TAYLORMADE RBZ TOUR FW REVIEW

[Dscvrr St Louis]

Basic RBZ Fairway 101--

Standard Head with Xcon5(light) $229.

Tour Head with Xcon7 $ 229.

Tour Head with TP shaft RUL 70. $329

There are only the two heads, it goes Tour TP when you pay the extra hundo for the RUL70 shaft..real deal...also gives you a few more options on shafts with/with out up charge.

Standard head is 197CC, the Tour is 171CC.

Should answer all questions.

[Illest]

Thank you, this was a great review! Im currently thinking about going all in on the tour 3/5 and hybrid or rescue with the RBZ. I find myself thinking along the same lines as you described IMPs play with the driver so this is great to hear!

[chrisdc]

[attachment=1189990:Capture.JPG][quote name='Dscvrr St Louis' timestamp='1338005349' post='4980038']
Basic RBZ Fairway 101--

Standard Head with Xcon5(light) $229.

Tour Head with Xcon7 $ 229.

Tour Head with TP shaft RUL 70. $329

There are only the two heads, it goes Tour TP when you pay the extra hundo for the RUL70 shaft..real deal...also gives you a few more options on shafts with/with out up charge.

Standard head is 197CC, the Tour is 171CC.

Should answer all questions.
[/quote]

I am confused. On TGW.com it says I can get a RBZ tour 3 fairway wood (non TP) with a Fubuki Alpha shaft upgrade($92) for $321 or a RBZ TOUR TP with the same shaft upgrade for $421.

I am under the impression the only difference is the shaft in the TP vs. Non-TP.

You think this is a mistake by TGW or is there going to be a difference in the shaft?

Thinking of pulling the trigger and finding out...

Any thoughts?

Thanks

[darbosh]

[quote name='chrisdc' timestamp='1338548318' post='5010312']
You think this is a mistake by TGW or is there going to be a difference in the shaft?

Thinking of pulling the trigger and finding out...

Any thoughts?

Thanks
[/quote]It's a mistake. The standard RBZ head has a .350 hosel bore and I don't think TM would factory install a shaft with a shim.

[chrisdc]

[quote name='darbosh' timestamp='1338552122' post='5010456']
[quote name='chrisdc' timestamp='1338548318' post='5010312']
You think this is a mistake by TGW or is there going to be a difference in the shaft?

Thinking of pulling the trigger and finding out...

Any thoughts?

Thanks
[/quote]It's a mistake. The standard RBZ head has a .350 hosel bore and I don't think TM would factory install a shaft with a shim.
[/quote]

Thanks for the reply. Yes I agree with your statement, but both are rbz tour heads in the example I gave.

[xzxkixl]

Pull the trigger.
I'd like to know if it goes through for $100 cheaper or if TGW custom calls you back to straigthen things out.
I noticed the same thing when i was looking into a one with a Kai Li.
I imagine it's just a mistake with their custom options and you'll get a call

[chrisdc]

[quote name='xzxkixl' timestamp='1338566818' post='5011806']
Pull the trigger.
I'd like to know if it goes through for $100 cheaper or if TGW custom calls you back to straigthen things out.
I noticed the same thing when i was looking into a one with a Kai Li.
I imagine it's just a mistake with their custom options and you'll get a call
[/quote]
Trigger pulled. I will let you know what happens.

[Toddo64]

After trying the 15 and hating it, tried a 14.5 at a TM demo day and loved it, got it with Matrix Ozik X-con 7 shaft in reg flex, then got the 10.5 driver also and am thinking about the 18.5 hybrid. If anyone has used the hybrid, would love to hear some thoughts.

[FLOGMR]

I tried an RBZ 15* 3 wood at the range this morning....Matrix Ozik "S"....the ads are right ..it is about 20 yards longer....but that was 20 yards longer than my 3 hybrid and about 15 yards short of my own 3 wood....Lots of advertising but no delivery for me....Unimpressed!!

