TaylorMade 2023 Product Testing and Fitting Experience Live At The Kingdom! Follow Along Here!

[getitdaily]

Posted in the putters forum, but the spider gtx is incredibly stable. I was very surprised by it on Saturday when I futzd with it. The gtx max did nothing for me...just meh.

[gticlay]

6 hours ago, QuigleyDU said:

WOW!! That looks amazing!!!

Played Eden course after driving back down from Peterhead. Today I am playing with a kind member at Carnoustie Championship. I will say my whole body and especially feet really hurt. Not having proper golf shoes for this much walking is not a good idea! 

 

Edited April 27, 2023 by gticlay

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

47 minutes ago, gticlay said:

Played Eden course after driving back down from Peterhead. Today I am playing with a kind member at Carnoustie Championship. I will say my whole body and especially feet really hurt. Not having proper golf shoes for this much walking is not a good idea! 

 

 

Hope your sticks and stuff show up in time. Any word on them?

 

As for the photos, the courses look great.

 

I also like seeing a nice plate of fish and chips come with a wee salad. It's like a gorgeous young lady putting on a skimpy top before getting into bed with you. 

 

You quickly get it out of the way, but you appreciate the thought.

 

[QuigleyDU]

1 hour ago, gticlay said:

Played Eden course after driving back down from Peterhead. Today I am playing with a kind member at Carnoustie Championship. I will say my whole body and especially feet really hurt. Not having proper golf shoes for this much walking is not a good idea! 

 

You’ll survive and have awesome stories to tell. Very cool.

[gticlay]

Today I played the Carnoustie Championship course. 7am tee time so had to get up 5am to drive up. It wasn’t quite as cold but a little rainy and while not quite windy for here, I’ll call it a heavy breeze with times of wind. It’s not such a photogenic course but with the rich history and multiple The Open championships here it was simply an awesome experience. Here’s a few pictures and since I got a little love on the food picture, here’s lunch at The Criterion pub. I have a funny story from here if anyone wants to hear it. 
*I have uploaded the Hogan rock picture both right side up and upside down and it always shows upside down! What gives?

Edited April 27, 2023 by gticlay

[KC4441]

Made the mistake of playing Carnoustie as my first course after landing back in 2019… beast of a course.  Brings back some great memories.  

[CinqueValvole]

Looks you are experiencing it as well as you could without the new sticks. Hope you get them before the trip home.

[mizuno player]

On 4/26/2023 at 9:19 AM, gticlay said:

Hey all,

 

So I’m in Scotland for golf this week. Packed my stuff, arrived and… nothing. Neither my clubs nor “stuff” arrived. It went to Poland for no good reason. So I rented clubs Monday at Crail and played both courses. It was so cold that the rain turned to hail. That finally stopped and it was blowing so hard that everything dried out by the time we finished.

 

Next day I drove up to NE Scotland and played this incredible course called Cruden Bay. Oh wow, what a special place! Rentals again. So that’s a bummer.

 

Still no word from the airline. All my stuff is just sitting there at the Edinburg airport. I finally bought socks and underwear as it didn’t arrive today. 
 

So what I thought was going to be a super cool review of all the stuff I was fit for at TM is now nothing. I’m so completely disappointed. Definitely use ship sticks or something if you do a trip like this.

 

Heres a few photos.

That's looks so awesome. Bummer about the clubs and weather. If nothing else you got a story!! 

[Kylekoz17]

Wanted to revive this thread a bit and see how the others (@gticlay, @Olde Maroon, @MFBach) are getting on with their clubs and give an update on mine as the summer winds down.

 

Driver:

This is easily the best driver I've ever had.  I have seen a few threads in here where people are complaining about it and obviously every driver isn’t going to work for every player, but it hasn't been my experience or anyone I know that has used it.  The misses are better than anything else I have owned or tried and I don’t have a single complaint about it--the spin on mishits is the most manageable I've seen.  The flatter lie is a welcome addition for Taylormade drivers.  I have been used to them since I had a Titleist driver before, but to see how it has worked for a couple buddies has been cool to see.  A good friend of mine (taller, plus cap) was playing the original stealth + and struggled with snap hooks and he couldn’t really figure out why until he tried my driver and saw how well the flatter head plays and how much of a difference it makes even off the tee.  Really hoping Taylormade keeps this going in the next generations

 

3 wood:

Long.  Noticed about 10 yards in carry difference against my M5 3 wood.  I’m not 100% sure if it is spin or ball speed related yet, but I really enjoy hitting it.  Being able to mess with the weight to adjust flight and spin (and thus distance) as much as it can was fun to find my preferred setting, and I have left it alone since then.

 

Irons:

I am still very happy with the combo set we picked.  The 770s are so forgiving even on thin shots that I am still surprised every time when I get to my ball and see it still carried close to my target distance.  The MCs are maybe the most underrated iron and even though they are on the small side, I haven’t had any complaints with slight misses.  These will be in play for a long time.

 

Wedges:

I have a new set of Artisans sitting in my office and I’m not even tempted to break them out.  The MG3 are so good and have eased any concerns I had about finding what was next after my beloved Nike wedges.  I also love that Taylormade seems to have found their consistency and footing with their wedges.  It was hard for me to follow them for years because they would change the name, the style, the grinds, the interchangeable faces, etc and the MG line has gotten better and better each update.

