TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC Review Thread

[Hawk]

Crafty,

I played the R9tps all last year. I will say that I did not think I could control the trajectory near as much with the R9's. I also, must admit that I have not hit the MC's yet. However, where I play keeping the ball down is huge in central illinois and no matter how hard I tried I could not do so. It got to a point where I was focusing so much on hitting a low shot that my ball striking was suffering. As, Rx stated to me earlier. Wait for a demo day and try each iron. I made the mistake of that with my R9s and do not plan on making the same again. Can't wait for a demo day but that normally doesn't happen around here til end of may but I would rather wait than throw away some money on clubs I can control. Visually the MC's look a lot better than the R9's in my opinion!

How about Bubbas, 287 yard 3 iron this weekend!

Do you think a shaft change could help you out?

 

[stape2000]

Hawk,

Thats a great point. The R9's came with the KBS shafts. I don't remember which one, but I think they are the really light shafts KBS came out with. I'd like to try the mizuno shaft optimizer and see what it recommends. My buddy who is a pro, said he tried the optimizer out from a rep and thought it worked well!

 

[golf4life]

Hawk,

Thats a great point. The R9's came with the KBS shafts. I don't remember which one, but I think they are the really light shafts KBS came out with. I'd like to try the mizuno shaft optimizer and see what it recommends. My buddy who is a pro, said he tried the optimizer out from a rep and thought it worked well!

I think the optimizer works really well, and it takes all of about 3 minutes to use. It recommended the X-100s for me and I love them dearly in both sets I have them in.

 

[Hawk]

Hawk,

Thats a great point. The R9's came with the KBS shafts. I don't remember which one, but I think they are the really light shafts KBS came out with. I'd like to try the mizuno shaft optimizer and see what it recommends. My buddy who is a pro, said he tried the optimizer out from a rep and thought it worked well!

Check out this thread for some good info so we don't derail this one

http://www.thehackersparadise.com/forum/showthread.php?12002-True-Temper-Iron-Shaft-Project

 

[RxGus]

I don't think you are in a pickle at all. The R9TP should still be available in 2 weeks when the MCs hit fitters.

If nothing else you can buy "off the rack" R9TP and bend and lengthen to fit. That isn't to hard and you already have your measurements.


Tapatalk- USGA non-conforming

 

[Kmac]

TC,

I can completely understand your concern regarding the days where your irons just aren't on and you are overcooking the draw or loosing control over the fade. As you pointed out, those days happen and it is a part of golf.

The answer to you question about what you do is simple. You throw a bandaid on it (Instread of a draw, play a fade) and then sort it out on the range. Essentially, these irons won't prevent a bad day. My impression is that they perform at 95% on an average day, but that they likely won't do you any favors on a really bad day.

That said, my SGI RACs weren't much better on a bad day. If I was cooking the draw (I used to play one back in the day) the club didn't fix it. Minimize it, maybe... although that is debatable how much good they actually did.

Based on your last couple of posts, it seems like these aren't the irons for you. If you aren't ok with stepping back in loft (I won't say distance because I think degree for degree these are as long as any other iron I have tested) and you are concerned about the bad iron striking days then perhaps the Burner 2.0 is exactly where you should be in the TM lineup this year.

For my swing- just a couple of thoughts.

1. I really need help flighting the ball down and these irons are helping me learn to control the trajectory.
2. My distances are pretty conistent with what I used to play, and the lofts between the sets are very similar
3. I am not a good ball striker, let alone a great one, and yet I have not had problems with losing the Mid-Low irons even on really bad swings. The long irons I am struggling with, but to be fair I have never been able to hit long irons... GE or otherwise. I would say my miss is a heavy fade (instead of a light one) that drifts and extra 5-10 yards to the right with a similar distance. I didn't find it leaving me in traps, only longer putts (or chips) than my previous irons.
4. Until I get on the course more I won't know about my scoring- but at the moment I feel more confident in my game with these than I did with the old SGI, which is REALLY surprising for me.

