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TaylorMade RocketBladez Tour Irons Review

Do TaylorMade’s newest flagship irons live up to their inflated marketing? Hint: you bet they do.

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Enter RocketBladez. TM’s newest line of irons were leaked back in October, and they claim to have brought the same (or similar) Speed Pocket technology from the woods. The Tour model that I have been testing is, of course, aimed at the better players, with thinner soles and toplines, minimal offset, and a straighter leading edge.

Ever since I played my first set of wide-soled super-game-improvement irons, I’ve been of the opinion that most people can get away with (or even benefit from) playing irons slightly better than their skill level. That was the main take-away when I reviewed the Adams CB3 Black irons last year, and that’s what I’ve come to believe here again. Read on to find out why. Design and Technology If you want to track the lineage of TaylorMade’s better-player irons, it’s useful to go all the way back to the r7 TP. The r7s introduced the Inverted Cone Technology which, though now invisible, is still retained in the RocketBladez Tour irons.

The technology innovations from the R9 irons has been thrown away, or at least the name has been, but it’s not hard to see the evolution. The Velocity Control Chamber behind the clubface found in the R9 irons was filled with foam, and allowed TaylorMade to increased the CoR. It’s essentially the same idea as the Speed Pocket found in the RocketBladez, albeit attacked from a different angle.

The Speed Pocket is, of course, the flagship technology for these irons. It consists of a 3M-made polyurethane plastic injected into a slit cut out of the 3-iron through 7-iron. Akin to the hollow Speed Pocket found in TM’s RocketBallz woods, the iron version is meant to provide the same performance benefits. It allows the face to flex more than usual, bumping up CoR and increasing ball speed.

Because the polymer is softer than the steel it is replacing, TaylorMade says that the RocketBladez irons provide increased vibration dampening. The polyurethane is also lighter than steel, so it presented an interesting challenge to TM’s engineers. Because it does not extend to the extreme heel and toe of the club, the Speed Pocket instantly improves the moment of inertia of the clubheads. Unfortunately, because it does not extend all the way to the top of the clubhead, TaylorMade had to get creative with weight placement to ensure as low a CoG as possible. TM accomplished this in four ways: a shorter hosel, a thinner topline, a thinner top of the clubface, and a more shallow clubface. This allowed TM to move the CoG even lower than before, despite the Speed Pocket’s drawbacks.

Lastly, TaylorMade purports that the RocketBladez has a Tour-inspired shape as well as a Tour sole, with a more aggressive leading edge and a slight camber in the middle of the sole.

Esthetics I can boil the “Esthetics” section of this review down to four words: They look like TaylorMades. Mizuno would never make irons that look like this. Miura, Scratch, and Fourteen would never make these irons. Titleist and Ping would have to think long and hard before bringing these to market (and if they decided to, they would keep making them for years while refining them every so often, à la the AP2s). But TaylorMade, well, these are right up their ally.

That said, TM has managed to clean the visible parts of the RocketBladez for the better-player audience. The majority of the clubhead is a satin-grey color, while the cavity is made of a darker grey. The TaylorMade logo resides at the top of the cavity, while the words “RBladez” and “Tour” lie on the bottom. Yellow and two more shades of grey (sensing a trend yet?) are used as accents.

The soles of the irons are simple, though slightly thicker than I expected. Those that include the Speed Pocket look like a “beached” Scotty Cameron putter, or a Nike Method. The polyurethane is not flush with the bottom of the pocket, presumably to prevent wear should the irons ever come in contact with something a bit harder than dirt. (To that end, it remains to be seen the effects that long-term use will have on the visible polyurethane.) The iron number is written is a large script that looks slightly whimsical.

From address, the one thing you do notice about these irons is that the topline is slightly thick for something with “Tour” in the title. I’m not completely averse to a blade with a bit of heft, but these were a little too much for my taste, especially for the market that TaylorMade seems to be going after with them. It also stands to reason that they could have lowered the CoG just a little bit more by shaving some of the topline’s material away.

Performance The very first thing I noticed when I started playing the RocketBladez Tour irons is the feeling of the ball exploding off the face. And not even just on center-struck shots, either. Every swing felt like I was firing a cannon off my clubface, much more like a driver than an iron. These clubs are the epitome of “spring-like effect,” even with the short sticks, which do not have the Speed Pocket. The best way that I have come up with is that it almost felt like I was double-hitting the ball; like I made contact … wait for it … and then the ball left the clubface. It’s an interesting sensation, but one I quite enjoyed.

The feel was different that what I’m used to, even with the softest of soft forged carbon steel irons I’ve hit in the past. It was much less like hitting a piece of hard rubber, and more like hitting a racquetball.

If I have to be a bit critical of one aspect of the RocketBladez Tour irons, it’s that the distance of the clubs don’t quite live up to the hype. They did launch a touch higher than my Nikes, sure, but the added distance was nothing spectacular. The entire reason that modern irons are designed with super low CoGs is so that the manufacturers can lower the loft, giving you a bit more distance with the same launch angle. The RocketBladez Tour irons have relatively normal lofts though, so while they did launch higher, the distance wasn’t overwhelming.

That high launch might not be great in the wind, but it did prove nice at getting the ball to stop on the greens. The face has a swirl-milled finish that may or may not contribute to the overall spin, but either way I had no trouble getting well-struck shots to back up with my short irons, and check up nicely with the long clubs, even out of the rough. The cause-and-effect game is not really worth getting into with spin, but suffice it to say that the check-up was more than adequate.

Speaking of the rough, the RocketBladez Tour irons have slightly wider soles than most irons in the players irons category, and if there’s one area of the game that that helps, it’s out of the rough. That added heft made the clubheads much less likely to be twisted by the thick, wet grass that I’ve encountered early in the season.

Specs The TaylorMade RocketBladez Tour irons come stock with the increasingly popular KBS Tour shaft, which are some of my favorites on the market. Available for righties as well as lefties, the RocketBladez Tours come in regular, stiff, and x-stiff, with opportunities for custom options. The stock grip is a slightly modified Golf Price Tour Velvet, not my favorite grip but a safe choice nonetheless.

RocketBladez Tour irons come stock in 3-PW, with a 51.5˚ AW available. The 3 iron is 19˚, leaving room for a 15˚ fairway and a 17˚, my preferred setup, though your milage may vary. The PW is 47˚, high enough that you probably shouldn’t have to buy the AW to bridge the gap to your SW.

Stock on the RocketBladez Tour irons are a set of KBS Tour shafts, which have quickly become some of my favorite shafts on the market. I prefer the feel and flex characteristics of the KBS Tours to True Temper’s offerings, though Project X shafts remain my favorite. I also like the weight, especially compared to the KBS Tour 90 shafts that came stock with the Adams CB3 irons from last year. The KBS Tours match well with the size of the clubheads.

Conclusion Maybe it’s just the clubs that I’ve had the opportunity to review, but I seem to come to this conclusion a lot: just about anyone can hit theses clubs. I play to a low single-digits handicap, and while there are some things I might change, I very much enjoy TaylorMade’s newest offerings.

Remember Nike’s old Slingshot irons, or Callaway’s Fusion Wide Sole irons? Both of those clubs were made for the highest of high handicappers, and I used to know a few people who gamed them. Those irons weren’t great to hit from hairy lies, or even tight lies, but boy oh boy was the feeling of a purely-struck shot off a tee with one of those delightful. That much power should be outlawed.

