TaylorMade R11 Irons Reviews

[Hawk]

They do. They looked like something I'd enjoy hitting for sure.

 

[TC]

They do. They looked like something I'd enjoy hitting for sure.

Same, and I have hit them, and I enjoyed it. I haven't seen any demos locally. That's a pity.

 

[versus1ss]

OK, played a round with these today at my home course and I'm really starting to get these dialed in. I'm just flushing them right now, and the feel when you do is second to none, however if you miss, there is still a surprising amount of forgiveness packed in the head. After blowing a lot of greens long I think I have the yardages dialed in finally and what I am seeing is : (all yardages are carry and are outing, and Morgan Cup approved.)

AW: 120
PW: 130
9 I: 140
8 I: 150
7 I: 160
6 I: 170
5 I: 180
4 I: 190

The best thing is, these irons are so consistant. I can pull any iron at any time and know that they are going to go the correct yardage. No crazy flyers like I would sometimes get with the 2.0s and Di11's. Paired with the right shaft I think these irons would be great for the + player, straight through to a 18 HC or so. I'm in love right now I'll tell you that.

i will keep those numbers in mind and compare when i try mine out.

 

[tomahawk18]

Finally got my hands on the R11's on Saturday and they are beautiful. The top line is sleeker than the R9 which I like alot. I wasn't sure how I felt about the screw on the back of these in the pics I have seen, but in person they really look good. The head is quite a bit smaller that I thought they would be and they really look as close to a players iron as they can while still being GI. I did not have a chance to hit them, but would love to and I will soon. To anyone who has them, how have they worn?

 

[MizunoMP]

I can't wait to get a chance to hit these. Never been a huge fan of TaylorMade irons but I sure would like to

 

[cg13]

I checked these out at Dick's yesterday and I will say that I liked the looks of them MUCH better in person.

Its amazing how great they look in person. Pics for some reason don't give ya the right contrast.

I love staring at them

 

[cg13]

Played a scramble Monday with these. I can't stress enough how much tech is packed into these.

Feel: for all the talk about cast vs forged, the two different technologies and how clubs are made, I think these irons really emphasize the argument that a good cast club CAN and DOES feel every bit as soft, and pure as a forged offering.

I think for the most part, educated golfers such as the members of THP and the like have seen the gap close between cast and forged. But there are people out there that still swear by forging and I play with several at the club on Sunday's. They almost refuse to play anything else since that's what they've known for so long.

We're in an age of information so our age group is constantly exposed to new ideas and information but there are always people that refuse to change, refuse to believe anything other than what they have been told for years. I hate to stereotype but the older fellas are most guilty of adhering to older ideas.

since returning from The Morgan Cup I have raved about the feel of the R11 irons to my foursome buddies every Sunday and they refuse to admit the cast R11 is every bit as solid and pure as a forged Mizuno. It's almost comical but they swear nothing will ever touch Mizunos forging process, and the process is so far advanced to cast that the clubs made via the grain flow forging of Mizuno is also superior in performance.

I have never struck an iron as pure as the R11, and some of this I can attribute to my improvement in skill over the past year, but I also believe the R11 iron is just that great a club.

When I strike it pure it feels better than any of the mizunos I've hit, the Nikes, callaways, etc. I never felt this with a burner 2.0 and even hit them side by side to compare. I wasn't aware of any new technology between the two so it might just be a combination of the technologies just complimenting each other.

Performance: im big on details and I love to tinker with new experiments. I took several different measurements and hit several shots like a practice round to get an average distance for my 7-9 irons. I found myself hitting them about 7-10 yards further than my mach speeds. I really need to get back to Golftec to measure my SS as I haven't taken a measurement for a few months. I have increased tempo and SS since acquiring these irons as I have ALOT of confidence standing over the ball.

I've been hitting the 4 iron off a tee with good success, the club/shaft combo of the r11 and KBS Tour 90 really gets the ball in the air quick and high. I'm coming from a low launching dgs300 so this shaft is perfect for me. In ever had towering iron shots until I began hitting these. I love the ball flight I'm seeing, high and long; which hit greens and stick. It's addicting!

 

[TC]

cg, you make me want these!

