TaylorMade Tour Preferred MB Review Thread

OK HERE IS THE RESULT FROM THE 1st DAY OF THE TAYLORMADE TP MBs (for me).

Went to Strawberry Farms Golf Course (driving range is grass on Friday-Sunday). I got their largest bag of balls $15!!! Unfortunately, it is the closest driving range with grass I can use (other than Pelican Hill, which you can only use if you play).

The guy next to me, was a PGA teacher....oh great! So, I take out my 6 iron and warm up, after some stretching and chatting I go to swing...I aimed at the flag that was 165 yards away and proceeded to 'blade it' so it went only about 15 feet in the air. Oh yeah, I'm not playing CBs anymore...I really have to move this back in my stance and hit DOWN on it. 8 of my next 10 shots actually flew the landing green, but all were within 3 yards (left or right) of the pin. I did have 1 not so good shot and one blade again. I was hitting the 6 iron consistently between 170-180 (normally hit it 165-175). VERY LITTLE SPRAY!

A few more balls later and I hit the 8 iron. PERFECT control. I normally hit my irons very straight. I noticed just a hair of a draw (A "draw" is a flight path of the ball in which the ball curves gently right-to-left for a right-handed player). In fact, after I became more comfortable I practiced actually forcing a draw and was able to get a draw of about 10 yards right to left. Sweet! I did have a very hard time making it fade, but that's not a shot I am good at.

Next up. The wedge. I landed within 3 feet of the pin on 3 of 10 shots. I didn't 'miss' one shot. The absolute best thing about these irons is the lack of spray. Even if you miss hit it a little you won't go left/right too much.

I did have a hard time hitting the 4 iron consistently. In fact, the 5 iron was maybe 5 yards longer than the 6 iron and the 4 iron was about 5 yards longer than the 5 iron...so, I really need to work on that.

The amount of divots I took out was staggering...I normally take a few good divots here and there...but this was great. The amount of 'bounce' was about 1/2...which, I guess I should expect. Also, because I focused on hitting down on the ball more I 'forced' more divots. You HAVE to remember this club is called MUSCLE BACK...and I know TM has their own reasons for calling it a MB, but for me, I found out you need to muscle at the right time. I was actually able to hit the ball farther than my normal clubs with a little less effort (even though these have 1 degree more loft per club than my CBs). Ok, for the 'muscle' part. I absolutely would NOT recommend these clubs unless you can swing a driver over 105mph.. Why? Because you actually do need to muscle it at impact. A weak swing with how these clubs were designed will just not work.

I had some amazing shots and definite control on draws. I've never hit a club that I actually knew exactly where it would go. With my last 40 balls or so I decided to place electrical tape on the club face. This is the poor man's face tape. Electrical tape leaves an imprint where you hit the ball on the face. My 6-PW I hit consistently in the center of the face (approximately, the center of the ball was 4 grooves up - there are 13 grooves -7 full grooves). My 4 iron I was hitting slightly towards the toe and about 2 grooves up (this would be 'okay' for a CB). My 5 iron was in between... So, IMO, I need to line up just a hair closer to the ball and put the club in a slightly more upright position (this eliminates hitting off the toe - for me).

My typical positioning for a 4 iron is off my front heel, with the MB's it was dead center. Everything then moved back, and in fact, my PW was almost (not quite) off my back right heel (approximately 2 inches farther back than I am used to hitting). SO REMEMBER, if you hit MBs you have to put the ball BACK in your stance (this also causes you to hit down on it - You can not hit these on the upswing or on the bottom of your swing).

I am going ahead and taking them to Roger Dunn tomorrow morning to get them bent 1 upright. I'm not 100% sure if I need it, but that's what my club fitting said, so here goes (it's $25).

