taylormade rocketbladez tour review

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The 7 month review: Taylormade Rocketbladez Tour

By Caesar Palache July 5, 2013 in Equipment

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Caesar palache.

I've seen two things come up recently, a few people lately asking for long term reviews for the Tours, and a bit more people claiming that the Tours weren't all they were hyped to be. So I figured I'd share my insight.

The good and bad of the Rocketbladez Tours

Last season I played Taylormade MC's 4-PW with KBS C-tapers in stiff flex. I thought those were the end all be all of irons. Loved the shape, the look, the feel, and the results. With these irons I felt I could try and hit them as high as possible and the c-tapers would take over and give them that perfect flat flight (althought they never would go overly high). The feel was phenomenal, they are forged so what do you expect. Narrow sole, thinner top line, and satin finish was just the icing on the cake. I was more then satisfied and didn't plan on upgrading any time soon.

Then I switched to the Tours with KBS stiff and it was a completely different animal. Head shape was very similar, although Tours had less offset and were not forged (bummer). I put them in the bag immediately since receiving them in December and if you want to me to admit it, I will, I was in the honeymoon stage. Loved the irons, loved the flight, loved the look, loved the results, but did not love the feel. Felt like I was hitting it with the back of my MC irons. Just something wasn't right. Another way to describe it, it felt like I was hitting it 5 grooves to high on the face. Just didn't have the crisp feel. Every now and then I would flush one and say "ok there it is, theres the feel." But other then that it took awhile to adjust.

I'm a club ho, I had 3 sets of irons (Taylormade 2005 Ract TP, Smoke TP MBs, MCs and now the Tours) that I would keep on a rotation just because. But I stuck with the Tours from December-March without taking them out of the bag. I wanted to see what they would do once the weather in Virginia warmed up. I wanted to see if they were what they claimed to be. After March rolled around I still couldn't find the perfect feel with these irons. I switched shafts 4 times (KBS Tour, to KBS C-Taper, to Project X PXi 6.0, to finally settling on NS Pro 950 for the past 3.5 months) with each shaft looking like a winner for the first 2 weeks of the experiment. I launch it higher and spin it a lot (when I'm swinging well) so the KBS Tours weren't a good fit. I blame the fitting process on my horrible winter swing when getting fit. I put my C-tapers in and loved them, but they were just too stout on the days my swing was off, so I went to the PXi which I was told would be smoother, and those seemed to fit but were just lacking a little something. I finally decided to go with a light weight shaft that I knew would feel smooth, NS Pro 950 (far away from a rifle shaft I know) and decided to accept the fact that these irons go high.

As Kadin said "yeah they fly high a f" ...lets just say they fly high.

In April I took the Tours out of the bag for 2 weeks for an experiment. I wanted to go back to my MC irons newly shafted with NS Pro 950s to see how they'd compare. It was no contest. The MC's felt only marginally better now that I was consistently flushing the Tours and no longer getting bad feedback. That and the MC irons were about 10-15 feet lower trajectory then the Tours. I couldn't hold a green, they went as far as the Tours but only cause they ran out 10-15 yards. The short irons were magic, the long irons I couldn't land on the green. I got so used to allowing my Tours to launch high that going back to a low launching MC iron, I couldn't figure out how to stop the ball. That the miss hits were awful. It's amazing to see how much higher and more forgiving the Tours were, consistently landing the same distance. I was convinced, the MC irons went on BST.

So on to the actual review now that I've given you a bit of a background on what been going on.

Now I don't know if its the lighter NS Pro shafts or maybe I just decided to finally start flushing the ball, but the feel is there now. I understand when people say they don't like the feel, because I was there. But now I think they feel as good as any cast iron I've played. I forget what the MC irons feel like because I like the way the Tours feel now. Off the toe or the heal yes the feel quite bad, thin as well. But as do all irons. Do they feel as good as forged? No, but they feel just fine to me and I'd be satisfied if I never went back to forged...I think. Center strikes give me an excellent feel and feedback, giving me that mushed feel like I've compressed the ball well. My miss would be to leave the face open and pull the club through, rather then released the club head through impact square. So when my swing was off I'd get that horrible feel of a swiping thin hit and towards the toe. I have a feeling thats what most people feel when they say the feeling is bad, because as I said, now that I square the ball consistently with the lightweight shaft. I love it.

Stop right here!!!! Disclaimer: the lofts on my MC irons and the lofts on my Tour irons were all with 1* of each other. Shafts lengths are identical.

When I first started playing these irons I didn't expect a distance gain, yet I see a lot of people expecting gains and claiming they got no gains in distance or lost distance with the short irons. These irons have been marketed as the first distance iron on tour, or something along those lines. The non tour Rocketbladez are distance irons, if you are looking for distance, go there. That being said, I feel I've gained some distance. Whether its my foot injury finally healing over time, or the fact its warm and in the Summer. I don't feel like I hit my MC irons this far last year. At least carry distance that is, when I put the MC's back in earlier this year they flew 10-15 yard less but ran out. No distance control. With the Tours, I have total distance control, I KNOW without doubt that they will go the right distance for me consistently. Its great, I never have to think "ohhh i better flush this shot" I just confidently swing and know the irons will do the rest. Very very consistent distances, as advertised.

These are my carry distances I play to now.

3 iron (non tour: bent to 16*, 40" long, out of the bag now): 225

4 iron (non tour): 207

5 iron: 190

6 iron: 177

7 iron: 163

8 iron: 150

9 iron: 138

The yardage gaps are definitely bigger, I'd say with my MC irons last year I played a 10 yard gap, with these irons I play about a 12-14 yard gap. Which I actually seem to be ok with, a cut takes about 5-6 yards off, leaving me a good shot when I need to take a bit off. As you can see the gap between the non tour 4 iron and tour 5 iron is a ton. I do not have a 200 yard shot, at all. A cut 4 iron flies just as far because of how hot the face it, it launches higher and just keeps going. I've said if you are going to get a mixed set, I'd go 1* weak with 4, or 1* strong with the 5, or even both to try and minimize that gap. That being said, I don't feel like I'm struggling at 200 yards out, because I was never "strong" at 200 yard out to begin with, I just want it on the green. And that shot doesn't come along all that often anyway. Down to the biggest problem I hear with these irons, the short iron distance, and the gap between 8 and 7 because of the slot. As you can tell, I don't have a larger gap between 8 and 7 iron, its a normal gap. It has never entered my mind that I might not be able to hit the 8 far enough. Its always fit. My 8 iron is about 5 yard further then what I played my MC irons comfortable last year. I felt like I need to hammer 8 iron to go 150, even if I thought it was a stock 8 iron last year, it was being hammered. 9 iron is 3 yard further, and PW is the same distance. The short iron distance problems people were seeing do not apply to my 8 and 9 iron that much but I do see it in my PW, it launches high and loses distance a lot. I need to work on flighting it down a bit. I rarely ever hit a full PW, its a lot of knockdown PW and 9 iron shots when around 120-130 yards outs. Half of the reason is to control spin, since I spin it a ton. The only half is because sometimes I just hit the PW to high and lose out. I'd suggest getting your PW and 9 iron 1*-2* strong to help alleviate the higher launch and lose of distance some people see. When I'm on and swinging well, I see no loss of distance, that's only because I can flight the ball down well and control distance. That is the one part of these clubs I struggle with and would like to see improvement, workability of the PW and 9 iron (more on that to come). I understand why Rose has a mixed set, he doesn't feel like he can control the short irons as well as with his MBs.

Workability:

This is where they shine in my eyes. Remember I said last year I had to try and hit the MC irons as high as possible and let the shafts do the work flattening them, well even then they wouldn't get overly high. Well with the Tours, I just hit them. I've accepting the fact hey go high, and if I swing hard and aggressive they fly forever. I love the long irons, they are easy to launch and fly high. I can stop a 5 iron on a dime into a long par 4, or put it back in my stance and hit a low stinger that runs. I have total confidence in working the ball high and low with the Tours, something I didn't with the MC irons. I could only go low, even as I tried to hit them as high as possible. The Tours give me options, not only low balls that I have to land short of the green and run up, but high balls I can fly bunkers and land soft. I have control finally, I love the high ball, I got so used to the medium-low ball and landing it short that not I finally have the high shot I can fly it back to the pin and it will stop. Just yesterday I hit 6 iron from the rough on a long par 4 uphill. The ball was sitting well so I knew I could get to it, but it wasn't going to spin, so I had to go high to land it soft. Pin was back (begging for a low runner I know) and uphill a club. My illegal slope edition range finder gave me 176 to the pin. A very comfortable yardage. I threw the ball high in the air and it landed 5 paces short of the flag about 15 inches past the ball mark it made. Soft landings come stock with these clubs. With the PW and 9 iron I have yet to master flighting the ball down. They go high, which is great...when you need it to go high. But when I wanted to flight it down, its still a bit of struggle because they launch so easily. PW more so then the 9 iron. 9 iron I usually just go all out or choke down to take some distance off and flight it. PW I feel the only way to flight it down is to go right to left with it, problem is that brings left into play a lot.

