125 replies to this topic

[North Shore Golfer21]

Still can't get over the green and the name. I'm sure it will perform though.

[TMBob]

swanry30, on 14 December 2011 - 10:48 AM, said:

BTW - some people may ask 10-12 faster, but your numbers on the screen shot don't reflect it.  after getting warmed up it changed significantly.  these numbers are also the AVERAGE.  the 2.0 i had the same #s on almost every shot and stuck the ball very consistent.  with the RBZ - my swing wasn't consistent.  i heeled some shots which DROPPED my #'s significantly.  the ones hit like the 2.0 - the #'s jumped up big time.  why didn't i take out those BAD shots.  because you don't get a second shot when you're on the course.  you miss hit it - you miss hit it.  tough luck!

A range with 15 Trackman Stations? Wow....I Vizio Monitors....how does he protect that place? That is Crazy

[DNice26]

That is a crazy review Swanry.......nice job for getting that together so quickly (Guess they chose the right guy to demo this thing).  I'm with you on wondering what the TP version will be like.  I have a CB4 TEE 3 wood and I'd be flabergasted if this RBZ club could blow balls past it.  

BTW, super cool of you to allow other range folks to try the club and compare it to their current gamer.....kudos for sharing the wealth!

[swanry30]

TMBob, on 14 December 2011 - 12:13 PM, said:

swanry30, on 14 December 2011 - 10:48 AM, said:

BTW - some people may ask 10-12 faster, but your numbers on the screen shot don't reflect it.  after getting warmed up it changed significantly.  these numbers are also the AVERAGE.  the 2.0 i had the same #s on almost every shot and stuck the ball very consistent.  with the RBZ - my swing wasn't consistent.  i heeled some shots which DROPPED my #'s significantly.  the ones hit like the 2.0 - the #'s jumped up big time.  why didn't i take out those BAD shots.  because you don't get a second shot when you're on the course.  you miss hit it - you miss hit it.  tough luck!

A range with 15 Trackman Stations? Wow....I Vizio Monitors....how does he protect that place? That is Crazy

http://www.golfredtail.com/

[BirdKiller14]

TMBob, on 14 December 2011 - 12:13 PM, said:

swanry30, on 14 December 2011 - 10:48 AM, said:

BTW - some people may ask 10-12 faster, but your numbers on the screen shot don't reflect it.  after getting warmed up it changed significantly.  these numbers are also the AVERAGE.  the 2.0 i had the same #s on almost every shot and stuck the ball very consistent.  with the RBZ - my swing wasn't consistent.  i heeled some shots which DROPPED my #'s significantly.  the ones hit like the 2.0 - the #'s jumped up big time.  why didn't i take out those BAD shots.  because you don't get a second shot when you're on the course.  you miss hit it - you miss hit it.  tough luck!

A range with 15 Trackman Stations? Wow....I Vizio Monitors....how does he protect that place? That is Crazy

They have garage style doors that close and lock everything down!!! I can't say enough about the place and the guys who work there, top notch!!!!! Anything you buy can be fit to you on site from using trackman to sam putt lab!!! digital mitchell lie and loft stands!!!! I have been lucky enough to become friends with some of the guys and they go way above the call for me and ryan!!!

[TMBob]

BirdKiller14, on 14 December 2011 - 01:05 PM, said:

TMBob, on 14 December 2011 - 12:13 PM, said:

swanry30, on 14 December 2011 - 10:48 AM, said:

BTW - some people may ask 10-12 faster, but your numbers on the screen shot don't reflect it.  after getting warmed up it changed significantly.  these numbers are also the AVERAGE.  the 2.0 i had the same #s on almost every shot and stuck the ball very consistent.  with the RBZ - my swing wasn't consistent.  i heeled some shots which DROPPED my #'s significantly.  the ones hit like the 2.0 - the #'s jumped up big time.  why didn't i take out those BAD shots.  because you don't get a second shot when you're on the course.  you miss hit it - you miss hit it.  tough luck!

