Equipment
2017 TaylorMade irons being tested at the RSM Classic
PGA Tour players are testing new TaylorMade irons at the RSM Classic, according to the company. Even better? TaylorMade’s decision to add an image of the 2017 irons on its Twitter account, which gives us a good idea what they might look like when they’re released.
Update: In-hand photos below!
TOUR testing in progress. #RSMClassic pic.twitter.com/ZDPDOYmJH6
— TaylorMade Golf (@TaylorMadeGolf) November 15, 2016
From the photo, it’s clear that the new irons are forged (see the toe engravings). Based on that, one can jump to the conclusion that the irons are a replacement for the company’s previous line of PGA Tour-inspired irons, the PSi (Players Slotted Irons).
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The PSi irons use a multi-material construction that helps make the long irons hotter and more forgiving, while maintaining compact, consistent short irons. The PSi Tour irons, on the other hand, are fully forged cavity-backs made from 1025 carbon steel with a size that’s fractionally larger than muscleback irons.
So are these new irons more like the PSi, PSi Tour… or something completely different? We’ll let you know as soon as we know.
See what GolfWRX members are saying about the Protos in our forums.
Update 11/16
Based on photos shot at the RSM Classic, it appears there are two different prototypes from TaylorMade. One has a more compact look with a thinner sole, while the other has a thicker sole, and has “tungsten” stamped on the back badging. One can suspect that these will replace the TaylorMade PSi and PSi Tour irons based on the two different heads.
Forged Proto 9-iron
Forged Proto 9 iron w/ “Tungsten”
Forged Proto 7-iron
Forged Proto 7-iron w/ “Tungsten”
Forged Proto 4-iron
Forged Proto 4-iron w/ “Tungsten”
See what GolfWRX members are saying about the Protos in our forums.
This week, we have our Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, on the ground at the OccuNet Classic at Tascosa Golf Club in Amarillo, Texas, for the 14th event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season. With that, we see some great things in the Lead Tape Report as we roll into Amarillo.
Joel Thelen
Monday Qualifier, Joel Thelen is in the field this week. He has played on the Korn Ferry Tour for a full season in 2023, and he is back in action this week. A couple of clubs caught my eye this week in his bag.
First off: His trusted Titleist 816 H2 hybrid. This club came out in October of 2015, and it still remains strong in the bag. Also, take a look at this Odyssey White Hot OG 7, putting a capital S in the 7S model. This custom neck has some impressive lean for an arm-lock-style putter. The bottom of the putter is covered in tape for optimal weighting.
Mitchell Meissner
Taking a look at Mitchell Meissner’s bag this week, we have some great lead tape coverage. Top to bottom working from fairway metals, irons, and wedges. We can see on the short irons and wedges that there is tape at the base of the grip, adding a little counterbalance. Along with that, some tape on the short irons and wedges as well. Moving to his putter, he rolls the Odyssey 7 Bird putter. Meissner putts left-handed and strikes the ball right-handed.
Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.
Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: Titleist GTS3 (15 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 70 TX
7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 80 TX
Irons: Titleist U505 (3), Titleist 620 MB (4-9)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 8 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putters: Scotty Cameron Tour Prototype, Scotty Cameron GOLO 6.3 Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
In our forums, one user has offered up a prompt for the true sickos, inviting fellow forum members to share every set of irons they’ve ever owned. As to be expected, this is a lengthy forum topic.
@Lamosteve began:
Can you name every set of irons you’ve owned? Here’s mine
Spalding Dots
Spalding Eclipse
Ram Lazer FX
Lynx Parallax
Mizuno EZ Comp
Ben Hogans
Cleveland CG Red
Taylor Made R9s
PING i20
PING iE1
Taylor Made M6
Our members in the forum have been offering up their own collections. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- macedan: “Started with a hand-me-down Golden Bear set from my brother when I was in high school, never really played more than once a year or got into the game until about summer of 2017. First purchased a set of Cleveland CG4’s (I actually really miss this set sometimes, soft & not terribly large for a GI iron), moved into Nike Vapor Fly’s by the end of the year. Those lasted until spring of 18 when I decided I wanted new, so I traded them in for TM Rbladez. Honestly, although I liked the Rbladez, poor decision on my part, I think this was really about the only time so far that after a week or two I was kicking myself for not staying with what I had. Rbladez stayed with me until late last summer when I switched to P790’s and (knock on wood) I am hoping this will be my longest lasting set.”