Now, when you hit these good (and you can) it is the most amazing shot you'll ever take (actually, I got the same feeling as I do when I crush a drive over 300 yards, I've had a few that have run over 350 - wind and/or hill aided). When you hit them 90% accurate it is still forgiving. These are the easiest clubs I've hit with to know you did something wrong and know what you did wrong. There is no sting, not really much vibration on bad hits (just more of a thud), but oh man, the good hits are perfect.

As far as trajectory I thought it was about the same as my now old clubs, the wedge I could hit lower or even higher than my current wedge. Unfortunately, the 'greens' I hit to were basically 'fairway grass' so I could not tell much backspin, but they definitely did not run.

Overall, I'm very excited to play my first round tomorrow. Also, interested to see how bending the clubs upright 1 will effect the flight path...oh, the flight path...that was something else...my old clubs were more of a 'rainbow' shape. The flight path here was definitely straighter and more of a zing...then, at the end just a nice fall off...hopefully this stops balls from skipping, hopping, etc. on the green.

I'll post more later this weekend. Playing Saturday and Sunday. :D

In my bag
Driver: :taylormade: Superfast 2.0 (10.5°)/ Matrix Ozick XCon-4.8 Flex S
Fairway Metals: :taylormade: R11 5 Wood / Blur by Fujikura Flex S
Irons: :taylormade: TP MB 4-PW
Gap Wedge: :taylormade: TM TP xFT C-C Wedge Gap, Nippon N.S. Pro 1050 GH 50° Extra Stiff/Strong
Sand Wedge: Dunlop Recover Wedge, 64° - Old and needs to be replaced.
Putter: :odyssey: 2Ball SRT White Hot XG - Belly Putter
Ball: Nike One Vapor Speed
 
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Went golfing today... Didn't shoot too good - Shot a 94 on a Par 74 (California's longest course)...I got to play with a pro that was practicing for a qualifying tournament...he hit from Jack's Blacks...7700+ yards (the blues were 7400 yards). The course wasn't in the best of shape, but still should have done better. I had 2 triples (ugh). One was a hack job and the other was a 3 put triple. I can read puts, just can't execute (I only 1 putted 3 times and 3 putted 4 times). However, I did learn more about these clubs. Anything with a full swing 6-PW is awesome. I was able to hit the 4iron and 5 iron off the teebox, but harder to hit off the fairway. Also, they were very hard for me to punch 50-60 yards. Hope tomorrow is a little better as I get broken in.

I was going to get my irons bent 1 up, but tested at Roger Dunn and it looks like I hit them right in the middle. So, I picked up a new TM Hybrid 3 Iron and the Penta TP golf balls by Taylormade (though, I didn't hit them today).

My distance with all my clubs was about the same as my previous clubs. It is unbelievable how high I can get my new wedge and gap wedge (though, not always a good thing).

The biggest things I've noticed with the TM Irons is that the trajectory is a long and low steady rise, then a fall off at the end. (i.e. not a rainbow shot). The balls seem to hold on the green pretty well. They are remarkably easy to add a draw (right to left, I'm right handed). Still hard for me to fade, but I only tried once.

I had some amazing shots especially with the 6 iron (appears to be my favorite club - along with my new gap wedge). I was hitting the 6 iron from 170-180 yards. One bounce, bite, and a small roll...probably 15 feet from where it lands is where it ends up. But, I tend to hit a higher ball than most.

I think by the 11th hole my confidence was increased. The first 9 was rough. (48 and a 46...not my best effort). Sad, playing bogey golf is a 92 at this course. Tomorrow I play Coyote Hills (a much easier course). I am also playing those Pentas tomorrow. $45 for 12.

