coolbreeze
Aspiring Golferr
I also use a 60 wedge that I also use from 85 yards and in.
TaylorMade R11 Irons Reviews
I also use a 60 wedge that I also use from 85 yards and in.
Esox
New member
Staples
Dirtydawg67
I have noticed a lot of spin with the shorter irons. In FL I sucked back a hard PW on one of the par 3's a good 10-12'. I hit a 3/4 9i into a par 4 and it hit and spun back 5' or so. I have never done that before with a 3/4 shot. I don't think there will be any issues with stopping a ball unless you are playing some really firm greens. The greens around here have been fairly soft lately due to the rain, so balls have been sitting right next to the pitch marks. Once they firm up a bit, I will have some more details regarding spin with all of the clubs.
Staples
Dirtydawg67
Precisely!
CB and Ary: Great write ups gentlemen! Lots of great info added to the thread today.
Gotcha - thanks man! Can't see your sig in Tapatalk so sorry about that.
Looking forward to following more of this - some good golfers gaming these so I really appreciate the honest feedback.
You guys found anything that you would change about these irons as of yet?
Tappin' from my iPad!
coolbreeze
Aspiring Golferr
Nope, possibly......nope!
Damaikis
Fairway Finder
Just caught up. Good review CB! These irons sound like a huge upgrade over the R9's.
coolbreeze
Aspiring Golferr
I think a lot of that has to do with the shaft hawk. I don't think the Uniflex shaft fit my swing that well at all considering the shaft I was fit for. If the shafts were the same, I bet the yardages would be similar.
coolbreeze
Aspiring Golferr
I think thats the crazy part, they look and feel like a GE iron, and then launch the ball like a GI iron. I have to say I'm really impressed with them.
arydolphin
GTHC!
I'm still working on the gaps. I'm actually hitting my wedges further than I used to, mainly due to swing changes, so that's another adjustment for me. I'm actually hitting my 58 degree wedge 95-100 yards on full shots, which is pretty big for me. I've got 10-15 yard gaps from that club all the way up to about 150 yards, which I'm ok with for now. If I ever had a >20 yard gap, that would concern me.
I'd make the groove on the sole of the club easier to clean, but that's being super-nitpicky of me.
Test Date: 09/14/2011
Testing Club: TaylorMade R11 4i - AW – Shaft: KBS Tour 90 – Stiff Steel
Ball Used: Range Balls (Rocks)
Environment: Nice artificial mat
I apologize for not getting something more up sooner, but I didn't hit any balls from the end of the Morgan Cup until Sunday, and have been focusing on the SCOR Wedge Reviews. Anyway, when I was out at the range tonight, I spent a bit more quality time with the R11s and quickly realized that I had not left all the good feelings in Florida.
Even though I may reference the Burner 2.0s that I had been playing for most of the last year, there really is not a comparison being done. The Burner 2.0s were relegated to the dark corner of the garage almost immediately upon getting home from Reunion Resort...the R11s are that good for me.
Looks – The R11s are beautiful clubs. I really don't have a single complaint or issue with any club in the set. The toplines are actually a bit thinner than the last few sets I've owned (Burner 2.0s and x22s) as is the sole. So to my GI eye, these look dead sexy and sleek. As I've said previously, I love the technology that the weight ports represent, and I know this has been said a million times, but don't judge these at all until you see them in person.
Flight/Consistency – The combination of the R11 with the KBS Tour 90 shaft gives me a nice high (but not too high) flight. Even with a 5 or 6 iron, these just drop out of the sky and don't go too far from where they land. The shafts hold up very well through the entire set, and probably get me as close to consistent peak heights (like you're supposed to achieve) as my inconsistent swing can generate. As I've stated before, and saw again tonight, the distance consistency is where these exceed the Burner 2.0s. As an example, I hit a 6-iron tonight to the front edge of a 160 yard target green. The next shot flies on the same line, and I swear, it bounces square off the first ball. Now of course that is an extreme example, but I hit about 7 of 10 balls inside a 30 foot radius circle with that 6-iron tonight.
Distance – I am not as long of a hitter as many of the other guys, but compared to the Burner 2.0 distances I played to, I play these to a distance 5 yards shorter and in the MC hit more greens than normal. As others have mentioned, I did have issues with the fairway flyer with the Burner 2.0s, which I have not seen with the R11s. Anyway, getting back to the range, the distances I saw tonight were in line with what I was expecting to see. Great distance + Consistency = Best Iron Set I've Ever Tried.