I have already ordered a MG4 60* to have a fresh one ready for next season

 

Putter:

The only thing I have been on and off with this summer.  I have had some really good rounds with it, and some really not good ones to the point that I went to an older putter for most of my tournament rounds.  It seems to be weight related, as once I removed the 10 gram weights and tried it I had way more control over the face and speed.  Once I get some lighter weights installed I’ll give it a full go again—just have to find some 2.5 gram ones.  I’ve always been a lighter putter fan.

I will say I wish the new Reserve line was an option at the time and also wish it had a long neck option.  I don’t mind the insert in mine, but my preference is a full milled version.  Looking forward to trying that line out when I can, specifically the M27.  Hopefully the local shops get some in stock but nothing yet.

 

Overall, I’ve gone from a 1 to a +2 handicap this summer playing my best golf ever, making more birdies than ever, and these clubs and the fitting have a huge hand in that.

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by Kylekoz17

[GolfWRX_Official]

1 hour ago, Kylekoz17 said:

Wanted to revive this thread a bit and see how the others (@gticlay, @Olde Maroon, @MFBach) are getting on with their clubs and give an update on mine as the summer winds down.

 

Driver:

This is easily the best driver I've ever had.  I have seen a few threads in here where people are complaining about it and obviously every driver isn’t going to work for every player, but it hasn't been my experience or anyone I know that has used it.  The misses are better than anything else I have owned or tried and I don’t have a single complaint about it--the spin on mishits is the most manageable I've seen.  The flatter lie is a welcome addition for Taylormade drivers.  I have been used to them since I had a Titleist driver before, but to see how it has worked for a couple buddies has been cool to see.  A good friend of mine (taller, plus cap) was playing the original stealth + and struggled with snap hooks and he couldn’t really figure out why until he tried my driver and saw how well the flatter head plays and how much of a difference it makes even off the tee.  Really hoping Taylormade keeps this going in the next generations

 

3 wood:

Long.  Noticed about 10 yards in carry difference against my M5 3 wood.  I’m not 100% sure if it is spin or ball speed related yet, but I really enjoy hitting it.  Being able to mess with the weight to adjust flight and spin (and thus distance) as much as it can was fun to find my preferred setting, and I have left it alone since then.

 

Irons:

I am still very happy with the combo set we picked.  The 770s are so forgiving even on thin shots that I am still surprised every time when I get to my ball and see it still carried close to my target distance.  The MCs are maybe the most underrated iron and even though they are on the small side, I haven’t had any complaints with slight misses.  These will be in play for a long time.

 

Wedges:

I have a new set of Artisans sitting in my office and I’m not even tempted to break them out.  The MG3 are so good and have eased any concerns I had about finding what was next after my beloved Nike wedges.  I also love that Taylormade seems to have found their consistency and footing with their wedges.  It was hard for me to follow them for years because they would change the name, the style, the grinds, the interchangeable faces, etc and the MG line has gotten better and better each update.

I have already ordered a MG4 60* to have a fresh one ready for next season

 

Putter:

The only thing I have been on and off with this summer.  I have had some really good rounds with it, and some really not good ones to the point that I went to an older putter for most of my tournament rounds.  It seems to be weight related, as once I removed the 10 gram weights and tried it I had way more control over the face and speed.  Once I get some lighter weights installed I’ll give it a full go again—just have to find some 2.5 gram ones.  I’ve always been a lighter putter fan.

I will say I wish the new Reserve line was an option at the time and also wish it had a long neck option.  I don’t mind the insert in mine, but my preference is a full milled version.  Looking forward to trying that line out when I can, specifically the M27.  Hopefully the local shops get some in stock but nothing yet.

 

Overall, I’ve gone from a 1 to a +2 handicap this summer playing my best golf ever, making more birdies than ever, and these clubs and the fitting have a huge hand in that.

Awesome!

[QuigleyDU]

2 hours ago, Kylekoz17 said:

Wanted to revive this thread a bit and see how the others (@gticlay, @Olde Maroon, @MFBach) are getting on with their clubs and give an update on mine as the summer winds down.

 

Driver:

This is easily the best driver I've ever had.  I have seen a few threads in here where people are complaining about it and obviously every driver isn’t going to work for every player, but it hasn't been my experience or anyone I know that has used it.  The misses are better than anything else I have owned or tried and I don’t have a single complaint about it--the spin on mishits is the most manageable I've seen.  The flatter lie is a welcome addition for Taylormade drivers.  I have been used to them since I had a Titleist driver before, but to see how it has worked for a couple buddies has been cool to see.  A good friend of mine (taller, plus cap) was playing the original stealth + and struggled with snap hooks and he couldn’t really figure out why until he tried my driver and saw how well the flatter head plays and how much of a difference it makes even off the tee.  Really hoping Taylormade keeps this going in the next generations

 

3 wood:

Long.  Noticed about 10 yards in carry difference against my M5 3 wood.  I’m not 100% sure if it is spin or ball speed related yet, but I really enjoy hitting it.  Being able to mess with the weight to adjust flight and spin (and thus distance) as much as it can was fun to find my preferred setting, and I have left it alone since then.

 

Irons:

I am still very happy with the combo set we picked.  The 770s are so forgiving even on thin shots that I am still surprised every time when I get to my ball and see it still carried close to my target distance.  The MCs are maybe the most underrated iron and even though they are on the small side, I haven’t had any complaints with slight misses.  These will be in play for a long time.