In my bag

Driver: :taylormade: Superfast 2.0 (10.5°)/ Matrix Ozick XCon-4.8 Flex S
Fairway Metals: :taylormade: R11 5 Wood / Blur by Fujikura Flex S
Hybrid: :taylormade: Superfast 2.0 3 Iron (19°)/ Dynamic Gold S300
Irons: :taylormade: TP MB 4-PW
Gap Wedge: :taylormade: TM TP xFT C-C Wedge Gap, Nippon N.S. Pro 1050 GH 50° Extra Stiff/Strong
Sand Wedge: Dunlop Recover Wedge, 64° - Old and needs to be replaced.
Putter: :odyssey: 2Ball SRT White Hot XG - Belly Putter
Ball: :taylormade: Penta TP
 
Glad to hear you are enjoying you MBs. I was hesitant to buy them last fall but I am so glad I did. I love them, and for a blade they are relatively easy to hit. I have let a few other mid-cappers try them and they loved them as well. I think as long as your ball striking is good you will continue to love them. So far I have yet to hit another iron that feels as good as these to me.
 
Played Sunday in a Superbowl Scramble (2 man). We, unfortunately, were stuck at par the entire day. Shorter course and we didn't make one put from outside 10 feet. Had some great shots. Not a fan of bermuda grass in the winter, but still do okay (just not as good as we should have). Yesterday (Monday) I went to the range and hit off the mats (to get more practice on 'bermuda-type' surface (basically what a mat is). Aimed for the markers and hit a few. When you are in a rhythm with these clubs you can literally repeat shot after shot in a 3 yard circle.

I said it before and I'll say it again... the 6 iron through pitching wedge is awesome...4/5 iron are tougher (unless off a tee). IMO, if anyone is looking at these clubs I would suggest only getting 6-PW (or 4-PW)...I don't think it is worth getting a 3 iron here (and this comes from someone who has always preferred a 3 iron to a hybrid). In fact, because I assume most players who this is designed for aren't perfect 100% of the time (but, maybe 80-90%) I would almost design the 3-5 iron with a slight cavity back. Maybe as follows:

3 iron 70% blade and 30% cavity back
4 iron 80% blade and 20% cavity back
5 iron 90% blade and 10% cavity back

Just my opinion. I think just a slight CB on the long irons would provide a tiny edge. (these clubs get swung faster and there is more room for error). Other than that, I love them...my short irons are awesome and incredibly accurate. In time I hope to love the long irons here too.

In my bag
Driver: :taylormade: Superfast 2.0 (10.5°)/ Matrix Ozick XCon-4.8 Flex S
Fairway Metals: :taylormade: R11 5 Wood / Blur by Fujikura Flex S
Hybrid: :taylormade: Superfast 2.0 3 Iron Rescue (19°)/ Dynamic Gold S300
Irons: :taylormade: TP MB 4-PW
Gap Wedge: :taylormade: TM TP xFT C-C Wedge Gap, Nippon N.S. Pro 1050 GH 50° Extra Stiff/Strong
Sand Wedge: Dunlop Recover Wedge, 64° - Old and needs to be replaced.
Putter: :odyssey: 2Ball SRT White Hot XG - Belly Putter
Ball: :taylormade: Penta TP
 
Glad to hear you like them. I wish you luck for the future.
 
OK!!! I can "officially" talk about the TM MB irons... I have played at least 10 rounds with the clubs over the last month.As with any blade if you hit them perfectly...you will NEVER hit a better club. I did have to adjust my swing slightly. Just a little more downward hitting. I also decided to club down. The MB irons are already 1° higher and yes, I can hit them as far (if not a hair farther than my old CBs). However, I decided to swing more in control and swing 85% rather than 95-100%. It has been about 20 years since I've been able to hit so many greens in regulation AND hit within 5-10 feet of the pin. I freaking love these clubs. :) Putting is still my problem (and it's sad I still 2 putt from 10 feet away a LOT).

I was a bit bummed out when I got these because I started shooting in the high 80s even a 90-93 here and there...Now that I am used to these clubs I am routinely shooting a 40 for 9 or a 80-87 for 18. I know if I can figure out my putting and eliminate 3 putts I'll be breaking 80 again. Too bad there isn't a Taylormade MB PUTTER!!! :D

I am actually able to shape these with a draw or a fade...I can also hit a low shot or a high shot with little effort. There is great spin on the irons too. I can aim for the pin from 150-180 and know the green will be held! These clubs will make you a better golfer...seriously. I have NO CLUE why so many people say blades should only be played by scratch golfers. They are easy to hit and they are ridiculously consistent.

