Accurate, consistent and stylish pretty much sum up Cobra S3 irons. I heard these clubs have the ability to help with distance, so I figured I’d give them a fair shake to win me over. Although their design may be a little flashy for my taste, I’ve learned to never judge a book by its cover. Just because it looks young and fun doesn’t mean it won’t deliver veteran-worthy performance, right?

Well, I never thought Cobra would become a club of choice for me, but I can definitely say I’m pleasantly surprised and impressed by these irons. For a forged club, the ball comes off the face pretty hot, and I like it! They’re smooth and when you make contact, the ball in flight is definitely a thing of beauty. So, my first demo out with the Cobra S3 irons, I found myself hitting purer shots and ultimately taking more risks with confidence. In fact, they didn’t seem like risks, after all! I simply felt like I graduated to another level.

Appearance

I know I’ve complained about the looks of the irons but in all fairness, it’s really only the yellow markings on the ones I was playing with that made me feel as though a ray of sunshine was haunting me. That being said, I certainly didn’t mind the hint of color when I got just the right amount of air on that beautiful shot at the 3rd hole. Okay, aside from the yellow, I love the smoky PVD finish. It adds a little mystery, in my opinion. Although Cobra is no newbie to the two-toned design, these irons just look seamless, like a nice contemporary piece of art. The contrast just works!

Although the blade is certainly not small, the head is by no means intrusive. In fact, it looks smaller when you are looking at it from above. If you prefer an iron with a little more bulk, you may not get excited about the size, but for me, it’s just right. I do question Cobra’s reasoning for placing that mirrored shiny finish on the side that sort of looks out of place, but I can only assume it’s to make the clubs last longer, knowing that PVD will eventually wear out.

Forged from 1025 high carbon steel, I must note that you won’t deal with glare coming off of them. They are well-balanced with a Nippon 1030h shaft, finished off with velvet grips.

Performance

It’s rare that you are granted distance and forgiveness, in one iron. I have learned that I always seem to be sacrificing one for the other. Do I want to nail those balls with impressive speed and height, or do I want my ball to go where I want, rather than off to the right all day? It’s the story of my life. Before trying out the Cobra S3 irons, I had never fully understood the term, have your cake and eat it too, but you really can have it all!

This is a forgiving iron that is not overly manipulative, so you don’t feel like you’re wearing training wheels, but it’s also an iron that promotes distance. Yes, finally the best of both worlds. Maybe the ray of sunshine on them really does help! Hits are both long and workable.

What I like is that although they are forgiving, I don’t feel as though I’m swinging a shovel. There is no clunky feeling because the Nippon 1030h shaft is well-mated to the head. The back swing feels effortless and balanced and the downswing is an even more pleasing experience.

Should you mishit with the Cobra S3 irons, you will feel exactly where you went wrong, rather than guessing and trying to determine a solution. There is an extra-large safe hitting zone in the larger irons, which shrinks to normal size by the time you get to the pitching wedge. These are irons that definitely feel good to use.

I will say, I don’t think that they are quite as consistent as the Ping K15 irons, but they are definitely in the running. They’re not as buttery soft as Miura or Mizuno, but they are pure, definitely outperforming many in their class.

Review

I know that distance shouldn’t matter all that much when it comes to rating irons, but when it’s the longest iron I’ve tested, suddenly it does. I found myself having to go easy on a few shots, trusting that the distance would just come naturally, and it did!

Without sacrificing feel, you get an iron that is hot across nearly the entire face. So, while it may not be the most forgiving option on the market, it certainly offers enough forgiveness to get excited about. Pair that up with a longer shaft and virtually no glare, and you have yourself a winner in my books!

Want to see what we have to think? Check out our Golf Club Reviews page to see if we’ve take the club you’re interested in for a test drive.

If you are like most, you’re probably wondering if Ping K15 irons are really that much different than the G15 irons,  and how will they compare to the G20 irons that are forthcoming? Well, many are calling them the perfect hybrid; I call them unbelievably forgiving, even on a bad day! Fair enough, Ping and every other name tosses the term forgiving  around like alligators in the Everglades, but as much as I’d like to ping (no pun intended) manufacturers for the overuse of this word, it’s nothing short of appropriate here.

I am a creature of habit, I rarely accept new change and quite honestly, I didn’t want to like, much less get excited, over a hybrid club. However, after taking many skeptical swings with the Ping K15 irons, they quickly broke down my defensive walls.

It is said that hybrids are beneficial for older golfers or those who simply don’t have the speed on their downswing to get them to the green. When you add an iron that increases speed, provides forgiveness and offers the best launch angle, you produce more accurate and further shots. It’s hard to complain; unless you’re overshooting the green and, then you have other problems.

