“Modern Technology meets classic design”, is the tag line used to describe the new TaylorMade Tour Preferred Irons and I’ve had the opportunity to test out the latest offering from TaylorMade to see if the Tour Preferred irons live up to their billing.
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- TaylorMade Tour Preferred Irons Shallow Cavity Back
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- TaylorMade Tour Preferred Irons Profile
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- TaylorMade Tour Preferred Irons Thin Topline
Look and Feel
The Tour Preferred irons is the latest addition to the TaylorMade product line, aimed at a wide-range of golfers who prefer a club that has a classic look, but the forgiveness of a cavity back iron. The first thing you’ll notice when you sole the TaylorMade Tour Preferred iron is the thin topline and shorter blade-length from heel to toe for a compact clean look at address. What you will not see at address, is the sole and the cavity features built into this club that make it a very forgiving and high performance golf club. This is a feature you don’t see in a lot of irons today, especially in a cavity back iron. The tour configured sole was shaped based on the feedback from the TaylorMade Professional Tour Staff professionals, and features a thinner sole that will promote less digging and better turf interaction. By softening the leading and trailing edge, the sole of the club glides effortlessly through the turf for better ball striking. The face of the TaylorMade Tour Preferred irons do not feature an alignment line, like you have on most golf clubs, so this could be a problem for some golfers.
The Tour Preferred irons does feature the same Inverted Cone technology that is used in the TaylorMade drivers to promote a larger sweetspot and more forgiveness on off-center hits. The cavity back of the TaylorMade Tour Preferred irons also feature a shallow undercut design to push the weight of the club to the outer perimeter of the clubhead, to create a very high MOI and forgiving golf club. In the cavity, you’ll also notice a vibration management sound badge over the Inverted Cone, to fine-tune the club’s pitch and resonance, ensuring that sound at impact is solid and satisfying. This is what gives the TaylorMade Tour Preferred irons their forged iron like feel. It’s amazing how this club does give you that forged iron feel, I was quite impressed to see a cavity back replicate that. The Tour Preferred irons come equipped with True Temper Dynamic Gold steel shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips. The Dynamic Gold shafts are a little bit on the heavy side in my opinion for a stock shaft offering, and aimed at golfers with a higher swing speed. I did like the fact that they used Tour Velvet grips, which are my grip of choice on all my golf clubs.
Performance
Do the new TaylorMade Tour Preferred irons live up to the hype of having modern technology blended with classic design? The answer to that question is, Yes!
What I really liked about the Tour Preferred irons, is how solid they felt at impact. I noticed immediately, how the club would respond, in terms of sound and feel at impact, just like hitting a forged iron. The next thing that really made this club stand apart, is how easily the club would just glide through the turf. During my tests, I used these clubs on both the fairways and moderate rough, and had no problems with the club’s sole digging into the ground during my swing. As mentioned before, this was due to the softening of the the trailing and leading edge of the sole of the club. The results were purer ball striking and you’ll really appreciate this in the moderate rough.
The other nice feature of the sole design, is the minimal offset of the club, which makes the Tour Preferred very playable. The Inverted Cone technology used in the face of the TaylorMade Tour Preferred irons, really expanded the sweetspot on the face of the club, which made it so forgiving. The face was very resistant to twisting on mishits and provided a consistent shot to shot distance on all my shots. Couple the Inverted Cone technology with the shallow undercut cavity, which redistributes the weight to the heel and weighted toe pockets, you have a club that is going to have increased MOI and all around forgiveness. I was very impressed how easy it was to hit these irons and really pleased with my results, even on off-center hits. The trajectory on my shots using the Tour Preferred irons was more neutral biased and on the low to mid launch angle, which is what you would expect from a high performance iron.
Overall, the TaylorMade Tour Preferred irons are able to mix both modern technology with classic design to produce high performance irons that have a tour look, with the forgiveness of a cavity back.
TaylorMade Tour Preferred Irons are available in 2 through 9 iron, pitching wedge, attack wedge, and sand wedge and retail for $899
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{ 58 comments… read them below or add one }
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Nice review. Really enjoy the site. I’ve been using Cobra S9′s for 2 years now when i started golf. I’ve been eyeing these Taylormades and tried them on the range once. Do you think they will be difficult to adjust to, being that they are ‘blade-like’.