Ive played with both you and TC and quite frankly hes one of the best ball strikers Ive seen. Just sayin..

 

[One-T]

Ive played with both you and TC and quite frankly hes one of the best ball strikers Ive seen. Just sayin..

I am staying out of it because I am biased but I would agree with this

 

[RxGus]

Ive played with both you and TC and quite frankly hes one of the best ball strikers Ive seen. Just sayin..

I am not saying he isnt a great ball striker- because I know that he is (and I am not).

That said- if his concern is about the days of big misses then the burners are probably the best clubs for him. These clubs will not tolerate those days the same way the burners will.

He stated pretty clearly he wouldn't want to give up distance and on two separate occasions he asked "what about your bad days, what then?". If that is a top 3 concern for someone these likely aren't the irons for them.

I have no doubt that TC could game these and do a dang good job of it- but they don't seem to match what he wants out of his irons which is 100% ok.


Tapatalk- USGA non-conforming

 

[CraftyLefty]

I don't think you are in a pickle at all. The R9TP should still be available in 2 weeks when the MCs hit fitters.

If nothing else you can buy "off the rack" R9TP and bend and lengthen to fit. That isn't to hard and you already have your measurements.


Tapatalk- USGA non-conforming

Thanks for the advice and the reviews so far! I'm completely jealous.

 

[kurtcobainrulzz]

well i am 6 foot 3 250. i pre ordered mine an i got upgraded shafts. i belive project x 20 more a club. he said a thicker shaft but lighter weight i think i got xtra stiff.

 

[JB]

I am not saying he isnt a great ball striker- because I know that he is (and I am not).

That said- if his concern is about the days of big misses then the burners are probably the best clubs for him. These clubs will not tolerate those days the same way the burners will.

He stated pretty clearly he wouldn't want to give up distance and on two separate occasions he asked "what about your bad days, what then?". If that is a top 3 concern for someone these likely aren't the irons for them.

I have no doubt that TC could game these and do a dang good job of it- but they don't seem to match what he wants out of his irons which is 100% ok.


Tapatalk- USGA non-conforming

Gus,
I agree with a lot of what you are talking about. I think TC was trying to say something different in terms of the overcooking the draw or fade. He was not trying to argue about the playability of these irons, I think he was speaking more about the talk of the forgiveness of these irons compared to others out there and that forgiveness in terms of different golfers' styles.

When you hear talk throughout this thread about how forgiving these irons are, yet in the same post someone talking about moving the ball all over the course through ball flight, things get confusing for some.

 

[SethO]

Gus,
I agree with a lot of what you are talking about. I think TC was trying to say something different in terms of the overcooking the draw or fade. He was not trying to argue about the playability of these irons, I think he was speaking more about the talk of the forgiveness of these irons compared to others out there and that forgiveness in terms of different golfers' styles.

When you hear talk throughout this thread about how forgiving these irons are, yet in the same post someone talking about moving the ball all over the course through ball flight, things get confusing for some.

I can understand this and how it is confusing. Here is my thought on this: The straight ball is very easy to hit. Mishits when hitting the straight ball are not as punishing as one would think. While trying to work the ball (which is very easy to do in my experience even though I am not one to work the ball much) The ball moved in the fashion that I wanted it to. I overcooked a draw and got a little too much side spin which ate some of my forward distance. On straight shots (99% of what I hit during the round) the mishits don't punish me as much as I would expect a GE iron to. I am seeing forgiveness that, to me, is on par to a little better than my DF's which are GI (right?).

If any of my thoughts were confusing, I apologize. If anybody wants me to do a specific test on the course or on the range, please let me know and I will do it at the first opportunity (usually that day).

 

[9-Iron Man]

Just got caught up with this thread again and you guys are doing an awesome job! Really enjoying reading all these posts.