Looks

If you hate the big and bulky look, you will probably already have a strong opinion formed about the Ping K15 irons. For a long time, I wanted my clubs streamlined; why should others know that I was using one that offered correction. I almost felt like I was riding a bike with training wheels. Then, I looked around and realized that perhaps my judgmental self was a little outdated. As I was proudly taking an extra stroke with my simple irons, others were laughing their way to the green with their corrective ones. So, appearance of these irons is neutral for me. I don’t mind the big bulky look, because I’ve learned to appreciate what they offer.

That being said, considering the size of these irons, the head is a lot more compact than you would expect. The finish is handsome, similar to raw steel. It looks great, and perhaps it’s my fondness for medieval warfare, but I feel stronger holding a piece of steel rather than the PVD finishes on so many today. Add that to the thick toplines, wide soles and conforming grooves, and you may just find an appreciation for clunky!

Performance

If I can sum up the Ping K15 irons in one word, it would definitely be consistent. It doesn’t matter if you are on favorable land or not, the sweet spot of the face is easy to find. It’s as if the ball is magnetically charged to attract the face to it at the precise spot and angle. If I had a problem with slicing, (which I would never admit to), I would say that these clubs can definitely reduce those tendencies.

Cutting through the rough is simpler, and it allows for even gentle draws and fades. Very good spin correction is offered as well. I will say that it does return a little feedback on mishits, but it’s quite subtle, not at all unpleasant like I was expecting. When you do strike the middle of the face, you definitely know it, as you are gifted with a crisp sensation.

If you are assuming that these are going to be heavy irons, causing you to ice your shoulders later, they’re not. Due to the thinner face being repositioned to the toe, there is a significant weight savings that is appreciated. A higher launch angle is achieved due to the wide soles and a center of gravity combines nicely with stronger lifts to produce longer shots. This is done without having to sacrifice higher trajectory that is typically required from a forgiving iron.

Bottom line, when you can control your game from around 175 yards, you have a better chance at reaching more greens. This translates to bogeys, pars and birdies, so who cares if someone else knows you’re swinging a helpful iron; you won’t be the one hiding your scorecard in the bottom of the trash later.The Ping K15 irons offer a deep and low center of gravity, lightweight titanium face, offset hosel and a high MOI, which all dictates to a better game.

Review

If you are a single-digit handicap, you probably won’t see the benefits of these irons, but if you are perhaps a mid to low handicap who has a tendency to slice or fade, you will likely develop a strong relationship with the Ping K15 irons. They feel good, and you can count on them to deliver. So, even if you don’t live for the oversized appearance, you will be willing to overlook this. If you are not shooting somewhere in the low 80s, these can improve your game.

I’ve always respected Ping; they have a well-deserved reputation, so I’m always anxious to see what they’ll offer next. Despite that I wanted to bash them for using that forgiving word I get so tired of hearing, I can’t! These irons deliver exactly what they promise!

Want to see what we have to think? Check out our Golf Club Reviews page to see if we’ve take the club you’re interested in for a test drive.

Taylormade’s R7 irons have been around for a while now and have been superseded in popularity by the TaylorMade Burner Irons, R9 irons and most recently the new R11 Irons.

However, that doesn’t mean they do not remain a good option, especially given the drop in the price as the flood of newer models are released. I grabbed a set and headed off to the range to see how they perform.

The R7 is a Game Improvement iron with a deep cavity aimed at mid-high handicappers. It’s super easy to hit high and straight and the lofts are pretty strong, so distance is also good. These are irons built for ease of use and power; so how do they hold up against their younger brothers and sisters?

Looks

The R7 iron isn’t bad looking at all. The yellow and black color scheme is classy looking and the cavity is nicely designed and as discreet as it can be for a club of this type.

The topline is quite chunky with some offset but again, it doesn’t seem to be too exaggerated or extreme in anyway. All in all it looks exactly like what it is, a game improvement iron built to get the ball up in the air.

It may be a few years old now but it looks sharp enough and would grace anyone’s bag on that front. It’s not as if you are going to be squirming with embarrassment when your pals eye up what you are gaming. I was fairly impressed with the aesthetics of the R7 iron.

Specifications

The irons are geared toward high ball flight and long distances. The combination of strong lofts and the head design support those objectives. This was one of Taylormade’s first irons to incorporate their Inverted Cone Technology that maximizes the COR (Coefficient of Restitution) across a portion of the clubface. This basically allows the very thin face to generate maximum performance from a wider portion of the face.

The head also includes a shock absorption bar that reduces the harshness of poorer strikes and gives improved feel from the enlarged sweet spot. It’s a nice touch that gives the cast head a little more feedback for the player.

Stock shafts are the T-Step 90 gram steel or Reax Graphite which both perform well enough.

Performance

The irons set up pretty nicely behind the ball and they look like they mean business with their thicker topline. The offset should help higher handicappers without being so much as to become a distraction.

I hit around 20 balls and my initial thoughts were very much as I expected. These are a set of irons that fly straight and high and are excellent on off center hits. They are pretty much what a weekend or casual golfer would want and a good starting set for a newbie. Ball after ball flew straight and true and there is no doubt that these clubs deliver what they promise.