Thanks!
Dale
Hi Dale,
I’m glad you like the site. Don’t let the blade like appearance intimidate you, these clubs are very forgiving and easy to hit. I would suggest you demo the clubs from Golfclubdemo.com for a week and try them out to get a better feel for them. Have you been fitted for your clubs? Do you know your swing speed, etc? If not, I highly recommend you get it done. Getting fit for the right clubs that match your swing is important. I’ll be posting my review of the TaylorMade Performance Lab real soon.
Thanks
R
Enjoyed your reviews. I currently played with Taylor made RAC HT. Looking for more distance. My swing speed is in the mid to high 80s. The lie angle is standard. Do you think TP irons will be even better?
Thanks
Phong,
I’m glad you liked my review. I think you might want to demo these clubs from golfclubdemo.com and see if you like the way they play. The HT RAC are high trajectory irons and the TP Irons have more of a low -mid launch angle and based on your swing speed, you might not get the extra distance you desire. I would highly recommend you get fitted at the TaylorMade Performance Labs if you live near one of their locations. It will make a huge difference in your game. Good Luck!
Rob
Quick question for you. I’m assuming the low trajectory is a result of the shafts on these clubs? If so, does it make sense to order them with another lighter shaft? I play the RAC OS irons at the moment, and no longer like the thick top line and chunky look of them overall. My swing speed is around 90-95 mph, and I usually shoot between 88-93. Would you recommend these irons?
Hi Pete,
You are correct that Dynamic Gold Shafts on the Tour Preferred irons are what gives you a lower trajectory. I would recommend that you get fitted for your next set of irons, it’s worth the investment to be playing the right set of clubs for your swing. If you were to get a lighter shaft, it would produce a higher trajectory shot and I don’t know if that’s what you want. Get fitted at a TaylorMade Performance Lab if you live near one and you’ll be amazed what you’ll learn about your swing, and get fitted for the right clubs. I know I did. Good Luck! Rob
Nice Review,
How do these irons compare to the Mizuno mp 52′s or mx 200′s?? which is a better club?? which do u recomend??
Erik,
I’ve never played the MIzuno MP 52′s or MX 200′s so I really can’t compare them. I can only tell you that the Tour Preferred Irons are as close as one gets to forged golf club, with the forgiveness of a cavity back irons. If you can try and demo both the Mizuno’s and TaylorMade at your local pro shop.
Good Luck
Rob
Hi, Got these irons fitted with stiff steel shafts they are brill, great flight and feel, you can hit the ball high or low, my swing speed is approx 85mph, dont worry about slow swing speeds, you can swing easily and they still fly really well
Would these clubs with Project x rifle 6.0 shafts chang the flight of the ball?
Justin,
Project X shafts have a Longer taper rate that results in more energy transfer to the ball. The ball gets up faster and flattens out for a penetrating trajecory. Yes, they would change the flight of ball, compared to the stock offering of the Dynamic Golds. It really depends on what your game needs and works best with your swing. I hope this helps.
Thanks
Rob
Would you recomend the project x or dynamic golds with a swing speed just over 100. don’t have money or time to go to a fitting center. What would be the main difference between the two shafts and which do you recomend?
thankyou
Justin,
Since your swing speed is over 100 MPH either shaft would be appropriate for your swing speed. Both shafts are similar in terms of trajectory that they produce, lower and penetrating flight. Where they differ is how they feel. The Project X have a stiffer kick point in the tip, and feel a bit more stiff in general. The Dynamic Golds are not as stiff feeling, and a little softer in my opinion. I’m not a club fitter and can’t say with 100% certainty that one would be better for you, over the other. I would really recommend you get fitted, its best to play a shaft that works best for you, than invest in wrong shaft. I know it costs money, but It will cost a lot more money to replace the shafts if your playing the wrong type for your swing. Have you tried http://www.truetemper.com/shaftfit/ it might be worth a look.
Good Luck.
