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Hello Face Slots: TaylorMade RSi 1, RSi 2 and RSi TP irons

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Yes, TaylorMade has a slot for that.

Two years ago, the company unveiled slots on the soles of its irons called “Speed Pockets” that led to longer, higher-flying iron shots, particularly on mishits low on the face. TaylorMade’s new RSi irons add slots to the faces of the irons to further improve performance, especially on mishits on the heel and the toe.

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Above: The face slots on an RSi 2 6 iron.

[quote_box_center]“Face Slot Technology provides greater consistency across the face, giving players improved performance on mishits,” said Tomo Bystedt, TaylorMade’s Director of Product Creation for Irons, Putters and Wedges. “No golfer is perfect — not even the best players in the world hit the center of the club every time. So with RSi, we’re giving all golfers a technology that can help their mishits perform more like pure strikes.”[/quote_box_center]

Face slots are used in the 3-8 irons of each of TaylorMade’s new iron models: the RSi 1, RSi 2 and RSi TP. The polymer-filled slots, which are cut all the way through the club faces, are located just outside the scorelines of the clubs. They allow the heel and toe sections of the club heads to flex more easily on mishits, which creates more ball speed on mishits than TaylorMade’s previous irons.

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Click here to see more photos and what GolfWRX Members are saying about the RSi irons on our forum.

TaylorMade RSi 1 ($799)

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The RSi 1 irons are the largest and most forgiving of the three RSi iron models.

The 3-7 irons are cast from 450 stainless steel and have TaylorMade’s ThruSlot technology, which cuts through the entirety of their soles. The 8-LW are cast from 17-4 stainless steel.

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The RSi 1’s have the thinnest faces of any of TaylorMade’s new irons, as well as the company’s Inverted Cone Technology, which work together with their face slots and Speed Pockets to make the RSi 1’s the longest irons in TaylorMade’s 2015 line.

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They come stock with a new REAX shaft (R and S flexes) that was designed to feel softer and create a slightly flatter trajectory than TaylorMade’s SpeedBlade 85 shaft.

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Above: An RSi 1 6 iron at address.

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TaylorMade RSi 2 irons ($999)

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TaylorMade’s RSi 2 are the company’s most progressive iron set, with five different constructions within the nine-club set to offer the company’s best mix of distance, precision and feel.

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Engineers added tungsten to the long irons (3-5), which improves their forgiveness. The long irons, including the 6 and 7 irons, are cast from 450 stainless steel. They all have TaylorMade’s Thru-Slot technology, and offer even faster ball speeds than the company’s SLDR irons.

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The 8-PW are cast from 431 stainless steel, but they have 1025 forged face inserts to deliver the softer feel that better players tend to prefer. The sets AW (50 degrees) and SW (55 degrees) are fully forged from 1025 carbon steel.

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Above: An RSi 2 6 iron at address.

The RSi 2 irons come stock with KBS’ Tour 105 shaft in R and S flexes.

TaylorMade RSi 2 Specs

TaylorMade RSi TP irons ($1199)

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Above: A prototype version of the RSi TP irons being tested by Sergio Garcia.

TaylorMade’s RSi TP irons mark the return of the famed “TP badge,” which indicates that a club was designed with an elite golfer in mind. Single-digits could play any of the three RSi irons, but the best of them will likely gravitate to the blade-like RSi TP.

RSi TP_3_4

The 3-7 irons have forged, 1025 carbon steel hosels and faces that are plasma welded to 431 stainless steel backs. TaylorMade engineers say the construction offers the best of both worlds — the feel of a forged iron with the forgiveness of a cast iron. The 8-PW are fully forged from 1025 carbon steel.

RSi TP_Address

[quote_box_center]“The RSi TP irons were developed to deliver launch, consistency and feel to take performance to the next level for our Tour Professionals,” Bystedt said. “The shapes of these irons will be instantly pleasing to better players and will have the feel and workability that golfers expect in a forged product. It really is the best combination of performance, look and feel that we’ve created for the world’s best players.”[/quote_box_center]

RSi TP_Face

The RSi TP irons come stock with KBS’ Tour shaft (R, S and X flexes).

TaylorMade RSi TP specs

Click here to see more photos and what GolfWRX Members are saying about the RSi irons on our forum.

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165 Comments

165 Comments

  1. just make better contact

    Mar 23, 2015 at 6:31 pm

    I just got Wilson staff fg tour 2.0 at a super low price (below us$300) and boy they work as good as any (even better than most).
    I am sure RSi technology works (specially helping on mishits) but I am more of work on my swing to make better contact and improve my short game for mishits..

  2. Richard

    Jan 8, 2015 at 12:59 pm

    If you want distance, accuracy and feel then try XXIO 8 manufactured by SRIXON. Designed to make the ‘average player’ better. They also do a forged line for the better player and if you dont like the XXIO brand then try SRIXONs new Z series 545, 745, 945 irons.

  3. Matt

    Jan 4, 2015 at 5:15 am

    In a few years a taylormade PW will be 40 degrees and 20 yards longer than what we have today and it will be MIND-BLOWING!!!!!!

  4. WedgeGuru

    Dec 22, 2014 at 11:42 am

    I cannot wait for the 2015 version LOL! Keep innovating TaylorMade

  5. Eugene Marchetti

    Dec 20, 2014 at 11:23 pm

    I’m currently playing the rocketbladz irons because I felt they performed better than the speed blades. I will compare the RSI to my sticks and if they allow me to perform better, then I will buy. Not because they are the latest gimmick but because they will help me lower my scores. PERIOD!!!!

  6. Sean

    Dec 16, 2014 at 7:17 pm

    I heard that the face cracks on these iron. Anyone else heard that.

    • Curt

      Jan 11, 2015 at 10:10 am

      YES!

      • marty

        Nov 6, 2015 at 4:45 am

        To curt and sean i have a rsi2 4 iron , 4 weeks old with a cracked face. Now to see how good the warranty is…

        • marty

          Nov 6, 2015 at 9:05 pm

          Have checked my clubs RSi2 and found both my 4 and 5 irons club face is depressed. These are the clubs i have used the most. Would not have hit more than 500 balls very disappointed and doesn’t give me any confidence that the clubs will last. Will contact TaylorMade on Monday. Anyone else had this problem and had a satifactory solution?

  7. Brian

    Nov 14, 2014 at 1:38 pm

    I really don’t understand these debates about clubs release cycles and the brand bashing. I don’t care about how often a set of clubs comes out, what it looks like unless it distracts me terribly, or any of the marketing hype. I just want clubs that work and feel good to ME. I’m not a good golfer (high 90’s to low 100’s). I don’t care about working the ball. I just want something that flies nice and straight (and hopefully long) on a consistent basis. I also don’t practice, but do play fairly nice courses. So I invest at least a thousand dollars into the game of golf per year. A small percentage of that on equipment on most years, but this year I will be spending quite a bit more.

    I had been playing R7 GCB Max irons for about 9 years. Couldn’t find anything I liked better or performed better. But…I went in to see the Speedblades because I could get the 5-PW for $320 new. I didn’t like them and was ready to leave. But the salesman thought that with me being tall (6’4″) that I might need a more upright setup. Went in and hit the RSi1 with 2* upright and an inch longer 87g steel shaft against my current 7 iron (also 1″ long). The RSi’s were soooo easy for me to hit straight and long (about 7-9 yards farther carry). I didn’t have to have a bunch of swing thoughts or anything else. Just got comfortable over the ball and did a normal swing and the ball went very straight or even a bit left for a slight draw (probably the upright angle at work). I typically always get a fade, so it was a nice bonus. But carry was very long and just easy for me to make happen. So I ordered them.

