TaylorMade-adidas Golf says its new RocketBallz (RBZ) iron features a large, thin clubface that’s strong and stiff at the perimeter and thin at the inner edge, allowing the face to “flex freely like a trampoline.” That, of course, is club-designer-peak for more distance. No part of the club head structure inhibits or restricts the flexion of the face, according to TMaG, so the RBZ irons (at retail in February) also incorporate the company’s Inverted Cone club face technology, which expands the portion of the face that delivers high ball speed, promoting more distance on off-center hits.
TMaG says every RBZ iron head, from the 3- to the lob wedge, features a progressive length and spec package, which has been coordinated to ensure proper trajectory and distance gaps throughout the set.
RocketBallz 3- through 5-irons according to TMaG, feature a new, hollow club head construction akin to that of its metal woods. TMaG says this hollow head construction allows engineers to create the clubface (455 carpenter’s steel in the 3- through 5), and allows for a lower and centered CG (center of gravity) location that ensures “pure contact” on the face when hitting off turf, promoting maximum energy transfer at impact.
TMaG says lowering the CG also allowed its engineers to strengthen the loft to promote a more penetrating flight. This improved CG location is made possible in the 3- to 6-irons by thinning areas of the sole, top-line and back wall, then repositioning the saved weight strategically to the back wall and heel to shift the CG lower and more toward the center.
Key to the improved accuracy of RocketBallz irons (suggested retail price $899 per set of eight) according to TMaG, is the new “Toe-Bar” feature, positioned in the upper toe, and the new design of the Inverted Cone. TMaG says the Toe-Bar and redesigned Inverted Cone together stiffen the toe-area of the clubface so that when the face flexes it directs the ball straight forward.
“We’ve worked extensively to advance fast-faced iron performance, and feel like we’re well ahead of our competitors in this category,” said Bret Wahl, TaylorMade senior director of iron, wedge and putter research and development. “We’ve learned that high COR is most useful when on top of high speed you can also control the face-flexion to send the ball on an accurate flight-line. With that in mind, we’re very pleased with what we’ve achieved with the RocketBallz iron.”
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