I loaded up with some more Taylormade wedges (see below) and am looking to get either a RBZ or an R11 3 wood. Will check the other forums for info on them.

Haha...I was playing with a golf pro and he was amazed at how well I was hitting them. I was just having a bad putting day...but,
an interesting perspective...I call my drive a 300 yard bomb with a 3-5 yard slice...the pro says you've got a great power fade...hmmm...perspective.

Well, that's it...DON'T be afraid to buy these and play with these. They will make you a better golfer if you are already a good one.

In my bag

Driver: :taylormade: Superfast 2.0 (10.5°)/ Matrix Ozick XCon-4.8 Flex S
Fairway Metals: :taylormade: R11 5 Wood / Blur by Fujikura Flex S
Hybrid: :taylormade: Superfast 2.0 3 Iron Rescue (19°)/ Dynamic Gold S300
Irons: :taylormade: TP MB 4-PW
Gap Wedge: :taylormade: TM TP xFT C-C Wedge Gap, Nippon N.S. Pro 1050 GH 50° Extra Stiff/Strong
Sand Wedge: :taylormade: TM TP xFT, FST KBS Hi-REV 54° (12° Bounce)
Lob Wedge: :taylormade: TM TP xFT, Nippon N.S. Pro 950GH 60° (10° Bounce)
Putter: :odyssey: 2Ball SRT White Hot XG - Belly Putter
Ball: :taylormade: Penta TP
 
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I did like mine, great clubs. They look so sweet, oh do sweet! If I played as good as they looked I would stil have. Enjoy!
 
Hey guys, I just have one quick question. Has anyone heard anything about TaylorMade coming out with a left-handed version of these anytime in the future?
 
Hey guys, I just have one quick question. Has anyone heard anything about TaylorMade coming out with a left-handed version of these anytime in the future?

What a joke, I can't believe these aren't offered in LH.
 
What a joke, I can't believe these aren't offered in LH.

Yeah it sucks being left-handed, but I can understand why they don't. I don't think TaylorMade has very many, if any, players on tour that are left-handed. So they probably didn't expect very many lefty players to want/need these blades. I don't think I'm good enough to play these clubs now, but it'd be nice to have the option in the future if I were to get any better. And I really like TaylorMade and have read the good reviews from the testers, so I'm hoping they start producing them.
 
Ok, I've played about 20 rounds with these clubs. Great clubs...I still love going to the range and having people with CBs try the MBs and can't hit them. MBs will make you hit down on the ball and not scoop it. Seem to work a lot better with the Pro V1x ball (better than with TM's Penta). I've never played a round of golf where I needed to remind myself so many times (you must steepen the angle of attack and take a divot). I just played Oak Creek in Irvine (actually Friday and Sunday). 3 Birdies on Sunday ;)

I will wholeheartedly admit this one fact about the MBs...they will force you to be a better golfer ;) - you will need to hit the ball precise. And, if you do...you will be GREATLY rewarded. Most of my mistakes are hitting it on the bottom groove. You need to hit it 3-4 grooves up. Hitting on the bottom groove isn't so bad with CBs.

If you get these clubs you must commit to multiple rounds (you might give up early)....but they are worth it in the end.

In my bag
Driver: :taylormade: Superfast 2.0 (10.5°)/ Matrix Ozick XCon-4.8 Flex S
Fairway Metals: :taylormade: R11 5 Wood / Blur by Fujikura Flex S
Irons: :taylormade: TP MB 4-PW
Gap Wedge: :taylormade: TM TP xFT C-C Wedge Gap, Nippon N.S. Pro 1050 GH 50° Extra Stiff/Strong
Sand Wedge: :taylormade: TM TP xFT, FST KBS Hi-REV 54° (12° Bounce)
Lob Wedge: :taylormade: TM TP xFT, Nippon N.S. Pro 950GH 60° (10° Bounce)
Putter: :odyssey: 2Ball SRT White Hot XG - Belly Putter
Ball: Titleist Pro V1X
Swing Speed: 115
Handicap: 10
 
I just joined THP and have been hitting a combo set of the CB and MC since last season. Just ordered the 8-P in the MB and CANNOT WAIT TO HIT THEM. This thread was awesome - thanks to everyone who contributed!

