LIVE ROCKETBLADEZ Q&A with TaylorMade! Thursday, Oct. 25 1-3PM ET! Win RBLADEZ TOUR IRONS!

[TaylorMadeGolf]

[quote name='JHam10' timestamp='1351108598' post='5840397']
How much R&D time did it take to perfect putting a speed slot in an iron? It is obviously a very innovative concept that I'm sure took a little trial and error. Also,why exclude the slot in the short irons?
[/quote]

[b]Please see answers 247 and 293.[/b]

[TaylorMadeGolf]

[quote name='Oildigger' timestamp='1351110918' post='5840555']
Hello TaylorMade Team,

first of all thanks for your amazing products and your even more amazing cutting edge advertising skills

I have one short question. As it has been already demonstrated, your new Rocketbladez are above all (of course, they are #freakishlylonger, too) freaklishly consistent. Although I am not really able to understand the reason (a more flexing face or trampolin effect should, at least to me, favor a greater dispersion as the ball gets bounced around depending on where on the clubface you hit the ball) it seems to be fact. Well, what I´d like to know now, how is the speed pocket going to influence workability or, to be more precise, the consistency of non straight shots? It seems to me as if a more flexible clubface should promote inconsistency on non-straight shots. I tend to hit draws (unintendedly -.-) and I´d like to know what impacts the speedpocket will have on the consistency of such shots.

Thanks in advance!


Leftie Version *bump*
[/quote]

[b]Thanks for the kind words! The Speed Pocket influences consistency front to back (you get similiar speed and distance from the center to the lower part of the face). Now, the face construction (face thickness throughout the set) is going to help you on the left/right issues you have. So it's basically both the Speed Pocket and the face that work in concert to give you more consistency front to back and left to right. Hope that makes sense! - GG[/b]

[Featherhammer]

Will greater distance lead to great shot dispersion?

[BirdieBob]

Do you have any numbers on the distance and accuracy improvements of the RBladez Tour compared to the traditional iron?

[ron lefthanded holmes]

[quote name='TaylorMadeGolf' timestamp='1351186187' post='5844915']
[quote name='Lefty66' timestamp='1351095893' post='5839267'][list]
[*]I am interested to know why the tour irons are not offered in left hand? Will this change in the future?
[/list]
[/quote]

[b]Good news, Lefty66 - the Tour irons are being offered in Left Handed. Must have gotten some bad info on this one : )

- GG[/b]
[/quote]

thats what i like to here and welcome to the forum and answering the questions

[Ti-Cip]

regarding the tour version,, is there any plastic emblems in the cavity?? or are they all metal?? looks the the reg version has plastic?? yes??

[TaylorMadeGolf]

[quote name='Blakester' timestamp='1351096021' post='5839275'] How do the RocketBladz Tour compare in feel and distance versus other hollow-head competitor's irons - like Titleist AP2, Mizuno MPH4,Cobra AMP Forged...etc? [/quote]

[b]We believe that RocketBladez Tour irons feel and perform better than any product in their competitive set. If you’d like to see how they compare in terms of distance to competitive irons, please check out the chart on our website by visiting: [url="http://o We%20believe%20that%20RocketBladez%20Tour%20irons%20feel%20better%20than%20any%20product%20in%20their%20competitive%20set.%20If%20you’d%20like%20to%20see%20how%20they%20compare%20in%20terms%20of%20distance%20to%20competitive%20irons,%20please%20check%20out%20the%20chart%20on%20our%20website%20by%20visiting:%20http://taylormadegolf.com/rocketbladez/rocketbladez,en_US,pg.html"]http://taylormadegolf.com/rocketbladez/rocketbladez,en_US,pg.html[/url][/b]

[b]- GG[/b]

[Featherhammer]

[quote name='Featherhammer' timestamp='1351186475' post='5844953']
Will greater distance lead to great shot dispersion?
[/quote]

Answered above, thanks!

[TaylorMadeGolf]

[quote name='clubnut17' timestamp='1351110954' post='5840561'] How did you make the iron so that even tour players would play a cast iron and not a forged? [/quote]

Because performance really hasn’t been about cast versus forged. Performance is about how you can positively impact the flight of the ball. And when the best players in the world see their longer and mid-irons go farther, higher and with a steeper angle of descent with more spin (which makes them even more workable) and they look and feel great, the only question they ask is when can I get mine. If you took all of the great forged players clubs (including our MB and MC) and hit them all with a trackman behind you, the trackman wouldn’t know which club was hit because they all perform so similarly (ours included). We felt like it was time to give tour players an iron that truly perform. We have technology now that unlocks performance like never before.

-ST

[TaylorMadeGolf]

[quote name='valkare' timestamp='1351184516' post='5844697']
In your R&D process, did you ever revisit the old Wilson Reflex irons for any inspiration / ideas? I appreciate that they're from the 70's, but the concept of the "trampoline" effect is the same.
[/quote]

Please see post #257 for explanation RE: Reflex....

Thanks.

- BW

[trgolf18]

[u]Once again Great Job on your irons can't wait to put a set in my bag!!

What are some of the differences I can expect from my current set of TM Burner 2.0s?