With the RocketBladez Tour irons, it seems like TaylorMade has brought that feeling to the better-player category. Even with that great performance, I can say with certitude that these irons can be played from just about any lie. Workability-wise, I can do anything with these irons that I could do with any set of irons. They launch high. They land soft.

I’m not exactly sure who these irons aren’t for. I could see myself playing these at any point of my golfing life, and I assure you I used to be properly awful. No matter your skill level, if you’re in the market for a set of irons, you would be doing yourself a disservice to overlook these irons.

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TaylorMade Irons By Year: The Complete List!

For over 40 years, TaylorMade has created dozens of golf irons used by tour professionals and everyday golfers alike.

My first set of irons was the TaylorMade RAC OS — first released in 2003. These clubs served me very well, and still perform perfectly over 20 years later!

In this article, you’ll find a comprehensive list of TaylorMade irons by year.

So, let’s get into it!

TaylorMade Irons By Year

TaylorMade launched its first golf iron in 1980 and has since become one of the leading golf club manufacturers in the world. The current Qi irons are designed for higher handicappers seeking maximum forgiveness, while the P-line irons feature a small and sleek head profile design for the better player.

Here is a full list of every TaylorMade iron release:

TaylorMade Irons: 1980-1989

Having immediate success with the innovation of metal drivers in 1979, TaylorMade didn’t hesitate before expanding into other golf clubs the following year.

In 1980, TaylorMade debuted the KVD irons . With a design inspired by golf professional Ken Venturi, the KVD irons marked the beginning of 5 decades of golf irons.

Soon after, the iconic TaylorMade Technician irons were released in 1984. These were the first TaylorMade irons to include a rounded camber sole for better turf interaction, along with a lower center of gravity to help increase launch.

In 1985 and 1986, TaylorMade developed the Tour Preferred F and Iron Cleeks .

Check out the video below by The Vintage Golfer , where he discusses the classic TaylorMade Tour Preferred stainless steel blade irons:

In 1987, TaylorMade dropped the Tour Preferred TD irons . These featured a players iron look, with a hollow club head on the 1 through 4 irons for increased forgiveness .

At this time, the company completed the construction of a new 90,000-square-foot production plant in Carlsbad, giving them the capacity to meet increasing demand as it transitioned from a small startup into a golf manufacturing powerhouse.

TaylorMade Irons: 1990-1999

In the 1990s, TaylorMade experienced explosive growth.

1991 saw the launch of the TaylorMade ICW irons . These were available in two variants: one for the better players (ICW 5), and one for the everyday golfer (ICW 11).

Soon after came the release of the TaylorMade Burner Midsize . The Burner featured a revolutionary foam-filled club head, with refined weight distribution around the edges of the club. This allowed for a larger sweet spot, for added forgiveness.

In 1996, TaylorMade developed the Burner Bubble Oversized irons . Designed with greater offset and a larger club head, these irons allowed for greater workability of ball flights in the mid to short irons, with better forgiveness in the long irons.

The Burner Bubble Tour irons were released alongside the Oversized irons in 1996 and became TaylorMade’s first iron to gain significant adoption on the PGA Tour.

In the final year of the decade, TaylorMade produced both the SuperSteel irons and the FireSole irons . The FireSoles caught on due to the unique multi-material usage — built from titanium along with tungsten sole weights for added forgiveness and launch.

TaylorMade Irons: 2000-2009

Having closed a $1.5 billion deal in 1997, TaylorMade continued its growth into the new millennium with a persistent launch of new golf clubs.

In 2000, they launched the TaylorMade 300 irons . Designed with three different club head sizes for a variety of skill levels, the 300 series featured a cavity-back shape with a progressive center of gravity, offering improved ball flight.

Next, 2002 saw the introduction of RAC technology, starting with the RAC LT irons . RAC, or Relative Amplitude Coefficient, was characterized by ‘feel pockets’ in the back of the club head, designed to improve forgiveness, distance , and feel.

In 2003, TaylorMade released the RAC OS irons . These came with altered weight distribution to increase MOI and further improve feel.

Over the following years, TaylorMade revised the Burner series. This included the larger TaylorMade Burner Plus , along with Tour Burner and Burner 1.0 irons .

Finally, the TaylorMade R9 series was introduced. In short, the traditional R9s were popular with everyday golfers, while the TP version was widely adopted on tour.

TaylorMade Irons: 2010-2019

In 2010, the TaylorMade Burner 2.0 irons were introduced. Intended for the everyday golfer as a game-improvement iron, the Burner 2.0 featured a unique gun-metal finish.

The following year, TaylorMade launched the R11 irons as a replacement for the R9.

Next came the RBZ and RBZ MAX irons — AKA RocketBallz. Despite the strange name, these were certainly a popular iteration for TaylorMade, designed for ultimate distance and pinpoint accuracy. The design drew inspiration from their metal-wood history.

In 2013, TaylorMade released the RocketBladez . These irons proved an even greater hit than the previous year’s version, containing a slot in the sole for added consistency.

Alongside their game improvement lineup, TaylorMade steadily introduced sleek-profiled irons for the better player. The Tour Preferred MB irons proved very popular on tour and were used by Dustin Johnson and Justin Rose for several years after release.

In 2017, TaylorMade launched the P730 , P750 Tour Proto , P770 , and P790 irons . This stacked release offered a sleek design for a variety of skill levels.

Alongside this, we saw the release of the M-series game improvement irons. Designed with chunkier bodies and thicker toplines, these iterations offered great forgiveness.

In addition, Tiger Woods worked with the brand to release the TaylorMade P7TW irons . Featuring a beautiful, yet unforgiving design — they’re certainly for the better player!

TaylorMade Irons: 2020-Present

Since 2020, TaylorMade has continued to see massive success on the PGA Tour and wider golf space among millions of everyday golfers.

The P790 , P7MC , and P770 irons all received design refreshes, continuing the sleek appearance that received plenty of success in the previous iterations.

In 2022, the TaylorMade Stealth irons were released. With lots of forgiveness and a modern and premium look, they’re a great pick for higher handicap players.

The following year, TaylorMade refreshed the P790 irons . This fourth iteration of one of the most popular iron sets of all time retains much of the charm of the original irons while adding some welcome refinements.

In 2024, the Qi irons were introduced. According to TaylorMade, these are “the straightest irons in golf” — with a focus on accuracy rather than distance.

With a cavity back shape and dark accents, the Qi club head design is fairly reminiscent of the previous generation Stealth irons.

Overall, they’re an excellent choice for beginner golfers — as well as those who prefer a bit of forgiveness in their irons.

Check out the TaylorMade Qi irons at Worldwide Golf Shops below:

TaylorMade Qi Irons

– Straighter ball flights – Forgiving and long – Easy to hit

– Premium price point

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Jake Taylor

Hailing from the South West of England, Jake has been playing golf for over a decade. He founded Pitchmarks with the aim of helping everyday golfers like himself learn more about the game, through instructional content and honest gear reviews. He has a degree in Architecture and a passion for golf course design, along with a lofty goal to play the world's top 100 courses.

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Review: TaylorMade RocketBladez Tour irons

So are they really tailor made for the better player's game?

TaylorMade RocketBladez Tour, in 3- to 7-iron, is powered by the Speed Pocket - the ‘little thing’ that promotes radically increased speed and distance. Quite frankly, these irons are the true blend of the feel the pros like Sergio Garcia demand and the explosive distance that amateurs like myself crave.

The first thing I wanted to note was the lie angle of the 6-iron, given the regular RocketBladez 6-iron I tested earlier in the year was likened to a 5-iron at an outrageous 26.5-degree. I was therefore much happier to see a more realistic loft of 29.5-degree this time around.

