TaylorMade SLDR Irons Preview

[-CRW-]

To be fair, style of club and specific club are the same thing since the system only recommends Taylormade clubs. Though it does recommend shaft and lie adjustments as well. It gives you all the info on your swing, path, angles, speed etc... I thought it was very thorough.

What would they use numbers wise to recommend the Tour Preferred to someone over the SLDR, or Speedblade irons? I assume if the machine recommended the Tour Preferred CB's or MC's that they wouldn't be any easier to hit than the SLDR with the stock swingweight being the same. The Speedblades are only slightlier heavier in swingweight, but we are talkign D2 to D2.5. I don't think swingweight affects me as much as overall weight though (I do better with heavier overall weights).

I guess another way to look at this is if I were recommended the TP CB's for example, would it hurt me to pick the SLDR irons anyway (assuming all other factors are equal - swingweight, shaft/flex/weight, grip, etc).

 

[GolfFest]

What would they use numbers wise to recommend the Tour Preferred to someone over the SLDR, or Speedblade irons? I assume if the machine recommended the Tour Preferred CB's or MC's that they wouldn't be any easier to hit than the SLDR with the stock swingweight being the same. The Speedblades are only slightlier heavier in swingweight, but we are talkign D2 to D2.5. I don't think swingweight affects me as much as overall weight though (I do better with heavier overall weights).

I guess another way to look at this is if I were recommended the TP CB's for example, would it hurt me to pick the SLDR irons anyway (assuming all other factors are equal - swingweight, shaft/flex/weight, grip, etc).

I went in thinking Speedblade and it recommended TP CB. SLDR weren't available at the time. I can only guess at the reasons behind the recommendations. My swing speed with the 6 iron was just under 90. The computer did show where on the face you hit so I am guessing consistency is part of the equation. I know the KBS Tour recommendation for me was spot on, I do much better with heavier shafts.

Go in with an open mind and see what it recommends. If it does recommend a combo other than the SLDR I would say give them a try and see how you like them. It is a question you may want to ask the fitter, but I can't see much harm in going with more forgiveness. The system doesn't take into account things like confidence and feel either, you want something you are going to be happy playing.

 

[-CRW-]

All right, my fitting with the Taylormade Performance Lab is done and here is my take on it and the results. To start, I've gone through a fitting at Club Champion, but didn't go through it completely as I went with the intent to learn and not purchase clubs. I wouldn't say that one company over the other provides a better product, but they provide different products for sure. Club Champion uses Trackman to determine all of their fitting suggestions except for lie, which they use a lie board for. TMPL uses sensors and a camera system to determine all of your fitting suggestions. I want to say I like the TMPL method better, but I did the Club Champion fitting right after starting golf and have since improved by leaps and bounds. So to be fair I'd have to go through the Club Champion process again.

The weather was horrible so I did not have time to warm-up and I couldn't take my suggestions out on the range to see ball flight, but they do use the Foresight system so you can see a close representative of actual flight on a screen. TMPL uses a 7 iron now and Club Champion uses a 6 iron for fittings. I started out warming up a small amount with my club and then hit a generic TMPL 7 iron that has the sensors on it to determine some baseline data. Here's the sheet:

I started out a little slow, but I expected that with little warm-up time. I'm also coming off a month+ hiatus from golf due to two subluxated (dislocated) ribs from a work injury. The fitter immediately noticed that my clubs could stand to be shorter and flatter. Based on this data the system was telling me that I should start with the TP CB's with a Stiff shaft. I asked the fitter if there would be any benefit to the CB's over the SLDR irons or if I could lose anything anywhere (distance, off-line distance, etc.) using the SLDR's instead of the CB's. He said no and that the head would make little to no difference for me other than in confidence. Also, that the SLDR's would help me on mis-hits, but shouldn't send off random rockets like the Speedblades are known for.

He had me go back and forth between the SLDR head and a Speedblade head with each shafts we tried because he did not have the flat SLDR head yet (only the standard). We went through several shafts and found right away that the Tour-V would not work for me. I did not try the C-Taper, but that's because he didn't feel like we needed to. He didn't have short shafts, so he had me choke down on the club slightly. Once I got into my groove I was hitting the 7 iron over 90 mph and was coming from the inside regularly (I fight an OTT move if I'm not actively thinking about what I need to be doing). We switched from the Tour-V stiff, to the DG S300, to the KBS Tour S, and finally the KBS Tour X.