I then had a go hitting a few fades, draws and punch shots. I was able to cut the 7 iron as I wanted but the draw was a little harder to execute for me. That’s largely due to my own swing characteristics though and when I overdid my draw set up it did fly with a nice right to left flight. They aren’t really designed for shot shaping but if your game is up to it there is no reason why you can’t manage it with the R7 Irons. Punch shots were a breeze, just sort out your set up and crunch it away low for a piercing driller down the line. For the type of golfer these are aimed at this is probably a much more useful weapon and the R7 was good here.

So that’s how the R7 does but how much improvement have Taylormade brought in with their newer sets and importantly is the extra cost balanced out by added performance?

I then hit some shots with an R9 iron and the performance was identical to the R7s. The only difference was a marginally softer feel in the R9 and a better stock shaft offering with the KBS 90. The Burner iron was next and again the performance was just about the same as the R7. The Burner was not noticeably easier to hit or any longer than the R7. Like the R9 the only noticeable thing I could find was the softer feel but for what you pay for each set, the sacrifice for feel over dollars seems a good one to take.

Summary

The R7 irons really deliver and are a great option for a wide range of golfers, whether they are looking to gain confidence, find a well built set that can save them money or someone just starting out in the world of golf. They look good, feel good and are good value, all in all they are pretty good.

Sure they are a little longer in the tooth than some but they still do what good irons do and remain very comparable to the R9 and Burner models for feel, performance and distance. Not quite a forgotten gem but certainly worth looking into if you want a Game Improvement iron that won’t break the bank.

About the MX-300

Mizuno has been churning out great forged clubs for years now and has earned a reputation for creating beautiful looking, soft feeling quality irons that retain their quality long after the hype has passed.

Over the last couple of years they have been releasing new models at a bewildering pace and golfers have never had such a wide range to choose from. As a basic rule of thumb, Mizuno entitles their classically designed mid to low-handicap clubs the MP irons and the MX series for mid to high handicappers.

But what about the MX-300 Irons? Although an “MX,” they’re not for the weekend or casual players; you need to be a decent ball-striker to get the best out of them as they aren’t hugely forgiving.

Single digit guys and girls may give them a whirl but are more likely to choose an MP iron for the added workability.

So although the Mizuno MX-300 could be in danger of having an identity crisis, Mizuno is confident that they fill a niche that lies between the shadowy boundaries of low and mid handicaps.

So if you sit around a 9 – 14 handicap then these are worth a look.

Looks and Features

The MX-300 is another strong Mizuno design. It has a small cavity back adorned with simple black and silver graphics and looks neat and classy. The topline is pretty thin but there’s a bit of width there to stop your teeth chattering as you address it. It looks like just what it is, an iron that isn’t quite a blade or muscleback nor a chunky game improvement iron.

The lofts are strong for distance junkies but the head contains Mizuno’s Y-Tune technology that helps lessen the drop off in performance from toe end hits. You can see from the picture how that Y shaped bar runs across the back of the club and separates into the arms of the Y toward the toe. All very discreetly of course, this is Mizuno we are talking about.

So is it the best of both worlds or a bit of a lost soul? Only one way to find out and the range was calling…..

Performance

Well they do look good. In the hand they feel like a proper iron should and the looks are elegant and professional. The weighting is nicely balanced; you can feel the club head but it is not like you are trying swing a sledge hammer around. All in all it the usual Mizuno quality on basic looks and feel.

Now I fit right in when it comes to the type of player that Mizuno are aiming the MX-300s at. Blades are a slightly distant dream but I want a little more finesse than a wide soled game improver. These look just the ticket. They have a slim top line, beautifully proportioned head size and a drop dead gorgeous chrome finish.

It’s there. No doubt about it, it’s there. That wonderful buttery soft Mizuno feel makes the MX-300s a pleasure to hit. It just leaps out at you as soon you make contact. Pure silk forged heaven in a crystal glass, served by your favorite barkeep. I could go on for hours about the feel…I really could but I guess you want to know a bit more than that so let’s move on. If you haven’t got the message by now you never will.

The MX-300s are long due to their lofts and the flight is very strong and penetrating. I found my best shots flew very much like a blade, soaring to the top of its flight and then parachuting gently down onto the target. A real dream and great for zeroing in on the green.

Off center strikes were punished but not severely. You weren’t strapped across the desk and given a good flogging, just made to empty the trash and given some extra homework. My bad shots flew O.K. and still felt fine although the special feel was gone; these aren’t great strikes after all. I’d say I lost around 10-15% distance which beats a lame dribble up the fairway by a long shot.

Whilst they offer some help on the less than perfect shots they aren’t really for the most casual players or beginners. You do need a bit of experience and ball striking ability to make the most of them. It seemed to me that the niche Mizuno are looking at satisfying with these was perfectly identified.