This player iron looks great at address with its medium sole and big top edge, and just looking at the back of the club inspired me with confidence placing clubhead behind ball. I also like how the Speed Pocket is located more in the middle of the sole rather than in the front. There is plenty of weight, too, at the back to help me get the ball airborne.

Although I'm skeptical of the loud crack of the game improvement RocketBladez iron, this Tour version is much more pleasing. A specially formulated built-in polyurethane delivers a much softer sound and a real crisp, springy feel at impact. The combination of KBS shaft also works well for my quick swing speed.

In terms of performance, the RocketBladez Tour is at the top end of the spectrum and provides a much truer distance compared to the original version, although still much longer than my current setup. I find it's slightly easier to hit a draw than a fade with these long irons.

I also find the milled face texture of the grooves promotes consistently high spin and shots tend to hold their line well in the wind. The broad sweetspot certainly helps minimise mis-hits and when I did hit a poor one, the feedback gave me strong signals to get my act together on the next shot .

By far the best TaylorMade iron I’ve placed a glove on. Easy-to-hit, generates a decent mid-to-high ball flight, plenty of distance thanks to its trampoline-like effect and with enough forgiveness to suit even the mid-handicapper. It’s also one of the most visually appealing player irons out there.

Yes, the set is expensive at £699 but the RocketBladez Tour looks, feels and performs the way you would expect for the price. 

You want more?

Click here for TaylorMade RocketBladez Tour owner reviews . Click this link for our Ten of the Best player irons test . Got any questions or comments about the RocketBladez Tour? Let us know below. 

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RocketBladez irons

Golf Monthly Senior Staff Writer Paul O'Hagan tests the new TaylorMade RocketBladez irons

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PGA pro verdict: These strong and powerful irons gave really aggressive ball speeds. The technology has been transferred from the fairway wood, and it really works. The distances on offer are huge, yet the workability isn’t compromised. Another advancement from TaylorMade, that fits seamlessly into its ever-expanding equipment line-up - by Top 25 Coach John Jacobs Test Team Rating: Performance: 5/5 Visual appeal: 4/5 Innovation: 5/5 Value: 4.5/5 Overall: 5/5

Why you can trust Golf Monthly Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test .

Aesthetics:

1) Address view: similar in appearance to a host of midsize game-improvement irons currently on the market. There's

plenty of face visible, without the heads looking too chunky.

2) Shelf appeal: the new technology (explained below) is clear to see in the sole of the club, while the rest of the head features modern styling and a technical overall look.

Components:

3) Stock shafts: the RocketBladez come with new RocketFuel 85 steel shafts as standard. It's hard to judge the effect they had, due to the fact that the heads are so different. However, there's no denying the high ball flight and consistency on offer.

4) Adjustability: an external notch on the outer, rear side of the hosel, plus an internal notch, make it easy to bend the head to change the lie angle. This is something that was previously difficult to do.

Technology:

5) Construction The biggest change is the new Speed Pocket in the 5-7 irons, which is designed to produce added distance, particularly low on the face - a common area of mishits. The pocket - first found in the RBZ fairway woods - is cut from the sole of the club and is filled with polyurethane to keep out dirt and reduce vibrations.

6) Face design: the face is the thinnest of any TaylorMade iron ever produced. This increases the size of the sweet spot and influences how the face flexes at impact, controlling the angle at which the ball

leaves the face for improved accuracy.

Performance:

7) Feel: although feel isn't the key focus here, the set is solid and similar to previous TaylorMade midsize irons. There wasn't a noticeable difference between the feel of the irons with and without the pocket.

8) Flight: the flight is incredibly high, particularly considering that the lofts are very strong and the distance each club travels. As a result, the ball comes down steeply with every iron and stops quickly.

9) Distance control: through the set, the RocketBladez are over a club longer than those with traditional lofts. In fact, they're also longer than those with strong lofts. We were concerned that there would be an abnormal gap between the 7- and 8-iron because of the lack of Speed Pocket in the shorter clubs, but that wasn't the case.

10 Forgiveness: this was arguably more impressive and important than the distance on offer. The difference between shots from the middle of each iron and off-centre strikes was very small. As a result, dispersion was impressive.

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TaylorMade RocketBladez Irons Review

The TaylorMade RocketBladez iron has been launched with much fanfare, but that is OK when there is a significant technical improvement. In this case it is the speed pocket on the sole of the club which allows the face to flex more to generate more ball speed and hence distance

It is the same principle that you know and love from the RocketBallz fairway wood , but this is the first time it has been put into an iron. TaylorMade want to be the number one distance iron and this is right in that category as it is all about ball speed. The technologies for increasing speed that started in drivers are now coming to irons and the manufacturing processes have improved to allow them to increase the spring like effect of the faces of irons.

The other main benefit is more forgiveness and TaylorMade say that in comparison to previous distance irons, there are less hot spots where the ball goes further off one part of the face than another. Certainly when we tried them the iron was very forgiving right across the face and the feel was excellent. You hardly ever got the feeling that you had mis-hit the TaylorMade RocketBladez iron as it always felt good and even strikes that were near thins, felt and flew much like a normal shot.

The other big difference for us was the design of the RocketBladez iron. You might expect it to be chunky with lots of offset, but you would be wrong. They are not blades (despite the name) and the mid-sized heads had a generous but not too thick top line and the offset was no more than you would expect on an average iron. We feel that the RocketBladez, especially the long irons, will be in the bags of a wide range of players.

The speed pocket only features in the 3-7 irons and then they go to more traditional cavity backs. Normally this is where we get worried as the short irons in a cast distance set are well it all falls down. However, we have to say the RocketBladez wedges are really lovely to hit,complement the rest of the set very well and are one of the best wedges we have tried in this category.

Finally we have reached stage in club design where the lofts are basically 1 club up from where there used to be. The 4-iron behaves like a 4-iron with the distance and 20 degree loft of a strong 3-iron and that is where iron sets have been heading over the years. The lofts are much stronger than in the past and you will need the A-wedge at 50 degrees to take you into your wedges. However this makes this set fit easily into the gaps at the top end of the bag created by the bionic RocketBallz woods.

There is also a notch on the hosel now to allow it to be bent for custom fitting and this is a great development and it adds to the style of the club, which apart from the graphics is very good.

There is a choice of Rocketfuel shafts which are a little lighter than normal to aid more speed and could be why we felt the heads seemed a little heavier than normal when you swing them..

Overall TaylorMade have managed to blend distance with looks and playability and this could turn out to be one of the defining irons in golf club development so we would definitely recommend it.

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TaylorMade RocketBladez Irons - Product Details

User reviews.

I have owned Taylor made irons for years. First R-7. Then R-9. Played burner drivers still have four of them. R-11 driver. Bought RocketBladez really enjoyed them. After one year the shaft on my 5 iron snapped at hosel during a tournament. Year later 7 iron shaft snapped at hosel. One month ago the 6 iron face collapsed. My clubhead speed is low as I’m over 70. I’m sure I am not the only one having these problems with these irons. TaylorMade won’t replace them. Everyone of the irons with slot have failed. Good luck with RocketBladez.

Love these clubs, have taken 5 to 6 stokes off my game. I have shot under par on every round maybe 8 or 9. Only Missed only 3 or 4 swings so far. GREAT CLUBS!!

Have had these clubs for 12 months now and like wow, feel and distance A1 for a cavity back. Stripped 3 shots from my hcap , would recommend them as a game-improver.