The KBS Tour X with the SLDR head was a winner. I was averaging 180 yard carry and around 10-15 yards off line. I had one travel 196 total distance with that set up and 7 yards off line. We found a winner for sure. So the recommended set up was SLDR with KBS Tour X, 1/4" short, and .5 degrees flat. He said standard grip, but possible adding extra wraps under my right/bottom hand if I wanted to. The system said to use the Tour Preferred X ball, but we didn't talk about why or other possibilities. He also confirmed that no custom orders will be taken until July 7th, maybe after. He said he couldn't even order stuff. He said they are upgrading from their current database to Oracle and that it is supposed to be a better system that is going to allow for more options through the website.

Here is my spec sheet:

I'm happy with the results and will be going back in the near future to go ahead and do the rest of the bag. Hopefully this week or next (just not 4th of July weekend).

 

[JFlores]

These are some nice irons, I have a buddy whose college team is sponsored by TM so I had a chance to order some at a reduced cost. Although there are two weeks out due to tm warehouse issue. If anyone is on the fence get them, if
anyone wants a deal let me know and maybe I can help can't promise anything (I think has to be stock though).

 

[fupresti]

Ive been struggling a bit the last few range sessions with my MC's so needless to say I am getting a bit excited for my SLDR irons in 4 weeks.

 

[Canadan]

I hit the SLDR irons tonight for the first time, and was pretty impressed. Big time launch angle, and FAR.

Top line doesn't seem too bad at all, especially alongside the speedBlade irons.

 

[MWard]

I hit the SLDR irons tonight for the first time, and was pretty impressed. Big time launch angle, and FAR.

Top line doesn't seem too bad at all, especially alongside the speedBlade irons.

They're a solid offering. I thought they were kinda like the CB in look but definitely had a bit more firepower

 

[AMart]

Took a few shots at Golf Galaxy with the SLDR iron today. Feels great and the stick shaft is a nice offering! Tough to gage performance on their monitor though.

 

[Parshooter36]

Ive been struggling a bit the last few range sessions with my MC's so needless to say I am getting a bit excited for my SLDR irons in 4 weeks.

I'm looking at it from the other side. My ball striking has been really good lately, which is good as the SLDRs are probably a little less forgiving than my current gamers. I am ready and can't wait to get my hands on the SLDRs!

 

[ArmyGolf]

I happened to spend some time with the SLDR irons today and I've got to admit I'm impressed. Nice launch, nice landing and the C-Taper Lite in it felt awesome. These are the first T-mag irons to really impress me since the R11's.

 

[War Eagle]

I happened to spend some time with the SLDR irons today and I've got to admit I'm impressed. Nice launch, nice landing and the C-Taper Lite in it felt awesome. These are the first T-mag irons to really impress me since the R11's.

I like hearing this dude.


Were the c taper lites in them or the c taper 90s?

 

[ArmyGolf]

I like hearing this dude.


Were the c taper lites in them or the c taper 90s?

Oh shoot I'm not sure to be honest. I wasn't aware that both existed. Probably whichever is the stock shaft.

Either way, after not liking the Speedblades and being largely unimpressed with the CBs/MCs the SLDR seemed to be 'just right' to me.

 

[War Eagle]

Oh shoot I'm not sure to be honest. I wasn't aware that both existed. Probably whichever is the stock shaft.

Either way, after not liking the Speedblades and being largely unimpressed with the CBs/MCs the SLDR seemed to be 'just right' to me.

No worries.

Glad to hear you liked these, especially knowing you did not care for the MCs.

Can't wait to get these in hand.

 

[Bstubbs42]

The stock shafts are C-Taper 90's so that's most likely what you were hitting. I am loving these shafts myself nice fairly high ball flight and very smooth feel to them. I had though about keeping my old RBZ Tours and pulling the KBS tours but since PGA SS gave me more than I paid for them in trade I had to go that route. But so far really liking these SLDR's with the stock shafts.

 

[Miller Time]

My coach had these the other day. Really impressive. The ball jumped off of the face and felt great. The C-Taper 90 shaft is something I'd like to get in my gamers.

 

[War Eagle]

My coach had these the other day. Really impressive. The ball jumped off of the face and felt great. The C-Taper 90 shaft is something I'd like to get in my gamers.

How would you compare these to your MCs?

 

[Miller Time]

How would you compare these to your MCs?

