Taylormade R11S Driver Review

Taylormade R11S Driver Review

Is the Taylormade R11S worth all of the hype that it has been getting recently?

Practically every PGA Tour event that is shown on television features either this or the Rocketballz fairway wood, so Taylormade must be doing something right in order to have so much commercial time, right?  In those commercials for the R11S driver there are numerous PGA Tour professionals that supposedly have gained ten yards or more by switching to the club, and supposedly amateur golfers can get just as much if not more distance by using it as well.  I tried out the club for a few rounds a couple of weeks ago, and what follows is my overall review of it.

The Taylormade R11S driver has a large 460cc clubhead that is white on top to make it look bigger, thus giving increased confidence for golfers.  What makes the club stand out from the rest though is the three different adjustments one can make to it; these include a loft adjustment up to 1.5 degrees, movable weights that can be put on the heel or toe to make the ball go left or right, and a face angle adjustment up to 3 degrees.

Positive

To be honest, I didn’t think there would be much of a difference when changing some things around, but boy was I surprised when hitting it out on the range for the first time.  I estimated about a 30 yard difference of going from one end to the other with all three adjustments, so if anyone has a hook or a slice and is looking to minimize it as much as possible this is certainly the club to do it.  The white clubhead certainly inspires confidence when getting ready to tee off, and I would say a fair bit more than a regular black clubhead would.

Aside from all of the adjustments and appearance, this is a really good driver that provides a great amount of distance off the tee.  I play a Taylormade Burner with a draw bias to it, and with the R11S I was averaging about 15 yards by it so there was a significant difference between the two.

Negative

There are only two minor negatives associated with the Taylormade R11S driver.  The first is that it will take a while to figure out what combination of adjustments to use to get maximum distance off the tee, and it can be a bit frustrating trying to do it on your own.  More likely than not you will have to go to a golf retail store in order to do all of the adjustments.  Another negative comes in regards to the price, at about $400.  I know that is what new drivers normally go for nowadays, but for someone who does not have an open wallet to buy golf clubs it can be a bit much.

Overall

Overall the Taylormade R11S is a great golf driver that certainly lives up to expectations.  Not only does it inspire confidence on the tee box, but can also fix practically any consistent mishit, whether to the right or to the left.  I would recommend waiting a bit for the price of it to go down, or even getting one slightly used as it is pretty expensive right now.  Make sure to get all of the adjustments done when you buy it at the golf store so that you won’t have to constantly go back to make adjustments.

Take a look at some great deals on new and used Tayolor Made R11S golf drivers.

Taylormade Rocketballz Golf Balls Review

Taylormade Rocketballz Golf Ball Review

I am sure most of us have seen the commercial with PGA Tour players wondering what Rocketballz were and then hitting the fairway wood a gazillion yards in order to impress us enough to buy them.  However, there haven’t been any commercials as far as I’ve seen about the actual balls themselves, and this article will provide a review of them.

Taylormade gives the following description of the golf balls: “A soft and fast REACT™ core formulation and new SPEEDMANTLE™ produces insane velocity and added irons spin for all swings. The RocketBallz golf ball has a thin and soft Lothane cover for great feel and added spin around the greens.”  Does it add up to all that has been said about it?  Yes and no.

Positive

One thing that it does have going for it is distance.  For less than $30 a dozen at most major retail outlets this ball gets a lot of distance both off the tee and in the fairway.  It is not as long as the more expensive Titleist Pro V1 or Bridgestone B330 are, but for its price you really beat what it has to offer.  I would say that it is very similar to the Callaway Warbird and Titleist NXT golf balls, in that they offer good distance for the price.

Another positive I found in regards to this golf ball is the feel that they have around and on the green, especially when it came to faster greens.  There are quite a few course where I live that have greens that are around 11 or 12 on the stimp meter, and it is important to get the right speed on each putt to avoid three putting all day.  What I liked about the Taylormade Rocketballz was that I could get a better feel for the greens and was a lot closer with my putts than I normally was with using say a Titleist NXT or something.  When it came to bump and run chips as well the ball was pretty much spot on every time, landing exactly where I wanted it to and rolling right up near the pin every time.

