Setup Lab · My9Iron
Rick Shiels Setup Lab: Build a Shiels-Style Bag for Your Swing
Rick Shiels is a PGA professional and YouTube coach whose bag usually blends mid-launch drivers, forgiving players’ irons and a premium tour ball. This Setup Lab takes that Shiels-style blueprint and scales it into three bands based on your 9-iron carry, so you can keep the same vibe without forcing tour-level specs that don’t fit your swing.
Step 1: Choose Your Band by 9-Iron Distance
Before you copy a single spec from Rick’s bag, figure out how far you really carry a 9-iron. That means stock swings, center-ish contact and on-course conditions – not the one time you nuked one downwind. Once you know that true carry number, it becomes your “speed label” and drops you into Band A, B or C.
- Band A – Tour Shiels: 9-iron carry roughly 145–160 yards.
- Band B – Weekend Shiels: 9-iron carry about 125–145 yards.
- Band C – Smooth Shiels: 9-iron carry under 125 yards or you prefer easy-speed golf.
Once you know your band, scroll down to that card and treat it as your short-list when you shop, get fit or tweak your current setup.
Step 2: Pick Your Rick Shiels Band
Band A – Tour Rick Shiels (145–160 yards)
Band A is for golfers who swing it closer to Rick’s real speed or higher – single-digit players, strong ball strikers or competitive amateurs who like a compact look at address and are comfortable seeing a slightly flatter, lower-spin flight when they go after it.
- Driver – Modern 445–460 cc “players” head (think TaylorMade Qi10 LS / similar) in 9–10.5° with a mid-launch, low-spin 60–70 g shaft in stiff or X-stiff, tipped to keep spin down.
- Fairway – 15° 3-wood in a compact tour head plus an 18° fairway or strong hybrid to cover the gap, both in firmer profiles to flight it under the wind.
- Hybrids / Utility – One 19–21° hybrid or driving iron you trust off both tee and fairway, with a slightly open face if the left miss scares you.
- Irons – Forged or forged-feeling cavity backs (T100/P7MC-style) 4–PW, standard or 1° weak in the short irons for spin and stopping power.
- Wedges – Three-wedge setup like 50°, 54°, 58° with mid bounce in the gap/sand wedges and a versatile sole in the lob wedge for open-face shots.
- Putter – Classic blade or compact heel-toe design with a simple top line and minimal alignment – something you can aim without thinking about it.
- Ball – Titleist Pro V1 – tour-calibre urethane ball with balanced launch, spin and feel.
- Apparel – Trim-fit polo, modern tapered pants and lightweight spikeless shoes that look “YouTube ready” but are comfortable for walking 18.
Choose Band A if you’re comfortable shaping shots, flighting wedges down and you don’t mind mishits falling out of the air a bit faster in exchange for ultimate control and feedback.
Band B – Weekend Rick Shiels (125–145 yards)
Band B is the sweet spot for most My9Iron readers – you love watching Rick flush it, but your own game lives somewhere between mid-90s and low-80s scores and you want equipment that still looks serious at address while quietly helping on the thin and the heel.
- Driver – High-MOI 460 cc head (Qi10 Max / Paradym Ai Smoke Max-style) set around 10.5° with an adjustable sleeve, paired with a mid-weight regular or firm-regular shaft.
- Fairway – Friendly 3-wood at 15–16.5° plus either a 5-wood or 19–21° hybrid to bridge the gap down to your longest iron.
- Hybrids – One or two hybrids around 19° and 22° if you hate long irons, with slightly softer profiles to help launch from the deck.
- Irons – Players-distance cavity backs (P790/Apex-style) 5–PW, with plenty of forgiveness in the long and mid irons but a clean look in the short irons.
- Wedges – Three wedges around 50°, 54°, 58° with a little extra bounce in the 54°/58° to protect you from chunky chips and soft turf.
- Putter – Mallet or fang-style putter with a strong alignment line to help you start the ball where you’re actually looking.