 

Wedges:

I have a new set of Artisans sitting in my office and I’m not even tempted to break them out.  The MG3 are so good and have eased any concerns I had about finding what was next after my beloved Nike wedges.  I also love that Taylormade seems to have found their consistency and footing with their wedges.  It was hard for me to follow them for years because they would change the name, the style, the grinds, the interchangeable faces, etc and the MG line has gotten better and better each update.

I have already ordered a MG4 60* to have a fresh one ready for next season

 

Putter:

The only thing I have been on and off with this summer.  I have had some really good rounds with it, and some really not good ones to the point that I went to an older putter for most of my tournament rounds.  It seems to be weight related, as once I removed the 10 gram weights and tried it I had way more control over the face and speed.  Once I get some lighter weights installed I’ll give it a full go again—just have to find some 2.5 gram ones.  I’ve always been a lighter putter fan.

I will say I wish the new Reserve line was an option at the time and also wish it had a long neck option.  I don’t mind the insert in mine, but my preference is a full milled version.  Looking forward to trying that line out when I can, specifically the M27.  Hopefully the local shops get some in stock but nothing yet.

 

Overall, I’ve gone from a 1 to a +2 handicap this summer playing my best golf ever, making more birdies than ever, and these clubs and the fitting have a huge hand in that.

Very cool! I am super curious about the new wedges and I kinda want give the new spiders a look.

 

[radiman]

2 hours ago, Kylekoz17 said:

Wanted to revive this thread a bit and see how the others (@gticlay, @Olde Maroon, @MFBach) are getting on with their clubs and give an update on mine as the summer winds down.

 

Driver:

This is easily the best driver I've ever had.  I have seen a few threads in here where people are complaining about it and obviously every driver isn’t going to work for every player, but it hasn't been my experience or anyone I know that has used it.  The misses are better than anything else I have owned or tried and I don’t have a single complaint about it--the spin on mishits is the most manageable I've seen.  The flatter lie is a welcome addition for Taylormade drivers.  I have been used to them since I had a Titleist driver before, but to see how it has worked for a couple buddies has been cool to see.  A good friend of mine (taller, plus cap) was playing the original stealth + and struggled with snap hooks and he couldn’t really figure out why until he tried my driver and saw how well the flatter head plays and how much of a difference it makes even off the tee.  Really hoping Taylormade keeps this going in the next generations

 

 

I had a little bit or a right to left issue with the OG Stealth.  I don't know how, but I didn't realize the Stealth 2 had a flatter lie angle?  I wasn't able to go crazy with club upgrades this year, so I never went in and hit the Stealth2 Plus or most of the other current offerings.  Now I kind of wish I did haha.  Maybe I will give it a go once they get discounted to make room for next years model. 

[MFBach]

On 9/22/2023 at 10:24 AM, Kylekoz17 said:

Wanted to revive this thread a bit and see how the others (@gticlay, @Olde Maroon, @MFBach) are getting on with their clubs and give an update on mine as the summer winds down.

Great idea! It’s been a while since the trip, so I’m sure it wasn’t at the forefront of everyone’s mind by now, but it’s a lot easier to give a full recap after an entire season of play. 
 

S2+ Driver

 

I’ve had solid results for most of the season. It had an adjustment period, but echoing Koz’s thoughts, it’s consistently reliable with any decent strike (and some that aren’t). I look a bit clownish when I split the fairway with a one-handed follow through, but I’ll take those results all day. Distance is great (keeps up with my previous gamer - Mav SZ), but my misses have gotten extraordinarily more manageable. I have played with shafts a bit, but end up back in the Ventus Red 6x most of the time. It looks great and performs. Not much else to say! 
 

I did wonder if everyone else from the trip got their driver shaft tipped 1” (TM standard for “some” shafts). I didn’t notice it until well into the summer, but my driver is tipped 1” and my 3w isn’t tipped at all (Fuji rec). No complaints with either, but there weren’t any notes or specs on the build sheets I rec’d, so I thought it was interesting. I’d love to know if the demo shaft was set up the same way. 
 

S2+ 3W 

 

Absolute rocket. Spin was actually too low with the 50g sliding weight all the way forward, so I’ve backed off that a little for stability. My second favorite club from the fitting, which is no small feet. Versatility comes to mind… which surprised me. I’m as comfortable from the fairway as the tee box with this one. A layup or a “let her eat”. I don’t play many par 5’s that need 250+ yds into yhe green, but I’d pull it without hesitation, which hasn’t been the case for me in about 5-6 years. This thing is a Swiss Army knife. 
 

Stealth UDI

 

In my original follow up, I mentioned choosing this over the hybrid to my surprise. I’ve typically been a hybrid player between FW and 4i, but I was hitting the UDI really well at TK and I didn’t want to talk myself out of it. Sure glad I didn’t! It’s become an automatic tee club for short, narrow, or layup par 4’s… and even a few devilishly long par 3’s. At 18*, it’s also a pretty solid option if you find yourself in trouble and need to navigate your way back to the fairway. I’m not going to call it a “stinger”, because I’m in no way reminiscent of Tigre, so I’ll call them “screamers” instead. I’m not a UDI guy in general, but I made room to keep this one around. 
 