This is only a provisional review after a single range session using a 7 iron but I felt compelled to write about this club as I have not experienced anything like this before with an iron.

Initial impressions are good as its a nice compact design with clean lines and to those like me (mid handicapper) its just the right amount of head size and offset to give you confidence but not too big to be off putting or turn away better players.

In the hand it feels very light and those that like a lighter shaft and the increased head speed that comes with it will benefit from the lighter, almost graphite feeling head/shaft weight ratios. Clearly if you like a heavier shaft you can custom fit.

Anyway down to the business end of things. When struck the ball just flies off the face and it really does go a like a Rocket! We've all seen the TM videos and I'm very cynical but I really do believe now. I just kept saying to myself that it felt like cheating. Feel off the face was good with a very satisfying soft clip but clearly not forged soft, but what is these days except blades. I'm using AP2's at the moment and the RBZ's were only a little more cast feeling than the 712's.

So whilst feel was slightly down the extra forgiveness on offer was on another level completely. Even slightly thinned shots flew straight and long with unerring accuracy and I would say that it was roughly 1 club stronger the 2 other (forged) irons I tried that night.

Finally a quick word about consistency. I really felt that I was in control of distances which not something that has been labelled at previous TM distance irons.

So yes I need to try the long irons to see if they are just as easy to hit. I also need to test the scoring irons for feel on shots around the greens. But at the moment I'm this close i.e. very very close, to trading he AP2's which is something I never thought I would do. Well done TaylorMade.

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List Of All Taylor Made Irons Models by Year Released

TaylorMade irons by year table: Note – if a set of irons is listed twice, it means they were re-released in separate years

TaylorMade Irons Over the Last 5 Years

Qi Irons: Game improvement iron designed to take the right miss out of a player’s game. Optimized CG placement for each club in the set allows for perfect launch characteristics throughout the set.

Qi HL Irons: The “HL” stands for higher and lighter. With weaker lofts, and lightweight components to make the irons easier to swing and launch the ball.

The last five years have really shown the innovation at TaylorMade. Mostly through improvements of popular models. The uber popular, and high performing P790 debuted in 2017, and has gone through internal and external changes. These changes are making them even longer and more forgiving.

The P790 is widely regarded as one of the best performing irons on the market. Great feel, distance, forgiveness, and compact design make it an appealing option for tour players and weekend warriors alike , which is uncommon to say the least. Check out the full P790 specs and lofts for more info.

TaylorMade has released a flagship iron alongside the driver every year since 2017. Most recently the Stealth irons. Stealth follows suit behind SIM2, SIM, and the M series. These irons are labeled as game improvement irons , and are a good selection for a wide variety of players.

TaylorMade has no shortage of “player” options too, with regular releases and updates to the P770 specs , the P7MC, and P7MB. Even releasing a Tiger Woods model, the P7TW , TaylorMade has options for all comers.

If you’re looking for the latest womens irons, check out our reviews here .

TaylorMade Burner Irons by Year

The TaylorMade Burner series began in 1993 with the Burner Midsize. It was a unique design with foam and perimeter weighting. This did wonders for forgiveness. The Burner series went on to win majors, and spearhead iron innovation.

In 1996 and 1997 TaylorMade released a series of Burner Bubble irons. The 96’ Burner Bubble Tour was in the bag for two of the four majors in 96’ , which gave some serious validity to the line. 97’ brought the Ti Bubble 2 which was the introduction of using multiple materials to lower the center of gravity, which helped improve distance.

The Burner line was shelved for over a decade until 2008. By then TaylorMade had discovered and mastered “SuperFast Technology.” This inverted cone behind the face, and multi material construction to deliver today’s players distance iron.

TaylorMade Irons History

In 1979 TaylorMade broke ground on one club. A 12 degree stainless steel metalwood. They wasted no time breaking into the iron space. 1980 marked their first ever iron release .

TaylorMade released first the KVD irons, named after the designer Ken Venturi. That same year they released the PR1 iron.

TaylorMade remained a “tour preferred” lineup until 1991. The release of the ICW 11, with a progressive offset, and more forgiveness was marketed as an iron set for the everyday player. From then on, TaylorMade released various club selections for every type of golfer to help make the game more enjoyable.

How Often Does TaylorMade Release New Irons

TaylorMade is one of a few manufacturers that regularly releases new and improved options for all types of golfers . From 2008 until present, you can rely on TaylorMade to release a new iron set every year.

These yearly releases contain incremental improvements from the year prior, and tend to offer something for every type of player. For the last decade, TaylorMade has released iron sets alongside their yearly metalwood sets, such as the newest Stealth lineup. You could almost set a watch to it.

Other Brand’s Irons by Year

Check out the complete list of Ping irons by year . Check out the complete list of Callaway irons by year released here . Check out the complete list of Titleist irons by year released here . Check out the complete list of Mizuno irons by year released here . Check out the complete list of Wilson Staff irons by year released here .

About the Author

By Coach Erik Schjolberg – Last Updated Feb 23, 2024

Expertise:     Golf Instruction     Golf Equipment Testing     Golf Practice Programs     Online Golf Instruction

Coach Erik actively coaches several PGA Tour Professionals . He’s the head golf instructor and writer here at Swing Yard, was voted the “#1 Golf Coach in Scottsdale, Arizona”, and has been coaching for over 20+ years. Erik also owns and operates his own online golf school, EJS Golf Academy . His other credentials include: Active PGA Coaches Membership, Titleist TPI Level 1 and 2, Trackman Certified Level 1, Dr. Kwon’s Biomechanics Level I and II, Scott Cowx Certified Level I Advanced, BodiTrack and V1 Sports Pressure Mat Certified, Titleist Club Fitting and Ball Fitting Certified, PGA Hope, and Sportsbox AI. Check out Erik’s full bio and certifications for more info.

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Thanks, glad you got some value from all this hard work!

TaylorMade RocketBladez Iron (Non-Tour) Review

Summary: The RocketBladez irons incorporate a slot in the sole of the iron, which gives golfers more ball speed and a higher launch.

TaylorMade introduced this “speed pocket” in 2012 with its RBZ fairway woods and hybrids. In conjunction with the speed pocket, the RocketBladez feature an improved Inverted Cone design that allows for a slightly bigger club face area, as well as the elimination of hot spots.

In summation: longer and straighter shots with tighter dispersion. Click here to see the press release and watch the TaylorMade video about the RocketBladez Irons .

Sean2:   (Reviewer #1) Lives up to the billing. These clubs are longer than other game improvement irons I have tried, and they are straight.

The RocketBladez also have a forged feel to them. Yes, some may say that the lofts are a bit strong, but that is the trend these days with game improvement irons.

tbowles411:   (Reviewer #2)  They are longer than my irons and straighter without a crazy amount of offset, but rest assured high cappers, it’s there to help.

The insert seems to work as advertised.  No hotspots, which was a common complaint with previous TaylorMade irons (and I complained too).  The ball comes off in a hurry and the feel is very good.

Sean2:  This is a game improvement club, those looking for a players’ iron will have to look elsewhere, or wait until February, when the RocketBladez Tour are set for release.

tbowles411:   Cons – If you’re less than a 15 handicap and consider yourself a “Playah”, you’re probably going to be disappointed:  Wait for the Tours.

Conversely, if you’re having ball striking issues OR are over a 30 handicap, you might need to look elsewhere because the soles are not as wide as someone who needs a SGI club might need for an immediate impact.  You CAN grow into them though.  Just practice and play with them.  Don’t give up.

Tech Video interview with TaylorMade at the headquarters Carlsbad California.

