TaylorMade RBZ Irons Review - Forum Testing

[bahester]

I was gaming r7's Standard L/L/L

Me too buddy. These are just about the same specs as those, just a little longer and a tad stronger in the long irons. I think you'll find them super easy to hit.

Btw, Mward - great write up man. That was fantastic. I hope to get to the range tomorrow if I'm feeling better.

 

[TripleBogieTim]

Congrats on the new sticks jtspectra2...be sure to keep us updated on how you like them!

 

[gage.grady]

Nice pickup Gage....man you don't play around ....been here a few days and the testers already conviced you to buy a new set of irons...

Good luck with them and be sure to report your results with them here in the thread with all of the other testers!

Haha well I had been searching for reviews online for the past week and saw a lot on here, so I decided to join. And the reviews were really good, so I thought I'd swing some at Golfsmith and loved them. But thank you and I will definitely let everybody know how they feel for a beginner golfer!

 

[MWard]

Thought I'd add the videos I took. The short irons IMO have a very muted sound. Almost like a thud, instead of thwack. The longer irons on the other hand, they sound incredibly solid.

5i off third tee. About the only decent shot I hit on the front 9, and it's more used for the sound of the 5i than anything.


PW off hole 8. You can hear the sound, then watch the ball land and move a little to the left.


3/4 PW off of hole 11. It just sounds like turf being hit and not the ball at all, yet it was killed.
[video=youtube;2VIQTgSrX-A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VIQTgSrX-A[/video]

4i off of 13. Absolutely crushed, and it even sounded crushed
[video=youtube;jGVuK3-sDmU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGVuK3-sDmU[/video]

 

[gage.grady]

Great videos mward. They look and sound great. I can't wait for mine to come in.

 

[TripleBogieTim]

Haha well I had been searching for reviews online for the past week and saw a lot on here, so I decided to join. And the reviews were really good, so I thought I'd swing some at Golfsmith and loved them. But thank you and I will definitely let everybody know how they feel for a beginner golfer!

If you are already a 12 HC, even if you are new to the game, you are doing better than alot of us that have been playing for years! Just give us your honest opinions on how they feel and play to you....that's what's important....don't worry about how other people hit their shots or whatever.....give us your honest opinion (good or bad) of how they work for you.....that's what makes a good review and a good tester.

One thing you will find out around here, even if you aren't one of the "official testers" for an item, your opinion matters just as much as theirs does....so don't ever be afraid to let us know what you think.

 

[MWard]

Great videos mward. They look and sound great. I can't wait for mine to come in.

You'll like them a lot, just make sure you're fit for them or you'll have trouble with solid, consistent contact.

 

[TripleBogieTim]

Thought I'd add the videos I took. The short irons IMO have a very muted sound. Almost like a thud, instead of thwack. The longer irons on the other hand, they sound incredibly solid.

5i off third tee. About the only decent shot I hit on the front 9, and it's more used for the sound of the 5i than anything.



PW off hole 8. You can hear the sound, then watch the ball land and move a little to the left.


3/4 PW off of hole 11. It just sounds like turf being hit and not the ball at all, yet it was killed.
[video=youtube;2VIQTgSrX-A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VIQTgSrX-A[/video]

4i off of 13. Absolutely crushed, and it even sounded crushed
[video=youtube;jGVuK3-sDmU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGVuK3-sDmU[/video]

Nice job on the videos and the write Mward2002....you said they were very straight....did you try to work them any or were you still trying to feel them out today?

 

[gage.grady]

If you are already a 12 HC, even if you are new to the game, you are doing better than alot of us that have been playing for years! Just give us your honest opinions on how they feel and play to you....that's what's important....don't worry about how other people hit their shots or whatever.....give us your honest opinion (good or bad) of how they work for you.....that's what makes a good review and a good tester.

One thing you will find out around here, even if you aren't one of the "official testers" for an item, your opinion matters just as much as theirs does....so don't ever be afraid to let us know what you think.

Well thank you, I really appreciate that! I had only played a few times growing up, because I played baseball all through high school and my parents didn't want golf to mess with my swing. So I'm thinking baseball may have helped my golf swing. But yeah, I'll definitely let everyone know what I truly think. My iron play is definitely my weakness, so hopefully the forgiveness will help me improve and maybe lower the handicap. Once I get them, I'll try to take some videos like the others on here and give my own review.

 

[gage.grady]

You'll like them a lot, just make sure you're fit for them or you'll have trouble with solid, consistent contact.

Yeah I'm a little shorter, so I'll definitely need to get them fit. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[MWard]

Nice job on the videos and the write Mward2002....you said they were very straight....did you try to work them any or were you still trying to feel them out today?

Both kinda. I didn't have trouble turning it over (although I tend to set up closed which helps) but these really were easy to hit straight and high. A couple times the ball was faded but it took a left to right, slightly into wind to do it.

Yeah I'm a little shorter, so I'll definitely need to get them fit. Thanks for the heads up.