P770’s 

 

I’ll be honest, I wanted to hate these. I was playing ‘19 T100s and I loved them. I wanted to want to keep them. IMO, they looked better and couldn’t be beaten. I jumped between sets for a while and frustratingly realized that I needed to commit to something… I still have a special spot in my heart for the OG T100s, but the 770’s are far more forgiving for my misses, specifically low. It’s easy when they’re flush, but when you can toe a ball to the middle of the green, it’s hard to complain. Very similar general thoughts as the driver. It’s going to be hard to beat the playability and results in this size/category. 
 

MG3 

 

WOW. Talk about unexpected. TM wedges weren’t even on my radar. I wouldn’t have asked for them at a fitting or picked them up off the rack if there was something else to grab instead. AND I would have been dead wrong. These are easily my favorite wedges owned to date. I’ve been shocked at their performance on the course. Any lie. Any grass. Any situation. If you do your part, they do theirs. Pulled the SM8’s out for a test drive last week and they didn’t make it to the back nine. If I can stress anything enough, it’s that you need to check these (or MG4) out the next chance you have. They get the job done, period. And they do it in a “best in show” aesthetic. Or are we going to feign shock when the next iteration of Vokey comes with milled sole grinds? 
 

GTX Max 

 

Again, I’m going to give it to you straight here. I had been putting with a Spider X for a long time… by my standards anyway (about 18 months). I love the look of the GTX Max during the testing and when I originally received it. It looked like the milled Hydroblast that I had always wanted. But, for whatever reason, I never could dial it in on the course. I think, for the most part, the insert was the primary factor. The aluminum bars were just so far away from the feel I was used to that I had a hard time adjusting. I keep a few putters on hand at any given time anyway, so it’s still hanging around (along with the original X) but it’s been out of the rotation for a while. Maybe it’s time I give it another shot? Or maybe it’s time I check out the new line, because several of the Spyders released after the GT line looked pretty darn good to me. 
 

I haven’t played as much as I typically would during the summer, but it’s almost primo golf season down South, where Fall reigns supreme. I have been picking up the slack since August and logging some good results, so I hope everyone else have been able to take full advantage as well! 
 

Thanks for getting this one rekindled, @Kylekoz17! Hope that little boy is keeping you just busy enough to still be able to sneak in a round on the weekend! 

[BallerNate]

Thanks for the updates Fellas, great stuff!!

 

I agree 100% on the P770’s…ordered them this season and they are the best Irons I’ve ever played! The feel and control is much better then most people think, and they are incredibly forgiving for what they are.

 

I agree that the MG3’s were incredible as well. For me I just couldn’t get over the Raw face aesthetically, so had to drop them for that reason. Unfortunately that takes the MG4’s out of the running for my bag too. But the performance of the MG3’s is incredible for sure.

[getitdaily]

On 9/22/2023 at 11:24 AM, Kylekoz17 said:

Wanted to revive this thread a bit and see how the others (@gticlay, @Olde Maroon, @MFBach) are getting on with their clubs and give an update on mine as the summer winds down.

 

Driver:

This is easily the best driver I've ever had.  I have seen a few threads in here where people are complaining about it and obviously every driver isn’t going to work for every player, but it hasn't been my experience or anyone I know that has used it.  The misses are better than anything else I have owned or tried and I don’t have a single complaint about it--the spin on mishits is the most manageable I've seen.  The flatter lie is a welcome addition for Taylormade drivers.  I have been used to them since I had a Titleist driver before, but to see how it has worked for a couple buddies has been cool to see.  A good friend of mine (taller, plus cap) was playing the original stealth + and struggled with snap hooks and he couldn’t really figure out why until he tried my driver and saw how well the flatter head plays and how much of a difference it makes even off the tee.  Really hoping Taylormade keeps this going in the next generations

 

3 wood:

Long.  Noticed about 10 yards in carry difference against my M5 3 wood.  I’m not 100% sure if it is spin or ball speed related yet, but I really enjoy hitting it.  Being able to mess with the weight to adjust flight and spin (and thus distance) as much as it can was fun to find my preferred setting, and I have left it alone since then.

 

Irons:

I am still very happy with the combo set we picked.  The 770s are so forgiving even on thin shots that I am still surprised every time when I get to my ball and see it still carried close to my target distance.  The MCs are maybe the most underrated iron and even though they are on the small side, I haven’t had any complaints with slight misses.  These will be in play for a long time.

 

Wedges:

I have a new set of Artisans sitting in my office and I’m not even tempted to break them out.  The MG3 are so good and have eased any concerns I had about finding what was next after my beloved Nike wedges.  I also love that Taylormade seems to have found their consistency and footing with their wedges.  It was hard for me to follow them for years because they would change the name, the style, the grinds, the interchangeable faces, etc and the MG line has gotten better and better each update.

I have already ordered a MG4 60* to have a fresh one ready for next season

 

Putter:

The only thing I have been on and off with this summer.  I have had some really good rounds with it, and some really not good ones to the point that I went to an older putter for most of my tournament rounds.  It seems to be weight related, as once I removed the 10 gram weights and tried it I had way more control over the face and speed.  Once I get some lighter weights installed I’ll give it a full go again—just have to find some 2.5 gram ones.  I’ve always been a lighter putter fan.

I will say I wish the new Reserve line was an option at the time and also wish it had a long neck option.  I don’t mind the insert in mine, but my preference is a full milled version.  Looking forward to trying that line out when I can, specifically the M27.  Hopefully the local shops get some in stock but nothing yet.

 

Overall, I’ve gone from a 1 to a +2 handicap this summer playing my best golf ever, making more birdies than ever, and these clubs and the fitting have a huge hand in that.

