Taylormade Tour Preferred CB Iron Review Thread

[MWard]

You know, I was thinking on the course yesterday, as much as I'm coming around to these and enjoying them...why should I not just go Speedblades? Sure, smaller profile in these so they look better to me aesthetically and they are def more forgiving than the MC's, but still...this is my ponderance right now.

You're assuming they will be available. I mean you'd think they would be, but who knows till we get the official nod saying that's an option?

 

[Hawk]

I have very little interaction with both the CBs and the Speedblades. But, I found a huge difference between the two.

The Speedblades are just crazy long. So long to the point that there could be overlap between a Speedblade 4i and a 5W or hybrid. At the same time, I would be really concerned about a gap at the bottom of my bag. It would not shock me to see a 20-30 yard gap between a Speedblade AW and a 54* wedge. That's huge.

The CBs are not as long, but they are still pretty long. Gaps seem much more reasonable, and the CBs feel much, much better to me.

I was surprised, but they delivered similar results for me. I'm curious what you'll think compared to the Apex's after you get some time with them in the bag.

 

[Jman]

I didn't feel like I gave much up between the two sets James. Maybe a little, but it wasn't a huge divide to me.

I'm thinking the divide will be even less after getting them fit properly, considered even taking them a degree stronger loft wise as well.

You're assuming they will be available. I mean you'd think they would be, but who knows till we get the official nod saying that's an option?

Not talking MC, I'm talking me. I don't know that I benefit playing these over the SpeedBlades.

 

[MWard]

Not talking MC, I'm talking me. I don't know that I benefit playing these over the SpeedBlades.

Ahh. Well then never mind haha. I'd be curious how you'd hit them with similar setups

 

[ATLGolfer]

I was surprised, but they delivered similar results for me. I'm curious what you'll think compared to the Apex's after you get some time with them in the bag.

My interaction with the Speedblades is limited to swinging some out of PGG's bag when we played together last fall. On the range, I was hitting a 4i and 7i to ridiculous distances.

I suspect the Apex will be a little longer than the CBs, but not by much. I'll be interested to see how they compare in terms of playability. Both seemed very easy to hit.

 

[mark blanchard]

I'm thinking the divide will be even less after getting them fit properly, considered even taking them a degree stronger loft wise as well.



Not talking MC, I'm talking me. I don't know that I benefit playing these over the SpeedBlades.

I just had the chance to hit the MB, MC and CB's on a GC2 monitor against my current set of Speedblades and my impressions echo your thoughts. Namely, why bother to change?

For me the MB and MC's produced no numbers that were substantially different than my older traditional set. Switching to them would therefore boil down to a question of feel or looks. The CB's were a tad longer than traditional, but not much. However, all three Tour Preferreds were lower in shot height and MUCH shorter than my current Speedblades. I can see no reasons for changing other than I'm not in love with the dark gray finish and blue zigzag backs of the Speedblades. The Tour Preferreds are much better looking clubs, but as far as performance goes, I'll take the Speedblades.

Now I know I'm not a "player" and I don't care as much about feel as I do forgiveness, straightness, shot height and distance. I'm a low single digit hcp who saw his hcp drop about 2 strokes after switching to Rbladez/Sblades because these suckers go high and straight and are a dream out of fairway bunkers and other picker shots. I can now put an easy 4 iron out to about 215 whereas I could barely hit my old 3 iron at all and when I did it only went about 205.

Yes, I did have to re-gap my wedges on the low end after making the switch because my old PW went 120 and the Speedblades go 135. Yes, I had to find a gap wedge that would go 115 but now I'm covered throughout the 90 to 150 spectrum quite nicely. I found that it's EASIER to hit a SB wedge just 85% than it is to horse a fussy old school 3 iron out of the rough. A bottom end gap is easier to fill than a top end gap.

Like you said though, that's just me. I wish my Speedblades were as pretty as the Tour Preferreds and I'm about a heartbeat away from spray-painting their backs, but I love the voodoo that they do do.

