#TaylorMadeTuesday at The Kingdom, Feb 26-28, 2017 (pics added pg1,16,19 & 20)

[QMany]

I can't believe you guys don't have putters yet, that's odd.

[drewtaylor21]

I can't believe you guys don't have putters yet, that's odd.

 

The guys who were fit into the TP Berwick got theirs (which were quickly benched, unfortunately). The other 3 of us were fit into the Spider Platinum. TM told us that the spiders are on backorder until today actually, so hopefully they'll be sent out soon. Odd is a good word though, as frankly I haven't seen a soul playing the Spider Platinum and it seems strange to me that they would be on backorder. I'm assuming that all 3 of the Spider models are manufactured together though, so that probably explains it.

 

In hindsight, I'm annoyed with myself that I didn't ask to try the DJ or JDay Spider models in the fitting. Our putting fitter had some pretty strong opinions about which putter I should be using, but again, it's odd to me that none of us got put into the most successful putter out there right now. I'll let the other guys chime in with their thoughts, but several have paid out of pocket for a JD/DJ Spider putter and we know Schnee is killing it with the Paulina! :rofl:

[Oaks]

This whole process of the trip that played out seems weird... I know in the past TM was on top of everything - maybe even Over the Top in hooking the guys up.

 

Really seems that they dropped the ball on this bunch of guys. I know after my trip I was set up at a TMPL (when they existed) and was able to get fit (I got to order at a discount as our trip didn't include irons). The fitter put me into the PX 6.5's which I hated... one phone call and I had a set with DG X-100 sent to me the next day (I had to return the 6.5's) but still it was a level of detail that was appreciated.

[Oaks]

I can't believe you guys don't have putters yet, that's odd.

 

The guys who were fit into the TP Berwick got theirs (which were quickly benched, unfortunately). The other 3 of us were fit into the Spider Platinum. TM told us that the spiders are on backorder until today actually, so hopefully they'll be sent out soon. Odd is a good word though, as frankly I haven't seen a soul playing the Spider Platinum and it seems strange to me that they would be on backorder. I'm assuming that all 3 of the Spider models are manufactured together though, so that probably explains it.

 

In hindsight, I'm annoyed with myself that I didn't ask to try the DJ or JDay Spider models in the fitting. Our putting fitter had some pretty strong opinions about which putter I should be using, but again, it's odd to me that none of us got put into the most successful putter out there right now. I'll let the other guys chime in with their thoughts, but several have paid out of pocket for a JD/DJ Spider putter and we know Schnee is killing it with the Paulina! :rofl:

 

Have any of you reached out to your contacts at TM and said quite frankly what I was fit into isn't working for me - is there anything we can do about this?

[pitchinwedge]

DRIVER:

 

It never worked from day one and I'm on to something else. I really wanted it to work, I even had Darrin's M2 for a week and couldn't get his to work either.

 

Driver

 

Unfortunately this is the one club that just isn't working for me. Driver is not a strength in my game, and sadly this M1 is making it a little harder than it has to be.

 

If it's any consolation, neither the M family nor the Epics seem to be great for everyone. They are not magic bullets and a lot of people are returning both. For me, after months of tweaking, the Epic(s) are gone and the 2017 M1 is barely playable. The M1 is in the bag at the moment, but it's not a comfortable marriage.

 

Immediately after posting this ^^, I decided to put the TPI fit 917D2 back into the mix. #boom.

[GC70]

DRIVER:

 

It never worked from day one and I'm on to something else. I really wanted it to work, I even had Darrin's M2 for a week and couldn't get his to work either.

 

Driver

 

Unfortunately this is the one club that just isn't working for me. Driver is not a strength in my game, and sadly this M1 is making it a little harder than it has to be.

 

If it's any consolation, neither the M family nor the Epics seem to be great for everyone. They are not magic bullets and a lot of people are returning both. For me, after months of tweaking, the Epic(s) are gone and the 2017 M1 is barely playable. The M1 is in the bag at the moment, but it's not a comfortable marriage.

 

Immediately after posting this ^^, I decided to put the TPI fit 917D2 back into the mix. #boom.

Very solid line!

[drewtaylor21]

This whole process of the trip that played out seems weird... I know in the past TM was on top of everything - maybe even Over the Top in hooking the guys up.

 

Really seems that they dropped the ball on this bunch of guys. I know after my trip I was set up at a TMPL (when they existed) and was able to get fit (I got to order at a discount as our trip didn't include irons). The fitter put me into the PX 6.5's which I hated... one phone call and I had a set with DG X-100 sent to me the next day (I had to return the 6.5's) but still it was a level of detail that was appreciated.

 

I can only speak for myself, but I have to agree that there were some strange things that happened on this trip. I've read previous OEM trip threads with a mix of intense jealousy and pure joy for my fellow WRX'ers who were chosen. It's always cool to see what the manufacturer's roll out for everyone behind the scenes. However, as a result, my expectations for this trip were probably too high. I really did my best to try to temper those expectations, but it is what it is. Visions of lengthy fittings, tour issue gear, and extra goodies at the hotel had me up like a kid on Christmas eve the night before we left, but things just didn't quite work out that way. Obviously Adidas just sold TM, and that's been in the works now for a while, so it's possible that there may have been some missing pieces around TM headquarters that would have known how to make this trip run a little more smoothly. The impression that I got was that they were either limited in budget (highly possible), or they weren't aware of what their competitors had done for WRX'ers on past trips.

 

As everyone knows, our scheduled 4 hour, full bag fitting got rained out. We've come up with multiple ideas for ways in which TM could have easily juggled things around to make sure the fitting happened, but it just didn't get done. We got fit for driver and putter, but unfortunately, the timing of those fittings was rushed, and currently none of us is gaming either of those 2 clubs, which I think is telling. This is the biggest area of frustration for me. WRX is known for being full of equipment nerds, so I was very surprised that TM didn't do more to get us testing equipment and reporting on it. I really thought that was our primary purpose in being there, but after not getting to test irons, wedges, fairways, hybrids, or multiple drivers, then the general public getting equipment orders before we did after the trip, it was a real puzzle to me what TM's purpose was for us being there. We've debated about the possibility that the trip was only supposed to highlight driver/putter/TP5x, but the original schedule called for 4 hours of fitting in the morning with our own personal fitter. I don't know anyone who needs 4 hours to fit for only 2 clubs, so it just doesn't make a lot of sense. If these trips are just a reward to a lucky few members as a thank-you to WRX for partnership then I get it, but I genuinely thought we were there to test and report on all the new equipment for the upcoming season. For anyone who gets selected for a future OEM trip, I would certainly encourage you to ask them point blank what they want/expect from you! I think good communication goes a long way and would have helped a bunch in our case.

 

I can't believe you guys don't have putters yet, that's odd.

 

The guys who were fit into the TP Berwick got theirs (which were quickly benched, unfortunately). The other 3 of us were fit into the Spider Platinum. TM told us that the spiders are on backorder until today actually, so hopefully they'll be sent out soon. Odd is a good word though, as frankly I haven't seen a soul playing the Spider Platinum and it seems strange to me that they would be on backorder. I'm assuming that all 3 of the Spider models are manufactured together though, so that probably explains it.

