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Alright everyone ready for another Taylormade love thread? Okay okay I'm just joking, its one Taylormade club vs another Taylormade club, so one way or the other Taylormade is going to lose!
I was lucky enough to have a Stage 2 3 wood show up early so what better to do then tee it up and hit it against last years RBZ 3 wood to see some real numbers on the launch monitor. I've hit the Stage 2 before and loved it, but I was a touch skeptical since it was during a world wind week in Naples, maybe I was just overwhelmed and drunk on Kool Aide? Was it really that easy to hit off the deck? Lets find out.
So I teed up both 3 woods on the range, it was a slow day so in order to get the perfect results, I used my shag bag of Pro V1s...when it was over I hustled out and picked them up before my range picker could get to them. I hit 10 balls each, then deleted the 2 best and 1 worst, just getting rid of random outliers to get a great reading.
RBZ
Really good numbers, 250 for a 3 wood off the tee it just crazy to me. I never really hit my the RBZ on the launch monitor last summer, I knew I could hit far, but wow not that far. Ball speed was lacking a touch, I didn't get great smash factor numbers, not all, so I definitely was leaving some yards on table and didn't quite get the best results I think I could have. My last swing was the ball I really covered well but launch low (by my standards) and spun a tad higher. Swing speed was about 1-2mph slower then a great swing speed for me with a 3 wood (you'll see I was hovering around 100mph with the stage 2). Spin was all great, I just need to get the ball speed up, I was finding the toe a lot, but I was hitting them dead straight or with a slight draw. Not one duck hook, success!
Stage 2
Well theres some good swing speeds, but again the smash factor is lacking. I was not getting optimal ball speed with my swings, against missing towards the toe, but all balls would be in the fairway. I had one fairly good smash factor and that was my 3rd best ball (best 2 I deleted). You can see my launch varied a lot, so I'll say the RBZ was a lot more consistent with launch angle and spin rates. On average they had the same launch angle and spin rate. As I said I was getting 2mph more swing speed, but it only equated to 3mph more ball speed, so lets say instead of going 8 yards further, lets just say they were fairly equal, maybe the Stage 2 was 2 yards longer. But again I wasn't getting optimal smash factors.
Lets look at my best results with each
RBZ:
99 swing speed
140 ball veloctiy
12.9 launch
2362 spin
233 carry
257 total
140 smash
Stage 2:
99 swing speed
143 ball velocity
12.5 launch
2140 spin
241 cary
266 total
145 smash
So swing speed, ball velocity, launch, spin, smash all nearly identical. With a slight advantage going towards the Stage 2. With that the Stage 2 carried 8 yards further and 9 yards total distance. Maybe the lower spin rate gave better distance, or maybe just the higher smash factor gave it more ball velocity. Any way you put it the Stage 2 went farther on my best ball.
SPOILER ALERT:
I CHEATED
Woah woah woah, you cheated and juiced the launch monitor numbers so the Stage 2 would win, didn't you CP!
NOPE!
Are you ready?
The Stage 2 was OFF THE DECK! While the RBZ was off the tee, oh and the Stage 2 was a 17* not a 15* 3 wood that the RBZ was.
So lets start over again, the Stage 2 was 8 yards further off the deck then the RBZ of last year was off the tee, that and the Stage 2 has 2* more loft which is supposed to make it fly shorter distances, essentially being a 4 wood or strong lofted 5. I throw out the ball speed since the swing speed was faster, but I blame the smash factor numbers on the fact that it was off the deck (so why were you smash factors so low on the RBZ? I'm not sure, maybe I'm a bad golfer) Sure sure maybe the extra loft helped me hit it further off the deck, they did have identical launch angles remember? I think you can say the Stage 2 would have launched lower off they deck then the RBZ off the tee if it was the same loft, so the added loft may have helped me launch it more optimally. But wouldn't the lower launch angle have made my ball fly even further? Possibly.
So what about the Stage 2 off the tee? Well I thought I was in trouble, didn't think I could hit it further then 255 yards.
Stage 2 off the tee
First two were ok, then came the good swings. As you can see I was getting tired, slower swing speeds then the first two test. I started by hitting Stage 2 off the deck, RBZ off the tee, then Stage 2 off the tee. I think I was getting winded since I lost 5mph of swing speed. Thats right, with 5mph less swing speed I hit the Stage 2 off the tee 2 yards further then off the deck, and had identical ball speed as both the RBZ off the tee and Stage 2 off the deck. You can see I had great smash factor numbers with the Stage 2 off the tee, which allowed me to kill the ball even with 5 mph less swing speed. I would have love to get numbers with a 100mph swing speed off the tee, it would have been longggg. Amazing spin rates, remember these are Pro V1s not hard range balls, that looks like a high launching driver on the launch monitor. You can see off the tee the Stage 2 launches on average 3* higher then the Stage 2 off the deck, and 3* higher then the RBZ off the tee. Again you may say the added loft helped me hit it further, but off the tee I will say the added loft help take distance off. Think of it as a driver, that high of a launch angle added with GREAT spin rate, I would lower that launch and expect to add some distance to a driver. Not bad huh?
