Jon Rahm made a dramatic shift in gears ahead of the US Open at Pinehurst

Many top golfers are extreme creatures of habit, meaning they don't make changes in haste. Some of the world's best players have even been known to use vintage grips, irons and golf ball models to help keep things consistent when it comes to their equipment.

Enter Jon Rahm and his Aldila Tour Green driver shaft, which he has used since his college days at Arizona State.

Or it was necessary used.

Last week, word came that Rahm – the 8th ranked golfer in the world – had switched from his long-time Aldila shaft to the new Fujikura Ventus Black 7X, ending the relationship of golf's longest-running (or Tiger's putter. ) during the US Open at Pinehurst.

To better understand the reason for the change, we caught up with Callaway's Tour content manager and mega gearhead Johnny Wunder, who said:

“For a long time, Jon's Aldila Tour Green worked well for timing and swing speed, but as he got stronger and faster he struggled to get his timing on the ball and get his feel. This led to a large pattern of scatters and left misses happening again, which is when he knew it was time for a change. He recently spent some time in Carlsbad to test several shafts, including prototype options, to find one that works best for his swing and helps eliminate left-handed misses.”

When asked why the Ventus Black was successful after testing, Wunder said: “The profile of the Ventus Black helped Jon feel better and allowed him to swing at his natural tempo without cheating. This has led to better tee dispersion and helped eliminate misses to the left. It wasn't just to raise Jon's ceiling or add distance as he's a good driver of the ball, but instead, to raise his floor.”

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In every major competition course to release a new drive shaft, the Pinehurst No. 2 – with its dumpsters and wireless lawns – makes sense as it offers some justification. Whether the change will pay off for Rahm will be interesting to watch as he searches for his first win of 2024.

Check out our latest Fully Equipped podcast for more on the latest gear news and information.

Golf.com Editor

Ryan Barath is GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com's senior editor of equipment. He has an extensive fitness and club building background with over 20 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. Prior to joining the staff, he was the lead content strategist for Tour Experience Golf, Toronto, Canada.