As for left and right, these clubs can do that too! I used to work the ball right to left all the time, but finally learned to appreciate the cut, and even the straight shot. Yes, I think my MC irons went side to side a bit better, but I feel like you want work these clubs one way or the other just as well as any other club. They aren't G series irons in this category thats for sure. The thinner sole gives me the confidence to turn the ball one way or the other.

Forgiveness:

These are considered players irons, and if they truly are then they are the most forgiving players iron I've gamed. I think everyone can agree with that. They are a small cavity back iron that seems to go the same distance with every shot. Thin shots get higher then I expected and land softer. Still they don't get the full heigh or softest landed but a thin miss won't kill you as much as it will with a MC iron. Toe shots I only seem to lost about half a club, if that. Sometime it gets the draw spin and carries a bit more. As for heal shot...lucky I stay away from the hosel so I don't see many misses there. My misses are towards to the toe or low on the face. No club is perfect, they are designed to be hit in the center of the club face, but when my miss hits only go about 5-7 yards shorter, I like it. They are very easy to hit straight, and don't always need to be turned one way or the other. If you like it hitting it straight, they will comply.

Durability:

This may be the most negative I get with these clubs. The paint fill is coming out in a lot of the irons (numbers). But the rest of the club seem to be holding up. Mine were milled before they stopped the milling process and the milling lines are holding up well. But the face shows a lot of wear. I hit balls every day, or play every day since I am a golf pro so I expect wear but not this much paint coming out of the numbers. With my MC irons I never had this issue. The 3m material is holding up well, but I noticed that it feels like maybe a MM has been sanded down in the 7 iron, my nail just catches as I run it across, so after 7 months if only a MM has worn down on the 3m filler, thats ok with me. The back cavity which I have heard people having some problems with, has held up very well. No problems there.

All in all, I think I am finally satisfied, and I think all it took was finding my swing, that is my summer swing. I've alternated between a 0-2 handicap since January, so its not like I'm playing overly better or overly worse. The weather is just finally being summer weather and I feel the golf season has finally gotten underway. That along with the lighter shafts have given me very good feel in these irons and predictable distances. I always thought the clubs were great just missing a little something. But after going back to the Mc irons for a few rounds I realized how much easier the Tours are to hit and play.

The positives?

I finally like the way they feel!

Consistent distances

Easily workable high and low, and controllable

Super soft landings

The negatives?

PW and 9 iron I have trouble flighting low. You may see a loss of distance if you don't properly flight your low irons.

Gaps are larger then with traditional irons, not ideal for higher handicaps who don't swing constantly

Paint finish has not help up

Feel was bad until summer came along and I went with a lighter shaft

Call me a fanboy, call me a contest winner. One thing I am when doing a review is honest, and this is my honest review of the Rocketbladez after playing them for 7 months, they'd be out of the bag if they didn't work for me. If you don't like it, thats fine, play what works for you. Don't be upset cause they work for me. We can play 18 even if you don't have a single TM club in the bag.

Taylormade M4 8.5 Oban Kiyoshi White Taylormade Aeroburner 15* Diamana S+ 72 Taylormade SLDR 17* Hybrid S+ 82 Taylormade P770 4-PW KBS Ctaper Lite Taylormade Milled Grind 51* 55* 60* Taylormade Spider Ghost

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Sep 17 2013

Sep 16 2013

I would add to my statement of "they fly high as F***" They do fly high but they don't balloon at all for me. I want to make that clear, high is not bad as long as they don't balloon which the Tours never did for me. Nice review and thanks for taking the time. See ya on the green...Kadin

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TheMoneyShot

Thanks for the review CP!!

Very comprehensive, CP, well done! Can't think of anything in your review that I would need to add or change. If the next version of this iron has improved feel (read it's forged), look out!

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I play Mizuno and I'm not a huge TM fan but I've hit these irons and they are very good. I thought the feel was fairly decent. Very nice review, thanks for taking the time to do it. Surprised to see the paint fill coming out of the numbers since their location on the toe shouldn't lead to much turf / ground abrasion. Did that much paint come out just from cleaning them?

Mizuno MP-650 10.5* Driver, Orochi Red MP-650 3w 15*, hybrid 19*,Orochi Red S MP-54 3-7 Nippon 1150 S MP-5 8-PW Nippon 1150 S MP-R12 52* and 56*, DG Spinner T.P. Mills Softtail

[quote name='bcflyguy1' timestamp='1373041929' post='7393178'] Very comprehensive, CP, well done! Can't think of anything in your review that I would need to add or change. If the next version of this iron has improved feel (read it's forged), look out! [/quote] Forged, I'm in! Forged, and easier to flight short irons, I'm absolutely in!

[quote name='cheeks' timestamp='1373043591' post='7393304'] I play Mizuno and I'm not a huge TM fan but I've hit these irons and they are very good. I thought the feel was fairly decent. Very nice review, thanks for taking the time to do it. Surprised to see the paint fill coming out of the numbers since their location on the toe shouldn't lead to much turf / ground abrasion. Did that much paint come out just from cleaning them? [/quote] Good point on the paint fill, my only explanation is last fall we top dressed our range with tons of sand. So only now has the sand started to settle. So possibly all the sand based range could have done it. But you are right it's all in the toe. We have a club cleaning machine here and my guys use to clean all our members clubs and I haven't seen of their clubs lose painful quite like mine. So I'm really not sure what the cause could be. As you notice the 4 and 5 iron seem ok, my least used clubs.

[quote name='Caesar Palache' timestamp='1373044882' post='7393406'] [quote name='cheeks' timestamp='1373043591' post='7393304'] I play Mizuno and I'm not a huge TM fan but I've hit these irons and they are very good. I thought the feel was fairly decent. Very nice review, thanks for taking the time to do it. Surprised to see the paint fill coming out of the numbers since their location on the toe shouldn't lead to much turf / ground abrasion. Did that much paint come out just from cleaning them? [/quote] Good point on the paint fill, my only explanation is last fall we top dressed our range with tons of sand. So only now has the sand started to settle. So possibly all the sand based range could have done it. But you are right it's all in the toe. We have a club cleaning machine here and my guys use to clean all our members clubs and I haven't seen of their clubs lose painful quite like mine. So I'm really not sure what the cause could be. As you notice the 4 and 5 iron seem ok, my least used clubs. [/quote] Interesting that you mention paint in the numbers, my irons are 3 weeks old now and the paint is starting to come out of the "A" wedge, very faint but it's there, I noticed it about an hour ago at the range, I thought "Hm, that's odd" and forgot about it until now.

- Ping G425 10.5*

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How do these compare to the R11 Irons?

I came from the MC's to the RBladez as well. I went through a fitting back in the spring days after they had the month long back order on the heads. I was pretty open to anything they suggested and the club that gave me the best results was the Tours with the same NS 950 shafts. I probably could have gotten by with the MC's cut and re shafted with a KBS 90 or 950 but I liked the added forgiveness of the tours in the 5, 6 I don't find the feel on a well flushed shot better or worse than most clubs on the market. Forged obviously feels a little better, but when you hit it right you know and it gives you that extra jolt knowing you hit it pure. I initially ordered the 5-PW, and go hybrids for 3 and 4, but I'm thinking of just finishing out the set and picking up the other two clubs but am stuck deciding between the standard RBladez for a little added forgiveness or sticking with the tours since I seem to be hitting my 5 really well as of late, and they already are so forgiving. I'm a fairly low ball hitter, so I like that these get the ball up easier for me. I also haven't noticed the big distance gap between my slotted and non-slotted clubs either. I fly my 7 iron around 145-150, and my 8 around 135-140 based on how flush I hit it. I'm not a big hitter, and my distances are pretty consistent with how I was hitting my MC's. Maybe a little farther because I'm using a better shaft for me but that'd be the only reason.

Callaway Epic TaylorMade M2 2016 3HL, 5HL Wood Ping G20 23º hybrid TaylorMade M2 Tour 5-PW Callaway MD2 52º, 56º, 60º Odyssey White Hot Rx 2-Ball

• 2 months later...

egrethacker

Great review. I am sold.

Cobra AMP Cell Pro Axivcore Green X TEE XCG415* Motore S Tee CB 19* Taylormade R11 4-AW DGs300 Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Taylormade Rac 56*, 60*

Looks like your impact is out toward the toe and a little high up the face? Ever tried a slightly longer finshed length to your clubs? Maybe 1/4" longer than where you are now? I wouldn't say they look "optimal" by the wear patterns on the faces (bravo for wear patterns though! A rarity on WRX. LOL!) Just an observation.

