TaylorMade SpeedBlade Irons Review Thread

[Aaronthehack]

I'm sure that when the TM guys read responses like this, it validates their decision to have and continue the relationship with THP to promote their products. If you've read this thread, you've read the good, the bad, and the ugly. But there is a huge shortage on the last two, especially by people who have actually hit these clubs!! Good luck with the new clubs!! It's also some validation for all of us who have been putting our thoughts on here as well.

Reading all the reviews the testers have logged about these irons sold me on them. I've been fitted and ordered them just waiting for them to come to their new home.

 

[Martsy]

Reading all the reviews the testers have logged about these irons sold me on them. I've been fitted and ordered them just waiting for them to come to their new home.

I think I'm right behind you, just waiting for local GG or Golftec to get the fitting selection in.

 

[blugold]

Hearing things like this is a recurring trend when it comes to the long irons in these.

No doubt. There is an ease to these irons. Super forgiving and give good feedback at contact. I was really surprised by how the iron felt like it launched the ball.

 

[amsmith61]

No doubt. There is an ease to these irons. Super forgiving and give good feedback at contact. I was really surprised by how the iron felt like it launched the ball.

Been playing with these irons for a couple of weeks and I still can't get over how the ball jumps off these irons.

Got a couple more rounds in this weekend with the irons and the comfort level with these irons is at an all-time high. I have reached a point with shorter Par 4s - rather then taking a wood off the tee, I completely trust these irons to put me in a position to score.

Also spoke with a good friend of mine in North Carolina and we are going to re-shaft the clubs with the CTLs that Bob suggested, when I visit in November. I am very excited to see how these irons will perform with different shafts. I should add that my statement isn't anything against the stock shafts currently in the irons. More of a preference thing for me personally.

 

[olaS]

Been playing with these irons for a couple of weeks and I still can't get over how the ball jumps off these irons.

Got a couple more rounds in this weekend with the irons and the comfort level with these irons is at an all-time high. I have reached a point with shorter Par 4s - rather then taking a wood off the tee, I completely trust these irons to put me in a position to score.

Also spoke with a good friend of mine in North Carolina and we are going to re-shaft the clubs with the CTLs that Bob suggested, when I visit in November. I am very excited to see how these irons will perform with different shafts. I should add that my statement isn't anything against the stock shafts currently in the irons. More of a preference thing for me personally.

sounds like you are leaving your ap1 irons for good ?

ps could you compare distance and trajectory to your apt irons would be fab, thanks!

 

[Chicken Man]

I'm sure that when the TM guys read responses like this, it validates their decision to have and continue the relationship with THP to promote their products. If you've read this thread, you've read the good, the bad, and the ugly. But there is a huge shortage on the last two, especially by people who have actually hit these clubs!! Good luck with the new clubs!! It's also some validation for all of us who have been putting our thoughts on here as well.

Yes, though I haven't posted in a while, I read these forums almost everyday. You guys give really good feedback on clubs. I'm more of a picker myself, the low on the face miss is common for me. I will do my best to tell how these clubs perform for me.

I do expect a fairly big adjustment period, as my new irons will have graphite shafts.

 

[War Eagle]

I have had the TaylorMade Speedblades in the bag for 4 rounds now, and have been able to gather a lot of thoughts, be it on the course, on the range, or talking to others who have been testing them or had the opportunity to hit them. There are a few points that everyone who has hit them all seem to agree on;

1. While they are similar looking to the Rocketbladez, that’s about where the comparisons end.
2. Sound on the irons with the speedpockets are vastly improved over last years model.
3. Improved launch and ball trajectory
4. Speedblades seem to perform best with a controlled, smooth swing.

Those four points all interest me, as these are four points that I noticed immediately when I put them in the bag.

Looking at the Speedblades, you get the Rocketbladez styling to them, but the two-tone and matte finish matched with the blue/silver coloring is absolutely stunning. While most say that we would game whatever works the best, regardless of looks, it sure doesnt hurt to look down at something that is just a great looking product. While they may resemble some of the styling of older TaylorMade irons, the technology and improvements made in the Speedblades is impressive.