 

In hindsight, I'm annoyed with myself that I didn't ask to try the DJ or JDay Spider models in the fitting. Our putting fitter had some pretty strong opinions about which putter I should be using, but again, it's odd to me that none of us got put into the most successful putter out there right now. I'll let the other guys chime in with their thoughts, but several have paid out of pocket for a JD/DJ Spider putter and we know Schnee is killing it with the Paulina! :rofl:

 

Have any of you reached out to your contacts at TM and said quite frankly what I was fit into isn't working for me - is there anything we can do about this?

 

Yes. I don't know if the other guys will chime in with their experiences, but I recently asked about the possibility of switching out my p770 4-6 iron for the p750's to match the 7-PW that I had more success with. Because they were already used, I was told it wasn't possible. I was given the option to buy them at a discount, but I turned it down. Frankly, after having paid for my fitting at Club Champion (plus transportation to LA and back to get this done), I didn't want to put any more time/money into a set that wasn't performing for me.

[Oaks]

This whole process of the trip that played out seems weird... I know in the past TM was on top of everything - maybe even Over the Top in hooking the guys up.

 

Really seems that they dropped the ball on this bunch of guys. I know after my trip I was set up at a TMPL (when they existed) and was able to get fit (I got to order at a discount as our trip didn't include irons). The fitter put me into the PX 6.5's which I hated... one phone call and I had a set with DG X-100 sent to me the next day (I had to return the 6.5's) but still it was a level of detail that was appreciated.

 

I can only speak for myself, but I have to agree that there were some strange things that happened on this trip. I've read previous OEM trip threads with a mix of intense jealousy and pure joy for my fellow WRX'ers who were chosen. It's always cool to see what the manufacturer's roll out for everyone behind the scenes. However, as a result, my expectations for this trip were probably too high. I really did my best to try to temper those expectations, but it is what it is. Visions of lengthy fittings, tour issue gear, and extra goodies at the hotel had me up like a kid on Christmas eve the night before we left, but things just didn't quite work out that way. Obviously Adidas just sold TM, and that's been in the works now for a while, so it's possible that there may have been some missing pieces around TM headquarters that would have known how to make this trip run a little more smoothly. The impression that I got was that they were either limited in budget (highly possible), or they weren't aware of what their competitors had done for WRX'ers on past trips.

 

As everyone knows, our scheduled 4 hour, full bag fitting got rained out. We've come up with multiple ideas for ways in which TM could have easily juggled things around to make sure the fitting happened, but it just didn't get done. We got fit for driver and putter, but unfortunately, the timing of those fittings was rushed, and currently none of us is gaming either of those 2 clubs, which I think is telling. This is the biggest area of frustration for me. WRX is known for being full of equipment nerds, so I was very surprised that TM didn't do more to get us testing equipment and reporting on it. I really thought that was our primary purpose in being there, but after not getting to test irons, wedges, fairways, hybrids, or multiple drivers, then the general public getting equipment orders before we did after the trip, it was a real puzzle to me what TM's purpose was for us being there. We've debated about the possibility that the trip was only supposed to highlight driver/putter/TP5x, but the original schedule called for 4 hours of fitting in the morning with our own personal fitter. I don't know anyone who needs 4 hours to fit for only 2 clubs, so it just doesn't make a lot of sense. If these trips are just a reward to a lucky few members as a thank-you to WRX for partnership then I get it, but I genuinely thought we were there to test and report on all the new equipment for the upcoming season. For anyone who gets selected for a future OEM trip, I would certainly encourage you to ask them point blank what they want/expect from you! I think good communication goes a long way and would have helped a bunch in our case.

 

I can't believe you guys don't have putters yet, that's odd.

 

The guys who were fit into the TP Berwick got theirs (which were quickly benched, unfortunately). The other 3 of us were fit into the Spider Platinum. TM told us that the spiders are on backorder until today actually, so hopefully they'll be sent out soon. Odd is a good word though, as frankly I haven't seen a soul playing the Spider Platinum and it seems strange to me that they would be on backorder. I'm assuming that all 3 of the Spider models are manufactured together though, so that probably explains it.

 

In hindsight, I'm annoyed with myself that I didn't ask to try the DJ or JDay Spider models in the fitting. Our putting fitter had some pretty strong opinions about which putter I should be using, but again, it's odd to me that none of us got put into the most successful putter out there right now. I'll let the other guys chime in with their thoughts, but several have paid out of pocket for a JD/DJ Spider putter and we know Schnee is killing it with the Paulina! :rofl:

 

Have any of you reached out to your contacts at TM and said quite frankly what I was fit into isn't working for me - is there anything we can do about this?

 

Yes. I don't know if the other guys will chime in with their experiences, but I recently asked about the possibility of switching out my p770 4-6 iron for the p750's to match the 7-PW that I had more success with. Because they were already used, I was told it wasn't possible. I was given the option to buy them at a discount, but I turned it down. Frankly, after having paid for my fitting at Club Champion (plus transportation to LA and back to get this done), I didn't want to put any more time/money into a set that wasn't performing for me.

 

Drop the Mic - 'nuff Said

[BCULAW]

This whole process of the trip that played out seems weird... I know in the past TM was on top of everything - maybe even Over the Top in hooking the guys up.

 

Really seems that they dropped the ball on this bunch of guys. I know after my trip I was set up at a TMPL (when they existed) and was able to get fit (I got to order at a discount as our trip didn't include irons). The fitter put me into the PX 6.5's which I hated... one phone call and I had a set with DG X-100 sent to me the next day (I had to return the 6.5's) but still it was a level of detail that was appreciated.

 

I can only speak for myself, but I have to agree that there were some strange things that happened on this trip. I've read previous OEM trip threads with a mix of intense jealousy and pure joy for my fellow WRX'ers who were chosen. It's always cool to see what the manufacturer's roll out for everyone behind the scenes. However, as a result, my expectations for this trip were probably too high. I really did my best to try to temper those expectations, but it is what it is. Visions of lengthy fittings, tour issue gear, and extra goodies at the hotel had me up like a kid on Christmas eve the night before we left, but things just didn't quite work out that way. Obviously Adidas just sold TM, and that's been in the works now for a while, so it's possible that there may have been some missing pieces around TM headquarters that would have known how to make this trip run a little more smoothly. The impression that I got was that they were either limited in budget (highly possible), or they weren't aware of what their competitors had done for WRX'ers on past trips.

 

As everyone knows, our scheduled 4 hour, full bag fitting got rained out. We've come up with multiple ideas for ways in which TM could have easily juggled things around to make sure the fitting happened, but it just didn't get done. We got fit for driver and putter, but unfortunately, the timing of those fittings was rushed, and currently none of us is gaming either of those 2 clubs, which I think is telling. This is the biggest area of frustration for me. WRX is known for being full of equipment nerds, so I was very surprised that TM didn't do more to get us testing equipment and reporting on it. I really thought that was our primary purpose in being there, but after not getting to test irons, wedges, fairways, hybrids, or multiple drivers, then the general public getting equipment orders before we did after the trip, it was a real puzzle to me what TM's purpose was for us being there. We've debated about the possibility that the trip was only supposed to highlight driver/putter/TP5x, but the original schedule called for 4 hours of fitting in the morning with our own personal fitter. I don't know anyone who needs 4 hours to fit for only 2 clubs, so it just doesn't make a lot of sense. If these trips are just a reward to a lucky few members as a thank-you to WRX for partnership then I get it, but I genuinely thought we were there to test and report on all the new equipment for the upcoming season. For anyone who gets selected for a future OEM trip, I would certainly encourage you to ask them point blank what they want/expect from you! I think good communication goes a long way and would have helped a bunch in our case.

