Opinion & Analysis
What it’s really like when tour players hit new clubs for the first time
I call them “OMG” golf commercials. A tour player is on the range hitting a new golf club and he can’t believe how far and straight it’s going.
[quote_box_center]“Is this legal?” he might ask. “It’s amazing. It’s going in the bag today!”[/quote_box_center]
Watch enough of these commercials and you’ll probably be convinced, at least once, that your clubs have been your problem all along… Or that every golf equipment company is full of it… Or you’ll fall somewhere in the middle. But how do tour players really react the first time they test new golf clubs? That’s what I always wondered, and for that answer I attended TaylorMade’s 2015 ad shoot.
The shoot took place in September at Reynolds Planation in Lake Oconee, Ga., where Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose, Jason Day, Camilo Villegas, Ryan Palmer, Boo Weekly, Brendon Todd and Sebastian Cappelen tested the company’s new RSi, R15 and AeroBurner product lines for the first time. At the time of the ad shoot there were only a handful of hittable R15 and AeroBurner products in the world.
TaylorMade’s R15 430 driver
I use the word “hittable” loosely. TaylorMade engineers were still dialing in the look and feel of the metal woods. At any moment, one of the drivers, fairway woods or hybrids might break, the product team explained to me — it was the nature of any first prototype. The clubs stayed intact, but it was surprising to learn that a breakage was a possibility.
I spoke with Jason Day, who was taking a break from golf to rehab the thumb and back injuries he’d suffered during the 2014 season. He’d hit a few shots for the cameras, but that was it, so we talked about the process he goes through before he puts new clubs in the bag.
[quote_box_center]“I test everything on the range on a launch monitor, and the numbers have to be better for me to make the switch,” Day said. “If it’s going straighter and longer, I’ll change right away, but they have to be better.”[/quote_box_center]
One of the first sets of TaylorMade RSi TP irons produced. They were given to Sergio Garcia at the ad shoot.
Day told me that he expected to make the change to TaylorMade’s new RSi TP irons in 2015, but what was really excited about was switching iron shafts. For years he’s used Rifle 7.0 iron shafts, but he’d heard great things about Nippon’s N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 130X iron shafts from other tour players.
[quote_box_center]“Apparently, that shaft is off the charts,” Day said.[/quote_box_center]
Like us, professional golfers like to try what their friends are playing.
Brendon Todd testing an AeroBurner 3 wood with Brian Bazzel (left) and Keith Sbarbaro (center), TaylorMade’s PGA Tour rep.
I spoke to Brendon Todd, who won his first PGA Tour event in May, the HP Byron Nelson Championship. Brian Bazzel, TaylorMade’s senior director of product creation for metal woods, guessed before Todd’s fitting that he would likely be a fit for the company’s new R15 driver. He turned out to be a better fit for TaylorMade’s AeroBurner driver.
“He’s definitely an AeroBurner guy,” Bazzel said afterward. “That’s why you never go into a fitting with a closed mind.”
Todd was also a fit for the AeroBurner 3 wood, which he was hitting almost as far as the driver. He was so impressed with the AeroBurner line that he wanted to try an AeroBurner hybrid, which TaylorMade’s product team hadn’t expected. I then watched what I was sure never happened with a tour player. Todd proceeded to test an AeroBurner hybrid with a (gasp) stiff-flex stock shaft, which was entirely too bendy and light for him, but he didn’t seem to mind.
Brendon Todd talks to Brian Bazzel about the AeroBurner hybrid.
[quote_box_center]“Those were some really good clubs,” Todd told me after the fitting. “Once you find something you like, you stick with it. I think [the AeroBurner] 3 wood might be the one.”[/quote_box_center]
Ryan Palmer was the most interesting player to watch get fit for metal woods. He’d held onto TaylorMade’s Burner SuperFast 2.0 driver from 2011 and it hadn’t hurt his game — he had his best year on Tour in 2014, earning nearly $3 million and finished 14th in the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
With the Burner SuperFast 2.0, Palmer was averaging a launch angle of 11.5 degrees with a spin rate of 2200 rpm. His ball speed was a brisk 172 mph. With the R15 460, his launch jumped to 13 degrees and his spin rate fell to 2000 rpms. His ball speed also went up, to about 173.5 miles per hour. That gave him 9 yards more carry distance and 6 yards more total distance, but you wouldn’t have known it from his reaction.
When PGA Tour players use a driver that’s several years old, it’s because they really like it. A few extra yards isn’t always enough to get them to change; it often takes better performance and an increased sense of confidence from the new club, and the two things aren’t always synonymous.