The long irons naturally have a little more help and I was happy enough with how I hit the 3, 4 & 5 irons. The good ones really stay hit and fly true and high. Lower down the set, the “helpful” nature of the clubs tails off and you’re given a short irons designed for shaping shorts, ideal for finding nasty pin locations or avoiding trouble.

Review

The Mizuno MX-300 irons do their job very well. It provides playability, enough forgiveness for a proficient but not stellar iron player and a feel to die for. Few cavity backed irons have that level of purity in the strike and even fewer make you want to go and buy another basket of balls and carry on hitting them but that’s what I did.

It’s a competitive market in the low-mid handicap zone but if you fall into that category than the MX-300 is a must try.

Want to see what we have to think? Check out our Golf Club Reviews page to see if we’ve take the club you’re interested in for a test drive.

The TaylorMade R11 Irons hit the shelves September 1st, 2011 and were engineered for the player who appreciates the shape and refinement of a tour-grade iron but needs the assistance of advanced technology to launch the ball higher, straighter and longer with less effort than their current clubs.

From the Company:

Precision Weighting Port

TaylorMade’s Precision Weight Port is a weight port permanently positioned in the back center of every iron head during assembly. This assures each R11 iron in the set is of uniform swingweight while also ensuring that the center of gravity location is precisely and optimally positioned in the center of the face between the toe and heel, also known as the “sweet spot.” The result is optimal consistency in feel and performance from one club to the next.  The weights range from 2.5 to 17 grams and cannot be adjusted by end users.or tungsten and can not be adjusted by consumers.

Ultra-Thin Face

The R11 Irons feature an ultra-thin face construction which promotes faster ball speed and distance in middle and long irons. The thinner clubface also results in an increased COR (Coefficient of Restitution, which has become a commonplace term amongst golfers when manufacturers began thinning out clubfaces to create a trampoline effect when the ball makes contact resulting in greater distance) assist in greater distances and control.

Inverted Cone Technology

I’ve always played with the game improvement category of irons and was really impressed at the feedback provided by the R11 Irons. You can feel, pretty accurately, where you made contact with the ball and when you hit it solid, you’re rewarded with a deep appealing audible indicator that seems to say “You’re going to like that one.“  On the flip side, however, mishits have more of a hollow “thwack” sound that is not at all appealing.

Distance from the R11 Irons was a bit of a let down for me, on average, I didn’t gain any significant yardage over my Burners. I was hoping with the deeper center of gravity and the precision weight port that I’d see at least an additional club length in distance, but alas, tis not to be.

The R11′s have a great look and feel to them. The design is well executed and they were even able to manage a strip of white to go with other TaylorMade clubs in the 2011 line. They feature a progressive topline thickness that increases as you get closer to the short irons, but this is barely noticeable and the look of the clubs at address really gives a confidence boost.

I was also pretty pleased at the amount of spin I was able to generate with the clubs, especially the short irons. I’m playing with the Bridgestone e6 golf ball and I did a side by side comparison to the Burner irons and about 60% of the shots, I was able to get more spin with the R11′s and rarely did they get outclassed.

Overall, I was impressed with TaylorMade’s newest iron set. The R11′s have the forgiveness hackers like me appreciate and they’ve got the feel and shot shaping capabilities that you better players will enjoy.

The TaylorMade R11 Irons have a MSRP of $799 and are now for sale at your local golf retailer or reputable online outlets.

Don’t miss our TaylorMade R11 Driver review.

Let me know your thoughts on the clubs!

Have a custom club fitting question? Visit our Ask the Fitter page, post your question and you’ll be entered to win a free custom club fitting from the TaylorMade Performance Lab!

Eidolon Golf, makers of some of the finest wedges on the market today, unveils a new brand, SCOR Golf and their flagship product SCOR4161 golf clubs. The innovative and revolutionary SCOR4161 product line totally redesigns short irons and wedges and erases the line between them.

This proprietary technology gives golfers the ability to build a precision, custom set of scoring clubs ranging from 41 to 61 degrees in loft.

The technology behind the revolutionary SCOR4161 scoring clubs was designed to deliver improved shotmaking performance in the scoring zone so golfers of all skill levels can improve their short games and lower their scores.

SCOR Golf President Terry Koehler believes the SCOR4161 product will make as powerful an impact on golfers’ performance in the scoring zone as hybrids did at the longer end of the set.

“SCOR Golf is a brand focused solely on innovative solutions to help golfers improve their performance with their scoring clubs,” said Koehler. “Short irons that look like middle-irons don’t work as well as they could – because the difference between a 6-iron and wedge is the same difference as that between a 5-iron and 3- or 4-wood. Even in wedges, the loft difference between a pitching wedge and lob wedge is the same as that between a 4-iron and driver. It makes no sense for wedges of all lofts to look alike, or for short irons to look like 5-irons. We all know what happened when hybrids came along – long irons have become extinct. SCOR4161 can do the same to conventional wedges and set-match short irons.”