[youtube id=”QpmrytE3gLI” width=”620″ height=”360″]

Specs of gear reviewed by our two (2) testers:

Sean2:  TaylorMade RocketBladez irons (4-SW), +0.75 inches, 2º upright, from TaylorMade standard, with RocketFuel Graphite shafts 65 grams, stiff flex.

tbowles411:  TaylorMade Rocketbladez irons (4-LW), + ¾ and +1 inches (depending on the iron – the AW, SW and LW were the same length), 2 degrees up, Matrix Program 95, Regular Flex (to prove a point), Golf Pride Tour Wrap 2G (white) +6 wraps.

Click here to see the discussion for these reviews in the forums

Appearance:

Sean2:  This is a very nice looking iron and should appeal to wide variety of golfers, from the traditionalist to the mid and high handicapper alike.  Unlike the RBZ irons, whose green badging some found a bit loud, the black/gold is very understated. The club has a satin-like finish that I find very appealing. The sole, where the speed pocket is located, has a chrome finish.

The term “speed pocket” is a bit of a misnomer. It’s not a pocket at all since it is completely filled in so you don’t have to worry about it getting jammed up with dirt or debris when you hit a shot.

The pocket is actually filled with a specially formulated polyurethane developed by 3M. You will find the speed pocket on the 3 through 7 irons. It’s not on the 8 iron through AW it becomes “less active.” The sole of the RocketBladez is narrower than some game improvement irons, and the look is a bit more understated as well.

The graphite shaft is black with the same, understated gold graphics found on the club head. It’s quite sharp looking. The grip is similar to a Golf Pride Tour Velvet in feel, but perhaps a bit softer, and follows the same black/gold theme.

Purists may find the topline a bit thick and the sole a bit wide (though not as wide as the G20s for example), but both are fairly standard for a game improvement iron. One nice feature is a notch located near the base of the hosel, which makes adjusting the lie angle much easier. Overall this is a very nice looking iron.

tbowles411:  You all know how it is, when a long brown box arrived from UPS, it’s Christmas at that very moment. But in all their shiny glory were my Rocketbladez irons. But of course, being almost winter, I had to plan my attack when I could, between Christmas parties, rain, and bitter cold, and of course work.  These are good looking irons:  Kind of edgy and modern.  I like that.

The Speed Pocket — oh yes, the holy grail of technology that people love to say has been done before. Here’s the difference. TaylorMade made it work better. I have a 70-something-year-old neighbor who still has a set of Wilson Reflex in his basement. I held up the iron, and you can see its roots.

He told me there were a set of slotted Walter Hagan irons that came out around the same time that were actually better looking and in his opinion performed a little better.  In his words, “The Reflex irons were crap! They helped kill Wilson!” I wasn’t going to argue with him because I was only 8 when they came out, so don’t sue me Wilson. I’m only passing on what a Korean War vet told me.

I like the color scheme of the head. It’s not gaudy like some complained the RBZ irons were:  Black, gold and gray, a nice combination.  My shafts were the Matrix Program 95 in regular flex. My point:  I ordered regular flex to help produce a bit more spin as this shaft can be a stout one. I’m a pretty big dude, so while I didn’t want rebar, I also didn’t want a noodle either. I think this was a nice compromise. While I can’t say these are the “real deal,” they feel very similar to the ones I used to play in my Vega irons.

As a guy who uses GI irons, I liked the thick topline.  It’s there for a simple reason:  To give mass to the back of the iron and to make it more forgiving.  It’s going to forgive the bad swing, but not the REALLY bad swing. For me, this is the run of the mill GI iron. There is a small cavity, which gives even more forgiveness. And it gives confidence. And I’m all about some added confidence standing over a shot.

The wedges have a “cavity” as well. It’s not really a cavity, but its there for forgiveness as well.  It makes those off center shots behave.  But the wedges look outstanding.  To me, it really is one sexy looking wedge.  But how do they perform?  More on that in a bit. LOOK:  4.75/5 STARS

Performance:

Sean2:  Having owned both the TaylorMade Burner 2.0’s and the Ping G20’s, I was able to compare the RocketBladez with both.  The first thing I noticed about the RocketBladez is the feel. When you hit a shot on the sweet spot it feels like a very well made forged iron. Yeah, I know, surprised me too.

Unlike the Burner 2.0s the RocketBladez exhibits none of the “hot spots” the Burner 2.0’s are known for. What really stands out is how straight the ball goes, the consistency in distance, and the nice high trajectory I was seeing with each shot. Make no mistake though, the ball wasn’t ballooning, but pierced through the air. Even shots hit off the toe would go straight without a terrible loss in distance.

I had replaced the Burner 2.0’s with the G20’s because I found I my distances were inconsistent with the Burner 2.0’s.  The G20s took care of that inconsistency very nicely. The RocketBladez also gives you a very consistent distance shot after shot. It’s comforting to know the club in your hand will give you the yardage you are shooting for.

While I like the G20s very much, I’d give a slight nod to the RocketBladez. Yes, the lofts are stronger in the RocketBladez from the 7 iron on up, but when I took my G20 6 iron and the RocketBladez 7 iron (29 degrees and 30.5 degrees respectively), I found I was hitting the RocketBladez slightly further. In addition, I was hitting the RocketBladez a tad higher and straighter as well. And finally, the RocketBladez had a slight better feel to them. However, I think the finish on the G20 is more robust than on the RocketBladez. Compared to the Burner 2.0s, the RocketBlades surpassed them in all the categories mentioned above even more so.

There are two models of the RocketBladez Irons. The standard model (this review is on the “standard” model) and a “Tour” version. The Tour Version is not as long and a smaller, more player-type iron for lower handicap. The upside to the standard is the hot face and distance gains we saw vs. the Tour version.

Photos of the standard RocketBladez

Photos of the standard RocketBladez Topline (Below). It’s thicker in the standard version than it is in “Tour” version, which also has a smaller blade length, a narrower sole and a reduced amount of offset. 

I’ve even had some success hitting the long irons, especially off the tee. I was surprised at the distance I was getting, especially with the 4-iron, however, it does have 20 degrees of loft. Does that mean I’ll ditch my 7 wood? Not just yet, because for the most part I hit it really well. However, I’ll keep working with the 4 iron and see where it takes me. Either my golf swing is getting better, or it’s all about the technology, or a little bit of both.

Photos of the “Tour” model of RocketBladez (slightly smaller head and thinner  top line, but not the same distance and the standard version). 

Photos of the RocketBladez “Tour” Version Topline

The higher trajectory, sans the ballooning, gives you the added benefit of landing the ball on the green softly without all that nasty rollout. When it comes to the scoring clubs, 8-AW, high and straight will translate to lower scores. I also hit a few low punch shots with the pitching wedges into a brisk wind, and had no problem keeping the ball down. The graphite shafts feel quite smooth and have a very nice feel to then. For an OEM shaft it performs quite admirably.

On a closing note, I don’t find the RocketBladez to be “ridiculously long”. They are longer, but not ridiculously so. I am more impressed with how straight they are and how they feel when you hit the sweet spot. 4.50/5.00

I pick the ball clean off the turf with a very small divot.  I had no issues with playing on wet ground with these, though the divots were a bit deeper than I’d like.  I couldn’t help it.  Since it was a wet day, I went out as a single, so I could take my time.  I had the course to myself, so where I tried to take two shots to compare distances.

