What do you think of TaylorMade Rocketballz and Rocket Bladez Irons?

[hacker101]

Would like to find out what you all think TaylorMade Rocketballz and Rocket Bladez Irons. Never been a real fan of TM but I really dont care who makes them if they fit me.

After playing a a few days with Pink G20's and just not liking the feel or the very wide sole I took them back.

Also took my old X20's and turned them in, so at this point I have no irons to play.

Looked at all the clubs but seem to go back to Taylormade, I liked the 85g steel shafts and the heads seem much lighter them the pings.

Any others i should really consider?

Do any of you play the above irons?

I ask because I could not believe the distance i was getting on the monitor with a 7i, 160 and higher, I never hit a ball that far before.

Thanks for any feed back.

[Derrick Parker]

I play everyweek with a retired School Principal, who happens to be a 7 handicapper and uses a bag full of nothing but Rocketballz with graphite shafts with r flex, and as many Roketballz hybrids as TM makes. He loves them, but did not like the fit driver so went back to the gluehead. He  has nothing bad to say about my bag of Callaways however. He tried the Rocketbladz, steel shafts, and didn't like em at all.

[GaijinGolfer]

I think theyre nothing special.  Longer shafts and stronger lofts dont impress me because simply hitting the ball farther isnt what its all about.  In terms of the Rocketbladez, those arent blades and no true blade player wants an iron that feels springy.

As with most everything else that is TM, is much more hype and smoke 'n mirrors than it is actual reality.

[hacker101]

Thanks guys, but dont all brands have a lot of hype?

It used to be I would get Callaways when ever I changed but the new Razer with there uniflex just dont fit me.

Tried Ping way to heavey they feel like I have a shovel and a 20 pound sleage hammer, I can not get any speed out of them, luckey if I can hit my 7i 135 and that is on a solid hit, normal for me is about 150-155.

Still looking at Cobra AMP, but with so many out there it is very hard to find an iron that i feel good hitting.

[GaijinGolfer]

Originally Posted by hacker101

Thanks guys, but dont all brands have a lot of hype?

It used to be I would get Callaways when ever I changed but the new Razer with there uniflex just dont fit me.

Tried Ping way to heavey they feel like I have a shovel and a 20 pound sleage hammer, I can not get any speed out of them, luckey if I can hit my 7i 135 and that is on a solid hit, normal for me is about 150-155.

Still looking at Cobra AMP, but with so many out there it is very hard to find an iron that i feel good hitting.

Not like TM does.  Every year TM acts like they changed golf forever.

[colin007]

Gaijin is correct about the lofts, check the lofts on the TM clubs and you'll see that they are stronger, so their 7 iron might be closer to your regular 6 iron in loft. The number on the bottom of the club isn't all that important.

[Derrick Parker]

Originally Posted by colin007

Gaijin is correct about the lofts, check the lofts on the TM clubs and you'll see that they are stronger, so their 7 iron might be closer to your regular 6 iron in loft. The number on the bottom of the club isn't all that important.

Exactly. My friends TM Rocketballz have two degrees more loft compared to the same number Callaway club that I use.

[zeke4351]

I play the R11 irons and really like them. I haven't hit the others you mention but a lot of people have and they liked the R11's the best.

[dbwood]

A friend of mine just got the Rockballz Max irons w/graphite.  I hit the 8i and it's fine, nothing spectacular one way or another.  The fit and finish is very good, pretty clubs.

As to what else you should consider, try them all.  Everybody makes good irons.  There's no reason not to go with TaylorMade if that's what you like.  I like my G-15s in graphite, my G-5s w/CS steel, and my Adams A4 forged.

[hacker101]

Thanks guys,

I will be heading there again today, I thought it seemed very strange that i was hitting the TM on a great shoot 175 average was 163 with a 7i. I know that I could never hit that with any 7i in my life. But now that explains it. According to the monitor there where very concistant and streight also.

So I guess I will make one more pass at it today and try a few more I had not concidered like the Adams and Mazuno. It is very hard to concider others when all you ever playedwas Callaways.

But there are some very nice clubs, sort of like a kid in a candy store kowing you can only have one piece and you need to make it a good one.

[cooke119]

Today I compared the Rocketbladz against my Ping G15s and found no difference on the launch monitor. I chalk that up to the fact that the G15s have 2* less loft then your "standard" iron, same with the Rocketbladz (so I have been told). I found nothing wrong with the club, looked nice, felt good etc. but so do my G15s, for me no reason to change. Of all the clubs I tried I liked the Mizuno the best, the JPX825 best fit my swing speed given I need a game improvement club. But again I didn't get anything more on the launch monitor so no reason to change. But if you don't like the Pings, and a lot of people do not, spend a lot of time checking out all the clubs out there, but if the TMs work for you, go for it they are a nice club.

[hacker101]

I picked up the TM Rocketbladez and had them put 2* up according to the tape.

I have to say hit them well in the store a little strugle at the range. I think that it is due to using graphite for so long and switching to steel.

Plus I have never hit the ball far or high so these will take a bit to get used to. There is no head wiggle on the back swing like my X-20's had.

But I like the look at address I think the clubs are very clean looking. I did try the Mizuno JPX825 and thought they where very nice but just did not get what I can out of these. Plus I like the shafts at 85g seem light so not a real change just no whip.

Never been a big TM fan at all but like these.

Will be very interesting to see how long it takes to get used to them.

[hacker101]

I just thought a small update on Rocketbladez, as much as i hate the TM marketing machine I still have to say these have done what they said.

They are deadly accurate, have a nice flight and i have picked up a minimum of a club if not more on the 7i on down.

