TaylorMade Tour Preferred MB Review Thread

I just placed my order through my local bricks'n'mortar retailler, after a couple of fitting sessions.
Still have another week & a half to wait... :(

Worst part of getting new clubs =( Waiting sucks.
 
As i said before recently I had some quality time spent with Taylormade TP irons series and especially with TP MB and MC.

I'm 4.2 GHIN, 5'9" tall, 166 lbs (i'm working on it)* and my average 6 iron of 32 degrees loft with a stiff shaft goes about 185 on a launch monitor. playing for 4 years.
I hope this info will help to build some reference points for the readers.

As you can see from my signature I'm playing with the TaylorMAde TP MB smoke irons (blades) with project X filghted shaft 6.0 and I should say this is probably the most beautiful blade that I ever saw - I like their design that much.
I was comparing my irons with 2011 TP MB and MC with KBS Tour shaft stiff flex.

I have chosen the KBS shafts basing on many people impressions that these shafts are smoother. I wanted to try if i will see the difference and, boy, I did. This was probably my first personal experience where I was able to actually distinguish the feel of one shaft from another. If i would be able to do a blind test I think I would be able to tell the difference:)* Don't know how much the head was participating in creation of this silky smooth feel of the ball on the sweet spot, but I believe that sweet spot is sweet spot, everything else is what you get transferred from club head to the hands via shaft. ProjectX felt a bit more articulate at impact, while KBS was softer and sweeter. I hope I'm providing a good picture:)

Now the heads:
First thing first - with a direct comparison like I did I was really shocked by the difference of these new clubs balance comparing to my current set. The statement of TM that they made a difference by having the weight moved out from the hosel to the club head is true. You can actually feel that the club behaves differently during first practice swing. It is very hard to describe but the feeling is that the club has been focused more on the club head. It might be that the feeling is close to one when you swap heavier weights in the adjustable driver from heel to toe. If you can imagine all this weight to go to the center of the club you will get the picture of what i'm talking about.

Now with all this being said it wasn't my best driving range session. I wasn't hitting all of them well and that actually gave me some additional information about the club. Some of my shots were hit closer to the heel, because I was falling a bit in front loosing some balance during the down swing. Surprisingly enough I didn't see much of a distance loss on these shots. but that might be not exactly accurate statement just because it was not a launch monitor. Both MB and MC provided very nice feedback so I was definitely aware of how did I hit the ball.

Again, because it was not a launch monitor it was tough for me to really see how much more forgiving MC is comparing to MB, but both clubs were extremely comfortable to hit. Their industrial design grew up on me as well.

Due to the fact that TM has designed the whole tour preferred series with mix and match in mind I'm pretty positive about the setup that I will create for the upcoming season:
PW, 9 and 8 irons - TP MB
7, 6, 5 - TP MC

That's going to be awesome!!




Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk
 
As i said before recently I had some quality time spent with Taylormade TP irons series and especially with TP MB and MC.

I'm 4.2 GHIN, 5'9" tall, 166 lbs (i'm working on it)* and my average 6 iron of 32 degrees loft with a stiff shaft goes about 185 on a launch monitor. playing for 4 years.
I hope this info will help to build some reference points for the readers.

As you can see from my signature I'm playing with the TaylorMAde TP MB smoke irons (blades) with project X filghted shaft 6.0 and I should say this is probably the most beautiful blade that I ever saw - I like their design that much.
I was comparing my irons with 2011 TP MB and MC with KBS Tour shaft stiff flex.

I have chosen the KBS shafts basing on many people impressions that these shafts are smoother. I wanted to try if i will see the difference and, boy, I did. This was probably my first personal experience where I was able to actually distinguish the feel of one shaft from another. If i would be able to do a blind test I think I would be able to tell the difference:)* Don't know how much the head was participating in creation of this silky smooth feel of the ball on the sweet spot, but I believe that sweet spot is sweet spot, everything else is what you get transferred from club head to the hands via shaft. ProjectX felt a bit more articulate at impact, while KBS was softer and sweeter. I hope I'm providing a good picture:)

Now the heads:
First thing first - with a direct comparison like I did I was really shocked by the difference of these new clubs balance comparing to my current set. The statement of TM that they made a difference by having the weight moved out from the hosel to the club head is true. You can actually feel that the club behaves differently during first practice swing. It is very hard to describe but the feeling is that the club has been focused more on the club head. It might be that the feeling is close to one when you swap heavier weights in the adjustable driver from heel to toe. If you can imagine all this weight to go to the center of the club you will get the picture of what i'm talking about.