    I don’t care that there have been a ridiculous number of generations of irons in between my old and new irons. But without those generations, would they have come up with something I really liked when I was actually looking (lost my 6 iron somehow and it gave me a reason to look)? I’ve also changed my driver recently to a Jetspeed from an R9 Supertri and am now hitting the ball straighter and much farther on a regular basis. So say what you want about TM, their technology is helping a guy like me continue to play golf. I’ve quit for years at a time on a couple of occasions. Now I enjoy the game with tempered expectations. I really only strive to be in the low 90’s, just bogey golf. And even though I have a lot of TM product, I’m not a fanboy. I just seem to work better with their product, and with the short product cycles, I seem to find better deals. I have recently found a source that sells me closeouts for next to nothing and can get me wholesale on new, current product. So for the time being, unless there is something that is remarkably better from another manufacturer, I’ll keep buying TM.

    • Willis

      Nov 25, 2014 at 11:20 am

      Well put my friend. I am like you in that you can say what you want about TM, but their stuff does work. For years my driver was the worst club in my bag, I would tee off with my G20 hybrid most times just to get ball in play. I tried a jetspeed at the range and messed with the loft and now I can hit my driver better than I ever could. I am a TM convert you could say. I hit the fairway 7 out of 10 times and that is a game changer for me. My old driver was a ping G20, which is a great driver for a lot of people and very forgiving-for some, not all. Wasn’t for me, I just went off of the G series name and figured it was the best for me. It is a great driver, but the TM drivers just perform for me.

  8. Ed Resnick

    Nov 9, 2014 at 5:58 pm

    Hit the RS2 yesterday and they are legit. I have been looking for replacements for my R9 irons for years but could never find a club that had the feel and forgiveness of the R9s. The Callaway apex was close but on the trackman the numbers were not any different than the R9s so it wasn’t worth the money to upgrade. But the RS2 has the same great feel with excellent forgiveness and fly longer. They are easy to work either way and you can knock them down or flight them at will. Don’t pass up trying these because they sound like more gimmicks. These things work. And for the record I hated the speed blades and even the sldr irons. The RS2s are far superior to any of those.

  9. gvogel

    Oct 30, 2014 at 5:05 pm

    Golf is a game, and just a game. At the moment engineers are trying to re-engineer the golf club with the same vengeance that scientists are trying to cure cancer. I have no problems with engineers designing better cars, coffee makers, and HVAC equipment. These help us live easier lives.

    But when we play a game, the skill of the shotmaker should be paramount, and the quality of the gadgets he/she uses should not matter. I am afraid that technology has made golf a lesser game. As technology improves, courses have to become longer and more difficult.

    The R&A and USGA have been a sleep at the switch – “plain and simple” has been made a travesty.

    Instead of buying better technology to score better -which is a zero sum game – we should be looking to play easier courses, and refining our technique.

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  13. Copy

    Oct 18, 2014 at 8:24 pm

    I just wish TM would stop copying and stealing design cues from Mizuno.
    The SpeedBlade irons looked like the old MP-58, and now this looks like they took the center-weight backing shape from the current line of T-Zoids:
    http://products.mizuno.jp/c/category/golf/t-zoid/iron

  14. hubbard

    Oct 18, 2014 at 12:08 am

    I dare any of you haters to take your irons to a certified Taylormade rep at a golf club with a flight monitor and compare what-ever irons you have or plan to buy against these irons on the range not in an indoor box…don’t hate because TM likes to innovate…when I switched to rocketbladz stage 2 irons from ping g20’s I shaved 5 strokes in 3 weeks off my handicap and gained 10 yard distance and don’t say its the shaft because I had kbs tour in my pings and I ordered the same shaft in my rocketbladz….until you compare these new irons on a range in front of a flight monitor….ZIP IT!

    • Scooter McGavin

      Oct 18, 2014 at 9:09 pm

      I did actually hit these (RSi 1) on a launch monitor. The distance was fine, and they were forgiving enough, but they were nothing special. They still have mediocre feel on center strikes and lousy feel on mishits. I tested a few clubs from the set and didn’t notice any distance gains over previous irons I’ve owned. So yeah, I guess even though I wan’t hating on them, I guess I have “accepted your dare” and there ya have it.

    • Willis

      Nov 25, 2014 at 11:24 am

      I am actually excited to do this with the RSi 1’s against my g20 irons. love my g20 irons, and TM got me to switch my ping driver, will be in vegas over Christmas and am planning on testing the g20’s up against RSi’s and see if they can make me a believer with their irons.
      Goofy taglines and lots of marketing (but they are a business, with goal to make money right?) but I don’t fault them for making quality products.

  15. Sean

    Oct 17, 2014 at 10:36 pm

    I just don’t see how these irons would be THAT much different in performance over an iron produced two or three years ago. I am sure they are fine irons, but I would suggest you can purchase a set from a few years ago that will perform just as well.

  16. MHendon

    Oct 17, 2014 at 11:53 am

    Well if I’ve learned anything on golf WRX, nothing gets more attention then a Taylormade club release. So if you believe the old saying “any publicity even bad is better then none” then they’re doing something right.

  17. TonyK

    Oct 16, 2014 at 7:53 pm

    I probably will never buy a club from Taylormade, but as much as I dislike them, I think it makes more sense to have the slots on the side rather than at the bottom of the sole. Better players’ mishits are not thin shots but towards the toe or the heel, and the side slots should better help.

    The other thing is, the side slots may less compromise the feel than the bottom sole slots does.

  18. George

    Oct 16, 2014 at 10:07 am

    When are these coming out I need to have them now!!!

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  20. Tuck

    Oct 16, 2014 at 1:57 am

    Okay. I’m going to play devil’s advocate for these clubs and the companies creating/profiting from them. I know this is going to sound hella naive and I honestly don’t know if I can believe myself but here it goes… Golf has notoriously been a sport which was associated with words such as “classic” and “timeless.” I mean I’ve still got a set of my dad’s old 681’s… somewhere and I’m currently playing a Cleveland launcher driver from I’d say ’07. Is anything wrong with these clubs? No, absolutely not. I could play them forever (I don’t play the 681’s, I got fitted for my own irons about 2.5 years ago). For the longest time I believed that upgrading your driver was ridiculous, and that there was no way you’d actually be gaining anything from it. As we know now, I am definitely losing yards/accuracy playing that driver from ’07 (but I’m broke and in college so its w/e) but I still thought if you got properly fitted for a set of irons, you wouldn’t gain much more from the next model. And now we come to a company like Taylormade who seems to be putting out new driver models and iron models about every four weeks. When I first saw this article I was immediately put off, the TP’s came out at what? The beginning of the year? A season later they’ve already created the next best thing when it comes to irons with these so called “faceslots.” But, I look at companies who have essentially been putting out the same iron since 1776 (shoutout to #murica), Ping and Titleist come to mind, who have been “reworking the stabilization bar” or “changing the sole” or “increasing momentum inertia” or some other horse bologna and I wonder why as golfers we get so upset at Taylormade for actually trying to innovate the clubs we use to play golf (Hah! Momentum Inertia). The speed pocket works. It’s physics. People get mad at Apple for coming out with the same phone every year, why would people get mad at Taylormade for actually improving golf technology? I wonder if Taylormade actually just came into the golf market at time where everyone was doing the same thing and these guys actually tried to improve technology instead of recreating the same thing. And now we, as golfers push back because it isn’t the classic, timeless, sacred, time-tested technology that us golfers have known for decades. I guess it’s odd to think innovation, in the golf community, is almost a bad thing… Depending on if you actually think what taylormade is doing is innovative and not a scam. But yeah, I’m probably not gonna buy these….. Those face slots are ugly. 😛

    • BCav

      Oct 17, 2014 at 12:28 pm

      It all depends if you really believe these slots are actually innovation. The sole slot is not. Wilson had an iron called the “Reflex” back in the eighties that had a sole slot. The iron was discontinued when the faces kept cracking. I also believe the face slots are marketing hype as well. While they may be able to manufacture results with a golf robot, I doubt the average golfer will see any real difference. The golf ball comes off the face so quickly, I can’t believe they would have any affect. Years ago I had a club engineer with Wilson golf tell me that the golf ball is only in contact with the club face for 1/2 second per round!!

