TaylorMade SpeedBlade Irons Review Thread

[Thedoswells]

I went from the stock 85g steel stiff to Aldila 115g RIP Tour graphite stiff. it's a very different shaft. You can read about my fitting experience here: http://www.thehackersparadise.com/forum/showthread.php?58424-Baldguy-s-Club-Champion-Fitting-Dallas

I don't think how fast you swing is as much of a determining factor as how you move through your swing. For me, the heavier shafts make the club significantly more controllable. The same might be true for you with heavier or lighter ones. After the weight and balance are figured out, flex points and stiffness come into play. I'm not a professional fitter, but there are plenty of them out there - go see one and find out what is the best fit for you!

very helpful. Thanks. Will look into it. At the moment I'm just enjoying the huge improvement I get on my previous irons.
Cheers

 

[Thedoswells]

Greetings from Denmark;-)
My very first post ever in a Golf Forum - but I really had to post my first fullround (18 holes) experience with my Speedblades. Especially having such benefits of reading through most of this thread before buying my set.

Until now I have gamed a very nice set of Mizunos (MP52) but I have felt the urge to try a GI-set, as I dont play as much as I used to before (3 kids - dif. priorities ;-). 3 weeks ago I bought a set of Speedblades 4-AW with stock shafts at our local pro. With regular shafts, as I am not a big hitter - have always had a swing speed inbetween regular and stiff in my clubs (prefer a slow and a bit more controlled swing).

Have been drilling them intensively at the driving range and on a few holes in the late evenings. Must admit that I had a longer process than expected to dial them in. Distance gains are not huge - max. 1 iron compared to the Mizunos, but when I do not hit them center I really got the advantage I was looking for with GI irons; almost no distance loss and still on target. Such hits really hurts with my Mizzies. And the feel is surprisingely comparable to the forged feeling from the MP52's. The wedges are nice - still; had to dial them in - took a while. Only negatives; sometimes they feel a bit 'springy' in contact - like the ball is jumping off the face rather than being compressed + the club heads with the longer irons are a bit bulky (applies trust in the shot - on the other hand).

So the Speedblades should pass my first real test of them last night, when I played 18 holes at my home course with my oldest son (13 yrs. - playing off hcp. 13). Beautifull evening - no wind, sun slowly dimming and a course in very nice conditions. And I left the course with a BIG smile on my face! Broke 80 for the first time in many, many years (hcp. before yesterday was 9 - but have not being able to play into single figures since...yeah, since my oldest son were born ;-). I shot 77 (6 over - par 71) playing in a very comfortable way. Was helped by an unusually (for me) stable driver, but when hitting the irons I hit one green after another. The misses were only 1-2 meters off the green, and not finding trouble. Several apporaches gave me great putts for birdies (only managed to gain 1 though). Some off the shots were not hit weel, but they still found the green - awesome! Had one experience where my 8 iron suddenly (off a great fw lie) shot 10 meters past the flag - kind of a flier - don't know what happened there. Sometimes the ball did not produce as much backspin at the green as my Mizzies, but quickly learned to adjust the distance to include some roll off (2-3 meters). In addition, they do not feel as 'laser pinpoint accurate' as my Mizuno MP52's, when I really have my A game going - but I am very happy to trade that in, for greater consistency and forgiveness!!!

Conclusion: Might be honeymoon days, but what a feeling matching my personal course record already at the first try! Cannot wait to my next round *S*.

First of all, thanks for the post. And also I hope you find the forum enjoyable and helpful. I do.
are you really from Denmark? Surely that isn't possible with your English as good as that! :act-up:
Anyway, you sound similar to me.
i have a slow swing speed and so I bought 5 to AW in regular stock flex.
i hadn't played golf for about 2 1/2 years and only played between 3 to 6 times a year before that.

since I got these irons, and a new driver, I have played 4 different courses this year and shot under 80 each time. My fifth round is tomorrow.

if I could putt it would be even lower.
the clubs make all the difference, especially if I don't try to force the shot. A slow easy swing gets me such consistent accurate results. So I doubt you are on a honeymoon period.

now I just need a hybrid and maybe fairway wood to complete the set, when I can afford them lol!

thanks again and enjoy the speedblades and the forum..

Steve.

