Go back and look at the equipment setup Xander Schauffele used during his latest triumph at the Open Championship. Now compare it to the tools in the bag during his maiden major win at the PGA Championship.

What do you notice? Everything looks to be the same — with one exception. Due to the links-style conditions, Schauffele replaced his Callaway Apex UW with a Mizuno MP-20 3-iron during the two-week trip to Scotland. For someone who rarely changes their setup in-season, this is about as wild as it gets for the two-time major winner on the gear front.

With links golf and diabolical weather in the rearview, Schauffele returned to Apex UW at Le Golf National for the Men’s Olympic Golf event. It’s no longer necessary to flight it low under the wind; bringing it in high and soft is the way to go this week.

While it may seem like a simple, unassuming change, it offers up the perfect opportunity to highlight a club that’s amassed a cult following amongst gearheads. It also happens to be the favorite weapon in the bag for Austin Kaiser, Schauffele’s caddie. 

“It does it all,” Kaiser told me in 2023. “Can hit a bunch of different shots and gets [Xander] out of trouble. It’s a great club to have in the bag.”

Released in 2021, the “utility wood” was designed around strategically placed tungsten housed inside the head that delivered high launch and consistent spin characteristics with a reduced draw bias. In general, pros don’t like to see a heavy draw in their fairway woods and hybrids, due to the potential snap-hook. It’s why most prefer an offering with a flatter lie angle or anti-right setup. Whatever keeps the left side of the course out of play.

Callaway updated the Apex UW last year, but Schauffele continued to rely on the original version, with a few minor modifications. Due to his steeper angle of attack, the head loft is reduced from 21 to 19 degrees.

Going stronger generally leads to more distance, but in Schauffele’s situation, his steeper attack angle imparts more spin on the ball. If you fall into a similar boat, turning down the loft is one way to combat excessive spin.

Schauffele also plays his UW at 41.5 inches, which is slightly shorter than most of today’s 5-woods. The benefit of going shorter, in this case, is that it allows him to add another “control” club to the bag. For someone who’s struggling to find a club that works off the tee and from the fairway, the UW checks plenty of boxes.

It’s no wonder one of the best players on the planet relies on it so heavily as he chases Olympic gold once again.

Jonathan Wall

Golf.com Editor

Jonathan Wall is GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com’s Managing Editor for Equipment. Prior to joining the staff at the end of 2018, he spent 6 years covering equipment for the PGA Tour. He can be reached at jonathan.wall@golf.com.