I’ll just say they were longer. Even with the heavier shaft.   know if I want to gain distance, I can go with a different graphite shaft, that’s not only more flexible, but kicks higher. However, the ball came off very hot. It seemed to hang in the air, but the ball didn’t balloon. It got out there in a hurry, even with the wetness of the course. It wasn’t cold, just wet. So it scares me to think how these will perform in warmer weather. I made an effort to mishit these, taking the shots more towards the heel and the toe. The ball still went straight with a negligible distance loss, so that was impressive, to say the least. I was having issues with the 4-iron, as I don’t carry one as a rule.  However, once I got used to it, it was a little more preferable off the tee.  Though the fudge factor wasn’t as great as a hybrid, you can still get very good distance, but crazy accuracy with it.  It just wants to go straight.  Oh, my 4-iron distance?  233 yards.

But another word on the Speed Pocket: But I understand the premise of the Speed Pocket. It’s placed lower where most golfers actually hit the ball and across the entire face. It provides an added “trampoline” effect which gets the ball up at a higher trajectory (launch angle) and out not only faster, but farther. In basic terms, it has to do with the dynamic loft of the club which can increase launch angle. These irons were designed to help the average golfer get the ball up with the likelihood there would be a mishit. So the center of gravity is lower and the dynamic loft fires the ball at a higher launch angle. A higher launch angle, a faster ball speed, more distance.  Sorry. My geek was showing.  Where was I…?

The wedges are a different story. My usual setup is 50, 55, 60. I was pleased to find out my gaps were already standard. I knew these were built on the ATV wedges.  However these have a “cavity” in them to add forgiveness.  They worked better than I thought they would.  They don’t give as much spin as my primary wedges, but they still get good bite, but the cavity adds mega forgiveness.  Wedge play isn’t my thing, but with the cavity it made shots from 110 yards and in very simple.  A sand wedge with a cavity is like cheating. Out of the sand, it’s money. Even I could get the ball out! And I actually got the lob wedge with the set and wanted to see what it could do: 60 yards with spin. Flops were easier with a cavity. Very nice. Get the wedges. Don’t even hesitate. You’re welcome.

THE CHALLENGE:  THE HOLE

There is a hole on the course that is my nemesis:  A 235-yard Par 3, with the pin center, and a little tucked (the Super was in a bad mood I see). Why this hole is on a local muni is beyond me.  I almost never hit this green and if I do, I’m sure it’s going to barely make it, but usually, I take my 4 hybrid and roll with it.  Well, I took my new 4 iron and went for it.  It flew a little higher than my hybrid and when it hit, it bit some and spun towards the hole.  It never left the pin:  18 feet to the pin.  I was pretty pleased. To compare (since I was alone), I took two more shots, one with my 3 and 4 hybrids:  25 and 34 feet.  A silly grin started creeping across my face.  I thought, “I think I’m going to like these…” PERFORMANCE:  4.75 STARS/5

______________________________________________________________

Sean2:  I wanted to talk a bit more about this because I was so surprised the first time I hit one on the sweet spot. I was on the range warming up (I usually start out chipping and pitching until I get loose), and I grabbed the nine iron, took a full swing, hit it well, and oh my. The shot felt very similar to a forged iron. I then took the 7 iron. Same thing. I wanted to see if this was for real and head out to the course.

I decided to leave all my woods in the bag and play from the forward tees with just the irons. I wanted to hit every tee shot with an iron to see if I was imagining things. Maybe the range shots were an anomaly.

No, they weren’t. A well struck tee shot, shots out of the fairway, shots out of the rough, all had a forged feel to them. Nice! Remember though, I’m playing graphite shafts here. Perhaps that had something to do with it? I don’t know. 4.75/5.00

tbowles411:  THESE ARE NOT FORGED. There. I had to remind myself of that.  However, these feel very good. When you strike these on the center of the face, they feel as soft as a cast club can. For a quick moment it reminded me of a Ping iron. I’m fairly sure the insert has a lot to do with it. Hit it along the heel or toe, still feels very decent. I remind you, feel is a preference. But these are a very good feeling iron. When you get to the short irons, they did remind me of a Ping iron: Pretty soft for cast. As someone who uses forged clubs, I could totally use these and not be disappointed. I know what you’re thinking:  “Dude, you’re using graphite!”  Yes, but if you use graphite as long as I have, you know the difference of a good shot, and a great shot; a well struck, and one not so much. FEEL:  4.75/5 STARS

RocketBladez Wedges  Sean2: Included with the irons for me to test was a RocketBladez sand wedge with a loft of 55º. This is a great looking wedge, with a satin like finish, and a bit of a cavity back. The sand wedge has the same ATV sole (All-Terrain Versatility) that their “players” wedges have, but with a bit more forgiveness. I’ve always been a fan of the ATV because it allows a golfer to play a variety of shots from a variety of turf conditions and not have to be to concerned about bounce. I have a 64º ATV wedge that’s been terrific. I wasn’t at all surprised at how well the sand wedge performed. It was great from  the rough, off a tight lie, and out of the sand. It had some bite to it too and a few times the ball checked up on the green. It always surprised me that people will be encouraged by their pro to purchase a set of game improvement irons, or based on an article they read in a golf magazine, or from a book they’ve read, but will still end up purchasing a set of “players” wedges. If a golfer purchases a set of game improvement irons, why not a set of game improvement wedges?

I would encourage anyone thinking of purchasing a set of RocketBladez irons to give the RocketBladez wedges serious consideration. The AW/SW/LW come in 50º/55º/60º respectively. 4.75/5.00

Summary/Overall:

Sean2:  The TaylorMade RocketBladez is a game improvement iron that anyone can enjoy. These irons do everything well in a very nice looking package. They are bit longer, forgiving, straight, and feel terrific. The casting process has come along way. For those of you that believe that forged is the only way to go, but have been looking for a more forgiving forged iron, I would suggest you take the RocketBladez for a test drive. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

For those of you looking for a game improvement iron that has a nice understated look, with a hemi under the hood, you don’t have to look very far. There is a lot of technology packed into the RocketBladez, and the nice thing is you’re not hit over the head with it. If you’re in the market for a new set of irons I think you owe it to yourself to give the RocketBladez a test drive, and please don’t forget the wedges. That all said, you still have to put a good swing on whatever club you purchase, however I think TaylorMade hit a home run with the RocketBladez irons. Overall Rating: 4.65/5.00

tbowles411:  The hype is true.  These will go farther.  I’m not sure about 11 yards farther, but I can see how it could.  We can argue about lofts, materials and God knows what else.  Your average consumer isn’t going to care about any of it.  They want the ball to get up, and out.  Stock offerings in steel and graphite will most certainly do that and get them to enjoy golf and have some fun with it.  I can totally see TaylorMade selling a boatload of these irons in the regular and probably in the Tour models.  They perform as advertised.  My advice to higher cappers:  Leave the 4-iron at home until you get good with it.  Get the hybrids which I’m sure will be on sale eventually, and for the love of all that’s holy, GET THE WEDGES. OVERALL IMPRESSION:  4.75/5 STARS

Can’t get up and down? It might be a sole problem

In-hand photos: ’13 Adams Super LS and S Drivers

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19 Comments

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Oct 6, 2015 at 1:54 pm

If you haven’t tried or experienced graphite shafts you have no idea how helpful they can be for a variety of issues…this isn’t 1979….

Aug 31, 2014 at 9:26 pm

I have seen that the rocketballbladez irons come in a tour, hp and lp version, what do lp and hp mean?