Rob
I rushed out on Friday and bought some Tour Burner irons with a stiff shaft to suit my swing speed. I put them in my bag and they just looked to similar in style and size to my previous Callaway x-20 tours. Today I replaced the TB’s with a set of TP’s and really cannot wait to hit them on the course. I used them in a simulator at Dicks Sports and hit each iron 15 yards longer than the Ping i10,s.
They look like a blade at address but the contact is very satisfying and confidence inducing. I am a scratch golfer and I prefer these clubs over the Callaway X forged series, which is a good club in it’s own right.
Steve,
I think you’ll enjoy these irons a lot, I know I loved using them when I reviewed them. The feel forged like feel and responsiveness are what I liked the most about the Tour Preferred irons.
Thanks
Rob
Like your site, like your reviews, only constructive criticisms or suggetions.
Video: have a consistent distance from videographer to ensure sound is constant…it gets regularly difficult to strain to hear you, since you start out easy to hear, then move positions and i turn volume up in an effort to listen.
Review print wording: suggest paragraphs. They are hard to read as they appear as one long run on sentence, a few spaces wouldn’t hurt.
Thanks for the suggestions, its much appreciated.
Rob, I appreciate your review regarding TP, I am debating between TP and Burner Plus Irons. Could you shed some light on the Burner Plus. I am mid handicapper and would like to get some control on my flight with low irons….
I am a single digit, have tested the Burner Plus and was impressed with it’s forgiveness. Right now I play the MP-37 and am looking to move into the 21st century clubwise. Am considering a mixed set of TP’s pw-8 and the Tour Burner 7-6. I play hybrids after that. What is the main difference in the Tour Burner and 09 TP.
Hi Viraj,
The Burner Plus are what considered a Super Game-Improvement Irons, so they are extremely forgiving golf club. The Burner Plus feature the same Inverted Cone Technology that you have in the TP. The inverted cone will provide you more ball speed on off-center hits. The BP also feature a generous offset and wider sole to help with getting the ball up in the air more easily. It’s really hard to hit a bad shot with these club and the CG helps promote a nice high launch. The stock shafts on the BP are very lightweight and little longer to help with distance.
I actually own a set of custom fit Burner Plus irons, I got last fall and love them.
The big difference between the two clubs is the amount of feel and workability that you get with the TP. The topline is much thicker on the BP and you definitely can see the cavity back, unlike the TP, where you can’t see it at all.
My advice to you is get fitted by a PGA Professional or go to a TaylorMade Performance Lab. This way you’ll get the best clubs for your swing.
Good Luck!
Rob
Harry,
The main difference between the Tour Preferred Irons feature : Forged like feel with forgiveness of a cavity back, Thin Top Line, Thin Sole, Minimal Offset, Low-Mid launch, Tour Shape, forgiveness and workability, TrueTemper Dynamic Gold shafts for faster swing speeds 90 +, more of players club. The Tour Burner has a medium topline, midsize shape, medium offset, medium sole, Mid-High Launch, forgiveness and workability, much lighter shafts for slower swing speed 70+.
I hope this helps.
Rob
Hey Buddy,
Good review. I’m actually debating between these irons or a set of R7 TP’s. I’ve hit these irons at the store, you know into the screen/monitor, and they felt great. However, I’m able to pick up the R7 TP’s for less then half the price online. Only issue is I’m not able to try out the R7 TP’s since the stores in my area don’t carry them anymore. How would you compare the two? Is the R7 TP more forgiving then the Tour Preferred? Will the R7 TP also have that sweet/soft forgred feel? Currently I’m playing MP-32′s with DG Regular flex shafts.
I was fitted last year at Hot Stix for my driver and my swing speed was averaged at 104mph. Based on this I’m told I should go with the DG S300 regardless of which club I get, which are available on both iron sets so I’m covered there. Just want to know if it is worth the extra cash going for the Tour Preferred over the R7 TP’s?
Thanks!
Hi Rob this is the first revieuw i have read and i liked it from the beginning.
Question: I’m playing the callaway x 20 tours now and i want new irons that are maybe a little bit harder to hit but i want be able to shape the shots and that doesn’t work with the callaway’s. Do you recommend me these?
PS: aren’t these the clubs sergio is playing now?