I learned from Keith Sbabaro, TaylorMade’s PGA Tour rep, that Palmer doesn’t like to switch clubs. Sbabaro went on to say that Palmer’s 5 wood – a TaylorMade R9 from 2009 – would be the hardest club in his bag to replace.
Sbabaro said those words just as Palmer was testing TaylorMade’s new R15 five wood, which he was carrying about 10 yards farther than his R9 five wood. I saw Palmer uncork a big smile, which got bigger as he found he could replicate all his shots with the new club. The high draw, the low fade, the high fade, the knockdown… he rotated through his repertoire of shots looking for something he didn’t like, but he didn’t find anything.
Palmer was ready to make the switch, but the problem was that the TaylorMade team wasn’t ready to give him the club. Bazzel explained to Palmer that the sole design still needed minor tweaks, and besides, he couldn’t even test the club in public. The R15 line wouldn’t be made public until much later.
[quote_box_center]“If we make him wait, Ryan won’t trust us,” Sbarbaro said. “Everything about this club: the lie angle, the loft … everything is perfect.”[/quote_box_center]
At one point, Sbarbaro suggested that Palmer sign an impromptu contract that would allow him to take the club home and keep it there until he was cleared to take it to the range.
[quote_box_center]“I, Ryan, will not take the club out of the house,” Sbarbaro rehearsed with him.[/quote_box_center]
Bazzel pointed out that the 5 wood had an open hot melt port that gave it a higher-pitched sound than wasn’t ideal, but none of that mattered to Palmer.
“This one is just better,” he said “I don’t care.”
I was watching an “OMG” golf commercial, but it was happening in real time in front of me.
I watched several other fittings — Justin Rose, Boo Weekley and Sergio Garcia — and looked for similarities in the way the players approached their clubs. The one common theme? They had very little in common.
Justin Rose tests TaylorMade’s RSi irons with Tomo Bystedt, TaylorMade’s director of product creation for irons, putters and wedges.
Rose, like Jason Day, was mostly concerned with getting better launch monitor numbers with the new clubs, and he seemed to want to know everything about their design. Boo Weekley was the opposite. He didn’t even notice the slots on the faces of TaylorMade’s RSi irons until they were pointed out to him. He judged new clubs by their feel and ball flight, and showed an uncanny ability to predict what shots with the new clubs were flying slightly farther or spinning more – which the launch monitor always seemed to confirm.
My favorite part of the event came courtesy of Garcia when he was testing R15 drivers. Garcia said he would have played TaylorMade’s SLDR 430 driver last year, but there was something about the way it looked at address that he didn’t like. The SLDR 460, which is larger, looked better to him, so he played that driver in 2014.
Sergio Garcia compares the R15 460 and the R15 430 drivers.
During the fitting, Garcia quickly decided that the R15 430 would be his driver for 2015. I watched him use it to hit drive after drive with similar trajectories. The launch monitor confirmed that each shot was flying about 290 yards in the air and rolling out to 315 yards.
Garcia then took a break to chat with Bazzel, and Rory McIlroy’s name came up.
“Every time, he tees it as high as he can and swings as hard as he can,” Garcia said. “If I hit every drive like [Rory], I’d be scared I’d hit it out of bounds.”
Garcia proceeded to “hit one like Rory,” teeing the ball as high as the tee allowed and swinging a little harder. The result was a higher launch angle, less spin and about 20 yards more distance, which he replicated with several more drives.
That was my “OMG” moment. If Garcia could do that, what else could he do? What else hadn’t I seen?
Thank goodness the PGA Tour is the testing ground for new golf equipment, and thank goodness for the unreasonable standards these players demand from their clubs. It makes the final product that much more precise.
The only downside? Less conviction when I blame bad shots on my clubs.
Opinion & Analysis
Brandel Chamblee PGA Championship Q&A: Rose’s huge McLaren risk, distracted LIV pros and why Aronimink suits the bombers
PGA Championship week is here, and Brandel Chamblee did not hold back in our latest discussion ahead of the season’s second major.
In our 2026 PGA Championship Q&A, golf’s leading analyst made the case that PIF pulling LIV’s funding has left its players competing in a state of confusion, called Justin Rose’s mid-season equipment switch a huge risk at 45, and explained why Aronimink will be a bombers’ delight this week.
Check out the full Q&A below.
Gianni: With the PIF confirming that they’re pulling funding from LIV at the end of the season, what impact do you expect that to have on the LIV players competing at the PGA Championship?
Brandel: I would imagine that they have all been thrown into a state of confusion, and will be distracted, not knowing where they are going to play next year and not knowing exactly their road back to either the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour. Or in Rahm’s case, being tied to a sinking ship for the next few years, likely playing for pennies on the dollar in events that no one cares about or watches.