Good work.

 

How much do you attribute the handicap improvement to equipment? 

 

Which clubs, specifically, have had the greatest impact? 

[Kylekoz17]

On 9/24/2023 at 7:30 PM, MFBach said:

 

S2+ Driver

 

I’ve had solid results for most of the season. It had an adjustment period, but echoing Koz’s thoughts, it’s consistently reliable with any decent strike (and some that aren’t). I look a bit clownish when I split the fairway with a one-handed follow through, but I’ll take those results all day. Distance is great (keeps up with my previous gamer - Mav SZ), but my misses have gotten extraordinarily more manageable. I have played with shafts a bit, but end up back in the Ventus Red 6x most of the time. It looks great and performs. Not much else to say! 

hahaha I know this feeling all too well.  "What, you didn't like it?"  No, actually I almost missed the face but it's down the middle so I guess it is fine

 

On 9/24/2023 at 7:30 PM, MFBach said:

Thanks for getting this one rekindled, @Kylekoz17! Hope that little boy is keeping you just busy enough to still be able to sneak in a round on the weekend! 

He is currently keeping me sick, but I'm still getting some rounds in!  No complaints here

[Kylekoz17]

12 hours ago, getitdaily said:

Good work.

 

How much do you attribute the handicap improvement to equipment? 

 

Which clubs, specifically, have had the greatest impact? 

Driver, long and mid irons, and wedges. 

Tee ball has been in play (in fairway or just off) far more often than I remember ever being, and consistently longer taking mishits into account so it makes it easier on my irons

 

Long and mid irons--they have taken so much stress off my iron play that my par 5 scoring has been better than ever.  A thin or slightly heavy miss just seem to go straight and with little distance loss.

 

Wedges--they spin so much, and the LB 60* has been incredible for my short game.  I don't know about the technical aspect of the design, but the grind must just fit me perfectly

 

I'm just not giving up shots in many places I used to, and this is basically without practicing at all this year besides hitting a few warmup balls before rounds.  I'm used to going to the range a couple times a week and playing 3 times but not this year with a newborn.
 

Easy to have confidence when the gear fits you and is just really good overall

[MFBach]

12 hours ago, Kylekoz17 said:

hahaha I know this feeling all too well.  "What, you didn't like it?"  No, actually I almost missed the face but it's down the middle so I guess it is fine

 

Literally last Sunday morning on #2 haha. High toe ball, right down the middle. If Lee Trevino had ever finished a swing with one hand, that’s what it would have looked like. It never even tried to budge off its start line. My group had already told me “good shot, nice ball, etc.” before proceeding to laugh at me when they saw the ball. I joked it off but thought “yeah, if you only knew I nearly missed it”. 
 

I won a close-up and two scratches with the same swing on #16… short par 3. Toe’d a 9 iron to the middle of the green and made birdie. Look at MPF ratings, reviews, or whatever you want (I did). The P770’s are far less punishing for my game than the T100 series. 
 

I don’t want to give anybody the wrong impression either. I’ve hit a lot of really good shots with this bag 🤣 But, it shines in its “misses”/saves. We hear it all the time now, but improvements now are often incremental. Good shots are good shots, but the bad ones are getting better. I’m not sure everything hashelped me cut as many shots from a score as it has saved me from making the big numbers that ruin a round. 

 

12 hours ago, Kylekoz17 said:

He is currently keeping me sick, but I'm still getting some rounds in!  No complaints here

 

Good deal! Might as well get used to the sick thing though… I’m pretty sure perpetual colds are a right of passage for parents ever fall. Glad you guys are doing well though! 

[MFBach]

12 hours ago, Kylekoz17 said:

I'm just not giving up shots in many places I used to, and this is basically without practicing at all this year besides hitting a few warmup balls before rounds.  I'm used to going to the range a couple times a week and playing 3 times but not this year with a newborn.

I hadn’t read your response before I posted mine, but it’s basically the same results. I can count my range sessions on one hand this year, but I do play some “practice” rounds in the afternoon on occasion. All-in-all, I’ve recorded less rounds this year than I can remember in the past decade, but my scoring hasn’t suffered. Nearly all of that is attributable to mitigating misses. You can’t hit it again if you can find it, and my setup is keeping me in good positions consistently. 

 

12 hours ago, Kylekoz17 said:

Wedges--they spin so much, and the LB 60* has been incredible for my short game.  I don't know about the technical aspect of the design, but the grind must just fit me perfectly

I’ll stop harping on these wedges after this, but it’s not just yours, it’s all of them. The right fit obviously makes a difference, but I’ve never played a TM wedge full time before this season and I’ll have a hard time seeing myself going back.
 

Chip shots, pitches, full swing, sand, rough, sitting in the edge of a pond (ask me how I know haha)… They’re just so good from everywhere. I’ve already had my eye on an MG4 60*. 

[gticlay]

On 9/22/2023 at 8:24 AM, Kylekoz17 said:

Wanted to revive this thread a bit and see how the others (@gticlay, @Olde Maroon, @MFBach) are getting on with their clubs and give an update on mine as the summer winds down.