Negative

The first negative comes in regards to the spin that the Taylormade Rocketballz golf ball advertises for irons.  While I did get some spin with the wedges out on the course there was little to no spin at all when it came to the mid or high irons or even fairway woods into greens.  Maybe it is because I don’t have the most up-to-date clubs, I don’t know, but they did not have very much spin on them at all when I played a few rounds with these golf balls.  Also, I expected to have at least a decent amount of spin when it came to the 50 yard knockdown shots but I was disappointed when they didn’t really spin back all that much.

Overall

Overall the Taylormade Rocketballz golf ball offers good distance and average spin for its price.  If you like playing with the Callaway Warbird, Titleist NXT, or Bridgestone E6 I would recommend trying this golf ball for a round or two to see if it can improve your game.  Unless you have brand new golf clubs I wouldn’t expect to get too much spin on the greens, especially with the mid irons going up.  I believe the greatest benefit of this golf ball has to do with putting, as it provides a great feel and will certainly help with distance control.  Most of us could use all the help we can get with the putter, and the Taylormade Rocketballz golf ball offers a good solution.

Take a look at some more great deals on new and used Rocketballz Golf Balls.

Ping G20 Hybrid Golf Club Reviews

Ping G20 Hybrid Review

One brand that has really been climbing the ranks in my book over the past few years is Ping, especially with their hybrids.  They don’t have the same airtime as Callaway and Taylormade do, but don’t let that take away from the fact that they have some really solid golf clubs.  One of the clubs that I played a few rounds with was the Ping G20 Hybrid, and what follows is my honest review of it.

Positive

The Ping G20 Hybrid is one of the best hybrids out on the market today, period.  I don’t usually say that about many golf clubs, but this hybrid is the real deal when it comes to performance and feel.  If you have ever tried out the G15 hybrid, the updated G20 has some subtle differences to it that really enhances the club.  The most important difference in my view is that more bounce was added to the club to make it more consistent in any lie.

The main negative I had about the G15 model was that it wasn’t very good out of the rough as opposed to similar clubs on the market, but Ping has seemingly fixed this with the G20.  It doesn’t matter whether I am hitting it out of the rough, fairway bunker, hardpan, or whatever, I get the same great contact every time.  The golf ball just shoots off of the club.

Another difference is that the G20 has a higher launch angle, which is really great for those who need to hit a shot at a 3 iron distance but want it to land like a 9 iron.  Not only does it have a high launch angle, but low spin as well to help stop the ball on the green faster.  I usually play from the blue tees at local golf courses, and many of the par 3’s in the area require a shot of about 200 yards or so to reach the green.  With the Ping G20, instead of having to pull out a 3 iron and try to run it up as close to the flagstick as I can, I can instead go right at it knowing that the ball will land softly.  The increased confidence that it gives on longer par 3’s is fantastic to say the least.

Lastly, another great positive I found in regards to the Ping G20 was around the greens.  For those of you who like to be more creative when playing rounds of golf, the G20 provides a great option for a ball that is up against the second and third cuts of rough, and also where there is a lot of green to work with.   There was a par 5 where I hit a good second shot that landed about 15 yards in front of the green, and with the pin all the way it the back it is usually difficult for me to get it all the way back there with a wedge.  Instead, I used a chipping motion with the Ping G20 and it rolled smoothly across the green about six feet from the cup.  The G20 not only offers great performance from the fairway, but also around the green if you are willing to give it a try.

Negative

The only real negative that I found when it came to the Ping G20 hybrid was that it had a tendency to draw from a normal lie.  I normally play a fade so it was beneficial to my game, but for those who already draw the golf ball it may turn into a hook using this club.

Conclusion

Overall I would give the Ping G20 Hybrid 4 ½ stars out of five.  The performance is great out of practically any lie you could imagine, and the high launch angle allows one to land the ball softly on the green and not have to worry about it rolling off.  I would especially recommend it to those who may be struggling a bit with the long irons and are looking to change it up a bit.

Take a look at some great deals on new and used Ping G20 Hybrid Golf Clubs.

Taylor Made’s new R11S Driver

Taylor Made Golf has release details on their new driver, the R11S. The new R11S is larger, quicker, more adjustable and longer than the original R11 driver. The 460cc white finished head is powered by a new 5-sided ASP plate, new 1.5º FCT sleeve and movable weights. With 3D Tuning, you can independently tune loft, face angle and flight path your swing.

