Is this TaylorMade package set any good?TaylorMade RBZ Speedlite Club Set Review
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At a glance
- TG Rating
- Owner Rating
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Pros
- Good range of clubs with room to add more if needed
- Great set for a range of abilities
- Highly forgiving clubs through the bag
- The putter is a standout club
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Cons
- The bag could be better quality for the price
What we say...
Is this the TaylorMade RBZ Speedlite Club set worth the money?
As a brand TaylorMade are well known in the industry for creating some of the best golf clubs on the market but can they make one of the best package sets? The brand have been making clubs for amateurs and major champions for years not with some of the best golf irons and best golf drivers on offer in the game.
If you have the money to kit yourself out with a full set of Qi10’s then why not but for beginners this isn’t always an option as you begin your golfing career. If you’re new to the game, getting yourself a forgiving set to help you develop your skills is a great start. This is what TaylorMade tried to do with the RBZ Speedlite set branching out into a market where the demand for good quality sets at an affordable price are highly sought after.
Built for forgiveness and distance the TaylorMade RBZ Speedlite set is littered with confidence-inspiring golf clubs to help you get into the game. As one of the best beginner golf club sets, it will set you back roughly $1400/£1200 depending on the set makeup you buy. We tested the 13-piece set that comprises a driver, 3-wood, 5-wood, 4-hybrid, 5-hybrid 6-iron through to sand wedge, and a putter.
Pros
- Good range of clubs with room to add more if needed
- Great set for a range of abilities
- Highly forgiving clubs through the bag
- The putter is a standout club
Cons
- The bag could be better quality for the price
Initial thoughts
Over the years we’ve gotten so used to the quality of TaylorMade and their premium clubs, in particular clubs such as the Qi10 and Stealth ranges. As far as first impressions go the RBZ Speedlite set looks and feels great it certainly stands out as one of the more premium offerings in the marketplace. The set may not compete with TaylorMade’s high-end clubs as it goes for a pricepoint similar to a set of their P-790 irons but without a doubt, for what you pay I was pleased with the clubs you get and the overall package itself.
The iconic RBZ branding we all got to know and love some ten-plus years ago slaps you in the face as soon as you take it out of the box. Sticking with the famous green colorway of the original RocketBallz the bright tramlines stand out but don’t overpower the color of the bag and headcovers. From the outset, the headcovers caught my eye not only for their cool design but also for their good quality! Often a package set lacks quality headcovers or in truth any headcovers at all, so it was quite refreshing to see great ones on all of the woods and hybrids.
One thing that was lacking in great quality was the golf bag, it was nothing special but it will do as part of the set. It wouldn’t win any awards for being one of the best golf bags but it has everything a golfer would need to get started in the game. Another thing to be aware of is that the paint on the heads of the woods looks great but may not last. The set arrived with a slight mark on the head and it seemed that any hits off the top of the club could certainly lead to a mark or two in the future.
Despite the fact the woods may mark up easily they do look super sleek, with the clean dark grey finish on the head and the low profile teardrop shape the woods look great behind the ball and give the confidence-inspiring look a beginner golfer is after. This theme continues through the bag with the hybrids and in particular the irons, a nice big head with a top line and offset which isn’t off-putting, and it’s nice to see the contrast of the matte grooves to the shiny face as it helps you see where to hit the ball on the face.
The set itself
Driver
With the right shaft set up I believe this driver would have been the standout club in the set but I struggled with some consistency in flight due to the flex. Overall the feel of the shaft was good I understand that being an experienced golfer and having a faster swing speed isn’t ideal for this set but you can appreciate how well this shaft would perform for beginner golfers.
I’m not a huge fan of the silver face but honestly, it won’t be a big issue for many golfers that is just my personal preference when it comes to looks. Behind the ball, the club looked great and reminiscent of the TaylorMade head shapes we’ve known and loved over the years. Very much like the RocketBallz driver I used to own as a junior golfer, it is lightweight and built for speed.
If you’re used to the premium feel of some of the top drivers then the slightly high-pitched sound will take some getting used to but for the golfers this set is aimed at the sound and feel of the club will be fine. Built to help promote some speed in the swing, the club is great at exerting all that a golfer has in the locker. The ball comes off the face fast and most importantly not just fast out of the middle, the performance on off-centered strikes is also impressive.