You got it man, welcome to the board.

 

[gage.grady]

You got it man, welcome to the board.

I appreciate it.

 

[DawgDaddy]

This thread is rocking, great write up and vids there Mward, lots of questions and answers and even some buying the RBZs and jumping into the thread. As my buddy Ole Gray says, AWESOME!!!

Ole Gray, I see all of the talk about gripping down on these irons, I am really wanting to hit yours and see how that hold up for someome in the 6-4 range. Do you think I would have to choke down on these irons too?

 

[Jersey Nate]

This thread has been awesome from day 1 and continues to deliver. Great job, testers! Keep it up!

 

[#Cookie]

More outstanding feedback being delivered guys!! Very impressed with what you each have done this far. After reading/seeing all of this, I am anxious to hit these tomorrow.


Tappin' from CM's iPad!

 

[Tadashi70]

Wardy I see your really enjoying these irons after 72 hours...hehe
Tell us how these are reacting for you going into greens vs. off the tee on par fours or lay ups on par fives. How much release are you getting in the two settings?

 

[Ole Gray]

I just ordered a 5-PW set this morning and am already antsy waiting for them to arrive. Hopefully I have as much success with them as the testers.

Hey everyone . Just thought i'd drop in and say that i picked up a set of these earlier today. Went to the store not even thinking about looking at these, saw them , hit them , and bought them . Look great at address, feel great, and although are a little clunky looking in the long irons i am fully impressed. Custom ordered 1" up with midsize grips. I'm comming from r7's and these things are gunna be a game changer for me. Can't wait to take them out on the course. :banana:

Congratulations guys and looking forward to your take on the RBZ irons when you get on the golf course. I am becoming more adjusted and comfy with these irons the more I play them. I thank you will too. I had a strong initial round with them and then struggled a bit so it is a leaning curve. Once you get your feet wet and have some bonding time, you will see the benefits of this technology. I am getting higher ball flight with the mid irons and wedges with great carry. Remember even the pros have an adjustment period when they change OEMs so enjoy the ride!

This thread is rocking, great write up and vids there Mward, lots of questions and answers and even some buying the RBZs and jumping into the thread. As my buddy Ole Gray says, AWESOME!!!

Ole Gray, I see all of the talk about gripping down on these irons, I am really wanting to hit yours and see how that hold up for someome in the 6-4 range. Do you think I would have to choke down on these irons too?

I think you will Dawg. I'm only a couple inches shorter than you and choking down a tad helped me tremendously. I see a ton of pros on TV regardless of height, choking down on their clubs for better control. I can't wait for you to hit these irons and get RBZ fever :blob:!


mward - Buddy I loved your videos on the different sounds with the various clubs produce. You are spot on with the shorter irons making a more muted sound than the longer irons. I enjoyed your review and videos :clapp:.

 

[v.man]

OG, what irons were you playing before the RBZ. I didn't see a need to choke down on the 6-iron I demoed, but, the shaft length is the same length as my current irons.

 

[Ole Gray]

OG, what irons were you playing before the RBZ. I didn't see a need to choke down on the 6-iron I demoed, but, the shaft length is the same length as my current irons.

Were you hitting on a simulator or on the golf course? You may be fine without adjusting your grip position, as I'm sure many golfers are.


I played the Cleveland CG16 irons which come stock .025 longer than standard. I always choked down about a half inch on them. Like I said in statement above many of the pros choke down a bit even though you know, they have their irons custom fit to their specs. For me it's control and even better contact thing for me.

edit: I even play my driver length at 44.5 inches as I like the shorter lenght.

 

[v.man]

I was on the range and then the golf course. Yeah. I've seen many pros choke down on the club, and do so occasionally myself when I'm concerned about a tight shot. I think I'm just accustomed to the length of the RBZ's because they are so similar in specs (both loft and lie) to my TM CGB's. That's why I'm leaning towards them. I don't think there would be much of an adjustment for me to the new clubs.

 

[MWard]

Wardy I see your really enjoying these irons after 72 hours...hehe
Tell us how these are reacting for you going into greens vs. off the tee on par fours or lay ups on par fives. How much release are you getting in the two settings?

AW is pretty much drop and stop. PW trickled out a couple yards but that might have been more draw spin related than anything.

If it was a par 4 and I was hitting 5 or 4, they were getting some run out off the tee. I didn't have a chance to hit them into a green so I'm not sure how they react yet. Gotta give myself work for next time haha.

 

[Nate]

Location: Eldorado Country Club, McKinney TX
18 Holes
Weather conditions: low 50's and VERY windy (20-25mph)
Previous clubs: Taylor Made MC's (custom fit 1/2 inch longer shaft and 1 degree upright) This 1/2 inch longer shaft makes it exactly equal with the RBZ irons.