I doubt this would put him in the best frame of mind to compete at his highest level. Keeping in mind, however, that majors are the only time that LIV disciples get to play in events that matter, so never disregard the motivation they have to prove to the world they are still relevant.
Gianni: Justin Rose switched to McLaren Golf equipment mid-season while playing some of the best golf of his career. What do you make of the change?
Brandel: I don’t really know what to make of Rose switching equipment. It seems a huge risk on his part, even though it is likely, in my opinion, that the clubs he’s playing are similar, if not the exact grinds, to what he was playing previously, with a McLaren stamp on them.
Having said that, at best, it is a distraction when he seemed to be as dialed in with his game as any 45-year-old could be and trending in the majors to perhaps do something that would definitely put him in the Hall of Fame. At worst, given the possibility that these clubs aren’t just duplicates of his old set stamped with McLaren on them, he’s made an equipment change that would take time, and 45-year-old athletes don’t have the time to do such things.
Gianni: Aronimink has only hosted a handful of professional events since it hosted the 1962 PGA Championship. What kind of test does it present, and does a course with less recent major championship history tend to level the playing field?
Brandel: Even though Aronimink has only hosted a handful of meaningful professional events, it has been fairly discerning in who can win there. When Keegan Bradley won the BMW Championship on the Donald Ross masterpiece in 2018, he was the 2nd best iron player on tour coming into that week. When Nick Watney won the AT&T at Aronimink in 2011, he was 2nd in strokes gained total coming into the week.
In 2020, Aronimink hosted the KPMG Championship, and Sei Young Kim won. On the LPGA that year, she was first in greens in regulation, putts per green in regulation, and scoring average on the way to being the LPGA player of the year. And then there is the 1962 PGA Championship won by Gary Player, who eventually became just one of a few players to win the career grand slam on the way to winning 9 majors. It is a formidable test, and if it’s not softened by rain, it will bring out the best in the upper echelons of the game.
Gianni: Is there a specific hole at Aronimink that you think will do the most to decide the winner?
Brandel: The hardest hole at Aronimink in each of the three tour events that have been played there since 2010 has been the long par-3 8th hole, with the par-4 10th being the second hardest, so most of the carnage will happen around the turn, but with the par-5 16th offering opportunities for bold plays and the tough closing holes at 17 and 18, the finish is likely to be frenetic.
Gianni: The PGA Championship has always sat in the shadow of the other majors. What does the ideal PGA Championship look like in your eyes, and what would it take for it to carve out its own identity?
Brandel: The PGA Championship, to whatever degree it suffers from the comparison to the other three majors, is still counted just as much when adding them up at the end of one’s career. Almost 1/3 of Nicklaus’ major wins were the five PGA Championships he won. Walter Hagen won 11 majors, five of which were PGA Championships.
Tiger Woods twice in his career won back-to-back PGA Championships, and those four majors count just as much as the other 11 he won. The PGA may not have the prestige of the other three, but it carries the same weight. Having said that, I preferred the identity that it had as the last major of the year.
Gianni: You nailed your Masters picks. Rory won, Scottie finished solo second, and Morikawa surged to a tie for seventh. Who are your top 3 picks for the PGA Championship and why?
Brandel: I am not a huge fan of majors played on golf courses that have been shorn of most of the trees, although I understand some of the agronomic reasons for doing so and of course the ease with which it allows members to play after errant drives. However, at the highest level, it all but eliminates any strategy off the tee and turns professional golf into an even bigger slugfest. That means that it will likely be a bomber’s delight this week, but fortunately, Scottie Scheffler is long enough to play that game and straight enough to play it better than anyone else.
The major championships give us very few surprises anymore, going back to the beginning of 2012, so the last 57 majors played, the average world rank of the winners has been better than 15th in the world. So look at the highest ranked and longest drivers who are on form coming into the PGA Championship who also have great short games as the surrounds at Aronimink are very challenging. That’s Scottie Scheffler by a mile and then McIlroy and Cameron Young with a far bigger nod towards DeChambeau than I gave him at the Masters.
In this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, we dive into one of the most interesting flatstick releases of the year with a full review of the new TaylorMade SYSTM 2 putters. After spending time on the greens, I break down what makes this design stand out, where it performs, and why it has me completely torn between loving it and fighting it. If you are into feel, alignment, and consistency, this is one you will want to hear about.
We also take a look at some of the putters in play on the PGA Tour last week. From familiar favorites to a few surprising setups, there is always something to learn from what the best players in the world are rolling with under pressure.