Miscellaneous - Tonight is the first time I had hit the R11 4-iron. I like to carry a 4-iron more for recovery shots or a Par 3 tee than as a normal approach club. Given my results tonight, the R11 4-iron is a close second to the Burner 2.0 as the easiest to hit long iron I've tried. Distance was right in line with what I expected out of it as well in the 175-180 range.
Conclusion
After three rounds and four range sessions, the love affair with the R11s continues. As others have mentioned, the beauty of this set is that a wide variety of handicaps can use them and enjoy them. I work with a guy who is a 2 handicap, and he keeps borrowing a club to try at the range. Based on probably 10-20 swings, he is already recommending them to his 7-8 handicap nephew. Further, every time I go to the range, the owner/teaching pro always comes and borrows one for a couple of shots as well. So they work for single digits, they are working for me as a 15 or so, and I think they would work for a 20-25 who wants a more traditional look as well.
Testing Club: TaylorMade R11 4i - AW – Shaft: KBS Tour 90 – Stiff Steel
Ball Used: Range Balls (Rocks)
Environment: Nice artificial mat
I apologize for not getting something more up sooner, but I didn't hit any balls from the end of the Morgan Cup until Sunday, and have been focusing on the SCOR Wedge Reviews. Anyway, when I was out at the range tonight, I spent a bit more quality time with the R11s and quickly realized that I had not left all the good feelings in Florida.
Even though I may reference the Burner 2.0s that I had been playing for most of the last year, there really is not a comparison being done. The Burner 2.0s were relegated to the dark corner of the garage almost immediately upon getting home from Reunion Resort...the R11s are that good for me.
Looks – The R11s are beautiful clubs. I really don't have a single complaint or issue with any club in the set. The toplines are actually a bit thinner than the last few sets I've owned (Burner 2.0s and x22s) as is the sole. So to my GI eye, these look dead sexy and sleek. As I've said previously, I love the technology that the weight ports represent, and I know this has been said a million times, but don't judge these at all until you see them in person.
Flight/Consistency – The combination of the R11 with the KBS Tour 90 shaft gives me a nice high (but not too high) flight. Even with a 5 or 6 iron, these just drop out of the sky and don't go too far from where they land. The shafts hold up very well through the entire set, and probably get me as close to consistent peak heights (like you're supposed to achieve) as my inconsistent swing can generate. As I've stated before, and saw again tonight, the distance consistency is where these exceed the Burner 2.0s. As an example, I hit a 6-iron tonight to the front edge of a 160 yard target green. The next shot flies on the same line, and I swear, it bounces square off the first ball. Now of course that is an extreme example, but I hit about 7 of 10 balls inside a 30 foot radius circle with that 6-iron tonight.
Distance – I am not as long of a hitter as many of the other guys, but compared to the Burner 2.0 distances I played to, I play these to a distance 5 yards shorter and in the MC hit more greens than normal. As others have mentioned, I did have issues with the fairway flyer with the Burner 2.0s, which I have not seen with the R11s. Anyway, getting back to the range, the distances I saw tonight were in line with what I was expecting to see. Great distance + Consistency = Best Iron Set I've Ever Tried.
Miscellaneous - Tonight is the first time I had hit the R11 4-iron. I like to carry a 4-iron more for recovery shots or a Par 3 tee than as a normal approach club. Given my results tonight, the R11 4-iron is a close second to the Burner 2.0 as the easiest to hit long iron I've tried. Distance was right in line with what I expected out of it as well in the 175-180 range.
Conclusion
After three rounds and four range sessions, the love affair with the R11s continues. As others have mentioned, the beauty of this set is that a wide variety of handicaps can use them and enjoy them. I work with a guy who is a 2 handicap, and he keeps borrowing a club to try at the range. Based on probably 10-20 swings, he is already recommending them to his 7-8 handicap nephew. Further, every time I go to the range, the owner/teaching pro always comes and borrows one for a couple of shots as well. So they work for single digits, they are working for me as a 15 or so, and I think they would work for a 20-25 who wants a more traditional look as well.
Damaikis
Fairway Finder
Good writeup adw! These irons continue to impress!
Staples
Dirtydawg67
Great write up Donne!
Chunkylover77
Proud JakeNation Member
What a day in this thread. You guys have all done great work. CB you have me pondering man!
coolbreeze
Aspiring Golferr
Thanks buddy, we do love to ponder don't we.
Donne, that was a great write up buddy!
