MODEL AND SHAFT PLAYED: TaylorMade R11 4-iron to pitching wedge fitted with stiff flex steel shafts.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: I play a cavity-back iron that’s a lot thicker than what I see with this TaylorMade set. This almost looks like a blade, it’s a really good-looking clubhead. In the hands, it felt heavy, which was a good feel.
VERDICT: When you hit one in the sweet spot, it comes off absolutely pure. The other thing that was noticeable was the trajectory – it doesn’t climb up like so many game improvement irons. It was a pretty low ball flight, really penetrating, which I think meant the distance was a little longer than my current irons. I also found I was getting a
slight draw out of these R11s, which was strange because I pretty much cut the ball on every shot.
If you’re not hitting them pure, I thought that these irons weren’t as forgiving as others out there, and you’d really lose distance on mis-hits. The shafts also probably weren’t ideal for me, a little whippy.
That said, I rate the irons, and would definitely give them another go. While I found the long irons difficult to get going because you had to catch them precisely, the short irons were great. I hit a 9-iron on the 9th hole of my test round from 140 metres out to within a metre – a pure strike that had a great sound.
MODEL AND SHAFT PLAYED: TaylorMade R11 4-iron to pitching wedge fitted with regular flex graphite shafts.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: It’s a perfectly normal-looking club at address, even with a big head. The topline and sole aren’t big and thick, so it’s not so obvious. The red weight port is the only thing that looks a bit odd, but you don’t see that standing over the ball – and it does look good, it matches the colour of my golf bag.
VERDICT: I currently play a set of TaylorMade irons, and I found the R11 to be much longer, even with the scoring clubs. The 7-iron was two clubs longer – I was hitting it in places where I normally would be playing a 5-iron, which made par-3s a lot more fun. The irons were definitely another jump in technology, as you’d expect with new clubs these days.
The forgiveness was excellent. You could hit them off the toe without much loss of distance. The ball flight was pretty high, sometimes higher than what I’m used to.
During the test round, I hit a memorable 4-iron – it was hard to forget, because I don’t usually hit long irons – into a long par-4 that set up a rare birdie on that hole. It summed up how easy to hit these clubs were, and how you could get more out of your irons. And there’s one other good thing – it was a wise decision not to paint the heads of these R11s all white.
FACT & FIGURES
SUITABILITY: A wide range of players.
SHAFTS: KBS 90 steel and Fujikura Motore graphite are standard.
LOFTS: 6-iron 28º, pitching wedge 45º; 50º and 55º wedges also available.
LEFT-HANDED MODELS?: Yes.
HOW MUCH?: $115 per iron (steel), $140 (graphite).
TAYLORMADE SAYS: “The first thing about the R11 iron that will grab the golfer’s attention is its red precision-weighting port, a technology initially introduced in TaylorMade’s forged iron lineup. The precision-weighting port allows TaylorMade engineers to: 1) guarantee precise swingweight and 2) ensure centre-face centre of gravity location in every iron.
“Progressive shaping makes the longer irons more forgiving, and the shorter irons more compact and workable. The soles of the R11 irons are moderately thin (with the exception of the long irons) and the leading edge is moderately sharp, helping it to enter and exit the turf quickly and smoothly. The long-irons are engineered with wider soles to pull the CG lower for easier, higher launch.
“TaylorMade’s R&D department worked diligently to perfect an advanced sound and vibration management system to ensure the feel in the R11 irons would appeal to better players. The R11 irons’ extraordinary feel comes from the club’s combination of shape, construction and the incorporation of an aluminum sound badge in the cavity.”
Contact TaylorMade-adidas on 1800 700 011 or www.taylormadegolf.com