 

I can't believe you guys don't have putters yet, that's odd.

 

The guys who were fit into the TP Berwick got theirs (which were quickly benched, unfortunately). The other 3 of us were fit into the Spider Platinum. TM told us that the spiders are on backorder until today actually, so hopefully they'll be sent out soon. Odd is a good word though, as frankly I haven't seen a soul playing the Spider Platinum and it seems strange to me that they would be on backorder. I'm assuming that all 3 of the Spider models are manufactured together though, so that probably explains it.

 

In hindsight, I'm annoyed with myself that I didn't ask to try the DJ or JDay Spider models in the fitting. Our putting fitter had some pretty strong opinions about which putter I should be using, but again, it's odd to me that none of us got put into the most successful putter out there right now. I'll let the other guys chime in with their thoughts, but several have paid out of pocket for a JD/DJ Spider putter and we know Schnee is killing it with the Paulina! :rofl:

 

Have any of you reached out to your contacts at TM and said quite frankly what I was fit into isn't working for me - is there anything we can do about this?

 

Yes. I don't know if the other guys will chime in with their experiences, but I recently asked about the possibility of switching out my p770 4-6 iron for the p750's to match the 7-PW that I had more success with. Because they were already used, I was told it wasn't possible. I was given the option to buy them at a discount, but I turned it down. Frankly, after having paid for my fitting at Club Champion (plus transportation to LA and back to get this done), I didn't want to put any more time/money into a set that wasn't performing for me.

 

Drew said it as well as anyone could. I think all of us have been incredibly thankful for the opportunity to go on the trip. It was truly like Christmas being selected, and we had a fantastic time while we were there. Our hosts treated us very well, and any time you get to spend three days immersed in golf with a great equipment manufacturer and people with unlimited stories from an insider's perspective, it is a real treat.

 

We have spoken at length about the Kingdom fitting being rained out. They're just really isn't much else to say about it. I will echo Andrew's comments that it was a huge disappointment that we were not able to get the full treatment at the Kingdom. My putter fitting was excellent. As was mentioned previously, I had my heart set on a spider tour when I went on the trip. My fitting put me into a Berwick, which I was excited to receive. When I got it, however, I found that I could not line it up the way that I did during the fitting, and the one I received fanned wide open when I laid it down at address. As a result, it went away very quickly, and I have since purchased a spider Tour black, which I love. I did feel as though the driver fitting was rushed. I didn't hit the driver well during the fitting. I chalked it up to my lack of talent at the time, but i have had, at best, very mixed results with the driver since coming home even when I'm swinging well. I love the head, just not sold on the shaft.

 

My biggest disappointment, however, has been my inability to get properly fit for the rest of the bag here locally. Unfortunately, we only have one large golf retailer in town, and its supply of taylormade demo clubs is utterly lacking. I ended up basically fitting myself indoors with Mizuno irons and Titleist woods, with the hope that the fitting would translate into the TM heads. The results have been inconsistent. I will share more details when I post my review, but bottom line is that these heads are significantly different from the ones that I fit into, and the shafts perform differently as a result. And, of course, I am not a fitter, so there is that. That is why the rain out at the kingdom has been so frustrating.

 

I know some have asked whether we have reached out to our house about replacements for the clubs that have not worked out. I will say for myself that I have not. Since I didn't have access to a real fitting locally, I "made my own bed" so to speak, and didn't feel justified asking for replacements for anything. For the most part, I got what I ordered, and don't feel justified in asking for anything else.

 

I am sure some of this (and some of the comments from the others) will come across as ungrateful. I want to be clear that nothing could be farther from the truth. I would do the trip all over again tomorrow, and I am completely grateful for what was a very expensive golf vacation and a very expensive set of clubs that we received for free. Believe me when I tell you that we were all excited about flying the TM flag as a group since being selected.We even joked about getting TM tattoos! I think we all envisioned playing 14 TM clubs. I mean, really, after being fit at the Kingdom, how much better could you get!?!? But because of the circumstances, I think we've all had a mixed bag of results with the clubs we received. Of course, we all are thankful, but we also want to be objective for the board.

 

With all this in mind, please ask questions. Stay tuned for more posts about the equipment, as I think we are all still testing and reviewing the various degrees.

[drewtaylor21]

I am sure some of this (and some of the comments from the others) will come across as ungrateful. I want to be clear that nothing could be farther from the truth. I would do the trip all over again tomorrow, and I am completely grateful for what was a very expensive golf vacation and a very expensive set of clubs that we received for free. Believe me when I tell you that we were all excited about flying the TM flag as a group since being selected.We even joked about getting TM tattoos! I think we all envisioned playing 14 TM clubs. I mean, really, after being fit at the Kingdom, how much better could you get!?!? But because of the circumstances, I think we've all had a mixed bag of results with the clubs we received. Of course, we all are thankful, but we also want to be objective for the board.

 

x1000

 

Very well said Brian!

[BCULAW]

BCULAW EQUIPMENT REVIEW

 

Well guys and girls, I've had a chance to spend enough time with these clubs to give an honest report. Let me first thank all the folks at TaylorMade again for their hospitality and generosity. The Kingdom has always been very high on my "bucket list" and I can't tell you how appreciative I am to have been chosen to go. On to the gear:

 

TaylorMade Bag:

 

Driver: Tour Issue 10.5* TM M1 w/ Tour ADDI 6x

3 Wood: 15* TM M1 w/ Aldila Rogue Silver 70s

Hybrid: 19* TM M1 w/ Aldila Rogue Black 85s

Irons: P770 (4-A) w/ DGS300

Wedges: MG 54/SB & 58 LB w/ Tour Issue S400

Putter: 35" TP Berwick

 

 

 

Driver Review (Tour Issue 10.5* M1 with Graphite Design Tour Ad Di 6x):

 

Along with the putter, the driver was the one clubs we were fit for at the Kingdom. Due to the rainy conditions during our trip, the fitting was helpful, but not as thorough as we likely would have received had we had the benefit of the 4 hour session that was planned. In defense of all involved, the long flight and numerous adult beverages the night before left me at less than optimum performance during the fitting. Throw on a case of the nerves being fit on such a grand stage, and I simply didn't give the fitters much to work with. I ended up with a 10.5* Tour Issue M1 head and a Graphite Design Tour Ad Di 6x shaft. As a low launch/high spin driver of the golf ball (I told you I didn't give the fitter much to work with), the additional loft was intended to assist with my launch angle, while the M1's forward weight setting, combined with the stout flex of the X-stiff shaft (for my 106 mph swing speed) served to kill the spin. My fitter at the Kingdom gave me the option of a stiff flex in the same shaft model, which we tinkered with, but in the end I went with the X-stiff since it felt more consistent at impact.

 

The Good: It is a beautiful combo (as evidenced by the pictures below). I know some have commented on the sound, but mine sounds absolutely PERFECT to me - just an honest "crack" at impact you would expect from the multi-material design. When struck well, it provides me with a high draw unlike anything I have been able to duplicate with any other driver, and it is a spin killer. When I am swinging well, it has produced some of the longest drives I have ever hit.