Now with all this being said it wasn't my best driving range session. I wasn't hitting all of them well and that actually gave me some additional information about the club. Some of my shots were hit closer to the heel, because I was falling a bit in front loosing some balance during the down swing. Surprisingly enough I didn't see much of a distance loss on these shots. but that might be not exactly accurate statement just because it was not a launch monitor. Both MB and MC provided very nice feedback so I was definitely aware of how did I hit the ball.

Again, because it was not a launch monitor it was tough for me to really see how much more forgiving MC is comparing to MB, but both clubs were extremely comfortable to hit. Their industrial design grew up on me as well.

Due to the fact that TM has designed the whole tour preferred series with mix and match in mind I'm pretty positive about the setup that I will create for the upcoming season:
PW, 9 and 8 irons - TP MB
7, 6, 5 - TP MC

That's going to be awesome!!

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

I think you will be happy with what you have there. I also have a combo set and did not notice any issues with gaps between irons. I would say that the MC's are more forgiving, but not by much. Thin and in the heel shots are more noticable in the MB. I believe your purchase will make you very happy. :clapp:
 
I think you will be happy with what you have there. I also have a combo set and did not notice any issues with gaps between irons. I would say that the MC's are more forgiving, but not by much. Thin and in the heel shots are more noticable in the MB. I believe your purchase will make you very happy. :clapp:

I'm actually thinking about custom order to add to the MB part of the set 1 degree more loft and MC 2 degrees more loft to match the lofts of my current set. Any thoughts about that approach?

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk
 
I am playing the standard lofts. I have thoughts about jacking them up. However, I am rather content not messing around with things. I like what I see so far. I am afraid that I will mess with my consistency. I went through a longer break in, when I look back. In addition, my game is not at your level yet (I will be single digit next year). So you may see more benefit to approaching things that way. The good thing about forged irons, you can bend them if you dont like em.

With the MC's in my long irons, I actually like what I get. My long irons give me confidence and I can blast em. Anywhere past my 5i, I am not in the mind that I need bombing distance. I want pin-point accuracy. Thats why I went with the MB. I am more than happy. I think that you really need to course test these or any iron for that matter.

So, to answer your question. Stock works great with me. I am dialed in and anywhere from a buck 70 out is green time. The long irons have more variability, not much. I got what I wanted with standard lofts.

Cheers!!! Have fun out there.
 
Date of first round with clubs: September 22nd, 2011
Weather: Partly cloudy, slight breeze, 65 degrees

OK, I'm sure you all might have been wondering where I was since I got my irons Wednesday and I said I was going to post some thoughts and feedback...well, I have fallen so deeply in love with these clubs that I just can't get enough of them, so I have been at the course and the range every evening after work since Wednesday, and here I am now because it is raining so I thought I would post my thoughts and impressions after spending more time with them. Here are some initial photos of the clubs after I got them and put them in my bag:
2011-09-21_14-11-38_566.jpg

2011-09-21_14-12-59_193.jpg

2011-09-21_14-13-32_733.jpg

2011-09-21_15-03-40_396.jpg

They look so pretty in the bag...

These are the nicest looking irons I have ever seen. Even the guys that have played with me over the last couple of days have said that they have never seen some nicer looking irons. They look so classy, but they also look tough. The confidence they create is amazing, I didn't have a single doubt in my mind looking over these clubs that I would not be able to hit them even though they are the first blade set I have ever purchased. Speaking of looks I took some pictures side-by-side with my Nike VR Split Cavities that I was hitting before, because I have touched on them in my initial thoughts a few days ago after hitting a demo MB at the range. The MBs are obviously slightly smaller, but I think hitting the Split Cavities prepared me well for these clubs because there isn't a huge difference in the topline or head size. The sole on the Split Cavities is a little wider, but other than that I wasn't intimidated at all by the small size of a blade iron. I was more scared when I switched from a full cavity to the Split Cavity because of such a large difference, but between the Splits and MBs it is a comfortable transition. Here are some comparison photos:
2011-09-04_11-47-51_699.jpg

IMG_0424.jpg

IMG_0425.jpg

IMG_0426.jpg

IMG_0427.jpg


As you can see, very close in size, although I am able to hit the MBs much better, and I love the performance overall better, so lets move on to performance...