It was only the 7-iron, so I can't speak for the whole set, but the monitor numbers were crazy high and long. My MC 7 carry is right around 170 and the SLDR was touching 175 carry consistently. The feel is a lot better than the SB IMO, but I love my MCs. I'd say these were a little longer and more forgiving, which is to be expected. I bet these long irons are fun to hit.

 

[War Eagle]

It was only the 7-iron, so I can't speak for the whole set, but the monitor numbers were crazy high and long. My MC 7 carry is right around 170 and the SLDR was touching 175 carry consistently. The feel is a lot better than the SB IMO, but I love my MCs. I'd say these were a little longer and more forgiving, which is to be expected. I bet these long irons are fun to hit.

Hmm, I like the sounds of this

Sounds like if you played these you would give me 6...7... Strokes or so.

 

[Miller Time]

Hmm, I like the sounds of this

Sounds like if you played these you would give me 6...7... Strokes or so.

I can't wait to come down to Sarasota for a heads up round of golf. I'll bag your SLDRs and we'll see how it goes?

 

[War Eagle]

I can't wait to come down to Sarasota for a heads up round of golf. I'll bag your SLDRs and we'll see how it goes?

If by heads up you mean I get 3 strokes a side, then sure!

 

[-CRW-]

It was only the 7-iron, so I can't speak for the whole set, but the monitor numbers were crazy high and long. My MC 7 carry is right around 170 and the SLDR was touching 175 carry consistently. The feel is a lot better than the SB IMO, but I love my MCs. I'd say these were a little longer and more forgiving, which is to be expected. I bet these long irons are fun to hit.

I saw the same thing at my TMPL fitting. My 712 AP2 7 iron (w/S300 shaft) carries 160 on my best shots. I was carrying the SLDR 7i with KBS Tour X-Stiff shaft 180, and had one show 196 total distance. That's definitely a first for me.

I'm ready to order these, but am waiting to go back to TMPL to get fit for the SLDR TP Driver or TP 430 driver and the SLDR TP 3 wood. The money has been burning a hole in my pocket and I've been watching the TM website to see when the customize option is available on clubs again. Hopefully I'll get the fitting done mid-next week and be able to order the same week. I was told that custom orders will be available between the 7th and 11th now.

 

[Germerican]

Was at the PGA SS today and saw a set of SLDR irons in a demo bay along with the rest of the SLDR line. Hit the driver a few times, not impressed. The FW, meh. Hybrid had some promise. The irons, nice. I hit their 6i a few times, and I was mildly impressed with what I saw. Even hit one off the toe on purpose and the ball flight was pretty good. I still wouldn't buy this line of irons at my skill level, but for a mid capper, I'd say go for it.

 

[Bstubbs42]

I played two more rounds this week end with the SLDR,s and I still love the clubs, getting a better handle on the yardages and hitting them consistently longer than my last set which where RBZ Tour. These clubs look better, feel better and are more forgiving than the RBZ tours. I just love looking down and these things inspires confidence. I am not hitting every shot well but the misses are not that bad.. I would recommend these clubs very highly..

 

[arydolphin]

I have a full writeup of my iron fitting coming sometime soon, but just wanted to drop a note in here that the SLDR irons were the winners of my fitting today. It's funny because the first iron that I hit was the Tour Preferred CB and that iron was better than most of the others that I hit, but then we got to the SLDR and it was even better than the CB for me. The distances were very consistent, and even the mishits weren't that bad. I hit one where I said to the fitter something like "wow, that was near the heel" and the carry distance was only about 10 yards short of a good shot. I'd say I gained 5-10 yards over my current setup with the SLDR irons. I was hitting them with Aerotech Steelfiber shafts, not the stock shafts.

 

[War Eagle]

I have a full writeup of my iron fitting coming sometime soon, but just wanted to drop a note in here that the SLDR irons were the winners of my fitting today. It's funny because the first iron that I hit was the Tour Preferred CB and that iron was better than most of the others that I hit, but then we got to the SLDR and it was even better than the CB for me. The distances were very consistent, and even the mishits weren't that bad. I hit one where I said to the fitter something like "wow, that was near the heel" and the carry distance was only about 10 yards short of a good shot. I'd say I gained 5-10 yards over my current setup with the SLDR irons. I was hitting them with Aerotech Steelfiber shafts, not the stock shafts.

What are you gaming right now?