To wrap things up, I walk through the process of building a set of JP Golf Prime irons paired with Baddazz Gold Series shafts. From component selection to performance goals, this is a deep dive into what goes into creating a unique custom set and why this combo has been so intriguing.
This year my 50th birthday. Gosh, where has the time gone?
As a teenager in rural Missouri, some of my junior high and high school years felt interminable. Graduation seemed light years away. But the older I get, the faster life seems to fly by.
I’m also increasingly aware of my mortality. My dad died recently. Earlier this year, a friend and fellow PGA of America professional and I were texting about our next catch-up. The next message I received was news of his unexpected passing at 48. Shortly after, a woman I dated in college succumbed to cancer at 51.
Certainly, one can share perspective at any age. Seniors help freshmen, veterans guide rookies. But reaching this milestone feels like as good a time as any to do one of those “what would I tell my younger self?” articles.
I’ve had a uniquely varied career in golf. I started as a 27-year-old, average-length-hitting, 14-handicap computer engineer and somehow managed to turn pro before running out of money, constantly bootstrapping my way forward. I’ve won qualifiers and set venue records in the World Long Drive Championships, finished fifth at the Speedgolf World Championships, coached all skill levels as a PGA of America professional, built industry-leading swing speed training programs for Swing Man Golf, helped advance the single-length iron market with Sterling Irons®, caddied on the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, and played about 300 courses across 32 countries.
It’s been a ride, and I’ve gone both deep and wide.
So while I can consult and advise from a lot of angles, let me keep it to a few things I’d tell the average golfer who wants to improve.
1. Think About What You Want
Everyone has their own reason for picking up a golf club.
Oddly, as a professional athlete, I’m not internally driven by competition. That can be challenging, as the industry currently prioritizes and incentivizes competition over the love of the game.
For me, I love walking and being outdoors. Nature helps balance my energy. I prefer courses that are integrated into the natural beauty of their surroundings. I’m comfortable practicing alone. I’m a deep thinker, and I genuinely enjoy investigating the game, using data and intuition to unearth unique, often innovative insights. I’m fortunate to be strong and athletic, so I appreciate the chance to engage with my abilities. Traveling feels adventurous. I could go on.
You don’t have to overthink it like I do. For you, it might be as simple as hitting balls to escape work, hanging out with friends, and playing loosely with the rules and the score.
The point is to give yourself permission to play for your own reasons, and let that be enough.
But if improvement is your goal, thinking about your destination—and when you want to get there—is important, because it dictates the steps you need to take. When I set out to go from a 14-handicap to the PGA TOUR as quickly as possible, the steps I needed were very different from those of a working golfer trying to break 90 in six months. That’s also different from someone who just wants a few peaceful hours outside each week, away from work or family.
None of these goals are better than the others, but each requires a different plan that you can work backward from.
2. There Are Lots of Things That Can Work
One of the challenges of golf is that, although there are rules for playing, there aren’t clear, industry-wide standards for how to best play the game. There’s a lot of gray area.
You might hear a top coach or trainer insist that a certain move is the best way to swing or train. Then you dig a bit deeper and, much to your confusion and frustration, another respected coach or trainer says something completely different. I don’t think anyone is trying to confuse you—at least I hope not. It’s just where the industry is right now.
You have to be careful with advice from tournament pros, too. They might be great at scoring, but they’re also human and sometimes just as susceptible as amateurs to believing things that don’t really move the needle. Tour players might describe what they feel, but that’s not always what they’re actually doing when assessed with technology.
I recently ran a test on my YouTube channel (which connects to my GolfWRX article “How to use your hands in the golf swing for power and accuracy”), and, interestingly, two of the most commonly taught hand actions produced the worst results in the test.
Coaches can certainly help. If you find someone you connect with to help navigate, that’s great. But there are many ways to get the ball in the hole. In the current landscape, you may need to seek multiple opinions, think critically, and use your own intuition to discern what seems true and whose advice resonates with you.
I’d recommend seeking someone who is open-minded and always learning, because things constantly change. Absolutes like “correct” or “proper” should raise a red flag. AI can be useful, but it tends to confidently repeat popular advice, so proceed with caution.
3. Get Custom Fit
If you’re serious about becoming a better player, getting custom fit is hugely important. There’s no sense fighting your equipment if you don’t have to. Most better players get fit these days and, if they don’t, they’re usually skilled enough to work around clubs that aren’t ideal.
If you plan to play for a long time, it’s worth spending a little more upfront to get something that truly fits you and your game, rather than continually buying and discarding equipment.