 

The Bad: When I am swinging poorly, or when I am fatigued toward the end of the round, I simply struggle to load the shaft. The result is low, left hooks or high drives that fall out of the sky for lack of spin and velocity. Today's round was a perfect example, as I found a groove with my swing mid-round and hit perfect, long, high, draws on 4 straight holes. On stretches like those, I am in love with this driver. Unfortunately, by the end of the round, the magic was gone and the driver deserted me, and the driver has been "hit or miss" for me since returning from the trip.

 

The Verdict: How cool is it to be given a Tour Issue M1!!!! I really like this head, but can't see gaming the combo. TM tips all of their driver shafts in the tour department 1" unless directed otherwise. The gentleman who built my club in the tour department asked me how much to tip the shaft, and I told him to give me whatever was in the fitting shaft. In hindsight, this driver would have been a much better fit had I opted for the stiff flex, or even an untipped X-stiff. I will likely tinker with some different shafts and will post updates with my results. It is definitely an awesome head, and the shaft's success on tour speaks for itself. Just not the right fit for me yet.

 

 

 

Fairway Wood Review (15* TaylorMade M1 with Aldila Rogue Silver 70s):

 

The Good: It is also a beautiful combo at address and in the bag. It is BY FAR the longest 3 wood I have ever hit, and the adjustability is a major plus in my book. As an upright swinger of the club, fairway woods and I seldom get along, but this one has produced some good results -especially in the "upright" setting. Good swings produce mid trajectory, bullet draws that just GO! I have hit a couple of shots off the deck that have nearly kept up with well-struck drives. It is a monster!

 

The Bad: It is a 3 wood. Prior to the trip, I didn't even game one. I opted, instead, for a low lofted hybrid since it gives me more control and an even more upright lie angle. I struggle with consistency with this one still, and struggle to elevate it on bad swings. The adjustable hosel gives me the option of adding up to 2* of loft, but I then lose the upright lie angle. Another interesting aspect of this club is the sound. Set to "neutral" the club sounds solid and muted. When set to "fade," however, the club's sound changes completely - it is much louder and almost hollow sounding. Given my tendency to hook the ball off the deck, I have not tried the club in the "draw" setting.

 

The Verdict: I am still working with this one, but I feel like it might make the bag this year. It would be the first 3 wood to do so in a while. This is a section of the bag that I really hoped to get fit for at the Kingdom since I struggle so mightily with the fairway woods. I took a flier on this model and shaft, and the results have been promising enough to keep playing it. If I had to do it over, I would have likely gone with the "HL" model for a bit of help with launch and spin. I absolutely SMOKED it off the tee this afternoon, and have hit a few shots into par 5s that brought a smile to my face. For anyone looking for a solid option, I'd definitely recommend this club.

 

 

 

Hybrid Review (19* TaylorMade M1 with Aldila Rogue Black 85s):

 

I'm not going to bother with the "good/bad/verdict" for this club because, in short, I can't hit the thing to save my life. Let me say that, before the trip, my hybrid (20.5* 915HD w/ Rogue Black 85s) was the BEST club in the bag. It was long and consistent and I had utter confidence hitting it. I ordered the M1 to as close a spec as I could get it. Manufacturers all tip their shafts to different extents, and the TM was tipped slightly less than the 915HD, and played slightly longer. After my first round with the M1, it was clear that the club, as ordered, wasn't working, so I had the shaft pulled and cut to match the 915Hd. The results have not been good. At all. I've hit fanned fades, knuckleballs, massive hooks, and laid sod over more shots with this club than I can count, only to pick up my old hybrid and hammer it exactly where I am looking. My suspicion is that this head spins a bit less than the titleist, and that I have not been able to match up the lie angle closely enough to get consistent contact. I would say that I plan to continue to tinker with it - and I certainly will - but the reality is that my current hybrid is among the top 3-4 clubs I have ever owned. I just don't know that I see the M1 matching it without a lot of time and money to modify it to my needs. It looks FANTASTIC though!

 

 

 

 

 

Irons Review (TaylorMade P770 (4-A) with DGS300):

 

This is another review where I am going to change up the format a bit. Before I start, a little about me. I am an iron GEEK and I love forged blades. I struggled mightily with my iron game when I first started playing, and literally fell in love with iron play after a friend let me hit his blades. I bought a set for myself the day after doing so, and saw my scores improve from mid 90s to high 70s in the span of a year. I dabble with more forgiving irons every so often since my scores tell me that I need to - I have played to near scratch before my two daughters were born, but typically shoot in the high 70s and low 80s now. The reality, however, is that more forgiving irons rarely improve my score, and I ALWAYS go back to blades. To this end, roughly 3 weeks before learning I had been selected for the trip, I bought a brand new set of Mizuno MP4 irons and was playing really well with them when this set arrived.

 

A bit more background. At the trip, I fell in love with the p750s. They seemed to be just the right blend for me - blade size and profile with some modern technology. The 3 iron looked like a scalpel, which means that I needed it right away. I knew I wanted to order a full set of the 750s from the moment I saw them at the Kingdom. The next day, however, I got to play some golf with some real players - guys that shot low scores on hard courses and hit the ball higher and farther than I could ever imagine. All of them played far more forgiving clubs than me. I said at that time that, as much as I wanted to try the 750s, I was going to go with the 770s to see if I could improve a bit. And so I did....

 

After our Kingdom fitting got rained out, I tried to get fit for the 770s here locally, but was unable to do so. I was "fit" on consecutive days with a Mizuno JPX 900 Tour 6 iron with help from the shaft optimizer. My best fit the first day was KBS Tour X-Stiff followed by PX6.0. My best fir the second day (after fatigue set in) was KBS Tour Stiff, followed by PX 6.0 and AMTs300. I hate PX6.0s, so I spent a lot of time with the KBS and AMT, and got great results from both. My MP4s had KBS Tours, so I ordered the AMTs just to switch it up. My irons arrived, however, shafted with standard DGS300s and the "A" wedge was 1/4" longer than my PW and 2* more upright. Now, let me first say that accidents happen. Let me also say that I have ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT that TM would have solved the mixup with no questions asked. That said, the s300s are a perfectly usable shaft option that likely plays very similarly to the AMT anyway. This was also a very expensive gift that I simply did not feel right sending back, so I decided to keep them "as shipped."

 

I have struggled with these irons from the word "go." I played the day before receiving these irons, and shot 76 on a very hard course. I hit my irons beautifully all day. I got these in the mail the next day and took them immediately to the course. I didn't hit a pure shot with them the entire round, and have been inconsistent with them since. I don't know if it is a bad fit, or if they just don't suit me. I am really struggling to make consistent contact with them. As Andrew mentioned a few posts back, the heads feel "heavy" to me, and the shafts feel a bit mushy at impact, especially in the long irons. I will say that they are VERY long, and they feel OUTSTANDING on good contact. I played them head to head with my MP4s today and although they feel different, I might even go so far as to say that the TMs might even feel better (blasphemy!). As an iron guy, I have been distraught over these irons, and the guys from the trip will tell you that I have been on the fence about sending these to the "back up" bag for a while.