- Ball – Titleist AVX – slightly softer feel and lower flight than Pro V1, great for mid-speed players who still want urethane control.
- Apparel – Comfort-fit polo, stretch pants or shorts and spikeless shoes with plenty of cushioning – Shiels-style vibe without needing a tour-tight fit.
Pick Band B if your 9-iron lives in the 125–145 yard window and you want something that looks legit on camera but absolutely has your back on the days your swing feels a bit “YouTube comments section.”
Band C – Smooth Rick Shiels (< 125 yards)
Band C is built for easy-speed golf – higher handicaps, returning players or anyone who cares more about fun, center-face contact and carrying bunkers than about working a 5-yard fade on command.
- Driver – Max-forgiveness or draw-biased head at 11.5–12° with a lightweight, high-launch shaft to help you get the ball up and keep it in play.
- Fairway – Higher-lofted 3-wood (16.5–18°) or just a strong 5-wood plus a 22–24° hybrid to keep the top of the bag simple and reliable.
- Hybrids – One or two hybrids in the 22–28° range instead of long irons – wide soles, lots of offset and launch help.
- Irons – Super-game-improvement cavity backs or hybrid-style irons 6–PW with wide soles, plenty of offset and built-in height.
- Wedges – Two or three cavity-back wedges (CBX/Smart Sole-style) with wider soles and generous bounce to help you glide through the turf.
- Putter – Face-balanced mallet with a thicker grip for stability and a bold alignment aid you can see even on late-afternoon rounds.
- Ball – Titleist TruFeel – soft, easy-launch ball that helps you maximize carry and reduces side-spin on mishits.
- Apparel – Relaxed-fit polos, lightweight shorts and soft, stable shoes – maximum comfort and confidence over every shot.
Go Band C if your 9-iron carry is under 125 yards or you simply prefer smooth, balanced swings and want gear that helps you carry hazards, hold more greens and have more fun.
How This Rick Shiels Setup Lab Fits Into My9Iron
The whole point of the Rick Shiels Setup Lab is to start with your 9-iron carry and miss pattern, then layer a Shiels-style blueprint on top. Once you’re in the right band, you can fine-tune loft, lie and shaft with a local fitter or pro instead of blindly copying some WITB spec from YouTube.
Want to dial in your ball even further? Use the My9Iron 9-iron distance to swing speed & golf ball guide and our Ball Lab to sanity-check that your Shiels-style ball really matches your launch, spin and feel preferences.
If you’re working on wedges and scoring clubs, the Wedge Lab will help you choose the right wedge lofts, bounce and grinds for the turf you actually play – and then plug those into whichever band you’ve chosen here.
Video Highlights
Coming soon.
Rick Shiels Setup Lab FAQ
Should I just copy Rick Shiels’ exact tour specs?
Probably not. Rick is a plus-handicap PGA pro who tests clubs for a living, and his exact lofts, lie angles and shafts are tuned to his speed and delivery. Use this Setup Lab as a roadmap – match the band that fits your 9-iron carry, then stay inside similar head families while you let a fitter tweak the fine details.
Which band is right if my 9-iron is around 135 yards?
A 135-yard 9-iron lives right in the heart of Band B – Weekend Shiels. You might slide up toward Band A if that 135 is a smooth swing and you have plenty in the tank, or lean toward the top end of Band C if 135 only happens with your hardest swings and lots of rollout, but for most golfers 135 equals Band B.
Can I mix pieces from different bands?
Yes. A common smart mix is: max-forgiveness driver and fairways from Band C, irons from Band B and a ball from Band A or B depending on how much greenside spin and firmness you like. Use the bands as lanes, then blend within them to match how you actually score.
How do I know if the ball is right?
Start with your band’s default: Pro V1 for Band A, AVX for Band B and TruFeel for Band C. Then use the Ball Lab and 9-iron distance guide to confirm that launch, spin and feel fit the way you really play – not just how you wish you played.