Great review! I pretty much had the same experiences with the Tours, but I went the other way and picked up a set of MC's and won't look back. I had days I loved the Tours and days I didn't and would have been fine keeping the split set I created with the 3-7 irons tour, 8-PW MC, but the lack of feel and click with the longer clubs became more evident the more I flushed the short MC's. I found the lonnger MC clubs to be pretty forgiving for my swing (at least this time of year) and the feel was top notch; really my first set of forged. I too have the C-Taper stiffs and I find personally I can work them however I want by changing ball position, etc. [i][color=#282828]The negatives?[/color] [color=#282828]PW and 9 iron I have trouble flighting low. You may see a loss of distance if you don't properly flight your low irons.[/color] [color=#282828]Gaps are larger then with traditional irons, not ideal for higher handicaps who don't swing constantly[/color] [color=#282828]Paint finish has not help up[/color] [color=#282828]Feel was bad until summer came along and I went with a lighter shaft[/color][/i] [color="#282828"][size=4]Pretty much spot on and I definitely saw a lack of distance in the short irons and a big lack of yardage [/size]consistency,[size=4] this was a big key in making the switch. I find I can do whatever I want with the short MC's and its point and shoot with the wedge. For me, being able to play a PW from anywhere from 95 to 130 is pretty crucial as I really don't like to full swing the gap all that much and the 54* and 58* only come out around 95 yards and below. [/size][/color] [color=#282828][size=4]I have confidence with the short clubs again, something I didn't have with the Tours..different strokes I guess.[/size][/color] [color=#282828][size=4]Play well![/size][/color]

16' M1 Fuji Pro TS 60x 915f 15* D+ 80x 915h 19* D+ 90x Pro Black CB1 4-PW PX 6.0 RTX 3 50* S400 SM6 54*. 58* C Taper 120 Works Limited #7

ron lefthanded holmes

great review I found the long irons had a great feel and boy could you get them up high without loss of distance it was the irons without the slot just didn't feel right to me,might of been me I don't no but I was using the kbs shafts as standard,so I let my set go should of kept them really but thanks for taking time in doing a great review [url="http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/user/182718-caesar-palache/"][color="#353535"]Caesar Palache[/color][/url]

[font=tahoma][b][color=#B22222]Driver Ping G400 10*[/color][/b][/font] [font=tahoma][b][color=#B22222]Hybrids Ping G30 17* 19*[/color][/b][/font][font=tahoma][b][color=#B22222] [/color][/b][/font][font=tahoma][b][color=#B22222] [/color][/b][/font] [font=tahoma][b][color=#B22222]Irons Ping i200 4//PW[/color][/b][/font] [font=tahoma][b][color=#B22222]Wedges Ping Glide 50* 54* 60*[/color][/b][/font] [font=tahoma][b][color=#B22222]Putter Black Series [/color][/b][/font] [font=tahoma][b][color=#B22222]Balls Bridgestone B330-RXS[/color][/b][/font]

I switched to these irons recently, and have been very pleased. I played Adams Pro A12, which were great irons, but I finally realized I needed more forgiveness. I hit a bunch of different clubs, and the Tours were the perfect fit for me. Little offset, mid-sized head, and forgiving. Very forgiving. They play like a Super Game Improvement, NOT a "Player's Cavity Back." These irons are reminiscent to the R9 irons in feel, which isn't a bad thing. I haven't noticed any distance lost or gained compared to my Adams. Just much more forgiveness. For me, the higher ball flight isn't an issue. Like mentioned earlier, no ballooning. I stuck with the stock KBS Tour shafts too. I think if people could get past the TM marketing machine hatred and give these an honest try, they would be pleasantly surprised.

Srixon Z785  Cleveland Classic XL 14*, Black Tie X Srixon Z945 3-PW, Project X 6.5 Cleveland RTX 3 52*, 56* 60*, Dynamic Gold  Odyssey Sabretooth Backstryke w/Flat Cat 

CP>. I meant to ask this a while back, but now this has been resurrected, ill ask. I also am a high hitter and I find C-tapers to be the only thing to keep flight down in a cavity back iron. In blades I can play just about anything. Now I see you are using Nippon 950GH, which from what I remember, their stiff is even softer and higher launching than KBS Tour R flex. How are you keeping the flight down on these? Or is it a subconscious thing, that your feeling them that feeling them load easier is forcing you into a smoother swing. By looks of your impact marks, doesn't look like you mis-hit a lot, but if you've ever flubbed one low off the toe (arguably the most painful mis hit on your hands), how does the rocketbladez/Nippon combo do for absorbing the shock? (Ie no stinging fingers) By looking at your yardages, it doesn't look like using non-flighted shafts is hurting your gaps either.

Zolex 0 CC "The Hammer" driver Warrior 3h Divnick Adjustable Iron Spin Doctor Wedges Top Spin Putter Molitor & Pinnacle balls

[quote name='mr_divots' timestamp='1379355620' post='7860629'] Looks like your impact is out toward the toe and a little high up the face? Ever tried a slightly longer finshed length to your clubs? Maybe 1/4" longer than where you are now? I wouldn't say they look "optimal" by the wear patterns on the faces (bravo for wear patterns though! A rarity on WRX. LOL!) Just an observation. [/quote] I actually get to fit to clubs that are minus 1/4inch but I play them at standard anyway because that's what I'm used to. I blame the large wear pattern on that fact I've changed shafts so many freakin times, that and I play 3 degrees flat that I think should be 3.5-4 bringing the toe down a bit. But my miss is towards the toe which I've found to have better missed then off the heal.

[quote name='Rebel420' timestamp='1379421419' post='7864615'] CP>. I meant to ask this a while back, but now this has been resurrected, ill ask. I also am a high hitter and I find C-tapers to be the only thing to keep flight down in a cavity back iron. In blades I can play just about anything. Now I see you are using Nippon 950GH, which from what I remember, their stiff is even softer and higher launching than KBS Tour R flex. How are you keeping the flight down on these? Or is it a subconscious thing, that your feeling them that feeling them load easier is forcing you into a smoother swing. By looks of your impact marks, doesn't look like you mis-hit a lot, but if you've ever flubbed one low off the toe (arguably the most painful mis hit on your hands), how does the rocketbladez/Nippon combo do for absorbing the shock? (Ie no stinging fingers) By looking at your yardages, it doesn't look like using non-flighted shafts is hurting your gaps either. [/quote] ok full disclosure since writing this review. A few weeks ago I decided to to switch the 8-PW with my MB irons with the Nippons. So my set up now is 4 non tour, 5-7 tour, 8-PW MB. The only reason I did that was to see what difference there was in the MB and how much better I could flight it. I could have kept the Tour 8-PW in the bag fine but I'm a ho. Has my game improved immensely? No I havent yet got to a + handicap, although I did career is last Monday with 7 birdies and 2 bogeys. Second disclosure, I ordered a set of C taper lites in stiff flex and hard stepped them. Only put them in my 5-7 iron so far to get a feel. So far I've only played a scramble with them yesterday so no review quite yet on them. I just thought they would be a great shaft to try since I liked the c tapers but found them just a touch to stout. So lighter and higher launching sounds good to me. We shall see, nothing against the nippons, again im just a ho. Ok so onto your post. The NS Pro 950 is the highest launching and smoothest shaft I've ever swung. Great great feel but yes holy crap does it go high and spin. Every one of my members i'd play with would comment on how high I hit it. But thats the way I like it. I launch the ball a mile into the air and let it fall, I just enjoy that ball flight. Get maximum carry and somehow I can control the distance. Sometimes the spin would be too much and lose it left of right but it was something I just dealt with. I thought it was a good sacrifice to get that high flight I like. I probably was also giving up 5-6 yards just cause of the high spin alone. But no big deal, I know what distance the ball is flying. Yes with these shafts I could just smooth it rather then worry about loading it with the c tapers. I knew as long as I make contact the ball will jump with these smooth shafts. So its more of a confidence factor with softer shafts. I knew I didnt have to work on launching them. Overall I think they had great feel on thin or miss hits. Nothing stands out as overly stinging but obviously a miss hit still feels like a miss hit. But my miss is on the toe and its nothing that stands out as stinging or painful.

[quote name='Caesar Palache' timestamp='1379422005' post='7864673'] [quote name='mr_divots' timestamp='1379355620' post='7860629'] Looks like your impact is out toward the toe and a little high up the face? Ever tried a slightly longer finshed length to your clubs? Maybe 1/4" longer than where you are now? I wouldn't say they look "optimal" by the wear patterns on the faces (bravo for wear patterns though! A rarity on WRX. LOL!) Just an observation. [/quote] I actually get to fit to clubs that are minus 1/4inch but I play them at standard anyway because that's what I'm used to. I blame the large wear pattern on that fact I've changed shafts so many freakin times, that and I play 3 degrees flat that I think should be 3.5-4 bringing the toe down a bit. But my miss is towards the toe which I've found to have better missed then off the heal. [/quote] Gotcha. Yeah, if you're not really sure, I'd have someone take a look again. Be nice to hit them closer to the middle of the face to see how they perform for ya. In my experience, too short was usually out toward the toe, too long closer to the heel. "Next time" ya switch, maybe try the shorter length. LOL!