[jrg9]

I just picked up a new tour spoon and it is awesome. Was incredibly easy to get airborne and had a great ball flight. It was longer than my cb4. Really happy with this club.

[chrisdc]

[quote name='xzxkixl' timestamp='1338566818' post='5011806']
Pull the trigger.
I'd like to know if it goes through for $100 cheaper or if TGW custom calls you back to straigthen things out.
I noticed the same thing when i was looking into a one with a Kai Li.
I imagine it's just a mistake with their custom options and you'll get a call
[/quote]


3 wood just came in. Looks to be real deal, with aftermarket Fubuki Alpha shaft for $321 from TGW. Not sure if it is a glitch in their system or what....they offer the same club for 100 more on the site under the TP option. I know Tp is just the shaft upgrade. As you see TP sticker on it...Pictures little blurry, not taken by me, out of town. Seems like a smoking deal, unless someone knows something different.

[chuckyz2]

what is the screw thingy in the middle on bottom of club. Is that an adjustment for bias?

[jabroni23]

That is the weight port/plug. They don't offer different weights to my knowledge. It's a fixed weight like on some other clubs throughout the years. It does make rat-gluing very convenient.

[twtolley]

Recently had an issue with the epoxy (lack thereof) in my Tour 5W.. aka my head flew off and went 60 yards down the fairway. I absolutely love the club aside from that and was extremely satisfied when TMAG sent me a new one out immediately.

I play the RUL 70 TP model, and love the trajectory control and playability - wouldn't trade it for anything else... well, just about anything else.

[Golfingbanker]

Does the tour model set up more open than the regular? It was too closed for me.

[chuckyz2]

[quote name='jabroni23' timestamp='1344265459' post='5415880']
That is the weight port/plug. They don't offer different weights to my knowledge. It's a fixed weight like on some other clubs throughout the years. It does make rat-gluing very convenient.
[/quote]
What is rat gluing? And where can I get one of those weight plugs? Make that 2 in case I lose it again. And what kind of tool is needed to crank it tight. Mine mysteriously disappeared. And the club now feels like a kids club. That little weight makes a huge diffrence in how light or heavey the club feels. Still long though. Thanks.

[Tayzer]

[quote name='rchera3' timestamp='1333592520' post='4653333']
I only played 2 rounds with it so far due to work and family time. However, I was very impressed with the club. Last year, I was playing the SF 2.0 TP 13.5 and was getting great results from the tee and deck. The RBZ Tour 14.5 is much better in feel and distance from the tee and deck. I also noticed that my ball flight is lower and on target more than the SF 2.0 TP 13.5. The 14.5 is perfect for me. I'm a high ball/spin player and this club does not balloon at all. I was thinking about getting the TS 13 but glad I did not becasue the 14.5 is plenty long. My club fitter also tipped my Kai'li 1 inch and it's playing at 43 inches at D2 swing weight. Overall, best fairway I ever played.

On a side note, I ordered a RBZ Tour Rescue TP 3/18.5 with a Project X 6.5 HB shaft and love it!!! This club serves as my 5 wood and thinking about adding a 4/21.5 Rescue, not sure yet. My Adams a12 pro hybrid is pretty good to me.
[/quote]

Do it! I bought the 21.5 RBZ tour and it is beast.

[Tayzer]

[quote name='Golfingbanker' timestamp='1344352254' post='5423070']
Does the tour model set up more open than the regular? It was too closed for me.
[/quote]

Yes, 1/2 degree open son!

[Tayzer]

I really want the 14.5 tour 80x. Something tells me to wait. I think the RBZ and the XTD are gonna have drinks and smush. Then we'll have a real nasty little golf ball bombing baby on our hands. I really want that to happen. I'm projecting it.

[therealone]

I've had the Tour Spoon all season, but I think I need to trade it for a 14.5 degree. The ball flight is much lower and too hot compared to my old Burner 13 degree.

[TheDailyDuffer]

Are there any other differences between the regular, tour, and tp versions. I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on one with a fubuki alpha but I can't decide on what head.