      • Bob

        Oct 23, 2014 at 1:28 am

        I don’t think you understand how the physics of hitting a golf ball works. If we covered the face in leather it would have an effect and the ball wouldn’t be in contact with the face for any longer. You can argue the slots may not do as advertised but it’s not because the ball is not in contact with the face for long enough.

  21. mick

    Oct 16, 2014 at 1:47 am

    according to R&A rules holes through the face of clubs are not permitted, so how do they get away with this?

    • Billy

      Oct 16, 2014 at 3:52 am

      They’re not holes, filled in with polymer. So they can’t be holes since not hollow.

      • mick

        Oct 16, 2014 at 10:46 am

        They can’t be slots either then as they are filled in, so why call them face slots. If transparent material is used to fill a hole through the club it is deemed non conforming, but filling it with opaque material seems to make it legal !!! How do the R&A come up with this nonsense

    • Bob

      Oct 23, 2014 at 1:32 am

      There aren’t holes in the club face. For one they don’t go all the way through, therefore they are as much holes as the grooves on the club face are. And two they are filled in with a solid substance so they are in no way holes unless you have a very warped definition of a hole.

  22. Joe Golfer

    Oct 16, 2014 at 12:51 am

    Saw a good review of these irons at http://www.bunkersparadise.com/41405/taylormade-rsi-1-irons-review-nobodys-perfect/
    The guy who runs that website tried the clubs and reviewed them himself.
    He gave them very high marks for accuracy, stating that mishits tended to have very little dispersion or distance loss.
    I’m not a TM fanboy, and I agree with most folks about them releasing clubs too often and having lofts that are too strong, etc…
    That said, maybe these irons will be a better fit for a certain segment of the golfing population.
    Like many have said here on the forum, don’t rip them until you’ve at least tried them first.
    I have a six iron of the TM SpeedBlade (with the slot on the bottom) that I got as part of a promo.
    It’s okay, but it’s not as forgiving as my regular set.

    Let’s wait until more reviews get out there from real people rather than just reaming out TM based on their past sins, so to speak.
    Hopefully GolfWRX and other websites will be having humans testing these soon, and posting the results.

    • Tom Stickney

      Oct 17, 2014 at 9:14 pm

      Joe– I will be testing these irons tomorrow on TrackMan and my article will appear ASAP.

    • Willis

      Nov 25, 2014 at 11:27 am

      I had a promo 6 iron as well that I hit up vs my Ping G20’s on the range a couple times. The G20’s were more accurate for me, granted I was more comfortable with them I will admit. I did like the look (more compact) and the feel of the speedblades, but the ball ballooned up a lot more than my CFS shafts (which is hard to do lol) and I wasn’t a fan of the shaft. I am excited to try the new shaft the RSi’s will have in them as it is supposed to have more of a mid/High launch.

  23. Mad-Mex

    Oct 15, 2014 at 10:32 pm

    I thought this was a joke at first,

  24. alex

    Oct 15, 2014 at 9:04 pm

    probably will last for 6 months then we will see the 2.0 RSI looks like junk anyways

  25. todd.ashford

    Oct 15, 2014 at 7:00 pm

    If these clunkers don’t get bashed the way Nike’s Vapor Irons were, then I have lost all credibility in the members of these site!

  26. HackerDav31

    Oct 15, 2014 at 5:40 pm

    AHHH THERE’S NOTHING THEY CAN DO I WILL EVER LIKE!!! RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE!!!!! THEY’RE RUINING THE EARTH WITH GOLF CLUBS I DON’T HAVE TO BUY BECAUSE HUMANS ARE EQUIPPED WITH FREE WILL BUT I WILL STAY HATE EVERYTHING THAT COMES OUT NEW UNLESS ITS FROM TITLEIST OR PING BECAUSE THEY’RE NOT INTERESTED IN MONEY, THEY’RE JUST INTERESTED IN LOVING ME FOR ME!!!! RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE!!!!

    Sorry, was doing my best WRX-er…

  27. Upchucking

    Oct 15, 2014 at 4:55 pm

    I’m exhausted with all this nonsense. What’s next, grips extending down the full length of the shaft?
    Dual headed clubs? Snap on club heads? Oh wait, that’s currently used during the alleged “fitting” process. Let’s see, left handed steering wheels on golf carts? I got it, how about investing $1500 in golf lessons to avoid all this TP, non TP, authentic shaft vs “made for” gobbledegook back and forth about engineering, and “letsemptyasmanywalletsaspossible” jargon, instead!

  28. Robert

    Oct 15, 2014 at 3:05 pm

    The RS1 & 2 are hideous and honestly look like a rip-off of a Maltby iron. But I do like how they are at least trying to innovate and help the “not so gifted” golfer. It will be interesting to see if this new floating face actually does make a discernible difference or is just some more hi-tech hocus pocus. I truly hope it’s not the latter.
    The Tp model on the other hand is actually a decent looking club. And no I’m not saying that because they FINALLY came back out with the TP Badge after people have begged for it for years. Heck they could put a TP Badge on a turd and sell a good number of them. But I like that they are staying with the forgiving aspects on the “player’s” club while going with somewhat traditional lofts. I can’t wait to give the TP model a spin and see where it fits in. I’m guessing somewhere in the AP2 range with the other growing cast of characters.
    Now if we can just get the ole SLDR 2.0 with a TP badge all will be right with the world. Haha.

  29. Golfraven

    Oct 15, 2014 at 2:49 pm

    At least they didn’t come up with some nonsense name which tells me how fast those clubs are. No clue what RSi stands for but since TMG is German they probably have it from Audi RS – probably stands for race. Those are just cRSi-ER. Anyway who cares about the name. TP irons look nice though with the tp logo back on it. All new club releases next season are just confusing, just make sure to put the cash on the table – or your credit card. I will only buy one club next season and its not a driver or from TM.

  30. Jeff

    Oct 15, 2014 at 2:45 pm

    Why do iron releases make folks so mad? They’re so cool, you do that have to buy them. This is golfwrx, not golfequipmentconspiracytheory. Really, calling well-engineered iron releases gimmicks doesn’t make you look smart. I feel for the guys with a bag full of 2014 Tour Preferred irons just like I felt for the covert 2.0 guys when the vapors came out, but this is the game, and most of us love it.

  31. Ryan K

    Oct 15, 2014 at 2:35 pm

    The more and more I look at the TP version the more I like, which is a lot to say in comparison with TM’s recent offerings. The more I look at these the more I like the vertical slots to frame the ball and aid in alignment. Does the polymer wear with time???

    I might push for a new set of irons in the next year and I was nearly set on Nike’s but will give these a look.

  32. cb

    Oct 15, 2014 at 2:33 pm

    anyone else feel like the TMAG engineers operate like a 1940s newspaper. they are making their products then all of the sudden they realize something big. STOP THE PRESSES! Then they release the new product even though they had just released a product.