R11S Features:

• Tune loft up or down by 1.5° with Flight Control Technology (FCT)
• Tune the face to one of five angles (±3°) with Adjustable Sole Plate (ASP) Technology
• Tune the center of gravity toward the heel or toe with Movable Weight Technology (MWT)
• 460cc titanium head with Thick-Thin Crown design for lower CG
• Inverted Cone Technology (ICT) promotes more ball speed on off-center hits
• White non-glare crown and black clubface for easy alignment

 

Take a look at some great deals on new and used Tayolor Made R11S golf drivers.

Top Flite Gamer V2 Golf Balls

Product Review: Top Flite Gamer V2 Golf Balls

Having tried the first version of the Top Flite Gamer golf balls and really liking them, I was excited to learn that Callaway (which owns Top Flite) had decided to come out with a new version of the golf ball.  The Gamer V2 still features dimple in dimple aerodynamics and is a three piece golf ball.  The changes that were made to the ball include a new DuPont mantle layer to increase distance and add greater feel.  Changes were also made to the core and outer layer to increase feel and durability, which were severely lacking in their first version of the Top Flite Gamer golf balls.  Here is my review of the new Top Flite Gamer V2 golf balls.

Positive

Similar to the first version, the second version of these golf balls have fantastic distance.  The distance is actually comparable to golf balls that are more than twice the price of these, and that is really something remarkable.  I couldn’t believe the distance I was getting out of the golf balls, especially off the tee.  For the woods and irons as well from the fairway, the distance was still very close to that of a Pro V1 Tour iS golf balls.

Another positive came in regards to the short game.  Much emphasis was made upon improving the feel of the golf ball to make it softer for the second version, and one can truly notice the difference when trying out the two versions side by side.  When it came to chipping the ball would check up nicely on practically every shot.  One almost never sees an inexpensive golf ball checking up like it is supposed to on the green, and it is truly refreshing to find one that does.  Whether it was a lob, flop, bump and run, you name it, the golf ball would come to a rest quickly every time.  I also noticed that the golf ball had a very soft feel coming off the putter, and it really inspired confidence when it came to the shorter putts.

Negative

One of the main negatives I found when reviewing the first version of the Top Flite Gamer golf ball was that it did not have sufficient spin for mid or long iron shots.  Unfortunately the same can be said of the second version as well.  When it came to shots with a 4 iron one should expect that the golf ball should stop fairly quickly and not keep rolling on the green.  There were quite a few shots on the golf course where I would hit the high iron and when the ball hit the green it just kept rolling and rolling.  It was truly frustrating watching the ball roll of the green many times after hitting a shot that landed near the flag.  When it came to the short irons the golf ball would simply stop wherever it hit, which can be a good or bad thing depending on one’s particular golf game.  My golf game revolves around getting a good amount of spin for these types of shots, so the golf ball performed below average in this area as well.

Overall

Overall the Top Flite Gamer V2 golf ball is one of the best low price golf ball alternatives out there on the market today.  They have made many positive improvements with the golf ball since version one, especially ramping up the soft feel of the ball when it comes to the short game.  The golf ball still performed below average when it came to spin for short and long iron shots, but that is what one should expect from low priced golf balls.  The Top Flite Gamer V2 golf ball is certainly one of the best bang for your buck options out there when it comes to golf balls.

Take a look at some more great deals on new and used Top Flite Gamer V2 Golf Balls.

Taylormade Burner Superfast 2.0 Fairway Woods Review

Product Review: Taylormade Burner Superfast 2.0 Fairway Woods

Taylormade Golf Company has come out with a new brand of golf clubs that really have a striking appearance to them.  The Taylormade Burner Superfast 2.0 fairway woods are a part of this new trend, in which the clubhead is white while the clubface itself is black.  It is truly a unique blend of colors that match well together.  As far as other specifications, the fairway woods are comprised of very lightweight clubheads that are designed to increase swing speed, along with the Winn Lite grip and Matrix XCon shaft that come stock with the club. The Superfast fairway woods are also designed for greater carry, with the clubface having a low center of gravity.  With that said here is my overall review of the Taylormade Burner Superfast 2.0 fairway woods.

Positive

The first positive that I noticed came on the first tee box, where the ball just jumped off of the clubface.  I don’t know what it is about all the new technology these days, but I like it more and more as my distance goes down with age.  It was not just the tee shots either, but practically every shot that was hit felt solid.  I even tried putting a golf ball in an old divot and the ball still shot out straight and true.  This goes into my next positive, in that the Taylormade Burner Superfast 2.0 fairway woods are extremely forgiving.  It did not matter if I hit it off of the toe or the heel, the golf clubs still performed well above expectations.

