1988-90 TaylorMade Tour Preferred T-D

[treebound]

From days of old I just found a fairly complete set of TaylorMade Tour Preferred T-D irons from about 1988-1990 along with a driver and two fairway metalwoods TaylorMade Burners. Looked like someone finally either upgraded or just got rid of their clubs. Found them at a local thrift shop at lunch, I rarely find complete matching sets.

2-iron down to the 9-iron, a Pitching Wedge, a Sand Wedge, and a 61* Wedge, so along with the Burner woods it was 14 matching clubs. I just wish it had the putter as well.

These appear to be too old for the PGA ValueGuide site, but I did find them listed on the ironfinder.com site. I'm curious how the lofts on these compare to newer clubs, 2iron at 19*, 3 at 22*, 4 at 25*, 5 at 29*, 6 at 33*, 7 at 37*, 8 at 41*, 9 at 45*, PW at 50*, SW unknown, and the Wedge wedge at 61*. I think below the dirt and dust they have a black colored dot which would make them standard lay (lie?, angle?). I hade my Tour Edge Bazooka clubs with me in the car so I put the 5-irons next to each other and the TM was about an inch longer than the TE club. The 2, 3, and 4 irons are hollow, the rest are muscle back. Most have the original grips still on them with a couple having newer grips.

I'm going to scrub them up and give them a try at the range tomorrow or Friday to see how they feel. I haven't been overly comfortable with the Bazookas with their Titanium inserts. If the TM's work better then I might just switch over to them. Or I might go back to my equally ancient Ram Lasers.

I'd really like to get a newer game improvement set in the next year or so, but with another job layoff looming in a month it was much easier to pick these TM's up for lunch money than to buy a new set for the equivalent of the monthly mortgage.

Anyway, has anyone ever played these old TaylorMade Tour Prefered T-D irons, and if so how did you like them? And, yeah, I know they're about 20 years old.

I think the ancient Burners will be basement wall leaners even if they were one of the hot tickets to have years ago. Today the heads on them look almost microscopic. 8-)

[treebound]

I snapped a couple shots of these and logged in with the laptop so I can upload the pics. I don't think they look too bad all things considered. I'll get them out to the range probably tomorrow at lunch to see how they feel and if they seem workable I'll try to get them on a course this weekend.

[treebound]

(only three pics per post, okay I learned something there)

Closer view of the wedges and a top view of the 5 iron in some grass.

[IcemanYVR]

I played them a few times in high school. My friend's Dad had pretty much that exact set, so we would sometimes sneak them out of the house and use them... you have to realize that at the time, those woods were the shizzle (sorry, but that's the best word to describle them ) I loved the woods, didn't care much for the irons... they felt funny (best I can describe, I don't think they were forged) I really liked the Wilson Staff Dynapowers that I was using then.

[serge Willis]

Hi

I think these are the irons i use, and once i was use to them i found them very nice to use especially the short irons the mid- long irons can be more difficult but with practice and patience they do a very nice job.

[JIM M]

You done well, best club ever made in my opinion. Trying to find another set in the UK with no luck. !!

[ChuckS]

Jim M.  I have a set of these out in my garage.  I tend to never get rid of anything, but it's time to start clearing out the old.  If you are interested in them, let me know.  Perhaps I can send you a picture and you can make an offer.

[Ricky Green]

i have a set of taylor made t.d. 3 - 9 iron make offer

[Cut68]

These were the blades, right? I played them in High School. My first set of decent Irons (although they were a few years old already at the time) I wish I still had them. My memory may be a bit nostalgic, but I certainly played better with them than I have with anything since. Traded them for Ping I-3's and always regreted it.

[andy2398]

Hi,

I've got a set of tour preferred TD irons, 3-sw for sale, need re shafted but you're right, probably the best ever, fit your own preference shafts and grips, these wont be expensive to buy, but what a set!!!

[GMWolfie]

I have been playing these irons since 1989 and have no immediate intention of switching! I absolutely love them and although I've toyed with the idea of getting new irons, I can't seem to decide on what I would want and always compare anything I look at with them. To me it seems the new clubs all have a fat top line that I just don't find appealing so I keep looking and just keep playing my TPs.

[Vossiewulf]

I had these and loved them, then lost them in a move, and have missed them since. Finally returned to playing after about a 10 year layoff about four months ago and bought some Razr X Tour irons, and still don't like them. Yes more forgiving than my old Tour Preferred irons, but that doesn't matter much if you can never really feel where the clubhead is. And the big radius on the leading edge of the sole makes hitting out of the rough feel like dragging a cannonball through the grass, ugh.

I'd love to have them again if anyone finds a set, but I think hell will freeze over first, since I'm... left handed. Sigh.

[jhmeg2]

I have a set I would like to get rid of. 2 iron -sw plus an ICW 1 iron. I have Rifle 6.0 in them now, but might swap em out for DG S300 and put the 6.0 in my Cleveland TA1 irons. They have Lamkin Mid size Crossline grips. un less you just want the heads, Make me an offer.

[Vossiewulf]

I have a set I would like to get rid of. 2 iron -sw plus an ICW 1 iron. I have Rifle 6.0 in them now, but might swap em out for DG S300 and put the 6.0 in my Cleveland TA1 irons. They have Lamkin Mid size Crossline grips. un less you just want the heads, Make me an offer.

Lefty? (He asked, knowing he's more likely to win Powerball)

[whistersclubs]

These TaylorMade Tour Preferred "TD" Irons Are VERY SOLID INDEED!! The Quality Of Those Sticks Is TWENTY TIMES That Of ANYTHING That Bazooka Has EVER PRODUCED!!

As Far As The Loft Goes, They Are About One Club Weak, In Comparison To Today's Stuff. Most Pitching Wedges Now Are Either 46* Or 47*. Some Are Even Stronger.

Wilson Staff "FG" Forged Are 45* & 38.5 Inches On The Pitching Wedge. I Have A Set Of Cobra S2 Forged Irons, Which Came From The Factory With A 43* Pitching Wedge!! The 3-Iron In That Set Is 19*!!

It's All Just "Smoke & Mirrors" From The Marketing Guys. You Think That You Just Hit That 5-Iron 20 or 25 Yards Further, But What You Actually Did Was Hit A 3&1/2  Iron, With A "5" Stamped On The Bottom Of It.

You Can Always Take Those TaylorMades To A Reputable Club Shop, And Have Them "Tweaked". But, Don't Bend Them More Than 2* From Standard Specification. It Throws The Bounce Angle Off Too Much, And Tends To "Drop" The Leading Edge Too Much. This Will Cause Them To "Dig In" Too Hard When You Hit Them.

The Best Thing To Do Is Have Them Checked At The Same Type Of Club Shop, In Order To Be Sure That They Are In Fact, At Factory Specifications. Then, Take Them Out To The Driving Range And Determine Just How Far You Hit Each Iron, On A "Pure Strike". It Doesn't Matter What Number Is Stamped On The Bottom, If The Balls Are "Seeking The Flag"!!

Those TaylorMades Are GOOD IRONS!!  KEEP THEM & PLAY THEM!! The Shorter Shafts Will "Snuggle You Up" A Little Closer To The Ball, And Give You Back The "Control" That You Probably Don't Have With The Bazookas!!  GOOD LUCK!!

[treebound]

followup on things since this thread was resurrected, I passed the TaylorMade set along to another guy a few years ago who was wanting to get started in golf. He was a bit taller than me so the longer shafts worked out well for him. I had forgotten all about those clubs until I saw this thread again.