Equipment rules haven’t really changed significantly since the early 2000s. To stay in business, manufacturers keep pushing those limits. If you pull a bunch of clubs and balls off the rack and test them, you’ll find differences. I’ve tested two new drivers and seen a 30-yard total distance gap. Usually, the issue isn’t bad equipment; it’s that the combination of components simply isn’t the best fit.
It’s like wearing a new pair of floppy clown shoes. Sure, they’re shoes—but you won’t sprint your best in them compared to track shoes that fit perfectly.
Be wary of what’s called custom fitting, too. Sometimes the term is used as a marketing strategy rather than an actual fitting. In some retail settings, fitters may be incentivized to steer you toward higher-priced components. That doesn’t automatically mean it’s not the best fit, but you should be aware of potential biases.
I learned a version of this lesson outside of golf. Years ago, I bought a tennis racquet at a big box store from a seemingly knowledgeable employee who thought it would suit me best. The racquet gave me tennis elbow, and I spent months recovering with rest and acupuncture. The next season, I invested more time and money to find what actually fit me, and I walked away with something amazing that I still play with years later.
So if you’re going to get fit, be smart about it.
Find someone you believe has deep knowledge—possibly with certifications, but not necessarily. Make sure there’s a wide inventory across many brands. Check recent reviews for the individual fitter if possible. Make sure you trust that the fitter has your best interests at heart. If they’re wearing a hat or shirt with a specific brand’s logo, proceed with caution. Unless you specifically want a certain brand or look, be wary of upsells, especially if two options perform nearly the same.
Also, while golf is called a sport of integrity, there’s a thread of manipulation in the industry. I once drafted an equipment article for an industry magazine, structured just like one of their previous popular stories, with matching word count and great photos. The assistant editor loved it; it was useful to readers and required little work on his part. But the editor-in-chief nixed the story. When I asked why, I was told it was because I wasn’t an advertiser. It turned out the article I’d modeled mine after was a paid ad cleverly disguised as editorial content.
I really dislike games, clickbait, and fear-based manipulation. I hope this changes, but golfers deserve to know it exists.
4. Distance and Strategy Matter
There’s a real relationship between how far you hit the ball and your scoring average, even at the PGA TOUR level.
I experienced this early in my pro career. I started as a power hitter, swinging in the high 120s and breaking 200 mph ball speed with a stock driver.
Back then, some instructors advised swinging at 80%, so I tried slowing down for more accuracy. That worked fine on shorter, tighter courses. But on longer setups, I was coming into greens with too much club, and par 5s stopped being
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Will
Nov 25, 2014 at 12:14 pm
I’m currently toying with the idea of investing in the new TM gear in the new year. Currently a Titleist player off 3 so no bias there. Really informative article, especially the points regarding the new Nippon shaft that Day mentioned. I saw Stenson has also put this in his irons. Interesting how the players feel a steel shaft can make such a differerence considering the flex probably isn’t too dissimilar. Also the fact that Garcia preferred the 460cc SLDR last year, shows that pros don’t necessarily go with the longer hitting and more compact 430cc versions but choose more on personal preference.
I would be interested in more information regarding the TP specifications and set ups the pro’s tinker with. I imagine the pro’s are playing substantially more advanced shafts than us lowly amateurs.
Regardless, congrats on the article Zak, the first one that has impelled me to leave a comment.
Teaj
Dec 8, 2014 at 10:10 am
just don’t count out Titleist as their 915 Series of driver woods and hybrids are pretty dame good. I found that they were not as long as BBA and SLDR but their issue with spin on low hits with driver has seemed to lessen quite a bit which im sure due to the slot. I’m waiting for the Vapor Pro, R15 and the word on the street is that there is a Lower Spinning G30 coming down the pipeline. Exciting times at least for me in the new year when all the new gear is out.
Zak Kozuchowski
Dec 12, 2014 at 6:02 pm
Thanks for reading, Will.
mike
Nov 19, 2014 at 5:36 pm
I don’t usually finish long article, but this article is too interesting to read.
Regis
Nov 19, 2014 at 3:21 pm
I’ve been living, breathing and reading about all things golf for almost 50 years. I loved the article. I feel incomplete because I don’t speak Spanish but I do have the requisite intelligence to read a number of reviews before making my own decision then demoing a club and getting fit . And seriously how often does a major manufacturer introduce a driver that’s a real dud? Maybe not for me but…. Right now I’m gaming almost all SLDR products but its not because of what I read in an article.
Jim
Nov 19, 2014 at 1:35 pm
Really interesting article. Well done Zak!
Dan
Nov 19, 2014 at 11:29 am
Without a doubt one of the best articles I’ve read on GolfWRX. Do you haters even pause to consider we see more articles like this about TMAG because they actually grant more access to behind the scenes stuff than any other company?