Originally as I shopped for irons I was really thinking I was going to get some KBS Tour shafts put on them because I liked the higher ball flight that I have seen when I have hit some other irons with those shafts on them. Once I narrowed it down to this set I thought I would definitely need some KBS Tour shafts, because I thought the ball flight with the longer irons would be too low for me. After hitting the demo 6i earlier in the week and I saw how high of a ball flight I was getting with the Dynamic Gold shafts I knew that I needed to stick with those because otherwise my flight might to TOO high. After a couple of rounds with these in the bag I can say I could not be happier with my decision to stick with Dynamic Gold shafts. The ball flight that I am getting with the MBs is a little higher than I was getting with the Split Cavities, which in return is giving me an extra 5-10 yards of distance with each iron. I would say that the flight is more of a mid-high flight, whereas I was getting a mid-flight with the Split Cavities. Once they start to fall, they pretty much fall and stop. Every shot to the green landed and stoped within a foot of where it hit. A couple of shorter irons spun back for me a foot or two. Through my first 9-hole round with these irons I hit 7 of 9 greens in regulation. I was having some pinpoint accuracy, putting the ball within 10 feet on most holes. If I had been putting better I would have had the lowest 9 hole round ever.

The feel on these irons is amazing. I have never felt an iron like this. Pure shots are just butter, and the sound is quieter than many other irons. They don't have a loud WHACK, but I wouldn't say it is completely muted. It just has a nice soft sound. Being blades, it was inevitable that I would eventually mis-hit one, and that happened on the range yesterday. Let me tell ya...it stung! Mishits do send a nice sting through the club and give plenty of feedback to tell you where you missed, but you will have that with pretty much any blade. Luckily I have not had many of them and have not had any on the course. The feeling I get when I hit these irons is like crack...I just get addicted and want some more! (never tried it, just a comparison here)

For anyone on the market for a new set of irons, I would suggest any low-to-mid handicapper needs to try these. If you are a good ball striker you cannot beat them. If you aren't a great ball striker there are probably better clubs out there for you, but if you want ultimate performance and feel, and some SUH-WEET lookin' clubs, then these are exactly that! I can't wait to get these out on the course some more, and it is a HUGE bummer than it is supposed to rain over the next 3-4 days. I will probably get out to the range and hit a few because I am testing the PureShot driver, but as far as getting out on the course it will probably be too wet. Until then, if you are at your local golf store and see these irons, give them a swing, you won't regret it!
 
Man it needs to quit raining here so I can get these out again! Been raining since Thursday evening, forecasted to rain til Wednesday evening. Could possibly get out Thursday but it is going to be VERY wet. The weekend is looking good though
 
Get out there! One pure shot and u will forget about the rain. Now if rainy and windy I fully understand. We can relate to you right now. I am playing 36 tomorrow so I will post a review of sorts. Looks like were in the same boat. Can't wait to hammer these bad boys
 
Date of first round with clubs: September 22nd, 2011
Weather: Partly cloudy, slight breeze, 65 degrees

OK, I'm sure you all might have been wondering where I was since I got my irons Wednesday and I said I was going to post some thoughts and feedback...well, I have fallen so deeply in love with these clubs that I just can't get enough of them, so I have been at the course and the range every evening after work since Wednesday, and here I am now because it is raining so I thought I would post my thoughts and impressions after spending more time with them. Here are some initial photos of the clubs after I got them and put them in my bag:
2011-09-21_14-11-38_566.jpg

2011-09-21_14-12-59_193.jpg

2011-09-21_14-13-32_733.jpg

2011-09-21_15-03-40_396.jpg

They look so pretty in the bag...