[quote name='mr_divots' timestamp='1379432587' post='7865601'] Gotcha. Yeah, if you're not really sure, I'd have someone take a look again. Be nice to hit them closer to the middle of the face to see how they perform for ya. In my experience, too short was usually out toward the toe, too long closer to the heel. "Next time" ya switch, maybe try the shorter length. LOL! [/quote] I'm a PGA professional and got fit for these at the TM lab in Naples thanks to WRX and taylormade. We went with 3* flat because I play and draw and wanted them a touch more upright to help promote the right to left. So while I should be flatter I like the lie angle for the ball flight. I'm a scratch golfer so I find the sweet spot quite often and they perform quite well when struck correctly. I just tend to miss towards the toe. The wear is fairly dead center but the glare and pictures do make it look higher and more towards the toe. But that's just from misses when I don't release the club and pull it through impact.

The answer to better golf is work your butt off and learn how to hit it better, farther, and make more putts.

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TaylorMade RocketBladez Irons Review

The TaylorMade RocketBladez iron has been launched with much fanfare, but that is OK when there is a significant technical improvement. In this case it is the speed pocket on the sole of the club which allows the face to flex more to generate more ball speed and hence distance

It is the same principle that you know and love from the RocketBallz fairway wood , but this is the first time it has been put into an iron. TaylorMade want to be the number one distance iron and this is right in that category as it is all about ball speed. The technologies for increasing speed that started in drivers are now coming to irons and the manufacturing processes have improved to allow them to increase the spring like effect of the faces of irons.

The other main benefit is more forgiveness and TaylorMade say that in comparison to previous distance irons, there are less hot spots where the ball goes further off one part of the face than another. Certainly when we tried them the iron was very forgiving right across the face and the feel was excellent. You hardly ever got the feeling that you had mis-hit the TaylorMade RocketBladez iron as it always felt good and even strikes that were near thins, felt and flew much like a normal shot.

The other big difference for us was the design of the RocketBladez iron. You might expect it to be chunky with lots of offset, but you would be wrong. They are not blades (despite the name) and the mid-sized heads had a generous but not too thick top line and the offset was no more than you would expect on an average iron. We feel that the RocketBladez, especially the long irons, will be in the bags of a wide range of players.

The speed pocket only features in the 3-7 irons and then they go to more traditional cavity backs. Normally this is where we get worried as the short irons in a cast distance set are well it all falls down. However, we have to say the RocketBladez wedges are really lovely to hit,complement the rest of the set very well and are one of the best wedges we have tried in this category.

Finally we have reached stage in club design where the lofts are basically 1 club up from where there used to be. The 4-iron behaves like a 4-iron with the distance and 20 degree loft of a strong 3-iron and that is where iron sets have been heading over the years. The lofts are much stronger than in the past and you will need the A-wedge at 50 degrees to take you into your wedges. However this makes this set fit easily into the gaps at the top end of the bag created by the bionic RocketBallz woods.

There is also a notch on the hosel now to allow it to be bent for custom fitting and this is a great development and it adds to the style of the club, which apart from the graphics is very good.

There is a choice of Rocketfuel shafts which are a little lighter than normal to aid more speed and could be why we felt the heads seemed a little heavier than normal when you swing them..

Overall TaylorMade have managed to blend distance with looks and playability and this could turn out to be one of the defining irons in golf club development so we would definitely recommend it.

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User reviews.

I have owned Taylor made irons for years. First R-7. Then R-9. Played burner drivers still have four of them. R-11 driver. Bought RocketBladez really enjoyed them. After one year the shaft on my 5 iron snapped at hosel during a tournament. Year later 7 iron shaft snapped at hosel. One month ago the 6 iron face collapsed. My clubhead speed is low as I’m over 70. I’m sure I am not the only one having these problems with these irons. TaylorMade won’t replace them. Everyone of the irons with slot have failed. Good luck with RocketBladez.

Love these clubs, have taken 5 to 6 stokes off my game. I have shot under par on every round maybe 8 or 9. Only Missed only 3 or 4 swings so far. GREAT CLUBS!!

Have had these clubs for 12 months now and like wow, feel and distance A1 for a cavity back. Stripped 3 shots from my hcap , would recommend them as a game-improver.

This is only a provisional review after a single range session using a 7 iron but I felt compelled to write about this club as I have not experienced anything like this before with an iron.

Initial impressions are good as its a nice compact design with clean lines and to those like me (mid handicapper) its just the right amount of head size and offset to give you confidence but not too big to be off putting or turn away better players.

In the hand it feels very light and those that like a lighter shaft and the increased head speed that comes with it will benefit from the lighter, almost graphite feeling head/shaft weight ratios. Clearly if you like a heavier shaft you can custom fit.

Anyway down to the business end of things. When struck the ball just flies off the face and it really does go a like a Rocket! We've all seen the TM videos and I'm very cynical but I really do believe now. I just kept saying to myself that it felt like cheating. Feel off the face was good with a very satisfying soft clip but clearly not forged soft, but what is these days except blades. I'm using AP2's at the moment and the RBZ's were only a little more cast feeling than the 712's.

So whilst feel was slightly down the extra forgiveness on offer was on another level completely. Even slightly thinned shots flew straight and long with unerring accuracy and I would say that it was roughly 1 club stronger the 2 other (forged) irons I tried that night.

Finally a quick word about consistency. I really felt that I was in control of distances which not something that has been labelled at previous TM distance irons.

So yes I need to try the long irons to see if they are just as easy to hit. I also need to test the scoring irons for feel on shots around the greens. But at the moment I'm this close i.e. very very close, to trading he AP2's which is something I never thought I would do. Well done TaylorMade.

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Iron comparison: TaylorMade MC v. RocketBladez

From the forums,  By Caesar Palache

My shop was lucky enough to get the RocketBladez delivered quite early and they came in today around 2 p.m. First thing I did was cut the box open and take them down to the range for a quick demo.

A little background on myself: I’m a 2.8 handicap but that doesn’t mean I don’t shoot 80 every few weeks, and I’m 5’6″ with spikes on. I do not hit the ball far nor do I try to, but I hit it straight. That being said my 7 iron is a 165-yard max club, meaning I pull the 7 iron out on 155-165 yard shots.  I play Taylormade MC 4-PW irons with KBS C-Taper stiff shafts.

Today in Virginia it was a cool 50 degrees tops, and the wind was a slight breeze straight into my face. I expected to be hitting my 7 iron around 155 since it was cool, into the wind and I hadn’t swung the club in a week. I took out the range finder and found a spot on the range that was exactly 165 from one of the flags. Each MC 7 iron I hit was coming up around 5-10 yards short of the flag I was aiming for (155-160 yards). Then I pulled out the RocketBladez…

The first shot went up and kept going up, and continued to go up until it came down a good 5 paces beyond the 165 yard flag. The ball goes high. As I mentioned before I was hitting into the breeze so you assume the ball would balloon up into to, except this ball didn’t balloon.  It cut right through the wind as if nothing was there and then came down soft at about 170 yards. My thoughts were maybe I nutted it. I took another swing and what do you know, the ball went up and up and flew to the 165-yard flag with ease as if it were a calm, sunny 77-degree day. I hit about 10 balls with the RocketBladez 7 iron and nine of the 10 carried the 165-yard flag. Did I mention the ball went high?

Now, the stock shaft is lighter then what I am accustomed to and because of this I missed a few left of the flag and hung a few right when I was trying not to “snap” it left.  If I drew a line from the far left ball to the far right ball, 9 of the 10 balls would have been within 3 paces of the line.  I hit some thin, hit some flush, pulled some, pushed some, even nearly hozeled one (the heel shot went dead straight about 160 yards, still carrying past my MC 7 iron on this chilly day). Needless to say I was quite impressed.  I flew the RocketBladez iron on average 10-15 yards further then my MC 7 iron. It was a hard day to get a clear picture on how far these irons would go since it was cold and windy, but I have no doubt these added at least a club to a club and a half more distance.

Now for more of a detailed review. Click here for more discussion in the forums. 

First things first, I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the package up and pulled the 7 iron out. My first thoughts, this DOES NOT look like the Rocket Ballz irons from last year — these look darn good.  Pictures do not do these clubs justice because they look great.  This comes from a guy who plays the TM MC, a players club, but I could easily game the RocketBladez iron. I thought for sure I would have to go with the Tour version since it was more the players club, but these fit the eye more then you’d expect. The thin sole was a very nice surprise — think Taylormade CB meets Burner 2.0.  The RocketBladez have a thicker top line then a players club, but not as much offset as you would expect.  The 4 and 5 iron are obviously the most “Game Improvement” looking of the irons. Their heads seem much bigger then my MC heads, but the 6-8 irons seem only a touch larger and the 9, PW and AW looked like a players club.

