Not Quite the TP's I've Come to Expect
Written: Nov 26 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Forgiving
Cons: Not as soft as other TP irons
The Bottom Line: A decent iron that provides a little more forgiveness while taking a little feel from the TP MB irons.
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| lmh3's Full Review: Taylor Made r7 TP Irons |
Taylor Made continued to transfer their r7 moniker throughout their line with the release of the r7 TP irons. Having been on the Taylor Made staff, the r7 TP irons were the last set that I played. These were somewhat of a disappointment to me having played the TP Forged and the TP MB iron sets.
The r7 TP irons are the first cast iron to carry the TP shield, they are designed to replace the RAC LT2 iron set. The head shape is very similar to the TP Forged set, which is to say it is smaller than most other irons on the market. There is an aluminum dampening web on the back of the club face which is intended to soften the feel and make the cast club feel closer to a forged. Taylor Made has also incorporated the inverted cone technology that was made famous in their drivers. This helps to expand the sweet spot of the club and allow for slightly off center hits to come off with higher speeds than traditional irons. The minimal offset and smaller cavity back helps to raise the center of gravity and move it closer to the face than in the regular r7 irons. This allows the player to control trajectory and ball flight more easily.
My first reaction when testing these clubs was that they did not feel nearly as soft or nice as the TP Forged or TP MB irons that were both forged. While softer than other cast clubs, the r7 TP irons still had a little more of a click than the MB or the TP forged irons. The slightly larger cavity than previous TP models also raised the ball flight a little more than I was expecting. I had to make more of a concerted effort to keep the ball low, the same swing with my TP MB 6 iron and the r7 TP 6 iron produced a two to three degree increase in launch angle. This doesn't seem like a lot, but when you are accustomed to seeing the ball come out at a certain height, it is somewhat unsettling to see it launch higher. The r7 TP irons are also a degree stronger than the two previous TP irons, this is due to the cavity that helps to get the ball out higher. Despite the 1 degree stronger loft, I did not find any gain in distance, so I was trying to find the benefit in this. I was able to shape shots which was one thing that I thought may not be as easy with the r7 TP irons. The r7 TP is the most forgiving of the TP irons, the caivty allows you to hit a bit off center and still get decent distance without losing control.
At $799, the r7 TP irons are less than the first two incarnations of the TP iron. The MB is still available, so for someone who is looking for all of the versatility and demands of the TP line, they may want to try the TP MB irons. For the advanced player who is looking for some added forgiveness and may be willing to sacrifice a bit of feel, the r7 TP irons will provide exactly that.
Recommended:
Yes
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lmh3
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Location: North Carolina
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Adams Golf staff member.
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