These are the nicest looking irons I have ever seen. Even the guys that have played with me over the last couple of days have said that they have never seen some nicer looking irons. They look so classy, but they also look tough. The confidence they create is amazing, I didn't have a single doubt in my mind looking over these clubs that I would not be able to hit them even though they are the first blade set I have ever purchased. Speaking of looks I took some pictures side-by-side with my Nike VR Split Cavities that I was hitting before, because I have touched on them in my initial thoughts a few days ago after hitting a demo MB at the range. The MBs are obviously slightly smaller, but I think hitting the Split Cavities prepared me well for these clubs because there isn't a huge difference in the topline or head size. The sole on the Split Cavities is a little wider, but other than that I wasn't intimidated at all by the small size of a blade iron. I was more scared when I switched from a full cavity to the Split Cavity because of such a large difference, but between the Splits and MBs it is a comfortable transition. Here are some comparison photos:
2011-09-04_11-47-51_699.jpg

IMG_0424.jpg

IMG_0425.jpg

IMG_0426.jpg

IMG_0427.jpg


As you can see, very close in size, although I am able to hit the MBs much better, and I love the performance overall better, so lets move on to performance...

Originally as I shopped for irons I was really thinking I was going to get some KBS Tour shafts put on them because I liked the higher ball flight that I have seen when I have hit some other irons with those shafts on them. Once I narrowed it down to this set I thought I would definitely need some KBS Tour shafts, because I thought the ball flight with the longer irons would be too low for me. After hitting the demo 6i earlier in the week and I saw how high of a ball flight I was getting with the Dynamic Gold shafts I knew that I needed to stick with those because otherwise my flight might to TOO high. After a couple of rounds with these in the bag I can say I could not be happier with my decision to stick with Dynamic Gold shafts. The ball flight that I am getting with the MBs is a little higher than I was getting with the Split Cavities, which in return is giving me an extra 5-10 yards of distance with each iron. I would say that the flight is more of a mid-high flight, whereas I was getting a mid-flight with the Split Cavities. Once they start to fall, they pretty much fall and stop. Every shot to the green landed and stoped within a foot of where it hit. A couple of shorter irons spun back for me a foot or two. Through my first 9-hole round with these irons I hit 7 of 9 greens in regulation. I was having some pinpoint accuracy, putting the ball within 10 feet on most holes. If I had been putting better I would have had the lowest 9 hole round ever.

The feel on these irons is amazing. I have never felt an iron like this. Pure shots are just butter, and the sound is quieter than many other irons. They don't have a loud WHACK, but I wouldn't say it is completely muted. It just has a nice soft sound. Being blades, it was inevitable that I would eventually mis-hit one, and that happened on the range yesterday. Let me tell ya...it stung! Mishits do send a nice sting through the club and give plenty of feedback to tell you where you missed, but you will have that with pretty much any blade. Luckily I have not had many of them and have not had any on the course. The feeling I get when I hit these irons is like crack...I just get addicted and want some more! (never tried it, just a comparison here)

For anyone on the market for a new set of irons, I would suggest any low-to-mid handicapper needs to try these. If you are a good ball striker you cannot beat them. If you aren't a great ball striker there are probably better clubs out there for you, but if you want ultimate performance and feel, and some SUH-WEET lookin' clubs, then these are exactly that! I can't wait to get these out on the course some more, and it is a HUGE bummer than it is supposed to rain over the next 3-4 days. I will probably get out to the range and hit a few because I am testing the PureShot driver, but as far as getting out on the course it will probably be too wet. Until then, if you are at your local golf store and see these irons, give them a swing, you won't regret it!

Great write up INGolfer. I too love my MB's and think they are gorgeous!!! The feel of them on a nice struck shot is just amazing. Ask MarcW. He hit my 8 iron over the weekend and didn't blade it. He thought it felt nice but a huge size difference over his Burner 2.0's (head). I went to the Golf Pride multi compound grips in Midsize and oh my! I feel that I can just get after it better. I have big hands for a little guy so I like the added girth.
 