Feel/Sound:

TaylorMade said these clubs would feel as good as a non-forged club could feel, and yes these clubs did feel fairly good.  This comes from a guy who thinks the MC irons are as good as it gets (without flushing a blade of course).  There is nothing quite like flushing a blade, or in my case flushing my MC iron. In my mind, it literally sounds like a muted flush and feels effortless when you strike it a MC iron solid. Well, no one is going to mistake you for hitting a blade or MC when you hit the Rocketbladez. It sounds like your hitting a cavity back iron. Now, I’m not sure if that is because I picked the ball, or hit the ball thin. But at certain times I really heard a POP when hitting these. Don’t get me wrong: it’s great feedback to hear POP as you strike the ball and see it go up and up (Did I mention how high these go?). But coming from a player’s club background, I like my muted flush a little bit better.

As for the feel of the POP, it was actually quite nice, knowing “yup I caught that one well” as you see the ball climb higher and higher and pierce the wind like it’s nothing. Think of what it feels like to flush a hybrid. Add a little bit of iron feel and you’ve got it.  As for the thin shots where they say the Speed Pocket is influenced even more, you can tell you hit it thin. It feels a bit harsher and doesn’t have the cavity POP I was talking about.  A thin shot with a Rocketbladez though, is much, much better then a thin with my MC irons. Overall you know you are hitting a “game improvement” club, but it feels quite nice.

Dispersion/Consistency:

As I said, this shaft was lighter and probably a bit weaker then I would like.  So I blame the left and right balls on the shaft, obviously, but I was overwhelmed with how easy it was to consistently hit the ball the same exact distance each time.  My near hozel shot traveled straight and 160 yards, I think we would all take a straight heel shot.  I “purposely” tried to hit some thin, and except for a touch harsher feel, the ball got up as high as my MC iron and went a touch shorter then a center face strike of the RocketBladez.  I cannot wait to try these with a shaft that I am more comfortable with.

Workability/forgiveness :

Now onto my favorite, can you work the ball? Obviously since I play the MC irons, I like to work the ball, preferably right to left.  But who doesn’t love a little forgiveness?

After getting comfortable with the RocketBladez I tried shaping some a little bit more then normal.  I started a 5 iron about 25 feet right of where I wanted it to land and released it hard from inside to see what it would do. Well, the ball went up and up and turned and turned right (well it actually turned left) into my target. Remember when I said these balls go high? Now, some of that movement can be attributed to the lighter shaft, but overall I was very surprised at how easy it was to move the ball around. It obviously wasn’t as easy as my MC iron but it wouldn’t be difficult to turn the ball into a tight pin if I needed too.

As for forgiveness, well, I didn’t slice one ball so it’s a high handicapper’s delight!  In all seriousness the ball went straight when I missed it, my near hozel went straight, my thin shots went straight, my toe shots went fairly straight.  They say the Speed Pocket helps with forgiveness and I believe it. The sweet spot is huge, it’s very very easy to hit it straight. (Take that with a grain of salt as I normally hit the ball straight and these where much easier to hit then my MC’s). As for hitting the ball, these were effortless to get up into the air. And they go high. For anyone who struggles launching the ball high, these are the club for you.

Overall I was very impressed with the Rocketbladez irons, considering I all but wrote them off and was expecting to only demo the Tour version.  I think it will be quite a bit harder to just go with the Tour version because they are the “players club.”  These Rocketbladez irons are a great club for a “player” if they can get over a few things first.

• Address: The top line is thicker then you would want in your players irons in the 4-7 iron, and the offset is reasonable through the iron set, with the exception being the 4 and 5 iron might be bit to much for someone who likes a blade. I was fine with the offset and would easily game the 4 and 5 irons, even if I went with the Tour 6-PW.
• Sound: for those who love the flush, these bladez don’t have it. Don’t get me wrong you can flush them, but they are a louder flush. They have the POP! but you can live without the muted flush sound. Trust me, you can get used to the POP! I found myself trying to get the loudest POP! I could after awhile.
• Now as for the lofts, get over it! I do not know what the lofts are off the top of my head and never thought of the lofts until just now.  These clubs, even with their jacked lofts, will fly higher, land softer, and be more consistent then what you are playing now. So I could care less about the lofts. They flat out perform and I cannot imagine how high these would fly if they had traditional lofts.

My last word. Superintendants everywhere will be outraged with the destruction of their green complexes if these clubs are as popular as I believe they will be.  They fly high!  If you play on a course with soft greens, you better always keep a ball mark repair tool in your pocket or else.  If I could play Rocketbladez with KBS tour or C-Taper, I think I’d have a winner.  Actually give me a Rocketbladez with the stock shaft and I’ve got a winner.  Taylormade you got me, I will game these “Game Improvement” irons over my MC’s any day.

(Disclaimer: I am a Taylormade loyalist, so you may believe I only like these because I drink the Taylormade cool aide. Try them for yourself, you will be surprised. I did this test in about 20 minutes outside because I was freezing, this was a quick review but I hope it helped sorry for the pictures, I snapped them quick)

Click here for more discussion in the forums. 

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Swingbyte Review

GolfWRX is the world's largest and best online golf community. Expert editorial reviews, breaking golf tour and industry news, what to play, how to play and where to play. GolfWRX surrounds consumers throughout the buying, learning and enrichment process from original photographic and video content, to peer to peer advice and camaraderie, to technical how-tos, and more. As the largest online golf community we continue to protect the purity of our members opinions and the platform to voice them. We want to protect the interests of golfers by providing an unbiased platform to feel proud to contribute to for years to come. You can follow GolfWRX on Twitter @GolfWRX and on Facebook .

23 Comments

Jun 6, 2013 at 12:44 pm

They will probably feel the same since taylormades forging is not soft at all.

Apr 17, 2013 at 1:18 am

I am suspicious of any reviewer who thinks that the word “than” is spelt “then”.

Feb 1, 2013 at 6:27 pm

I wonder how the rocketbladez tour will compare to the MC irons I’m using now.

Pingback: TaylorMade RocketBladez Irons Review | TheGolfingPost.com

Dec 26, 2012 at 11:07 am

Just played my first round with new RocketBladez. The 4-7 irons go 10 or more yards further. A lot of height on 6-7 irons. Still getting used to them. The pop sound is loud and hard to tell if I hit it flush. I have more control and can work them both sides. I miss the feel of my AP1s, but love the results of the RBLDZ. I’ll keep at it.

Dec 18, 2012 at 2:22 pm

Played my Hogan Apex PC’s since 1985. Went with the Bridgestone J38’s last summer (same lie/loft as my Hogan’s) great club…. of course I tried my friends Rocketblades as soon as he received them….to me they were very similar to the burner 2.0’s the clubs were longer and lofts stronger so they went about a club further than my current Bridgestone’s. I just prefer the forged clubs…

Dec 1, 2012 at 8:53 pm

I am a weekend hack, handicap 5.1, sixty two years ancient, and I still play the Hogan Apex blades I got for Christmas in 1992. I think it’s time for a technology upgrade, and the RocketBladez Tour caught my attention. Is it a good choice for me, or should I go for the standard? My death-shot is a hook, and I hate offset, but maybe I should just get over it and go for the standard?

Nov 26, 2012 at 9:38 am

Lot of haters here. Gentlemen, the trajectory is what gets the attention. If it goes higher than the MC, what does the actual loft number have to do with it. New tech has brought on higher trajectory with less loft. The important thing is club length. If you can attack with one club shorter, you are going to be more consistantly sticking it close. As for hitting into the wind, shut it down and play it like you would any other club. No one club plays both ways. But this club cut through the wind like no other. Hit it lower and the head wind doesnt have a chance. Why compare to a blade? Because blades are hard to hit. You have to be a scratch player that hits it on the nuts everytime. A very small percent of players are in that category and playing a blade at 1 or higher handicap is not the best choice anymore.

Nov 26, 2012 at 7:53 am

Why does every review start out with…”it was cold and wet and I didn’t warm up”?….Give me a break…move to Florida, do some yoga and compare apples to apples.

Dolph Lundgrenade

Nov 25, 2012 at 7:11 pm

For starters I agree with the others in two regards; 1. You cannot compare Game Improvement irons to Players irons (and, why would you?) and 2. The author must be aware of all specs on the clubs involved in the test/comparison.

Furthermore, when reviewing clubs it is absolutely crucial for the tester to not be a “fan-boy” of one particular brand and, regardless of brands, should definitely know how long, what flex, kickpoint, loft/lie, offset and any other variable relevent to the test. Otherwise, what are you testing or comparing? Looks? This review was just one person agreeing with himself.

Nov 25, 2012 at 11:24 pm

Agreed. It almost sounds as if he was convincing himself that he should replace his MC’s with these RocketBladez (or should I say rOcKETbLaDeZ?)