Mike
Nov 19, 2014 at 12:11 pm
Also could be due to the fact that TMAG has about 3x as many product cycles as any other OEM.
Dan
Nov 19, 2014 at 1:08 pm
No, it isn’t. When did the SLDR come out again? 3 months ago right?
Regis
Nov 19, 2014 at 3:09 pm
July 2013 but don’t let the facts get in the way of your opinion.
the dude
Nov 19, 2014 at 7:38 pm
sarcasm…?
Dan
Nov 21, 2014 at 3:26 pm
So, 18 month product cycle? Way too shoey and killing the business? Sheesh
Desmond
Nov 18, 2014 at 8:33 pm
I’ve found the TMAG premium lineup is for the best players with speed … and that’s not me. But I found the article entertaining.
golfing
Nov 17, 2014 at 5:07 pm
http://youtu.be/rcrtlGqHIrQ
golfing
Nov 17, 2014 at 5:12 pm
he learned the club and won 11 times that year.
James
Nov 17, 2014 at 12:48 pm
So Sergio tees the club higher, which would indeed launch it higher, swings harder, which indeed would make the ball go farther, and it is all due to the club? Please. Maybe the setup he had helped him hit it straighter and not hook it as he feared but if you tee the ball higher, you have to make an adjustment in setup for it, and if you swing harder and hit it solid it should indeed go farther. I would say it had more to do with Sergio than the club.
Zak Kozuchowski
Nov 17, 2014 at 12:56 pm
Who said it was the club?
Dave S
Nov 17, 2014 at 5:38 pm
Some guys just like trying to poke holes in everything.
Great article. Love the insight.
Sebastien
Nov 17, 2014 at 8:47 am
I loved the insider look at a product and experience. I think more articles like this are needed on WRX.
Jose Jimenez
Nov 16, 2014 at 10:59 pm
Hay Dios Mio!!!!!!!!! Que porqueria!,,,,,,,,, sorry! This poorly add disguised as a genuine article shocked me so bad I reverted to my native language! This once informative website is turning into nothing more than a online version of Golf Digest. And they wonder why I stopped reading their magazine after more than 20 years,,,,
Alberto
Nov 17, 2014 at 3:45 am
Estas criticando solo por criticar. Your comments don’t provide any constructive feedback. As you have great experience in the game for more than 20 years, tell the editors how to write an article, tu experiencia es valiosa, compártela. Don’t say that this is a porquería, just tell them what you expect from them, what they should include in any review or article, in that way they will improve and you and many others will be please to read these articles.
Or go a step further. This website was hiring editors. You could be one of them.
By the way, I’m just a reader that plays golf since a couple of years ago.
Jose Jimenez
Nov 17, 2014 at 1:44 pm
Dime en que lenguage quivers que respnda a lomque to has dicho, que tal si lo escribo en Español ? Imwill respond to you in English so everyone can read it. Did you notice that this gentleman ONLT answered those that complimented this add? I mean article. I want HONESTY, don’t tell me that this is “actual” reactions when we can tell it is nothing but scripted remarks. Last I read, they were hiring writers for this website, and there is NO WAY some one who says the truth about products tested would be bird since the ones who pay the bills (Taylormade just one of them) would NOT want honest reviews about their products. Since you stated your have been a golfer for just a couple of years, here is something you will NEVER read in articles here, a $50-100 fitting will do MORE for your game than shinny new clubs.
Dave S
Nov 17, 2014 at 5:40 pm
Haters gonna hate. Personas con odio van a odiar.
Jose Jimenez
Nov 18, 2014 at 2:22 am
Perdón? Quisiste decir “Odiosos van a odiar” that is the proper translation of haters gonna hate,,,,, see? Can’t trust Google translator !!
ken
Nov 19, 2014 at 1:58 pm
Please provide an example of a “scripted remark” by one or more of the players interviewed.
ken
Nov 19, 2014 at 1:57 pm
Estoy de acuerdo
I cannot stand it when one finds it necessary to always be contrary.
Truth
Nov 16, 2014 at 9:31 pm
Golf WRX more like Golf TMAG
Dave S
Nov 17, 2014 at 5:43 pm
So by your logic, this article would only be worthy of your eyeballs if the author went around to every manufacturer and compared notes of players’ responses during club testings? TMaG obviously offered to let him stop by, should he turn down the offer? SMH.
Al385
Nov 16, 2014 at 3:31 pm
Although I’m not a TM fan, I have to admit that this is a great article, well written and it also made me feel that I was there witnessing something that would answer all my questions about the hype of new products, especially from TM that every other month offers something new that claims to be longer and better. Good for TM in inviting GolfWRX and good for Zak for such a good article.
