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New TaylorMade M5 and M6 irons feature Speed Bridge Technology

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2019-TaylorMade-M5-and-M6-irons

TaylorMade Golf has unveiled its new M-series irons for 2019: TaylorMade M5 irons and TaylorMade M6 irons, which are available to pre-order from January 18.

A brand new feature of both irons is TaylorMade’s new Speed Bridge Technology. The new technology from TaylorMade incorporates a high strength, mass-efficient structural beam spanning across the cavity back of the club to connect the top line with the back bar of the iron.

The Speed Bridge technology (4-PW), featured on both the 2019 TaylorMade M5 irons and the 2019 TaylorMade M6 irons, aims to increase distance and forgiveness while the increased rigidity in the top line and upper perimeter of the face is designed to improve both sound and feel.

Speaking concerning the new technology, Matt Bovee, Senior Manager of the company stated

“At TaylorMade, we have always strived to push the performance envelope to give players maximum distance and forgiveness in our game improvement irons. Our new SPEED BRIDGE technology allows us to do exactly that while improving sound and feel at the same time. Distance has never felt as good as it does with the M6 irons.”

Through this technology, TaylorMade has created a thru-slot Speed Pocket (4-7) for the first time in their irons, which the company claims is their “most flexible Speed Pocket to date”. The redesigned Speed Pocket has been created to provide greater face flexibility at impact to maximize ball speed and carry distance.

The combination of TaylorMade’s new Speed Bridge construction and thru-slot Speed Pocket are designed to work in unison, improving how the iron face performs during impact by shifting the point of maximum deflection lower on the face. According to TaylorMade, this deviation activates the Speed Pocket more efficiently, delivering extra flexibility over a large area of the face and delivering faster ball speeds than their previous irons.

Both irons also feature a new HYBRAR Compression Damper, which aims to control and minimize vibration for a soft and solid feel. The stiffer top line of the clubs means that the maximum point of deflection of the iron face at impact is lower than previous designs, and the lower deflection point aligned with the HYBRAR Damper aims to dampen unwanted vibrations more efficiently.

2019-TaylorMade-M6-irons-

The 2019 TaylorMade M5 and M6 irons also feature a low and deep center of gravity which aims to produce an efficient energy transfer at impact with a high launching, penetrating ball flight even for mis-hits low on the face. While the irons also contain a high MOI which is designed to provide greater stability and forgiveness.

As well as the irons deep CG and high MOI, they also contain an ultra-thin face design with TaylorMade’s patented Inverted Cone Technology (ICT). The ultra-thin face is designed to allow the iron to be flexible and fast, and paired with the ICT design the combination aims to provide players with a larger and more accurate sweet spot.

GolfWRX.com’s Johnny Wunder tested the irons in late November at “The Kingdom,” and this is what he thought.

TaylorMade M5 Irons

Look
“I mean its a distance driven, game improvement iron so I’m not really all that concerned with minimal off set and a thin top line. Thats not this club. HOWEVER the M5 is a great looking iron! The long irons may sneak into a tour bag or two.”
Feel
“The technology on the back do dampen the vibration and create some meat behind the ball. For a distance iron it feels great.”
Sound
“For a DI it sounds good but these irons typically sound almost like mini drivers to me. I don’t think the goal for TM was to create perfect acoustics, this club is supposed to fly and fly far.”
Overall
“The M5 is a good overall offering. The profile is eye pleasing enough that some lower handicappers looking to hit it a bit further may find it an easy transition into these. Thats saying that a lot for a DI.”

TaylorMade M6 Irons

Look
“In simple, frank terms….it looks like you are going to hit the 7 iron 220 at 35,000 feet. The M6 is a beefed up distance iron that looks like as such.”
Feel
“It feels and sounds like a mini driver, which is what is was designed to do.”
Overall
“The M6 was built and signed for someone looking for ULTIMATE forgiveness and distance. Mission accomplished.”

Specs, Pricing and Availability

M5

  • Product at Retail, (Pre-Order): February 1, (January 18)
  • MSRP: $999 steel/$1,199 graphite
  • Set: 4-AW, SW
  • Stock Shafts: True Temper XP100 (steel) (S, R), Mitsubishi Tensei Orange (graphite) (S, R)

M6

  • Product at Retail, (Pre-Oder): February 1, (January 18)
  • MSRP: $899 steel/$999 graphite
  • Set: 4-PW, SW
  • Stock Shafts: KBS Max 85 steel shafts (S, R) or Fujikura ATMOS Orange graphite shafts (7S, 6R & 5A). For women, the M6 irons will come equipped with the TaylorMade Tuned Performance shaft.