A range with 15 Trackman Stations? Wow....I Vizio Monitors....how does he protect that place? That is Crazy

They have garage style doors that close and lock everything down!!! I can't say enough about the place and the guys who work there, top notch!!!!! Anything you buy can be fit to you on site from using trackman to sam putt lab!!! digital mitchell lie and loft stands!!!! I have been lucky enough to become friends with some of the guys and they go way above the call for me and ryan!!!

Heaven   Make that.......BUCKET LIST! I need to see this before Heaven!

Edited by TMBob, 14 December 2011 - 01:10 PM.

[swanry30]

DNice26, on 14 December 2011 - 12:54 PM, said:

That is a crazy review Swanry.......nice job for getting that together so quickly (Guess they chose the right guy to demo this thing).  I'm with you on wondering what the TP version will be like.  I have a CB4 TEE 3 wood and I'd be flabergasted if this RBZ club could blow balls past it.  

BTW, super cool of you to allow other range folks to try the club and compare it to their current gamer.....kudos for sharing the wealth!

i am a firm believer that if something good happens to you - you pay it forward!  it is truly an honor to have this opportunity - very humbling...  it is also a chance to get more avid golfer on WRX

the cb4 would be a great test!  i have heard rumors only that the ideas behind RBZ is a combination of the best technology from clubs on the market.  a greatest hit so to speak.  this of course with TMaG engineering and materials to morph the concepts that seemed to work.  i am piecing this together and there are NO solid facts behind this.

[Dscvrr St Louis]

Tumba, on 14 December 2011 - 11:06 AM, said:

If the Slot technology works so well in the fairway wood, why did they not put the technology into the driver?

With the limited surface area and low COR on fairway woods they have to do something to increase the COR, on drivers this is not the case, they are all at the legal COR already, so it is just different aerodynamics, weighting, shafts, etc to get more out of the drivers...which they addressed in the new R11s and the RBZ drivers!!

[TMAGplayer1]

Great write up swanry! Enjoy it!

[J13]

Tumba, on 14 December 2011 - 11:06 AM, said:

If the Slot technology works so well in the fairway wood, why did they not put the technology into the driver?

Oh ye of little faith.  Its TM they will do it in stages for more sales.  Basically this time next year take a wild guess what the RBZ 2.0 driver will have?

[HipCheck]

swanry30, on 14 December 2011 - 01:27 PM, said:

DNice26, on 14 December 2011 - 12:54 PM, said:

That is a crazy review Swanry.......nice job for getting that together so quickly (Guess they chose the right guy to demo this thing).  I'm with you on wondering what the TP version will be like.  I have a CB4 TEE 3 wood and I'd be flabergasted if this RBZ club could blow balls past it.  

BTW, super cool of you to allow other range folks to try the club and compare it to their current gamer.....kudos for sharing the wealth!

i am a firm believer that if something good happens to you - you pay it forward!  it is truly an honor to have this opportunity - very humbling...  it is also a chance to get more avid golfer on WRX

the cb4 would be a great test!  i have heard rumors only that the ideas behind RBZ is a combination of the best technology from clubs on the market.  a greatest hit so to speak.  this of course with TMaG engineering and materials to morph the concepts that seemed to work.  i am piecing this together and there are NO solid facts behind this.

Wow. SOLID testing there.  I managed to grab a foursome today: Course pro, mini-tour player and teaching pro. It was only 45* out, but first shot off the deck went 240. Two-freaking-forty. I really laid into it and thought it would fade, but it stayed on it's line.  Pin high in green side rough.  Never been there before.  It goes.  It's crazy.  

Second shot was also off the deck. 218 to the pin and I had to bend it. Went to long to the back of the green, but the shot shape was perfect.  It smoked my R11 Fairway. Ate it for breakfast.  I was pretty surprised.

The name sticks.  It just does. We talked about RocketBallz on every hole. It's like a commercial jingle that gets caught in head.  You can't help but talk about it.  

