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WRX Spotlight Review: TaylorMade M5 fairway Rocket 3

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Product: TaylorMade M5 fairway Rocket 3

Pitch: The TaylorMade M5 fairway Rocket 3 is a stronger-lofted version of the standard TaylorMade M5 3-wood. The Rocket is 14 degrees. The standard M5 is 15.

Our take on the TaylorMade M5 Rocket 3

“WOW, you really hit that 3-wood like a rocket!”

” Not like a rocket… an actual Rocket!”

The beloved 3-wood. A favorite club of both average golfers and pros alike, a club that many will hold onto well after what some might consider their “best before” date. But with new options and improved technology, these old faithfuls are getting the boot quicker for a lot of reasons including the ability to better dial in a fit and help minimizing misses.

Since making a club faster off the middle is becoming more and more difficult thanks to the limits set forth but the USGA, OEMs are changing the way we think about clubs and putting a greater focus on decreasing dispersion and optimizing misses. TaylorMade is doing this with TwistFace, which was originally introduced in drivers a generation ago, and has now been included in the M5 and M6 fairway woods.

I got to spend some time with the knowledgeable crew at TaylorMade Canada in their new indoor facility just north of Toronto (lets call it Kingdom North) In that time, we went through a driver fitting, and then to the new M5 fairway woods to try and replace one of my oldest faithfuls: a 14-degree SLDR Tour Spoon. To say I have a unique ability to elevate a fairway wood is something that even my fitter was a little surprised by. My numbers with my cranked down to 12 degree (measured) fairway off the deck were good but could be improved. I can hit it both ways (as much as a 6-handicap can actually claim that) but my trusted go-to shot is a slight fade with some heel bias contact because of my swing. I am willing to sacrifice some distance but usually hit it where I want.

What I saw at the end of the fitting was a club that produced longer shots along with a tighter dispersion without having to make or to try and make any changes to my swing. The final fit was a 14-degree “Rocket” M5 fairway set to 12 degrees. It beat out my SLDR by a total of nine yards, which is an increase of just over a total of three percent, including an additional six yards of carry.

To say I was honestly surprised would be an understatement. The SLDR TS is a club that the first time I hit it I went WHOA! Low spin, workable, looks exactly how I want that club to look (small and compact). You can see from the numbers below when it works it works.

Why does TwistFace work?

Let’s explain and get a little deep in the technology weeds for a second. Bulge and roll is not a new concept. In fact, it would be a lie to claim that all OEMs haven’t done something similar to this is the past or played with these two variables to help golfers hit better shots. Fact: Every OEM optimizes the bulge and roll on their clubs to increase speed and maximize performance. Tom Wishon actually had a line of woods at one point that went the other way had VERY limited roll from the top tine to the sole. With this design, more loft on the bottom of the head helped players who miss low or need help elevating the ball off the deck increase launch and spin. It worked. Cobra also has what it calls E9 technology to tweak bulge and roll to help maximize the speed and forgiveness of their woods. It also works.

What makes TaylorMade’s TwistFace different is that it is the most aggressive iteration of this bulge and roll tweaking yet, and by introducing it into the fairway woods and hybrids, it’s proving to be a winner — even for this now-proven wrong skeptic.

At the end of the day, the M5 Ti “Rocket” was a measurable improvement over my previous 3-wood. Now it would be disingenuous to say “if you aren’t using TwistFace in your fairway woods you’re not maximized,” but if you are someone that struggles with fairway wood dispersion and looking to find some extra distance for taking on par-5s, taking a look at the new M5 and M6 fairway woods as part of your next fitting should be very high on your list.

 

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Ryan Barath is a club-fitter & master club builder with more than 17 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. He is the former Build Shop Manager & Social Media Coordinator for Modern Golf. He now works independently from his home shop and is a member of advisory panels to a select number of golf equipment manufacturers. You can find Ryan on Twitter and Instagram where he's always willing to chat golf, and share his passion for club building, course architecture and wedge grinding.

13 Comments

13 Comments

  1. Chris

    May 26, 2019 at 11:24 am

    Im playing the Rocket version of the M6 and love it.

  2. Nihonsei

    May 26, 2019 at 7:50 am

    Are you still able to move the ball (as much as a 6 hcp can claim) both ways with the extra flexed face?

  3. Walt Dillon Jr.

    May 24, 2019 at 7:26 pm

    The less expensive M6 15 degree worked better for me with noticeably fast ball speed and high flight

  4. H

    May 24, 2019 at 3:26 pm

    Dude, so you don’t hit this club to hit greens, huh? This is your tee shot club because you suck at hitting the driver?
    According to your chart above you hit the M5 lower with lower spin and slight bit of increase in speed.
    And now you can’t hold the green with that club.
    So don’t be dumb.
    I would never switch to that.
    I need a 3w that I can hit high and into a green to hold it on that green. Not a fire ball that rolls out 30 yards when it hit the deck

    • Red

      May 25, 2019 at 6:09 am

      Look closer at the numbers less then one degree change in launch, 200 rpm change in spin and if the difference between carry and total distance is indicative of roll, the m5 rocket is running out less/ stopping faster. Still may not fit what your looking for but just food for thought

      • Red

        May 25, 2019 at 6:11 am

        And I didn’t even do my own math properly oops.

    • usuck

      May 25, 2019 at 9:01 am

      Great, that’s his need not yours. Don’t be stupid, different players want different things and I bet you land 3 woods on greens 4 or 5 times a YEAR if you do at all.

    • Greg

      Jul 24, 2019 at 12:17 am

      To be fair, you don’t have to play it on 12 degree setting. Keep it on 14, or you can Jack it up to 16, but would probably just use a regular 15 degree head, or a m6. They launch higher.

  5. The Squire

    May 24, 2019 at 2:29 pm

    Uhhh boy, rocket’s, missiles, grenades, mortars, what’s next? Does it hit the ball in the direction where my swing competence sends it?

  6. Richard

    May 24, 2019 at 2:09 pm

    I use this almost as a ‘2-wood’. Set at 12 degrees with a Tensei White shaft. It really is a rocket. On a firm fairway hitting the big slinging draw I can get out near a driver. Very reliable club.

  7. Nick

    May 24, 2019 at 2:01 pm

    so a rocket and an original one? bit overkill?

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Whats in the Bag

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Putter: Scotty Cameron T5 Prototype

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

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