I have driven by Rodge Dunn twice and stopped in just find any club that I want me to change, nothing has come close.

I was at the range last night below 40 the range balls were hard as a rock the irons still performed.

They do have a strange sound or more of a snap to them but don't discount them when looking at irons.

[WillM]

Just me but the mizuno MP-59s are SO HOT it is absolutely ridiculous. I hit my 6 iron about 180 and with the 59s I was crushing the 6 iron 200+ yards. It also looks very good at set up and the sort of half muscle back type thing they have is great. It is basically a club with cavity back forgiveness and blade/muscle back shot shaping. I absolutely love them but unfortunately bought a new set just a few months ago :( they aren't for everyone but try them out :-)

[hacker101]

Thanks I am no way at a handicap as you. Although I know the game very well and played at one point with an OC english/scott/Irish club each month and was in no way the worse and not the best I could hold my own.

Now I need a club that will give me the distance, forgivness and some workability?

Do you think this will do that?

[WUTiger]

I tried the Rocketbladz 7.iron challenge after Thanksgiving. Technical line-up...

• Mine: X20 Tour 7.i / shaft PX 5.0 rifle flighted, about 110 grams.
• TM's: RBL 7.i / Rocketfuel 85 gr. flighted steel shaft (R.flex)

My X20 Tour went 2 yards farther on average than the RBL.

(RBL felt almost feathery with the light shaft, and I couldn't feel it "drop into the slot." A heavier shaft might work better. This is strange as RBL has D3.5 swingweight for numbered irons, heavier than D2 for X20 Tour.)

[Sidarapr]

Background: Picked a club up for the first time December 31, 2011, Driving range almost weekly, played my first round May 2012 and shot 142, progressed to 90 – 92 on the local courses and bogey to +3 on my local executive course. Learned to play on Cobra SSI’s with stiff Aldila HM 75g graphite Tour shafts (irons are more of a blade style with a large head). My 6 iron swing speed average is 79 – 80 mph topping out at 83 mph. 75% of my practice time is spent on my PW, SW, LW, and putter. Rented R11’s and Rocketballz and played one round. Just purchased the Rocketbladez with the standard Rocket Fuel 85g steel stiff shaft and played one round and a small bucket with the 7 and 8.

For reference my Cobra SSi 6 iron has an offset of 1.27mm. The R11 is 4.6mm, Rocketbladez 4.8mm, and Rocketballz are 5.3mm.

First impressions on the Rocketbladez: At first, thought the looks were okay but now I think they are an absolutely great looking iron. Weight, sole width, and offset are more than I’m used to. At the shop on the monitor: swing felt great, dispersion was very good especially for my level and distance was 7 – 12 yards more than my current set.

The round: Temperature was 53 degrees using Bridgestone e5 and Srixon Q Star balls alternating between holes. I used my driver on 4 holes with all other shots taken with the Rocketbladez. The first thing I noticed was the huge difference in offset with the Rocketbladez compared to my Cobra SSi’s which made for a difficult time the first three holes trying to acquire the right swing.  The PW made it on a slightly elevated green (Par 3) from 134 yards out with very little roll…NICE! 6 iron off the tee stopping right around 174 yards (very wet hole) with a slightly less than full speed swing. Off the tee these are nothing short of fantastic. I have never used an attack/gap wedge but after taking a shot with AW I was in love with it. The balance and weight were great and felt very comfortable compared to my Vokey SM4 54 – 11 and 60-07. I hit the 5 iron over just over 200 yards with little to no roll (very wet ground). I struggled with the 4 – 6 iron as the offset was so foreign to what I am used to. Not saying this is bad but not sure these are for me. The 8 iron is where I started to feel more comfortable with having a swing closer to what I am used to. My partner that day who plays TM RAC’s had taken a few shots with the Rocketbladez and was absolutely killing it like he had always played these and said this is his new set ( he was on the fence between buying Ping I20’s or Callaway RAZR X’s) . All in all these are fantastic irons and do what is advertised.

As for the R11’s I actually liked these more because of the slightly less offset and lower weight placing me closer to what I’m used to. I would like to try them again. The distance and accuracy wasn’t there compared to the Rocketbladez though. The Rocketballz from the 6 iron up were a lot fun but again the larger offset made for a challenging time. The 4 and 5 Rocketballz were a nightmare for me because of the offset, chunkiness, and weight…purely subjective though. If you are familiar with GI irons than the Rocketbladez should be a consideration at the top of any list. Before purchasing I tested every iron the shop had but on the course is where it counts. It’s not that I can’t switch my swing up but I may switch over to the Muzino 825 Pro’s which I felt right at home with because of the similarities to and ease of transition from my SSi’s. I was really hoping more of a GI iron would help me out on my quest to shooting 80. I may just need work at it because one round and a small bucket are hard to deduce from and I will speak to a coach for advice before moving on or away from these. Again I learned on lighter blade style irons so this is in now a ditch on the Rocketbladez which again are nothing short of fantastic.

[El Bandito]

Hi Hacker101. I'm new to the forum. 42 year old, largely spherical, lefthanded golfer playing in the UK. Playing off 20 and have just started playing the rocketbladez. Now, my technical knowledge is pretty sketchy and I am no expert on golf clubs. I can make the following observations. As many on the thread have already noted. These are not blades. The lofts are 'jacked up'. BUT...I have to say, that for me, they seem to be working. For example; the 7 iron goes around as far as my old 6, which would kind of make sense with the lofts. However, the difference is the height. The ball flies higher and comes down steeper. I am told this is all to do with shafts and weighting...and that's ok with me... Maybe it is all in the head, but my iron shots are going further, higher and landing softer, right through the set. I'm sold!