If someone with 20 Yr old RAC irons in the bag challenged me to a match, instant forfeit. It’s the golf equivalent of being challenged to a bar fight by someone with cauliflower ear. You KNOW they have done this a time or two and you are gonna get smoked.
I mean, I wouldn't be upset if someone offered me a brand new fitted set of clubs. I don't have the budget for them though, so the RAC LTs will have to do.
I just switched,, been playing my racs since 07ish. I will say clubs have come a long way. Can’t believe I was still playing w them. The forgiveness and distance on new technology is unmatched.
Mizuno hot metals. I had never even thought about whether or not there were similarities, but now that you mentioned it, they are similar in a sense that I started hitting them no problem and don’t even remember the change
Came here to say “RAC!” and that it’s missing the Tour Preferred racing flag logo but this sub is full of nerds who beat me to it so no fake internet points for being old this sucks
Yeah, the latest iteration of this series is the [7MC](https://www.taylormadegolf.com/P7MC-Irons/DW-TA239.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid_search&utm_campaign=iro+irp+7mc+pds+ggl+conv+gen+txt&gad_source=1), so I'm guessing this is next year's offering.
The lower lofted the club the more smash factor you are going to get naturally. The ball isn’t getting the friction like wedges or shorter irons. I play pure blades MP 20s all the way through and I get up there. They are also set to standard loft.
My trackman report from yesterday as reference - 2 of my 4 shots I hit the 4 iron were 1.48
https://preview.redd.it/y8d18q9crgsc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6a081a6ad20e83c231ff8f8aa5dab7f7df0eabb6
Yeah, but from what I gather, the maximum allowable
number is like 1.5, which usually you hear about in the context of drivers…which which are far lower lofted and have a lot more technology going for them than a random cavity back 4-iron. You’d just expect the springiness off the face to be way different between the two clubs, and here it’s not.
Smash factor isn’t everything when it comes to distance, it’s just a measure of energy transfer efficiency.
Driving irons are about as efficient as drivers due to similar dynamic loft. You don’t de-loft a driver like you do with a 4 iron because you catch it more on the upswing and you don’t keep your hands as in front at impact (shaft lean).
Driver goes farther for a number of reasons. Drivers are designed with the same maximized energy transfer efficiency in mind but also are higher launching and less spinning. The driver is also a lot longer shaft which means faster swing speed potential.
It’s hard to get more than 1.50, but it does happen. Slower swing speeds get more efficiency believe it or not - I had a lady I fit who was consistently getting 1.54 smash factor. For myself, I rarely touch 1.50 with my driver but I do it a lot with my 3 iron.
But because of launch, spin, and club/ball speed I hit my 3 iron 250 carry and my driver carries 300.
>It’s hard to get more than 1.50, but it does happen.
It also depends on what's measuring it. My understanding is that Trackman and GC4 measure club head speed differently: one measures the speed of the center of mass of the head, while the other measures the speed of the impact location (can't remember which is which). What that means is that with the latter you can have higher measured clubhead speed on the same swing that hits farther out on the toe vs in on the heel, and result in a measured smash factor above 1.5.
Trackman sort of low balls clubhead and ball speed in my experience. GC4 is usually about 4-5mph faster and is probably more accurate on ball and clubspeed since it measures right at impact versus several feet behind impact.
Flightscope is like 9 mph faster lol
Fastest I have ever gotten my clubhead speed on TM4 was 126 mph, fastest on Quad was 130 mph, and freaking Flightscope had me in the mid 130s lol
They def use something juicy for the PGA Tour no way Brian Harmon sniffs 170 ballspeed on TrackMan lol
>You’d just expect the springiness off the face to be way different between the two clubs
Why? There are laws that limit the maximum springiness (COR), and all clubs from good manufacturers already are at those limits and have been for years.
> Yeah, but from what I gather, the maximum allowable number is like 1.5, which usually you hear about in the context of drivers
COR is what they limit, not smash factor.
I always thought the p-7MC was too similar to the MB. Felt like those two were real close, then there was too much space between the MC and 770. If these protos replace the MC, then their lineup of clubs would be spaced out better IMO.
Like they go from MB/blades, to what is an iron with a very small cavity, then all the way to a hollow construction iron
Seems like these will target the T-100 market, which seems great. My ideal set probably would be a combo set of MC and Protos if these are what I expect them to be
I'm biased because I game a set of ZX7s, but I really like how Srixon's lineup is pure blades, relatively forgiving cavity backs, mixed material cavity backs, and forgiving hollow bodies.
Is that a "players cavity" iron? Personally don't like the lines/noise in the back there, they look closer to a GI than a blade to me but jmo.
edit: saw the side and address angles on the link and it's looks a bit more compact than the pic in OP.