Nov 25, 2012 at 4:48 am

I think the TM marketing staff just offered the author a job.

Once he replaces the stock shaft with the KBS, the up and up and up, goes away and and away and away.

Nov 23, 2012 at 4:32 pm

Great comment Hula_Rock and xHellsing. You can’t compare a game improvement to a players iron. Of course you’re going to hit the ball farther with the GI. TM jacks there lofts up way too much. It’s ridiculous…terrible review.

Nov 22, 2012 at 8:28 am

How far do you hit your mc 6 iron? Because that is what the RBZ is, despite what it says on the sole.

fsubaseball21

Nov 21, 2012 at 6:06 pm

I am a proud TMAG Staff member. That being said i just got my new set of Adams cmb’s. enough said.

Nov 21, 2012 at 11:23 am

Didn’t read the review. Why the heck would you compare these two models??? I mean really, its like they would compare AP1 vs. AP2 from Titleist. Useless reading imo, compare them to the old “TP CB’s” and/or Burner 2.0 and/or RBZ……

Nov 21, 2012 at 9:40 am

Specs: MC 7-iron: 34 degrees RB 7-iron: 30 degrees

enough said….. better be flying the RB further by 10 yards….

Nov 24, 2012 at 6:50 pm

Good catch…..thanks for taking the time to compare specs! 🙂

Mar 13, 2014 at 10:16 pm

Exactly! I have been trying to tell everyone this. Ping is guilty too this 2014 season. I looked at their G25 irons and the same as Taylormade, 30 degree 7-irons and 40 degree 9-irons… of course you hit them 10 to 15 yards farther!! DUH!

Nov 21, 2012 at 3:50 am

Seems like shovels are the new “in-thing”

Thank God for Titleist and Mizuno

Spot on Clayton – bring these to a links course and see if you can hit them into the wind……….

ClaytonPetree

Nov 20, 2012 at 11:24 pm

All this talk about high balls. Hit my PW SKY HIGH and about 155 yards. I’m a little bit worried about this club since I play a windy links course most of my rounds. Any tips Zak?

sean_miller

Nov 20, 2012 at 7:21 pm

In some of the side-by-sides it’s hard to tell which shovel is which. Are the 5 and 7 irons that would be hard to aim (i.e. avoid a pull hook) the MC or the RB? It looks like they’re the MC which is opposite the RB versus ATV comparison.

Nov 20, 2012 at 7:22 pm

Edit: I type shovel as a reflex. They’re growing on me (like a wart?) and certainly don’t look any more shovelly than the latest Cleveland and Nike game improvers.

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Accessory Reviews

On Monday evening, inside the swanky, second-story “Coach House” event center in the Palisades Village, just minutes down the road from the 2024 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, Tiger Woods and TaylorMade officially announced their new apparel/footwear/accessory line, called “Sun Day Red.”

The Sun Day Red website officially launched on Monday night during the event, and the products are set to go on sale starting May 1.

The “Sun Day Red,” or “SDR” name will be self-explanatory for most golf fans, since he’s been wearing a victory-red shirt on Sunday’s for his entire professional career, but Woods explained the meaning of Sun Day Red at the launch event:

“It started with mom. Mom thought – being a Capricorn – that my power color was red, so I wore red as a junior golfer and I won some tournaments. Lo and behold, I go to a university that is red; Stanford is red. We wore red on the final day of every single tournament, and then every single tournament I’ve played as a professional I’ve worn red. It’s just become synonymous with me.”

The Sunday Red outfit has worked to perfection for his 82 PGA Tour victories, including 15 majors, so why not make an entire apparel line based on the career-long superstition?

As I learned at Monday’s launch event, the new Sun Day Red line includes much more than just clothing. To go along with a slew of different golf shirt designs and colorways, there were also windbreakers, hoodies, shoes, hats, headcovers, ball markers and gloves on display.

The upscale event was hosted by sports media personality Erin Andrews, with special guests David Abeles (CEO of TaylorMade) and Tiger Woods himself.

As explained by Abeles, the Sun Day Red brand is an independently-run business under the TaylorMade umbrella, and is based in San Clemente, California (rather than Carlsbad, where TaylorMade headquarters is located), and it’s run by a newly-formed, independent group. Brad Blackinship, formerly of Quiksilver and RVCA, is the appointed president of the new brand.

As for the logo itself, obviously, it’s made to look like a Tiger (the animal), and is comprised of 15 tiger stripes, which correspond with Woods’ 15 major championships. While the logo may need a 16th stripe if Woods adds a major trophy to his collection, it makes perfect sense for the time being.

The golf/lifestyle line is meant to combine premium precision and athletic comfort, while still having plenty of wearability and style off the course. Like Woods said on stage at the event, he wants to be able to go right from the course to dinner wearing Sun Day Red, and that was exactly the aesthetic on display at the event on Monday.

Following the official announcement from Woods and Abeles, they revealed multiple pieces of clothing, accessories and footwear for the event-goers to ogle (and photograph). Check out a selection of product/event photos below, or head over to our @GolfWRX Instagram page for video coverage…OR, head into our GolfWRX Forums for even more photos and member discussion.

Enjoy this exclusive look at Tiger Woods’ new Sun Day Red apparel lineup below.

See more photos from the Sun Day Red launch event here

Titleist launches new Vokey WedgeWorks 60 “A” grind wedge

The menu of grind options just got more expansive for Titleist Vokey WedgeWorks consumers, with the addition of a “60A” wedge to the lineup.

Previously, Vokey offered seven main grind options for players with various needs :

• T Grind: The narrowest sole option, which is widely used by PGA Tour players, and has low bounce
• L Grind: The lowest bounce option, with heel, toe and trailing edge relief for maximum versatility
• F Grind: An all-purpose grind that’s best for full wedge shots played with a square face
• S Grind: A neutral grind, best for full shots played with a square face
• M Grind: A versatile grind that’s for players who want to open and close the face for various shots
• D Grind: A higher-bounce wedge that’s for players with a steep swing angle, but want to play shots from various club orientations
• K Grind: The highest-bounce wedge option, with heel, toe and trailing edge relief for versatility

Titleist has now added the “A” grind, which has actually already been played on the PGA Tour by golfers such as Tom Kim, who used an A-grind to win three times on the PGA Tour, Wyndham Clark, who won the U.S. Open using an A-grind, and Max Homa, who used an A-grind at the 2023 Open Championship.

According to Titleist, the Vokey WedgeWorks 60A wedge is a low-bounce option that’s for golfers with a shallow angle of attack, and who play in firmer conditions. It has a “smoothed-out” sole for a faster feel through the turf, helping some golfers slide under the ball easier at impact.

“The most important club for me, probably in my bag, is this A grind,” Clark said, according to a Titleist press release. “I use the SM9 60-degree A grind, which is a low bounce 60 that is very versatile. I’m able to – on tight lies, rough, wet lies, firm lies, whatever it is – hit the shot I want, and with the amount of spin I want, trajectory and everything.”  

Apparently, Geoff Ogilvy played a large part in the A-grind coming to life.

“I spoke with Geoff (Ogilvy), and we got on the topic of Australian golf courses and how they compared to courses in America, and around the world,” said Vokey Tour Rep Aaron Dill, in a press release. “I asked him some specific questions, which resulted in an idea to design another lob wedge grind option that complemented the firm links-style conditions that players face – not just in Australia and Europe – but globally. Geoff has always been a low bounce player in his 60-degree, so I took his 60.04L wedge and removed the ribbon, resulting in a grind that moves through the turf quickly with very little resistance.” 

The new Vokey A-grind will be available on Nov. 7, selling for $225 each. Custom options include up to six toe engravings, 10-15 character stamping options, the Flight Line alignment feature option, and custom shafts/grips/ferrules are available.

Click here to read more about why the bounce/grind of your wedge actually matters

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GolfWRXers put the Full Swing KIT’s accuracy to the test

Last month, four GolfWRX forum members traveled to The Grand Golf Club at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego, California, to test the Full Swing KIT launch monitor and to see how it stacks up against other launch monitors. If you’re not familiar with the Full Swing KIT , development began when Tiger Woods requested a launch monitor he could trust on the range as much as he trusted his Full Swing simulator in his own home. Later, the KIT earned Tiger’s seal of approval and has been seen with him at every tournament he’s played in since its release.

GolfWRX members on the KIT’s accuracy

zap311: “The Full Swing team seems obsessed with accuracy when it comes to the KIT – The team talked about how this product officially shipped about 18 months ago and they are already on firmware release #20. They said they are regularly releasing updates (overnight via WiFi) to continuously improve accuracy and performance. That is pretty awesome and it’s nice to hear that they are not a company that “ships it” and moves to the next thing. I think they are on the right track since I saw virtually no differences in the data when testing vs. GCQuad and Trackman today.”

double or triple?: “In some cases the difference was less than half a degree on launch and less than 50 rpms on spin.”

hatrick11: “The differences were statistically nonexistent. I think it’s hard to believe for a lot of people when you think about the huge price disparity, but I can’t state enough how close the Full Swing was to trackman every single time, for each of us.”