This was my first go around with the RocketBallz irons today. I spent about 30 minues on the range warming up with the clubs. I hit the AW, 9i, 7i and 4i. We were hitting off mats today. I hit about 5-7 balls with each club. Not enough to get intimate with the clubs but enough to get some initial feelings. Like what OG and the others have said so far, I agree on the sound the irons make when hit. It's a very confident sound each time. When hitting the AW and 9i I was getting a very nice and high ball flight. Now, with that being said, I was hitting off the mats and it was very easy to get under the ball and we were also hitting into (at that time) about a 15mph wind. That may have helped in ballooning the ball a bit. But I was really happy with the flight. I moved on to the 7i and 4i. I was trying to hit fades and draws with both and found it easier to do than I expected. My first 3-4 4i hits were very low. I made some little adjustments to my swing and ball placement and then started flying in a mid flight pattern, which I was use to. The 4i really is a iron/hybid look to it. Something I need to play around with more and really figure out with both the 4i and 5i. So after a quick warm up our tee time was called.

The first club I was able to hit was on the 1st hole, under some trees, a 7i I had to keep it low and with a draw. Worked out great, just hit the front lip of the bunker and fell in. Was really happy that I was able to work the ball in that situation.

But for the most of the day, I found myself hitting more of the scoring clubs (8i, 9i, PW and GW). I fell in love. These irons are a bit bigger than my MC's (which should be expected) but to the eye it's not something I ever thought of during the round. I never had that "Good gosh, these clubs look huge next to the ball". They felt great and the ball really didn't move much either way. It was a very straight ball going into the greens. Mid to higher ball flight as well. I hit one terrible 7i on a par 3 where I left the clubface wide open and hung it out to the right (was into the wind and I was trying to punch the ball in). Another bad 9i into the wind where I tried to overhit and left the face open again. This may also be because of timing just being a bit off due to the club switch. Some were talking about the RBZ's being lighter than their current club. I didn't notice it at all. I even picked up my MC's closed my eyes and tried to guess which was heavier. No dice. But I do think the weight is distributed slightly different which also may have caused the open club face on those shots. Or it could of been just a really bad shot!!!!! I really like the PW and GW. Man, I don't know what it is, but my confidence is shooting through the roof when I put these up against the ball getting ready. Didn't hit one bad shot with either club (hit about 6 total). I'm really excited to see if this continues with these scoring clubs.

Distance - I have no clue yet! The wind was blowing 20-25mph, was high 40's and mid 50's, on Saturday so I really couldn't get a good gauge on where I fit distance wise. I will tell you, after hearing about the extra distance these clubs are suppose to get you (large part due to the lofts) I found myself thinking about this all the time while out there. I really started to overthink what I thought the clubs might do instead of just going with my normal shots. Again, a large part being due to the wind.

The highest club I hit during the round was the 6i. Went for a par 5 in 2 and hit it into a greenside bunker. Great contact but it faded a bit too much on me. I was 200 yds out but the wind was cross, maybe even a little down wind. I did not hit the 5i or 4i during the round. Partly because I wanted to spend a bit more time with them on the range.

I had many people come and ask me what my thoughts were about the irons after my round (didn't play great due to some terrible short game play). First thing I told them.....they have me interested and I'm ready to hit them again. My next round is tomorrow with mcook, tadashi and texasgolfer. It's suppose to be in the mid to high 50's but the wind is suppose to be light. I am looking forward to round 2!

Quick 9 iron comparision between the RocketBallz and the MC

Back of both irons. As you can tell, the back are very different.

Spoiler

Top of both clubs. The RBZ is a bit thicker than the MC. Expected.

Spoiler

Top line of both clubs. RBZ with a bit thicker line (2nd iron)

Spoiler

Club face. The RBZ 9 iron has a 40 degree loft while the MC's has a 42 degree loft. The RBZ is on the left but I had to look a 2nd time to make sure! Face size difference is hard to tell....if there is any.

Spoiler

 

[#Cookie]

Nice review Nate! From that third top line pic, it looks like the RBZ just engulfs your MC but it is nice to hear that it was not distracting for you to look at.

Any early idea what these offered in comparison to the MC's in the area of spin/reaction on the greens? Also, did you use these to chip at all or rely on your vokey's? Curious how these would feel chipping given they are such a larger profile than something like the vokey.

 

[texasgolfer]

Great Review Nate! Looking forward to our round tomorrow! I will be the only one in the group who is not an official THP product tester. Maybe that will change one day...

 

[Nate]

Any early idea what these offered in comparison to the MC's in the area of spin/reaction on the greens?

Not much yet. With the wind yesterday and our greens are still very hard due to the winter grass, it's hard to even see a divot. As expected, hitting into the wind the ball did not roll out much on the greens. Hitting with the wind, they rolled out more.

Also, did you use these to chip at all or rely on your vokey's? Curious how these would feel chipping given they are such a larger profile than something like the vokey.

Vokey's.....don't use that word with me ever again. I did once with the GW, around the green and hit it well, but about 15 feet short of the pin.