  33. Lowell

    Oct 15, 2014 at 1:26 pm

    I have tried to like the sldr irons but they felt to clunky with not much feel. I reverted back to the mc/cb irons which I am currently gaming as of now. I wouldn’t mind testing a set for Taylor Made since I play all Taylor made clubs in my bag and like their products. The sldr irons seemed to similar to the mc and cb irons and thats what failed on their part. The rsi set seems to me like the older r to which isn’t a bad thing. Big question I have is the slot tech on the toe and heel which most players tend not to try and hit. If this clubs targets that type of player, then this thing will end up as the sldr irons since most players try to avoid hitting it off the heel and toe. I believe that Taylor made would make a killing if they offered free fittings and allowed for the golfer to get the same treatment a pro would get and get a customized golf set for rack prices. I’m taliking any head, shafts grip, lie, length. Make it an experience. I would pay for that. I know you can do that now but often it will cost you several hundred to get that done. That would set you above the other manufacturer’s for sure. As far as the rsi, I will wait till the slot tech is in the middle of the face for me to buy a set. I’m not gonna go to my local PGA store looking for my track man numbers for all my toe and heel shots.

    • Golfer

      Oct 15, 2014 at 1:41 pm

      Taylor Made actually has a number of fitting labs across North America. A few years ago when on vacation I got fitted for a full set of clubs in Carlsbad at the Aviara Golf Club. The experience was great, and better yet, the advice was honest. Although I was playing an older set of Taylor Made irons and TM driver (but not fairways, wedges or putter), I wasn’t pressured to upgrade the non-TM gear to stuff that TM sold. Moreover, they didn’t even suggest upgrading the TM stuff in my bag since it was already dialed into the correct specification for me. They gave me suggestions on what to look for in near gear, and the advice on shafts will be particularly helpful when I get a new set of clubs. If you have the opportunity to visit one of the TM Labs, I highly suggest it. Most courses that the labs are affiliated with will also give you a package deal on tee times.

      • gwillis7

        Oct 15, 2014 at 3:00 pm

        I had a similar experience at the fitting center in Las Vegas. They were really cool about letting me compare my G15 irons up against the rocketbladez irons. Spent about 20 minutes with them and yes they advised me to get the TM irons but they said the PING’s performed great too, no hard selling.

    • Don

      Oct 15, 2014 at 7:55 pm

      I think you’re missing the point TM is making with this club. No one “tries” to hit shots off of the heel or toe, but statistically, we all do it more often than not. That being the case, this technology supposedly does not punish you as much when you do mishit it (which, again, statistically you do more often than not).

    • Tommy Hamricl

      Nov 16, 2014 at 7:57 pm

      I hit the rs2 7 iron today and they really felt good. I hit the 7 iron 150-160 yards which is about 10 yards further than my new jp 850 muzinos. I am however suspicious of hitting indoors on a matt to a trackman with the golfsmith salesman. Guess I won’t know unless I go to the course which won’t happen since I just spent a grand on the muzinos which are really nice clubs too.

    • Art

      Jul 11, 2015 at 10:08 am

      I’ve seen a lot of TM dealers offering a free fitting when you purchase their clubs. Look around, negotiate, make a deal.

  34. steve

    Oct 15, 2014 at 1:18 pm

    Which guy doesn’t like a nice slot to bang his balls on?

    • Curt

      Jan 11, 2015 at 11:54 am

      Great question, definitely not me!!!

      I couldn’t live without my “slot”.

  35. gplfing

    Oct 15, 2014 at 1:17 pm

    So polymer-filled slots on the face….ok why black? is for annoyance
    or distraction? why not red or pink?

  36. Sergio

    Oct 15, 2014 at 12:51 pm

    Come get it now or come get it later. For all you haters, don’t come at all cuz TM doesn’t need you.

    • Don

      Oct 15, 2014 at 8:00 pm

      I think the TM accountants would disagree with you on that one. TM is desperately trying to get back in the black after a dismal 2014. The entire golf industry needs any sale they can get these days.

  37. Robert G

    Oct 15, 2014 at 12:39 pm

    Good stuff overall. It keeps us golf people talking about the new innovations. All the other stuff………..market saturation, costs, last years equipment vs. this years…etc, etc……….let somebody else worry about it. I LIKE IT.

  38. Mark

    Oct 15, 2014 at 12:25 pm

    I love how everyone just flames them and nobody seems to have any understanding of how or why engineering works. Stop being shackled by your preconceived notions!!!

    The addition of the slots makes sense from a physics perspective. COR (Coeffecient of restitution) is a fancy way of saying “trampoline effect” and is a measure of how quickly something can flex (or compress depending if its spherical or flat) and then return to its original state.

    Why is this important? The faster it can do this, the more force the flex imparts during rebound…

    So why does this new design make sense?

    Imagine a square trampoline. It has springs on all four sides. The typical golf clubs with the speed pocket (or plasma welded faces but to a lesser extent) affords them the ability to flex in only one direction. This means on hits off the center (where the trampoline effect is max), you get a slower restitution (return to original state). Considering the ball is on the face for such a short time, the slowing of this restitution causes dramatic losses in ballspeed. The original speed pocket was designed to minimize this loss on low face struck shots. And like it or not, IT WORKED. This is why so many manufacturers are copying it.

    So the pocket in the sole helps shots hit poorly on the vertical axis, but what about balls off toe or heel? No help there, traditional irons are like a trampoline with springs only on one side (or no sides in a full blade), therefore only the center of the face can flex and return max energy.

    So…. now you put slots on either side of the face… a trampoline with springs on 3 sides (we don’t concern ourselves with the top as much as most misses are low, or right or left of center, a shot hit really high on face is going to be massively fat and that’s a problem tech cannot address). This allows the face to have a higher max COR area and significantly minimize the loss of COR on the horizontal axis.

    FYI, if you don’t think this is true, just look how much forgiveness was added when irons became perimeter weighted. The distribution of weight around the flex area has a very similar effect, but cannot be as efficient as a polymer designed to have a high flex and quick restorative property (high COR….)

    Say what you want about TM and their parade of new clubs, but the design of these is actually really sound from a physics perspective.

    Also, someone mentioned how they wont be workable… clearly you are confusing distance loss forgiveness with face angle. Workability is a function of blade length and perimeter weighting. Longer blade, more MOI (moment of inertia), more perimeter weighting, more MOI. MOI just causes the face to resist twist. Higher MOI creates lower workability, but COR has nothing to do with it. In fact, the face slots can potentially eliminate (or lessen the need for) perimeter weighting. The perimeter weighting will increase COR and MOI, but the face slots only change COR.

    Result? An Iron that doesn’t punish ball speeds and distance, but can maintain workability (if you want to ala the TP series).

    For as angry as some of you guys get it would behoove you to look for an explanation of why something is engineered and not just say its a gimmick.

    The additions of the slots should work, but may change feel. But you wont know until you hit them.

    Logic people… knowledge is power.

    • Jub

      Oct 15, 2014 at 12:31 pm

      Well said. Taylormade most likely hires the best and brightest engineers in the world to make their products.

      • steve

        Oct 15, 2014 at 1:22 pm

        You think the best engineers in the world design golf clubs?

        • MHendon

          Oct 17, 2014 at 12:10 pm

          I don’t know about all of them but Dave Pelz worked for NASA and was one of their senior scientist with responsibilities on several satellite programs including Explorer.

    • Tmag sux

      Oct 15, 2014 at 12:40 pm

      It don’t raise the COR cuz that’s been maxed out since 2005…learned that from Barney. Lol

      • Jeff

        Oct 15, 2014 at 2:36 pm

        Only in drivers, 3 woods, nd maybe the X hot hybrid. Nobody has maxed out COR in an iron yet.

        • Kevin McCallister

          Oct 15, 2014 at 3:00 pm

          The taylormade rocketballz had a COR of .81 and the rocketbladez were at .82 or .822 which is at or near the max COR of .822 with a tolerance to .83. It was really hard to find that data when I was researching to see if iron heads have been maxed out. Two years after the Ricketbladez came out Callaway and mizuno both have models that are longer with equivalent lofts so I am assuming nobody is marketing that they have a max COR iron because most companies have a model with a max COR iron.