Fairway woods
I think for most golfers the 11-piece set will suit them just fine. This means that the set will come with a 3-wood and a 4 hybrid rather than the additional 5-wood and 5 hybrid but having said that I absolutely loved the 5-wood. It was a welcome addition to the full 13-piece set but sadly I think it is a little confusing having two fairway woods and two hybrids in the set itself as they can be added at a later date.
The 3-wood that comes as part of both the 11 and 13-piece sets was really fun to use. It was great off the tee and gave me another option to hit from the tee box or in the fairway. Both of the fairway woods were nice and forgiving, similar to the driver with the performance and style of head. Ideal for new golfers or players with a slower swing speed the fairway woods are both really easy to hit, deep dace and streamlined look will suit lots of golfers.
Hybrid
I’m not a huge lover of hybrids but honestly, you cannot go wrong. The simple design of these RBZ hybrids are great to look at, for me loving how a club looks from above is vital. The head shape and the club’s friendly size really give you that confidence you need wherever you are on the course. I know I said that the silver face on the driver and the woods wasn’t overly pleasing, I think on the hybrid it works great, and behind the ball it helps you get a feel for where the face is pointing.
The confidence-inspiring design will suit a broad range of golfers and most importantly I think this club will live in the bag for a long time. If you get the 11-piece set you get the 4-hybrid which for me will do just fine. In the full 13-piece set, you get the 5-hybrid, which I found was a very similar club and went a very similar distance. The RBZ Speedlite hybrids spin high and launch high which for beginner golfers is perfect, these are a great replacement for long irons and I had great fun playing with them.
Irons
These are a solid part of the set. The shaft isn’t the most premium but the heads make up for that. The low CG head design helps promote a higher launch and with weighting around the face perimeter these clubs are built to get the ball in the air on both center and off-centered strikes. The irons are nicely weighted and give you the confidence to get through the ball. While these irons don’t quite match up with the best irons on the market for performance you still get a consistent strike and feel across the face.
Behind the ball, I thought they looked superb, there was not too much offset and the top line was rather inviting. To my surprise, these clubs are lofted quite traditionally it wasn’t till after I played with them that I found this out and I was getting a lot of distance on the course so it was a pleasant surprise. The set comes with a sand wedge that has a good amount of bounce and a wide sole I really enjoyed using it out of the sand and around the greens I think it is ideal for new players and will help progress their short game.
Putter
In terms of feel, I’d put this up there with some of the best putters on the market. Yes, it lacks some forgiveness and overall quality, but the face’s feel is great. As far as the moneymaker goes this putter is the best quality club in the bag. The famous Pure Roll face has featured across TaylorMade’s putting range for years now famously in the Taylormade Spider series. The fang shape will suit a lot of golfers’ eyes and was a sensible choice for the package set, the grip was nice too but may need updating soon after purchase I think for the money TaylorMade could’ve put on something of better quality.
Final verdict
Overall, other than a few small quality issues regarding the bag and some of the shafts this is a great set. These are without a doubt built by TaylorMade to appeal to a broad range of golfers, they look, feel, and perform amazingly. I think there are better sets on the market when it comes to longevity, by that I mean I think some golfers could grow out of some of these clubs rather quickly if they had better shafts or some adjustability maybe this wouldn’t be an issue.
Having said that, for the money you pay, if you love TaylorMade and are unsure about getting fitted but want a full set that looks and feels great these are perfect. There is quality throughout the bag from top to bottom. Wherever you look there is forgiveness all the clubs here are designed to help you get better at the game. With great club choice and pretty much every shot covered why would you not get this? If you’re new to golf and want to get playing straightaway I believe you’d be right at home with one of the best golf club sets for beginners on the market.
Also consider
If you’re a fan of the TaylorMade RBZ Speedlite set set but it’s slightly more than you would like to pay of isn’t quite to your taste then, there are many cheaper options available. The MacGregor CG400 is a more budget-friendly option, the quality of the set is not as good but will still do the job for more than half of the price. If a similar high-quality alternative is what you’re after then the Stix Golf Perform package set is a good choice.
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About the author
Will Shreeve-Peacock – Golf Equipment Writer
Will is an expert in golf shoes, GPS watches, rangefinders, and training aids.
He has a degree in journalism from Sheffield Hallam University and four years’ experience working in golf retail with American Golf where he was trained by a host of the big-name manufacturers.
A six-handicapper, Will has played golf for more than a decade and is a member at Burghley Park Golf Club in Stamford, Lincolnshire.