Maxim,
Glad you liked the review! I found that the TP were very easy to shape your shots, hit a draw or fade. I also really liked the amount of feel these irons produced that was very similar to a forged/blade. If I was going to recommend anything it would be to get fitted, so your playing the right irons for your swing. I can’t emphasize how important that is, especially when your investing in a set of irons.
You can definitely shape your shots with these or the Nike VR Forged Split Cavity irons as well.
I know Sergio Garcia was playing RAC TP last year, and may have switched to the TPs.
Good Luck
Rob
Nav, I’ve never played the R7 TP and wouldn’t be able to tell you if they are more forgiving than the TP. I think what it comes down to is how much you want to spend on a set of clubs. I really can’t say pick one over the other. I’d suggest asking some people on the golf forums about the comparison of both clubs.
Good Luck!
Rob
Hi, I just got fittef for a new set of clubs and after hitting at least 9 different brands of clubs I settled on the Tour Preferred”s. I have an average swing speed (using the 7 iron) of about 92 mph. I actually was just as accurate with the reg flex as I was with the stiff, but was able to hit the regs abt. 15 yard sfurther (so i went with the reg. stiffness). After reading your web site I’m wondering if I should have done the Taylor Made performance lab fitting. Other than telling me how screwed up my swing is, would it have potentially directed me to a different TM club versus my using the standard launch monitor that was at the store I purchased my clubs from?
Hello Rob,
Thanks for this revieuw, hard to find in Holland.
As you can see i am Dutch, my father in law lives in Champaign,IL.
I know have a HC about 20, I start golfing 3 years ago, Started with a RAM starters set, After 1 year I replaced them for MX 19, but after 1.5 years, I don’t like the feeling anymore after Impact, feels like i hit a rock. If been on the golfing range in my golfshop nearby, If hitting for more than 1 hour, after that hour I selected 2 clubs. the TM TP and Nike VR split captivaty. Both have a great solid feel after Impact.
My question is, witch one you prefer, should i take costum fits in the local store or go 2 the performance lab in Illinois. and get fitted.
What is the price to get fit in the performance Lab.
Thanks for your time
Mike
Brent,
I always recommend people get fitted for their golf clubs. It’s the best investment anyone can make. When I went to the TMPL in Olympia Fields last year, I learned so much about my golf swing and why certain clubs are suited best for my swing. I was playing Callaway x-20′s and it turns out their stock setup was not good for my swing and I tried various cubs from TM PW-Driver and ended up with the TaylorMade Burner Plus Irons. The fitting process takes a lot of factors into account when recommending a golf club to you, like swing speed, angle of attack, etc. And makes a recommendation based on where you are with your golf swing and where you are going, so you can grow into the clubs. If you’re near a TMPL, go get fitted it worth the $400 and two hours of time. Good Luck!
Rob
Mike,
I highly recommend you get professionally fitted for your golf clubs, before purchasing any golf clubs. The TaylorMade Performance Lab in Olympia Fields, IL costs $400 for about 2 hours of fitting for all the clubs in your bag PW, Putter, Irons, Woods, Hybrids, Driver. You’ll know exactly what clubs you should be playing. Tell the TaylorMade Performance Lab that Golf Views Sandbox8.com referred you to them. Good luck!
Rob
hello Mr Rob.
i’m Muhamad fm Malaysia.
it’s really nice to read all the comment and review of all problem from the golfers. Hoping u can help me with choosing the right iron set for long term investment.I’m 20handicap. Age 34. high 1.75 mtr. Weight 75kg.
Now i’m comparing between buying callaway x20 tour and the TM TP. In Malaysia there are no TM club fitting at all. Just Buying the shipping TM TP set that come throught from singapore. TM TP iron set comes with limited set to my country but callaway are lots at here.My iron swing speed is 85mph. I know that TM TP is very good iron on feeling the in impact of the ball and can make all kind of shoots. At my city, callaway iron more chip then TM iron. The question is it’s worth it to buy TM TP for good of long term investment playing and the feels or just buying the callaway x20 tour the cheap one. It make me confuse on choosing the two iron set for me. Hoping u can help me in this situation.
Thank Mr Rob. Waiting your mail soon.