 

Here's the silver lining: I played 18 this morning. After nine holes, I was ready to leave the p770s at the course. On hole 10, though, something clicked. I made a little deeper turn away from the ball on my takeaway. When I did, I actually started hitting these irons WELL in the mid and short irons. When I do hit them well, man they are fun. I hit a 7 from 175 today that was as soft as anything I have hit, and longer than anything I've hit. My 6 iron maxes out about 170 with the MP4s. On the last hole, I dropped 8 balls and git them all from varying distances between 160 and 120 and none of them left the flag. Bottom line is that these have been love/hate for me. After today, I am convinced that I may need a shaft change. The dgs300s (and the AMTs I ordered) are likely a little soft for me in the long irons. I was playing well with my MP4s, and had resigned myself that those were going in the bag this season, but if I can get the p770s worked out, the extra distance might open up a new world for me This morning, I was ready to post the "verdict" as "guilty!!!" After today's round, let me say that I am undecided. They look great, feel great, and are LONG! If I can sort out the shaft issues, I might have a really interesting set on my hands.

 

 

 

PW at address

 

 

7 iron at address

 

 

4 iron at address

 

 

MG Wedge Review (54SB & 58LB with Tour Issue DGS400):

 

I can skip the "bad" section with this part of the review, because these wedges are superstars. I know some have had issues with glare, but I don't find it to be an issue. The wedges look great in the bag and at address, and they are absolute STUDS on the course. I use the 54 as a full swing club on approaches from 95-120. The turf interaction is impeccable and trajectory is consistent. My course has gone from dry and firm a few weeks ago to soaked with thin lies as the grass tries to return more recently, and the standard bounce has proven to be very versatile regardless of conditions.

 

The 58 LB is a game changer around the greens. My prior wedge was a Vokey SM6 K grind, which was performing well, but this grind is so much more versatile for those delicate chips and pitches I so often leave myself on the short side of the green. It is the best wedge I have played out of the bunkers in a long time. With all the rain we've gotten here in Virginia of late, the sand has been wet and firm, and I could literally do anything I wanted coming out of them with the 58. The grind works well for me on full shots, too. I can't speak highly enough about these wedges. And, when I get pissed off at George ("GC70"), I can blind him with the glare from them, which is an added bonus in my book!!!

 

I gave mine a little "Tiffany facelift." Whaddya think?

 

 

 

 

Putter Review (TP Berwick):

 

I'll keep the putter review short and sweet. I putted really well with the Berwick at the fitting. With science and technology, TM was able to show why it was the best fit for me, and I was really excited to try it. While waiting for it to be delivered, the Spider Tour took DJ to #1 and put a green jacket on Sergio. I figured that if it could help them, maybe I should check it out. When my Berwick arrived, I truly wanted to try to like it. I will admit that, absent the fitting, I would not have chosen it. It actually might have been my last choice based on the way it set up. But, I was really happy to get it and rushed off to the putting green as soon as it arrived. A couple of things stood out to me when I got it out. First, the putter would not sole without fanning WAY open - like 30-4-0* open. Second, when I sat it down behind the ball, the shaft bend seem to extend visually well beyond the ball. As a result, I kept hitting the ball while lining the putter up. It was infuriating. Lastly, I couldn't make anything with it!!! I'm not blaming the fitting on this at all. I SUCK on the greens!! But I spent an hour with this thing on consecutive days, and could count made putts with two hands each day.

 

Spider Tour to the Rescue!!! Given my struggles with the Berwick, I decided a change was in order. On "Rory signing day" I celebrated by purchasing a Spider Tour Black ("The Paulina" as we call it). I love this thing!! It lines up beautifully, and gives the appearance of giving me the "straight back and straight through" stroke I like seeing. I'm making a fair share of mid range putts with it and am catching the hole on a lot of other putts. If I had one complaint about the Spider, it is with my distance control. I tend to get a little heavy handed with it on occasion, but it ain't going anywhere any time soon.

 

 

 

Ball Review (TP5 and TP5x):

 

We were fortunate to receive a dozen "protos" of each of these great balls during the trip. I've had a chance to play with both and and going to go with the TP5 as my gamer this year. There is not much performance difference between the two, but the TP5x feels a little clicky to me compared to the TP5, which is among the best feeling/sounding balls I've played. Aside from the feel, the ball really is long off the irons and gives nothing away with the wedges and woods. I've been shocked at some of my distances. And, I think the highest praise I can give it is that i shot my two lowest round of the year the first two rounds I took them to the course. Nothing not to like about this ball.

 

Conclusion:

 

So, there you have it. Let me again thank TaylorMade for such an awesome gift. I'll remember the trip forever, and have made some really good friends along the way! I have a great, new set of clubs that I will continue to tinker with and will continue to update this post as I make changes or modifications. I expect that I'll see some modifications to the driver, and maybe to the irons. The 3 wood, wedges and putter are staying put for the foreseeable future. Here are the new toys in all their glory! Fire away with questions and stay tuned for updates.

 

 

 

 

[Ed Settle]

Having read this thread over the last few months, I can sense both joy and discouragement. Being on GolfWRX, you dream about going on a trip like this. And some of us even dream about going back! But each one is a living, breathing thing. The interaction between personalities of not only the WRXers that go but the OEM personnel that host you, is so hard to predict.

 

So I am happy for the good things that you guys experienced. The clubs that you love, that you feel have improved your game. And I do feel sorry that some of what you experienced was not what you had expected. Bad weather, bad flights, it's all part of what makes each trip unique. And can never be duplicated, good or bad.

 

It's a big risk for the OEMs to bring people out for fittings, to introduce new equipment. Because you never know how it is going to go. For the most part the trips are very positive. And sometimes circumstances just can't be helped.

 

I hope you feel that your trip was something that you enjoyed and wouldn't have missed, no matter what.

 

This past weekend a group of us got back together from the #insidetmag trip from over three years ago. We had bad weather, bad connecting flights or rusty swings after 2 mos of winter. And all of the other miscues. But all we talked about and treasuered was the good times, the unique things that happened to us. The connections you make to the OEMs and to fellow WRXers that can never be taken for granted nor taken away.

 

Enjoy the good stuff! Truly bad stuff would've been never to have gone at all.

[BCULAW]

Having read this thread over the last few months, I can sense both joy and discouragement. Being on GolfWRX, you dream about going on a trip like this. And some of us even dream about going back! But each one is a living, breathing thing. The interaction between personalities of not only the WRXers that go but the OEM personnel that host you, is so hard to predict.

 

So I am happy for the good things that you guys experienced. The clubs that you love, that you feel have improved your game. And I do feel sorry that some of what you experienced was not what you had expected. Bad weather, bad flights, it's all part of what makes each trip unique. And can never be duplicated, good or bad.

 

It's a big risk for the OEMs to bring people out for fittings, to introduce new equipment. Because you never know how it is going to go. For the most part the trips are very positive. And sometimes circumstances just can't be helped.

 

I hope you feel that your trip was something that you enjoyed and wouldn't have missed, no matter what.

 

This past weekend a group of us got back together from the #insidetmag trip from over three years ago. We had bad weather, bad connecting flights or rusty swings after 2 mos of winter. And all of the other miscues. But all we talked about and treasuered was the good times, the unique things that happened to us. The connections you make to the OEMs and to fellow WRXers that can never be taken for granted nor taken away.

 

Enjoy the good stuff! Truly bad stuff would've been never to have gone at all.

 

Exactly right, Ed! In a perfect world, we get 75 and sunny for three days and 14 clubs that outperform everything on the market for years to come. The trip was an amazing time for all involved, and we all literally got thousands of dollars worth of clubs. It is difficult to be objective after such an awesome opportunity, but it is also hard to find a balance between "fan boy" and "ungrateful" when sharing details of the event and the clubs with the membership. I hope objectivity doesn't get confused for the latter.

