TaylorMade Tour Preferred MB Review Thread

I am more than satisfied with these clubs. I fully understand that being a higher capper, there is some shortcomings of playing these. I have lost a club of distance with these compared to my R9's and CB's. Sometimes I miss that, however, not too often. Where these excel more so than the other clubs, is that I get better accuracy. When I miss hit, they do not spray out to the right as much and when I skulled them, they actually produce a playable shot because the distance loss. I love the ball flight, that may be more shaft related but it is awesome.

First few rounds with these, I really had some remorse. I had a lot of doubt going through my head as these were the first blades I have ever played. I stuck the course and resisted a trade in. After a few rounds, I became more dialed in. I did take a hit on scores, but now those scores are dropping. Like a few have said, playing these is a commitment. I can understand why some folks have said that scores will suffer and do what would help your game. I agree, but I also believe that fun is a major factor for why I golf. These are just too much fun. I get over bad shots quickly and when I refocus and hit a nice one, the sound and fell keep my coming back.

Keeping things short, these clubs are great for ME. I have to stay focused and accepting that they are not the most forgiving. If you want a forgiving iron, these are not 2.0's, razr, or a host of others. If you want something that is gorgeous, accurate, gives you a bit more control (up, down, side-side) these may work for you. Distance on well struck shots is good, not 2.0 long, but good enough to put me in a position to score.

Weakness of these is stock grip. Those things suck, IMO.

Cheers

Great to hear! It's probably not even a distance loss in actuality, being these are traditionally lofted clubs and very weak. As soon as the morgan cup is over I will be busting these out for even more hardcore testing all through the fall. I love being able to hit an 8 iron 20 feet off the ground if the situation arises.
 
Yes I have tried to work a few low and find that I can control that flight. For example I ended up in some trees the other day and wanted to get some yards but get into the fairway. I took out my 7 and punched it out about 140 ish. I just put it back in my stance a bit. Now it may be more skill then club, but if I want to get under and hit a high riser I can. I also punched a 9 iron yesterday. Accident and it still hit the green but with more spin as it rolled out as opposed to a typical shot. I admit I am not the best 'worker' of the ball. I try to hit straight and these are point and shoot. If I want to get 'tricky' I have confidence to try it.
 
Just wanted to update this. With the Morgan Cup over these will be returning to my bag full time for even further testing. If you have any questions or just want to add something to the conversation please feel free.
 
I would love to hear a comparison with the callies! I tried the r11 and while a fine club. It will be tough to remove these. Purer shots are just amazing. I have kbs shafts and they put the ball about 40ft high (weak estimate of range fence height) and the balls flies true on a nice arc. I had a few hosel rockets that did not overly cause pain or put me in a tough position. I flew a hr right on the green from a bunker about 120 out. I was not really sad. On another note, misses allow the ball to not fly off or put me in deep. I am liking that
 
I would love to hear a comparison with the callies! I tried the r11 and while a fine club. It will be tough to remove these. Purer shots are just amazing. I have kbs shafts and they put the ball about 40ft high (weak estimate of range fence height) and the balls flies true on a nice arc. I had a few hosel rockets that did not overly cause pain or put me in a tough position. I flew a hr right on the green from a bunker about 120 out. I was not really sad. On another note, misses allow the ball to not fly off or put me in deep. I am liking that

It will be tough being they aren't a very similar club. These fly much lower and the control is obviously much easier with a blade iron. I use the DG X100's in everything i play so that helps lower the ball flight as well. The balance of these clubs is far superior to the Callaways but there is obviously no forgiveness.

In the end there really is no comparison due to the difference in the club itself. Two completely different offerings.
 
I played in the Iowa Open with these (missed cut), and one of the mini-tour pros in my group also had them and has the same feelings about them as I.

He even said that he would probably buy another set of these before they stop making them. Probably will be looking into that myself. I'm guessing that won't be for at least a year or two.
 
Took these out again for a range session for the first time in about a month as I was preparing for the Morgan Cup and didn't want to be switching between irons. It took a couple 10 shots to get back into the swing of things but nothing is better than looking down at these things framing the ball.

One thing I had noticed between the clubs I was using for the MC and these is definately distance control. After about 25 balls I started hitting these so crisp and I remembered why I liked them so much. I know on a well struck shot my PW is gonna carry 140 yards. Not 146, not 135, but 140. I then headed over to the rough and took some shots from there. Once again it's amazing how well these things cut through the thick bentgrass. So much easier controlling your shots when the hosel isn't being tugged hard left.

