11 Of Tiger Woods' Most Iconic Golf Shots And The Clubs He Used For Them
With the 15-time Major winner now 50, we run down his best and most memorable shots through the years and the equipment he used to do them
Tiger Woods is, arguably, the greatest and most recognized golfer to ever walk the planet, claiming 15 Major championships, 82 PGA Tour titles and occupying the World No.1 spot for a staggering 683 weeks.
Not only has he won dozens upon dozens of titles worldwide, but he has produced some of the most iconic shots and moments in golf, with his electrifying power, shot-making capabilities and immense mental game putting him a class above players for many years.
Everyone has their favorite Woods shot and, with the legend now 50, we've gone back in time to take a look at his most memorable shots and the clubs he used for them.
For the majority of his career, the American was a Nike staffer, but has also used clubs from Mizuno, Titleist and, most recently, TaylorMade, with the brands all a part of Woods' incredible career.
With so many amazing moments, we may have missed out on some iconic shots but, below, we've tried to show off as many different clubs, from as many different years, as possible.
What's your favorite Tiger Woods shot or moment? Let us know in the comments below...
2005 Masters - Nike TW Fastback 60° Wedge
Arguably the most famous shot in golf, the first club comes from 2005 and The Masters where, at the par 3 16th, Woods chipped in for an unlikely birdie, sending the surrounding patrons into raptures.
Everything from the shot to the commentary is golfing heritage and, the club in question, was a Nike TW Fastback 60° wedge, which had been ground down to suit the 15-time Major winner's specs.
Like his familiar set-up, which has been with Woods for decades, the club consisted of a True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shaft, and was reportedly introduced to Woods in February of that year by Master clubmaker Mike Taylor.
2002 PGA Championship - Titleist 681 'T' Forged 3-Iron
"I've never felt contact that solid in my life."
That's how Woods described this shot at the 2002 PGA Championship so, if one of the greatest golfers in history says that, you know it must be good!
Playing the final hole of his second round at Hazeltine, the American found his ball close to the left-side of the bunker and, with his feet up against the lip, the wind coming in from the left and needing to clear a tree, Woods took an almighty swipe with his 3-iron.
Clearing everything, it came to rest in the middle of the green, with the broadcast team calling it "one of the best shots I've ever seen."
The club in question was the Titleist 681 'T' Forged with a True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 shaft. Woods used Titleist prior to switching to Nike clubs in the early 2000s, with the 681 'T' Forged irons his weapons of choice.
2001 Players Championship - Scotty Cameron Newport II GSS Putter
It's impossible to list Woods' best ever shots and not include one of his many memorable putts, especially when he was wielding a flatstick that he made one of the most iconic putters of all-time.
There's so many to choose from, and I've opted for the "better than most" putt, which came at the 2001 Players Championship, specifically the iconic par 3 island green 17th.
Holing a triple-breaking 60-foot putt, the putter used was of course the Scotty Cameron Newport II, a model that earned Woods 14 of his 15 Major triumphs.
Throughout history, it's arguably the most important putter in golf and, in terms of Woods, it has been in his bag for over two decades, first featuring in 1999.
Possessing a Ping grip, there have been numerous models produced by Scotty Cameron and it's still in Woods' bag to this day.
1997 Phoenix Open - Mizuno MP-14 9-Iron
It's hard to believe that Woods has only had three holes-in-one throughout his PGA Tour career, with his most famous coming at the 1997 Phoenix Open.
Prior to using Titleist 681 'T' Forged irons, the then-22-year-old had Mizuno irons in the bag, specifically a combo set of Mizuno MP 29 and Mizuno MP 14s, with the latter being the club of choice.
Using the same X100 shaft set-up, it was the 9-iron that produced the historic moment, with Woods making an ace at the iconic par 3 16th at TPC Scottsdale.
At the time, it didn't have the Colosseum we're used to seeing, but that didn't stop the thousands of fans surrounding the 152 yard hole from going into a frenzy, with Woods' tee shot finding the bottom of the cup.
2012 Memorial Tournament - Nike VR Pro 60° Wedge
A five-time winner of the Memorial Tournament, Woods' final victory at the event came in 2012, which is remembered for his incredible flop shot at the par 3 16th.
Going long and right with his tee shot, the 15-time Major winner opened the face of his Nike VR Pro 60° and played the tough shot to perfection, with it rolling down the slope and into the center of the cup at dead weight.
Woods would go on to win by two strokes and tie tournament host Jack Nicklaus' win record of five, with 18-time Major winner Nicklaus calling it one of the best shots he had ever seen.