I didn't mind the light feel.  It felt 'balanced' to me, unlike some light-shafted fairways I've tried. Looks similar to a burner head but with much less distracting crown graphics.

This is a must try. It's so damn long and effortless to swing.

[blood3313]

Whats the keys of design that accounts for longer and straighter distances and will the average golfer see significant results?

[Dscvrr St Louis]

HipCheck, on 14 December 2011 - 10:10 PM, said:

swanry30, on 14 December 2011 - 01:27 PM, said:

DNice26, on 14 December 2011 - 12:54 PM, said:

That is a crazy review Swanry.......nice job for getting that together so quickly (Guess they chose the right guy to demo this thing).  I'm with you on wondering what the TP version will be like.  I have a CB4 TEE 3 wood and I'd be flabergasted if this RBZ club could blow balls past it.  

BTW, super cool of you to allow other range folks to try the club and compare it to their current gamer.....kudos for sharing the wealth!

i am a firm believer that if something good happens to you - you pay it forward!  it is truly an honor to have this opportunity - very humbling...  it is also a chance to get more avid golfer on WRX

the cb4 would be a great test!  i have heard rumors only that the ideas behind RBZ is a combination of the best technology from clubs on the market.  a greatest hit so to speak.  this of course with TMaG engineering and materials to morph the concepts that seemed to work.  i am piecing this together and there are NO solid facts behind this.

Wow. SOLID testing there.  I managed to grab a foursome today: Course pro, mini-tour player and teaching pro. It was only 45* out, but first shot off the deck went 240. Two-freaking-forty. I really laid into it and thought it would fade, but it stayed on it's line.  Pin high in green side rough.  Never been there before.  It goes.  It's crazy.  

Second shot was also off the deck. 218 to the pin and I had to bend it. Went to long to the back of the green, but the shot shape was perfect.  It smoked my R11 Fairway. Ate it for breakfast.  I was pretty surprised.

The name sticks.  It just does. We talked about RocketBallz on every hole. It's like a commercial jingle that gets caught in head.  You can't help but talk about it.  

I didn't mind the light feel.  It felt 'balanced' to me, unlike some light-shafted fairways I've tried. Looks similar to a burner head but with much less distracting crown graphics.

This is a must try. It's so damn long and effortless to swing.

Hey Hipcheck...thanks a ton again for the chance.

Playing tomorrow so will get my on course evaluation done tomorrow night and get some pic's posted.

I agree on how balanced it feels, when I took it out of the box last night and went to hit it, didn't look past the S on the shaft, didn't look for weight or spec's, just hit it and it went long.  12-15 past my SFTP 2.0 15* in the 80X Kai'li....no small feat there!  But yeah, it held line consistently..for me, 7-8 yard pulls...that was it..just that much, not hooking , not curving at all...just straight 7-8 yard left pulls.  Can live with that...

I got a boatload of friends that want to hit...mentioned how everyone so far hits it farther than any 3 wood they own..they are hot to hit it!!

More info tomorrow night..

[Dscvrr St Louis]

blood3313, on 14 December 2011 - 10:27 PM, said:

Whats the keys of design that accounts for longer and straighter distances and will the average golfer see significant results?

Biggest attribute of the club is the slot in the bottom of the face...provides more springlike effect to launch it higher with less effort and the center of gravity being moved up to produce a shot with less spin.  Those to combine for more distance immediately for all players.  The lighter 50 gram shaft will increase club head speed and thus increase ball speed on solid hits...again more distance.  This combination is a win-win for any level/speed player.

[Qegurezi]

Tumba, on 14 December 2011 - 11:06 AM, said:

If the Slot technology works so well in the fairway wood, why did they not put the technology into the driver?

Drivers are already at .830 COR, no need to.