The sound the that comes with the longer irons is improved upon a great deal from what people saw in previous sets. Gone is the “funky” and at times, annoying, sounds that we heard last year, and here to stay is a sound that makes you feel like you just hit a ball dead flush. Sound is quite difficult to put in to words, but for me, sound relates to feel at impact of the club, and with an improved sound I get a better feel for my shots. A crisp, solid sound delivered lets me know that I made the move on the ball that I wanted.

Launch and Tracjectory; Two items that go hand and hand, and two items that have always plagued me in the game of golf. Having long been a line drive hitter, having struggled to hold greens, and never had to worry about what the wind was doing...I can say that finding a setup that gives me an improved launch and trajectory has helped me a good bit. Being able to launch the ball higher, but maintain the same carry distance with my irons is much needed. With an improved launch, the trajectory that my ball descends down toward my target is slightly steeper, and with that I am seeing my ball typically within a foot of it’s pitchmark, compared to landing and running off the back of the green. I see a higher launch, but nothing that causes me concern that I might be ballooning them. The past few weeks, having to take in to account the wind (either at me or behind me) has been something that I have been focusing on. As now, I am able to actually get the ball in the air to have affect on it. So may not like that, but it’s much better than the alternative of a line drive iron shot.

Controlled Swing; This is where I think the Speedblades outperform other irons I have gamed recently. What I find with this set is that, my smooth, controlled swing yields me the best results...which includes distance. When I take a nice, smooth swing with my irons, I dont lose distance, yet I gain accuracy. It is quite reassuring to know that I can take the club I want for my distance, and not have to worry about “stepping on it” to get the distance I need. I find that when I try to overdo my swing, and swing harder/faster, I lose the ball out to the right and see no distance increase. I attribute that to the technology in the speedblades, and the pairing of the lighter weight 85g shaft. A smooth, even tempoed swing will produce the best results for me. Not having to swing out of my shoes is a good thing. Accuracy and dispersion are exactly what I want to see out of an iron, and to be able to have that combined with solid distance out of a smooth swing is unbeatable.


So, two weeks in, and I have seen some outstanding immediate results with these. From the long irons to the scoring irons, they just seem to jive with my game. Keeping myself controlled in my swing gives me the best performance. Not having to “grind” out a forceful swing is nice, especially after back to back rounds of golf. Being able to still get the performance on the last hole as I do on the first with the same swing is nice, I don't find myself having to force a perfect swing to get the results I need later in my rounds. I am a firm believer in the benefits that a lightweight shaft can offer a golfer. Having a lighter shaft in these as a stock option is quite nice, but pairing that shaft with the improved technology that TaylorMade has put in to these iron heads is genius, especially when you arent sacrificing distance.

I have so many thoughts swimming around in my head from this past weekend and the performance I saw out of these, I will have more thoughts up soon on my performance during the rounds in Vegas, but wanted to get some detailed thoughts up on the specs and tech that these are offering me.

 

[Howzat]

I hit Jman's and need to spend some more time with these at some point. I really like the look and can't wait to try these with a graphite shaft. I wonder if the bag boys at TPC Vegas will chime in with their thoughts?

 

[War Eagle]

I hit Jman's and need to spend some more time with these at some point. I really like the look and can't wait to try these with a graphite shaft. I wonder if the bag boys at TPC Vegas will chime in with their thoughts?

From the looks of it, they quite enjoyed the 4i, 8i and PW.

:act-up:

 

[Jman]

Beags, good stuff my brother!

I hit Jman's and need to spend some more time with these at some point. I really like the look and can't wait to try these with a graphite shaft. I wonder if the bag boys at TPC Vegas will chime in with their thoughts?

Hahahahaha! Silly bag boys.

I think these surprised pretty much everyone who hit them this weekend, and I love that.