Would I buy a TM club after this? probably not but for sure I will read with enthusiasm any other similar article from Zak about the launch of any other products. Hopefully he’ll get invitations from other manufacturers as this is the only way to read about this kind of experiences.
By the way, latest WRXers visit to The Oven (Nike) deserved a to be in the front page, not only inside the forums.
Zak Kozuchowski
Nov 17, 2014 at 12:49 pm
Thank you for reading, Al. We’ll continue to find ways to bring our readers closer to the action.
allen
Nov 16, 2014 at 10:40 am
Would all this negative feedback be here if this was with Ping or Mizuno clubs? I dislike TM with a passion and I think it has been years since I have even hit a TM product (although I will not take my V Steel 3 wood out of the bag). I liked the article, it was a good read, and yes a little infomercial sounding, but that is fine, I will not hit any of these clubs anyway.
ken
Nov 19, 2014 at 1:59 pm
Those players are signed to TM. Therefore they would not be testing other brands
eric
Nov 16, 2014 at 12:35 am
Great PR piece. Congrats to Zak and golf wrx for your new job as the marketing dept at Adidas GOLF. Was this a paid placement by TM? Cause if it was not it should be. Hey whatever keeps those TM drivers coming…is the R15 like the 20th TM driver of 2014 so far? Awesome. Nothing like reading PR fluff with my nightly beers.
John Smith
Nov 16, 2014 at 5:43 am
Completely agree. This is just marketing tripe trying to be passed off as an independent article.
rob23
Nov 16, 2014 at 8:55 am
eric… there are always someone like you that hate to hate. Yet you are still here reading. Zak did a great job writing a piece that was less of a promo and more of a behind the scenes and you have to call foul. BORING bro… be right.
Dave S
Nov 17, 2014 at 5:44 pm
THIS ^^
Matthew Carter
Nov 16, 2014 at 10:34 am
Great write up Zack!
Dig insider info especially on the players and their thoughts on new product.
Well done!
Tom
Nov 16, 2014 at 1:44 pm
I agree. This is info I can use when deciding to purchase new gear. I wouldn’t buy a car without doing research on it first. This type of information is helpful.
donnie
Nov 15, 2014 at 9:03 pm
Great article!
J
Nov 15, 2014 at 7:48 pm
Contrived. Sell more AD Space.
Tom
Nov 15, 2014 at 6:07 pm
Thank you to all the positive people here. Those who continue to be negative and bash OEMS are just part of the problem with golf. I for one am excited to see the new changes. Every time a second version has come out with TM it has looked and felt better. i.e. r11 to r11s. RBZ to RBZ 2.
Joker
Nov 16, 2014 at 3:03 am
Can’t take a joke? We’re just ‘aving a laugh
enrique
Nov 16, 2014 at 6:10 pm
I just did a tally. It’s 50/50 in the comments negative vs. positive. If half your readers are turned off by the subject, angle, approach, and have a gross feeling like they were just marketed to, then something is wrong.
enrique
Nov 15, 2014 at 3:41 pm
more and more nausea….
Bogeypro
Nov 15, 2014 at 3:08 pm
why do I feel like I just read a taylor made commercial?
toomuch
Nov 15, 2014 at 1:47 pm
Just more TMag propaganda! They would definitely have to pay me to even touch their clubs.
Rich
Nov 17, 2014 at 3:49 pm
They are a marketing machine but if you’re not playing their clubs purely based on that, you’re missing out. I don’t care what brand it is. If it works, I’ll use it. The new spider blade is an awesome putter. R11 woods were awesome and my spare set of R9 TP irons are nice as well.
Oscar
Nov 15, 2014 at 3:50 am
And the Best Actor Oscar goes to………..
Ben
Nov 15, 2014 at 12:47 am
This was a great article, I’d love to see other pieces in a similar vein. Always fun to see the pros in a different light.
KK
Nov 15, 2014 at 12:15 am
Of course the equipment matters. That’s why you see a handful of very popular unsponsored items on tour: TM drivers, Scotty putters, Vokey wedges and Pro V1s.
Fsubaseball21
Nov 14, 2014 at 8:25 pm
The RSI irons are no joke. 2 consecutive days on the monitor and the mis hits are as good as solid hits on on 3 other major oem sets. The toe hits were almost perfect. I know people are skeptical but these slots absolutely work. No question.
JHM
Nov 14, 2014 at 7:35 pm
very interesting – thanks for the insight
tina
Nov 14, 2014 at 5:36 pm
Bazzel … ohh behave!