Matt
 
Well, I got these irons last Friday and have played 27 holes and one range session with them.

So far.....I can't hit them to save my life! I demoed these clubs EXTENSIVELY too. I hit them on the range and on a launch monitor multiple times to make sure this was the way to go. I hit them so well that I finally convinced my wife to spend the money on them. I ordered them with KBS Tour Stiff shafts and 1* flat as per my fitting.

Monday, I shot an 84 on a course that mid 70s is my norm. Last night I shot a 43 on a par 31! About 3 weeks ago I shot an even par 31 on the exact same course. Not all of my problems can be put on the irons for now as my driver has totally disappeared from me. It was by far the strongest part of my game and now I just hope I don't lose the ball off the tee. Finding the fairway has been tough lately.

However, I don't know that the irons are the complete issue for me. I have something funky going on in my swing and I am getting big old draws/hooks on my shots. Then when I aim far left to play it, I hit it straight...that is called GOLF!

Today on the range I saw glimpses of greatness though. Once I started making semi-decent contact, I started to have fun and work the ball around. I was able to hit fades and draws pretty well for my limited practice thus far. My biggest issue outside of the heavy draw is that I am catching everything a groove or two too thin. If I try to stay down on the ball, I chunk it. I know my biggest issue right now is tempo. Once I REALLY slowed everything down, my ball striking increased ten fold. I have a lesson planned next week and we are going to work solely on better ball striking. Over the phone I told him my problems and he said it sounds like setup and he will check everything out.

So for now, the irons are hurting my game but it isn't the club's fault. My old irons were so forgiving, I got lazy in technique and some demons have crept in. My old clubs were also not fit at all and I couldn't work the ball because of their forgiveness. I got these clubs with the sole purpose of being able to work the ball and get my handicap below 0. Unfortunately, it will take much longer than I had hoped, LOL.
 
Well, I got these irons last Friday and have played 27 holes and one range session with them.

So far.....I can't hit them to save my life! I demoed these clubs EXTENSIVELY too. I hit them on the range and on a launch monitor multiple times to make sure this was the way to go. I hit them so well that I finally convinced my wife to spend the money on them. I ordered them with KBS Tour Stiff shafts and 1* flat as per my fitting.

Monday, I shot an 84 on a course that mid 70s is my norm. Last night I shot a 43 on a par 31! About 3 weeks ago I shot an even par 31 on the exact same course. Not all of my problems can be put on the irons for now as my driver has totally disappeared from me. It was by far the strongest part of my game and now I just hope I don't lose the ball off the tee. Finding the fairway has been tough lately.

However, I don't know that the irons are the complete issue for me. I have something funky going on in my swing and I am getting big old draws/hooks on my shots. Then when I aim far left to play it, I hit it straight...that is called GOLF!

Today on the range I saw glimpses of greatness though. Once I started making semi-decent contact, I started to have fun and work the ball around. I was able to hit fades and draws pretty well for my limited practice thus far. My biggest issue outside of the heavy draw is that I am catching everything a groove or two too thin. If I try to stay down on the ball, I chunk it. I know my biggest issue right now is tempo. Once I REALLY slowed everything down, my ball striking increased ten fold. I have a lesson planned next week and we are going to work solely on better ball striking. Over the phone I told him my problems and he said it sounds like setup and he will check everything out.