Apr 16, 2014 at 5:42 pm

I tried these, the SpeedBlades and the Tour Preferred CB irons. I liked the TP-CB the best, but they’re really expensive. So it came down to the RocketBladez or the Speedblades. Because of the constant onslought of new products from Taylormade there was more than $200 savings by going with these RocketBladez. So that’s what I bought and have really enjoyed them.

Then I received a free Speedblade 6 iron from Taylormade. I went to the range with nothing but my existing RocketBladez 6i and the new Speedblade 6i to hit a bucket. Same day, same player (13 handicap), same conditions – the Speedblade gave me five more yards with similar feel and results. Which made even more happy with my choice.

When I get below a ten handicap, I’ll trade these in for the Tour Preferred CB or MC irons. Let’s see what 2014 brings.

Jul 15, 2013 at 7:15 pm

I went from Ping Rapture Steel Stiff +1″, to TM Rocketbladez 65 gram graphite. Reason, I could no longer generate the head speed because I’m old and I lost distance and my draw. I was a 6 just 3 years ago and ballooned to 11. I found myself trying to adjust my grip, my stance, etc to no avail. I decided to take my Raptures to the fitting cart at a local outdoor range in North Fort Myers, and compared. There was no comparison. With the TM Graphite the draw was back, the distance was back and now, 3 months later my handicap is 8 and stable. I liked the TM graphite better than the TM steel (85g) and the feel is quite remarkable. I never thought I could buy a better game. I was wrong.

Nov 6, 2013 at 9:50 pm

Count me among the RBladez converts. I just spent the day at my local executive course hitting 4 balls per hole, two balls with my trusty Ping Eye2 square grooves (plus One inch, project X 6.0 shafts) and two balls with a standard Rocketbladez set, 85 gram regular steel Rocketfuel shaft.

As it turned out, the long shafts on the Pings were exactly the same length as the standard Rocketbladez, making my adjustment to the new set very easy. The RBladez felt lighter and while their lofts may have looked a bit stronger at address, they did not launch any lower than the Pings. I tend to have too low a ball flight and struggle to get enough backspin, hence the reason I play old square-grooved Pings and why I was worried that these RBladez would be nothing more than 5 irons with “6” stamped on the bottom etc., as the TMag haters claim.

I needn’t have worried. The ball flights across the board went as high or higher than the equal-numbered Pings. Backspin was the same or better with the Rbladez. Feel was comparable, forgiveness and shot dispersion was better with the RBladez. The RBladez strayed a tad further right, but this could probably be corrected by bending them one degree upright.

The big, surprising difference was distance. 10 to 20 yards more per club across the board. Example: my Ping 7 goes 160 on average. The Rbladez 7 iron went 5 to 10 yards further than the Ping 6, with a higher ball flight, averaging about 175 to 180, with check equal to Ping 7. Other clubs were very similar.

I say ignore the hype and the haters, hit the clubs.

May 27, 2013 at 1:58 am

Again I want to point everyone in the direction of the golfreviewguy.com. This is an awesome review but seems a bit commercialized. Check out another good review http://www.golfreviewguy.com/taylormade-rocketbladez-irons-review.html . hope this helps someone.

Mar 11, 2013 at 11:26 am

I can’t believe there hasn’t been a Rocketbladez Tour review yet. Anybody? Pretty please?

Frank Garrett

Oct 13, 2013 at 7:58 pm

Here’s your review….it’s new, it’s good If you hit it high, it’s high If you’re a low ball hitter, it will stay low Spend money on what you want to but your average golfer would do better spending it on lessons

Feb 25, 2013 at 3:45 pm

if these increase ball speeds hit lower in the face, than if you were hitting from the rough and the ball hits high on the face, then wouldn’t that mean the ball would travel considerably less?

Oct 28, 2013 at 7:40 pm

More tm gimmicks if u ask me, I get plenty of distance when I thin a shot and I’m sure everyone else does too

Feb 13, 2013 at 8:46 pm

I’m a 65 yr old lefty (male) with a bad left knee. With my knee injury I’ve lost considerable distance with ALL my clubs. I barely hit my driver 190 now and irons are horrendous. Will these help an old hacker?

Mar 18, 2013 at 11:40 pm

Hey Jerry. couldn’t help but to reply. My dad is 71, never had a lesson in his life. just started golf about 8 years ago. I am 43, about a 17 HC. I’m not a great golfer ( A hack myself). I am in the market for a new set of clubs this year too. I have tried many, still haven’t got an answer yet. I see a tour professional instructor and I asked him the same question as you did. His answer was this. ” pick your clubs in this order ( 1. how it works. 2. how it feels. 3 how it sounds. 4. how it looks. in that order). Your swing is the most important part. work on your swing. Youtube is a great way to find practice techniques. good luck

Mar 18, 2013 at 11:44 pm

Jerry, JIm again. about the 190 thing. the most interested, yet disturbing thing I witness on the golf course is when I play someone who is 55, 65, 75, and they kick my ass. You know why? because they hit the ball straight, everytime. they only hit the ball about 150 each shot, but its staight, and in play. Thats ALL you have to do. Keep your distances and focus on hitting it straight consistently and you will do great.

Apr 13, 2013 at 11:55 am

I have these irons, they are FANTASTIC! Tried them at Golfsmith and didn’t believe the launch monitor: (66 years old, hacker, 18 handicap) 7 iron 170 yards. On the course? Same thing! I was even able to get a “Great shot!” from my playing partner. I didn’t think those words were in his vocabulary.

I have the steel shafts, the ball literally jumps off the club face I tried Nike Coverts, Callaway X-Hots, Ping G25 and Titlest AP1. None of these were anywhere close to the Rocketbladez.

Great choice.

Feb 5, 2013 at 6:58 pm

Just switched from R9 irons (S300 true temper, non TP version) to these in steel/stiff last weekend. One full range session and two rounds of golf. 12 handicapper, here’s my take. Even though these are longer shafts & stronger lofts I lost a few yards. Likley due to the R9 head & shaft each being heavier than the Rocketbladez comparatively. That’s the only negative thing I can say. The flight is higher, distance more consistent so far and for whatever reason they are straighter to this point as well. They have a unique sound and feel that has grown on me already.

Feb 10, 2013 at 5:46 pm

ES – did you have the stock RocketBladez shafts in them when you compared them to the R9’s?

Jan 13, 2013 at 5:40 pm

Jacking up the lofts will increase any clubs distance. G20 7 iron 32 degree, AP1 7 iron 33 degrees, TM RocketBladez 30.5. Enough said! And second the graphite shaft comment. TM is so overrated. They are long and that is all and we all know why.

Jan 8, 2013 at 12:46 pm

Dude using graphite shafted irons for a review. Seriously??? get out a town man, you are wasting our time…

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Whats in the Bag

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• Xander Schauffele what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship. 

Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees @10.1) Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana PD 70 TX (45.5 inches)

3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (15 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana PD 80 TX

Check out more in-hand photos of Xander Schauffele’s clubs in the forums.

Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW (21 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX

Irons: Mizuno MP-20 (3), Callaway Apex TCB ’24 (4-10) Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Mid X100 (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-10)

Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (52-10S), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-10S @57), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (60-K @61) Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Putter: Odyssey Toulon Design Las Vegas Prototype 7CH Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour 2.0

Grips: Golf Pride MCC Align

Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour

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Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D4 SureFit setting) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6 X

3-wood: Ping Max G430 Max (15 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Red 7 X

7-wood:  Titleist TS2 (21 degrees, D4 SureFit setting) Shaft: UST Mamiya Elements Proto 8F5

Check out more in-hand photos of Cam Smith’s gear here.