- JimmyC59: “MacGregor Jack Nicklaus Triple Crown. Palmer The Standard. Still play these.”
- jgrzask: “Tommy Armour 845u
Mizuno MP-32
Mizuno MP-33 (2 sets)
Bridgestone J33cb – still own
Srixon i-302 (2 sets) – still own
Tourstage X-Blades – still own
Mizuno Hot Metal – still own
Nike Forged Blades – still own
Titleist 714 AP1 – still own
Cobra Forged SS – still own”
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Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament. Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura...
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Driver: Titleist GTS3 (10 degrees, D4 SureFit setting) Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana RB 53 S 3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees,...
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RAT
Dec 1, 2016 at 10:08 am
can you say MIZUNO
Jack Nash
Nov 22, 2016 at 9:04 pm
TM = Mizuno rip off.
JJ
Nov 17, 2016 at 9:24 pm
So, the Forged Proto is a re-modified MP-25.
I wish TM designers would just go back to making the TP MB Smoked and only that, with EF grooves, and call it a day.
Rac
Jan 17, 2017 at 2:24 pm
JJ, please search in Google Taylormade RAC TP iron and you will see the origin of the new proto iron. You will also realize it has no relation to MP-25 but rather a recycle of an old TM idea.
TM RAC TP release date Nov 2008, MP-25 release date Sep 2015, mmmm so who copied who?
KL
Nov 17, 2016 at 4:31 am
No slots on them?
JJ
Nov 17, 2016 at 6:31 pm
No. Because they finally realized how crappy the slot made it feel. No real need for them
Dat
Nov 17, 2016 at 8:40 pm
You mean plastic gimmicks?
Matty
Nov 16, 2016 at 9:21 pm
They seem of release TP irons every 3 years, so I think these are the new TP irons.
Wow.....
Nov 16, 2016 at 4:32 pm
Interesting that there’s tungsten in every head even the short irons (tungsten model).
Like everyone else said I really hope they don’t “eff” them up with badging and horrible color schemes. I hope this is the final product.
gunna22
Nov 16, 2016 at 3:17 pm
It seems like the address pics for the 7 and 4 irons have been switched?
gunna22
Nov 16, 2016 at 9:08 pm
Looking again, and yeah it definitely seems like you have the “tungsten” vs non-tungsten ones mixed up
Rich
Jan 20, 2017 at 4:42 pm
I thought the same thing
MIKEYP
Nov 16, 2016 at 9:53 am
It looks the the 2005 Rac tp’s and the 2014 Tour preferred CB’s had a child together.
D
Nov 16, 2016 at 10:37 am
the 2005 Rac TP’s were great
Dat
Nov 16, 2016 at 6:14 pm
Called it! Finally got rid of the slots!
Bofhus
Nov 16, 2016 at 4:47 am
Looks so clean and nice. Expect them to ruin it with tacky colours…
Mat
Nov 16, 2016 at 2:18 am
Anyone want to tell me that everyone’s reaction to Ping this year hasn’t influenced the market? Those look quite nice. If they’re not totally jacked, they’d be a very respectable addition.
How about that… a TM release that doesn’t make you want to roll your eyes!
Guia
Nov 15, 2016 at 10:48 pm
My guess is much of the same thing already available, but with new packaging. After so many years of the same old jargon, it is hard to believe that there is another 6 month tech breakthrough.
TMBob
Nov 15, 2016 at 9:53 pm
All sneak peaks….New tread for TM it seems….same thing happened with the M2 last year