SW
Grinder
Wonderful insight cool and ad. So in-depth I feel like I could go out on the course tomorrow and feel right at home with these.
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gillesam
Gleddoch's Mr 22%
Some more great write ups on these. I can't wait for mine to arrive. Will post some feedback once they have.
chas
Active member
i am loving my r11 irons at the moment, only had them a week and only been on the range with them so far. I gamed the burner 2.0 irons before these and i am hitting the R11 irons better, they seem more consistant and i dont see as many poor hits as i did with the burners. They also go pretty straight with a nice ball flight. I cant wait to get on the course with them.
Wake
Active member
I played a round with the clubs today, I'm still struggling with my swing. While working on my driver swing, I have screwed up my iron swing, its been frustrating. Nonetheless I managed to learn a good bit about the clubs today.
I'm still seeing big distance out of these clubs, I don't have them completely dialed in, but here are my guesses
iron R11 X18
4- 210 200
5- 195 190
6- 185 175
7- 175 165
8- 165 160 (2 degrees strong)
9- 155 140
PW- 140 130
AW- 130 NA
The 7-PW I think I have pretty well dialed, 4-6 are mostly guesses, as I haven't hit them enough to get a better idea.
I am still seeing tons of forgiveness in these clubs, I wish I didn't have as much experience with this as I do. I am hitting 50% of my shots off the toe. The good news is I am hitting very few thin shots. On shots way off the toe (part of the ball off the grooves) I am seeing 15-20 yard distance loss, and a marginally lower ball flight. if I miss the sweet spot, but still get the full ball on the grooves, I am seeing very little loss in distance, and a normal ball flight. Thinned shots get surprising height, leading to good distance, the ball often ends up rolling off the back of the green. Shots hit fat are... well fat shots.
I'm headed back to the range tomorrow, I just need to get my stroke back. When I am having to focus on my swing, it leads to taking my eye off the ball and poor ball striking. I had gotten my stroke groved to the point to where I could point and shoot, and I have gotten out of sync while working on my driver. I think I should get it back with a couple more range sessions. I hate that I can't give a better review of the irons until I get it ironed out, but I know its coming.
I'm still seeing big distance out of these clubs, I don't have them completely dialed in, but here are my guesses
iron R11 X18
4- 210 200
5- 195 190
6- 185 175
7- 175 165
8- 165 160 (2 degrees strong)
9- 155 140
PW- 140 130
AW- 130 NA
The 7-PW I think I have pretty well dialed, 4-6 are mostly guesses, as I haven't hit them enough to get a better idea.
I am still seeing tons of forgiveness in these clubs, I wish I didn't have as much experience with this as I do. I am hitting 50% of my shots off the toe. The good news is I am hitting very few thin shots. On shots way off the toe (part of the ball off the grooves) I am seeing 15-20 yard distance loss, and a marginally lower ball flight. if I miss the sweet spot, but still get the full ball on the grooves, I am seeing very little loss in distance, and a normal ball flight. Thinned shots get surprising height, leading to good distance, the ball often ends up rolling off the back of the green. Shots hit fat are... well fat shots.
I'm headed back to the range tomorrow, I just need to get my stroke back. When I am having to focus on my swing, it leads to taking my eye off the ball and poor ball striking. I had gotten my stroke groved to the point to where I could point and shoot, and I have gotten out of sync while working on my driver. I think I should get it back with a couple more range sessions. I hate that I can't give a better review of the irons until I get it ironed out, but I know its coming.
Smallville
#ICanHitADraw
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Thanks for the updates guys.
Awesome updates guys! You have everyone super excited for the R11 testing!
10YardDraw
Ex Club Ho
allot of great updates, My mind is going crazy in ponder mode over these, I am doing my best to not buy irons until after demo day and its hard with all these great reviews coming in.
wawabau
Dark Lord of Sith
I went in for an iron fitting last night and hit the Razr X, RXT, R11, and some other ones the shop recommended. I actually hoped the RXT would work best for me but in the end I got better numbers with the R11 and the KBS Tour 90 shaft. Distance wise they're about the same on the monitor and about 5-8 yards longer than my MP-30's but the dispersion is a bit better with the R11 (I actually got a few "hot" shots with the regular Razr X that flew 15 yards longer than normal, WTH?). It's actually just the second time I hit the R11's but the top line doesn't seem to bother me anymore. Since I'm fitted for standard lie and length the shop just needs to locate a set with the right shaft and also add another layer of tape under the grips. Might be picking them up as early as tonight.... and I'm excited!