 

[amsmith61]

sounds like you are leaving your ap1 irons for good ?

ps could you compare distance and trajectory to your apt irons would be fab, thanks!

I don't know if I am willing to go as far as to say I am leaving my AP1s. That being said, the Speedblades are making it a very, very difficult decision.

Distance - I am seeing about a 10-15 yard increase in distance with the Speedblades over the AP1s. I was getting very good distance with my AP1s, but the amount of additional yardage I am getting with the Speedblades has been very surprising and welcoming.

Trajectory - Comparing the two irons, my trajectory has been about the same across the board. However and it is a big however, my AP1s were fitted and bent 2 degrees up to give me more trajectory. Since nothing on these Speedblades has been adjusted at this point, I think that truly speaks to the trajectory of the irons.

 

[Canadan]

Hey guys,
It was the end of December when I last posted on the Rocketbladez thread.
I finally went to The Kingdom at Renyolds Plantation in Georgia today and had a full fitting done.
I brought home a SLDR driver and the Speedblades irons are on the way.
I gained 20 yards with the irons, and 30 with the driver over my 15 year old Henry Griffits.

I will post more when the irons get here and I have a chance to game them.

This is the best site for checking out and getting the best info on clubs!

That is fantastic that you found success with both the SLDR and the SpeedBlades Chicken Man!! What loft did you end up with in the SLDR? Are you going stock shafts in the irons?

 

[Wongstongs]

Trajectory - Comparing the two irons, my trajectory has been about the same across the board. However and it is a big however, my AP1s were fitted and bent 2 degrees up to give me more trajectory. Since nothing on these Speedblades has been adjusted at this point, I think that truly speaks to the trajectory of the irons.

Are you going to have the speedblades bent? I can't remember if you said you were going to or not. It would be interesting to see how much bending them would affect the trajectory?

 

[Chicken Man]

That is fantastic that you found success with both the SLDR and the SpeedBlades Chicken Man!! What loft did you end up with in the SLDR? Are you going stock shafts in the irons?

10.5 on the SLDR. The irons are graphite shafts, VeloxT 65R, I had no idea that I would get graphite shafts, they just felt better and were more consistent than the steel.

 

[amsmith61]

Are you going to have the speedblades bent? I can't remember if you said you were going to or not. It would be interesting to see how much bending them would affect the trajectory?

I honestly don't think I am going to. I like them right where they are right now, and really like the ball flight I am seeing.

 

[GolfFest]

First time posting here, but this thread was really informative. Much better than the usual complaining about TM's marketing that I find on most the internet with little info on how they actually play.

I have a rocketbladez 3 iron I really like and I think I am going to take a serious look at the speedblades to replace my older iron set.

 

[War Eagle]

First time posting here, but this thread was really informative. Much better than the usual complaining about TM's marketing that I find on most the internet with little info on how they actually play.

I have a rocketbladez 3 iron I really like and I think I am going to take a serious look at the speedblades to replace my older iron set.

First, welcome to THP!

Second, glad you have found the reviews informative so far. I think if you like the Rocketbladez 3i, you will be quite impressed with what the Speedblades have to offer.

 

[Philly Golf Guy]

The awesome wedge has finally earned a permanent place in the bag. I love it out of the rough and find it very versatile, as it's great for chips, pitches and approaches.

A nice controlled swing is all you need with these to get a solid ball flight. I've lost distance from when I was swinging really hard, but am seeing a lot more consistency while my distances are just as far as my current set. That actually intrigues me more than a distance gain, especially when you factor in the strong high ball flight I'm seeing with these.

I'm switching to graphite shafts this week (in everything except the AW), so will have a lot more thoughts in the next couple weeks.




Taps away

 

[coyna1]

Beags, good stuff my brother!



Hahahahaha! Silly bag boys.

I think these surprised pretty much everyone who hit them this weekend, and I love that.

JMAN, any thoughts re: the SpeedBlades with the CTL shaft?

 

[Jman]

JMAN, any thoughts re: the SpeedBlades with the CTL shaft?