“At SCOR Golf, we’re keenly focused on the scoring clubs, those over 40 degrees of loft. These are very different tools from middle irons,” explained Koehler. “The result of over two years of research and testing manifests in SCOR4161, and it represents the most comprehensive package of scoring technology ever assembled. Every feature of these clubs is there to provide measurable shot making/scoring benefits for golfers of all abilities. For the first time in golf history, golfers can specifically put together just the right set of precision scoring clubs that will deliver improved trajectories and better accuracy while offering optimum forgiveness. In addition, SCOR4161 delivers better spin with the new groove geometry and extraordinary feel. We know that golfers will reap the benefits through lower scores.”

The new SCOR4161 line of scoring clubs are available at scorgolf.com and at a growing number of selected golf pro shops. Presently available only in right handed models, the suggested retail price for a set of five clubs is $639.

You can head to the SCOR golf website and take the SCORFit fitting test to put you into a custom set designed for you skill level, taking into account the clubs you already have in your bag.

I’m very excited about the new SCOR4161 Clubs, unfortunately, I’ve got to wait a few months until lefty’s are available to review them.

I’ve currently got a 52, 56, and 60 degree Eidolon Wedge in the bag and I love them, the V-sole grind Terry came up with is fantastic and makes the clubs extremely versatile. I can only imagine what it’d be like to replace all the scoring clubs with the new SCOR4161 set.

Looking to Improve your ball striking? Check out the Tour Striker, arguably the BEST training aid on the market today.

The CG16 are the newest irons offered by Cleveland Golf with a release date of March 2011.

They contain many of the successful technologies as their predecessor, the Cleveland CG7 Black Pearl Irons and more , making them one of the best mid-high handicapper irons sets released in 2011.

FROM THE COMPANY:

The Cleveland CG16 irons are designed with maximum distance in mind, featuring a lighter overall club weight and longer club length.

The large cavity back has a full undercut that stretches the center of gravity low and deep to optimize launch angle and significantly improve forgiveness.

The large, thin face on the CG16 Irons allows for increased COR (Coefficient of Restitution, which has become a commonplace term amongst golfers when manufacturers began thinning out clubfaces to create a trampoline effect when the ball makes contact resulting in greater distance) that will produce distances that compete with any iron set on the market, but with increased control.

PRODUCT FEATURES :

Laser Milled Face

The CG16 Irons feature Cleveland Golf’s breakthrough Laser Milled surface roughness technology, also found on the Cleveland CG16 Wedges. Using the precision accuracy of a laser, each face features four perfectly calibrated texture lines milled between each groove exactly to the conforming roughness limit.

This more precise and consistent surface roughness application optimizes ball-to-face friction and maximizes spin, especially from the rough.

Tour Zip Grooves

The Tour Zip Grooves in the Cleveland CG16 Irons are a precise milling technology that preserves edges and maintains perfect groove consistency while maximizing the allowable groove dimensions that are in compliance with the 2011 USGA groove requirements.

Ultralite Longer and Lighter Design

Ultra-lightweight steel and graphite shaft designs combined with optimized head weights, lofts and club lengths that will improves clubhead speed and distance while maintaining standard swing weights and control.

Increased Overall Forgiveness

Wide sole for consistent turf interaction, and full cavity back design with undercut for high MOI (Moment of Inertia a property of physics that indicates the relative difference in how easy or difficult it will be to set any object in motion.)

For the review, I tried out the Cleveland CG16 Black Pearl Irons and after one round I was hooked. They’re categorized in the game-improvement column of golf clubs, but I feel that players of all skill levels will enjoy the clubs. I’ve reviewed quite a few Cleveland golf clubs, and these are by far my favorite irons from the manufacturer.

Still in my bag are the ’09 TaylorMade Burner Irons, but I was bombing the CG16 Irons AT LEAST one club longer than the Burners.  The thinner face on the irons lives up to the hype and increase the ball speed by 2 mph compared to the CG7′s.

They’ve got a great, soft feel and when you hit the sweet spot, let the golf euphoria begin, very very nice.. The CG16′s provide plenty of forgiveness and have a nice high shot trajectory that hold the line really well.

The Black Pearl finish looks great, but the club aesthetics need some perfecting. It’s like putting a new awesome coat of paint on a Ford Pinto. Also, the clubface begins to show wear rather quickly, although, I don’t mind that so much. It gives you a great idea of where you’re making contact on the clubface, almost like a built in training aid!

Overall, the CG16 Irons are great clubs that I am sad to be sending back to Cleveland.

If you’re looking to purchase a set, below is a link to GlobalGolf.com who offer a 30 day playability guarantee.

Click here to see the sale price.

Want to see what we have to think? Check out our Golf Club Reviews page to see if we’ve take the club you’re interested in for a test drive.