 

In any event, I have shared literally thousands of texts with the guys from the trip since we returned. It is awesome that you got together with the group from your trip. I hope we are doing the same in the years to come! As great as the trip was, and as nice as the clubs are, the most fun has been the camaraderie we have gotten to share. It is a cool group of "insiders" we have become!

[Ed Settle]

Having read this thread over the last few months, I can sense both joy and discouragement. Being on GolfWRX, you dream about going on a trip like this. And some of us even dream about going back! But each one is a living, breathing thing. The interaction between personalities of not only the WRXers that go but the OEM personnel that host you, is so hard to predict.

 

So I am happy for the good things that you guys experienced. The clubs that you love, that you feel have improved your game. And I do feel sorry that some of what you experienced was not what you had expected. Bad weather, bad flights, it's all part of what makes each trip unique. And can never be duplicated, good or bad.

 

It's a big risk for the OEMs to bring people out for fittings, to introduce new equipment. Because you never know how it is going to go. For the most part the trips are very positive. And sometimes circumstances just can't be helped.

 

I hope you feel that your trip was something that you enjoyed and wouldn't have missed, no matter what.

 

This past weekend a group of us got back together from the #insidetmag trip from over three years ago. We had bad weather, bad connecting flights or rusty swings after 2 mos of winter. And all of the other miscues. But all we talked about and treasuered was the good times, the unique things that happened to us. The connections you make to the OEMs and to fellow WRXers that can never be taken for granted nor taken away.

 

Enjoy the good stuff! Truly bad stuff would've been never to have gone at all.

 

Exactly right, Ed! In a perfect world, we get 75 and sunny for three days and 14 clubs that outperform everything on the market for years to come. The trip was an amazing time for all involved, and we all literally got thousands of dollars worth of clubs. It is difficult to be objective after such an awesome opportunity, but it is also hard to find a balance between "fan boy" and "ungrateful" when sharing details of the event and the clubs with the membership. I hope objectivity doesn't get confused for the latter.

 

In any event, I have shared literally thousands of texts with the guys from the trip since we returned. It is awesome that you got together with the group from your trip. I hope we are doing the same in the years to come! As great as the trip was, and as nice as the clubs are, the most fun has been the camaraderie we have gotten to share. It is a cool group of "insiders" we have become!

 

We all laughed about it. I think between the four of us, that got together to play, there is one driver head, not the shaft, but the driver head that is still in one of our bags from that trip! So even if we were all perfectly fit 3 1/2 years ago, we've all moved on to something new and greater! We are an OEMs dream! We change equipment like we change your socks!

 

It is a balancing act between fanboy and hater. And so it's hard to be enthusiastic about the things you really like and it's hard to be truly bitter about something that you hate. All I can do is give you my honest opinion and talk about what worked and what didn't.

 

I really hope you guys continue to talk and text. I'm sure there's other groups that get together the same way.

 

I think that's the most valuable thing I got from my trip was the friendships and relationships. That's the only lasting thing, three years out, that still is around.

[drewtaylor21]

In any event, I have shared literally thousands of texts with the guys from the trip since we returned. It is awesome that you got together with the group from your trip. I hope we are doing the same in the years to come! As great as the trip was, and as nice as the clubs are, the most fun has been the camaraderie we have gotten to share. It is a cool group of "insiders" we have become!

 

All of them between the hours of 5-7am PDT! lol, I swear I wake up to 30 texts from you east coast lumps everyday! :rofl:

[drewtaylor21]

Someone's ears were burning! Putter is here :)

 

 

[Ed Settle]

In any event, I have shared literally thousands of texts with the guys from the trip since we returned. It is awesome that you got together with the group from your trip. I hope we are doing the same in the years to come! As great as the trip was, and as nice as the clubs are, the most fun has been the camaraderie we have gotten to share. It is a cool group of "insiders" we have become!

 

All of them between the hours of 5-7am PDT! lol, I swear I wake up to 30 texts from you east coast lumps everyday! :rofl:

 

Being in the eastern time zone and texting back-and-forth to California, it is easy to get into a conversation that last till 1am!

 

 

And BCULAW I have the P770 in the bag now and consider them some of the finest Taylor-made irons I've ever played. Great feel, great turf interaction and they are sexy! I am glad I waited on the Modus 105's. Couldn't be happier.

 

Have the MG 58 HB and probably should've bought a LB. More stuff to ponder… ?

 

Someone's ears were burning! Putter is here :)

 

 

 

The dog doesn't seem to care…

 

Well open it up, we're dying to see it!

[BCULAW]

In any event, I have shared literally thousands of texts with the guys from the trip since we returned. It is awesome that you got together with the group from your trip. I hope we are doing the same in the years to come! As great as the trip was, and as nice as the clubs are, the most fun has been the camaraderie we have gotten to share. It is a cool group of "insiders" we have become!

 

All of them between the hours of 5-7am PDT! lol, I swear I wake up to 30 texts from you east coast lumps everyday! :rofl:

 

Being in the eastern time zone and texting back-and-forth to California, it is easy to get into a conversation last till 1am!

 

 

And BCULAW I have the P770 in the bag now and consider them some of the finest tailor-made irons I've ever played. Great feel, great turf interaction and they are sexy! I am glad I waited on the Modus 105's. Couldn't be happier.

 

Have the MG 58 HB and probably should've bought a B. More stuff to ponder… ?

 

Someone's ears were burning! Putter is here :)

 

 

 

The dog doesn't seem to care…

 

Will open it up we're dying to see it!

 

I'm trying to like them, Ed. They look and feel so good. I've just hit some truly awful shots with them and am just really struggling with consistent contact. Today was a glimmer of hope, though. I hit them well enough to think tinkering might get them where they need to be. I have a set of KBS Tour x in the garage I may throw in them to see if I can bring them to life. If not, those Modus 105s sound like a nice option.

 

The LB is awesome! The feel through the sand is awesome and it has no limitations around the green.

[drewtaylor21]

 

 

 

 

I'll have to experiment a bit with this one, as the grip isn't what I ordered, and it feels a bit too upright, but the head looks great down by the ball! I've been pretty excited about this club since February, so I'm pumped it's finally here!

[Oaks]

I think my comments may have been worded incorrectly.

 

I am sure that you all still are grateful for the trip (just like I am still grateful for my trip - it was a hell of a time!) - I just wish that you were able to get equipment that worked for you and if something really didn't work that they would have helped you out since they didn't have a good back up plan for your fittings.

 

 

[pitchinwedge]

Keep in mind folks that last December, the Callaway Epic WRX trip had a choke-hold on everyone's attention. Then, in January, a surprise 2017 M1 Member Testing thread popped up, which was then quickly eclipsed in February by the WRX Kingdom trip. There will always be room to scrutinize who got what, or what happened to who; but as far as these events go, I would suspect all involved are very happy with the outcomes.

:clapping: :smilie_tm:

[CallawayLefty]

This thread is basically an OEM's worst nightmare. They would have been so much better off just doing nothing at all. Lucky for them, this is a pretty isolated corner of the club buying populace.

[GC70]

This thread is basically an OEM's worst nightmare. They would have been so much better off just doing nothing at all. Lucky for them, this is a pretty isolated corner of the club buying populace.

