, for the PGA Championship, Brooks Koepka nearly joined that list after requesting the same style of putter, with the full-length alignment line. But the Scotty Cameron reps took the request a step further and made one specially for Koepka with a Teryllium insert, similar to one in his previous Newport 2 gamers. The reason why this one didn’t go into play, though? Because it was too heavy.

Harry Hall was the third-best putter on Tour last year, so when Bettinardi made him a custom proto, you know it was going to be good. The custom BB28 blade features VDF face milling, a custom-welded single-bend shaft, and the owner’s initials – HH – on the sole of the putter. Hall, who usually games an Odyssey O-Works #7 W, has dabbled with a TaylorMade Spider Tour X already this year. Maybe there’s a chance this Bettinardi might make his bag.

Honestly, this one doesn’t need a description. It’s Kieth Mitchell’s custom Scotty Cameron Napa. One Scotty Cameron face stamp, two Scotty Dogs, two Scotty Cameron 7-Point Crowns and one Circle T. That is all. Oh, except for the Cashmere Cameron headcover.

Finally, and just for fun, how about we pour one out for this TaylorMade Spider Tour X made for Scottie Scheffler in its new torched finish. It’s unlikely we’ll see a putter change anytime soon from the best golfer in the world. In fact, he hit just two putts with it on the Harbour Town practice before going back to his trusty gamer.

Whats in the Bag

Patrick Reed WITB 2026 (May)

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

Driver: Titleist GT3 (9 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 130 M.S.I. 70 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 X

7-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X

Irons: Grindworks PR-202 (4), Grindworks PR-101A (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Cleveland RTX6 Tour Rack (52-10 Mid), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-08M), SM11 (60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Tour Rat 1.5 Tour Prototype

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

See more photos of Patrick Reed’s clubs here.

Equipment

Which of Tiger’s major winning irons are your favorite? – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

In our forums, our members have been discussing their favorite major winning irons used by Tiger Woods. WRXer ‘golferdude54’ kicks off the thread saying:

“Mizuno MP 14/29. Titleist 681T. Nike Forged Blades. TaylorMade P7TW.

Among these irons that helped Tiger win 15 majors, which is your favorite in terms of looks?”

And our members have been naming their favorites and why in response.

Here are a couple of posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

SwingBlade: “I prefer the early blades he played and the more recent TM TW’s especially because after Tiger had his major behavioral setbacks, part of Nikes support payback was making Tiger play a Nike putter and cease using his beloved uniquely customized Scotty putter.”
ProjectX: “This (Nike Forged Blades) and there’s not even a close second.”

Entire Thread: “Which of Tiger’s major winning irons are your favorite? – GolfWRXers discuss”