TaylorMade SpeedBladez - loft and length versus competition?

[metroplex]

I finally got my free 6 iron SpeedBlade, and measured the loft to be around 26* (advertised 26.5*) and the length to be 38.50" (advertised to be 37.625" standard). I pulled out my current generic 4 iron and its loft is about 25* and the length is 38.50". I looked at Ping's G25 iron specs and my Pinemeadow (as well as many other conventional irons) have similar specs, so the SpeedBlade 6 iron is very much like my 4 iron. A few people on another forum said their SpeedBlade is the same length as their Rocketballz irons, which makes me wonder if anyone has taken similar measurements of their Speedblade and compared it with the competition?

[Nemicu]

What's the point? A club either fits the user or it doesn't. Even if TM made their 6-iron at 19 degrees of loft and 45" long, it would have no relevance, other than everyone flaming TM for deliberately making a club to enhance their "longer" claims. If you really want to compare apples to apples, then they must come from the same tree. This means if they aren't the exact same base specs, then any comparison is pretty much useless. So your Speedblade 6-iron is like a 4-iron? So what? The number on the sole is not a right of entitlement - it's just a number.

[mvmac]

A few people on another forum said their SpeedBlade is the same length as their Rocketballz irons, which makes me wonder if anyone has taken similar measurements of their Speedblade and compared it with the competition?

Probably not, I would guess most golfers that are buying SpeedBlade irons just get it stock.

What's the point? A club either fits the user or it doesn't. Even if TM made their 6-iron at 19 degrees of loft and 45" long, it would have no relevance, other than everyone flaming TM for deliberately making a club to enhance their "longer" claims. If you really want to compare apples to apples, then they must come from the same tree. This means if they aren't the exact same base specs, then any comparison is pretty much useless. So your Speedblade 6-iron is like a 4-iron? So what? The number on the sole is not a right of entitlement - it's just a number.

I think it's a reasonable question. Most golfers looking for game improvement irons probably don't know there is a 3* difference between a G25 six iron and a SpeedBladez 6 iron.

[Nemicu]

I think you missed my point. If you ignore the number on the bottom of a club, then you essentially have an iron of a specific loft. It will go a specific distance. You're right that most people don't know that there is a difference between irons, but most people don't know that just because it has 6 on the bottom of the club, it doesn't apply or compare to every other 6-iron you've ever hit in your life either. I would reiterate my point - the number written on the club is not a sense of entitlement, therefore if you say it goes longer (or shorter) than you own personal 6-iron, then unless the length, loft, weight, mass distribution, MOI, swing speed and angle of attack are the same, then you have no basis for comparison.

[Nemicu]

You may recall Mizuno did this comparison some time ago.

http://golf.mizunoeurope.com/irons/jpx825/#prettyPhoto

[MS256]

I guess the club companies are just going to keep making the lofts lower and lower, and shafts longer and longer, so people will have to replace more and more of their irons with hybrids because they can't hit the long irons. I can see it now: In 20 years 8 irons will be going 225 yards and have 20 degrees of loft. People will have to carry 6 wedges for the shorter distances (which will be sold separately of course) and they will actually think the newest 8 iron is better because it goes farther than their old 8 iron. TV announcers will be talking about how they used to hit a 3 iron into that green (in amazement).

[Ernest Jones]

I guess the club companies are just going to keep making the lofts lower and lower, and shafts longer and longer, so people will have to replace more and more of their irons with hybrids because they can't hit the long irons. I can see it now: In 20 years 8 irons will be going 225 yards and have 20 degrees of loft. People will have to carry 6 wedges for the shorter distances (which will be sold separately of course) and they will actually think the newest 8 iron is better because it goes farther than their old 8 iron.

Lots of players already carrying 4 wedges (I'm counting the PW) so you're probably right.

[saevel25]

I guess the club companies are just going to keep making the lofts lower and lower, and shafts longer and longer, so people will have to replace more and more of their irons with hybrids because they can't hit the long irons.

I can see it now: In 20 years 8 irons will be going 225 yards and have 20 degrees of loft. People will have to carry 6 wedges for the shorter distances (which will be sold separately of course) and they will actually think the newest 8 iron is better because it goes farther than their old 8 iron.

TV announcers will be talking about how they used to hit a 3 iron into that green (in amazement).

Nah, not really

Its going to be hard to improve on the iron. There is just a physical limit of what clubs can do. Even if you create a new lightweight material for the clubhead, is it beneficial because lightweight clubs are less accurate.

[MS256]

I'm not talking about improving on an iron. Just talking about stamping a different number on the same iron, which is pretty much what they are doing.