A GolfSpy Infiltrates the TaylorMade Kingdom

[Tony Covey MGS]

Ok...technically I didn't infiltrate so much as I was invited to the Kingdom to check out the new RocketBallz fairway wood (and the R11s, and RocketBallz hybrid too), and of course, to get a (no so) sweet haircut. The full story is up on the website now, but since the article was really long, we didn't include a ton of pics. So here are a few more photos (courtesy of GolfSpy Tim) of our trip, and of the club I got as a parting gift:

 

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[RoverRick]

Just wondering did you also have that tatooed some place that we do not want to see the pictures of.

 

I hate to admit it but those Taylormade white heads look "powerfull". I still have not hit one yet but standing on the tee box with other people who are playing them I have really expected them to bomb. The guys that have them, for the most part, are lucky to hit the ball. Their clubs have too much offset for me but I have been thinking that it certainly looked huge and powerfull. Not to mention you can recognize it from 300 yards away.

[Tony Covey MGS]

Just wondering did you also have that tatooed some place that we do not want to see the pictures of.

 

I hate to admit it but those Taylormade white heads look "powerfull". I still have not hit one yet but standing on the tee box with other people who are playing them I have really expected them to bomb. The guys that have them, for the most part, are lucky to hit the ball. Their clubs have too much offset for me but I have been thinking that it certainly looked huge and powerfull. Not to mention you can recognize it from 300 yards away.

 

There was plenty of joking about tramp stamps and whatnot going on at the range. It could have been much worse.

 

We've said from day 1 that going white, regardless of whether or not you believe in the "science of white" was a brilliant marketing move. You see a white club in a tour player's hands and you know exactly who made it. It also sets a precedent that's very difficult for another OEM to replicate. Cobra has done LE white clubs, but the finish is different (glossy). You're also seeing others going gray, but TM basically owns white. The beauty of it is that TM can always make another black club, but nobody else can effectively go white.

 

There will always be swing and miss types who buy TaylorMade off-the-rack simply because it's TaylorMade...and they're idiots. The drivers are designed to be tuned, and absolutely should be professionally fit by someone using a launch monitor. In less than 10 minutes on the range with a TM fitter at demo day, I went from hitting low screaming spinners, to balls that actually climbed as high as drives are supposed to. Spin numbers were still about 500 RPMs too high, but shaft selections were limited. with a wider shaft selection that can easily be fixed.

 

Bottom line: EVERYBODY SHOULD BE CUSTOM FIT FOR THEIR DRIVER...and every other club in the bag too.

[Super Tuna]

Love the article and the pictures T. I have to say, the way TM went about professionally and happily challanging your comments is pretty cool. It would have been easy to ignore the comments or give you a whole lot more stick, but they stuck to their guns and their belief in the products they made. Say whatever you want about them as a marketing gorilla, I've been nothing but impressed with the reports from everyone that has had the chance to go to either Kingdom location and let the fitters and product team explain their side of the story.

 

Meanwhile, you just need to stick up a list of what you've been fit for. Our specs and numbers are so close it's scary (except for the open face angle. Ick).

[Jmikecpa]

Great article and it seems like it was an awesome experience. I am now curious to go and try the new RBZ product line to see how it performs against my current 3 wood. I am not sure I will get 17 yards as I was actually fit for what I currently play, but it would be interesting nonetheless. On a side note I struggle from the same problem that you do in regards to spin on a three wood and did not carry one until I found the current Adams model that I am playing. No surprise that my three wood looks more like a hybrid than a traditional three wood.

[JohnBarry]

So every time a Major OEM calls you in, they now going to demand you get another hair cut, this should make for a fun Spring and Summer!!