Equipment

New TaylorMade M5 and M6 irons feature Speed Bridge Technology

Published

5 years ago

Jan 7, 2019

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

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)

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

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!!!

Reply Report comment
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… 😮

Reply Report comment
Scheiss

Jan 7, 2019 at 8:13 pm

I love them
hehehe

Reply Report comment
Randy

Jan 7, 2019 at 6:54 pm

Nice add

Reply Report comment
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.

Reply Report comment
- 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
  
  Reply Report comment
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!!!

Reply Report comment
Rod

Jan 7, 2019 at 12:57 pm

Looks similar to Speedblades

Reply Report comment
dat

Jan 7, 2019 at 12:08 pm

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

Reply Report comment
~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).

Reply Report comment
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.)

Reply Report comment
T R

Jan 7, 2019 at 11:06 am

Remember the Nike Slingshot?

Reply Report comment
- Tom
  
  Jan 8, 2019 at 3:34 pm
  
  Same krap, different toilet
  
  Reply Report comment
2putttom

Jan 7, 2019 at 10:57 am

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

Reply Report comment
Ronald

Jan 7, 2019 at 10:47 am

7 iron is now 27 degrees of loft??

Reply Report comment
Chip

Jan 7, 2019 at 10:14 am

Now my m3 irons are worthless!

Reply Report comment
- Jerry G
  
  Jan 7, 2019 at 10:34 am
  
  I learned about 5 yrs ago to avoid all things TM.
  
  Reply Report comment
John

Jan 7, 2019 at 9:42 am

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

Reply Report comment
Brian McGranahan

Jan 7, 2019 at 8:51 am

More garbage.

Reply Report comment
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.

Reply Report comment
- 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.
  
  Reply Report comment

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

1 hour ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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