So lets have another look at the bests of each club
Stage 2 off the deck:
99 swing speed
143 ball velocity
12.5 launch
2140 spin
241 cary
266 total
145 smash
RBZ off the tee:
99 swing speed
140 ball veloctiy
12.9 launch
2362 spin
233 carry
257 total
140 smash
Stage 2 off the tee:
95 swing speed
142 ball velocity
15.6 launch
2121 spin
239 carry
264 total
148 smash
Yeah my best ball was actually off the deck, blew my mind, but again that was with a 4mph faster swing speed, the only equated to 1mph more ball velocity.
All in all the Stage 2 head was much much smaller at address, reminded me of an Adams super hybrid or Callaway Steelhead. The RBZ at address with a ball on the tee is just confindence in your hands, face looks deep...ish, and it just feels like you can maul the golf ball. Stage 2 off the tee sets up great, not as deep of a face but the smaller head just fits my eye as well. I think the RBZ gives me more confidence off the tee, even though the Stage 2 was by far the better club off the tee, and without doubt the Stage 2 gave me such great confidence and much more then the RBZ off the deck. I didn't even post my RBZ off the deck readings because I was on average in the 230 yard range, just couldnt pick it cleanly.
That and the Carpenter Steel is great, awesome new sound this year and great feel. Callaway and Taylormade are on to something with the new steel they use on the 3 woods. If Callaways xhot is as long as they say it is, I cannot wait to test these two against each other.
I will do another test with my 3HL turned down to 15* and get numbers to see how it stacks up against the equally lofted RBZ 15* of last year.
One last thing, the Stage 2 was 10 yards longer then the RBZ, funny huh? Alright not the best comparison since its a higher loft, but Taylormade isn't lying when they say the Stage 2 is 10 yards longer, just thought it was funny that this turned out to be exactly 10 yards longer.
I was lucky enough to have a Stage 2 3 wood show up early so what better to do then tee it up and hit it against last years RBZ 3 wood to see some real numbers on the launch monitor. I've hit the Stage 2 before and loved it, but I was a touch skeptical since it was during a world wind week in Naples, maybe I was just overwhelmed and drunk on Kool Aide? Was it really that easy to hit off the deck? Lets find out.
So I teed up both 3 woods on the range, it was a slow day so in order to get the perfect results, I used my shag bag of Pro V1s...when it was over I hustled out and picked them up before my range picker could get to them. I hit 10 balls each, then deleted the 2 best and 1 worst, just getting rid of random outliers to get a great reading.
RBZ
Really good numbers, 250 for a 3 wood off the tee it just crazy to me. I never really hit my the RBZ on the launch monitor last summer, I knew I could hit far, but wow not that far. Ball speed was lacking a touch, I didn't get great smash factor numbers, not all, so I definitely was leaving some yards on table and didn't quite get the best results I think I could have. My last swing was the ball I really covered well but launch low (by my standards) and spun a tad higher. Swing speed was about 1-2mph slower then a great swing speed for me with a 3 wood (you'll see I was hovering around 100mph with the stage 2). Spin was all great, I just need to get the ball speed up, I was finding the toe a lot, but I was hitting them dead straight or with a slight draw. Not one duck hook, success!
Stage 2
Well theres some good swing speeds, but again the smash factor is lacking. I was not getting optimal ball speed with my swings, against missing towards the toe, but all balls would be in the fairway. I had one fairly good smash factor and that was my 3rd best ball (best 2 I deleted). You can see my launch varied a lot, so I'll say the RBZ was a lot more consistent with launch angle and spin rates. On average they had the same launch angle and spin rate. As I said I was getting 2mph more swing speed, but it only equated to 3mph more ball speed, so lets say instead of going 8 yards further, lets just say they were fairly equal, maybe the Stage 2 was 2 yards longer. But again I wasn't getting optimal smash factors.
Lets look at my best results with each
RBZ:
99 swing speed
140 ball veloctiy
12.9 launch
2362 spin
233 carry
257 total
140 smash
Stage 2:
99 swing speed
143 ball velocity
12.5 launch
2140 spin
241 cary
266 total
145 smash
So swing speed, ball velocity, launch, spin, smash all nearly identical. With a slight advantage going towards the Stage 2. With that the Stage 2 carried 8 yards further and 9 yards total distance. Maybe the lower spin rate gave better distance, or maybe just the higher smash factor gave it more ball velocity. Any way you put it the Stage 2 went farther on my best ball.
