TaylorMade RocketBladez Tour
On test: 10 of the latest irons for the better player. Results were close but one club emerges as winner
Brand: TaylorMade
Player iron: RocketBladez Tour
RRP: £699 Best price: £547
Loft: 29.5-degree Lie: 62-degree Length: 37.25”
Shaft: KBS Tour S Grip: RBladez Tour Velvet
Summary: RocketBladez Tour, in 3- to 7-iron, is powered by the Speed Pocket - the ‘little thing’ that promotes radically increased speed and distance. These irons are the true blend of the feel the pros demand and the explosive distance the amateurs crave. 11g of weight has been strategically redistributed to lower and centre the CG position.
Appearance: The first thing I wanted to note was the lie angle of this 6-iron, given the regular RocketBladez was likened to a 5-iron at 26.5-degree. I was much happier to see a more realistic loft version of 29.5-degree this time around. This club looks great at address with its thin topline and medium sole, and just looking at the back of the club aided confidence when placing clubhead behind ball. I also enjoyed how the Speed Pocket was located more in the middle of the sole rather than in the front, and that there was plenty of weight at the back to help me get the ball airborne. 9
Feel: I was a little skeptical about the loud crack of the RocketBladez but the Tour version was much more pleasing. The specially formulated polyurethane provides a much softer sound and a real crisp, springy feel at impact as the ball flies off the face. The combination of KBS shaft also worked well for my swing speed. 9
Performance: Very solid performer and much truer distance for a 6-iron in comparison to the original version, although still much longer than my current setup. I found it was slightly easier to hit a draw over a fade but thankfully straight was the easiest option. The milled face texture of the grooves also promoted me with consistently high spin and shots tended to hold their line well in the wind. The broad sweet spot also helped minimise any mistakes. When hitting a poor one, the feedback I received told me to pull my act together on the next shot. 9.5
Verdict: This is by far the best TaylorMade iron I’ve laid hands on. It’s easy-to-hit, provides a decent mid-to-high ball flight, plenty of distance and aids enough forgiveness to suit the mid-capper. It’s also one of the most visually appealing in my book. Expensive at £699 but the RocketBladez Tour looks, feels and performs the way you would expect for that price point. 27.5
Pro verdict: On first inspection, this looks and feels great. It has a big top edge but there is a nice big sweetspot and that will help a player feel like they’re going to hit a solid shot. In terms of performance, the RocketBladez Tour provides a very crisp strike, nice mid-to-high trajectory and a real trampoline-like effect at impact which is different to some of the others. There is lots to like about this.
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Andy first joined the brand on a month's work experience back in April 2011, and he now assumes the Editor role. When Andy joined GolfMagic it was a small site with potential.