 

[Bullitt5339]

OK. Today at lunch I went to the course to talk to the assistant pro, since I had to cancel my lesson because of weather last week.

He asked about the new irons, so I took them in to show him. I ended up after a discussion with him about how I've been hitting them on the range with the fitting cart.

After the fitting, I ended up 1" short, 2 degrees upright still in the KBS Tours, regular flex.

I can't wait to get them back because with the proper fitting and a quick swing tip, I was hitting the fitting 7 iron beautifully.

The moral: if you're 5'5", don't play with standard irons. My back didn't hurt at all once the clubs were fit and I wasn't sticking them in the ground or hitting them off the hosel.

 

[mrvandelay]

Can't wait to get mine adjusted. Everything is out on the toe and thin! Still managed a 40 on the back 9 with them yesterday!

 

[mark blanchard]

OK. Today at lunch I went to the course to talk to the assistant pro, since I had to cancel my lesson because of weather last week.

...

The moral: if you're 5'5", don't play with standard irons. My back didn't hurt at all once the clubs were fit and I wasn't sticking them in the ground or hitting them off the hosel.

This is a very good point, one which I forgot to mention in my post above. One of the reasons why I slid into the Speedblades so easily is that I'm 6'3" and need clubs that are .5 to 1" LONGER than standard. The RB's/SB's start out a half inch "long" as their standard so that was an off the rack fit for me and the SB's instantly felt normal to me. The MB, MC, CB's that I tested were all regular length clubs and all felt too short for me.

 

[Hawk]

OK. Today at lunch I went to the course to talk to the assistant pro, since I had to cancel my lesson because of weather last week.

He asked about the new irons, so I took them in to show him. I ended up after a discussion with him about how I've been hitting them on the range with the fitting cart.

After the fitting, I ended up 1" short, 2 degrees upright still in the KBS Tours, regular flex.

I can't wait to get them back because with the proper fitting and a quick swing tip, I was hitting the fitting 7 iron beautifully.

The moral: if you're 5'5", don't play with standard irons. My back didn't hurt at all once the clubs were fit and I wasn't sticking them in the ground or hitting them off the hosel.

That is pretty awesome Bullitt.

 

[Bullitt5339]

That is pretty awesome Bullitt.

Thanks Hawk. After the past 2 weekends, I was convinced that I couldn't hit a golf ball anymore. After a little club massaging and a 30 minute lesson, all is well and I can actually give these the review that they deserve.

 

[Hawk]

Thanks Hawk. After the past 2 weekends, I was convinced that I couldn't hit a golf ball anymore. After a little club massaging and a 30 minute lesson, all is well and I can actually give these the review that they deserve.

Crazy how that works. Think of all the poor people out there that could get that type of result too.

 

[Smallville]

TaylorMade TP Media Kit

TaylorMade TP Media Kit

Got a package today! Shock and awe right here!

 

[ddec]

that is just unreal smalls!

 

[Miller Time]

Awesome Smalls!

 

[Smallville]

that is just unreal smalls!

I saw the FedEx guy pull up to the driveway and he strained to get it to the door! It was a heavy package and I had no clue what this was!

 

[Jjmorris]

Wow, that is awesome!

 

[TRyan]

WOW! That is freaking incredible Mike. Look at the detail

 

[ddec]

I saw the FedEx guy pull up to the driveway and he strained to get it to the door! It was a heavy package and I had no clue what this was!

still stalking the fedex guy I see

 

[Smallville]

still stalking the fedex guy I see

I'm the only one who admits it! hehehe

 

[Jman]

That is incredible.

 

[Johnny mojo]

My goodness that is pretty spiffy right there! Awesome and congrats!

 

[O'Carroll]

God, that's incredible!

 

[MWard]

O_0 They sent you a locker. That's freaking awesome!

 

[#troy]

that is amazing Smallville, looks incredible!