 

[mark blanchard]

I went from the stock 85g steel stiff to Aldila 115g RIP Tour graphite stiff. it's a very different shaft. You can read about my fitting experience here: http://www.thehackersparadise.com/forum/showthread.php?58424-Baldguy-s-Club-Champion-Fitting-Dallas

I don't think how fast you swing is as much of a determining factor as how you move through your swing. For me, the heavier shafts make the club significantly more controllable. The same might be true for you with heavier or lighter ones. After the weight and balance are figured out, flex points and stiffness come into play. I'm not a professional fitter, but there are plenty of them out there - go see one and find out what is the best fit for you!

I want to suggest that you try the new Wilson Staff FG Tour with your Speedblades. I've been testing this ball lately and I swear it actually goes farther off our irons than other balls (specifically the ProV1). I've never had this impression with another ball before, but danged if it doesn't spring off those SB trampolines a little further. Maybe because it's a 70 compression ball, I don't know. It feels the same off the driver and I notice no difference on chips or putts. Very premium urethane feel. But off the irons it just launches. I'd like to see if anyone else has the same impression or if it's just me.

 

[captaincaution]

I want to suggest that you try the new Wilson Staff FG Tour with your Speedblades. I've been testing this ball lately and I swear it actually goes farther off our irons than other balls (specifically the ProV1). I've never had this impression with another ball before, but danged if it doesn't spring off those SB trampolines a little further. Maybe because it's a 70 compression ball, I don't know. It feels the same off the driver and I notice no difference on chips or putts. Very premium urethane feel. But off the irons it just launches. I'd like to see if anyone else has the same impression or if it's just me.

I will give them a try Mark. I've got a couple of sleeves at home that I haven't tested yet.

 

[LEFTY57]

Question about the stock 85 gram steel and the stock graphite shaft. For those that have hit both which has the higher ball flight ?
Thanks gb

Anyone hit both ? can you share any feedback ?
thanks gb

 

[PhillyV]

I'll have these in play for the first time tomorrow and I'll be playing 36 holes. I should have a pretty decent write up sometime tomorrow

 

[PhillyV]

Having played these all weekend, I'm really starting to rethink some things with my equipment. Ego was a big hindrance for me apparently because Game Improvement is not as bad as I thought it would be. Really hit my irons well this weekend and I have all the confidence in the world with them. It makes it so much easier for me to play to a number and manage holes better

 

[yahtzee]

Having played these all weekend, I'm really starting to rethink some things with my equipment. Ego was a big hindrance for me apparently because Game Improvement is not as bad as I thought it would be. Really hit my irons well this weekend and I have all the confidence in the world with them. It makes it so much easier for me to play to a number and manage holes better

I have another 36 holes under my belt with them. I really amazed at these irons..I walked 18 alone today and hit 4-5 irons shots (usually 2nd shots) so well that I was looking around to see if anyone saw the shots. Ha! They are spot on for me.

 

[amsmith61]

Having played these all weekend, I'm really starting to rethink some things with my equipment. Ego was a big hindrance for me apparently because Game Improvement is not as bad as I thought it would be. Really hit my irons well this weekend and I have all the confidence in the world with them. It makes it so much easier for me to play to a number and manage holes better

You looked completely comfortable with the Speedblades yesterday and as you lock down the distances with each of the irons it could be scary good for you.

 

[Jman]

I hate to admit it because I did a ton of homework on these irons and never came across this, but this is the first time I read this review. And you nailed it. Very well put

I just saw this, thank you for the kind words, it means a ton.

Having played these all weekend, I'm really starting to rethink some things with my equipment. Ego was a big hindrance for me apparently because Game Improvement is not as bad as I thought it would be. Really hit my irons well this weekend and I have all the confidence in the world with them. It makes it so much easier for me to play to a number and manage holes better

Its a funny thing because I went through precisely what you are talking about so seeing others do similar is always fun. In the end the eye and the ego are usually one and they lead to many not giving certain things a chance, but when you find something that lets you get over the eye and then you see first hand the added performance that can be found, it changes everything.

Plus, it helps that these irons truly are really really good, I've said it before and will again, THESE are the best irons TM has released in YEARS and YEARS.

 

[ddec]

I still think they are probably the best iron in TM's stable.

 

[PhillyV]

I just saw this, thank you for the kind words, it means a ton.



Its a funny thing because I went through precisely what you are talking about so seeing others do similar is always fun. In the end the eye and the ego are usually one and they lead to many not giving certain things a chance, but when you find something that lets you get over the eye and then you see first hand the added performance that can be found, it changes everything.