What pros took part in the research and development of them?[/u]

[cgbm]

i know that the speed slot changes speed alot in woods and hybrids even.

with all of your testing, what were the club head speed increases with the 3 and 4 irons.

just to see the numbers on how much the speed slot does increase speed on irons.

[Ernie1060]

If it hasn't been asked already: How did you accommodate for the disparity in the distance gains between the clubs with the slots and those without... If the Rocketbladez 7 iron goes longer than a normal 7 iron, and the 8 iron doesn't have the slot, what did you do to solve the issue with the added yards in the gap between those clubs?

[lbsc1985]

So if I'm a Titleist guy, are these the irons to get me to switch?

[TaylorMadeGolf]

[quote name='rlbennet28' timestamp='1351111328' post='5840587'] Why gold and black? [/quote]

The technology and performance in the new RocketBladez was so different that we wanted to make sure the product received a cool, new look. Golfers will easily notice the black and gold.

-ST

[TheDailyDuffer]

Do you even think it would be possible to Forge an iron of this design? With the expected success i can see many other companies quickly hopping on the bandwagon. That being said if this type of iron can not be forged do you see other manufactures switching from forged to cast to copy this technique? Do you see this finally ending the cast vs forged war?

[TaylorMadeGolf]

[quote name='Dscvrr St Louis' timestamp='1351096269' post='5839305']
I noticed that when fitting for the RBZ fairway wood, almost everyone picked up distance, and for the average players with the 'normal' driver SS of 85-95mph, it was about a 10 yard gain over their gamer. Of course the faster you swing the more you gain, etc.

the question is...for the normal swinger, how much yardage do you think we will see gained here and for the 'tour' swinger, how much there? have you had enough input from the tour staff to say that the '17 yards' from the Rbz Fw's will be another 'club' of distance for the faster player? 1/2 a club for the normal swinger?

thanks for your time and Wrx for setting it up for us.
[/quote]

[b]RocketBladez and RocketBladez Tour are designed to be our longest and most consistent distance irons ever. As was the case in the RBZ fairway woods, better players with higher swing speeds are likely to benefit more in terms of distance with RocketBladez Tour irons than slower swingers. If you want to see robot testing comparison figures for a lot of competitive models, please visit our website at [url="http://We%20do%20not%20have%20an%20average%20distance%20gain%20number%20for%20both%20models%20but%20we’re%20confident%20you’ll%20pick%20up%20distance.%20RocketBladez%20and%20RocketBladez%20Tour%20are%20designed%20to%20be%20our%20longest%20and%20most%20consistent%20distance%20irons%20ever.%20If%20you%20want%20to%20see%20robot%20testing%20comparison%20figures%20for%20a%20lot%20of%20competitive%20models,%20please%20visit%20our%20website%20at%20http://taylormadegolf.com/rocketbladez/rocketbladez,en_US,pg.html"]http://taylormadegolf.com/rocketbladez/rocketbladez,en_US,pg.html[/url][/b]

[b]- GG[/b]

[TaylorMadeGolf]

[quote name='ryldawg' timestamp='1351112098' post='5840667']
As a person in the industry that will have to do fittings for these irons (assuming a lot of fittings given the hype!). I'm wondering what is the ideal spin we should look to maximize distant for players with these irons? Has it changed with the slot being added? Does it stay the same? Will a player benefit more by playing a lighter shaft with this club as the industry seems to be pushing or go heavier. I for one know that it would be a great benefit to have materials to show the public. Look Taylormade says try to get these spin numbers average joe consumer and the Rocketbladez will be maximized for you. Thanks for your time.
[/quote]

[b]The Speed Pocket will your golfers more ball speed, higher launch angle, similar spin rates, higher peak trajectory, and steeper landing angles. This will make a ball go farther and the golfer will have more control over distance. In terms of shaft options, we offer a lightweight 85g shaft in steel, and lightweight 65g shaft in graphite and we feel these performs best with the head design. Good luck with all of the fittings and thanks for your support. - GG[/b]

[BirdieBob]

[quote name='TaylorMadeGolf' timestamp='1351186528' post='5844969']
[quote name='Blakester' timestamp='1351096021' post='5839275'] How do the RocketBladz Tour compare in feel and distance versus other hollow-head competitor's irons - like Titleist AP2, Mizuno MPH4,Cobra AMP Forged...etc? [/quote]

[b]We believe that RocketBladez Tour irons feel and perform better than any product in their competitive set. If you’d like to see how they compare in terms of distance to competitive irons, please check out the chart on our website by visiting: [url="http://o{"]http://taylormadegol...z,en_US,pg.html[/url][/b]

[b]- GG[/b]
[/quote]

Not getting this to open?

[TaylorMadeGolf]

[quote name='Jag80' timestamp='1351096297' post='5839309'] With the speed slot behind the cavity (and not behind the face) how does the rebound effect work? Is the slot technology for more distance or feel? [/quote]

Thanks for the question. The answer to your second question is both.

