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Photos of TaylorMade irons from the last 35 years

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TaylorMade has been making irons for more than 35 years, and depending on how long you’ve been playing golf, there’s a decent chance you’ve used one or more of the iron sets below.

Our slideshows cover each decade of TaylorMade irons, and we’ve captioned certain photos to help put the company’s iron launches in historical context. For more on the past, present and future of the iron-design process, make sure to read our deep dive on the topic: How TaylorMade designs its next set of irons.

What’s your favorite set of TaylorMade irons from the ’80s, ’90s, ’00s and ’10s? What did you like about them? Which sets did you buy, and which ones would you still use today? Let us know in the comments section at the end of this article. And remember, you can click the photos to enlarge them and read the full captions.

1980-1989

1990-1999

2000-2009

2010-2016

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42 Comments

42 Comments

  1. Find a local window repair service to help Things You Can Do To Cost Of Replacing Double Glazing Brentwood With Exceptional Results. Every Time fix your windows
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    are licensed and insured. Different states have different licensing requirements.

  2. rex235

    May 6, 2016 at 12:22 am

    The 1987 TM TD Tour Preferred Iron was one of the best irons ever, and a LH model was available.

    Some of these newer models like the TM TP Forged from 2005 were a nod to the MacGregor MT Wingbacks from 50 years earlier. Coin Forged? Smoke? RH only to be sure, and Miura made?

    Taylor Made golf made a LH Forged 300 set for Mike Weir and he won the Masters, then promptly said they would NOT make this model available to other LH golfers. DID NOT CARE.

    The current TM Tour Preferred blade iron is also RH only, and is a nod to the first Ben Hogan Precision model from 1954-55.

    TM’s first Pittsburgh Persimmon Models were game changers, but for the most part their iron models remain Right Hand only.

  3. RB

    May 2, 2016 at 1:51 pm

    Interesting – had kind of forgotten how popular TM irons were in the past decades, and how well regarded they used to be.
    All those clubs listed, and it doesn’t include the only TM irons i ever played – Rocketbladez Tour. Completely different club than the std. Rocketbladez

  4. Brando

    Apr 30, 2016 at 3:59 am

    I hit a friends 1993 or so Taylor Made original Burner Driver last week 10 degree. Hit it great on a tight hole 260 yards right down the middle or so at 43.5 inches long. My sldr I probably hit 280-288 yards avg. The old Taylor hit it nice and low very boring flight. I am about a 7 handicap and had it to two under yesterday after 14 holes great for me. The home stretch the holes were all dead into a 20mph wind and I fell apart sprayed a few drives and finished 3 over par. I think if I had that original burner driver on those last few holes things may have been different. When hit on the screws the clubs from the 1990’s still preform very well. I hit a original burner 5 wood 1993 model all through high school golf and I really don’t find that club much different than today’s hybrid clubs in head shape trajectory or ease of hitting the sweet spot. Sure on down wind drives the new stuff will really crush the small headed drivers but I am thinking to pick up one of those original Taylor Made Burners for tight tracks and windy days is good to have.

    • Ballz

      May 1, 2016 at 1:56 am

      It’s the ball. Pick the right ball, the one that has lower trajectory. So much technology is in the balls now.

  5. Adam Scott

    Apr 29, 2016 at 10:00 pm

    Too many products!

  6. gdb99

    Apr 29, 2016 at 9:59 pm

    What happened to the ferrules?

    • emb

      Apr 30, 2016 at 12:44 pm

      these are just heads, no shaft. A loose shaft was just put in so show the address position better, hence no ferrule

  7. Chuck D

    Apr 29, 2016 at 6:59 pm

    @ The Man! Fantastic list!! The ICW 11’s!! Oh, those bring back memories. I did some serious damage to courses with those sticks!

  8. Nath

    Apr 29, 2016 at 4:48 pm

    Its great that GOLFWRX has put up these photos of TAYLORMADE irons over the last 35 years.
    What is not so good is that taylormade removed the whole history of their irons from their website some 3-4 years ago, completely removed it! Dumb move taylormade.

  9. jrp

    Apr 29, 2016 at 4:40 pm

    They didn’t show the X-300 FCI limited edition forged in Japan by Miura for the Us market. Those were soft & sweet!

    • Mark

      Apr 30, 2016 at 10:36 am

      Oh yeah. Those had a good design. Figures… Miura.

  10. Regis

    Apr 29, 2016 at 4:31 pm

    I played Mizuno then Miura forged but as my swing speed and ball striking declined with age, I started looking for a GI alternative with graphite shafts. The RACs were good, as were the R7 CGB Max irons ( I turned a friend on to them and he’s an avid golfer and he has no interest in upgrading) but my favorites are the SLDR irons which I re-shafted with Matrix Kujoh shafts. For me they’re the best heads ever made by TMAG

  11. golfbum

    Apr 29, 2016 at 3:52 pm

    TPF irons are probably the finest iron design ever. In fact still made today by a number of japan forging houses: vega irons Kyoei. The funny story here is that LOU ORTIZ of Orlimar designed them; chose to go in on the tooling with Taylormade. Have the whole story from Jesse Ortiz. Fine iron design and still playable today. LOVE looking at quality clubs of yesteryear!

  12. Mark

    Apr 29, 2016 at 3:37 pm

    No ICW5s? They were gorgeous. I understand the tour heads were cast softer to improve feel.

  13. The man

    Apr 29, 2016 at 3:07 pm

    According the the PGA below (not in release order) is the full list of every TM iron set.