The third positive that I found with these fairway woods is that it is easy to work the ball either way, more so off the tee than in the fairway.  If there was a hole that required a draw for instance, I could simply use my draw swing and the club would do the rest for me.  It is truly effortless swinging these golf clubs, and a lot of that is due in part to the lightweight features I mentioned earlier.  Lastly, the fairway woods are extremely durable and could probably last for years and years.  After a few long sessions on the driving range I thought the clubs might have lost their distance but they certainly proved me wrong out on the golf course time and time again.

Negative

It was truly difficult trying to find any sort of negatives with the Taylormade Burner Superfast 2.0 fairway woods, but if I had to be nitpicky I would have to go with its performance out of the rough.  When it came to fairway bunkers the clubs would work perfectly and get the ball straight up in the air upon impact, but it just didn’t feel the same when hitting them out of the rough (and especially deep rough).  I just could not get solid contact between the club and ball at all in the rough, and maybe this is due in part to the clubs being so lightweight.  Regardless, this was the only real negative that I could find when it came to these fairway woods.

Conclusion

The Taylormade Burner Superfast 2.0 fairway woods are a great step in the right direction for Taylormade Golf Company.  If you have been with them for their drivers, you should definitely try out their fairway woods, as they are as good as, if not better than, many other competitiors out on the market today.  These fairway woods are that good.

Take a look at some more great deals on new and used Taylormade Burner Superfast 2.0 Fairway Woods.

Bridgestone Tour B330 RXS Golf Ball Review

  • September 28, 2011, 12:12 pm
  • admin
  • In Golf Balls

Golf Product Review: Bridgestone Tour B330 RXS Golf Ball Review

Bridgestone has been quietly jumping up the ladder as far as the golf ball market is concerned.  One of the areas in which they have strived to match their competition in is tour-level golf balls, known as the Tour B330 line.  The first two balls that Bridgestone came out with, the Tour B330 and B330S, were a huge success and are currently used by PGA Tour players such as Matt Kuchar, Brandt Snedeker, and Davis Love III.  Since then Bridgestone has come out with a new type of golf ball, one that provides tour level performance for amateur players, known as the RX line.  The RX line includes the B330 RX, which is more geared for players looking for distance, and the B330 RXS, which is geared for players looking for more short iron spin.  I decided to give the Bridgestone B330 RXS golf ball a try to see if it can really provide tour performance for amateur golfers (those with swing speeds less than 105 miles per hour).

Positives

Even through the B330 RX is supposed to offer more distance as opposed to the RXS, I found the RXS to have great distance both off the tee and in the fairway.  The distance was certainly comparable to that of a Pro V1 or a Callaway Tour golf ball.  On average I was getting about 3 to five yards extra distance on both my iron and wood shots, which is certainly surprising to find in a golf ball.  If anything it proves that in order to increase distance one of the first things to try out is better golf equipment such as new clubs or balls such as the B330 RXS.

When it came to the short game, I was also pleasantly surprised to find out how well it performed.  There wasn’t very much backspin on say 75 yard pitch shots, but how many amateur golfers are really looking for that to happen when hitting a pitch shot from that distance?  In either case, the ball did stop quickly whenever I wanted it to, not only on pitch shots but also when it came to chipping.  Whenever I needed to hit a bump and run chip the ball would always check up.  The Bridgestone B330 RXS golf ball also feels great when putting.  There is a very useful putting alignment on it that makes it easier to line up putts where you want them to go.

Negatives

As far as negatives, the only major one that I found came in regards to shots into the green using mid to high irons.  The golf ball just would not stay on the green no matter what I tried; it would hit the green and then just keep rolling.  How can a supposed tour-level performance golf ball not provide decent spin for mid and long iron shots?  Also, I found it a bit harder to shape shots with as opposed to similar balls such as the Pro V1.  The ball is fine if trying to hit low or high shots, but it seemed to exaggerate fades and draws, making them instead slices and hooks.

Overall

Overall it is a very solid golf ball for amateurs looking for a high performance golf ball.  It provides distance comparable to any other golf ball on the market today and could even add a few extra yards to your iron and wood shots.  It is also great for the short game as well, but one should be a little cautious when it comes to mid to long irons shots when hitting into the green.

Take a look at some more great deals on new and used Bridgestone Tour B330 RXS Golf Balls.