 

[Chunkylover77]

Man the MC'ers are making me want to hit a TM iron!!:banana:

 

[ddxu]

Good review CG. Are you seeing 7-10 yards more distance out of all your r11 irons, or just the 7-9. Did you swap out for 21* rescue for the 4iron, or just stuffing the bag and having fun? :mohawk:

 

[jmaier]

I've just finally gotten more or less use to my X-24s (coming from MP-52s -- too much for my game.) Sadly, I really like the looks of the R11 and when I've demo'd irons, the KBS Tour shafts feel so much smoother than the X-24 uniflex shaft. Right now, I am pondering the R11, Razr X Tour or G20s as potential upgrades. Any thoughts on how the R11 does into the wind with these shafts or how the sole performs on thin/hard lies?

 

[sjf25]

I ordered a 8 iron R11 with the KBS 90 stiff shaft and it came in today. I went to the range and hit a large bucket switching between my 2.0 burner and R11. My 2.0's are graphite stiff. In the beginning of the bucket, the feel of the heavier shaft was different and took some to get used to as I have hit graphite for the past 20 years. As I kept hitting the R11, the better it felt. I seem to hit the steel shaft just as high as the graphite but what the steel shaft does do is take some of the draw spin off the ball and my shot pattern was ALOT tighter. Now if I put a bad swing on it as with anything, it results in a bad shot. I was able to fade the ball which I can't do with the burner graphite shaft.
I love the looks of this iron and it inspires a lot of confidence. I would say that I probably am getting the same amount of distance by doing the eyeball test. The balls are not the best at the range but I did sacrifice a few new Penta's and they felt great coming off the face. The rest of the set will be in on Thursday. I can get a range session in with them but wont be able to get a practice round with them before the weekend.
My question to all of you is that I am playing in a big money tournament this weekend. Should i put the R11's in play without a practice round to see if there are any distance changes or just stay with my old clubs for the tourney. It will kill me to keep the new sticks at home but I think I should. what do you guys think?

 

[cg13]

Good review CG. Are you seeing 7-10 yards more distance out of all your r11 irons, or just the 7-9. Did you swap out for 21* rescue for the 4iron, or just stuffing the bag and having fun? :mohawk:

To be exact I'm trying to hit like 10 good iron shots with one club. And see what the average distance is.

With the 7 I was landing around 150-158 some rolling to 165.

The 6 iron I've hit more than the 5 and 4- and I saw 160-175 total carry with some rolling to 180. Which is the long distance I saw with the burner 2.0's.

I wanted to get out an hit it more to find out why my distance is off- sometimes I hit it high and it just sails forever- and those have to be the ones flying the full 170 yards then rolling out. But I think I'm
Missing it a little higher on the face? Bc ive had some not travel as far but they still get high?

Kinda hard to explain but I can feel instantly If it's going to be short bc I actually feel it leave the face. It's when I don't even feel it leave the face I know it's flying and THAT feeling is amazing. Wish I could do it every swing!

The 4 iron is a crazy club- I've never been consistent with the longer irons- But I hit this better than any other i ever have. I tend to fade it off rhe deck; sometimes slice but I've got it to fly 200'yards a few times. Which i would love to see more often.

I did pull my rescue11 bc off a tee
I hit the 4 iron better. I've never been the best hybrid player- sometimes I hit it well sometimes I can't hit it to save my life.

Sooo I'm practicing slot with the 4 iron- I just feel it's easier to hit off a tee - and off the deck I hit it better than the hybrid.

 

[TC]

I ordered a 8 iron R11 with the KBS 90 stiff shaft and it came in today. I went to the range and hit a large bucket switching between my 2.0 burner and R11. My 2.0's are graphite stiff. In the beginning of the bucket, the feel of the heavier shaft was different and took some to get used to as I have hit graphite for the past 20 years. As I kept hitting the R11, the better it felt. I seem to hit the steel shaft just as high as the graphite but what the steel shaft does do is take some of the draw spin off the ball and my shot pattern was ALOT tighter. Now if I put a bad swing on it as with anything, it results in a bad shot. I was able to fade the ball which I can't do with the burner graphite shaft.
I love the looks of this iron and it inspires a lot of confidence. I would say that I probably am getting the same amount of distance by doing the eyeball test. The balls are not the best at the range but I did sacrifice a few new Penta's and they felt great coming off the face. The rest of the set will be in on Thursday. I can get a range session in with them but wont be able to get a practice round with them before the weekend.
My question to all of you is that I am playing in a big money tournament this weekend. Should i put the R11's in play without a practice round to see if there are any distance changes or just stay with my old clubs for the tourney. It will kill me to keep the new sticks at home but I think I should. what do you guys think?

Put the new sticks into play man. Why not? I can't think of a better way to break them in. I remember when I first got my RXT's, I didn't even have the chance to hit them and I put them in the bag for a tourny and had some great success. I think you'll be so amped up to have them, you'll hit them well.