**UPDATE** See our complete TaylorMade R11 Irons Review!

Looks, Technology and Performance: The R11 iron is the Complete Package

In January, TaylorMade Golf Company turned the golf world upside down with the introduction of the TaylorMade R11 driver. This white-headed driver incorporates three innovative adjustability technologies, Flight Control Technology (FCT), Adjustable Sole Plate (ASP) and Movable Weight Technology (MWT). The R11 quickly became the No. 1 driver on the PGA Tour. It’s been used to win 18 professional events worldwide, including the Open Championship and Canadian Open.

Today  TaylorMade is proud to announce the expansion of the R11 franchise with the introduction of the new R11 irons, which are engineered for the player who appreciates the shape and refinement of a tour-grade iron but needs the help of advanced technology to launch the ball high, straight and long with less effort, regardless of handicap.

Historically, irons engineered with multiple game-improvement technologies tend to be large, inelegant and clunky with thick toplines, broad soles and over-bearing cavities. They typically feel harsh and sound high-pitched and clicky. The R11 iron breaks that mold and rewrites the book about what a high-technology iron can look, feel and sound like.

TaylorMade R11 irons are engineered with multiple technologies that make them stunningly easy to launch high and long. Technologies that we developed while building the best metal woods in the world, like ways to make thin, fast faces, and methods to expand the COR zone, and techniques for precisely locating the center of gravity.

“The R11 iron is truly a masterwork of beauty, technology and performance,” said Sean Toulon, TaylorMade’s executive vice president. “We’ve never created an iron that combines this kind of distance, this kind of forgiveness, is this easy to launch, and feels and sounds this soft and solid. And its appearance is extraordinarily beautiful, a gorgeous blend of smooth, classic lines and high-tech flourishes.”

“The R11 employs all our best iron technologies,” said Bret Wahl, TaylorMade’s senior director of iron development. “It’s a great testament to how far we’ve come in our ability to bring modern, sophisticated iron designs to life. We couldn’t have made this iron a few years ago, but the fact that we can now helps explain why it performs better than irons we’ve made in the past. It’s a superior design, and that’s clearly evident when you try it.”

Precision Weighting Port and Progressive CG location

The first thing about the R11 iron that will grab the golfer’s attention is its red precision-weighting port, a technology initially introduced in TaylorMade’s forged iron lineup, including the Tour Preferred MB. The precision-weighting port allows TaylorMade engineers to guarantee precise swingweight and ensure center-face Center of Gravity (CG) location in every iron. The result is optimal consistency in feel and performance from one club to the next.

Ultra-Thin Face and TaylorMade’s Renowned Inverted Cone Technology

The ultra-thin face construction of the R11 irons promotes faster ball speed and distance in long- and middle-irons. Each R11 iron also features TaylorMade’s renowned Inverted Cone clubface technology originally found in the TaylorMade Burner Irons, which expands the area of the face that delivers fast ball speed, which promotes improved distance on off-center hits.

Multi Functional Sole and Advanced Groove Design

Progressive shaping makes the longer irons more forgiving, and the shorter irons more compact and workable. TaylorMade Tour Staff professional Nick Faldo, an aficionado of finely designed irons, worked extensively with the TaylorMade design team to ensure that the topline of each iron blends into the hosel in just the right way to preserve the iron’s beauty at address.

The soles of the R11 irons are moderately thin (with the exception of the long-irons) and the leading edge is moderately sharp, helping it to enter and exit the turf quickly and smoothly. The long-irons are engineered with wider soles to pull the center of gravity lower for easier, higher launch while also increasing MOI to make them more stable and forgiving.
R11 irons also incorporate an advanced, USGA-conforming groove design to promote increased spin and control from the rough.

Sound and Vibration Management System

TaylorMade’s R&D department worked diligently to perfect an advanced sound and vibration management system to ensure the feel in the R11 irons would appeal to better players. The R11 irons’ extraordinary feel comes from the club’s combination of shape, construction and the incorporation of an aluminum sound badge in the cavity. Sandwiched between the stiff badge and the clubhead is a soft adhesive that absorbs sound and vibration, promoting a superbly soft feel. Golfers will appreciate how the feel of the R11 irons will make the rock-hard balls sold by the bucket at the average driving range feel and sound more like a soft tour ball like the TaylorMade Penta TP.

“It isn’t easy to predict how an iron will sound and feel,” said Wahl. “In the case of the R11 we hit a grand slam, thanks to our advanced design capabilities.”

An Unprecedented Convergence of Technology and Beauty

The R11 iron is unquestionably the most beautiful cavityback ever introduced by TaylorMade. The appearance at address is simple and traditional, with the topline melting seamlessly into the hosel. From behind, the sweeping lines that form the shape of the head, the cavity and what lies within the cavity work in absolute harmony to create a beautifully balanced composition that’s guaranteed to please the eye of any golfer.