Muhamad,
I would opt for set of the TaylorMade Burner Plus irons or Callaway X22 irons, based on your handicap and swing speed. Even if there isn’t a TM club fitting professional in Malaysia, getting fitted is important. If there isn’t a club fitter near you, see if you can demo the irons at your driving range and make your decision not just based on what you want to spend and investment, but how the clubs feel when you hit them. Good Luck!
R
I have a swing speed of over 110 and hit a low ball. Handicap 14. I ordered the light head TP irons with the lightest shaft to give me a higher trajectory. I should be ok ?
One more question … I am 5′ 11″ and bought regular length shafts … OK ?
George,
I’m not a professional club fitter, but the type of shaft you select can make a difference in terms of giving your ball flight a high or low to mid trajectory. With that said, you really should get fitted for your irons to make sure your playing the right shaft and have the proper lie, etc of the clubs.
Good Luck
Rob
George,
you should be fine with regular length shafts.
Thanks
Rob
Hey Rob, I gotta say i am pretty fresh to golf. Really went nuts last year though and turned my self into a everyday guy almost over night. I am now trying to put together a really nice bag this summer. I have tried out a few different types of clubs now too and even though i have a pretty high handy cap (basically play around 100). With all the clubs i have played with i am hooked on playing with a bladed style club with a thin topline. I know i should be going for the easiest club to hit but my preference defiantly lies with a club style like the TP. I am not looking for you to tell me what club to play. But is it insane for someone like me to be thinking about playing with these clubs? I really want too.
ps. the price of the clubs is not a problem, and i live in a small town far away from any possible place to get my swing tested. I can say that my swing speed is pretty fast. I am always getting carried away with it and constantly trying to slow it down.
ps. s. The only thing that gets me on these clubs is i would like higher trajectory. If i just order them in with a stiff steel shaft (also a prefference) would that help that situation out?
Devo,
I’m glad to hear that your passionate about golf, like I am. It’s not insane for a high handicap golfer to want to be playing the Tour Preferred Irons. I know I was thinking that I should be playing these irons too, until after I get fitted at the TaylorMade Performance Labs. It turned out that the TP were not the best fit for my swing, etc. The only way to know what the right set of irons is good for your swing is by getting fitted. I know that you can’t get fitted due to your location, just realize that you may not be able to take full advantage of the technology in the irons
The stock TrueTemper Dynamic Gold shafts will give you a low-mid trajectory penetrating ball flight. If you want a high trajectory ball flight, you’ll need to get a different shaft like the Dynamic Gold High Launch or something similar. Just like finding out what irons to play, choosing the correct shaft is also important and only professional club fitter can help you determine the right shaft for your swing.
Good Luck.
Rob
Hey Rob. Great review of the clubs, but I’ve got a question in regards to a majority of your responses on this thread. Although I agree custom fitting is important, I’ve had plenty of experiences with the process that makes me wonder how “necessary” custom fitting really is. I’m a 5 handicapper, about 6 foot 1, with a swing speed of 100+. I own a set of the R7 TP irons from last year, and was custom fitted for these clubs.
I’d like to preface this by saying that I’d demo’d the club with the Dynamic Gold s300 shafts, and fell in love with them. After going through the entire fitting process, I ended up measuring out for the standard lie angle, a standard length shaft, and was suggested to go with the project x 6.0 shafts instead. 2 months later (since the shafts were backordered from TaylorMade because everyone wanted them) I was hitting them all over the place, and they felt nothing like the original set I’d demo’d. Now again, sometimes there are exceptions to the rule, but I’d expected to be fit to the “perfect clubs for my swing” and instead I ended up bagging them for some old Hogans.
Now I’m interested in trying these new Tour Preferred Irons, which I will be buying stock, with s300 DG shafts, I just don’t know if they’re that much better than the forged Hogan Edges from 2006. I’d say updated technology but Titleist took the Edge dual-cavity model when they created the new AF2′s. Any comparison?
Thanks for listening,
Don
P.s. Worked the Quail Hollow Championship last week, and both Sergio and Sean O’Hair, along with countless others, are swinging this stick. I was surprised to see Sergio play it, considering he’s always been a muscleback TP player for TaylorMade.
Thanks for the great help !
Don,
Thanks for the compliment, it’s much appreciated.
