TaylorMade Golf fills out various lines of irons, wedges and putters

Dec. 13, 2006 By Chuck Stogel GolfWeb Equipment Correspondent

It has been a very busy second half of the year for TaylorMade Golf as the company continues to introduce new products to fill out various lines of irons, wedges and putters.

Among the notable introductions, TaylorMade has launched r7 Draw irons, fairway woods and hybrids to complement the r7 Draw driver it introduced in August. Further, last month, the company began packaging two r7 Rescue clubs with six irons as an eight-piece Combo set for both men and women.

Along with the Draw group, for players who want the most help controlling shots that fade or slice, TaylorMade this fall unveiled an r7 iron set for what it calls “core” golfers along with an r7 TP version for more advanced players.

All the r7 irons are geared for golfers seeking enhanced forgiveness. TP, in company parlance, stands for tour preferred.

For the short game, TaylorMade has added a rac Satin TP model to its wedge lineup and a Monza Corza Mid putter to its flatstick roster.

Overall, TaylorMade is currently offering eight different models of irons, each engineered for different types of play and players. The three new r7 irons join r7 XD and r7 CGB Max sets, along with the rac OS, LT and MB iron series. Eventually, the older models will be phased out.

“The biggest challenge for us, in moving from rac to r7, was to focus on bringing thinner faces to the irons,” said Bret Wahl, TaylorMade director of product development for irons. “A lot of research went into how to make a thinner face for higher ball speed and in moving weight to manage the launch conditions.”

To help golfers sort through all the inventory and determine which type of club is best-suited for their swing dynamics, TaylorMade this fall also introduced its SelectFit System, a fitting cart that allows players to test hundreds of head and shaft combinations. All told, 258 iron and 186 driver combinations are available, with different heads, graphite and steel shafts, and grips.

“We want every golfer to learn that a perfectly fitted driver and iron set can truly maximize his or her potential,” said Sean Toulon, TaylorMade evp of product and brand creation. “With SelectFit, trained fitters will be able to dial in a player’s ideal specs for both drivers and irons.”

GolfWeb testers rated each of the new iron models very satisfactory, and all of the new TaylorMade products “must consider” when considering an equipment purchase. Both the r7 and r7 Draw irons were cited specifically for looks, feel and solid impact across a wide spectrum of players.

Here’s a closer look at the latest clubs from TaylorMade Golf.

R7, R7 TP IRONS

The r7 iron is engineered for skilled players seeking high launch and forgiveness with a degree of workability. The r7 TP is geared for pros and low handicap amateurs seeking blade-like feel and maximized workability.

The r7 iron is engineered for skilled players seeking high launch and forgiveness with a degree of workability.

Common features in the r7 irons platform, which includes the new r7 Draw models, include TaylorMade’s oval-shaped Inverted Cone Technology (ICT) on the back of the clubface which helps expand the effective hitting area; a distinctive shock absorption web to enhance feel and sound at impact; a cavityback design which is altered depending on the model.

The basic r7 has a large stainless steel head and thin, energy-responsive face to promoted ball speed and forgiveness. A deep cavity design strategically positions weight low and well back to higher launch. There’s also a moderate offset to help square the clubface at impact.

A new grip incorporates hundreds of small “cells” that help conform to the player’s hands.

“Our new r7 was designed to appeal to a wide range of players,” said Toulon. “It’s a combination of forgiveness, accuracy and distance.”

Suggested retail prices for the r7 model are $699 per set (3-PW) with steel shafts and $899 with graphite. Matching attack, sand and lob wedges are available.

The r7 TP iron, meanwhile, has a compact head, thin topline and sole, geared for workability and a blade-like feel. The cavityback is large for an iron of this type, specifically to enhance forgiveness and stability.

Suggested retail price for the r7 TP irons with stock True Temper steel shafts and Tour Velvet Round grips is $799 per set. Attack and sand wedges are available separately with a list price of $89 each. Graphite shafts are offered via custom order.

R7 DRAW IRONS, FAIRWAYS, HYBRIDS

Like the 460cc driver which came out in August, the r7 Draw irons, fairway woods and Rescue hybrids employ TaylorMade’s Draw-Weight Technology, which strategically repositions discretionary weight toward the heel and rear. The result is a center of gravity closer to the shaft and back in the club, to help rotate the head during the swing and square the face at impact to either hit a draw or straighten a slice.

The r7 Draw group includes a driver, fairway wood, hybrid and an iron.

“There’s a huge segment of players who desperately want the distance-enhancing benefits of a draw, but who can’t turn the ball over,” said Toulon. “[These clubs] are going to make the game a lot more fun for a lot of players.”

Along with promoting a draw, the r7 Draw irons also aim to increase a player’s average ball speed for greater distance. The large clubhead has a thin faced substantially unsupported in the center for greater flexibility. Features also include a maximum degree of offset and a wide cambered sole for smooth play from all types of lies.

The wedges feature a wide, deep sole with low degree of bounce and a radiused, “tucked-under” leading edge to enhance loft and spin while reducing turf drag.

Suggested retail prices for the r7 Draw irons are $900 per ser (3-SW) with steel shafts and $1,197 with graphite. Women’s versions are available, along with wedges sold separately.

The r7 Draw fairway woods come in lofts of 15, 18 and 21 degrees with shallow face profiles. Features also include Draw-Weighted Technology and lightweight graphite or steel shafts. Suggested retail prices for the fairways are $190 each with steel shafts, $210 with graphite.

There are four lofts in the r7 Draw Rescue lineup: 19, 22, 25 and 28 degrees. The hybrids are also geared with Draw-Weighted Technology, while the head is 12 percent larger than TaylorMade’s Rescue dual and Rescue Mid clubs to help enhance forgiveness and stability. Suggested retail prices are $155 each with steel shafts, $175 with graphite.

As an attractive Combo set, the men’s r7 Draw setup is configured with 19- and 22-degree Rescues plus 5-PW irons. The women’s configuration provides 22- and 25-degree Rescues with 6-AW irons. Suggested retail prices are $840 per Combo set with steel shafts, $1,080 with graphite.

RAC SATIN TP WEDGES

The new rac Satin TP wedge is virtually identical to TaylorMade’s existing rac Black TP wedge except for the finish.

The rac Satin TP wedge has a list price of $140 each.

Most notable feature is the company’s tour-proven Y-cutter grooves, which feature sharp edges and a wide, deep design. With a face milled flat, the grooves are geared to grab the cover of the ball and generate considerable spin for precision shotmaking.

The sole is ground low on the trailing edge, especially at the toe and heel. The configuration allows adept players to open the clubface wider for a high, soft chip or pitch.

Five models, with varying bounces, come in lofts of 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60 degrees. Suggested retail price is $140 per club.

MONZA CORZA MID PUTTER

TaylorMade’s newest putter is a mid-length, center-shafted version of its mallet-style Monza Corza. Like the original, the new putter features Anti-Skid Groove Insert (AGSI) technology and Movable Weight Technology.

Shaft lengths are offered in 38, 41 and 43 inches.

The head is trapezoidal shaped with a wire frame design, and has what company engineers are calling a “semi-floating” face. The putter is perimeter weighted and the Mid head is 35 grams heavier than the original Corza to enhance stability.

There are two weight ports allowing for various configurations. The putter comes with four plugs: two 2-gram and two 14-gram weights. Players can adjust amount of weight and bias to match preferences and playing conditions.

The AGSI system boasts a large insert made of Titallium, a lightweight seven-metal alloy. The insert aims to provide both a soft and crisp feel, but most of all a forward spin for a smoother roll.

Suggested retail price for the Monza Corza Mid putter is $240.