Irons: Mizuno Pro Fli-Hi (2, 3), Titleist T100 (5-9) Shafts: KBS Tour 130 X Custom Series

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (46-10F, 52-08F, 56-08M, 60-04T) Shafts: KBS Tour 130X (46, 52, 56, 60)

Putter: Scotty Cameron 009M

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Tack

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

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• Patrick Reed what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship. More photos from the event here.  

Driver: Ping G400 (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 125 MSI 70 Tour X

3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (15 degrees) Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 125MSI 80 Tour X

• Check out more in-hand photos of Patrick Reed’s clubs in the forums.

Hybrid: Callaway Apex Pro (18 degrees) Shaft: Aldila RIP Phenom Hybrid 100 TX

Irons: Titleist 716 TMB (2), Grindworks PR-202 (4), Grindworks PR-101A (5-PW) Shafts:  True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

• Check out more in-hand photos of Patrick Reed’s clubs in the forums. 

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore (50-10 Mid), Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (56-08M @55), SM10 (60-04T) Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Odyssey White Hot RX Pt Customs No. 2

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

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• Home > TaylorMade RocketBladez Tour Iron Set

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TaylorMade RocketBladez Tour Iron Set

• Sale Price $499.95 (44% off)
• MSRP $899.95
• Product Code: TM-RBLDZTIS
• Manufacturer: TaylorMade Golf
• Availability: Discontinued
• Hand: Right Handed Left Handeded
• Set: 4-PW, AW
• Flex: XStiff Stiff
• Shaft: KBS Tour Steel
• Quantity in Basket: None
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Inspired by the distance-enhancing benefits of the RocketBallz fairway woods and rescues so fast and long, TaylorMade engineers found a way  to incorporate a Speed Pocket into irons.  The result is a once-in-a-lifetime innovation  that revolutionizes iron performance not only in terms of distance, but also distance-control and feel.

We've taken the concept for the RBZ Speed Pocket that we developed to boost the ball speed and distance in our RocketBallz fairway woods and hybrids and found a way to incorporate it into our new RocketBladez irons.

Testimonials

“They look like a blade yet they're incredibly easy to launch high and long.  The dispersion and distance control is off the charts - you could cover the group of balls I hit with each club with a blanket.  A small blanket.” - Sean O'Hair

“I've never been able to hit a tour iron so high or land it so soft.  That gives me a huge advantage that I've never had before with the middle and long irons.” - Justin Rose

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TaylorMade RocketBladez Irons Review

In today’s review guide, we will outline the RocketBladez Irons by TaylorMade which are a great addition to your golf bag if you’re looking to buy new or used irons this season!

TaylorMade has done it all when it comes to their golf club designs. They were the first to break the tradition by bringing out an all white driver head, they came up with funky new names for their clubs and most importantly they have sold a lot of golf clubs over the years.

One of their most successful lines of clubs was the Rocketballz (RBZ). The drivers and fairway woods featured a funky name, a white design that stood out and every golfer that hit an RBZ club, instantly hit the ball 10+ yards further.

The RBZ range didn’t stop at drivers and fairway woods, an initial RBZ set of irons was released and future releases within the RBZ range included the RocketBladez irons in 2012.

The RBZ range is known for added distance through the use of SpeedPocket technology. The RocketBladez was one of the first set of irons to feature this revolutionary technology.

The RocketBladez irons are hard to find for sale these days but they continue to be one of the longest sets of irons out there. Let’s take a closer look at why these irons have stood the test of time.

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What You’ll Love About the RocketBladez Golf Irons

The TaylorMade RocketBladez are a very sleek looking set of irons that will be appealing to a variety of different golfers ranging from the traditionalist to the high handicapper.

The RocketBladez are game improvement irons but their soles are slightly narrower than your regular game improvement iron giving it a more clean cut look. The graphics on the clubhead are very subtle which adds to the classic look and feel of these otherwise modern irons.

The RocketBladez features cast iron clubheads, but don’t be alarmed they offer exceptionally good feel. Those players that are die hard forged clubhead fans will be pleasantly surprised by the great feel off of the clubface at impact from the RocketBladez.

The RocketBladez clubheads feature a satin finish that looks very sleek and clean, the sole at the bottom of the clubhead sports a more chrome like finish.

These TaylorMade irons are hot off of the clubface, but the design of these irons feature a slightly bigger club face area where all hot spots have been eliminated. The elimination of these hot spots ensures consistent distance and control on all irons shots.

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The RocketBladez irons feature TaylorMade’s Speed Pocket technology, which was first rolled out in the RBZ series or drivers and fairway woods.

The Speed Pocket doesn’t refer to a hollow hole in your clubhead, so don’t be alarmed nothing is going to get stuck inside the Speed Pocket. The Speed Pocket is filled with specially formulated polyurethane that is developed by 3M.

Other manufacturers have implemented similar technology to the Speed Pocket, but TaylorMade were able to make the technology work.

With the help of the Speed Pocket players are able to increase ball speeds and launch. Higher ball speeds ensure added distance, and higher launch ensures control on the greens with soft landing iron shots.

Added distance and height is especially important for high handicappers when it comes to their long irons.

The Speed Pocket is only featured in the 3-7 irons of the RocketBladez set, the 8 iron through to the wedges don’t have the Speed Pocket. The absence of the Speed Pocket in the short irons ensures control and a more penetrating ball flight with your scoring clubs.

Clubhead Design

The clubhead of the RocketBladez features an Inverted Cone design, this design feature doesn’t only just allow for a slightly bigger club face area, it also ensures the elimination of hot spots.

Cast iron clubheads are very tricky to bend, one wrong move when trying to adjust the loft or lie and can cause the clubhead to break.

The RocketBladez feature a small notch at the bottom of the hosel, this notch makes bending the club a bit easier and safer. With that being said it is still not recommended to change the standard loft and lie angles of a cast iron clubhead.

RocketBlades Irons Release Date

The RocketBladez irons were released back in the latter half of 2012. It has been more than 6 years since their release and TaylorMade have released a host of other iron sets since then. The RocketBladez still remain one of the best game improvement sets that TaylorMade have ever designed.

How Much Do TaylorMade RocketBladez Cost?

Getting your hands on a new set of RocketBladez might be tricky since they are more than half a decade old, but used sets will be available at very reasonable prices.

Used sets will sell for around $200 depending on the condition and the shafts that are in the irons.

In comparison to the retail prices of current sets it will definitely be a bargain buy if you can find a well kept set of RocketBladez for under $300.

Final Thoughts – Overview

The RocketBladez irons are without a doubt still one of the best game improvement irons. Yes it has been 6+ years since their release but the results they deliver are still up to par with the new selection of clubs that are currently available on the market.

The Speed Pocket technology that is featured in the RocketBladez is timeless and it will continue to promote added distance and higher launch.

The RocketBladez feature a modern yet traditional look, it isn’t as bulky as some of the game improvement irons that are out there. In addition to look good they also feel great as well. The RocketBladez are cast iron clubs but they feel more like a forged iron off of the clubface.

If you are looking for a set of irons that is sure to improve your iron play at a reasonable price then look no further than a set of RocketBladez.

Golf Practice System for Lower Scores

Learn the exact golf practice routines thousands of students at Foy Golf Academy are using to lower their golf scores.

Follow these step by step practice plans and watch video lessons to learn how to improve your golf swing, chipping, and putting fundamentals.

Get access to hundreds of golf drills to practice as well as content on the mental side of golf, fitness plans, worksheets, and many more resources. This is a complete golf practice system.

Start Following These Practices —> Nick Foy Golf Practice System

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