Karl Vilips WITB 2026: 5 Bold, Game-Changing Choices

Karl Vilips WITB 2026: The YouTube Kid Who Made It

Before Karl Vilips ever held a PGA Tour card, he was already famous on the internet. His dad started uploading videos of him to YouTube back in 2008, when Karl was six years old and a local Australian news host called him "Perth's tiny Tiger Woods." Nearly two decades later, that same kid needed just four professional starts to win the Puerto Rico Open. His 2026 bag reflects exactly that journey: a player who's been building his game in public since before most of his rivals picked up a club.

Who Is Karl Vilips?

Karl Vilips
COUNTRY: 🇦🇺 Australia
AGE: 24

PGA Tour Wins: 01
Career World Ranking: No. 177 (highest OWGR as of 2026)
Korn Ferry Tour Wins: 01
Major International Titles: 02
Olympic Golds: 01

Karl Vilips WITB | Full Bag Breakdown & Specs

- Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D
- Mini Driver: TaylorMade R7 Mini Driver
- 3-Wood: TaylorMade Qi10
- 7-Wood: TaylorMade Qi10
- Long Irons: TaylorMade P770
- Irons: TaylorMade P7CB
- Wedges: TaylorMade MG5
- Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X
- Golf Ball: TaylorMade TP5X

Vilips is Australian by birth but American by golfing upbringing. He moved to the United States at 11 to chase the sport on scholarships, built a serious junior résumé (a 2017 Southern Amateur win, Olympic gold at the 2018 Youth Olympics), then played four years at Stanford, capping his college career with a Pac-12 Championship win as a senior. That result pushed him to No. 10 in the PGA Tour University Rankings, which handed him conditional Korn Ferry Tour status the summer he turned pro. He only needed four Korn Ferry starts to win.

By his fourth PGA Tour start as a full member, he'd already won the Puerto Rico Open, becoming Sun Day Red's first playing ambassador along the way, the clothing brand founded by his childhood hero, Tiger Woods.

Now, Let's Get Into the Bag

Here's everything Vilips carries into competition, based on his most recent in-hand setup from the John Deere Classic.

Karl Vilips WITB

Off the Tee: Two TaylorMade Drivers, Not One

Vilips starts with the TaylorMade Qi4D at 9°, built on a Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6X shaft, the anchor of a fully TaylorMade top-of-bag setup. But he doesn't stop there. He also carries a TaylorMade R7 mini driver at 13.5°, on the same Ventus TR Blue shaft family, giving him a second, more controlled option off the tee when the full driver isn't the smart play. Two drivers in one bag is still relatively rare, and it says something about how much Vilips values having options rather than forcing one club to do every job.

Fairway Woods: Doubling Up Again

The theme continues into his fairway woods. Vilips plays a TaylorMade Qi10 3-wood at 15° and a TaylorMade Qi10 7-wood at 21°, both on Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8X shafts. The 7-wood in particular has become one of the tour's fastest-growing clubs, giving him a high-launching, easy-to-hit option for long par 5s and tough par 3s where a long iron would be far less forgiving.

Irons: A Two-Model Combo Built for Control

In the Karl Vilips WITB, the irons are built for both forgiveness and precision. He uses TaylorMade P770 long irons for extra help, then switches to compact P7CB irons from 6-PW for tighter control. A Mitsubishi MMT HY 100 TX shaft supports the utility club, while Project X 6.5 shafts power the rest of the set.

Wedges: TaylorMade MG5, Three Lofts

TaylorMade MG5 or Milled Grind 5 Wedge Review

Rounding out his scoring clubs is a trio of TaylorMade MG5 wedges at 50°, 54°, and 60°, all on KBS Tour 120 S shafts. This is where a lot of tournaments get decided, and Vilips keeps it simple with one wedge family across the board rather than mixing brands.

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X

On the greens, Vilips trusts the TaylorMade Spider Tour X for its stable feel and forgiveness on mishits. It has remained one of the few unchanged clubs in the Karl Vilips WITB as the rest of his setup continues to evolve.

Golf Ball: TaylorMade TP5X

He plays the TaylorMade TP5X, completing a genuinely full TaylorMade bag from driver to putter, unusual even among staffers, most of whom mix in at least one outside brand somewhere.

Why This Bag Story Matters

Vilips' setup isn't flashy or unconventional. It's a clean, near-entirely TaylorMade bag built by a player who's spent his whole life being watched, first by a camera, now by a leaderboard. What makes it worth knowing isn't the spec sheet. It's the reminder that the "YouTube golfer turned tour pro" pipeline everyone talks about today isn't new. Vilips was living it back when YouTube golf barely existed as a category, and he's proof it can lead all the way to a PGA Tour trophy.

- PGA Tour wins: 1 title.
- First PGA Tour win: 2025 Puerto Rico Open.
- Korn Ferry Tour: 2024 Rookie of the Year.
- Korn Ferry win: 2024 Utah Championship.
- College title: 2024 Pac-12 Champion.
- PGA Tour University: Finished No. 10 in 2024.
- Amateur title: 2017 Southern Amateur champion.
- Olympic record: Gold medal, 2018 Summer Youth Olympics.
- Sun Day Red: First playing ambassador.
- YouTube milestone: One of golf’s earliest YouTube stars.

The Karl Vilips WITB is a smart, modern TaylorMade setup built around power, control, and versatility. His Qi4D driver and R7 Mini Driver provide two dependable tee options, while the Qi10 woods and blended P770/P7CB irons balance forgiveness with precise shot-making.The MG5 wedges, Spider Tour X putter, and TP5x golf ball complete a consistent bag with no unnecessary choices. Overall, the Karl Vilips WITB reflects the game of a rising PGA Tour winner who values reliable performance, flexible options, and equipment that supports every part of his game.

1. What clubs does Karl Vilips use?

Karl Vilips uses a predominantly TaylorMade setup featuring a Qi4D driver, R7 Mini Driver, Qi10 fairway woods, P770 and P7CB irons, MG5 wedges, and a Spider Tour X putter.

2. What driver does Karl Vilips use?

He currently plays a TaylorMade Qi4D driver paired with a Fujikura Ventus TR Blue shaft. Recent in-hand reporting lists the driver at 9 degrees, although equipment specifications can change between events.

3. Why does Karl Vilips carry two drivers?

Vilips carries a standard driver for maximum distance and an R7 Mini Driver for greater accuracy and control on tighter holes. The mini driver can also provide another option from the fairway.

4. What irons does Karl Vilips use?

He uses a blended TaylorMade iron set. The more forgiving P770 model appears in the longer irons, while the compact P7CB irons provide added control in the shorter clubs.

5. What putter does Karl Vilips use?

Karl Vilips uses a TaylorMade Spider Tour X L-Neck putter, a stable mallet-style design created to improve alignment and forgiveness on off-centre contact.

6. What golf ball does Karl Vilips play?

He plays the TaylorMade TP5x golf ball, which offers a firmer feel, fast ball speed, strong distance, and Tour-level control around the greens.

7. How many PGA Tour events has Karl Vilips won?

Karl Vilips has one PGA Tour victory—the 2025 Puerto Rico Open. He finished at 26-under par and secured his breakthrough title early in his rookie season.

Affiliate Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep testing and reviewing gear. All opinions are our own.