[PaulM26]

See post #31, bottlenose ....

[ted kramer]

now that i have been back from my RBZ fitting experience in DORAL (SOUTH BEACH FITTING EXPERIENCE) and things around home/work are settling down - i wanted to share my thoughts and answer any questions regarding TAYLORMADEs new RBZ TOUR FAIRWAY WOOD line. honestly, after the driver fitting and build on the tour van the fairway wood almost went unnoticed. well... that was until my first round on familiar territory.

 

first let me set the stage... last year after spending some time on TRACKMAN i was sold hook line and sinker on the TAYLORMADE SF2.0TP fairway woods. great ball speed, spin, launch, flight - everything that i was looking for in a fairway wood. at the time it edged out the comparable ADAMS, CALLAWAY, and NIKE offerings. i also found that the KAI'LI 80x worked very well with this head. over the season i hit some of the best fairway wood shots of my life. the ball flight was consistent - very hot - and i could hit them relatively straight. there were times where i could get my three wood out there with some of my playing partners driver.

 

when we invited to the RBZ FITTING EXPERIENCE, we were told to bring fw's, wedges, and putter - leave everything else at home. at the driver fitting DAVE CORDERO opened a box and there sat 5 brand new RBZ fairway woods waiting for us. instantly my eyes caught a RBZ TOUR 14.5 with KAI'LI 80x... sure enough, they had built one perfectly to my specs (43" D3). during the trip - i pulled three wood off the tee about three times and killed it. however, not being on a course that i was familiar with, or with the weather being 40* warmer than at home i wanted to hold off on making an assessment.

 

back to now...

 

the rbz tour fairway woods are simply amazing.

 

>LOOKS

 

i love the foot print of the TOUR head much better than the standard head. it is just a little more compact and similar in shape to the SF2.0TP. i prefer a slightly deeper fairway wood - this isn't too deep or too shallow. in comparison to my gamer - it aspired more confidence in all situations. i do prefer the color scheme of the SF2.0TP better than the RBZ. if i could change the aesthetics - i would remove the slime green from the top of the club. i don't mind the slime green at all on the sole of the club - it looks great.

 

the return to OEM shaft graphics is a drastic change from the TMAG TP paint scheme on the SF2.0TP. i go back and forth on what i prefer. i like everything to match... in that respect i like how the TMAG TP paint scheme looked. the KAI'LI looks great in the ION finish it just doesn't match perfectly like the SF2.0TP KAI'LI.

 

>FEEL

 

the RBZ feels deeper and hotter than the crisper feel of the SF2.0TP. initially i would have described "crisper" as hotter, but the hearing the slightly lower pitch off the face of the RBZ is music to my ears. THIS IS WHERE I FEEL THE MARK WAS MISSED WITH THE RBZ TOUR DRIVER. if it sounded like the fairway woods - it would be outstanding in every category.

 

many times when a club is made more forgiving across the face you lose the feel of a miss hit. i like to know if i hit it off the heel (haven't found the toe in years!). the RBZ TOUR accomplishes this. it still sounds and feels great, but you know if you miss hit it. very important!

 

>PERFORMANCE

 

this is where there is no comparison... it is incredible. i can hit it off any lie. the slot on the bottom need not worry you - it accepts every condition and does not get "hung up". off the tee it is insane. 20 yards past my playing partners well struck tee shot. we are usually neck and neck with three wood. not anymore - i flew his ball like it was moving backwards. in fact there were many times where there were forced carries of 270. no problem. he pulled driver - i was within three yards of him with a three wood. almost everyone that has hit this three wood is 10 yards longer EASY some up to 20. i could go on and on with performance and distance... but it's straight too. straighter than the SF2.0TP - yet i feel as if i could work it both directions easier.

 

i could see a sole modification in future designs. currently the sole towards the trailing edge is inset about 1mm. i would suggest they keep the inset in the same location - just make it more aerodynamic by running it out the entire trailing edge. in other words - no pocket.