So for now, the irons are hurting my game but it isn't the club's fault. My old irons were so forgiving, I got lazy in technique and some demons have crept in. My old clubs were also not fit at all and I couldn't work the ball because of their forgiveness. I got these clubs with the sole purpose of being able to work the ball and get my handicap below 0. Unfortunately, it will take much longer than I had hoped, LOL.


Sorry to hear this. I know getting used to new clubs can be extremely difficult but if you stick with it these will pay dividends. Let us know how your lesson goes!
 
Sorry to hear this. I know getting used to new clubs can be extremely difficult but if you stick with it these will pay dividends. Let us know how your lesson goes!

I think my issue stems from the fact that I was hitting them short yesterday because of slight mis-hits and then I started to swing faster. For me, I KNOW that swinging harder doesn't work but I forget that all too often.

I read the majority if this thread but why did you stop gaming these JRod?
 
I think my issue stems from the fact that I was hitting them short yesterday because of slight mis-hits and then I started to swing faster. For me, I KNOW that swinging harder doesn't work but I forget that all too often.

I read the majority if this thread but why did you stop gaming these JRod?

I just needed something a little easier to hit man. I absolutely lo ed these things but the one or two even slight mishits per round were just too punishing. I'm not the ball striker i was 10 years ago and i finally had to accept that fa t.
 
I just needed something a little easier to hit man. I absolutely lo ed these things but the one or two even slight mishits per round were just too punishing. I'm not the ball striker i was 10 years ago and i finally had to accept that fa t.

I feel you here. My ball striking isn't nearly as crisp as I would like and these irons punish me like crazy for it.

I played 9 again tonight and am finding some better results. This may not be the best thread but did you find any drills useful to improve ball striking with these clubs?

Thanks for all your help thus far.
 
I feel you here. My ball striking isn't nearly as crisp as I would like and these irons punish me like crazy for it.

I played 9 again tonight and am finding some better results. This may not be the best thread but did you find any drills useful to improve ball striking with these clubs?

Thanks for all your help thus far.

sorry for the late response.

The best ball striking drill I use it to just put my feet together and hit down on the ball using the "pump" drill. Pump up your backswing and make sure you make good contact not worrying about distance or anything else.
 
I've been playing these irons for about six months now and absolutely love them. They are definitely less forgiving than CB irons but the feedback is great and will help improve your swing mechanics if you listen to them.

Feel/Sound
This is what initially drew me to these irons. I had on various occasions tried out different clubs at my local pro shop for the heck of it and consistently liked the feel of the demo 6-iron they had. Every shot I took felt somehow better than any other clubs, even on slight mishits. After playing with these for a while I concluded that it has to do with the compression and vibration during and after impact. You can actually feel a meaty thud with a clean hit and the entire club vibrates like a tuning fork providing immediate tactile feedback on the quality of the shot. Off-center hits feel dramatically different with higher frequency vibration, which combined with any twist will tell you exactly where you connected on the face.

The sound is also unbelievable and sits between a heavy click and a crack like a gunshot. It adds to the experience and really encourages the player to get that perfect strike every time.

Consistency
These clubs are incredibly consistent with a good swing. In realistic conditions you can expect distance variation of no more than 2 yds with a 6-iron. According to testing with a launch monitor I've been able to get distances to within 0.2 yd at 180. The accuracy with shot shaping is just as good putting the ball with 1 yd side to side of your target with a clean strike.

When it comes to on-course play, even a less than perfect swing will produce side dispersion of at worst 10% of your distance (10 yds @ 100 yds). In reality you can expect half that with a repeatable swing.

Trajectory/Spin
The ball will naturally come off of these clubs at a medium-low trajectory, approximately half of the launch angle of the Adams a7 irons (did a comparison with my friend's set). That said, the spin rate is incredible and I have absolutely no problems getting the ball to check or back up. My typical ball movement from impact on the green is about 18" @ 140 yds with an 8-iron. Even the 4-iron will produce enough spin to hold a green at close to 200 yds.