 

Driver:

This is easily the best driver I've ever had.  I have seen a few threads in here where people are complaining about it and obviously every driver isn’t going to work for every player, but it hasn't been my experience or anyone I know that has used it.  The misses are better than anything else I have owned or tried and I don’t have a single complaint about it--the spin on mishits is the most manageable I've seen.  The flatter lie is a welcome addition for Taylormade drivers.  I have been used to them since I had a Titleist driver before, but to see how it has worked for a couple buddies has been cool to see.  A good friend of mine (taller, plus cap) was playing the original stealth + and struggled with snap hooks and he couldn’t really figure out why until he tried my driver and saw how well the flatter head plays and how much of a difference it makes even off the tee.  Really hoping Taylormade keeps this going in the next generations

 

3 wood:

Long.  Noticed about 10 yards in carry difference against my M5 3 wood.  I’m not 100% sure if it is spin or ball speed related yet, but I really enjoy hitting it.  Being able to mess with the weight to adjust flight and spin (and thus distance) as much as it can was fun to find my preferred setting, and I have left it alone since then.

 

Irons:

I am still very happy with the combo set we picked.  The 770s are so forgiving even on thin shots that I am still surprised every time when I get to my ball and see it still carried close to my target distance.  The MCs are maybe the most underrated iron and even though they are on the small side, I haven’t had any complaints with slight misses.  These will be in play for a long time.

 

Wedges:

I have a new set of Artisans sitting in my office and I’m not even tempted to break them out.  The MG3 are so good and have eased any concerns I had about finding what was next after my beloved Nike wedges.  I also love that Taylormade seems to have found their consistency and footing with their wedges.  It was hard for me to follow them for years because they would change the name, the style, the grinds, the interchangeable faces, etc and the MG line has gotten better and better each update.

I have already ordered a MG4 60* to have a fresh one ready for next season

 

Putter:

The only thing I have been on and off with this summer.  I have had some really good rounds with it, and some really not good ones to the point that I went to an older putter for most of my tournament rounds.  It seems to be weight related, as once I removed the 10 gram weights and tried it I had way more control over the face and speed.  Once I get some lighter weights installed I’ll give it a full go again—just have to find some 2.5 gram ones.  I’ve always been a lighter putter fan.

I will say I wish the new Reserve line was an option at the time and also wish it had a long neck option.  I don’t mind the insert in mine, but my preference is a full milled version.  Looking forward to trying that line out when I can, specifically the M27.  Hopefully the local shops get some in stock but nothing yet.

 

Overall, I’ve gone from a 1 to a +2 handicap this summer playing my best golf ever, making more birdies than ever, and these clubs and the fitting have a huge hand in that.

I've been thinking to post a few "mid season" thoughts on the clubs so I'm glad to see you guys have. I have some favorites and preferences but I want to get some Arccos shots of things as well.

[CinqueValvole]

Great follow up! Had Rac wedges, then Vokeys, MG3 are the best I have played so far. I am tempted to pick up the MG4s, but I already have a spare MG3 60 and the season is mostly done in the northeast.

[gticlay]

Hello everybody. I've been wanting to do a follow up to our amazing TM experience early this year. Thing is, there's always something new I want to add, so I keep delaying. I just got back from a road trip that included a one day, 36 hole stop at Bandon so I think it is time.

 

First off, I want to thank TM and GolfWRX for the opportunity. I met some members (and staff of both GolfWRX and TM), made some friends, hit a lot of balls, "starred" in a video, and got pretty wet one day! I am truly appreciative for everything.

 

If you scroll through all the posts, you'll see that my gear never showed up for my trip to Scotland. I have to say, that was a major, major disappointment. It actually did show up, but the airport in Edinburgh doesn't follow up, nor are they willing to deliver lost luggage. So I picked it up on my way back home.

 

At the fitting, we ended up with P790 irons 4-P with S400 at +.25" and a 50, 56, and 60* MG3 wedges. Because I like to play links golf, I was also fitted for the Stealth UDI 3i, the 3 and 5 wood Stealth 2 plus fairways, and the Stealth 2 plus driver. I was also fitted for the all new, unreleased Spider GT Max putter. I have to say, that putter fitting was the thing I was hoping for the most and it totally delivers. Such an awesome, cool experience to see the differences measured and benefits weighed right in front of you with the most state of the art system in the world. I REALLY enjoyed that.

 

So I'll start off with the putter. It fits me extremely well and I have had some of my best putting ever with it. I ended up with a lower loft than normal (1*) because of how I deliver the club face to the ball. The fitter said I was very consistent, but just launch the ball slightly too much. He was right because the roll off this thing is just phenomenal. I didn't have a caddy at Bandon, but the other guys did and he mentioned at least 3-4 times on the round how well I was putting there. I never get the weird hops off the face that I can sometimes have with an off the shelf putter and the ball really does seem to go where I expect it to. There is one thing that I need to figure out, and that's how to use this putter from the fringe. With an off the shelf putter, the ball rolls more how I'd expect it to, but with this fitted one, I do struggle with putts from off the green. On a links course, this isn't an issue at all since the grass around greens is typically nearly green length and the putter REALLY shines on links. So when I'm gaming this one, I've had to resort to bump and runs instead of putter from the fringe. Overall, this is the best putter I've ever used - the roll is just so pure and the alignment aids work well.