        • Norman

          Oct 26, 2014 at 7:49 am

          Think the Wishon 771 and 870 are there already

          Every new GI iron should be tested against either of them

        • Tommy Hamricl

          Nov 16, 2014 at 8:07 pm

          The new jp 850 muzinos have. Their COR is .830 which is right at the legal limit

      • Mark

        Oct 15, 2014 at 2:52 pm

        It raises the size of the area with max COR…. more forgivness on mishits… less loss of distance on mishits…

    • kess

      Oct 15, 2014 at 1:07 pm

      I’m intrigued by these and that’s a first since the 300 forged. But I’ll probably wait till next fall when they’re $400. But I like the tech AND the look this time.

    • cb

      Oct 15, 2014 at 2:38 pm

      that was a great explanation. mad props (seriously, no sarcasm). i dont think people are upset really with the tech. yes their comments might be centered on it but that is really just a shadowing of the real reason for the anger. TMAG is hurting golf stores. its no secret and they cannot deny it. i suggest they switch to an online only store. ya crazy but golf stores cant make money when they are constantly buying inventory to only put it on the bargain rack a few months later.

  39. Jub

    Oct 15, 2014 at 12:25 pm

    It doesnt bother me that Cally and TM come out with so many clubs. Gives me more to choose from and I can get their last release cheaper when the new stuff comes out.

    Never understood why people almost seem to take it personal.

    • Jub

      Oct 15, 2014 at 12:28 pm

      To piggback on my post. I just bought a set of RBZ Tour Irons for $399 new at Roger Dunn 4-w. They were $899 when they came out. And they’re great irons. I tested them against 5 other clubs in the “players” iron category and got better numbers with them.

      • Neil

        Feb 25, 2017 at 5:38 pm

        If you look at the Wilson Staff c200 irons from last year, TM again copied the technology. A good swing will be far better than a shovel head iron that’s lofts are jacked up 3 degrees or more per club. Evey year we gain 10 yards on new TM drivers so on average we should be hitting the ball 500 yards with our drivers . . . lol. A good player plays players irons with traditional lofts. Chose to be a good players and learn how to hit good shots. The hype isn’t worth it. I still play a Title is 983k driver with a speeder shift. I have yet to play a better driver.

    • JH

      Oct 15, 2014 at 1:28 pm

      because it’s bad for the industry in many ways. there are reasons why most people who work in the golf world despise TM.

      • paul

        Oct 18, 2014 at 12:44 pm

        Because TM makes more money then their company.

  40. Gaz

    Oct 15, 2014 at 12:16 pm

    Also funny that most pga pros play tm drivers that aren’t tm tour players…fact

  41. Eric

    Oct 15, 2014 at 12:14 pm

    Coming in late 2015, Taylormade RSI Robot Buddy. You will no longer have to hit your own irons, your robot buddy will do it for you. Other features include TP beer and hot dog dispenser!

  42. Gaz

    Oct 15, 2014 at 12:11 pm

    Bring back persimmon and knife like blades that nobody can hit.lets all get that feeling of busted hands when you thin one in the winter.and let’s play balata balls that could be ruined after 1 hit.golf was less enjoyable in the 70s,80s and 90s because of the above for the majority of golfers,most amateurs never hit driver and always played 3 woods from the tee!!!embrace the technology or stay with all of the above.the good ole days any!

  43. Michael

    Oct 15, 2014 at 12:08 pm

    I’m probably painting a target on my back, but I don’t mind the constant releases by TM. There’s got to be a sufficient amount of demand in order for them to do it. The club ho that can afford new toys every few months will be happy. The player that doesn’t keep up with the new releases isn’t playing with “obsolete” equipment, it just isn’t the newest stuff. Still very good equipment. My R1 is still a beast and I’ll be playing it for a long time.

    • Peter Parker

      Oct 15, 2014 at 2:39 pm

      Nice to see a post from someone with reasonable perspective. I love trying new equipment, it’s fun. i don’t always buy but more choices never hurt anyone. It makes it easier to get the product you want with the fewest compromises. It always amazes me at the complaining that takes place with a new release. I understand it may hurt the golf shops but they dont make up all of the comments on the forums. It’s weird because those commentors, and this is an assumption mind you, don’t go into Baskin and Robbins and get pissed that there are to many choices and the consumers are just going to be confused by 32 flavors and it would be better if the only ice cream available were vanilla. I could make the same argument with the auto, cell phone, or movie industry but you get my point, most people other than communists like choices, just not most people that comment on this website.

    • Don

      Oct 15, 2014 at 8:44 pm

      I agree with this line of thinking. There are people that just love to hate TM for any reason they can think of. Chevrolet has exactly 15 different Silverado models on the lots, right now, and they’re all trucks, but all built for slightly different purposes to fulfill the needs of as many customers as they can, yet I don’t see people getting all up-in-arms about it. I ride BMX and MTB competitively, and my bikes are a couple of model years old now, but I don’t go around on cycling message boards and whine about bicycle mfgrs releasing newer, and often better models than what I currently have. When I want or need a new bike, it’s nice to know that there will be technologically superior models to choose from. Why don’t more golfers feel this way about clubs? My theory is there are a lot of golfers that NEED to show up at the course with the “latest and greatest” of anything, and TM’s release rate would put them in the poor house… so instead of embracing, or at least appreciating the technological advancements, they bash them. These haters think that mfgrs should only release clubs on their personal equipment replacement cycle, and if they can’t keep up, then the mfgr is BAD and hurting the industry. The only thing hurting the industry is golf is an inherently hard game to learn, and even harder to get halfway decent at, and newer generations don’t have the patience, attention span or gumption to keep at it… so they quit.
      Here’s the deal, find a club that works for you and play it. If you get the itch for a new set for whatever reason, isn’t nice that you can go shop for stuff that is NEW right then, and not new from last year? No one says you have to go out and buy every new release, just know that its available if you want to try it out. Maybe guys are just scared that these new irons will actually improve their game and lower their scores, and they’ll want them now, but the wifey won’t let them drop another grand on golf… that’s probably the real reason for all the bashing.

      • marty

        Oct 16, 2014 at 7:55 am

        Wifey. Hahahah. All true dude. Very simple for me. If they work for me I buy em. I ball hard.

    • Kevin

      Oct 16, 2014 at 12:10 am

      I don’t inherently have a problem with TM or their frequent releases, and carry the RBZ 3-wood. What I think rubs so many the wrong way is the marketing that promises so much improvement with every model every few months. Compare to a Mizuno, Titleist, or Ping that releases fewer models with less in your face marketing, and the TM marketing claims just seem more hollow. Sort of like TM claims to get 10% better every 6 months compared to the others getting 2-5% better every 2 years (made up generalizations). If the marketing were true, TM would be far superior in every way, and reality is there is much more similarity among manufacturers than there is differentiation. All that said, they aren’t forcing me to buy anything, so having a new option just adds something new to the test bank. Plus if these slots work, the other OEMs will add something similar with a new name within a year or two. At least TM is trying to innovate.

      I’m not knowledgeable of how the business model harms or doesn’t harm others in the industry such as retailers, but just my views as a consumer.

  44. gplfing

    Oct 15, 2014 at 12:03 pm

    These AP1 and AP2 are 7 years old!!! Just because they put a few holes on
    it does not make new irons!

  45. Johnny G

    Oct 15, 2014 at 11:48 am

    First thing that came to mind when I saw this article: “Be sure to drink your ovaltine.” I now know the disappointment, let down and disgust Ralphie felt.
    Face slots? Stupid gimmick. MIS-HITSHAPPENEVERY6MONTHS.COM

  46. Bobsyouruncle

    Oct 15, 2014 at 11:48 am

    Must. Keep. Shareholders. Happy.