Despite having a normally low trajectory, it is quite easy to get shots up in the air quickly. The CG is low enough to get under the ball when desired. Knockdown shots are just as easy and can still be worked well.

Workability
These clubs are meant for shot shaping, plain and simple. While they can throw darts all day, if you know how to work them, the doors get blown wide open on attacking the course. A slight tweak to face alignment is all it takes to produce dramatic changes to trajectory and shape. Running slightly closed will put up to a 20% draw/distance and add 5-10 yds. Opening the club will launch much higher and can put up to 30% fade/distance and will shorten your shots by up to 1 1/2 clubs. It is easy with a little practice to determine how much these affect the shot. It is also easy to work the shot by changing your swing line slightly to execute a baby draw or fade.

The club head is moderately weighted but has lower inertia than other blades allowing the player to turn it over or hold it open with ease. These clubs encourage you to play around with shot making and reward the gutsy plays time after time.

Turf Performance
I was amazed at how well these clubs slice through everything. I was recently playing at a course with really heavy rough, six inches deep in some places. One of my tee shots buried itself three inches down in some nasty stuff. A basic downward striking 9-iron took it straight out of there with a perfect draw back onto the fairway with minimal loss of distance. This sort of performance has shown up repeatedly. These irons will execute a shot under some of the most difficult conditions. I have yet to encounter a non-unplayable situation that these clubs couldn't execute at least some sort of reasonable recovery. They even retain shot shaping abilities in nasty situations.

Durability
The faces have held up pretty well considering the sandy soil I tend to play in. The metal is a little softer than some other clubs so I highly recommend wiping down the face before every shot, even on the range. This has kept deep scratching to a minimum, though a few have showed up due to ball conditions on the course. As long as you clean and dry these clubs after every use they should last for years with no problems.

Looks
These irons have a crazy thin top line and compact heads that make alignment a snap. They instill confidence with a clearly visible impact zone without being distracting to the eye, even in bright sunlight. Combined with the KBS C-Taper shafts, TP MB irons make for a subdued, gorgeous look. Frankly one of the best looking irons I've seen.
 
I've been playing these irons for about six months now and absolutely love them. They are definitely less forgiving than CB irons but the feedback is great and will help improve your swing mechanics if you listen to them.

Feel/Sound
This is what initially drew me to these irons. I had on various occasions tried out different clubs at my local pro shop for the heck of it and consistently liked the feel of the demo 6-iron they had. Every shot I took felt somehow better than any other clubs, even on slight mishits. After playing with these for a while I concluded that it has to do with the compression and vibration during and after impact. You can actually feel a meaty thud with a clean hit and the entire club vibrates like a tuning fork providing immediate tactile feedback on the quality of the shot. Off-center hits feel dramatically different with higher frequency vibration, which combined with any twist will tell you exactly where you connected on the face.

The sound is also unbelievable and sits between a heavy click and a crack like a gunshot. It adds to the experience and really encourages the player to get that perfect strike every time.

Consistency
These clubs are incredibly consistent with a good swing. In realistic conditions you can expect distance variation of no more than 2 yds with a 6-iron. According to testing with a launch monitor I've been able to get distances to within 0.2 yd at 180. The accuracy with shot shaping is just as good putting the ball with 1 yd side to side of your target with a clean strike.

When it comes to on-course play, even a less than perfect swing will produce side dispersion of at worst 10% of your distance (10 yds @ 100 yds). In reality you can expect half that with a repeatable swing.

Trajectory/Spin
The ball will naturally come off of these clubs at a medium-low trajectory, approximately half of the launch angle of the Adams a7 irons (did a comparison with my friend's set). That said, the spin rate is incredible and I have absolutely no problems getting the ball to check or back up. My typical ball movement from impact on the green is about 18" @ 140 yds with an 8-iron. Even the 4-iron will produce enough spin to hold a green at close to 200 yds.

Despite having a normally low trajectory, it is quite easy to get shots up in the air quickly. The CG is low enough to get under the ball when desired. Knockdown shots are just as easy and can still be worked well.