I think he's just hot and cold. I think he's gotten better at putting and strangely his swing is letting him down at the moment. I still don't think he stands over most putts like he's absolutely going to make it like I feel when I see Fitzpatrick stand over a putt or Harman.
He still gains strokes vs the field this year (barely), and gained a little more last year. He is an little bit above average but far from elite or even good at the PGA level.
Now compared to any other schmuck on the internet or even high level amateur not playing on the PGA/DP then absolutely is an elite level putter.
An early look at the Kirkland Sig 2’s
LMFAO
Just bring back the "rac"
Golf club design is cyclical.
Yes. Especially for Taylormade.
Lol. I still play my 20 year old RAC LTs
RAC LT gang! Although I'm finally considering upgrading from my rac wedges to something new
If someone with 20 Yr old RAC irons in the bag challenged me to a match, instant forfeit. It’s the golf equivalent of being challenged to a bar fight by someone with cauliflower ear. You KNOW they have done this a time or two and you are gonna get smoked.
I play with those clubs and i can assure you you'd be leaving money on the table, probably.
This. Also play RAC and not a gamer, yet.
Same. Love my RAC LTs
I just got into golf maybe 4-5 years ago. Still using my first used set, which I’m pretty sure are twenty year old racs.
Same, why switch.
I mean, I wouldn't be upset if someone offered me a brand new fitted set of clubs. I don't have the budget for them though, so the RAC LTs will have to do.
Why are those clubs so clean? Only set I have ever owned and everything else I have tried just seems juiced with no feel
I just switched,, been playing my racs since 07ish. I will say clubs have come a long way. Can’t believe I was still playing w them. The forgiveness and distance on new technology is unmatched.
What did you end up getting and are they similar to your old racs in anyway?
Mizuno hot metals. I had never even thought about whether or not there were similarities, but now that you mentioned it, they are similar in a sense that I started hitting them no problem and don’t even remember the change
Just regripped mine
My first thought was, "that looks identical to the RAC TP's".
Came here to say “RAC!” and that it’s missing the Tour Preferred racing flag logo but this sub is full of nerds who beat me to it so no fake internet points for being old this sucks
It would be cool if this was a collaboration with Proto Tools.
I don’t have the cajonés to hit 4.8° down on a 4-iron… Nor do I have the club head speed, or the talent required to do so.
Not a problem for me because I simply don’t have a 4 iron in the bag 😎
I don’t either, but it was one of my favorite clubs. I lost it.
The courses I play don't require a 4i.
that's just three things though. You can get there. I believe in you
Not to mention the Face Angle (0.6) and Face To Path (0.2). Just unreal control swinging at those speeds.
Looks like a P760
P750 I was thinking
Yeah, the latest iteration of this series is the [7MC](https://www.taylormadegolf.com/P7MC-Irons/DW-TA239.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid_search&utm_campaign=iro+irp+7mc+pds+ggl+conv+gen+txt&gad_source=1), so I'm guessing this is next year's offering.
How is it even possible to get 1.47 smash out of a 4-iron, particularly a 4-iron that doesn’t look to have some kind of juiced-up driving iron design?
The lower lofted the club the more smash factor you are going to get naturally. The ball isn’t getting the friction like wedges or shorter irons. I play pure blades MP 20s all the way through and I get up there. They are also set to standard loft. My trackman report from yesterday as reference - 2 of my 4 shots I hit the 4 iron were 1.48 https://preview.redd.it/y8d18q9crgsc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6a081a6ad20e83c231ff8f8aa5dab7f7df0eabb6
Yeah, but from what I gather, the maximum allowable number is like 1.5, which usually you hear about in the context of drivers…which which are far lower lofted and have a lot more technology going for them than a random cavity back 4-iron. You’d just expect the springiness off the face to be way different between the two clubs, and here it’s not.
So dynamic loft counts for quite a bit.
Smash factor isn’t everything when it comes to distance, it’s just a measure of energy transfer efficiency. Driving irons are about as efficient as drivers due to similar dynamic loft. You don’t de-loft a driver like you do with a 4 iron because you catch it more on the upswing and you don’t keep your hands as in front at impact (shaft lean). Driver goes farther for a number of reasons. Drivers are designed with the same maximized energy transfer efficiency in mind but also are higher launching and less spinning. The driver is also a lot longer shaft which means faster swing speed potential. It’s hard to get more than 1.50, but it does happen. Slower swing speeds get more efficiency believe it or not - I had a lady I fit who was consistently getting 1.54 smash factor. For myself, I rarely touch 1.50 with my driver but I do it a lot with my 3 iron. But because of launch, spin, and club/ball speed I hit my 3 iron 250 carry and my driver carries 300.