    The moment any company goes public, it’s about pleasing the shareholders. And that means constant ‘innovation’ or at least the release of new products on a faster cycle than perhaps is necessary. I feel for the marketing department at TM. They really earn their salary having to come up with new keywords and new angles to market whatever the engineering department cooks up every couple of months.

    I think the hate from TM is the fact they market the heck out of their new products and claim them to be ‘the best ever’ and then roll out a replacement 6 months later. By that rate, I should be a scratch golfer by now if I kept buying each new thing they come out with. 😀

    • MikeOZ

      Oct 16, 2014 at 7:14 am

      Well why would they release products that were worse every 6 months?

  47. Ian Harrison

    Oct 15, 2014 at 11:39 am

    It’s amazing how, if you make a club 1/2″ longer than standard and 1 club stronger in loft, you can then put any gimmicks on the club head you want & Hey Presto! You hit it a club longer than your old set!! You only then need to put in a lighter shaft in with a low kick point, add a little weight to the bottom of the club head and up she goes too!! Not really rocket science is it?

    • Bruce Wayne

      Oct 15, 2014 at 11:42 am

      Have you hit these irons yet?

      • Ian Harrison

        Oct 15, 2014 at 12:02 pm

        Nope!! Will I? Nope! Now, your going to say something like, if you haven’t tried them you shouldn’t Bash them! When in fact I was I was merely stating how easy it is to produce a club that hits the ball further and higher. Numbers on the club head mean nothing.. I’m sure they are going to feel solid and help a certain type of player, the fact that, that certain player along with most would benefit from a couple of hybrids in the bag instead of strong lofted long irons is another story for another day..

        • PatcoPaul

          Oct 15, 2014 at 1:11 pm

          “Have you hit these irons yet?”… “Nope!! Will I? Nope! “. So why should we listen to anything you have to say. Your prejudice is there for all to see.

        • Peter Parker

          Oct 15, 2014 at 2:27 pm

          Ian Harrison, how about you go test the clubs, look at the numbers figure out what or if there are any differences with this product so you can have an intelligent conversation rather than just negative speculation. Maybe not you but some people might actually be interested in this product, want to learn about it and have a a constructive conversation thread in which to do so. I don’t understand why morons like you continue to post the same garbage article after article on new equipment forums about companies with to many releases, the products aren’t that much different, they cost to much, nothing but a gimmick, blah blah blah and continue to comment without actually trying the product. This product isn’t for everyone and maybe not for you but don’t ruin it for the rest of us that might have an interest.

          • Don

            Oct 15, 2014 at 9:11 pm

            C’mon now, we all know that old Ian is not only a sub scratch golfer that still plays his 1969 Acushnet blades, but he is also a world-class club designer that can explain the ins-and-outs of THE perfect golf club for EVERY player on the back of a IHOP napkin. We can’t possibly overcome his powerful arguments and logical explanations. Maybe he has a set of those old Titleist he’d be willing to part with, and give you lessons to boot, that would completely do away with all these unnecessary new products.
            Seriously, you can’t argue with guys like this… he comes into a discussion simply to bash a product he has no intention of even trying out. That’s not time well-spent on either side. He probably sits at home searching Taylormade just to find threads like this in which he can spew his contrary opinions = pointless!

  48. Will

    Oct 15, 2014 at 11:21 am

    i really don’t understand everyone’s hatred towards Taylormade for releasing new clubs every 6 months. They are trying to innovate and help to grow this dying game. This type of innovation could help bring someone back to the game or build confidence in someone that is losing hope. You don’t have to buy every new club they release, and guess what…you can get some smokin deals on really great clubs a year after they are released!

    • Christopher

      Oct 15, 2014 at 11:41 am

      In theory there’s nothing wrong with it, no-one makes you buy a new product, especially if you’re happy with the one you’ve got. But the constant releases of new products, with the reductions of out-going ones has hurt the retail industry badly. Retailers are losing money on clubs you’ve waited patiently to be discounted.

      The innovation of making irons longer and longer actual hurts the game the most, that’s the average player’s score, the clubs are designed for distance over accuracy (lower lofts on short irons hurts scoring, lower lofts and longer shafts on long irons are almost unusable for a beginner), so unless they buy extra wedges and hybrids their games suffer and eventually through frustration they will leave the game altogether.

      That’s not good for golf.

      Although it’s a lot easier for manufacturers to make longer clubs than more accurate ones!

      The TP’s look fantastic but I’d be concerned how much a distraction those slots are at address.

  49. Wally K

    Oct 15, 2014 at 11:05 am

    I love them, looks, technology and Being TM . Please send me all three sets to test.

  50. Sean

    Oct 15, 2014 at 11:02 am

    Before you know it a 3 iron will have 13* of loft. Golf equipment is done. Just make a good product and try to get more people to get into golf.

  51. simon

    Oct 15, 2014 at 11:02 am

    I was impressed with the robot test. Of course what we don’t know is what shaft the robot was using.
    A super stiff shaft and a very firm grip would result in what in what we see in the film. But some flex and a less robotic grip I think the results could be very different.
    Besides that I thought the clubs looked pretty good. But I will be sticking with Mizuno for a while yet.

    • Don

      Oct 15, 2014 at 9:27 pm

      You’re exactly right with your reasoning regarding the robot test. But conversely, place a less forgiving club in the same robot with the same shaft and grip and the results may be much worse than what was shown in the video. Not saying that the robot test is the be-all-end-all argument for these clubs, buts its a pretty good indicator of the forgiveness provided by this technology. Perhaps they could have made a stronger case if they had done a side by side test with a club without these slots to see the difference. But then again, you can make anything look any way you want with a little editing. We won’t really know until we go hit them ourselves. I just got a set of the new JPX 850s, and don’t plan on switching anytime soon, but I am intrigued enough to go check these out before making a final verdict on gimmick or not.

  52. Mat

    Oct 15, 2014 at 10:58 am

    I get the feeling that customers are forgetting that irons are your tools for getting on the green. If you’re more concerned with front loading your distance with a 23º 5-iron, you’re not helping yourself.

    This also means TM is selling the dream, not the product. So much loft gapping in the 8i-AW… this set needs to drop the 3 & 4, and add an 8.5 and 9.5 iron.

    • Bruce Wayne

      Oct 15, 2014 at 12:00 pm

      These irons were not any longer than my Mizuno mp54. The original rocketbladez actually went further for me because they spun less. The selling point on Taylormades new iron line should not be distance, but how ridiculously easy they are to hit or at least how consistent they are on mishits. The dispersion was really amazing when I tested the the RSi2 and is better in that respect than my mizunos. I used face tape to confirm I was hitting extreme heel and toe shots on purpose and never hit a shot more 5 yds off the centerline at 200 yds or less than 7 yds from a perfect strike. I had a few toe shots that I actually missed the grooves a little and the shot still turned out ok. The downside in my opinion is the click or muted sound or feel at impact, I’m not saying the sound is good or bad, just different but the performance speaks for itself. If you have ever hit a ping iron or rocketbladez on the extreme toe you know what that vibration feels like, these irons don’t produce harsh vibrations which is good, the trade off is a lack of feeshack.

    • MHendon

      Oct 15, 2014 at 12:02 pm

      Taylormade is simply marketing towards the avg golfer who is more concerned with being able to say I hit my 7 iron 170yds just like the pro’s then what their score is. Smart business on their part. I suspect the TP versions slots are only cosmetic so they look a little like the others. Like Christopher said the only person this constant release of new equipment really hurts is the retailer particularly the small mom and pop.

      • Bruce Wayne

        Oct 15, 2014 at 12:24 pm

        Have you hit these irons yet MHendon?

