Collin Morikawa – the 2021 Open champion at Royal St. George’s Golf Club – has a gear trick when it comes to playing links-style golf; he switches out of his low-bounce blade short irons into cavity-back style irons with a bit more bounce. He did it prior to winning the claret jug, and he's doing the same thing this week at the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland. The change in style helps Morikawa find the correct turf interaction on the harder and different grass found on links courses.

That’s not his only recent equipment change, however.

At the 2025 Rocket Classic in Detroit, Morikawa switched from a custom Logan Olson blade putter into a custom TaylorMade Spider mallet for Friday’s second round, after “putting like a blind man.” He went on to finish a respectable T8 despite the uncertainty on the greens.

This week in Scotland, Morikawa came strapped with two custom TaylorMade mallet putter options to test – one black version, which he used in Detroit, and a new silver version. The newer of the two features more offset with the shaft and hosel, as well as less toe hang with the shaft angle centered more than the black version.

He said he ultimately decided to continue gaming the black version that he debuted in Detroit, but as we’ve seen recently, that decision could change day-to-day.

Still yet, Morikawa wasn’t done there with the equipment switches and testing. According to Morikawa, if the winds begin to blow over 20 mph this week at The Renaissance Club, he’s going to switch out his trusty TaylorMade 5-wood for a new, never-before-seen TaylorMade prototype driving iron. He matched it with the heaviest and lowest spinning Graphite Design Tour AD DI 105 hybrid shaft, to optimize the low, piercing flight needed in windy conditions that could be seen later in the week on the Firth of Forth.

On Wednesday, following his pro-am round, GolfWRX.com caught up with Morikawa to discuss all of the recent gear changes, including his thoughts on the new TaylorMade “One” driving iron.

GolfWRX.com: I feel like you and the putter have turned into a bit of a reality show lately. What’s the putter update?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I think people are just catching up. I mean, I did this in college. I used to show up to every event with three putters and change mid-tournament. I mean, trust me, I’ve gotten to the point where I would want to put in two putters. At this point, right now, it’s nice to have this mallet in the bag.

I don’t quite know what TaylorMade is going to name it, but it’s just something I’ve been familiar with. I’ve used it in the past; it’s a shape that I like. So I’m just sticking with it. I think all the iterations of it are just me messing around with different necks, different offsets, but it’s the same putter, essentially. I know it comes down to me stroking it, but you have to feel comfortable over the ball.

GolfWRX.com: What would you name it (the putter)?

MORIKAWA: Um, “The Collin Putter.” Only if I putt well with it. If I don’t, I don’t know. Yeah, we’ll see.

GolfWRX.com: We’re also seeing a new driving iron in the bag. Do you plan on playing it, and what’s your review of it?

MORIKAWA: First off, I think it’s great. I like a driving iron that comes off really hot, and kind of jumps off the face. It’s something you’re going to use when it’s really windy.

I’m only going to put it in if it’s blowing over 20 mph, but I’ve found a shaft and found a head that launches nicely. For me, I don’t want to swing hard, especially in the wind, but you don’t want to swing hard with a 2 iron when you have it in your hand, because who knows where you’re going to hit it.

So when it jumps off the face, you know you can just kind of make center contact and go from there.

GolfWRX.com: We know in the past you’ve made some iron changes coming over here to Scotland. Anything going on in the bag when it comes to the irons?

MORIKAWA: Same thing. Yeah, same thing. Pitching wedge through 7-iron, and then 4-, 5- and 6-iron, I have these P-7CBs.

I just do it bounce wise, coming through this turf – the ball just sits down because it’s so firm and tight out here, and dry in a way that, with my blades sometimes I just catch it thin all the time and it obviously worked a few years ago and we’ve kind of done it every year.

GolfWRX.com: How do you like playing in Scotland, and have you played Royal Portrush before?

MORIKAWA: I haven’t played Portrush, love playing out here in Scotland – just in Europe in general when you’re playing links golf. You just have to be creative, and you kind of have to throw everything out of the window and just hit shots. It’s a skill to be able to do that, and that’s part of how I’ve built my game, and hopefully you can execute these shots and make a lot of putts and birdies, and minimize the mistakes, essentially.

See more gear photos from the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open over at GolfWRX.com.