“There has never been a game-improvement iron that looks this classically beautiful, that incorporates this kind of serious performance technology, and which will fit so many players,” said Toulon. “The R11 iron is destined to assume a position among the pantheon of the best of the best TaylorMade products.”

Set Makeup, Pricing and Availability

The R11 irons are offered in four shaft flexes – S, R, M, L. Ladies’ flex shafts will be offered in the 5-iron through pitching wedge, attack wedge and sand wedge. The standard R11 set includes eight irons offered at a street price of $799 with steel shafts in the irons and $999 with graphite shafts in the irons. The steel offering will be the KBS 90, while the graphite offering will be the Motore 75 S, 65 R, 55 M, 50 L. Men’s irons are equipped with Tour Velvet grips, ladies with Winn grips). Availability begins at retail Thursday, September 1, 2011.

If you’re interested in some more reading, feel free to check out some of our golf club reviews.

The HB3 Hybrid Irons are the latest in Cleveland Golf’s game improvement irons and according to the company…

They’re “the best hybrid iron set we have ever produced.” The new Cleveland HB3 Iron is lighter, faster and longer! With its advanced internal weighting and forgiving sole design, this seamless transition full hybrid iron set inspires confidence at address while providing supreme launch conditions.

The Cleveland HB3 comes equipped with our “NEW” Action Ultralite graphite shaft, which is 15 grams lighter with a lower kick point than its predecessor. As a result you get faster clubhead speeds, higher launch angles and the longest hybrid iron set engineered by Cleveland Golf.

The company was kind enough to not only make them for both left-handed and right handed golfers, they also sent me a set to play with and add to my repertoire of golf club reviews.

From the company:

CLEVELAND HB3 HYBRID IRONS

ADVANCED INTERNAL WEIGHTING

Weight removal on crown & sole recesses allow for internal discretionary weight placement and a 12% deeper face to CG depth than HiBORE XLi irons.

ADVANCED SOLE DESIGN

The new sole design provides recessed sections to reduce drag and improve turf interaction while maintaining wide sole characteristics for increased control and forgiveness.

SEAMLESS TRANSITION

The new HB3 takes hybrid irons to the next level in distance, forgiveness and overall performance. Their seamless transition and full hollow construction throughout the set provides golfers with irons so easy to hit, it almost feels like cheating.

The Cleveland Golf HB3 Hybrid Irons were the recipient of a silver medal on the 2010 Golf Digest Hotlist – Super Game-Improvement Irons Category.

I’ve been looking forward to hitting these clubs! I’m a 19 handicap and figured the Cleveland HB3 hybrid irons would be just what I need to help my struggling game!

For this golf club review, I spent a fair amount of time on the range getting acclimated to the clubs, this included some pitch shots around the practice greens. After I felt comfortable with them, I put them in the golf bag for three rounds of golf. Below are my findings..

PROS: For the most part, they’re easy to hit, long irons especially, which, of course, was the reason hybrids were created… Forgiveness is probably the most memorable trait these clubs possess, you could hit it just about anywhere on the club face and not have to worry about the horizontal beeline that we’ve all experienced at least once in our golfing careers!  They provide decent feedback, you will know it when you hit the sweet spot or when you hit an off center shot.

For players who suffer from a slice, they do a good job of straightening out your shots, too good in fact (explained below). Distances on the HB3′s are consistent and once you figure it out, you can confidently pick your shots and not worry about too much or too little yardage..

Each club comes with it’s own head cover, which is pretty awesome. You don’t have to worry about your $700 investment getting scratched and dinged through transport, assuming of course, that you actually utilize them.

CONS: I found that although the Cleveland Golf HB3 Hybrid Irons feature a recessed center, which is supposed to help reduce turf drag, that these clubs were a pain to hit out of the rough. The size of the clubs also takes some getting used to, the larger soles, especially in the longer irons can do funny things to a mans perception.

Distance, although consistent, was nothing to brag about.

My biggest gripe about these clubs was that I kept pulling all of my shots on the course. Range performance seemed to indicate that I’d tear it up on the links, the reality, however was quite the opposite.

My playing partner, golf coach, and all around cool guy, John Duval, who writes intothegrain.com, said it best when he said “man, you’re too good for those clubs!”

His statement wasn’t a knock at the clubs, for the most part I hit pretty straight iron shots and the Cleveland Golf HB3 Hybrid Irons are super game-improvement clubs. I believe they have some type of anti-slice weighting applied to them and since most of my iron shots are straight, rather than correcting a deficiency, they were creating one.

Overall:

Although I wasn’t blown away like I was with the Cleveland DST Launcher Driver these clubs have their merit. With these clubs Cleveland adequately met the needs of the golfers they’re designed for. I would say the HB3′s are meant for high handicappers who have trouble making solid contact with the ball and have a tendency to hit a slice with their irons.

Definitely try these clubs out before purchasing and I’d strongly encourage you to take them for a spin on an actual golf course before committing to buy.