It definately took some getting used to again as these offer no forgiveness, but once I got back in the groove I remembered why I love these things. I love being able to control the trajectory so easily as well. Around here wayward teeshots put you square behind some serious foliage and alot of times I find myself playing punch shots and having to shape the ball. I avoid this whenever possible and would prefer to hit a straight ball but when the situation calls for it these flat out perform. Can't wait to move forward into the fall gaming these and giving even more feedback. I'm extremely impressed at how well the clubface is holding up to all the use as well.

As always any specific questions or concerns feel free to post here or PM me!

Edit: We also now have a legimate launch monitor facility and within a week or so I will be putting these on the monitor to show some hard number results.
 
Took these out for a 7 hour range/LM session to work out my well documented iron struggles as of late. I have been hitting everything thin after recovering from a severe wrist injury earlier in the spring where I tore cartilage.

These irons continue to impress. After working multiple drills to accelerate through impact hitting down on the ball I remembered why I love these clubs. The sound at impact is so solid and the ball flight is a perfect piercing flight will the ability to control trajectory so easily. I tried playing a more forgiving iron and while the misses are great I keep coming back to these knowing when I hit it right it's going to do exactly what I want. I know workability is a term that gets made fun of alot around here I really like to adjust the trajectory of the shot needed and while I don't work the ball too much left or right when I need to I know these will perform.

I tried hitting a friends 2011 release of a competitor and came away completely unimpressed. These swing better, sound better, and feel much more solid at impact. Just reinforced my belief that these are one of the best options for anyone seeking to play a blade for whatever reason they see fit. I'm slowly grooving my swing to where it was pre injury and just moved into the 21st century purchasing a FLIP Camcorder with a tripod so I plan on putting up alot of video in the near future.

Thanks for your time and as always feel free to ask any questions you may have. This thread doesn't generate too much interest within the forum members but if you find this via organic search please also feel free to contact me via the website. Setting up an account only takes seconds and I will be happy to assist you in any way.
 
Great updates Jrod, I know how much you love these irons and its great to hear you have them back in the bag and working as you remember. I love the looks of these irons and the fact they offer such consistent distances is great. Like you I don't like to work the ball but the fact that you can when you need to is important. Looking forward to more of your updates on these having played with you and seen how you hit the ball.
 
Great updates Jrod, I know how much you love these irons and its great to hear you have them back in the bag and working as you remember. I love the looks of these irons and the fact they offer such consistent distances is great. Like you I don't like to work the ball but the fact that you can when you need to is important. Looking forward to more of your updates on these having played with you and seen how you hit the ball.

Unfortunately you were witness to my extremely poor ball striking but it's really starting to come around again. I just needed to get through my head that my wrist was fine and regain the feeling of lagging the club and coming down through the ball at impact. I will have some video up sooner than later so everyone can see/hear more of just how awesome these are.
 
Thanks for your time and as always feel free to ask any questions you may have. This thread doesn't generate too much interest within the forum members but if you find this via organic search please also feel free to contact me via the website. Setting up an account only takes seconds and I will be happy to assist you in any way.

These have generated massive interest in me. I have always wanted to try MB irons. I read through this entire thread and these irons sound great. I may or may not look at getting these or something very similar.
 
These have generated massive interest in me. I have always wanted to try MB irons. I read through this entire thread and these irons sound great. I may or may not look at getting these or something very similar.

They are extremely pleasant to play, but an off day can be just as frustrating. However taking those things in to consideration I haven't hit another club in this years line up that comes close to the performance of these irons. There isn't too many bladed irons I haven't hit this year at either a demo day or golf shop.
 
They are extremely pleasant to play, but an off day can be just as frustrating. However taking those things in to consideration I haven't hit another club in this years line up that comes close to the performance of these irons. There isn't too many bladed irons I haven't hit this year at either a demo day or golf shop.

Thanks a lot and good stuff. I'm curious as to see how the switch to musclebacks would affect my game. Less forgiveness but more workability. Hmmm. How did it affect yours? Not good or bad, but how did your iron game change?
 
Thanks a lot and good stuff. I'm curious as to see how the switch to musclebacks would affect my game. Less forgiveness but more workability. Hmmm. How did it affect yours? Not good or bad, but how did your iron game change?

I still hit the ball straight as much as possible. I love to control the trajectory of the shot and these make that extremely easy. I've played blades since I was about 14 other than a few attempts at a more forgiving club and while my score may struggle from it from time to time I just keep coming back to these. Hitting these have definately helped me focus more on my iron game and ball striking in general. I was striking the ball maginificently until my wrist injury and am just starting to get back to where I was at the beginning of the year.