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21 Comments

21 Comments

  1. Tom

    Jan 8, 2019 at 3:37 pm

    Wow! Its glaringly obvious these guys have NOTHING new, so they reintroduce other manufacturer’s unsuccessful concepts (Nike Slingshot) in this case. They should be embarrassed.
    Save your money!!!

  2. ogo

    Jan 7, 2019 at 10:34 pm

    A WILLIAM ROSS PATENT SPRING-FACE IRON, CIRCA 1893
    http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2007/the-jeffery-b-ellis-antique-golf-club-collection-n08380/lot.379.html

    Well… so much for TM “engineering” innovative superiority… 😮

  3. Scheiss

    Jan 7, 2019 at 8:13 pm

    I love them
    hehehe

  4. Randy

    Jan 7, 2019 at 6:54 pm

    Nice add

  5. stevek

    Jan 7, 2019 at 2:16 pm

    That slit notch in the heel under the hosel is presumably to facilitate bending.
    The TM notch is an abrupt change in the hosel area and subject to high concentrated stress loading. The Ping scalloped notch is a gradual change in the hosel area and better for stress distribution. These TM irons are undoubtedly designed for the low swing speed recreational golfer to avoid stress problems and fractures.

    • CaoNiMa

      Jan 7, 2019 at 8:11 pm

      No, you’re wrong.
      That slit is to entice people to stick something in it
      It’s a slit after all
      lol

  6. KM01

    Jan 7, 2019 at 1:10 pm

    So they come off fast, and go far… No mention of stopping control though? So these go far and don’t hold greens? Longest playable iron is going to be about 8 iron for most!!!

  7. Rod

    Jan 7, 2019 at 12:57 pm

    Looks similar to Speedblades

  8. dat

    Jan 7, 2019 at 12:08 pm

    That thing is chunky, and expensive. No thank you.

  9. ~j~

    Jan 7, 2019 at 12:02 pm

    Wow, a clear miss to fans of previous M models. But hey, we’ll just keep dialing the lofts down till we have the furthest irons ever (until theor next fall release that is).

  10. Richard Douglas

    Jan 7, 2019 at 11:43 am

    I’m not a TM basher. I played the Rocketballz irons and the RSi1 in the past. But….

    This chase for more distance is irons is silly. First, I doubt seriously you’d see any–or much–improvement from recent designs. If you have much older clubs, sure, but you’re due for an upgrade from those Macgregor blades anyway, right?

    But the bottom line is this: if you want to hit your 8-iron 10 yards farther, go grab the 7. (Oh, and if you play single-length irons, that is a really simple prospect.)

  11. T R

    Jan 7, 2019 at 11:06 am

    Remember the Nike Slingshot?

  12. 2putttom

    Jan 7, 2019 at 10:57 am

    wonderful, ant pro’s carrying em’ in their bag yet?

  13. Ronald

    Jan 7, 2019 at 10:47 am

    7 iron is now 27 degrees of loft??

  14. Chip

    Jan 7, 2019 at 10:14 am

    Now my m3 irons are worthless!

    • Jerry G

      Jan 7, 2019 at 10:34 am

      I learned about 5 yrs ago to avoid all things TM.

  15. John

    Jan 7, 2019 at 9:42 am

    That’s basically the exact thing Callaway did with Epic irons… years ago..

  16. Brian McGranahan

    Jan 7, 2019 at 8:51 am

    More garbage.

  17. Jerry G

    Jan 7, 2019 at 7:36 am

    So that the faces will not collapse any longer, they made a speed bridge… another TM gimmick marketed as innovation. Makes sense.

    • Stoney

      Jan 21, 2019 at 9:43 pm

      At least no one will have to return these due to the face collapsing. They got something right.

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Equipment

Q&A: Martin Trainer on his Bobby Grace “Greg Chalmers” putter, 6.5-degree driver, and “butter knife” 2-iron

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As unbiasedly as I can put it, Martin Trainer has one of the coolest club setups in professional golf. (At some point soon, I’ll put together a top-10 list of “coolest club setups on Tour,” but I know that Trainer will be in the top-10)

What a lineup. He plays a 6.5-degree Wilson prototype driver, a 13-degree Wilson prototype 3-wood, a true blade Wilson Staff Model 2-iron, and a Bobby Grace “Greg Chalmers Commemorative” putter!

 

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I mean, look at this 2-iron from address…

To quote the great author R.L. Stine: “Goosebumps.”

On Wednesday at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open, I caught up with Trainer to learn more about his bag setup.

Here’s what he had to say:

You have the Internet going crazy over your bag setup, and your putter. Where’d you pick the Bobby Grace-Greg Chalmers putter up? How long have you had it?

MT: This was from when Bobby Grace came to my course in California: Cal Club. And for whatever reason, they just started having them in the shop. So then I took my buddy’s, started using it, and made, like, a million putts in a row, which is how every putter story begins, I guess.