  53. Matt

    Oct 15, 2014 at 10:49 am

    Maybe I am missing the “performance” aspect right out of the gate, but my first thought after seeing these photos gravitated towards turf, sand, dirt, etc. getting into the head of the club…how do you get it out? Consider also that most people who clean the face after a strike likely follow the groove lines with their towel to get the grooves clean, so wouldn’t you effectively be pushing the dirt, sand, grass, etc. directly into one of the two slots? Sorry, but I have enough to worry about without the sound of anything rattling around on the INSIDE of my club head while I am pulling the trigger. #FAIL

    • Zak Kozuchowski

      Oct 15, 2014 at 10:53 am

      The slots are fully covered with polymer that is much easier to clean than a groove.

    • Captain Oblivious

      Oct 15, 2014 at 4:16 pm

      “The polymer-filled slots, which are cut all the way through the club faces, are located just outside the scorelines of the clubs.”

      Perhaps if you had read the article instead of just looking at the pictures you could have saved yourself some embarrassment.

      #EVENWORSEFAIL

  54. brilliant

    Oct 15, 2014 at 10:48 am

    for those that bought the speedblades, they were replaced few months later with the sldr’s. those that bought sldr now see and new replacement only few months later.

    how can a company hype a product so much as being the greatest iron ever invented, and then replace it few months later.

    i’m tired of TM. Their marketing has become a drag on the company image. If you truly like these clubs, buy them half price early next summer when they release the next latest and greatest.

    • dave

      Oct 15, 2014 at 11:14 am

      i was just speaking to a golf pro at Dick’s SG and he said the same thing. consumers are getting really mad once buying $1k set of clubs to be outdated a few months later. IMHO theyre all the same. i still shoot same score with my new irons as i do with my ’99 hogan apex’s!

    • Bruce Wayne

      Oct 15, 2014 at 12:16 pm

      RSi 1 replaces SpeedBlade
      RSi 2 replaces SLDR Iron
      RSi TP replaces Tour Preferred MC
      Tour Preferred CB goes away
      Tour Preferred MB remains in the lineup.

      The SpeedBlade and SLDR were targeted at different players. The problem is at the rate companies are coming out with equipment they are not getting the message out who their target consumer is for a product.

    • Don

      Oct 16, 2014 at 12:27 am

      You obviously have no idea which club was designed for which type of player.
      The SLDR was not a replacement for the Speedblade, and the RSi is not necessarily a replacement for either.
      Different clubs with different features for different types of players. It’s pretty simple really.
      With your logic, the Corvette is a replacement for the Camero, which was a replacement for the Malibu, which is a replacement for the Suburban, etc, etc.
      Different cars with different features for different needs, wants, uses.
      What kind of vehicle do you drive? Are you pissed that there is a newer, faster, more economical, blah, blah, blah car out there, but now you’re stuck with model X? Maybe you should trade it in {and lose your ass) for that new model, even though yours is just fine. That would be silly, right? Instead you should just go find an auto forum and start bashing on the mfgr for releasing new or different models… that would’t be silly at all, right? I mean, you have your car, why should anyone else be able to buy new models until you think its OK? Maybe they should check with you first to make sure you approve of the new model they are interested in. Do you see how silly this whole thing is?

      Your last statement is what’s really hurting the retail side of the industry… all you guys too cheap to pay full price, and admittedly waiting until they go on clearance. It’s not the release dates, or the prices, or the technology, it’s cheapskates who want the best without paying for the best.

      • Bruce Wayne

        Oct 20, 2014 at 10:44 am

        You could be right Don, I was just posting what the Taylormade Rep told me when he brought the new iron heads into the store prior to their release date about a month ago. I was told the SLDR line woods and irons are going away for an R15 line and the speedblades are being replaced by the RSi 1. He said Taylormade is looking for a more streamlined product line so customers can better find their equipment playability category with less confusion and product cycles will slow down some as well. For now irons released in October woods will be released in February and special items like driving irons and mini drivers could be anywhere in between to keep Taylormade in the media with new equipment buzz.

  55. RobG

    Oct 15, 2014 at 10:42 am

    I can imagine that every one of those slots reduces the feel of impact. These irons are pure distance irons, designed to the hit the ball longer and straighter with no regard to feel or workablility. How can golfer strive to make better swings and better contact when the club does all the work? These clubs wont make golfers better. No thanks.

    • Regis

      Oct 15, 2014 at 10:51 pm

      Couldn’t be more wrong. I played forged for over 40 years but had to move to a non-forged. Gamed the G25 for a while then the Cobra Amp Cell. Disappointed . Moved to the SLDR irons. They feel like forged. Ask any one who plays them. Just a great feel, great feedback and forgiveness. I have no interest in the RS1 but I’m a believer in slots. See the brand new Titleist 915 woods. Is that a slot?

      • MHendon

        Oct 17, 2014 at 1:20 am

        No its a channel! Now what’s the difference I’m not sure?

  56. Ryan P

    Oct 15, 2014 at 10:37 am

    If you watch the Rsi tour pros try this demo video and pause it at 0:09 seconds on the lower right hand corner there blurring out something but you can get a small glimpse of it. Anyone know what it is?

  57. John

    Oct 15, 2014 at 10:18 am

    More marketing garbage along with jacked up lofts for “longer distance”

  58. Joe W

    Oct 15, 2014 at 10:16 am

    I hit the RSi 2 the other day for a few shots (7iron with kbs shaft) and was told before hand that it would be hotter off the face. I currently play the 588 tts and after hitting the iron the only thing I liked about it was the top view at address. Barely any feedback, and I hit it the same distance as my current set up. No thanks, I’ll stick with my used set of 588s.

  59. Robert

    Oct 15, 2014 at 10:08 am

    The thing that continues to confuse me about the slots is that they end in the short irons. If they benefit everyone from the 7 iron to 3 iron, how can they abruptly stop it at the 8 iron? I’m sure there are many people that have the same swing speed with an 8 iron that most people have with a 7 or a 6 iron. They should see benefits with the slots as well…right? So why take that advantage away from them? I hit my short irons way more than my long irons during a round so in the end these wouldn’t be that beneficial to me.

  60. RAT

    Oct 15, 2014 at 10:03 am

    Looks like a grab bag of Cleveland, Adams with the TM Rossa shield . No thanks..

  61. Chris

    Oct 15, 2014 at 9:52 am

    RSi…. Really Stupid Idea?

  62. birdiexris

    Oct 15, 2014 at 9:50 am

    I just don’t like the look of these. Those face slots just make me feel like i am aligned left all the time and would probably lead to a lot of push/slices IMO. It’s a neat idea, but the whole slots thing is getting crazy. How much more distance do these really add? I mean really? if i’m to believe Taylormade and their advertising and science, i should be hitting these irons 40 yards farther than the Maltby blades i’m hitting now. What i wouldn’t give to hit a 240 yard 4 iron and a 140 yd sand wedge. These are neat and they’ll make money but not needed. I’ll stick to my old sticks, thanks.

  63. Double Mocha Man

    Oct 15, 2014 at 9:49 am

    Sneakily, Taylormade is removing expensive metal from its irons and still charging us the same price. Another version of the shrinking candy bar.

    • MHendon

      Oct 17, 2014 at 12:20 pm

      I wanted to agree with you there but I suspect the process of plasma welding several pieces of metal together and milling out pockets to fill in with different polymers cost more then simply casting a solid piece of metal.

  64. The Crow

    Oct 15, 2014 at 9:46 am

    “The RSi TP irons were developed to deliver launch, consistency and feel to take performance to the next level for our Tour Professionals,” Bystedt said.”
    ^ Okay maybe but consider Sergio counterweights and bends his clubs flat, even these are not ‘set up’ for TM’s own staff.

    “The shapes of these irons will be instantly pleasing to better players and will have the feel and workability that golfers expect in a forged product.”
    ^You don’t need to be a better player to like a pleasing looking iron shape. Hackers like me don’t like the look of a shovel anymore than a pro does. Forged and workability have nothing to do with each other. Forged is a process of shaping steel. Complete marketing speak here.