I'll be doing my full early thoughts on the combo tonight or tomorrow at work. Quick an dirty though? Similar launch, more stability for my transition so far.

 

[drew4008]

Interesting, so you'd say most of what is impressing everyone is purely in the heads? I read that the new shafts have quite a bit of tech in them as well.

 

[blugold]

Interesting, so you'd say most of what is impressing everyone is purely in the heads? I read that the new shafts have quite a bit of tech in them as well.

I wish I hit one with a stiff shaft, the regular flex I tried was a wee bit soft

 

[ClarkeWoodfin]

It sounds like you are leaning toward the graphite shafts, but why? That's rhetorical, I don't expect you to reply with the answer, but to ask yourself why you are leaning there when it does not sound like you've gone through the fitting process to take you there.

Regardless of mom or pop shop, go find an authorized TM shop that has the full fitting equipment. They will have various shafts and various heads that are bent to specific lies and you can get fitted to the perfect shaft/lie setup for how you swing and make contact with the ball. That is my advice. If you're mom and pop shop can do that, then great. If not, go to the place that can and they will give you all of your specs and then you can order the clubs per those specs from the mom and pop shop. You will have to pay for the fitting more than likely and if you will not get it discounted from the purchase price of the clubs if you buy them somewhere else. But you will have an extremely awesome set of clubs that are custom fit to YOU when you are done and that's going to help your game in the long run. If you purchase the clubs from the place you get the fitting, then usually they include the fitting price in the purchase price of the clubs or get you some sort of discount. So you'll have to decide if you want to realize those savings or support the mom and pop shop if they are different locations.

Don't go into the fitting with any preconceived notions of what you think you need. Let the fitter do the work. One of the points that Bob VanSweden was emphatic on was that most times he doesn't share any information with the person purchasing clubs until they are done. The reason being that he doesn't want to tell them that he is putting in the stiff fancy shaft in there and now you try to swing out of your shoes to really work the club. He wanted natural swings and let the results speak for themselves.

Good luck and be sure to share your thoughts on the clubs and fitting process. I believe that you will like these clubs a lot.

Thanks guys, for the multiple responses. Just as a follow up, I was over at my favorite local mom and pop (Dukes Golf in Annapolis, MD - an awesome shop) and asked them about getting fitted. They said that if I buy a set of irons, they don't charge extra for full fitting. And they do have a current TM fit kit/set. I asked them about their advice/experience with steel vs graphite, based on what I think I want in my next set of clubs. Without me prompting them, they offered to loan me both a steel and graphite Speedblade 7 iron to take out for the day to the range and/or a course so I can try them out. In the Washington/Baltimore Metro area we have every big box golf store you can think of, and I bet NONE of them would openly offer to loan me demo clubs for the day. Chalk one up for the mom and pop shop.

 

[War Eagle]

Interesting, so you'd say most of what is impressing everyone is purely in the heads? I read that the new shafts have quite a bit of tech in them as well.

In my last review, I covered that quite a bit, specifically thinking that the lighter weight shafts that offer a higher ball flight paired with these heads are pretty much a perfect match.

Bolded below;

I have had the TaylorMade Speedblades in the bag for 4 rounds now, and have been able to gather a lot of thoughts, be it on the course, on the range, or talking to others who have been testing them or had the opportunity to hit them. There are a few points that everyone who has hit them all seem to agree on;

1. While they are similar looking to the Rocketbladez, that’s about where the comparisons end.
2. Sound on the irons with the speedpockets are vastly improved over last years model.
3. Improved launch and ball trajectory
4. Speedblades seem to perform best with a controlled, smooth swing.

Those four points all interest me, as these are four points that I noticed immediately when I put them in the bag.

Looking at the Speedblades, you get the Rocketbladez styling to them, but the two-tone and matte finish matched with the blue/silver coloring is absolutely stunning. While most say that we would game whatever works the best, regardless of looks, it sure doesnt hurt to look down at something that is just a great looking product. While they may resemble some of the styling of older TaylorMade irons, the technology and improvements made in the Speedblades is impressive.