I haven’t tested the Hogan Edge irons, so I can’t give you a direct comparison. Like I said in the review, the TP irons come as close to the feel of forged club, but with the forgiveness of a cavity back. The TP irons are also very workable, so you can shape your shots quite easily. The stock Dynamic Gold shafts should be fine, since you have a 100+ swing speed. The shaft will promote that low-mid penetrating ball flight.
It’s true that Sergio has always been a muscleback TP player, but there’s a reason why a lot of the TM pros are using these irons. It’s because they are really good. What more can I say.
I recommend you demo them and give them a try before purchasing a set, to see if you really like them. I’d also recommend you try the Nike VR Split Cavity Irons too, which are very comparable. Trevor Immelman is playing these irons this season.
Best of Luck!
Rob
Dear Rob,
Fabulous review, i needed a clarification. I still use taylormade rac lt2 irons, i find them a good balance bween traditional look and forgiveness, what do yo uthink will be a good taylormade replace club for this iron.
My launch is mid, mu swing speed in 96.
I use regular shafts… ( now) easier to hit.
Rudy
Hi Rudy,
I’ve never played the RAC lt2 irons so I can’t tell you what exact club to replace them with from TaylorMade based on the limited information I have about your swing, etc. I would suggest you get professionally fitted to find out what the right club would be for your swing.
The TaylorMade Tour Burner may be comparable to what your looking for, but like I said get fitted. If you don’t want to do that, then at least demo a set of the TP and TB irons and compare them to your RAC lt2 irons.
Good Luck!
Rob
I was looking at buying a new set I use the rac os right now but am look to the victory red split cavity or the taylor made tour prefered. I am a 17 handicap and improving which would be more suitable for my game
Hi Marco,
Both the TaylorMade Tour Preferred Irons and the Nike Victory Red Split Cavity irons are excellent clubs, but I can’t tell you which iron set would be suitable for your game based on the limited information provided. In order to choose the right set of irons for your game you need to get professionally fitted.
The fitting process is invaluable, because you not only get fitted for the right clubs, but you also can learn a lot about your golf swing.
Good Luck!
Rob
thanks for your response Rob,
Ill get fitted. I did try the Tour preferred irons last week in regular steel shafts and they felt good but heavy.
I’m swaying towards a combio set, between what you said ( TM Tour burner) 4, 5, 6 and tour preferred from 7- pw, already have my 52, 56, 60 in TM Z groove.
Rgds
Rudy
I am looking to buy a new set of irons. I am planning on buying a set of Titleist AP2 irons, but the Tour Preferred irons have caught my eye. What do you think? I like them both a lot.
Dan,
I haven’t played the Titleist AP2′s, so I can’t tell you the pros and cons of the clubs. My advice is to demo both sets and compare how they feel. After you decided on which ones you like better, get fitted for the irons you plan on purchasing to make sure your playing the best club for your game.
Good Luck!
Rob
hi Rob, great reviews in this site! I played the TM MB irons with DG S300 shafts for the last 4 years and I have decided to replace them with the TP and have purchased a set already with the Nippon NSPro950GH stiff shafts. I know that the Nippon shafts are much lighter but that’s all I know. What are the other characteristics of these shafts? and do they compare to the DG S300? I have a 10 handicap and my swing speed average is 102, I generally have high ball flights with all my clubs. thanks.
Hi Nelson,
the Nippon Shafts are probably one of the best sub 100 gram shafts on the market. The other characteristic of the Nippon Shafts is there consistency in weight, shot dispersion, and flight trajectory. You’ll also find that shaft can feel both hard and soft at the same time, meaning its both stable in pliable. Overall, your going to get a shaft that provides you the same type of characteristics that can be found in the heavier shafts, but without the weight.
I have these on my wedges and they’re great!
Good Luck!
Rob
Thanks for the great review. I am thinking of buying these irons as i like the slightly lower trajectory and more penetrating ball flight. i am currently playing a very forgiving cavity back but would like to switch to a more workable club as my irons give me a high trajectory which is affected a lot by the strong wind here in norway. is it possible to get these with project x shafts? also, would you recommend these to a 13 handicapper??
the biggest reason i would switch to a player’s club is to get my swing going without relying to much on the club to do the work, trying to stay on top of my game.
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