 

>BOTTOM LINE - YOUR MONEY MY MONEY

 

would i buy one? remember this was given to me... YES! actually i bought a RBZ TOUR 5 / KAI'LI 80x to match the TS when i got home. why is it worth the money when the SF2.0TP was so good? i can work it both ways much easier. it is straighter on my miss hits. it is much longer. why do i want longer? i can hit three off the tee more often without a significant distance loss, which also increases my chance of hitting the fairway and controlling the flight. i can hit five wood into the green instead of a three wood in some cases. this allows three wood like distance with five wood like flight. you can land the ball softer and hit the ball straighter.

 

CONCLUSION

 

the RBZ TOUR and RBZ fairway woods are game changers. one quick story about a friend of mine on WRX - IMP (keith). IMP can hit fairway wood off the tee MUCH better than the driver. he like most of us - just lack the confidence with the driver. many times he was forced to hit driver because he didn't want to give up the yardage that the driver could POTENTIALLY give him. the RBZ changed his game. on the first hole at DORAL all of us took driver - with the exception of IMP. i didn't see what club he hit at the time, in fact i thought it was driver. he killed his three wood - in fact it probably was longer than he could hit his driver. he did this over and over. since he has returned home we have kept in contact. his confidence is skyrocketing along with his distance off the tee... with his three wood. his stock RBZ three wood. he is NOT sacrificing distance vs. his old driver with the RBZ three wood. he is hitting the fairway. he is scaring the guys in his league. he is taking their money.

 

i don't want my words to be discounted because i am a TMAG guy... i'm not a TMAG guy - i'm a golfer, an equipment guy that doesn't buy the latest and greatest just because it's new and shiny. i don't have the disposable income that i use to have. my purchases now are very calculated. this club performs and it is something i feel you should try.

 

feel free to ask questions

 

 

 

 

 

[avrag]

What can I say?
I hated the colours, I hate the name, I hated the marketing hype. I refused to even try them at all, which is a first for me. I finally did at last at a demo day, and I am extremely impressed. I tried the Tour versions of the (14.5°) 3-wood, the 5-wood and the 21.5° hybrid.
The 3-wood won't replace my first generation Rapture or my Mizuno MP-Ti. Yes, it is long, but it is also a bit harder to handle than these two, at least for me. But the 5-wood won me over immediately. It is incredible that there is a club, which I can hit so high and so long from just about any lie. The stock Matrix X-con 7 in R seems to fit me perfectly for this type of club, and it is the first higher lofted fairway wood I have tried, with which I can really go after it without turning it left. The funny thing with the Mizuno MP-Ti fairways was for me that I really liked the 3-wood, that I absolutely love the 4-wood, but that I have always struggled with the 5-wood for some reason. No problem, if I just carry the 4-wood, but for those days, when I want a 3-wood 5-wood combination (especially when it is wet), I never had an option.
The RBZ Tour hybrid was equally as amazing. High ballflight with the slightest touch of fade and so easy to hit from any lie. And it is long, consistently long, period.
I guess I will have to spend some money on these two clubs after all.
But I still hate the white and green.
And the name, of course.

[OspreyCI]

Been playing the RBZ Tour 14.5, 18.5 3h, and 21.5 4h all season. What a lineup. All 3 give me a high nice cut that I can really rely on. Getting ready to reshaft the 3 wood with a Speeder VC 8.0. Anyway, their RBZ Tour woods and hybrids are simply awesome!

[James GGF]

Great review, very similar to mine. Check it here http://www.golfgearfanatic.com/2012/11/taylormade-rocketballz-fairway-woods.html

[smootmoose]

Awesome post! Thanks for the info. I have been playing the R11 stuff for a bit and have loved them with no reason to switch as I stripe them but those RBZ hybrids and Fairways look gorgeous. It is interesting to hear how much better this stuff is to previous stuff but man I am looking forward to the winter and getting things balanced and ironed out. Who knows maybe I will start shooting in the 60's again ; )