The sound the that comes with the longer irons is improved upon a great deal from what people saw in previous sets. Gone is the “funky” and at times, annoying, sounds that we heard last year, and here to stay is a sound that makes you feel like you just hit a ball dead flush. Sound is quite difficult to put in to words, but for me, sound relates to feel at impact of the club, and with an improved sound I get a better feel for my shots. A crisp, solid sound delivered lets me know that I made the move on the ball that I wanted.

Launch and Tracjectory; Two items that go hand and hand, and two items that have always plagued me in the game of golf. Having long been a line drive hitter, having struggled to hold greens, and never had to worry about what the wind was doing...I can say that finding a setup that gives me an improved launch and trajectory has helped me a good bit. Being able to launch the ball higher, but maintain the same carry distance with my irons is much needed. With an improved launch, the trajectory that my ball descends down toward my target is slightly steeper, and with that I am seeing my ball typically within a foot of it’s pitchmark, compared to landing and running off the back of the green. I see a higher launch, but nothing that causes me concern that I might be ballooning them. The past few weeks, having to take in to account the wind (either at me or behind me) has been something that I have been focusing on. As now, I am able to actually get the ball in the air to have affect on it. So may not like that, but it’s much better than the alternative of a line drive iron shot.

Controlled Swing; This is where I think the Speedblades outperform other irons I have gamed recently. What I find with this set is that, my smooth, controlled swing yields me the best results...which includes distance. When I take a nice, smooth swing with my irons, I dont lose distance, yet I gain accuracy. It is quite reassuring to know that I can take the club I want for my distance, and not have to worry about “stepping on it” to get the distance I need. I find that when I try to overdo my swing, and swing harder/faster, I lose the ball out to the right and see no distance increase. I attribute that to the technology in the speedblades, and the pairing of the lighter weight 85g shaft. A smooth, even tempoed swing will produce the best results for me. Not having to swing out of my shoes is a good thing. Accuracy and dispersion are exactly what I want to see out of an iron, and to be able to have that combined with solid distance out of a smooth swing is unbeatable.


So, two weeks in, and I have seen some outstanding immediate results with these. From the long irons to the scoring irons, they just seem to jive with my game. Keeping myself controlled in my swing gives me the best performance. Not having to “grind” out a forceful swing is nice, especially after back to back rounds of golf. Being able to still get the performance on the last hole as I do on the first with the same swing is nice, I don't find myself having to force a perfect swing to get the results I need later in my rounds. I am a firm believer in the benefits that a lightweight shaft can offer a golfer. Having a lighter shaft in these as a stock option is quite nice, but pairing that shaft with the improved technology that TaylorMade has put in to these iron heads is genius, especially when you arent sacrificing distance.

I have so many thoughts swimming around in my head from this past weekend and the performance I saw out of these, I will have more thoughts up soon on my performance during the rounds in Vegas, but wanted to get some detailed thoughts up on the specs and tech that these are offering me.

 

[O'Carroll]

Been dealing with a bit of a stomach bug since I got home on Sunday, so I haven't been able to organize any more thoughts on these, but one thing I wanted to point out from my weekend out in Western NY before I forget.

On Saturday, amsmith61 and I were joined up with a single for our round. On one tricky par 4, we noticed he pulled an iron and layed up perfectly short of some fairway bunkers. We asked what club he used and he indicated a 7 iron. I then handed him my SpeedBlade 7 iron and asked him to hit another one. After briefly explaining what the club was, and where it came from, he put a nervous swing on it and caught it really thin. I asked a second after impact if he mis-hit it, and he responded with yes. The ball came down in the fairway, on the same line as his original, and 10 yards further.

So on a mis-hit, the ball was in the fairway 10 yards further than his flushed shot with his iron (he was playing a Burner Plus). He stated that it felt lighter and "really good" when he swung it.

I'm kicking myself for not having him try them some more.