 

Part of me agrees with you. TM spent a lot of money on us. Airfare, 5 star hotel, high end dining, golf, and clubs! All these OEM's trips are different and I think everyone was expecting to hear about another Epic trip. Like mentioned a hundred times, the weather kind of killed the thread. TM had a fitter setup for each of us to do a 3 hour fitting that would of been awesome. Maybe they should've had a back up plan? Another thing that killed this was every buddy that plays TM clubs already had all the newest and greatest before we got ours. Nobody wanted to hear about or see what they already had in their bags. The Callaway trip was before everything was released and very few pictures, so the buzz was like no other.

 

[TheMoneyShot]

Keep in mind folks that last December, the Callaway Epic WRX trip had a choke-hold on everyone's attention. Then, in January, a surprise 2017 M1 Member Testing thread popped up, which was then quickly eclipsed in February by the WRX Kingdom trip. There will always be room to scrutinize who got what, or what happened to who; but as far as these events go, I would suspect all involved are very happy with the outcomes.

:clapping: :smilie_tm:

 

Very well said!

[CallawayLefty]

This thread is basically an OEM's worst nightmare. They would have been so much better off just doing nothing at all. Lucky for them, this is a pretty isolated corner of the club buying populace.

 

Part of me agrees with you. TM spent a lot of money on us. Airfare, 5 star hotel, high end dining, golf, and clubs! All these OEM's trips are different and I think everyone was expecting to hear about another Epic trip. Like mentioned a hundred times, the weather kind of killed the thread. TM had a fitter setup for each of us to do a 3 hour fitting that would of been awesome. Maybe they should've had a back up plan? Another thing that killed this was every buddy that plays TM clubs already had all the newest and greatest before we got ours. Nobody wanted to hear about or see what they already had in their bags. The Callaway trip was before everything was released and very few pictures, so the buzz was like no other.

 

I don't say it to be dramatic. I think the phrase "do it right or don't do it at all" applies pretty well here. I realize that it's not up to me to second guess, but I would have cancelled Aviara and done the fittings then. If there was availability issues, then condense it to 1 hour per man or something. 4 hours is awesome, but it's not like the fitting gets really all that more productive after about 20 minutes per bag "section" (driver, fairways, irons, wedges, etc.). You were there for clubs, not to play a course that I'm guessing wasn't a life changer. And the after-the-fact mistakes don't look great. People waiting months for clubs, getting clubs with wrong shafts, grips, and specs, etc. This is all stuff that can be fixed with rush orders and Fed-Ex...if they cared do actually do it (which it appears they don't). They don't have to care. Nobody would blame them for just not doing a trip like this. But don't broadcast for the world problems with your process, quality control issues, responsiveness, etc. Especially because it feels to me that this might not be all that representative of how TM typically works. Just caught them on a bad day, or string of bad days, apparently.

[BCULAW]

This thread is basically an OEM's worst nightmare. They would have been so much better off just doing nothing at all. Lucky for them, this is a pretty isolated corner of the club buying populace.

 

I'm not sure I follow.

 

Bottom line is I think this was a bit of an unprecedented trip from the standpoint that the highlight of the event (the 4 hour individual fitting at the Kingdom) was completely rained out. Literally no chance for us to participate in the most significant aspect of the planned itenerary. The trip was amazing - a real treat for all of us, but there is no other way to describe how disappointing it was not to get to enjoy the full Kingdom experience.

 

I have likened it to being invited to Augusta National for a private tour of the clubhouse and facilities, dinner with a couple of the notable members, and a round at the course, only to have the round rained out. Even if ANCG treated us to a round of golf at another really prestigious club in our area after we left, it would pale by comparison. Doesn't mean we wouldn't be grateful for the hospitality. It would truly be a golf trip of a lifetime, but there is simply no way anyone would not be disappointed if the round of golf got rained out.

 

In many of our minds, the Kingdom is the equipment equivalent of ANGC. The trip was fantastic, the hospitality was fantastic, we made great friends, and we all received really, really nice clubs from TM. But, because of the rain, we didn't get the full benefit of the fitting we were planned to get, and, as a result, some of our clubs are not yet game ready. Not much else to say, except that I think we are all very grateful and very excited to have been a part of it.

 

I think we all want to share the experience (good and bad) with the board because: a) it is expected of us; and b) it is fun for us to continue to be a part of it. If we simply said "thank you" and moved on (which seems like might be a more positive and beneficial approach at this point), then this wouldn't be much of a golf discussion board anymore. We all hope that people are interested in reading our comments and opinions. We hope that they will generate questions and discussion. We hope that it is positive, but we also want to keep it as real and objective as we can.

 

As I have said before, we are all excited to fly the TM flag. One thing that may not be apparent from this post is that all of us turned into bona fide fanboys after the trip. I think every single one of us has purchased Adidas shoes (Pre-sale) and various other articles of TM or Adidas clothing or equipment after the trip to make ourselves feel even more part of "the team." The guys from the trip will tell you that I have been agonizing over which bag to purchase for sometime now, as I don't want my TM clubs to feel out of place in another brand bag!! Ha Ha! As I said, please don't confuse our attempts at objectivity as lack of gratitude. We are among the truly lucky members to have been chosen to go. We have not lost sight of that fact.

[CallawayLefty]

This thread is basically an OEM's worst nightmare. They would have been so much better off just doing nothing at all. Lucky for them, this is a pretty isolated corner of the club buying populace.

 

I'm not sure I follow.

 

Bottom line is I think this was a bit of an unprecedented trip from the standpoint that the highlight of the event (the 4 hour individual fitting at the Kingdom) was completely rained out. Literally no chance for us to participate in the most significant aspect of the planned itenerary. The trip was amazing - a real treat for all of us, but there is no other way to describe how disappointing it was not to get to enjoy the full Kingdom experience.

 

I have likened it to being invited to Augusta National for a private tour of the clubhouse and facilities, dinner with a couple of the notable members, and a round at the course, only to have the round rained out. Even if ANCG treated us to a round of golf at another really prestigious club in our area after we left, it would pale by comparison. Doesn't mean we wouldn't be grateful for the hospitality. It would truly be a golf trip of a lifetime, but there is simply no way anyone would not be disappointed if the round of golf got rained out.

 

In many of our minds, the Kingdom is the equipment equivalent of ANGC. The trip was fantastic, the hospitality was fantastic, we made great friends, and we all received really, really nice clubs from TM. But, because of the rain, we didn't get the full benefit of the fitting we were planned to get, and, as a result, some of our clubs are not yet game ready. Not much else to say, except that I think we are all very grateful and very excited to have been a part of it.

 

I think we all want to share the experience (good and bad) with the board because: a) it is expected of us; and b) it is fun for us to continue to be a part of it. If we simply said "thank you" and moved on (which seems like might be a more positive and beneficial approach at this point), then this wouldn't be much of a golf discussion board anymore. We all hope that people are interested in reading our comments and opinions. We hope that they will generate questions and discussion. We hope that it is positive, but we also want to keep it as real and objective as we can.

 

As I have said before, we are all excited to fly the TM flag. One thing that may not be apparent from this post is that all of us turned into bona fide fanboys after the trip. I think every single one of us has purchased Adidas shoes (Pre-sale) and various other articles of TM or Adidas clothing or equipment after the trip to make ourselves feel even more part of "the team." The guys from the trip will tell you that I have been agonizing over which bag to purchase for sometime now, as I don't want my TM clubs to feel out of place in another brand bag!! Ha Ha! As I said, please don't confuse our attempts at objectivity as lack of gratitude. We are among the truly lucky members to have been chosen to go. We have not lost sight of that fact.

