For weeks golf geeks everywhere have been speculating about TaylorMade’s teaser ad featuring Sergio Garcia and a tag line suggesting he was about to get “freakishly longer.” Today, TaylorMade released its “secret” to the public with the announcement of the new RocketBladez Irons. TaylorMade says this new design is a “once-in-a-lifetime innovation that revolutionizes iron performance.”
We’ve all grown accustomed, perhaps even a bit jaded, to marketing efforts in all walks of life touting the newest new thing; the latest thing we can’t live without. Nowhere is marketing more evident than in the world of golf club manufacturing where every new product cycle bears claims of longer, more forgiving clubs. Consequently, if TaylorMade’s claims cause you to raise a skeptical eyebrow, consider yourself normal. But don’t let skepticism get in the way of taking a good look at these irons. Set your cynicism aside and you’ll find that TaylorMade does in deed have something new going on with the RocketBladez Irons.
The RBZ Speed Pocket Technology, so successful in generating distance increases in the RocketBallz Fairway Woods and Rescue Clubs, has been incorporated in the new RocketBladez Irons—and to the same effect. The 2 mm-wide Speed Pocket design, in the 3-7 irons, flexes and then rebounds at impact to promote faster ball speeds, higher launch and a ball flight that descends on a quick-stopping angle. The Speed Pocket is really more of what I think of as a “speed slot,” and it’s filled with specially formulated Polyurethane developed by 3M that dampens vibration, while allowing the slot to flex as designed at impact. This material also acts to keep debris from clogging the slot. The 8-Wedges don't have the Speed Pocket because they're designed with an emphasis on workability.
TaylorMade claims the Speed Pocket, in conjunction with a face design 11% thinner than predecessor irons, adds up to 10 COR (coefficient of restitution) points to the face as compared to the Burner 2.0 Irons. This is particularly true on shots struck low in the face of the club. TaylorMade’s research found that 72% of amateur iron shots are missed low, so this makes sense. The Burner 2.0 Irons were hot. These new irons are even hotter.
Another innovation is not so much a new design as it is an improvement. These irons offer an enhanced Inverted Cone design that TM claims delivers 2 distinct benefits. 1) It increases the size of the sweetspot. Two, and of significance to better players, it influences how the face flexes and rebounds so players get consistent control without hot spots on the iron face. The inverted Cone Technology has been in use by TaylorMade for awhile, but they say this new iteration is better.
If you’re still skeptical, you should know that these irons were first designed for amateurs, and then the TaylorMade Tour staff became enthused to the extent that TM created a RocketBladez Tour model, as well. It has the same high tech, but a thinner topline, smaller club head and minimal offset.
The really good news is that all of this new technology is incorporated into a very good looking iron. You'll really want to see these in your bag.
The new RocketBladez are available for pre-order now at DGW. The RocketBladez will ship 12/01/12 and the RocketBladez Tour will ship 02/01/13.