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Last week TaylorMade released a teaser email mentioning that today, TaylorMade CEO Mark King would be announcing a new product via webcast. That new product, is the TaylorMade Burner 2.0 Irons.

Coming off the success of the TaylorMade Burner Irons, they’ve introduced the next evolution to the irons line, the Burner 2.0 Irons.

Below is the press release.

TaylorMade Introduces Burner 2.0 Irons

Each Iron is Individually Engineered to deliver massive distance, improved accuracy, enhanced playability and better feel.

A year and a half after unveiling the Burner irons, a revolutionary product that became the most successful iron in company history, TaylorMade Golf is proud to announce the Burner 2.0, engineered to combine legendary Burner distance plus more feel and playability.

“We’ve succeeded at creating a better-performing iron with the Burner 2.0, which is just as long, easier to play and more refined in its feel and sound,” said Bret Wahl, senior director of research and development for irons, wedges and putters. “Every Burner 2.0 iron is better than its predecessor and, when compared against the longest, best-selling iron we’ve ever made, that says something truly significant.”

The difference starts at first glance with the Burner 2.0′s two-toned “Burner Black” PVD (physical vapor deposition) finish, which is more durable and resists glare. However, the improvements go far beyond skin deep. Multiple club properties in the Burner 2.0 irons have been enhanced to promote distance, uniform distance-gaps, improved playability and more satisfying feel and sound. The result: each Burner 2.0 iron outperforms the first-generation Burner.

“We applied innovative thinking and concepts to irons when we introduced the original Burner and created a club revolutionary in its performance,” said Brian Bazzel, TaylorMade manager of iron development. “Now we’ve taken the best high-performance iron in golf and made it better with the Burner 2.0.”

Improved Weight Distribution to Optimize Ball Flight in Short-, Middle- and Long-Irons
Weight distribution varies in every Burner 2.0 clubhead to improve long-, middle- and short-iron ball flight. In the long-irons, weight has been shifted toward the back of the head, to promote easy launch, and toward the toe and heel, to promote greater stability and forgiveness. In the middle-irons, weight is distributed more evenly and slightly higher to promote workability while still providing forgiveness. In the short-irons, weight is positioned even higher, to promote a lower, more controllable ball flight, and centered, to promote increased clubhead control. Additionally, the center of gravity in the short-irons is closer to the face, similar to a blade, to increase feel and to promote lower flight.

Differing Face Thickness in Every Iron to Promote More Speed and Distance in the Long-irons, More Feel and Control in the Short-irons
Every individual Burner 2.0 iron boasts a different face thickness. The thinnest and fastest faces are in the long-irons, with the face in each successive iron growing thicker down through the middle- and short-irons. The thinner face, the higher the COR to promote more ball speed and distance; the thicker the face, the greater the feel.

Progressive Topline Thickness, Improved Multi-Functional Sole and TaylorMade’s Renowned Inverted Cone Technology
Toplines in the Burner 2.0 irons are substantial and strong in the long-irons, and grow progressively thinner down through the middle- and short-irons. The multi-functional sole, introduced in the original Burner iron, has been improved by recessing the heel and toe and beveling the rear, all to reduce drag and make it easier to make clean, solid contact. On the rear side of the clubface, TaylorMade’s patented Inverted Cone Technology has been reconfigured and sized and positioned strategically in each individual iron to promote faster ball speed on off-center hits for more consistent distance from shot to shot.

Longer, Easier to Hit Long-irons
Burner 2.0 long-irons combine an ultra-thin clubface for higher COR (1.8 mm in the 4-iron) with higher MOI. Relief at the rear of the sole allows the sole to play narrower. All of the above promotes more distance in the Burner 2.0 long-irons while making them significantly easier to hit and more playable.

Improved Vibration-Management System
“Golfers who play the current Burner iron will notice a difference in the sound and feel, which is significantly softer and more satisfying in the Burner 2.0,” said Bazzel. “We put in a lot of effort to refine and improve the vibration-management system in the cavity in order to reach our target for sound and feel.”

New Flight-Control Shaft Design and “Burner Black” Finish
Burner 2.0 irons are equipped with a new, flight-control shaft design in 85-gram steel or 65-gram graphite for longer, higher long-irons and quick-stopping short-irons that inspire confidence to attack the pin. The Women’s Burner 2.0 is equipped with a graphite RE*AX® SuperFast 55-gram shaft.

Set Makeup, Pricing and Availability
Burner 2.0 irons are offered in four shaft flexes – S, R, M, L. Ladies’ flex shafts will be offered in the 5-iron through pitching wedge, attack wedge and sand wedge. The standard Burner 2.0 set includes eight irons offered at a street price of $699 with steel shafts in the irons and $899 with graphite shaft in the irons.

Availability begins at retail on Friday, October 8.

Below is a video from TaylorMade, featuring Mark King, CEO, discussing the Burner 2.0 Irons

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Who’s excited!?