 

Your gratitude is obvious in the thread, so don't take it as saying that you guys aren't grateful and don't have much to be grateful for. I wasn't picked, and I'm grateful that TM is even willing to do it and that you guys got to go. But because I wasn't picked, I can be even more objective in my observations than you can, and I'm calling it like I see it. I think it's unfortunate that you guys don't have "game ready" clubs yet. You could basically go and get fitted for clubs today (any OEM brand, TM included, I would imagine), put in an order, and expect to have game ready clubs in less than 2 weeks. If there was a problem, you could probably expect to have it fixed and new clubs back to you in less than 1 week from there. I have actually had that with various club orders before - including one TM order where they sent me irons at the wrong length, and I had irons of the right length back in my hands 2 business days later.

 

Despite this, it sounds like you guys have waited for months in some instances. I don't get that. Then people have had clubs show up after that wait still with problems like the wrong grip, wrong shafts, wrong specs, etc. You would think that your stuff would be on the "top of the heap." Meaning your irons would get stuck ahead of guys like me putting in paid orders, because the whole purpose of doing this is marketing. But that hasn't seemed to be the case, and it's just odd to me.

 

I can't put words in your mouth as to what your feelings are, and I shouldn't try. But nothing about this thread makes me want to buy TM clubs. I may buy them anyway because they make awesome clubs, because I have had prior dealings with them that were handled really well (the irons thing I noted above), and because I think their stuff is at the top of the game. So it's odd to me that they would risk those good feelings of "regular Joes" like me by kind of botching a marketing exercise.

 

That's all. It's still cool that they did it, but I don't think they've handled the best you might have expected them to. And the weather wasn't their fault, but there have been lots of things since then that have been.

[drewtaylor21]

I don't say it to be dramatic. I think the phrase "do it right or don't do it at all" applies pretty well here. I realize that it's not up to me to second guess, but I would have cancelled Aviara and done the fittings then. If there was availability issues, then condense it to 1 hour per man or something. 4 hours is awesome, but it's not like the fitting gets really all that more productive after about 20 minutes per bag "section" (driver, fairways, irons, wedges, etc.). You were there for clubs, not to play a course that I'm guessing wasn't a life changer. And the after-the-fact mistakes don't look great. People waiting months for clubs, getting clubs with wrong shafts, grips, and specs, etc. This is all stuff that can be fixed with rush orders and Fed-Ex...if they cared do actually do it (which it appears they don't). They don't have to care. Nobody would blame them for just not doing a trip like this. But don't broadcast for the world problems with your process, quality control issues, responsiveness, etc. Especially because it feels to me that this might not be all that representative of how TM typically works. Just caught them on a bad day, or string of bad days, apparently.

 

A note on cancelling Aviara - we were told that the 4 hour block we had on Monday morning at The Kingdom was our only chance to do the fitting. They are booked full with tour players and paying customers who come in for fittings, so we couldn't have gotten in on Tuesday instead of playing Aviara, unfortunately. I think all of us would have gladly made that trade, despite the fact that Aviara was beautiful and we did have a lot of fun with our hosts out on the golf course!

 

That said, I can think of several ways the fitting could have been accommodated in the window of time that we had, but there was a definite lack of a back-up plan in place, which was unfortunate. The 5 of us had been watching the weather a week out and knew we had a very high chance of rain. When Monday morning rolled around and it was actually pouring, the feeling I got was that everyone at TM was in shock that the forecast was right. They really didn't know what to do, and instead of keeping the focus on testing equipment, they shuffled some things around so that we got a lot more information and touring of the facilities. Going along with Brian's analogy, kind of like an extended tour of the wine cellar at ANGC. Cool, but definitely not what we were hoping to do and not what the readership here wants to see.

 

As for this trip being a good representation of what TM is about, I honestly don't know what to say. From all I've seen and experienced, it seems that TM's current business model is to put the bulk of their resources into the Tour department with hopes that the notoriety gained there will trickle down to the public being attracted to and buying the equipment. It may very well be working, given the backorders that have been so prevalent this spring, but it certainly comes at the expense of the lower level consumer. Just yesterday I was talking to a local senior tour player on the range and he's been on staff with TM for 20 something years. He got a set of p770's from them and the specs were all over the map, requiring him to take them in to a local shop to get adjusted. He understood where he was in the pecking order of staffers, but it was obvious he wasn't thrilled about the fact that they wouldn't take the extra 20 minutes to spec his gear properly. Sadly, I wasn't surprised.

 

Your gratitude is obvious in the thread, so don't take it as saying that you guys aren't grateful and don't have much to be grateful for. I wasn't picked, and I'm grateful that TM is even willing to do it and that you guys got to go. But because I wasn't picked, I can be even more objective in my observations than you can, and I'm calling it like I see it. I think it's unfortunate that you guys don't have "game ready" clubs yet. You could basically go and get fitted for clubs today (any OEM brand, TM included, I would imagine), put in an order, and expect to have game ready clubs in less than 2 weeks. If there was a problem, you could probably expect to have it fixed and new clubs back to you in less than 1 week from there. I have actually had that with various club orders before - including one TM order where they sent me irons at the wrong length, and I had irons of the right length back in my hands 2 business days later.

 

Despite this, it sounds like you guys have waited for months in some instances. I don't get that. Then people have had clubs show up after that wait still with problems like the wrong grip, wrong shafts, wrong specs, etc. You would think that your stuff would be on the "top of the heap." Meaning your irons would get stuck ahead of guys like me putting in paid orders, because the whole purpose of doing this is marketing. But that hasn't seemed to be the case, and it's just odd to me.

 

I can't put words in your mouth as to what your feelings are, and I shouldn't try. But nothing about this thread makes me want to buy TM clubs. I may buy them anyway because they make awesome clubs, because I have had prior dealings with them that were handled really well (the irons thing I noted above), and because I think their stuff is at the top of the game. So it's odd to me that they would risk those good feelings of "regular Joes" like me by kind of botching a marketing exercise.

 

That's all. It's still cool that they did it, but I don't think they've handled the best you might have expected them to. And the weather wasn't their fault, but there have been lots of things since then that have been.

 

Couldn't agree more.

[Doc420]

I don't know what to think about the delay with everybody getting their equipment. I will say this though, I went on the Sldr trip, and ended up getting a little extra something. I had to wait until the trip was over and put my order in. I only talked to the guy who did my fitting at the Kingdom Reynolds location. First he had to put the order in, that was issued through their promotion dept. From there it was sent to the tour dept. to be built. This was a different route than just a normal order. I wonder if there was some sort of break down in this area for this years trip?

 

Second the whole everything is back ordered seams weird to me. Nobody can get their hands on the two spider tour putters, you can't really find them in the golf specific shops. But if you walk into your local Dicks they are over flowing with them. Last couple weeks my local Dicks had 5 Dj models, and 3 of the red ones. This week 5 Red 3 black and 5 platinum. Three specialty golf stores in the area are lucky to have one of either color.

[Pure745]

The best part of this thread is BCULAW's tiffany ferrules and paintfill :drinks: Bummer it got rained out, this TM line top to bottom seems to be one of the best in year in terms of woods, irons, wedges.