Tom Duckworth
Nov 14, 2014 at 5:06 pm
Very good read. It is fun to see what they think of new clubs for the first time. Sounds like most players won’t switch unless the clubs are really better. I also didn’t have to read about their pants….great!
tiger woods
Nov 14, 2014 at 2:53 pm
awesome article! love hearing what the pros are actually thinking.. was really surprised by sergio’s “rory” drives.
Derek
Nov 14, 2014 at 2:19 pm
Ok,I have faith in the GolfWRX journalism again. Great read.
Rich B
Nov 14, 2014 at 2:10 pm
Great article. Something original and different to other recent ones.
Leon
Nov 14, 2014 at 12:34 pm
On the tour level, especially for big players, everything is well built and tweaked for them. There is really no performance difference among different equipment brands. If there were, guess what, the players would certainly like to give up some endorsements but to make more wins instead. Plus, the players hit the ball so good that they don’t need the amount of forgiveness as we do.
The problem is, the off the shelves products we got have noticeable variation of quality and performance. Most of the part came from the shaft quality. And for the average Joe, we need a hack amount of forgiveness to cover the miss. Now, the TM pushes the R15 GC more forward and even lower. Yes, it will give you more distance and less spin on a perfect shot, but guess what, it will make the club much harder to hit and you will lose more balls per round thanks to TM’s innovation.
You won’t blame TM for this because the tour players play them, and because you can occasionally bomb it 10 yards further. You just think it is just your swing that causes the problem. Well, it is. But if you forget this “innovation”, you can simply save a few OB per round. Nobody would trade his hard money for more frustration, will you?
TM
Nov 14, 2014 at 9:31 pm
LOFT UP!
It works. That’ll help you hit it easier too.
totebagger
Nov 14, 2014 at 10:25 am
best article on the site so far. well done gwrx. more of this please!
Zak Kozuchowski
Nov 17, 2014 at 12:55 pm
Thank you! More coming!
Anthony
Nov 19, 2014 at 1:01 pm
I happened to really enjoy the article.
Thanks
YB
Nov 14, 2014 at 3:40 am
And the Oscar goes to………………………
mv
Nov 14, 2014 at 3:30 am
I am not TM fan..but I liked this article a lot..well done. I want to try these clubs after thos read:)
You have to be paid by TM for such great stories. 😉
Dufferino
Nov 14, 2014 at 1:10 am
Great Read!
As Cory, i’d really like to see a follow up on how they get the chosen gear adjusted and tweaked before putting it in the bag.
Jeff
Nov 13, 2014 at 10:16 pm
Outstanding story, Zak. You seem to think and ask about a lot of the same things I would, I think it’s why you’re my favorite writer on WRX. What a fascinating experience. Cant wait to see Palmer hit a 5 wood or if Sergio’s driving distance goes up. Great, relevant story.
gunmetal
Nov 16, 2014 at 11:46 am
Sergio’s distance won’t change more than a couple yards in either direction. That’s what it has done over the past ten years. A lot of fellow wrxers get upset when I cite PGA tour driving distance statistics, but the simple truth of the matter is that they don’t lie. Distance has been around the same ever since the pro v1 surfaced and the decisions to limit the trampoline effect came down.
Zak Kozuchowski
Nov 17, 2014 at 12:57 pm
We’ll keep you updated on these players’ changes with our tour photos and WITB stories, Jeff. Thanks for reading!
Bubba
Nov 13, 2014 at 10:14 pm
Wow! Shocking positive commments/reactions from guys that are paid to play TM clubs! (sarcasm)
sgniwder99
Nov 13, 2014 at 9:52 pm
And here I assumed that they just went to the WRX classifieds like I do.
Tomar200
Nov 13, 2014 at 9:41 pm
This is the kind of stuff that drew me to Golf WRX to start with! Please keep this kind of content as priority!
Travis
Nov 13, 2014 at 9:38 pm
Best article yet!
Cory
Nov 13, 2014 at 8:07 pm
One of my favourite reads ever on this site. Great to see the first time reactions and how different guys are in getting their new gamers. Would be fascinating to see a follow up once they tried them on the course and if that changed anything for them when forgiveness starts to matter more.
Also amazing to see how much a guy like Sergio is swinging less than his absolute max in order to stay controlled, good advice for most of us. Also maybe why Rory is so freaking good in that he doesn’t and still keeps it under control haha
3golfer3
Nov 13, 2014 at 7:51 pm
I still feel like my Rocketballz 3 wood should be illegal.
Cwolf
Nov 13, 2014 at 7:37 pm
Great article!