I tried the stock grips, they were quickly swapped for ndmc mids. Inagree you feel more inclined to get after it, if you want. I also got a tad more shock absorption. I will say my first round was abysmal and my hands hurt. Still well worth it.if I recall correctly. Anywho, great sets fella's. Keep the reviews coming
 
Hadn't been out in a week and a half because of all the rain we got here, but I decided to go out for 9 today even though it was pretty windy. Temp is about 60 degrees, 15-20 mph winds. Shot 43, but it definitely was not because of my irons. My irons really saved me today, it was my driving that cost me several strokes today. I am slicing my driver which has not happened in a long time, but these MB irons are so nice I just feel like I'm cheating! Distance control is nothing like I have ever seen before. Some of you may remember that I was a little worried before I got these that I might lose some distance going from a mid-cavity to a blade, but as I mentioned in my write-up, that is not the case. My previous 4i would go about 190. Today I stepped up to a long par 3 that always seems to be hard to hit. I had a little wind with me, and the pin was playing about 215. With the wind I would have normally played a 3i, but I did not get a 3i with my set because I was originally thinking of possibly just getting another hybrid to replace it, but now I don't need to because I am hitting my irons a little further than I used to. Anyhow, I pulled the 4i, thinking that the worst case scenerio I would be on the front of the green with a longer putt, but I struck that baby sweet and it went about 220, just a little past the hole. Normally with the wind I had I would have thought I could carry it 205 with my Nike VR Split Cavity, so I was excited to get the distance with the 4i that I am getting. It will save me $ from having to buy another hybrid. I am not experiencing the hook with the longer irons that I was having before as well. I believe JRod said that when he switched to the MBs he no longer had the hook that he experienced with his previous clubs, and I am seeing the same thing. I think the weight of this clubhead is just distributed perfectly, and it results in longer, straighter shots. Can't wait for the rest of this week because it is going to be sunny and around 70 degrees every day. Should get some great rounds in this week!
 
Last week was a mixed bag with these irons. I played in super wind and was losing a lot o distance with my drives. Thus in turn confidence. When your off these irons look smaller than a pin hole. I was off for a round but finished strong. I was thinning a lot of shots and this killed my distance consistency. They would fly low and far, something you want for wind, perhaps. I just couldn't get dialed in. I hate wind, it just kills my mental approach. When I did hit nice shots, they felt great and flew. In particular. On the last hole 400 par4 I screwed my drive up, was a tad hung, and really did not care. I took a 7i as smoked it clean about 175. Made up for the poor round.

Later in the week, these irons could do no wrong. Pin point percisio on par 3 which I typically struggle with. I was dropping em. Approaches were stopping within a yard of the mark. The feel was awesome. I really like the ball flight with these, and will con't too.

Like I said, when your off. These things are not that friendly. It always that one shot that gives you a reconciliation after a 'bad' round. I was REALLY close to trading for R11's on Tuesday. Alas, Friday came and saved me from a rash decision.
 
I just love the fact that I know exactly how far these are going to go. My distance control is the best it has ever been. Even though it was windy yesterday I still had some amazing shots, one of the best ones being a 7i with a right to left wind. I aimed right side of the green, hit the shot, and as it sailed I saw the wind carry it perfectly, landed dead aim at the pin, just about 5 yards past. The more I play with these irons the more I love them, and the thing I am most impressed about is how well I can hit them, even compared to my last set of irons. I figured there would be an adjustment period where I might struggle with these, but honestly I am hitting these better than my last set. It was an instant improvement to my game. Now if I could just get my driver back on track I know I will definitely be lowering my handicap some more.
 
Ok. I now have my new gear. Here are my impressions of the TP MBs.

First of all, as many have said, these clubs are flat out sexy. I love the compact look and neat top line.

My irons are shafted with KBS 90 in stiff, and the balance of these irons in hand is beautiful.

I have had 1 short range session, and 2 rounds under my belt with these, and all I can say is wow! The feel and sound of this combo is just sweet. The ballflight is high, but not ballooning, which is perfect for me.

I have hit a few stinkers too, but that isn't the clubs fault. I love the feeling of accuracy and precision I get with these, and they are a joy around the green for chipping and pitching.

I am very happy with my purchase, and post a more detailed review once I have had some more time with them.
 
Ok. I now have my new gear. Here are my impressions of the TP MBs.

First of all, as many have said, these clubs are flat out sexy. I love the compact look and neat top line.

My irons are shafted with KBS 90 in stiff, and the balance of these irons in hand is beautiful.