2000 Canadian Open - Titleist 681 'T' Forged 6-Iron
For me, this is in the top-three shots of Woods' career, with a 6-iron, from 213 yards, out of a bunker, carrying water and finishing on the back-edge of the green at Glen Abbey Golf Club.
It's not just the 200+ yard carry from a fairway bunker that is special, but the fact that the resulting birdie led to Woods claiming a one stroke victory over Grant Waite.
In the process, Woods became the second golfer in history to capture the US Open, The Open Championship and Canadian Open in the same year, earning him the Triple Crown trophy, something that only Lee Trevino had done previously.
Once again, it was the Titleist 681 'T' Forged that did the job for Woods, who opted for a True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 shaft in his iron set-up.
2006 WGC-Accenture Match Play - Nike SasQuatch Tour Driver
Woods had huge power off the tee and, along with that distance, an immense competitive streak that was shown against Stephen Ames during the 2006 WGC-Accenture Match Play.
Prior to their round-of-64 match, Ames stated: "Anything can happen, especially where he's (Woods) hitting the ball."
What followed was a beatdown by Woods, who delivered an historic 9&8 win that was highlighted by his tee shot at the par 4 sixth hole.
Hitting his Nike SasQuatch Tour driver, the shot towered over the trees and actually cleared the green some 310 yards away. That day, Woods hit all 10 greens and needed just 14 putts, putting Ames away on the 10th.
The driver featured flashes of bright yellow and a large grey “PowerBow” band; it is often regarded as one of the most iconic in the Nike range. Set at 8.5°, it featured a Mitsubishi Diamana White Board 83 TX shaft.
2000 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am - Titleist Vokey Pitching Wedge
Trailing the lead by seven shots with seven holes remaining at Pebble Beach, many would have been happy to settle for a top 10 finish at the 2000 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, but not Tiger...
Shooting five-under-par for the last seven holes, the most memorable shot came at the par 15th, where Woods used a Titleist Vokey pitching wedge to hole out from 97 yards.
Usually, that distance would be a perfect 56°, but because of the back pin and incredibly receptive greens, the American opted for a pitching wedge that landed right of the flag and spun in for an eagle.
Featuring the usual X100 set-up, it was his sixth straight PGA Tour title, with the streak ending at the Farmers Insurance Open the week after, where he finished runner-up.
2019 WGC-Mexico Championship - TaylorMade P7TW 9-Iron
Following a poor tee shot with an iron, Woods found himself in a fairway bunker some 132 yards from the flag. Between him and the hole was a number of trees, forcing his hand to hit an elaborate cut.
Using a 9-iron, a big splash from the sand was followed by an unconventional, helicopter-style finish, with the ball pitching on the left-side of the green with copious amounts of spin; an outstanding shot that was given the tagline "Tiger the artist."
Signing with TaylorMade in 2017, after Nike ceased golf club production, the iron used was Woods' own TaylorMade P7TW, a model that was designed with his input.
Featuring True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts, the P7TW debuted milled grind soles and had a longer blade length, thinner topline and a progressive face height, aspects that Woods looks for in his irons.
2006 Open Championship - Nike Forged Blade 4-Iron
The 2006 Open Championship is famed for Woods' ball-striking, with the 15-time Major winner rarely pulling driver out of the bag and plotting his way around Royal Liverpool.
Claiming an emotional win, with it being his first Major success since the passing of his father, Earl, Woods' week was remembered by his second shot at the par 4 14th on Friday.
"I had 194 to the front and I was trying to lay the ball on the front edge and let it chase on wherever it chases on," stated Woods.
"I had a 4-iron on there... just trying to hold the ball in the wind. I really hit it flush and held it nicely... I was just trying to land the ball on the front edge and let it chase on there and get my 4 and go on. It happened to go in."
For that week, Woods had Nike Forged Blades in his bag, which featured a traditional muscleback configuration. They are also forged from soft 1030 carbon steel and, like his traditional set-up, possess X100 shafts.
2009 Presidents Cup - Nike VR Pro Blade 3-Iron
One of the best club twirls and approaches of his career, Woods' shot into the 18th during the Presidents Cup is remembered for his walk after impact, with his laser-like 3-iron from 230 yards pitching on the front edge and rolling out to eight feet.
Being played at TPC Harding Park, the shot came on the Saturday, with Woods paired alongside Brandt Snedeker during the morning foursomes. They eventually defeated Tim Clark and Mike Weir 1-up, as the putt was conceded.
Club-wise, Woods was using the Nike Victory Red Forged TW blades, one of the most recognizable irons in Nike's history.
He had them in a 2-iron to pitching wedge make-up, with X100 shafts. They were also the replacement to his Nike Forged blades, which had been in the bag for a number of years.
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