  65. ron

    Oct 15, 2014 at 9:35 am

    I am liking the look of these… face slots and all!

  66. paul

    Oct 15, 2014 at 9:14 am

    Can’t stand the look of these. I liked how the last years models looked. These are horrible. Even if they make the ball go farther, I prefer to look down at a nice club.

  67. jgpl001

    Oct 15, 2014 at 8:52 am

    The RSi TP iron looks very like an Adams iron…..

    Expect to see the MC on knock down price very soon

  68. Pingback: Introducing the new TaylorMade RSi Irons Series - CHICAGODUFFER.COM

  69. LB

    Oct 15, 2014 at 8:12 am

    Yikes. Pass. Taylormade has lost the plot it seems.

  70. gwillis7

    Oct 15, 2014 at 8:07 am

    I would try these, I am not a huge fan of TM irons, but the youtube vid they have on them is pretty cool. Distances very very similar despite hitting it on the toe or heel. I play PING and am happy with my ugly, no hosel, G-series irons cuz they just work and are extremely forgiving. But like I said, I would like to compare the two.

    The marketing is good, funny to me sometimes (esp the distance gains…..THANK GOODNESS they aren’t claiming another 17 yds or something), but it works and brings people to the game I guess.

  71. Brian

    Oct 15, 2014 at 7:58 am

    Oh no, flames are coming, take cover. Instead of glancing over it, people are going to start bashing. BASHING KEYWORDS: marketing, newer design, gimics, sale in 6 months, “people really fall for this?,” just make a good line and continue it, jacked up lofts … I am having trouble remember what the flames looked like last release so that is all I got for now.

  72. bradford

    Oct 15, 2014 at 7:23 am

    Yeah, no thanks on these. I’m sure they feel great, but to call these super GI clubs “TP” means that line is dying.

    • Tim

      Oct 15, 2014 at 9:42 am

      Blades are now super GI? You are the one that has lost it…

      • bradford

        Oct 15, 2014 at 10:56 am

        You think these are “blades”?

      • bradford

        Oct 15, 2014 at 10:58 am

        A cast and welded iron with an undercut, foam inserts, and a thick topline? Wow, you’re right–what was I thinking. These are blades.

  73. dan360

    Oct 15, 2014 at 7:10 am

    Really? Really?? REALLY???

    I see a shark….no wait, all good…they jumped it.

    What’s next? Holes in the face? Oh wait…can’t do that and even if you could the Air Hammer already has it
    POWWWW!!!!!!!!

    • Michael

      Oct 15, 2014 at 11:59 am

      BOOM BABY!! Don’t forget the supermetal Zolex face too.

  74. Andy Corso

    Oct 15, 2014 at 6:58 am

    Instead of forgiveness why don’t TM make training aids to help people hit the ball better?…. just a thought

    • bradford

      Oct 16, 2014 at 11:41 am

      Unfortunately that goes under the assumption that people are willing to practice. It’s much easier to sell them distance than skill.

  75. Team

    Oct 15, 2014 at 3:46 am

    Can you get your hair tangled in them face slots? I hear TM wants your DNA so that they can hound you endlessly year after year as it joins forces with Apple to make sure you become stuck in a proprietary circle nightmare………..

  76. JIMMY

    Oct 15, 2014 at 3:42 am

    17* 3-Iron. LOL……….Really…

    • bradford

      Oct 15, 2014 at 7:17 am

      Loft up.

    • Hebron1427

      Oct 15, 2014 at 10:45 am

      No, not really. The chart says 17* for the 2, not the 3. Try reading before you flame–it tends to keep you from looking stupid.

      • bradford

        Oct 15, 2014 at 11:01 am

        oh the irony…Hebron, you should read the stats on the RSi1.

      • Ian Harrison

        Oct 15, 2014 at 11:28 am

        Have another look at the RSi 1 and you may just find that it does indeed say 17° for the 3 iron loft!
        the RSi 2 has a 17° 2 iron. So perhaps you would like to read articles properly before correcting others & making YOURSELF look STUPID!!

      • JIMMY

        Oct 15, 2014 at 5:17 pm

        Are you really that dumb??

  77. RogerinNZ

    Oct 15, 2014 at 3:30 am

    They will sell truckloads of these!
    The new wedge range looks great!

    • Carl truitt

      Oct 15, 2014 at 5:16 am

      Sure they will…..in 6 months, at 50% off, when the full polymer face version comes out.

      • Scooter McGavin

        Oct 15, 2014 at 7:20 am

        Nope, they’ll sell a bunch right at the start. Same thing happened with the Speedblades. I thought “Nobody’s going to buy these. They aren’t any different from the Rocketbladez that people just bought.” Sure enough though, we had lots of people coming into the store looking to buy them when they first came out. Everyone talks about how people are smart and are getting wise to the golf companies, but when it comes down to it, there are still plenty of people willing to pay full boat for their stuff.

        • Greg

          Oct 15, 2014 at 8:02 am

          Only smart people are wise to what Cally and TM have been doing…at least for now.

          • Tim

            Oct 15, 2014 at 9:41 am

            No one makes you buy clubs bro. Get over it.

          • bradford

            Oct 16, 2014 at 11:45 am

            Doesn’t really take much intelligence to realize that a golf company will try and sell golf equipment…

          • Don

            Oct 16, 2014 at 11:27 pm

            Yeah, when I wen to a demo day a few weeks ago all the other brands there told me I would lose distance, feel and accuracy over my current set… except TM and Cally! When I got fitted for and purchased my Mizzy JPX 850s they told me I’d be disappointed, but at least I’m not playing with evil TMs or Calloways. You guys are silly!

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Whats in the Bag

Russell Henley WITB 2024 (March)

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  • Russell Henley WITB accurate as of the Cognizant Classic.

Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 6.5 TX

3-wood: Titleist TS3 (16.5 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX

Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT Hybrid 100 TX

Irons: Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT (4-6), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (7-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 50-08F @51, 54-10S, @55, 60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron T5 Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

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Whats in the Bag

Vince Carter WITB 2024 (March)

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  • The NBA legend was teeing it up in the Arnold Palmer Invitational Pro-Am.

Driver: Ping G430 Max 10K (9 degrees)

3-wood: Ping G430 Max (15 degrees)

7-wood: Ping G430 Max (21 degrees)

Irons: Ping i230 (4-PW)

Wedges: Ping Glide 4.0 (50, 54, 58)

Putter: Ping

Ball: Renegade Mbu

Check out more photos of Vince Carter’s WITB here.

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From the Forums: I need more forgiveness in my irons – Looking for recommendations

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In our forums, our members have been discussing the most forgiving irons currently on the market. WRXer ‘TheShark1’ is on the hunt for a new set of irons, saying:

“Currently gaming the Mizuno Pro 225’s but think I need more forgiveness in my irons. My well struck shots are real nice, but my mishits are not performing as good as I had hoped anymore. I really like hollow body irons so if I could find something more forgiving in a hollow body iron that would be great.

Open to any and all recommendations other than Ping. Can’t hit Ping irons at all.”

And our members have been sharing their best suggestions in our forum.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • AvidSwampThing66: “Another vote for the super forgiving and fast Paradym irons.   They look really good for being a GI iron.”
  • bobfoster: “I just went from MP20 MMCs to the new 245s in my scoring irons (just played my first round with them today). If you have a chance to try them, you might find them worth a serious look.”
  • vman: “Shoot me down, but spend the money on lessons.”
  • J_Tizzle: “i525s are great off the heel in my opinion.”

Entire Thread: “From the Forums: I need more forgiveness in my irons – Looking for recommendations”

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