SPY VIP The Dansome Posted November 13, 2013 SPY VIP Share Posted November 13, 2013 Speed Review TaylorMade SpeedBlade VS. RocketBladez Set Up As most of you know I wasn't always on staff with MyGolfSpy and a year ago today I posted my ‘Member Review Unboxing' of TaylorMade RocketBladez. Well jump ahead a year and one full season with the RocketBladez exclusively in the bag. Over this time I've had the opportunity to learn all of these guys' tricks and capabilities. Are they deep? Yes. Are they consistent? Fairly. Do they want to make me go out and play golf again tomorrow? YES. So seriously what's TM going to be able to do next year? Guess what, its fall of 2013 and TaylorMade have released the next big pocketed thing for 2014; the SpeedBlade. TM's also back with all of last year's marketing mumbo jumbo and it kinda reads pretty much the same… Longer. Higher… Well here read this. So back to the TaylorMade Player Center at University Golf Club I go for a visit with TM fitter Andy Johnson. Oh boy Danny's excited, if I had this much fun over the last season playing RocketBladez what are SpeedBlade's going to do to me? Looks Gone is the chrome & the mustard colored badge and instead TaylorMade has opted for a more neutral gunmetal satin grey and blue branding. TM has managed to reduce the bulk of the iron as well pushing the SpeedBlade much closer to the player's end of game improvement irons. This club will certainly appeal to the high single digit handicaps with its more compact design. Feel/Sound Gone is the horrendous sound in the slotted irons that made me almost jumped out my skin the first time I hit a slotted RocketBlade at a covered range. As a matter of fact I think everyone on the range stopped to look... Anyways I'm sure this is simple a byproduct of changes in design and better technology. Or, is it? Whatever I'm just being facetious; it's gone let's move on. The sound of the SpeedBlades is fairly pleasant in comparison, a lot more muted but still more cast than forged. Feel wise thinner faces, more face flex and the magic pocket goo have reduced any of the harsh cast feel of days gone by. The RocketBlades never really bothered me as you get used to a club over time, but you can instantly tell once we hit warmer temperatures in Vancouver and tour balls come back into play the SpeedBlade will be a far softer feeling iron. Performance OK let's get to it this is a Speed Review. Enough jibba jabba, let's find out if there's any improvements. A month ago before the Player Centre received their SpeedBlade fit cart and the weather was a good 10˚ Celcius warmer (it was like 62 degree F that day for my American friends), I was able to compare the same stock shafts in the RocketBlades and Speedblades. Stock 7 ironsStiff 85g Shafts90% limited flight balls Distance – SpeedBlades take this one The other numbers here are interesting too. Swing speeds up & ball speed down, but when you combine a lower launch angle and spin rates in the SpeedBlade it results in a flatter more penetrating flight. This was a noticeable improvement and a welcome one. Move on a month later, temperatures have dropped and it's an eerie, foggy, cold Halloween night. Yes Halloween so I'm expecting some ridiculously “Spooky†numbers. Sorry I had to go there… So with the fit cart in I'm now able to match the specs I've been playing for the last year. 7 ironsKBS Tour S shafts90% limited flight balls Now keep in mind it's a cold and foggy night so numbers should be down from last time. Distance – SpeedBlades once again OK so total carry is a saw off, boy those RocketBladez sure ran out. But when it comes to carry distance there's still an improvement. Once again though, the other numbers tell a story. As you can see having a fitted shaft can make a world of difference and these numbers reflect what I've observed with my RocketBladez over the past year. It's exciting to know that with the same custom shafts the SpeedBladez can perform even better. And here are a few other observations of note about SpeedBladez. Distance consistency between shots is closer Dispersion is tighter Flatter but higher ball flight The Wrap SpeedBlades Higher Farther Softer MBP Approves http://taylormadegolf.com/irons/speedblade.html Yo #JustPlayBetter Follow @GolfSpyMBP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hula Rock Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 Nice review !!!!!!! now let's talk about the "COW" onesy ??????? Driver: M3 Tensei CK Pro Blue3-Metal:: GBB EPIC, FujiKura Pro Green 5-Metal: F-7, FujiKura Pro Irons: MP-18 SC, KBS Tour 120 Wedges: RTX-3 52 - 56 - 60Putter: EVN-Roll ER-5 Ball : Tour B XS Range Finder: Busnnell Tour-X, Garmin S20 Follow me: @Hula_Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoverRick Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 