And then, I bought a couple of my own, used it for years, got to the Tour with it, won on Tour with it (the 2019 Puerto Rico Open). Then, about a year later, started using another putter, did that for a couple years, but now it’s back in the bag.

When did it come back in the bag?

MT: December of this past year. So a few months ago.

What year would you say was the first time you threw that in the bag, or, like, when you bought it?

MT: God…Probably, 2016, maybe? 2018?

Do you remember how much you paid for it?

MT: I don’t know, actually. Maybe $100-150 bucks or something. I think that’s the only golf club I’ve bought between high school and now. Well, two, since I bought two of them.

The driver is interesting, too. What went into the prototyping process?

MT: That was a version of the current driver, but it was the prototype that they first came out with for Tour guys to try. And for whatever reason, I just never switched out to the new one.

It’s just 6.5 degrees, right?

MT: Yeah. Very low loft, yeah.

What kind of ball speed do you have with that these days?

MT: Like high 170’s.

Yeah, that’ll work. And then a 2-iron blade? We’re seeing fewer and fewer of those out here.

MT: Yeah. The butter knife.

Very cool thing to have in the bag. Have you done any testing with driving irons? 

MT: Yeah, I used to have a thicker one, but it was a little offset, and I never hit it that well. And then finally, I started messing around with the butter knife. And I remember the first time I looked down at it, I was terrified. And then I ended up getting used to it, putting it in play, and it’s been in place since. It’s a pretty good club for me.

How far do you carry that? 

MT: Like 235.

A good little wind club, I’m sure.

MTL Yeah, exactly. I can hit it very low. It’s great.

I love it. You have people shook looking at that. Thanks for the time, man. 

MT: Absolutely.

To see more photos and discussion of Trainer’s bag, click here.

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Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (3/28/24): L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 Max Broomstick with LA Golf Paige Spiranac shaft

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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 L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 Max Broomstick putter with LA Golf Paige Spiranac shaft.

From the seller: (@hibcam): “L.A.B. GOLF Mezz.1 Max Broomstick- LA Golf Paige Spiranac Shaft- 44″/79.5. Brand new, never used brown leather cover. The head was professionally anodized from Orange to Blue (Orange looked bad with the Pink shaft so I had it changed). Only a few rounds on this combo. Please see last pic- slight ding on back corner. 8.5-10 condition. THE SHAFT COST $475/ THE PUTTER $625. $799 shipped in the US. ONLY $699 SHIPPED.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 Max Broomstick with LA Golf Paige Spiranac shaft

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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Spotted: Tony Finau’s driver shaft change at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open

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Tony Finau has always been known as one of the longest players on the PGA Tour, but he has recently been working on adding a little more distance. Last year, Finau averaged 118.3 mph club head speed and 178.08 mph ball speed, all while playing a Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX driver shaft. This year, he has increased his club head speed to 123.93 mph and his ball speed to 183.32 mph.

However, Finau’s overall distance has decreased by two yards in that time. From a fitting perspective, something was amiss. We asked Tony about the shaft change at the Texas Children’s Hospital Open.

“[I’m seeing] better numbers with the spin. My driver’s been a little high spin for me over the last month or so, and so I just figured it was time to probably check out the equipment,” Finau said. “And it definitely showed me that I was using a shaft that’s maybe a little too tip-stiff for me, the way I load the club now. [I’m seeing] better numbers with the spin.”

Finau switched from the Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX into the Diamana GT 70 TX. The newer Diamana GT has a slightly different profile than the D+ Limited with the stiffest handle section in the Diamana lineup. The mid sections between the two are similar stiffness but the tip is just slightly stiffer in the Diamana GT. Both shafts are within one gram of each other in the 70 TX. The torque rating on the GT is 0.1 higher than the D+Limited’s 2.7 measurement.

Mitsubishi lists the Diamana GT as a shaft between the mid-launching Diamana TB and the new low-launch Diamana WB shafts. For most players, it would be considered a mid/low launch and low-spin shaft option. Mitsubishi’s Xlink Tech Resin System makes sure the maximum carbon fiber content is there for smooth feel without reducing the strength of the shaft. MR70 carbon fiber is used for reinforcing the shaft and boron is used in the tip for its high strength and compression properties.

Finau is still using his trusty Ping G430 LST driver in 9 degrees and has the adjustable hosel set to -1 degree of loft (standard lie angle). Finau’s long-time favorite Lamkin UTX Green grip is installed. He definitely has a few extra wraps of tape under that grip as you can see the bulge down where the grip meets the shaft.

One final note: Per Ping’s PGA Tour rep Kenton Oates, Finau’s driver is also adjusted to play with an additional degree of loft to help dial in his desired launch.

We’ll see how he fares with the new setup this week in Houston!

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