 

[MattyKrack17]

Can't wait, gona go demo these tomorrow. Along with some putters

MattyCaulk Aka Hawk hunter

 

[Wake]

My irons are shipping Thursday, so they SHOULD be here friday.

This is freaking killing me. I am off all week this week, and won't get to play with them at all.

 

[cg13]

Good review CG. Are you seeing 7-10 yards more distance out of all your r11 irons, or just the 7-9. Did you swap out for 21* rescue for the 4iron, or just stuffing the bag and having fun? :mohawk:

Rambled there.. Yes I see an increase in distance- not exactly sure the total distance for all clubs. I'm still trying to dial them completely in,

In Florida I saw a half club increase- saw almost a club re first week back here in Ohio.

I am not sure of the discrepancies- thought it might be the harder fairways.

But it's cool now- like 20 degrees difference in a week. And I'm seeing a club to a half club.

 

[AENIGMA]

The 4 iron is a crazy club- I've never been consistent with the longer irons- But I hit this better than any other i ever have. I tend to fade it off rhe deck; sometimes slice but I've got it to fly 200'yards a few times. Which i would love to see more often.

I also hated my R9, 4 iron. Used to mainly use it for punching from under trees; this R11 4 iron is soooo soft to hit. A mishit used to punish me with a shock into my elbows, this one feels like hitting a 6 iron. Im also keen to test it some more off tee's as I cannot hit a hybrid for some reason. The long irons are really impressive in this set and I feel like ordering an additional 3 iron as well...

 

[Vegan702]

I've never hit a KBS shaft and I'm looking forward to it. I was talking with a Taylormade Customer Service person on the phone a couple weeks ago, and he made a point of saying that the stock shaft in the R11 irons is not the KBS Tour 90, but rather the KBS 90. His distinction being that the stock shaft is Parallel Tip and not Taper Tip. I don't think the KBS website makes that distinction when I look at their products page, so it's probably just semantics. On facebook, KBS states that the stock shaft in the R11 irons is the KBS 90P - and I assume P means parallel tip.

In any case, I probably can't tell the difference between a taper and parallel tip, and I'm looking forward to my receipt of the R11 irons and comparing them to the Taylormade TP CBs that I now play.

Skimmer alert:

I have the R9s with the KBS 90 Stiff and after talking with KBS about their current shaft offerings, the guy at KBS said the shaft in the R9s and R11s are TaylorMade specific, i.e. TM gave them the specs they wanted and KBS made them for TM. In my R9s the KBS 90s have a very high ball flight for me and I was looking to switch to a different KBS shaft to keep the same feel, they suggested going to the KBS Tour 90 to keep the same feel and get a little lower ball flight, KBS Tour for a lower ball flight and finally the new C-Tapers for the lowest, but you gain weight with the last 2 offerings. Just a little info from KBS concerning the shaft that comes stock. I was thinking about changing the shafts in my R9s, but after figuring cost to buy and replace its almost better to just order a whole new set of R11s with the KBS Tour 90s vs replacing.

 

[RadRob]

Skimmer alert:

I have the R9s with the KBS 90 Stiff and after talking with KBS about their current shaft offerings, the guy at KBS said the shaft in the R9s and R11s are TaylorMade specific, i.e. TM gave them the specs they wanted and KBS made them for TM. In my R9s the KBS 90s have a very high ball flight for me and I was looking to switch to a different KBS shaft to keep the same feel, they suggested going to the KBS Tour 90 to keep the same feel and get a little lower ball flight, KBS Tour for a lower ball flight and finally the new C-Tapers for the lowest, but you gain weight with the last 2 offerings. Just a little info from KBS concerning the shaft that comes stock. I was thinking about changing the shafts in my R9s, but after figuring cost to buy and replace its almost better to just order a whole new set of R11s with the KBS Tour 90s vs replacing.

Interesting information. Thanks for posting. I don't have a very fast swing speed, so I'm suspecting/hoping the stock shafts in regular flex should work just fine for me. Getting the ball up in the air, especially with the longer irons, wouldn't be bad for my game.

 

[Kmac]

Man, I have a good session with my RXT's and then this thread pops back up. I read it and I want R11's. Stupid marketing geniuses.

 

[Mardin]

I also hated my R9, 4 iron. Used to mainly use it for punching from under trees; this R11 4 iron is soooo soft to hit. A mishit used to punish me with a shock into my elbows, this one feels like hitting a 6 iron. Im also keen to test it some more off tee's as I cannot hit a hybrid for some reason. The long irons are really impressive in this set and I feel like ordering an additional 3 iron as well...

