Rickie Fowler makes equipment switch ahead of FedEx Cup Playoffs

Rickie Fowler is hoping a dramatic switch from steel to graphite shafts in his irons will see him finish the year strong on the PGA Tour. 

Fowler, 36, looks on from the 61st rung of the FedEx Cup ladder right now.

That's nine places inside the top 70 who progress into the first Playoffs event at the FedEx St Jude Championship next week. 

Fowler needs a positive showing at this week's final regular event of the season at the Wyndham Championship in order to advance into the FedEx Cup Playoffs, something he failed to do in 2024. 

Making the cut will likely be good enough to see Fowler advance, but much will depend on other results. 

The six-time PGA Tour winner is eager to end his season on a positive note and give himself good vibes heading into the 2026 season. 

In order to go about doing just that, Fowler has made the radical decision to switch up the shafts on his irons from steel to graphite. 

The popular American has removed his KBS Tour C-Taper 125g steel shafts from his Cobra KING Tour irons (4-PW) and replaced them with graphite Aerotech SteelFiber 125cw shafts. 

Fowler might not yet be nearing a life with Tiger Woods on the over 50s PGA Tour Champions, but he does admit the switch up of shafts has made things a little easier for him now at the age of 36 years old. 

"I mean, went to the week of Travelers, so been in for, I guess that's a little over a month now," Fowler revealed during his press conference at the Wyndham Championship. 

"Something that's a little easier on the body and seemed to get very similar numbers to where I was at. Yeah, it's gone well so far. Probably do some more testing in some different weight configurations with them once I get some time. 

"I feel like we're always trying to search, one, to get better but are there ways to make things easier, whether that's physically, mentally, whatever it may be. 

"So yeah, I thought they were good enough to obviously put into play and looking forward to doing some more testing."

According to the PGA Tour, "the graphite shafts in Fowler’s irons have an added micro-thin layer of steel fiber to the surface of the shaft – hence the name."

Fowler's irons aren't the only clubs of his to have visited the pit lane this month. 

He recently switched from a Mitsubishi Diamana WB 73 TX shaft to a UST Mamiya Lin-Q Proto V1 6 TX shaft in his Cobra DS-Adapt X Driver. 

Whether or not the shaft changes make any difference for Fowler remains to be seen. 

See how Rickie is getting on at the Wyndham here