SPOILER ALERT:
I CHEATED
Woah woah woah, you cheated and juiced the launch monitor numbers so the Stage 2 would win, didn't you CP!
NOPE!
Are you ready?
The Stage 2 was OFF THE DECK! While the RBZ was off the tee, oh and the Stage 2 was a 17* not a 15* 3 wood that the RBZ was.
So lets start over again, the Stage 2 was 8 yards further off the deck then the RBZ of last year was off the tee, that and the Stage 2 has 2* more loft which is supposed to make it fly shorter distances, essentially being a 4 wood or strong lofted 5. I throw out the ball speed since the swing speed was faster, but I blame the smash factor numbers on the fact that it was off the deck (so why were you smash factors so low on the RBZ? I'm not sure, maybe I'm a bad golfer) Sure sure maybe the extra loft helped me hit it further off the deck, they did have identical launch angles remember? I think you can say the Stage 2 would have launched lower off they deck then the RBZ off the tee if it was the same loft, so the added loft may have helped me launch it more optimally. But wouldn't the lower launch angle have made my ball fly even further? Possibly.
So what about the Stage 2 off the tee? Well I thought I was in trouble, didn't think I could hit it further then 255 yards.
Stage 2 off the tee
First two were ok, then came the good swings. As you can see I was getting tired, slower swing speeds then the first two test. I started by hitting Stage 2 off the deck, RBZ off the tee, then Stage 2 off the tee. I think I was getting winded since I lost 5mph of swing speed. Thats right, with 5mph less swing speed I hit the Stage 2 off the tee 2 yards further then off the deck, and had identical ball speed as both the RBZ off the tee and Stage 2 off the deck. You can see I had great smash factor numbers with the Stage 2 off the tee, which allowed me to kill the ball even with 5 mph less swing speed. I would have love to get numbers with a 100mph swing speed off the tee, it would have been longggg. Amazing spin rates, remember these are Pro V1s not hard range balls, that looks like a high launching driver on the launch monitor. You can see off the tee the Stage 2 launches on average 3* higher then the Stage 2 off the deck, and 3* higher then the RBZ off the tee. Again you may say the added loft helped me hit it further, but off the tee I will say the added loft help take distance off. Think of it as a driver, that high of a launch angle added with GREAT spin rate, I would lower that launch and expect to add some distance to a driver. Not bad huh?
So lets have another look at the bests of each club
Stage 2 off the deck:
99 swing speed
143 ball velocity
12.5 launch
2140 spin
241 cary
266 total
145 smash
RBZ off the tee:
99 swing speed
140 ball veloctiy
12.9 launch
2362 spin
233 carry
257 total
140 smash
Stage 2 off the tee:
95 swing speed
142 ball velocity
15.6 launch
2121 spin
239 carry
264 total
148 smash
Yeah my best ball was actually off the deck, blew my mind, but again that was with a 4mph faster swing speed, the only equated to 1mph more ball velocity.
All in all the Stage 2 head was much much smaller at address, reminded me of an Adams super hybrid or Callaway Steelhead. The RBZ at address with a ball on the tee is just confindence in your hands, face looks deep...ish, and it just feels like you can maul the golf ball. Stage 2 off the tee sets up great, not as deep of a face but the smaller head just fits my eye as well. I think the RBZ gives me more confidence off the tee, even though the Stage 2 was by far the better club off the tee, and without doubt the Stage 2 gave me such great confidence and much more then the RBZ off the deck. I didn't even post my RBZ off the deck readings because I was on average in the 230 yard range, just couldnt pick it cleanly.
That and the Carpenter Steel is great, awesome new sound this year and great feel. Callaway and Taylormade are on to something with the new steel they use on the 3 woods. If Callaways xhot is as long as they say it is, I cannot wait to test these two against each other.
I will do another test with my 3HL turned down to 15* and get numbers to see how it stacks up against the equally lofted RBZ 15* of last year.
One last thing, the Stage 2 was 10 yards longer then the RBZ, funny huh? Alright not the best comparison since its a higher loft, but Taylormade isn't lying when they say the Stage 2 is 10 yards longer, just thought it was funny that this turned out to be exactly 10 yards longer.
Looks like you're going to move alot of clubs for them this year. Your review is rather compelling and because of it I'll be picking up one those beasts. The longest 3 wood I've ever played was the RBZ Tour and the Super Ti XTD. I swing 3 wood around 106-107 so this should be fun.