Great review G430LST 10.5° on T P T POWER 18 Hi Driver G430MAX 3w on T P T POWER 18 Hi Fairway G425 3H on T P T POWER 18 Hi Hybrid G425 4H on TGH 80S i525 5-U on TGI 90S SM8 54 & 60 on Wedge DF2.1 on White ProV1 Precision Pro NX7 Pro All Iron grips are BestGrips Micro-Perforated Mid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPY VIP The Dansome Posted November 13, 2013 Author SPY VIP Share Posted November 13, 2013 Nice review !!!!!!! now let's talk about the "COW" onesy ??????? LOL not me! I think it was an instructor teaching. Yo #JustPlayBetter Follow @GolfSpyMBP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPY VIP The Dansome Posted November 13, 2013 Author SPY VIP Share Posted November 13, 2013 Great review Thank you Yo #JustPlayBetter Follow @GolfSpyMBP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy Barbajo Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 Dandy review. Sure seems like there's a real and meaningful difference in clubs. Excellent job!!! And one hell of a follow through pose, too... What's in the bag: Driver: TSR3; DynaPWR Carbon FW Wood: DynaPWR 3-wood; TSR 2+ Hybrids: PXG Gen4 18-degree Utility Irons: ZX MkII 20* Irons:; 699/699 Pro V2 Combo; D9 Forged; MT86 (coming soon!); VIP 1025 V-Foil MB/CB; Wedges: RTX6 Zipcore Putter: HB Soft Milled 10.5; Newport Special Select; Willamette, BB8; 8802; MATI Monto Ball: Tour B RXS; Z-STAR Diamond; Triad Stat Tracker/GPS Watch: Follow @golfspybarbajo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMRT Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 Nice job. I was curious how different they may be so thanks for doing this. Very helpful as usual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Theoo Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 Good Job MBP, Hopefully next iron review is RBZ vs TP MC Driver: Epic 10.5 set to 9.5 w/ Tour AD-DI 44.5 FW: F6 baffler set at 16º Hybrid: NONEIrons: 3i 2014 TP CB 4-PW 2011 TP MC w/ TT S400 Wedges: 52º 56º 60 º w/ KBS C-Taper XS Soft-stepped Putter: Sigma G Tyne 34 inches Gold dot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPY VIP The Dansome Posted November 13, 2013 Author SPY VIP Share Posted November 13, 2013 Thx again. Another thought too. My swing wasn't at it's best that second night and you could really see the benefits of technology in action. Yo #JustPlayBetter Follow @GolfSpyMBP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPY ZINGER Posted November 14, 2013 Share Posted November 14, 2013 These irons are the most forgiving in golf right now. No question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blade Posted November 14, 2013 Share Posted November 14, 2013 Good job MBP! Maybe I missed it in there...were those numbers with 6 irons? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPY VIP The Dansome Posted November 14, 2013 Author SPY VIP Share Posted November 14, 2013 Good job MBP! Maybe I missed it in there...were those numbers with 6 irons? 7's Yo #JustPlayBetter Follow @GolfSpyMBP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hckymeyer Posted November 14, 2013 Share Posted November 14, 2013 Very cool review, thanks for posting!! Now it makes me curious how they perform vs the Amp Cells Driver: SLDR w/ Fujikura Ventus Black 3w: '16 M2 hl w/ Diamana D+ 82 5w: Launcher HB w/ HZRDUS Yellow Hybrid: 22 deg. Launcher HB w/ HZRDUS Black Irons: 5i - gap Launcher CBX w/ Nippon Modus 3 125 Wedges: 54 CBX & 58 Zipcore w/ Nippon Modus 3 125 Putter: Red 7s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs.Manbearpig Posted November 14, 2013 Share Posted November 14, 2013 Udderly awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aotearoa_Brad Posted November 14, 2013 Share Posted November 14, 2013 Nice one Nidine! Great speed review again Dan! Looks like the S-Blades are winners! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KT-18 Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 I hit a few shots with the SpeedBladez (7-iron) at the TM demo day at Eagle Quest yesterday....had the pleausre of meeting Andy as well...but those SpeedBladez...i've never hit a 7-iron that high before....the sound was a bit funny to me though...sounded like a cracking sound? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPY VIP The Dansome Posted November 26, 2013 Author SPY VIP Share Posted November 26, 2013 I hit a few shots with the SpeedBladez (7-iron) at the TM demo day at Eagle Quest yesterday....had the pleausre of meeting Andy as well...but those SpeedBladez...i've never hit a 7-iron that high before....the sound was a bit funny to me though...sounded like a cracking sound? You think the sound was just different than what you're used to, the balls + cold weather or just loud sounding clubs to begin with? Yo #JustPlayBetter Follow @GolfSpyMBP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KT-18 Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 You think the sound was just different than what you're used to, the balls + cold weather or just loud sounding clubs to begin with? it's definitely different than what i'm used to but at the same time, both tim and i found the cracking sound to be....hmm...distinct? it wasn't too loud though...but the SLDR driver on the other hand....that rang my ears a few times... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighFade Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Just tested the rocketblades, speedblades and CBs side by side (by side) Rocketblades: meh. Huge club head. But it was the longest of the 3 Speed blades: like butter. Very forgiving and a good feel and sound. Maybe 3 yards shorter. Almost unnoticeable for an amateur like me CBs: orgasmic to hit. I can't describe the feeling. But it's like crack. Another couple yards shorter than the Speed-blades, but wow! True distances, I can't say. I find it hard to believe I was hitting a 5 iron 217 yards. I don't trust big box monitors.... There is no spoon. WITB TaylorMade M3 Callaway Diablo 15° Callaway Diablo 18° Callaway Steelhead XR Pro 4-W Mizuno TP-4 50, 54, 58 TaylorMade Rossa Monza Spyder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Theoo Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Just tested the rocketblades, speedblades and CBs side by side (by side) Rocketblades: meh. Huge club head. But it was the longest of the 3 Speed blades: like butter. Very forgiving and a good feel and sound. Maybe 3 yards shorter. Almost unnoticeable for an amateur like me CBs: orgasmic to hit. I can't describe the feeling. But it's like crack. Another couple yards shorter than the Speed-blades, but wow! True distances, I can't say. I find it hard to believe I was hitting a 5 iron 217 yards. I don't trust big box monitors.... It's possible, that speed pocket is some impressive technology Driver: Epic 10.5 set to 9.5 w/ Tour AD-DI 44.5 FW: F6 baffler set at 16º Hybrid: NONEIrons: 3i 2014 TP CB 4-PW 2011 TP MC w/ TT S400 Wedges: 52º 56º 60 º w/ KBS C-Taper XS Soft-stepped Putter: Sigma G Tyne 34 inches Gold dot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy WD Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 I agree with you about monitors. I just look at the distance relative to my current clubs. That will usually give you a better idea. a 217 yard 5i is JBones territory, not mere mortal stuff. @GolfSpy_WD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Txstcatman Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 I just got an email saying I'll be receiving one of the many 6irons being given away. I'll post my own mini review on how it compares to my 5&6 irons. Bag One: '16 M2, Tour AD-GP 7S XTD Ti 15*, Tour AD-GT 8S RBZ Stage2 Tour Issue 18.5* hybrid, Matrix Ozik Altus 85S Wilson FG Tour F5 21* hybrid, stock MP-H5 4-PW, Project X 5.5 MP-T5, 51/08, Project X 5.5 MP-T5, 58/10, DG Spinner 2012 Newport2, 34" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revkev Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I know we've been down this road before but if you want more distance why not just juice the lofts on your own irons. Assuming you like them. Taylor Made Stealth 2 10.5 Diamana S plus 60 Aldila R flex - 42.25 inches SMT 4 wood bassara R flex, four wood head, 3 wood shaft Ping G410 7, 9 wood Alta 65 R flex Srixon ZX5 MK II 5-GW - UST recoil Dart 65 R flex India 52,56 (60 pending) UST recoil 75's R flex Evon roll ER 5 32 inches It's our offseason so auditioning candidates - looking for that right mix of low spin long, more spin around the greens - TBD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Theoo Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I know we've been down this road before but if you want more distance why not just juice the lofts on your own irons. Assuming you like them. Stronger lofts would make them go longer but wouldn't it also take away from how high they go? Driver: Epic 10.5 set to 9.5 w/ Tour AD-DI 44.5 FW: F6 baffler set at 16º Hybrid: NONEIrons: 3i 2014 TP CB 4-PW 2011 TP MC w/ TT S400 Wedges: 52º 56º 60 º w/ KBS C-Taper XS Soft-stepped Putter: Sigma G Tyne 34 inches Gold dot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blade Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I know we've been down this road before but if you want more distance why not just juice the lofts on your own irons. Assuming you like them. I've had guys tell me they do that just to mess with people's heads about how far they hit a certain club. The thing is, for every degree you strengthen the loft, you take