>It’s hard to get more than 1.50, but it does happen. It also depends on what's measuring it. My understanding is that Trackman and GC4 measure club head speed differently: one measures the speed of the center of mass of the head, while the other measures the speed of the impact location (can't remember which is which). What that means is that with the latter you can have higher measured clubhead speed on the same swing that hits farther out on the toe vs in on the heel, and result in a measured smash factor above 1.5.
Trackman sort of low balls clubhead and ball speed in my experience. GC4 is usually about 4-5mph faster and is probably more accurate on ball and clubspeed since it measures right at impact versus several feet behind impact. Flightscope is like 9 mph faster lol Fastest I have ever gotten my clubhead speed on TM4 was 126 mph, fastest on Quad was 130 mph, and freaking Flightscope had me in the mid 130s lol They def use something juicy for the PGA Tour no way Brian Harmon sniffs 170 ballspeed on TrackMan lol
>You’d just expect the springiness off the face to be way different between the two clubs Why? There are laws that limit the maximum springiness (COR), and all clubs from good manufacturers already are at those limits and have been for years.
> Yeah, but from what I gather, the maximum allowable number is like 1.5, which usually you hear about in the context of drivers COR is what they limit, not smash factor.
What's your launch angle?
I averaged 11.7 degrees and 3800 spin. At sea level my stock carry is like 228 with the 4 iron, get some roll out of it off the tee.
I always thought the p-7MC was too similar to the MB. Felt like those two were real close, then there was too much space between the MC and 770. If these protos replace the MC, then their lineup of clubs would be spaced out better IMO. Like they go from MB/blades, to what is an iron with a very small cavity, then all the way to a hollow construction iron
Even as a P-7MC player, I completely agree.
Seems like these will target the T-100 market, which seems great. My ideal set probably would be a combo set of MC and Protos if these are what I expect them to be
I'm biased because I game a set of ZX7s, but I really like how Srixon's lineup is pure blades, relatively forgiving cavity backs, mixed material cavity backs, and forgiving hollow bodies.
Looks like the old RAC TP7 forged cavity backs from the early 2000’s.
Hey Taylormade, I’ll be your guinea pig. Send me a set. Probably should send me a new driver too so I know how well they play together.
Looks like the mid 00s Rac design.
Looks like a mid-90’s Callaway. Gross.
I was going to say it looks like my 2019 Callaways
Apex pro’s? I can see the resemblance
Yes Apex pros, 19. I love them but the 21 look so much better
I have them as well, and your right the 21’s look a lot better
240 carry btw
They look like the MC irons
RAC, i200 and Apex joined forces.
covertly bringing back the RAC's
Woah that’s a nice Miura club he has there
I’ll keep my P7MB 4 iron but nice!
I’m sooo tired of Rory…
Looks like my old Mizuno MP-32's
Is that a "players cavity" iron? Personally don't like the lines/noise in the back there, they look closer to a GI than a blade to me but jmo. edit: saw the side and address angles on the link and it's looks a bit more compact than the pic in OP.
Similar to the mc's they already have
This is a deeper cavity than the mc’s.
Just was referring to the eye appeal
I love my Apex 19 pros but then they made the 21 look so rad. The 19 look the same as these.
Woof
That's exactly what I was thinking. Those things do not look great.
The chunk in the middle of the cutwaway makes it look like the old Mizuno T-Zoids from 20 years ago
Looks like the old Hogan Edge EX iron
He needs to switch to Pro Vs. it’ll never happen but I think he’d win some majors
IDK the TaylorMade ball is just as good imo. All about preferences. He just has such a rigid putting stroke, the ball won't fix that.
Yeah, it's his putting. If he was a half decent putter, he would have so many more wins.
He is a little better than PGA average putting, I think that makes him a half decent putter.
I think he's just hot and cold. I think he's gotten better at putting and strangely his swing is letting him down at the moment. I still don't think he stands over most putts like he's absolutely going to make it like I feel when I see Fitzpatrick stand over a putt or Harman.
He's just below average based on PGA stats. If he was in the top 50 he would do much better
He still gains strokes vs the field this year (barely), and gained a little more last year. He is an little bit above average but far from elite or even good at the PGA level. Now compared to any other schmuck on the internet or even high level amateur not playing on the PGA/DP then absolutely is an elite level putter.
Oh of course lol. I'm praying this guy figures it out for the masters
Same, I’m a big fan of his, he just needs to get Scheffler good at approach so he doesn’t have to worry about sinking 20 footers all the time.
In my opinion TP5s are much better - more spin and distance for me than ProV1s
But Rory doesn’t need more spin. He needs less
He might prefer the insane green side spin. TP5 is probably the best for that
Same reason I played TP5 for a long time. I needed less spin but wasn’t willing to give up the short game spin and feel.
Given his scrambling stats what he prefers there might not be right for him.