[DNice26]

Ok, so since the COR (.83) is maxed out for any club up to 15° loft, will we get to a point where we are hitting our 15° three woods equal to or further than our drivers?  If that happens, I would assume the USGA and R&A would then further revise the COR limits for higher lofted clubs as well.  So I'm going to assume now that over the next few years we are going to see manufacturers push the limits of a 15° club.....until the USGA needs to step in?  But then the question is....would manufacturers then be shooting themselves in the foot by making the driver obsolete?  

Another question that comes to mind-  Is there an RBZ strong three wood with less than 15° loft?  If so, doe it also have the Slot technology?

Final question:  Does the RBZ three wood with 15° loft have a COR of .83 or lower?  If so, how are these gains attributed?

Feel free to dump this question.....as it may not be relevent in this thead.  Just questions I'm asking myself given these most recent reviews....

[Tumba]

How does the RBZ 3 wood perform off the deck?

[HipCheck]

Tumba, on 15 December 2011 - 10:06 AM, said:

How does the RBZ 3 wood perform off the deck?

The first swing I took yesterday with it, I hammered it.  240.  Could not really believe it.  2nd fairway shot was a draw from 218 and it went about 25 feet  by the hole (roll).  One friend said he didn't know how he'd like the sole on the deck since it's rounded, but I had no issues.

[Tumba]

Will the 5 wood have the slot technology?

[swanry30]

i wish i would have taken a video of my first hit with it...  or the entire sequence of 20 shots.  the 2.0 is a hot club...  after 10 with it - the first swing i made with the RBZ had me looking down at the club head very quickly...  almost a huh?  this was before the numbers were registering on TRACKMAN.  it was getting down field so to speak very quickly - moving away from the hitting area much quicker than the 2.0.  the problem with a video is people would question the authenticity.  regardless, this being a non tp head...  with a different shaft - wow, can't even imagine the results.  i really hope there is a 13* TP!

[ksavy17]

I think 14.5 is the lowest in the tp but I hope there is a 13*

[Dscvrr St Louis]

Quick review of the new Rocketballz RBZ 15* 3 Wood and Rocketballz Balls....played today at Forest Park golf course.  Was about 48* most of the day, pretty much overcast with a slight 10-15mph wind coming from all directions over the 18 holes.  Shot 38-37 so really can't complain about playing in December on a drenched course in December.  For the past 2 years, those in St. Louis have been without golf in town from Nov-Jan during the winter..just cold and/or wet.  Anyway, on to some insight from my playing round.

Let's talk about the ball first--I have already posted this part in the TM Balls thread, so skip it if you have already read this part!

About me...45 years old, 4-5 handicap, SS with driver is 112mph, hit it  around 290 avg, mid launch with a R9 Superdeep 9.5 with a Kai'li 70X at  45.5 inches.  6 iron is 180-185.  I am a high spin player, main ball of  choice is the Penta, but have played the Burner Tour a couple of times  this year and shot a 33-39 with the Burner Tour on one occasion in the  summer.

Rocketballz Balls...redundant, but  anyway...the ball is a three piece ball with an iothane cover.  Made to  be lower spin on longer clubs, but have some good playability around the  greens and sit well on approach shots.

Feel---- I found the ball to be in the  Burner Tour category for feel. Soft but responsive, you can feel what it  is doing on full shots, good compression, bad compression, solid hit,  not so solid hit, etc.

Driver/Three wood---on tee shots this ball  might as well produce a vapor trail like on Tiger Woods EA Sports when  someone nukes one ...nice mid trajectory that flattens out at the top  and just stays there and lands on continues forward.
I outdrove a guy on a par 4 with a three wood...he hit driver and is  about the same length as me when I hit driver...but I hit three wood on  this hole...then again it was the Taylormade Rocketballz RBZ 3  wood...sooo...

Full shots---no thought here..just choose  the club hit the shot...very consistent reaction to a solid hit, bad  hit's produce bad results, but I wouldn't say the ball produced really  bad results on the bad swings.