I felt the same way with my last iron set that I got rid of my 4i and got myself a 4h, then after getting my set of CB's I've all but gotten rid of my 4h. The 4i is the type of club that I think really benefits from the weight port in the back of the R11/CB. By balancing the club it helps produce more forgiving shots on those pesky 4 iron shots out of the rough.

 

[TC]

Man, I have a good session with my RXT's and then this thread pops back up. I read it and I want R11's. Stupid marketing geniuses.

I know exactly how you feel buddy.

I would also like to thank cg13 for his updates. They are thorough and provide me with ample amounts of info.

tapatalk: even available for lefties!

 

[biggsy]

UHHH, so went in today to pick up my clubs. He opens the box and says, "Did you end up going with the KBS shafts?"... that wasn't a good thing to hear. Taylormade sent the wrong clubs. The box and packign slip had the right set on them, that just wasn't the set in the box. They sent me a 3-PW set wtih the KBS 90 Stiff. I ordered a 4-AW with TT Dynalite XP s300. That is what the packing slip said on it, they just put the wrong clubs in the box, huge dissapointment. Unfortunatly the story gets worse from there. When he called Taylormade, the office was closed friday-monday. How do you close your offices for four days when launching a new set of irons? He then calls his rep, whose voicemail says he is out of town for the weekend... and to call the customer service line.

So basically he can do nothing to get me the right clubs until tuesday. He said he will get them to next day them, and go to bat for me to get them to throw in some free stuff. I understand them being closed on monday for the holiday, but closing down all day on a friday really sucks. I am playing in an outing next saturday, I will get no chance to dial in the distances before the round.

Sorry to hear about the mix-up with the sets. I know Taylormade always makes up for the mistakes the make, so have no fear.

I really had no issues dialing mine in. A short range session and I felt comfortable enough to game them. I used them in The Morgan Cup after two rounds and really felt like I had them in my bag for months.

Like Arydolphin said, several of us used them for a very short time and then gamed them in a competition and it turned out very well.

I got these out on the course again this afternoon. It still amazes me how easy these are to hit. The ballflight is higher than my old irons, so I'm still getting used to that. I think I've picked up a few yards with these irons compared to my Tour Burners. I am going to play a lot of golf this weekend and hope to get all of the distances ironed out. As far as working the ball goes, I tried a few different shots today. My stock swing with these seems to be a small draw. I tried fading a few shots into a green and it wasn't too bad. I was able to work a small fade in, but a couple managed to stay straight. This doesn't really bother me as I tend to rely on straighter shots. I'm still amazed at how these irons feel. More info to come and hopefully a few vids....

I'm with you on the bolded part. I think they are a fantastic iron that works really well hitting it straight, what more does an amateur need?

Fantastic thoughts so far everyone, biggsy I always enjoy your launch data in your reviews, even though it frightens me a little. It's good to hear so many people are in agreement with the forgiveness in this set, sleek package too, perfect combo.

DD, what's wrong with a straight shot Good to know these aren't exaggerating your stock ball flight, I play a fade on my irons, with some sets that becomes a little more right, no beuno.

I'm hoping I can talk the rep into letting me borrow a 7 iron to take and hit off some grass to actually see what you guys are talking about. Launch monitors are nice but I want to see what they do for me outside.

Why is that?

Your rep has let you take everything else out, I'm sure he'll release his deathgrip on these.

I don't know if I would want the forgiveness to be on the same level as the 2.0s. It is hard to tell where you hit the ball on the face of those clubs.

Not the same forgiveness in my book, but I'll tell you, it's surprising just how forgiving this iron is or maybe I've just been playing an unforgiving iron for the last year.

Agreed dmb, and oem k what would you compare them to then, if there is such a comparison? I really love the cb's and the jpx 800 pros and was kinda looking down that alley.

Miles better than the CBs and slightly better than the JPX800. If those were sets you were pondering, I would add the R11 irons to that short list as well.

Well after hitting these alongside Mizuno MP-59s, Callaway Razr X Tours & TaylorMade TP CBs I have pulled the trigger and ordered the R11s. There wasn't a lot in it between the R11s and CBs but I was hitting the R11s slightly better.

The Mizunos were only fractionally longer than my current irons and not as forgiving as the others. The Callways were a big disappointment for me. They didn't have as nice a feel or sound as the TaylorMades. In fact I hit one with the RXTs that felt and flew like it came from the toe but the mark was on the center of the club face.