    200 Steel
    300
    320
    360
    360 XD
    Aeroburner
    Burner 1.0
    Burner 2.0
    Burner 2009
    Burner HT
    Burner LCG
    Burner Midsize
    Burner Oversize
    Burner Plus
    Burner SuperFast 3.0
    Burner Superlaunch
    Burner Superlaunch Rescue
    Burner Tour
    Burner XD
    EL-1
    F81
    Firesole
    Firesole Tour
    ICW 11
    ICW 5
    Iron Cleek
    Kalea
    KVD
    LCG

    M2
    M2 Tour
    Miscela
    Miscela 2006
    PR 1
    PSi
    PSi Tour
    R11
    r5 XL
    r7
    r7 cgb MAX
    r7 cgb MAX 2008
    r7 Draw
    r7 Draw Rescue Hybrid
    r7 TP
    r7 XD
    R9
    R9 TP
    RAC CGB
    RAC Forged CB TP
    RAC HT
    RAC LT
    RAC LT 2005
    RAC MB
    RAC MB TP
    RAC MB TP Smoke
    RAC OS
    RAC OS 2005
    RAC TP 2005

    RAC TP Combo
    RBZ Pro
    RBZ Pro Combo
    RocketBallz
    RocketBallz HP
    RocketBallz Max
    RocketBladez
    RocketBladez HL
    RocketBladez HP
    RocketBladez Max
    RocketBladez Tour
    RSi 1
    RSi 2
    RSi TP
    SLDR
    Speedblade
    Speedblade HL
    SuperSteel
    Titanium Bubble 2
    Tour Burner
    Tour Preferred
    Tour Preferred 2009
    Tour Preferred CB
    Tour Preferred CB 2014
    Tour Preferred MB
    Tour Preferred MB 2014
    Tour Preferred MC
    Tour Preferred MC 2014
    X-300 FCI

    • Nath

      Apr 30, 2016 at 9:44 pm

      Now why cant we get this info from TM site?

  14. Hawk

    Apr 29, 2016 at 2:51 pm

    I’m sure it’s not just me, but following the time line it appears that TM’s production line used to be 2-3 years until 2007 where it went to a year, and now it is like 6 months….WTF Taylormade…

  15. Al Cleaver

    Apr 29, 2016 at 2:37 pm

    Blindfold me, take off the logos, let me hit 10 different brands of similar irons and I still end up with Taylormade.

    Owned Firesole Titanium Tungsten, RAC LT, now Rocket Bladz. All have been satisfying to play with. Each suited my skills at the time.

    • B Clizzle

      Apr 29, 2016 at 5:55 pm

      You must like that plastic feel at impact

  16. Steve C

    Apr 29, 2016 at 2:32 pm

    Of course we all have our personal favorites on the trip down memory lane. For me, the tour preferred TDs of 1987 were my club of choice. I played them for years eventually finding the two iron 2 iron to add to add to the set. Those long irons were soooo easy to hit. (Of course I never broke a 4 hdcp., so what do I know?)

  17. simon Burrows

    Apr 29, 2016 at 1:26 pm

    The TM300s are still in the bag. Yet to find anything better.

    • B Clizzle

      Apr 29, 2016 at 4:55 pm

      Must not be looking since it’s like every iron ever

  18. Dlygrisse

    Apr 29, 2016 at 12:29 pm

    I can sum up TM irons with one general statement over the years….meh….

  19. Pandhandle Loki

    Apr 29, 2016 at 12:25 pm

    Wonder who will comment 50 million times on this article

  20. adan

    Apr 29, 2016 at 12:04 pm

    My first set in golf was the TM RAC OS. I only care about their drivers anymore.

  21. Miquel Angel

    Apr 29, 2016 at 11:52 am

    Thanks for the sentimental journey. I shot in the 70’s for the first time usign the icw5 – and those RAC MP TP Smokes…wowza…

  22. CCTxGolf

    Apr 29, 2016 at 11:41 am

    This was cool. It would be interesting to see for all of the top brands.

    • Hawk

      Apr 29, 2016 at 2:57 pm

      I heard they thought about it, but the other brands didn’t have half the total number of irons during the same time period so they thought it would be less interesting….

      • B Clizzle

        Apr 29, 2016 at 4:58 pm

        Still for the club ho….
        We’d like to see it but want someone else to do the work for us

  23. Matty

    Apr 29, 2016 at 11:41 am

    To be honest, does anyone think that the look of the M2 and M2 Tour irons would be better if they took out those 2 bars at the back of the iron?

  24. Poi

    Apr 29, 2016 at 11:34 am

    Awesome stuff.

  25. cody

    Apr 29, 2016 at 11:08 am

    missed a few sets but pretty cool to see.

  26. Matt

    Apr 29, 2016 at 10:18 am

    The 300 Forged irons were some of the best irons ever made. Could easily still be gamed today.

    • dapadre

      Apr 29, 2016 at 11:18 am

      You beat me to it…….yes indeed the 300s were simple but efficient.

    • Johnny

      Apr 29, 2016 at 11:34 am

      Indeed, the 300 forged was the best they have made. Still see them in bags at the club sometimes.

    • cgasucks

      Apr 29, 2016 at 2:57 pm

      My heart still flutters every time I see those irons…they as beautiful as they perform…

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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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Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (3/18/24): Scotty Phantom X5 Knuckleneck Conversion

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Scotty Phantom X5 Knuckleneck Conversion.

From the seller: (@EdwardSnr): “Scotty Phantom X5- Knuckle Long Neck Conversion (Work done by NorCal Putters) This putter plays at 34 inches long, custom black tour dot added onto the putter face. Baby T Black grip on it and comes with OEM HC. Looking for 649 NOW 609 Shipped CONUS.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Scotty Phantom X5 Knuckleneck Conversion

This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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