When you see a veteran like Justin Rose pick up a new putter only a few days before the Ryder Cup, you know something big is happening. The Englishman was spotted on the practice range at Bethpage Black, not with his trusted Scotty Cameron Phantom T‑5 Tour Prototype, but with a freshly minted T‑11.5 prototype. The switch raises eyebrows because Rose has already proven the Phantom T‑5 works – it helped him clinch the FedEx St. Jude Championship and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro‑Am earlier this year.
Why the sudden change? Rose’s equipment journey explained
Rose isn’t shy about tinkering with his clubs. After nearly two decades with TaylorMade, he jumped to Honma in 2019, only to leave a year later. Since 2020 he’s been a free‑agent, borrowing shafts, heads and grips from TaylorMade, Cobra, Titleist and Callaway. That habit earned him the nickname “club junkie” among his peers.
The Phantom T‑5 Tour Prototype had been his go‑to for most of 2025. Its design mirrors the popular Phantom X5, offering a solid feel and a clean sightline. Rose used it to break a four‑year winless streak that dated back to the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open, finally getting back on the winner’s podium at the FedEx St. Jude.
Enter the T‑11.5 prototype – a less‑tested model that promises a different weight distribution and a slightly altered loft. Sources say Rose tried it during a private practice session and felt a tighter roll on the greens, something he can’t afford to miss at a venue as unforgiving as Bethpage Black.
- Course challenge: Bethpage Black’s greens are famously fast and sloped, demanding precision.
- Ryder Cup pressure: The event is team‑based, and a single missed putt can swing momentum.
- Team strategy: Captain Luke Donald wants every player in the best possible position, even if that means a late‑season equipment swap.
Rose’s decision also reflects a broader trend in modern golf: players are willing to make rapid adjustments if they believe it could shave a fraction of a second off their putt. The market for Scotty Cameron clubs could see a spike if the T‑11.5 performs well under Ryder Cup pressure.
Beyond the putter, Rose’s preparation includes extra green‑reading drills, simulations of Bethpage’s tricky pin placements, and mental‑focus sessions. He’s known to spend hours with a putting coach analyzing minute changes in stroke mechanics. This holistic approach shows he’s not just swapping clubs on a whim; he’s embracing a full‑scale tweak to his short‑game routine.
For the European squad, Rose is now entering his sixth Ryder Cup. His experience, combined with the new putter’s potential, could give Team Europe a subtle edge. Meanwhile, rivals on Team USA will be watching closely, perhaps even considering their own equipment audits as the competition draws near.
The drama of a last‑minute putter change adds another layer of intrigue to what promises to be a historic showdown on American soil. As the countdown ticks, fans and pundits alike will be asking: will the T‑11.5 help Rose sink the decisive putt, or will the switch prove a costly distraction? Only the greens at Bethpage Black will tell.