Plus, it helps that these irons truly are really really good, I've said it before and will again, THESE are the best irons TM has released in YEARS and YEARS.

It may be the shape of the top line or the color, but it doesn't bother me like I thought it would. And I'm not normally a huge fan of the bulky irons, but results are results. I've never EVER hit a 4i well and it's one of my favorite clubs in the set. Right along with the A wedge lol

 

[Jman]

I still think they are probably the best iron in TM's stable.

Agreed, and having got to hit the SLDR's a couple weeks back, I really still don't think its all that close.

 

[Jman]

It may be the shape of the top line or the color, but it doesn't bother me like I thought it would. And I'm not normally a huge fan of the bulky irons, but results are results. I've never EVER hit a 4i well and it's one of my favorite clubs in the set. Right along with the A wedge lol

The AWESOME wedge! hahaha!

I know 100% what you mean, its all about finding that look that works for you and it almost unlocks a different world of launch, forgiveness, and distance.

 

[ddec]

Agreed, and having got to hit the SLDR's a couple weeks back, I really still don't think its all that close.

I think the SLDR is a good iron. I think it offers quite a bit. However the Speedblades are just one of those special irons. Can easily be gamed by golfers all over the spectrum.

 

[Jman]

I think the SLDR is a good iron. I think it offers quite a bit. However the Speedblades are just one of those special irons. Can easily be gamed by golfers all over the spectrum.

Oh don't get me wrong, the SLDR irons kick the TP's asses, they'll appeal to many I believe. I still just think, like you said, the Speedblades run the spectrum if people would lest them, they do it all, and to most they look pretty good doing it.

 

[Evok]

Add me to the list that loves the speedblades! Pretty much have nothing bad to say about them

 

[ddec]

Oh don't get me wrong, the SLDR irons kick the TP's asses, they'll appeal to many I believe. I still just think, like you said, the Speedblades run the spectrum if people would lest them, they do it all, and to most they look pretty good doing it.

We definitely agree

 

[PhillyV]

Oh don't get me wrong, the SLDR irons kick the TP's asses, they'll appeal to many I believe. I still just think, like you said, the Speedblades run the spectrum if people would lest them, they do it all, and to most they look pretty good doing it.

They do it all is right. There's enough workability with these to go up against any "players" iron I've ever gamed. I've gone from 712mb to TM CB (2012) and now these and these are the best all around and it's not even close. I think the light shaft helps make it easy to love these irons as well. Once I learned how to slow the swing down a little and not over swing, it just clicked

 

[Essex.UK]

I agree with the ego issue as well I have just swapped from AP2s, I have a kbs tour shaft in them and just shot my best round for about 4 years. Nine hole Par 66 and shot 42 front nine and 37 back nine. Got cut back to 18 .
came 2nd out of 57 in the competition.
lessons have also help and I try and make a nice slow feeling swing.
In some ways I feel the short irons and the AW are even more impressive than the long irons I seem to be much more accurate with them than my old irons.

 

[mark blanchard]

Played another 27 over the weekend and I just can't shake the impression that the Wilson FG Tour launches further off of these irons than other balls. It feels like a red gym ball off a trampoline. Not that this a bad thing. I had a ProV1 in my pocket as a spare but it was sharpied identical to the Wilson's and when a couple of iron shots that came up head scratchingly short, I get up to the ball and see I've switched to the ProV1 in my pocket. No wonder, says I.

I know I must be dreaming, but there it is. I'm sticking with the FG even though I also think it's a tad shorter off the driver.

 

[captaincaution]

Played another 27 over the weekend and I just can't shake the impression that the Wilson FG Tour launches further off of these irons than other balls. It feels like a red gym ball off a trampoline. Not that this a bad thing. I had a ProV1 in my pocket as a spare but it was sharpied identical to the Wilson's and when a couple of iron shots that came up head scratchingly short, I get up to the ball and see I've switched to the ProV1 in my pocket. No wonder, says I.

I know I must be dreaming, but there it is. I'm sticking with the FG even though I also think it's a tad shorter off the driver.

I played with the FG Tour ball this weekend, and I like the red gym ball analogy off of the irons. Felt great, and went long.

 

[mark blanchard]

I played with the FG Tour ball this weekend, and I like the red gym ball analogy off of the irons. Felt great, and went long.

Well, it's good to see that I'm not hallucinating.

