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What separates elite sportsmen and women from the rest is a never-ending desire to improve their game. Whether it’s a technical tweak to a new diet plan, the best power their way to the top of their sport through a combination of natural talent and hard work… and then stay there by steadfastly refusing to rest on their laurels.
Golf is a sport where marginal gains can be made by minor alterations to a player’s swing – from top pros to local club hackers. And one major champion that has perennially been working on his technique is Rory McIlroy, who despite (nearly) winning all of golf’s biggest prizes, continues to strive for more nonetheless.
Key to his success has been that metronomic swing, which is born from a faultless grip and incredible clubhead speed. So let’s take a deep dive into the Rory McIlroy grip and swing to see why he has won so many tournaments over the years.
McIlroy’s Player Profile
If it’s there to be won in the world of golf, you can rest assured that McIlroy has lifted the trophy. Well, almost, anyway.
The Rory McIlroy majors collection is the most impressive, with the Irishman winning the Open Championship, U.S. Open and the PGA Championship twice. All that’s missing is the elusive green jacket – the famous token handed to champions of The Masters.
He’s also a five-time winner of the Ryder Cup alongside his European teammates, has won the ‘fourth major’ at the Players Championship and also prevailed in the season-long FedEx Cup race on the PGA TOUR.
McIlroy Grips and Swings
Immense power in his long game, yet remarkable touch and feel on and around the greens. How does McIlroy do it?
The Rory McIlroy golf swing is a thing of beauty, and laying the foundation for that is the strong grip which helps to create that all-powerful clubhead speed. But with wedges in hand around the greens, McIlroy loosens his grip to such an extent that his main movement comes from a shoulder pivot; his hands are merely on the grip to ensure it contacts through the ball in a straight line.
Does Rory McIlroy use interlocking grip mechanics in his swing? You bet he does – he famously used to sleep holding a club with interlocked fingers, so keen was he for the process to feel natural out on the course.
Otherwise, the golf swing of Rory McIlroy is as textbook as it gets – the strong core, the pelvis, chest and shoulder turn to the top of the backswing and then that almighty explosion through the rest of his swing path to the target… all accentuated by the completion of the shot to the very end of the follow-through.
There are stacks of videos online of the Rory McIlroy golf swing, slow motion style, and while it may prove difficult to replicate for the amateur player, it does provide all of the key touchstones of an elite swing of the club.
Rory McIlroy’s Choice of Clubs
Like many top pros, the Irishman is constantly searching for the perfect club throughout his bag.
Fans often wonder what driver Rory McIlroy uses. Sponsored by TaylorMade, he has switched between the brand’s Qi10 and Stealth 2 models, usually opting for nine degrees of loft. The Rory McIlroy driver setup is completed by a Fujikura Ventus shaft.
As for what clubs Rory McIlroy uses for his irons and wedges, it’s again TaylorMade – with his own unique tweaks. What iron grips does Rory McIlroy use? He has typically opted for Golf Pride of late, specifically their MCC Plus4 collection.
As for the fabled Rory McIlroy putter, he uses the Scotty Cameron T5-5 Proto, albeit with a TaylorMade Spider X Hydro Blast also in his armory. The Rory McIlroy putter grip is the Superstroke Pistol GT Tour.
McIlroy’s Performance at Major Tournaments
With a haul of four majors, and young enough to add more, McIlroy has mastered his technique and his mind.
Rory McIlroy: US Open champion. That was his first major win in 2011, with the PGA Championship following in 2012 and 2014.
That latter year also saw Rory McIlroy: British Open winner make the headlines, leaving The Masters to complete the career grand slam.
Will the Rory McIlroy Masters hoodoo come to an end in 2024 or beyond? With four prior top-five finishes at Augusta National, if nothing else the Irishman knows he has the game to join the pantheon of golf’s absolute greats.
Bet on McIlroy with BetVictor Canada
You can find the latest McIlroy Masters odds available right here at BetVictor Canada, as part of our comprehensive golf betting channel.
You’ll find futures markets available throughout the year, so you can check the Rory McIlroy odds to win the US Open 2024 at any time, as well as his price for the PGA Championship, British Open and any weekly PGA TOUR events that he enters.
Whoever you bet on for golf’s majors, remember to do so responsibly – find out more about safer gambling here.
With that incredible swing and grip, there’s no doubt that he’ll be amongst the favorites for all of them. New customers that join BetVictor to wager on Rory can claim a welcome bonus and explore our many other promotions, too.
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Rory McIlroy FAQs
Rory McIlroy hails from the town of Holywood in County Down, Northern Ireland.
Rory McIlroy has long been a fan of the Golf Pride collection of grips, specifically the MCC Plus4.
The perfect marriage of physical strength, a textbook swing plane and tailor-made clubs from, erm, TaylorMade help Rory to produce such extraordinary clubhead speed and power.