 

[TC]

Yeah, I think I'm willing to sacrifice 10 yards of distance to be more consistent hitting balls to a number accurately. Part of that equation is being able to consistently hit a lower shot (at least for me). One thing I've always struggled with is hitting into a wind, as every set of irons I've gamed over the last several years launches the ball very high for me. And with some of these new, explosive GI irons like the S3s or Burner 2.0s, I've struggled to hit to a number even in non windy situations (flying over greens, etc).

To the other point, if I find that I'm struggling with making good contact and overcook shots a large percentage of the time round after round, then I would certainly consider a more forgiving set of irons as well. Its just that to this point (2 rounds of golf, 1 simulator round) I've never had so much success hitting greens and getting close to the flag.

I also might feel very differently about losing distance if I didn't have the length I do off the tee. If I was regularly forced to hit 180+ yard shots into par 4s, I would probably have a different answer here.

Thank you for the reply G4L and your thoughts make absolute perfect sense to me. I also struggle flighting the ball low in the windier conditions so I can certainly see the benefit there.

I really appreciate you answering my questions, b/c ultimately, I'm only asking questions that I'm really interested in having the answers to.

TC,

Based on your last couple of posts, it seems like these aren't going to offer what you are looking for in irons. If you aren't ok with stepping back in loft (I won't say distance because I think degree for degree these are as long as any other iron I have tested) and you want a ton of forgiveness on the bad iron striking days then perhaps the Burner 2.0 is exactly where you want to be in the TM lineup this year.

Thank you for your insight. I suppose I shouldn't ask relevant questions in this thread.

 

[TC]

My range session yesterday was fantastic. I said in an earlier post that I wore headphones on the range for the first time in a while and it really seemed to help my rhythm. The shanks were gone, which was great. The sound of these irons are still fantastic. I have some videos that I shot yesterday that I will load today that you can really hear the sound of these irons.

Interesting.

 

[SethO]

Interesting.

Zing?

I have been pretty quiet about the sound off these irons, but it is pretty fantastic! The sound signature on a well struck shot is so majestic. Man, I want to go out and hit these right now, but today is short game day and I have to work on those wedges.

 

[TC]

Zing?

I have been pretty quiet about the sound off these irons, but it is pretty fantastic! The sound signature on a well struck shot is so majestic. Man, I want to go out and hit these right now, but today is short game day and I have to work on those wedges.

Well hit a couple just to get your MC on bro!!!!

 

[SethO]

Well hit a couple just to get your MC on bro!!!!

Had to leave them at the house or I would have got no short game in. I only have about an hour of daylight to use. Tomorrow will be range day if we don't get blown away by this storm that is coming.

 

[ddec]

Interesting.

come on TC, it doesn't say that I wore them the entire session. :music:

 

[TC]

come on TC, it doesn't say that I wore them the entire session. :music:

Just giving you a hard time buddy. I like to do that in this thread for some reason. I'm trying to keep you guys in check, that's all.

Looking forward to your next slew of videos.

 

[ddec]

Just giving you a hard time buddy. I like to do that in this thread for some reason. I'm trying to keep you guys in check, that's all.

Looking forward to your next slew of videos.

yeah I know you, you just love to cause some trouble

I can't wait for them to take the back netting down from the range so I can take some better video shots.

 

[Puttin4Bird]

Had to leave them at the house or I would have got no short game in. I only have about an hour of daylight to use. Tomorrow will be range day if we don't get blown away by this storm that is coming.

I love that you're getting so much practice in SethO, not only is it great for this thread it's great for your game. Keep it up bro!

 

[SethO]

I love that you're getting so much practice in SethO, not only is it great for this thread it's great for your game. Keep it up bro!

Thanks man, but I had to call practice off this evening because I am under a tornado watch.


This is not the greatest post in the world, this is just a tribute.

 

[Spank818]

Thanks man, but I had to call practice off this evening because I am under a tornado watch.

Stay safe up there bro! I heard you guys are going to be in for some wild stuff.

 

[SethO]

Stay safe up there bro! I heard you guys are going to be in for some wild stuff.

Thanks man! My car and house is insured, but nothing better happen to my MC's!


This is not the greatest post in the world, this is just a tribute.