The Speed Pocket in RocketBladez irons flexes and rebounds at impact, increasing the speed of the face to promote faster ball speed and a higher, stronger ball flight that lands on a steep, quick-stopping descent angle. This Speed Pocket advantage is especially effective on impacts made low on the face, TaylorMade studies indicate that 72% of iron shots hit by amateur golfers are struck below center face. The Speed Pocket in all RocketBladez iron models is filled with a Polyurethane Reactive (PUR) made by 3M that keeps out debris and dampens unwanted vibration while still allowing the slot to flex at impact. The Speed Pocket, in conjunction with the highly sophisticated face design (11% thinner than our previous thinnest), adds up to 10 COR points to the face compared to Burner 2.0 irons, and promotes dramatically less drop-off in ball speed on impacts low on the face—where the majority of iron mis-hits occur. That means the COR low on the face is higher than it’s ever been in a TaylorMade iron, and the benefit is that thin shots carry significantly farther.

- BW

[TaylorMadeGolf]

[quote name='arydolphin' timestamp='1351107148' post='5840311']
With regards to the Rocketbladez Tour iron, what types of irons are those irons going to replace in your line? Will they be geared towards the players that played the MC/MB irons in the past, or are they more forgiving so that players that played the R9 and R11 irons would be able to game these?
[/quote] A: [b]Being a tour-type iron, RocketBladez Tour is closer to the TP MC and TP MB irons in terms of feel and workability, with the advantage of the Speed Pocket, which promotes faster ball speed, longer distance and higher trajectory. Meanwhile, the standard RocketBladez model is closer to the RocketBallz and R11 irons in terms of being a great-performing, distance-oriented and highly forgiving cavityback, also with the benefit of added ball speed, higher trajectory, increased distance and outstanding control delivered by the Speed Pocket.[/b]

[b]RocketBladez Tour is really a crossover between the TP MC and R11. It offers great feel and control in the short-irons (similar to the MC) and nice distance in the middle and long-irons (similar to the R11) all in a package that should appeal to the TP MC player. [/b]

[Beege35]

Any chance a 2 iron will be available in any of the RocketBladez sets?

[TheDailyDuffer]

What type of patents do you have and intend on protecting this design? I know TM will be the first with this technology, but whats from stoping every other OEM out there from doing the same?

Is this something you're going to try to keep exclusive with TaylorMade?

[TaylorMadeGolf]

[quote name='Redskinsfan' timestamp='1351096303' post='5839315']
Can you talk about the research time and effort put into the sound of these new slotted clubs? Not having them to hit, I'm interested in knowing if these will sound different than irons of the past. Also, How long have you been working on these irons?
[/quote]

Years. We began working on the irons in earnest after we uncovered the performance benefits of the Speed Pocket in the fairway woods and Rescues. We were amazed by what we saw.

- ST

[TaylorMadeGolf]

[quote name='Duffner's Waggle' timestamp='1351111822' post='5840639'] Thank you for taking our questions. I'd love the chance to demo and review a set of the Rocketbladez Tours. They're beautiful! My question: It seems that with the speed pocket in the 3,4 irons and the KBS Tour Shafts, the workability AND forgiveness in a tour style club is everything solid ballstrikers would dream of. Do you foresee the return of long irons to the bags of amateurs golfers or do you recommend 5-PW plus a couple hybrids for the typical golf enthusiast? [/quote]

There definitely will be more players who find the RocketBladez long irons to be easier to hit than in recent years – especially players who like to hit long irons,. These players are going to see a very different performance. In the end, everyone is different and has personal preferences.

-ST

[TaylorMadeGolf]

[quote name='leftygolfer15' timestamp='1351112275' post='5840679']
There will be lefty guys, relax.
[/quote]

[b]Yep, thanks for the jumping in. We love lefties! Did you know 4% of US golfers are lefties -- and that 30% of Canadian golfers are lefties. (From the sounds of it, there must be a lot of hockey players that make up the GolfWRX community!) - GG[/b]

[TaylorMadeGolf]

[quote name='creecool' timestamp='1351112704' post='5840697'] Will there be a forged Tp model available in the future, and will the Rocketbladz tour be available in satin finish???? [/quote]

No plans for either at this point.

-ST

[ladahl]

Any specail care need when cleaning these irons? What product/chemical to avoid due to the slot?

[Luttie]

I know this off topic today, but I work a local Golf Galaxy and the i have been getting a ton of questions on the new pure roll insert in the spider S putters. Everyone wants to know if that insert will the in all putters released in 2013.

[TaylorMadeGolf]

[quote name='harleydavis' timestamp='1351096387' post='5839325'] Look great! Two questions. 1. Is the slot filled with an polymer or other material. If not, does the slot fill with debris from contact with the ground? How would you clean and will if affect the slot effects? 2. Will it be available in a 1-2 iron? Hitting thin, low stingers with a little extra ball speed would be fantastic. [/quote]

Thanks for the questions, harleydavis.

Yes, the Speed Pocket in all RocketBladez iron models is filled with a Polyurethane Reactive (PUR) made by 3M that keeps out debris and dampens unwanted vibration while still allowing the slot to flex at impact.

There are no plans for a 1-iron or 2-iron in the RocketBladez Tour set at this time.

- BW