Partial Shots/pitches/chips---well...first  hole is a Par 5, hit a good driver, solid hybrid to 45 yards and then  well, pitched it in the hole for Eagle.  Came of the club very solid,  hit  around 20 feet short of the pin, bounced a few times and rolled in  the cup!  Wet conditions, so no really descending blows into the wet  zoysia today...nice shallow attack that produced enough spin to check  slightly on impact and reacted as expected.

Putting---like putting my Penta's about the same roll distance I would expect.

I would have no problem putting this ball in play anytime of the year..there were no real strange reactions on any hits today and it performed very solidly for a 3 piece ball.

RBZ 3 Wood 15 * 50 gram Ozik Matrix shaft, Stiff Flex, Evaluation on Course

I was playing the RBZ ball on the first 6 holes before it took a bath, and didn't want to lose anymore...played the Burner Tour from that point on.

Overall Feel---one of my playing partners said it best actually...when the ball comes off the face..it feels like you just hit a driver instead of a 3 wood!!  Solid, but with give, just shoots off the face very fast, but with a controlled feel at impact.  Feels like most all TM woods, just solid, solid, solid.

Set up----to me set up is very square, not difficult to align and looks very solid at address, you just don't feel like you need to manipulate the way it sits to look good.

Club Feel(set up and swing)----the club has a great balance to it.  It has probably around a D3-D4 swing weight..didn't get a chance to SW it, will try to this weekend.  Very easy to feel the head during the swing, you will know right where it is, it drops into the zone and just glides through the ball. The balance is such, I never felt like I needed to manipulate the club during the swing...just nice and through the ball.

Tee shots---I hit it twice off the tee today...both on par 4's.  First time, hit it on a fairly wide open par 4 that when I catch a good drive with the driver I will have about 50 yards into the green.  I had 75 yards into the hole today and one of the guys who is as long as I am with driver, was hitting first.  Got him by about 6-8 yards.  Nice mid trajectory and dead straight.  Another hole plays 367 yards into a slight head wind...hit is very solid and had 100 yards into the green.

Fairway---hit is twice out of the fairway today, both very straight and 250-255.  Considering the temp and very wet...very solid hits.

Summary---well, how to say this...SOLID is the word that comes to mind the most.  When I got the club Tuesday, took it to GG(the part time gig) and hit it against my SFTP 2.0 3 wood, 15*, Kai'li 80X and in the monitor it was 12-15 yards farther consistently.  I didn't look at the shaft to see what it was, didn't find anything about the weight..it just felt good so I hit it.  The shaft is a touch weak for me weight wise, maybe a bit soft, but, I would be lying to you if I didn't say that I truly believe that I could play it as is and really have no concerns.  Whatever the engineers at TM told the engineers at Ozik about making this shaft..if just flat out worked!

Like Swanry reported from his trip to the range with his buddies...they all showed 10-12 yards improvement on average and most of us are in the Xflex category in swing speed, hell a couple of us play the same 3 wood set up.  But we all showed that this club is longer.  I hit it today on a course to places I would expect to hit driver near.  Is it as long as my driver, no, but it is longer than my 3 wood and truthfully, I don't know if it isn't longer than most every one's three wood right now.

Let me know if you have any questions...pic's weren't an option due to the wet condition, besides most them would be the same as Swanry and TMBob's anyway.

Dscvrr St_Louis

Easyyy and Hipcheck...thanks again for the chance to really get into the meat of what this site is all about...hope I have conveyed some good information for the masses!!

[Mschumacher]

Dscvrr St Louis, on 16 December 2011 - 12:56 AM, said:

Like Swanry reported from his trip to the range with his buddies...they all showed 10-12 yards improvement on average and most of us are in the Xflex category in swing speed, hell a couple of us play the same 3 wood set up.  But we all showed that this club is longer.  I hit it today on a course to places I would expect to hit driver near.  Is it as long as my driver, no, but it is longer than my 3 wood and truthfully, I don't know if it isn't longer than most every one's three wood right now.