I have had 1 short range session, and 2 rounds under my belt with these, and all I can say is wow! The feel and sound of this combo is just sweet. The ballflight is high, but not ballooning, which is perfect for me.

I have hit a few stinkers too, but that isn't the clubs fault. I love the feeling of accuracy and precision I get with these, and they are a joy around the green for chipping and pitching.

I am very happy with my purchase, and post a more detailed review once I have had some more time with them.

Glad to hear it golf nut, these clubs are definately winners.
 
So I have about half a dozen rounds with these in the bag, and I couldn't be happier with my purchase! My last couple rounds my push has crept back into my swing, which isn't the clubs fault but it has made it harder to stick it close to the pins like I was at first. The distance control is just silly with these things. Speaking of distance control, I am seeing a few extra yards with these than I had with my previous set. Most clubs is just about 5-10 yards, but my 4 iron is about 15 yards further. I had a shot yesterday that was about 190 to the middle, which was my previous distance with my 4-iron. I pulled the 4i out and struck it nicely. I thought it was going to be perfect til I saw it sail over the green and land on the slope of the back of the green, which kicked it off to the left...I can't say I was too disappointed though because it just felt SO GOOD! I thought about hitting a 5i on the shot so it was just a dumb decision to hit the 4i. Anyhow, it was a great feeling to hit into the 210 yard par 3 at my home course last week with the 4i right into the middle of the green, it is always one of the hardest par 3s on the course because of the length and small green, and it is intimidating because there is OB to the right, and long grass and bunkers on the left. Anyhow, I hit the 4i with confidence and it flew perfectly to the middle of the green to about 10 feet. Can't wait to put these into play next week in Florida, for those of you I'm playing with, watch out!
 
Very nice to see you enjoying these irons so much, INgolfer. Enjoy the Florida golf!
 
May have to get a few shots with them INgolfer! Glad to hear they are working for you.
 
I've been looking through both the TP MB irons, as well as the TP MC irons...and seeing guys with mid-handicaps saying that these MBs are not as difficult to hit as they seem...and that it has helped focus, due to the smaller blade...I'm thinking that these might be the irons I save for. Or are there arguments for a combo set of MB/MCs being a better choice?
 
I've been looking through both the TP MB irons, as well as the TP MC irons...and seeing guys with mid-handicaps saying that these MBs are not as difficult to hit as they seem...and that it has helped focus, due to the smaller blade...I'm thinking that these might be the irons I save for. Or are there arguments for a combo set of MB/MCs being a better choice?

I've never been a huge fan of combo sets but its all personal preference. Can't go wrong either way with these irons!!
 
I've never been a huge fan of combo sets but its all personal preference. Can't go wrong either way with these irons!!

That's exactly what I'm thinking...a combo set would just screw with my feel and tempo I think...having two different types of weighting/head types...

I'm REALLY tempted by these MBs, even if I'm not a low handicapper...I figure that they will ultimately make me a better golfer...and I really think I could hit them.
 
I've been looking through both the TP MB irons, as well as the TP MC irons...and seeing guys with mid-handicaps saying that these MBs are not as difficult to hit as they seem...and that it has helped focus, due to the smaller blade...I'm thinking that these might be the irons I save for. Or are there arguments for a combo set of MB/MCs being a better choice?

I am a 7 handicap and I am playing the MCs and for me it would be hard to imagine playing the MBs in the long irons, in fact I play a CB 5 iron. I have thought that it would be nice to have the MBs in my 9 & PW, but I don't know what benefit it would give me. I know that one of the pros from Golftec warned about playing the MBs due to the tiny sweetspot, but some f the guys on here have sung the praises if the MBs as well. I would try them before you buy them and go with what you are most consistent with.
 
I play a combo set. I like em! I do agree that a bad day isn't going to be fun. I am loving these irons but the transition to being able to hit them really good is not like that of say a cb or r11. I am more addicted to the feel and sound. Not too mention very very consistent distance
 
If you remember that a cause of a bad day isn't the arrow its the Indians fault. Then the next one is fine.

Amphibians can Tapatalk.
 
If you remember that a cause of a bad day isn't the arrow its the Indians fault. Then the next one is fine.

Amphibians can Tapatalk.

Ive told you this is wrong, its always the arrow!
 
Back
Top