 

Next is the fairway woods. Oh man these are SICK clubs. I have the 15* and 18* and they are long long long. Perfect shape at address, don't look closed, I've never even noticed the white thing at the crown on the face, and that big tall deep face is exactly what I want from a fairway. The 3 wood is just so long I can't believe some of the shots I've hit with it. One example is a shot from the fairway I hit off the turf on 9 at Bandon dunes Friday. 291 yards ON THE GREEN to give me an eagle putt. And I'm 50 years old. Yeah, I missed the eagle putt but made birdie. I've even hit this thing longer in the summer but 291 yards when it's like 50* and not a helping wind is l o n g long. It has the Graphite Design DI-7 X in it. The 5 wood actually might be a little too long. I was fitted for a Ventus TR 9X shaft which is supposed to be very similar to one of my favorite shafts of all time, the Pro95. The club arrived with the 8X and it's quite a beauty with a deep blue sparkly paint. Over time, I've decided that it might be a little TOO long for its spot. Example: I was 245 out on one hole so I used the 18* (it's set at std loft). I ended up hitting it 259, over the green. I tried setting it for more loft, but then the club looks closed to my eye and I don't deal well with that look. I think the new 21* 6 wood they recently came out with combined with the same shaft would be a very powerful combination in my bag. But on a scale of 1-10, I would give the Stealth 2 plus fairways at least an 11. They are just darn good clubs.

 

Stealth 2 Plus driver: This is one beautiful club. I like that it has the bias adjustment and the black crown with red face looks really cool.  However, there's two things I struggle with. First is the face. When we were there the TM staff guys were talking about how some of their tour guys don't like to "see the face". I scoffed and wrote that off to picky PGA prima donnas. After spending a lot of time hitting balls with this  club, I might know what they mean. I've discovered now that what I like/don't like about some clubs is if I can see the face. If I have a black crown and black face, It looks fine when lined up square. When I have a bright red face staring back at me, I end up closing the head down so that I cannot see the face and then, well, the clubs is really closed down and that's not going to lead to good results. The other problem is the spin rate. I play with a PGA teaching pro often (he's an incredible golfer, playing in some tour events). After a few shots, he commented on how my ball was just knuckling out there and it didn't look like my normal shot. Turns out he's right and I'm getting some really low spin numbers on Trackman. I don't think it's the shaft as I have the same shaft in another driver that I hit very, very well. I will blame this on my swing the day of the fitting as I was a little out of practice being middle of winter and not swinging all that well with driver. I may buy one of the regular stealth heads as they are supposed to add 2-400rpm backspin vs the plus version and I hit my rental Stealth 2 driver REALLY well on the trip to Scotland when my clubs didn't show up.

 

Irons/wedges: I ended up with the P790 irons and they are real beauts. At address, they look pretty much like all the TM irons I've owned over the years (I love me some TM irons). But man, these things play really really short club-length wise. I was fitted for +0.25" over TM standard at 1* flat. I had a little concern with that as it would be shorter than other brands, or older TM clubs, but my fitter and I talked about it and I was hitting the fitting club really well so we landed on that length. Something just didn't feel right with the gamers and I ended up checking the paperwork later and they were actually built to standard length, or about 0.5" shorter than what I'm used to. Not sure how that happened but it had been some time since the fitting and I didn't catch that. I also ended up with a P790 3 iron instead of the Stealth. It can't really fit in the bag because with the lower loft PW in modern clubs, you need to have an old school PW in there still - like a gap at 50* loft, and that uses up the 3 iron slot. I had planned to just remove both the 3 and 4 irons for links rounds. In the end, I put my 300 forged irons back in the bag. They go traditional 3i up to a 48* bent to 49* PW and give me the flexibility I want for all kinds of courses. According to Arccos, I use that 3 iron 3-4 times per round so it's an important club for me. On the wedges, the MG3 standard grind are really nice, but I just like my TW grind wedges too much to give those up. I have a set of MG2 TW and MG3 TW and I really like the more square toe of the MG2's. So I've ended up with the TW wedges back in the bag, with the same S400 shafts and 1* flat I was fitted to at TM.

 

Overall, the experience was absolutely incredible. I will never forget this trip and I loved every minute of it. Many, many thanks to GolfWRX and TaylorMade for inviting me, I appreciate the opportunity and will never forget the experience. 

 

 

[getair23]

On 11/1/2023 at 2:07 PM, gticlay said:

Hello everybody. I've been wanting to do a follow up to our amazing TM experience early this year. Thing is, there's always something new I want to add, so I keep delaying. I just got back from a road trip that included a one day, 36 hole stop at Bandon so I think it is time.

 

First off, I want to thank TM and GolfWRX for the opportunity. I met some members (and staff of both GolfWRX and TM), made some friends, hit a lot of balls, "starred" in a video, and got pretty wet one day! I am truly appreciative for everything.

 

If you scroll through all the posts, you'll see that my gear never showed up for my trip to Scotland. I have to say, that was a major, major disappointment. It actually did show up, but the airport in Edinburgh doesn't follow up, nor are they willing to deliver lost luggage. So I picked it up on my way back home.

 

At the fitting, we ended up with P790 irons 4-P with S400 at +.25" and a 50, 56, and 60* MG3 wedges. Because I like to play links golf, I was also fitted for the Stealth UDI 3i, the 3 and 5 wood Stealth 2 plus fairways, and the Stealth 2 plus driver. I was also fitted for the all new, unreleased Spider GT Max putter. I have to say, that putter fitting was the thing I was hoping for the most and it totally delivers. Such an awesome, cool experience to see the differences measured and benefits weighed right in front of you with the most state of the art system in the world. I REALLY enjoyed that.