Workability
These clubs are meant for shot shaping, plain and simple. While they can throw darts all day, if you know how to work them, the doors get blown wide open on attacking the course. A slight tweak to face alignment is all it takes to produce dramatic changes to trajectory and shape. Running slightly closed will put up to a 20% draw/distance and add 5-10 yds. Opening the club will launch much higher and can put up to 30% fade/distance and will shorten your shots by up to 1 1/2 clubs. It is easy with a little practice to determine how much these affect the shot. It is also easy to work the shot by changing your swing line slightly to execute a baby draw or fade.

The club head is moderately weighted but has lower inertia than other blades allowing the player to turn it over or hold it open with ease. These clubs encourage you to play around with shot making and reward the gutsy plays time after time.

Turf Performance
I was amazed at how well these clubs slice through everything. I was recently playing at a course with really heavy rough, six inches deep in some places. One of my tee shots buried itself three inches down in some nasty stuff. A basic downward striking 9-iron took it straight out of there with a perfect draw back onto the fairway with minimal loss of distance. This sort of performance has shown up repeatedly. These irons will execute a shot under some of the most difficult conditions. I have yet to encounter a non-unplayable situation that these clubs couldn't execute at least some sort of reasonable recovery. They even retain shot shaping abilities in nasty situations.

Durability
The faces have held up pretty well considering the sandy soil I tend to play in. The metal is a little softer than some other clubs so I highly recommend wiping down the face before every shot, even on the range. This has kept deep scratching to a minimum, though a few have showed up due to ball conditions on the course. As long as you clean and dry these clubs after every use they should last for years with no problems.

Looks
These irons have a crazy thin top line and compact heads that make alignment a snap. They instill confidence with a clearly visible impact zone without being distracting to the eye, even in bright sunlight. Combined with the KBS C-Taper shafts, TP MB irons make for a subdued, gorgeous look. Frankly one of the best looking irons I've seen.

Awesome write up and thanks for sharing your experience. These really are some great clubs if you have a grooved swing!
 
Awesome write up and review!

I have been playing my MB set since memorial day. I have definitely had my ups and downs with them.

They are the best feeling clubs I've ever hit! They are also the most severe on any miss. My swing and ball striking has become much better overall.

The only downside I find is my distance is less with them. I know they aren't as strong lofted as the GI irons but sometimes they can feel weak. I just have to adjust to it all.
 
I don't have the MB, but I recently got a set of the MC's. Like some of what I have read here, they are less forgiving that most clubs out, but they force you to become a better ball striker. I bought them KNOWING that they were way above my skill level, but after hitting a bunch of others, these just felt better to me. I have lost distance (which is coming back as I get better at hitting the sweet spot). I have not had them very long, I have 2 rounds of 18 with them, the first of which was so windy, an 8 iron from an elevated tee, could not reach the green 131y away. It looked like the ball actually got blown backwards, so that round really should not be included. And then one round of 9 today on an Executive 9 course. I am working hard at getting the sweet spot, and hopefully soon it will start to pay off. My swing is the problem, not the clubs. Yeah, they aren't very forgiving, but then golf has never been a forgiving game. :act-up:
 
TaylorMade MB rust?

TaylorMade MB rust?

Just a quick question.

My 8 iron is showing rust on the face. Is this normal? None of my other clubs are showing this and I didn't think these clubs rusted.

Here is a picture:

IMAG0062.jpg


I am wondering if I need to be concerned and contact TaylorMade or what? These clubs are less than a month old.

Thanks
 
I,ve got the CB,s and I have not noticed any rust at all. Did u put em in your car wet and leave em there. Sorry u have that problem man, give TM a call see what they say.
 
I,ve got the CB,s and I have not noticed any rust at all. Did u put em in your car wet and leave em there. Sorry u have that problem man, give TM a call see what they say.


No. I clean them off after shots and then dry them before going back into the bag.
 
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