By the way, on those holes where the ProV1 snuck out of my pocket, I did a shade worse. Meaning, I got out to my drives and I thought, "Hmmm, that went a little farther than I thought." But then I chose my club based on my new gauge of how the FG goes off the Speedblades and I pulled up short. On the other holes with the FG in play from the tee, my drives may have checked up just a shade shorter, but my iron gauge was spot on and I put shots on the dance floor and pretty close.

Also the soft FG really feels good on those thin mishits where the speedslot kicks in. I had one 4 iron to a 227 pin and I tried to keep my head down on a tough lie. Mishit it, but it felt great. Only when I looked up did I see it was a daisy cutter. Still went 215 and hit the green, but I couldn't tell I'd caught it thin by feel alone.

 

[mark blanchard]

the new Aldila RIP Tour 115g graphite shafts I ordered for my speedblades will be in on Wednesday. Just in time for a couple of days of rain! I'm excited to see what they will do for my game... the speedblades are so much fun to hit when you strike them well. The new shafts add to the feel and greatly increase my ability to find the center of the clubface. I've had a speedblade 6i with this shaft in my bag for a few rounds now and I just love when I am left with 6i yardage because I get to hit this combo. Soon my 5-PW will all feel and perform the same way

Also, I *think* I have finally experienced some of the random "flier" shots with that 6i. Maybe it was just that I wasn't finding the center of the face very often with the stock 85g shaft and with the properly fitted shaft I am... but a handful of times now I have seen a *carry* distance of about 200y whereas my normal *total* 6i distance is 185. Example: GPS watch says 185 out from center of green. I aim for center of green. Ball bounces off the back fringe and down the hill. Or, I have 190 to the front of the green on a par 5 and I'm intending to lay up for an easy wedge-putt for birdie... and the ball hits past the flag and rolls off the back. Both of those exact scenarios happened within my last 4 rounds. I don't know if this is the new shaft or if the head is really producing that random distance bump or not. But, it has happened. Now, if 200y is going to be my new 6i distance, I can handle that. I'll relearn my distances and adjust my club selection. But if it's going to be 185 half the time and 200 the other half... I gotta shop for new heads =\

I spent some more time investigating the SB "flyers" that baldguy was talking about after taking a lesson aimed at better shaft lean and compression off the irons. I'm now convinced that he is right, that what we originally perceived as being "flyers", or what others have seen as the top end of a very wide spread in SB distances when they first start toying with them, is actually the top gear of these clubs that it takes a while to find. This top gear can be reached without swinging all that hard, which is why it was confusing to us when we accidentally jumped into it. Here's my thinking:

First, the SB's are naturally long and high in just their regular gear. So much so that we all assume that the "regular" is the good stuff. We get happy and comfortable with the regular. We also come to learn that thin mishits are mostly pretty good, only the high and toe-y mishits are bad. So we try to avoid those and stay in the comfortable regular zone which is big and forgiving. Every so often we'll see a monster and go "where'd that come from?" It's not a hot spot as with the Burner 2.0's, it's just the true sweet spot that you can exploit with good shaft lean and compression. I think it's a little closer to the heel than the center of the face, though.

My analogy is that if our SB's are the little trampolines that we think they are, then how do you get the highest bounce off a trampoline? You really jump into them. You compress. When you do this, the rebound effect is doubled and you see shots that go even higher, a little more left, and 10 yards further than your regular bounce.

So after my lesson, I went out and played nine practice. I couldn't compress it every time, but I was squeezing about half of them. It worked best when I thought my club choice was too short and needed to put a little extra into it. Example, my 8 iron is now going about 160-162. I had a blue flag uphill into the wind at 165 and I knew I needed a good shot to reach. Hit down with lean on the first one which gets all the way there and stops about 172 on the back of the green. 2nd ball was a little farther away so I really hit down on it. It went well over, about 185 or so. These were not big swings, they were just hit down with lean and they jumped.

Same thing was repeated many times with different sticks. I began to feel where and how to hit it to tap into the top gear. Down, towards the heel, with shaft lean, and not so much any bigger swing. Gotta aim a little more right because it will come off the club with a draw.

For what it's worth.

 

[ImaBeRealReal]

Had them in the bag 3 weeks now... The short irons don't show too much improvement over my R11s but being able to hit a 4 iron with confidence has made my game so much more versatile... Short-Medum par 4s are now my favorite with a 220 yard straight away stinger that the 4 iron helps me to produce almost automatically.

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