“Outside, the data is just really really accurate. I know my numbers and know this particular range very well and the KIT was spot on all day. I also had some very variable quality golf balls in the bucket I hit and there was really only one spin rate in the whole session that had me raising my eyebrows at all.”

SwingBlues: “The GolfWRX Full Swing/WRX Experience showed Full Swing KIT produce numbers the same as the GC Quad (GC4) and the Trackman4. Dollar wise, both LMs are easily north of KIT, so this is HUGE to stand up there with the bigger boys on the Podium. For me, it seems more “apples to apples” to compare KIT to GC3. My own testing validates what we saw at the Experience. It shows critical data points like spin, carry, ball speeds are dead on or almost dead on for 40 yards and up on both GC3 and KIT.”

More on the Full Swing KIT

zap311: “The versatility of viewing data is impressive – Depending on usage, everyone has different preferences for viewing data. You have on-device, phone, tablet, monitor, smartwatch, or audio/headphones. I’m pleased to say that Full Swing covers all of these. You can use the app on iOS devices (they said Android is planned for the future). This includes viewing your last shot on the Apple Watch with a few options and turning on audio playback of your preferred metrics following each shot. I’ll post screenshots of this later. You can also choose between 4 data points or 1 data point on the device itself. It was easy to use the app to customize the top 4. For example, I was able to quickly change from launch angle on irons to swing path on driver.

“The KIT was very easy to use – Once you spend a few minutes learning the app and settings, it is very simple to select a club, line up the target line, and fire away. You don’t have to use a level or a laser to line up. KIT uses the built-in camera to tell you where to line up within the app or on-device screen. I was also able to boot up the KIT in less than a minute and drop it down on the tee box for our on-course trial today. Because of this simplicity, I can see it being more practical to bring to the course…

“The Full Swing team really thought through usability for the KIT. You can see up to four data points on the device’s OLED screen. You can see all 16 data points on your iPhone/iPad along with a video replay of the shot, you can view one primary metric from your Apple Watch, and you can enable audio playback for any of the 16 data points. For me, this was a dream as a full iOS user. One other feature I like is that you can star a particular shot to save it. You can also send shot data + the video recording to your coach if you want.”

double or triple?: “I was able to meet the teaching pro at the range I’m using for testing – PGA teacher/member Ryan Kolk. He and his team have 4 units amongst themselves and use them both personally and with their students during lessons. Ryan spent time dialing in his knowledge of the range balls vs proV1x (gamer) to better understand the FSK and he believes the consistency is there with the FSK and within trackman and GC/Foresight models. His preference is to use FSK while testing shafts and new product before using them in his personal playing bag which as a GolfWRX member is 100% appreciated. For his better students, he believes the information like Face to Path and Club Path that FullSwing Kit offers is great to help them understand what their swing is doing and use that information to better themselves.”

hatrick11: “It’s nice to know I can get super useful practice sessions in at my house, and can do in in ~20 min stints; with two little kids at home I can’t just go out for frequent or lengthy range sessions, so this is super valuable and I think will help me keep my game from degrading and allow me to spend my limited free time enjoying the occasional round with friends. In particular with the KIT, as opposed to the cheaper monitors or the other “mid tiers” like GC3, seeing path and face-to-path data is the key item that makes my practice sessions useful…when I am grooving it my path is almost always between 0-2* out to in, with face control being the main thing I need to work on. When my game goes sideways I start coming more in to out, and combined with face consistency being an ongoing issue, that brings the bad left miss into play. Previously I have struggled getting real use out of net practice, because the feels don’t always match reality. This data and video evidence really helps keep me honest, so it was great to see that I was eventually able to get that piece dialed in with KIT.”

SwingBlues: “One feature I am really starting to like is how easy to see the video of each shot. My buddy was not hitting it well, we went to the video and we could see the takeway was too far to the outside.”

“Using the app, it will display all 16 data points. Below is an example of one of my iron shots. Pretty impressive data captured by KIT. On KIT itself, the launch monitor display can be configured to show a single data point, or it can show a grid of 4 data points where the golfer choose which ones to display!”

Head over to the thread for more comments, reviews, and future updates as our members continue to test the Full Swing KIT. Don’t forget to become a member today for future opportunities like this, plus product member testing and giveaways!

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RocketBladez

If you were impressed by the trampoline effect of the RocketBallz fairway last season, you’ll be jumping up and down with joy when laying hands on TaylorMade’s new RocketBladez iron.

Remember that ‘little thing’ called a Speed Pocket? Well, it’s back and better than ever.

If you’re unfamiliar with the new Speed Pocket, it’s a little 2mm-wide slot in the sole of the iron that acts as an added booster during launch, allowing for balls to travel further on a consistent basis.

I’ve always struggled to find an iron that provides the perfect balance between distance, control and feel. That was until I bumped into RocketBladez.

Featuring Speed Pocket in the 3 to 7-irons, the RocketBladez again delivered me with high-towering ball flights and consistent distances throughout.

If you will excuse me for getting all technical, this is because 17.5g of weight has been strategically distributed to lower the centre of gravity and there’s a wide, low sweet spot that aided forgiveness when I knifed it.

The advanced, ultra-thin face design of the RocketBladez also contributed to my distance gains.

I was carrying the 7-iron on the range 162 yards on average, which is the equivalent of a 6-iron in my current bag, and a 5-iron close to 180 yards, which is where I’d expect to thin my normal 4-iron.

But most appealing – for someone who is always praying the pin is located in the back portion of the green when long iron is in hand – was the quick-stopping descent angle.

I was also a big fan of the design. Although they’re not exactly blades - as the name suggests - the mid-sized heads aren’t to be confused with ‘chunky’ as they possess a generous, medium thick topline and slight offset.

And as far as looks go, the cavity and racing-style badge featuring yellow and black lines are probably the best I’ve seen from TaylorMade. Everything about it suggests speed.

Fantastic looks, ideal ball flight and explosive distance. A game-changer.

Click here to learn more about the TaylorMade RocketBladez.

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TaylorMade RocketBladez & RocketBladez HL Irons Review

• Updated on: February 4, 2021

Learn more about our team of experts & our testing process here .

Quick Jump -

For an affordable alternative in customizable golf clubs, TaylorMade offers its classic “RocketBladez” line of irons at a slightly less expensive cost  than many designer club sets. I will review this set and also compare it with other top notch sets offered by Callaway, that cost around the same  as the RocketBladez set .

The regular-loft RocketBladez model irons are the earliest TaylorMade line to feature “speed pocket” technology, a weight bar placed low within the club head to help mid-handicappers get shots off the ground and flying at the flag, even if struck somewhat thin. RocketBladez are marketed as “game improvement” irons, which means they are designed with the bogey golfer in mind. However, there is much to like for the low-handicapper as well.

Another attribute is distance control. The irons will not differ wildly on distance when slightly mis-hit, a blessing for players who don’t have perfect rhythm. But as with other TaylorMade lines featuring the Speed Pocket, golfers who have an aggressive down-swing and prefer to “trap” the ball against the fairway to produce backspin may feel uncomfortable playing them. These clubs are made for classic swings, players who sweep the ball off the turf with a small divot.

Meanwhile, the RocketBladez HL line has the detraction – or benefit, depending on your swing path – of coming without the Speed Pocket, so that balls hit high or low on its face will carry a similar distance and feel similar when struck. The HLs come with an adjustable launch angle, regular or stiff shafts, and a vibration control system to improve the feel of the ball hitting the club face.

The HL line also includes the option of purchasing an “A” wedge, for a customized short-hitting approach club. Golfers who like to carry more than 2 wedges are more numerous now than they were when RocketBladez first were introduced in 2009, so TaylorMade can congratulate itself on being ahead of the curve – or at least the loft.

Playability & Customer Reviews

The weight-bar technology of the regular RocketBladez line offers fine distance, with consumers reporting that the clubs knock the ball at least 1 club-length farther than garden-variety irons. The clubs offer a lower trajectory than the newer SpeedBlade line, which is good or bad depending on your swing and where you like to play.

Golfers who already hit the ball low and play hilly parkland courses in North America will likely want to look elsewhere instead of investing in the regular ‘Bladez. However, those who can hit it high and long may actually benefit from the lower trajectory, especially for windy courses overseas or in the Southwestern United States.

Players who hit a low, “trapping” iron shot with an aggressive downswing (and who like to play the ball back in their stances) should take a hard look at the RocketBladez HL model. With its high trajectory shot pattern and increased distance factor, it could be just the ticket for such players who find that their long approaches tend to fall short and bounce unpredictably.