Let me know if you have any questions...pic's weren't an option due to the wet condition, besides most them would be the same as Swanry and TMBob's anyway.

If you guys are in the X Flex category, do you think distance gains for the R/S flex guys won't see the 10-15 yards?

[Qegurezi]

ksavy17, on 15 December 2011 - 02:26 PM, said:

I think 14.5 is the lowest in the tp but I hope there is a 13*

It's actually a "Tour" not a TP, but yeh it's the same thing.

Lofts are from 13°-24°. Highly doubt the 13* is in the non tour so 99% certain the tour/TP will have a 13*.

[Dscvrr St Louis]

Mschumacher, on 16 December 2011 - 02:32 AM, said:

Dscvrr St Louis, on 16 December 2011 - 12:56 AM, said:

Like Swanry reported from his trip to the range with his buddies...they all showed 10-12 yards improvement on average and most of us are in the Xflex category in swing speed, hell a couple of us play the same 3 wood set up.  But we all showed that this club is longer.  I hit it today on a course to places I would expect to hit driver near.  Is it as long as my driver, no, but it is longer than my 3 wood and truthfully, I don't know if it isn't longer than most every one's three wood right now.

Let me know if you have any questions...pic's weren't an option due to the wet condition, besides most them would be the same as Swanry and TMBob's anyway.

If you guys are in the X Flex category, do you think distance gains for the R/S flex guys won't see the 10-15 yards?

I think there are going to be gains across the board, honestly.  TMAG is going to market 'Up to 17 yards'...I would guess most players will be in the 10-12 yard range actually.  I think if me and Swanry and his guys put X flex in this thing we would gain a touch more height and gain even more.  All the tee/fairway shots I hit the other day were a touch lower than my gamer, but I attribute that to the lighter(by 30 grams) and less stiff shaft lagging a touch more.  All said though, I didn't find myself really wanting much more out of the club, I was being truthful in saying I could play it as it is..they did something in the shaft design that is much more solid to me than the Ozik 4.8 in the 2011 Superfast 2.0 fairway.

Hope that helps.

[moegolfer11]

yes prease

[golfware]

I am SO jealous and happy for y'all!!

[cinnepa]

is there any chance these FW's and Hybrids could be toooo long for the pro's? seems like they're going to have to do a major bag adjustment on clubs/lofts/distances.

Edited by cinnepa, 16 December 2011 - 12:37 PM.

[lobub]

I'm curious to see if anyone of the testers can swap out the stock shaft in the RBZ 3 wood for a premium 3 wood shaft and see what kind of performance gain/loss they get.

[Dscvrr St Louis]

lobub, on 16 December 2011 - 12:38 PM, said:

I'm curious to see if anyone of the testers can swap out the stock shaft in the RBZ 3 wood for a premium 3 wood shaft and see what kind of performance gain/loss they get.

Funny you should mention that...I have a RIP Alpha 70X from my R9 Superdeep that I am going to cut down and put in the RBZ to see what a shaft more MY liking will feel like in that head.  I am guessing I will hit it even farther than I do with the stock 50 gram Matrix Stiff.  I can feel the shaft lagging, but not in a obscene bad way.  As I stated in the write up...I could, and did yesterday, play this club as is..it feels that balanced with a good amount of headweight to it, however they actually spec'd out the shaft it is working quite well.

I have to let my 14 year old hit it to compare to his R9 15* 70gram stiff, which he pounds around 210....and see if he hits if farther too..then I may get a chance to do this around Christmas...he saw the S flex on the shaft when I opened the box and his eye's lit up..like..' I can hit this and it is not and X...Dad will give it to me"....I will judge it more so after I put the X in it....if it feels that good with that in there..it may stay...it is simply easy to hit..easier than my TP.  Or it could go back to normal and the 'boy' may get a gift.

Edited by Dscvrr St Louis, 16 December 2011 - 01:52 PM.