 

So I'll start off with the putter. It fits me extremely well and I have had some of my best putting ever with it. I ended up with a lower loft than normal (1*) because of how I deliver the club face to the ball. The fitter said I was very consistent, but just launch the ball slightly too much. He was right because the roll off this thing is just phenomenal. I didn't have a caddy at Bandon, but the other guys did and he mentioned at least 3-4 times on the round how well I was putting there. I never get the weird hops off the face that I can sometimes have with an off the shelf putter and the ball really does seem to go where I expect it to. There is one thing that I need to figure out, and that's how to use this putter from the fringe. With an off the shelf putter, the ball rolls more how I'd expect it to, but with this fitted one, I do struggle with putts from off the green. On a links course, this isn't an issue at all since the grass around greens is typically nearly green length and the putter REALLY shines on links. So when I'm gaming this one, I've had to resort to bump and runs instead of putter from the fringe. Overall, this is the best putter I've ever used - the roll is just so pure and the alignment aids work well.

 

Next is the fairway woods. Oh man these are SICK clubs. I have the 15* and 18* and they are long long long. Perfect shape at address, don't look closed, I've never even noticed the white thing at the crown on the face, and that big tall deep face is exactly what I want from a fairway. The 3 wood is just so long I can't believe some of the shots I've hit with it. One example is a shot from the fairway I hit off the turf on 9 at Bandon dunes Friday. 291 yards ON THE GREEN to give me an eagle putt. And I'm 50 years old. Yeah, I missed the eagle putt but made birdie. I've even hit this thing longer in the summer but 291 yards when it's like 50* and not a helping wind is l o n g long. It has the Graphite Design DI-7 X in it. The 5 wood actually might be a little too long. I was fitted for a Ventus TR 9X shaft which is supposed to be very similar to one of my favorite shafts of all time, the Pro95. The club arrived with the 8X and it's quite a beauty with a deep blue sparkly paint. Over time, I've decided that it might be a little TOO long for its spot. Example: I was 245 out on one hole so I used the 18* (it's set at std loft). I ended up hitting it 259, over the green. I tried setting it for more loft, but then the club looks closed to my eye and I don't deal well with that look. I think the new 21* 6 wood they recently came out with combined with the same shaft would be a very powerful combination in my bag. But on a scale of 1-10, I would give the Stealth 2 plus fairways at least an 11. They are just darn good clubs.

 

Stealth 2 Plus driver: This is one beautiful club. I like that it has the bias adjustment and the black crown with red face looks really cool.  However, there's two things I struggle with. First is the face. When we were there the TM staff guys were talking about how some of their tour guys don't like to "see the face". I scoffed and wrote that off to picky PGA prima donnas. After spending a lot of time hitting balls with this  club, I might know what they mean. I've discovered now that what I like/don't like about some clubs is if I can see the face. If I have a black crown and black face, It looks fine when lined up square. When I have a bright red face staring back at me, I end up closing the head down so that I cannot see the face and then, well, the clubs is really closed down and that's not going to lead to good results. The other problem is the spin rate. I play with a PGA teaching pro often (he's an incredible golfer, playing in some tour events). After a few shots, he commented on how my ball was just knuckling out there and it didn't look like my normal shot. Turns out he's right and I'm getting some really low spin numbers on Trackman. I don't think it's the shaft as I have the same shaft in another driver that I hit very, very well. I will blame this on my swing the day of the fitting as I was a little out of practice being middle of winter and not swinging all that well with driver. I may buy one of the regular stealth heads as they are supposed to add 2-400rpm backspin vs the plus version and I hit my rental Stealth 2 driver REALLY well on the trip to Scotland when my clubs didn't show up.

 

Irons/wedges: I ended up with the P790 irons and they are real beauts. At address, they look pretty much like all the TM irons I've owned over the years (I love me some TM irons). But man, these things play really really short club-length wise. I was fitted for +0.25" over TM standard at 1* flat. I had a little concern with that as it would be shorter than other brands, or older TM clubs, but my fitter and I talked about it and I was hitting the fitting club really well so we landed on that length. Something just didn't feel right with the gamers and I ended up checking the paperwork later and they were actually built to standard length, or about 0.5" shorter than what I'm used to. Not sure how that happened but it had been some time since the fitting and I didn't catch that. I also ended up with a P790 3 iron instead of the Stealth. It can't really fit in the bag because with the lower loft PW in modern clubs, you need to have an old school PW in there still - like a gap at 50* loft, and that uses up the 3 iron slot. I had planned to just remove both the 3 and 4 irons for links rounds. In the end, I put my 300 forged irons back in the bag. They go traditional 3i up to a 48* bent to 49* PW and give me the flexibility I want for all kinds of courses. According to Arccos, I use that 3 iron 3-4 times per round so it's an important club for me. On the wedges, the MG3 standard grind are really nice, but I just like my TW grind wedges too much to give those up. I have a set of MG2 TW and MG3 TW and I really like the more square toe of the MG2's. So I've ended up with the TW wedges back in the bag, with the same S400 shafts and 1* flat I was fitted to at TM.

 

Overall, the experience was absolutely incredible. I will never forget this trip and I loved every minute of it. Many, many thanks to GolfWRX and TaylorMade for inviting me, I appreciate the opportunity and will never forget the experience. 

 

 

The lost luggage situation is a bummer—great write-up and reviews.  Well done keeping this thread alive; what an excellent experience for you guys.