There is disagreement about the blue and yellow-infused look of both iron sets. While some players find the colors garish, others like them, and still others really don’t care how clubs look when sitting in the bag as long as they feel good and inspire confidence on the course.

For the Low Handicapper

Both the regular and HL RocketBladez lines are insufficient for the finesse, shot-making scratch golfer. One reviewer on Amazon notes that the “Blade” in the title made him think of traditional, shot-maker’s irons but upon playing them, he realized that these clubs are designed with simple, straightforward shots in mind.

However, the days in which all professional and top amateur golfers “worked the ball” are long gone. Many low-handicappers today are simple power players. If a 450-yard Par 4 can be conquered with a 350-yard drive and a high, straight-on wedge shot, why not hit the gym and cultivate a game based on power and consistency?

For straight-ahead scratch players looking to hit nothing but direct iron shots and pitches, RocketBladez can be extremely effective – especially on courses that emphasize length and accuracy such as Firestone.

For the High Handicapper

RocketBladez are an excellent choice for the novice, especially as beginners tend to hit “slices” which bend from left to right – a miss that these TaylorMade irons will help control.

The consistent length and shot pattern will help you get closer to the green on mis-hits, and the trajectory of the HL line will help you stop approach shots near the flag even if you haven’t learned how to apply enough proper backspin.

For the Power Hitter

There is less value in the regular RocketBladez series for players who already hit the ball long – the last thing you need is a long, yet low and bouncing shot pattern with your irons.

However, the high-launch set could be a terrific purchase. Helping to minimize damage of imprecise swings, the RocketBladez HLs can allow the long hitter to pull out the “A” wedge and execute a simple 100-to-125 yard approach after hitting the fairway…even on a long Par 4.

But careful, consider where you play! You don’t want to try playing high-launch irons in gale force winds, nor on links courses where overly floaty shots are at the mercy of the wind.

For the Short and Straight Hitter

The serious finesse player should only play these irons if extra distance is an absolute must. For many short hitters, whether you are playing a 4 or 5-iron shot to the green makes little difference when shot-shaping is truly your best weapon – and RocketBladez are not designed to work the ball.

However, for the hobby player who frequents a local municipal course with its 300 to 375-yard Par 4s, the RocketBladez HL series can be a solid choice. You don’t necessarily need to maneuver the ball around harsh hazards, but you do need consistency and trajectory from hilly lies and in approaches to small greens.

Remember to consider where you play most often – the choice between  TaylorMade RocketBladez irons  and another club set can be as simple as peeking at a course map.

Your Guru Author

• Hey, I'm Kyle!
• Kyle has ‘played’ for the past 20 years, and is forever seeking to improve his game. He has broken 80 quite a few times (along with the occasional pitching wedge) and now loves nothing more than checking out the latest clubs and gadgets.

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The Best Hybrid Iron Sets

If you’re a player who struggles to hit your irons, you might be considering taking them out of the bag and investing in some hybrid irons. Hybrid irons offer a little more support in terms of launch and are generally easier to hit than regular irons. I for one am a strong believer that we should be trying to make the game of golf as easy as possible! So in this article, I’ll be bringing you my round-up of some of the best hybrid iron sets around.

Callaway Apex 21 Irons Review

Back in 2014, Callaway brought out their first edition of the hugely popular forged “players” distance irons. These were one of their best-received sets of irons ever and it’s great to see that they’ve released a brand new set of Apex irons for 2021. In this article, I’ll be reviewing the Callaway Apex 21 irons to explore just how good they really are.

Best Golf Clubs for Seniors

As a senior golfer, you might be starting to worry that your lowest scores are behind you. But the reality is, there are plenty of senior golfers who have been playing for decades (and with that experience in the tank and a little help from modern technology), there’s no reason you can’t play some of the best golf of your life.

In this article, I’ll be reviewing some of the best golf clubs for seniors to help you find some that suit your game.

Srixon ZX Irons Review

Are there a few irons in your bag that you only ever pull out reluctantly? Yeah, me too. Man, I hate having to hit that 4-iron. If only there was a combo set that offered a mixture of game improvement, forgiveness and performance? Well, there is. The Srixon zx irons offer all of this, and maybe more? I’ll take a deep dive into what you can expect in my Srixon zx irons review.

Best Junior Golf Clubs for 2021

Here we take a closer look at some of the best golf club sets for kids that are just starting out, many of which are made by specialist junior golf club manufacturers, feature shorter and more flexible shafts to ensure young golfers can hit the golf ball properly and get more enjoyment from the game.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. 

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Expert reviews [24]

• with a score: 2
• without a score: 22

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Expert reviews [9].

• with a score: 1
• without a score: 8
• RIBCOR localizes face flexibility in the hitting area, transferring more energy to the ball to increase distance and accuracy.
• RIBCOR stiffens the perimeter of the head creating a more rigid structure, enhancing sound and feel. RIBCOR mitigates toe flexibility for tighter dispersion.

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"This little thing has changed the iron forever."

With the interesting features and benefits the iron provides, though, can you blame the company?

The key to those benefits, of course, is TaylorMade's Speed Pocket --- 'the little thing that promotes radical increased speed and distance', according to the manufacturer.

All told, TaylorMade's new Rocketbladez irons are incredibly fast and incredibly long while also promoting increased accuracy and stopping power.

"The Rocketbladez come with a load of performance both in distance and consistant distance," said Brian Bazzel, Product Creation Manager for TaylorMade. "But even above that is it gives you a higher trajectory and improved feel by the way we treat the pocket in the back of the cavity."

With plenty of support from Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose and other PGA Tour stars, the RocketBladez irons from TaylorMade have made a triumphant splash on the scene. Here's a deeper look at the Rocketbladez:

TECH AND SPECS

The key to the Rocketbladez is the Speed Pocket. In the 3-7 irons, the Speed Pocket and the club head's ultra-thin face work together to promote consistently high ball speed and distance. The distance behind the irons is also helped by TaylorMade's unique Inverted Cone shape design and a high rate of MOI (Moment of Inertia).

All told, the bulk of the head's weight is located lower than other irons, meaning the sweet spot and launch angle are all gearing your swing on a much higher launch angle, trajectory and peak. The Rocketbladez feature a much thinner face than the previous RocketBallz irons and a six-percent lower center of gravity that its predecessor.

All of the additions and designs, of course, result in a COR (measurement of 'jump' off the clubface) numbers similar to that of a driver.

Additionally, the stock sand and lob wedges take the sole design of last year's stellar ATV Wedges, completing the set with recent and new technology.

CUSTOMIZATION OPTIONS

The Rocketbladez irons are available in a number of shafts from TaylorMade.

Golfers may pair their new Rocketbladez with True Temper's Dynamic Gold, Dynamic Gold SL and Dynamic Gold XP models and the company's ProjectX branded Royal Precision and Royal Precision Flighted models.

Additional shaft options include the KBS Tour, Nippon NS Pro 950 and Matrix Ozik HD Program 95 shafts.

A host of grip models are available from grip- makers Lamkin, Winn, Golf Pride and Iomic, in addition to stock models made available by TaylorMade.

HOW DOES IT FEEL?

Much of the online chatter surrounding the Rocketbladez has backed up what TaylorMade is marketing: higher trajectories, increased distances and improved accuracy and control.

After a short but focused testing, I have to agree.

The first thing I noticed was the 'jump' off of the club face.

I noticed the lower center of gravity quickly as well-hit 5-irons were launching like a 6-iron. I also took notice of the irons' forgiveness. Even on bad swings, the ball launched and flew well. The technology and design behind the irons seem to make it easy to hit a ball well.

During my testing, I tried to focus on and learn the benefits of the SpeedPocket. On a good swing, you can feel the pocket working as a 'hinge' of sorts to help add launch and trajectory to your impact. On bad swings, I didn't see the SpeedPocket making a difference, despite what Golfweek's James Achenbach mentioned in his lengthy review of the Rocketbladez: "According to TaylorMade, the Speed Pocket is especially effective on impacts made low on the face. With long irons and mid irons, most mis-hits by amateurs occur below the center of the face. TaylorMade promises more ball speed and distance on those mis- hits."

Have you hit the new TaylorMade Rocketbladez irons? Are they already in your bag? What did you think of them? We'd love to know. Add your thoughts to the discussion below.

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TaylorMade RocketBladez Tour Irons (4-PA) (right, KBS Tour Steel,... › Customer reviews

Customer reviews.

TaylorMade RocketBladez Tour Irons (4-PA) (right, KBS Tour Steel, Stiff)

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TaylorMade RocketBladez Max Irons Review

Published: 21 May 2014

At a glance

• TG Rating Not yet rated
• Owner Rating Not yet rated
• RRP £1,299.00

What we say...

The Speed Pocket works with an ultra-thin face design and improved Inverted Cone shape to promote consistently high ball speeds and distance.

Click here to view the TaylorMade RocketBladez Max Iron's feature page. 

Product Information

Your reviews, taylormade irons user reviews.