a degree of bounce off the sole. So they may not play as well in the turf depending on the swing. A good solid reasonable distance for each iron is important. But just going for maximum distance for each iron is pointless in my opinion. If you need more distance, take another club. That said, it seems some of these new designs are getting more distance and height with the technology of the club. That's great to a point I guess, if it's controllable when it lands. But there's limits to what can be controlled. If it just takes off running, well, it's no help then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBones Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 How did I miss this the first time around? Good work MBP; I'm living the speed reviews. Now for a comparison between these two and the CBs. Follow @GolfspyBones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPY VIP The Dansome Posted February 17, 2014 Author SPY VIP Share Posted February 17, 2014 How did I miss this the first time around? Good work MBP; I'm living the speed reviews. Now for a comparison between these two and the CBs. I got my people on it Yo #JustPlayBetter Follow @GolfSpyMBP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revkev Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 While it doesn't happen in reality I would think that in theory you should hit all of your clubs the same height regardless of loft. I do have my lofts tweaked a bit normally to control the distance gaps. Again in theory there is a loss or gain in bounce - yes my pitching wedged is weaker. At any rate I don't notice it. I'd imagine if you got to more than two degrees you would start running into issues. In the end I'm in the camp that is more concerned with consistency and control with my irons than distance. I'm not a big fan of juiced lofts and longer shafts throughout. But in the end tooyou need to know how far you hit each of your clubs and how to control them. My son hits a traditional seven iron where I hit four hybrid but I still take his money. I suppose if you gave him speed blades he'd hit eight. Same difference. I'd spend the money the same way after the round. Taylor Made Stealth 2 10.5 Diamana S plus 60 Aldila R flex - 42.25 inches SMT 4 wood bassara R flex, four wood head, 3 wood shaft Ping G410 7, 9 wood Alta 65 R flex Srixon ZX5 MK II 5-GW - UST recoil Dart 65 R flex India 52,56 (60 pending) UST recoil 75's R flex Evon roll ER 5 32 inches It's our offseason so auditioning candidates - looking for that right mix of low spin long, more spin around the greens - TBD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbosecker Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Great review thanks for the information. Feeling a new set of irons in my future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hckymeyer Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 While it doesn't happen in reality I would think that in theory you should hit all of your clubs the same height regardless of loft. I do have my lofts tweaked a bit normally to control the distance gaps. Again in theory there is a loss or gain in bounce - yes my pitching wedged is weaker. At any rate I don't notice it. I'd imagine if you got to more than two degrees you would start running into issues. In the end I'm in the camp that is more concerned with consistency and control with my irons than distance. I'm not a big fan of juiced lofts and longer shafts throughout. But in the end tooyou need to know how far you hit each of your clubs and how to control them. My son hits a traditional seven iron where I hit four hybrid but I still take his money. I suppose if you gave him speed blades he'd hit eight. Same difference. I'd spend the money the same way after the round. I think height is maybe the wrong word to use, it's all about trajectory for me. I have the Amp Cell's in the bag still that I reviewed last year. They are a club longer than the CMB's I was playing before. So now I hit 8i where I used to hit 7i before, but the lofts are the same between those clubs. The big difference for me with the Amp Cells is that I get the trajectory and ball flight of a typical 8i, but the distance I was getting out of my 7i before. You are dead on though when it comes to the most important aspect of any club. Consistency and control. Doesn't matter how far you hit it if it's in the wrong direction Driver: SLDR w/ Fujikura Ventus Black 3w: '16 M2 hl w/ Diamana D+ 82 5w: Launcher HB w/ HZRDUS Yellow Hybrid: 22 deg. Launcher HB w/ HZRDUS Black Irons: 5i - gap Launcher CBX w/ Nippon Modus 3 125 Wedges: 54 CBX & 58 Zipcore w/ Nippon Modus 3 125 Putter: Red 7s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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