I have ordered 5-PW,AW & SW to replace the Ping i3s and my 25* rescue club. I will post some pics once I receive them.

I tend to agree with your post a lot. Good luck with your new irons, I hope they treat you well.

R11 Irons:

I played my first rounds with the R11 irons post Morgan Cup this weekend. It felt great to get them on the course and get some quality swings with them. I love these irons and they will be in the bag for a loooooong time. Ihave definitely picked up a few yards of carry with these compared to my old Tour Burners. I had an approach shot on a par 5 Saturday that I lasered 194 to pin and ended up flying the pin by 25' or so with a 4i. The R11 4i is so much easier to hit from my old iron. I used to cringe when I had to hit my 4i from anywhere but the tee. I had a tough time making solid contact with the TB 4i and would end up hitting them thin or weak slices. I think that has changed now.
I did have a few pulls Saturday that cost me a few strokes, but Sunday I had the swing in check and hit some really nice shots. Most were high and straight or with a very slight draw. The irons caught some eyes on the course as well. One guy on the range asked me a bunch of questions about them and is in severe ponder mode right now he said. He actually had the 2.0's and is planning on trading them in the for the R11's.

Good stuff Dirty!

Finally got my hands on the R11's on Saturday and they are beautiful. The top line is sleeker than the R9 which I like alot. I wasn't sure how I felt about the screw on the back of these in the pics I have seen, but in person they really look good. The head is quite a bit smaller that I thought they would be and they really look as close to a players iron as they can while still being GI. I did not have a chance to hit them, but would love to and I will soon. To anyone who has them, how have they worn?

I had the Cleveland CG7 BPs which wore immediately. I'm not seeing much wear at all after several rounds and range sessions. I was looking at them the other morning and they still looked brand new.

Played a scramble Monday with these. I can't stress enough how much tech is packed into these.

Feel: for all the talk about cast vs forged, the two different technologies and how clubs are made, I think these irons really emphasize the argument that a good cast club CAN and DOES feel every bit as soft, and pure as a forged offering.

I think for the most part, educated golfers such as the members of THP and the like have seen the gap close between cast and forged. But there are people out there that still swear by forging and I play with several at the club on Sunday's. They almost refuse to play anything else since that's what they've known for so long.

We're in an age of information so our age group is constantly exposed to new ideas and information but there are always people that refuse to change, refuse to believe anything other than what they have been told for years. I hate to stereotype but the older fellas are most guilty of adhering to older ideas.

since returning from The Morgan Cup I have raved about the feel of the R11 irons to my foursome buddies every Sunday and they refuse to admit the cast R11 is every bit as solid and pure as a forged Mizuno. It's almost comical but they swear nothing will ever touch Mizunos forging process, and the process is so far advanced to cast that the clubs made via the grain flow forging of Mizuno is also superior in performance.

I have never struck an iron as pure as the R11, and some of this I can attribute to my improvement in skill over the past year, but I also believe the R11 iron is just that great a club.

When I strike it pure it feels better than any of the mizunos I've hit, the Nikes, callaways, etc. I never felt this with a burner 2.0 and even hit them side by side to compare. I wasn't aware of any new technology between the two so it might just be a combination of the technologies just complimenting each other.

Performance: im big on details and I love to tinker with new experiments. I took several different measurements and hit several shots like a practice round to get an average distance for my 7-9 irons. I found myself hitting them about 7-10 yards further than my mach speeds. I really need to get back to Golftec to measure my SS as I haven't taken a measurement for a few months. I have increased tempo and SS since acquiring these irons as I have ALOT of confidence standing over the ball.

I've been hitting the 4 iron off a tee with good success, the club/shaft combo of the r11 and KBS Tour 90 really gets the ball in the air quick and high. I'm coming from a low launching dgs300 so this shaft is perfect for me. In ever had towering iron shots until I began hitting these. I love the ball flight I'm seeing, high and long; which hit greens and stick. It's addicting!

Good read CG! The distance you picked up with the R11s is impressive!

My question to all of you is that I am playing in a big money tournament this weekend. Should i put the R11's in play without a practice round to see if there are any distance changes or just stay with my old clubs for the tourney. It will kill me to keep the new sticks at home but I think I should. what do you guys think?

Big money, probably not unless you felt more comfortable with them than your current set. If you did...what a story it would make for if you won...hehe.

 

[Kujan]

I know exactly how you feel buddy.

I too find it hard to resist checking out these irons.