The most important thing to me is the distance control and I cannot stress enough how important it is to know exactly how far a well struck shot will go. However on the other side of the coin if you miss even by 2 grooves you're gonna pay. Thats just the nature of the beast.
 
I still hit the ball straight as much as possible. I love to control the trajectory of the shot and these make that extremely easy. I've played blades since I was about 14 other than a few attempts at a more forgiving club and while my score may struggle from it from time to time I just keep coming back to these. Hitting these have definately helped me focus more on my iron game and ball striking in general. I was striking the ball maginificently until my wrist injury and am just starting to get back to where I was at the beginning of the year.

The most important thing to me is the distance control and I cannot stress enough how important it is to know exactly how far a well struck shot will go. However on the other side of the coin if you miss even by 2 grooves you're gonna pay. Thats just the nature of the beast.

Yep, as with most MB irons. Though distance/trajectory control is something I have trouble with with my R9 irons, especially the low/scoring ones (9i-AW). Great to hear these make it easy. Thanks a ton for your feedback, you've been great JRod!
 
Yep, as with most MB irons. Though distance/trajectory control is something I have trouble with with my R9 irons, especially the low/scoring ones (9i-AW). Great to hear these make it easy. Thanks a ton for your feedback, you've been great JRod!

You know this was brutal with my last set of irons. 8-PW was so unpredictable distance wise it was just killing me.

Any other questions hit me up!
 
You know this was brutal with my last set of irons. 8-PW was so unpredictable distance wise it was just killing me.

Any other questions hit me up!

Thanks and I definately will!
 
Damaikis, I just bought these irons a few months back and I can back JRod up with everything he says. It is all spot on to what I have experienced. Great shot shaping capability, easy to hit it higher or lower, left or right. I have no trouble hitting the ball straight as well. If you have good ball striking with irons definitely give them a shot. You must be careful about where on the face you hit it though as JRod stated, too many grooves high and the ball goes way up high and drops a club or maybe more short (which is expected)

I recently just started a thread ( http://www.thehackersparadise.com/forum/showthread.php?24627-Exception-to-the-rule )about how my iron game has actually improved by these irons! I love the way they look, the feel of the ball off the face, and the way the clubhead interacts with the turf. They have it all!
 
Damaikis, I just bought these irons a few months back and I can back JRod up with everything he says. It is all spot on to what I have experienced. Great shot shaping capability, easy to hit it higher or lower, left or right. I have no trouble hitting the ball straight as well. If you have good ball striking with irons definitely give them a shot. You must be careful about where on the face you hit it though as JRod stated, too many grooves high and the ball goes way up high and drops a club or maybe more short (which is expected)

I recently just started a thread ( http://www.thehackersparadise.com/forum/showthread.php?24627-Exception-to-the-rule )about how my iron game has actually improved by these irons! I love the way they look, the feel of the ball off the face, and the way the clubhead interacts with the turf. They have it all!

Thanks these sound like great sticks. I'll have to look at devoting some funds towards them.


I wish golf was as easy as Tapatalk.
 
Finally started hitting the ball well and took some video of a range session today. Somehow two of the videos got flipped (haha?) but the point is the sound at impact and it still serves the purpose. Best viewed in HD.

3I




PW

[video=youtube;-OgFHaGPoYA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OgFHaGPoYA[/video]


5i DTL



PW DTL

 
Glad to hear you got your swing back and are able to put the MB's back in the bag. Thanks for posting the vids.
 
Glad to hear you got your swing back and are able to put the MB's back in the bag. Thanks for posting the vids.

Yah had a great round with them yesterday. Was spot on with my distances. These things just continue to impress.
 
Alright, after going back and forth for over a month I finally nailed down my new set...I just ordered a set of MBs! I was going back and forth on whether to get a full set of MC or MB, or even a combo set. I found a great deal on some MBs so I decided to go ahead and get the full set 4-PW. If I struggle with the longer irons I will probably order a 4 and 5 in the MC next year, but I am a pretty good ball striker so I think I will be okay. I have played the Nike Split Cavity for almost two years and those dont have much forgiveness so it has taught me to become a good ball striker. Anyhow, I'm super pumped now! Clubs probably won't be here til Tuesday or Wednesday so now I have to anxiously wait for several days. I will definitely post some pics, vids, and thoughts on these as soon as I get them!
 
Congrats on the new irons!

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