TaylorMade's RAC oversize iron.
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Price: £649 (steel) £749 (graphite). Available in right and left-handed versions (2-PW, AW, SW)
As part of its campaign to produce clubs to suit all abilities, TaylorMade introduced its RAC OS (Oversize) irons last November aimed chiefly at golfers looking for consistent strike and ball flight.
We would have preferred to test a regular steel shaft in the clubs (appropriate for most low to mid handicappers) but their apparent popularity meant we were restricted to a stiff graphite shaft in sample 4-, 6- and 8-irons, plus a sand wedge.
I passed them on to Neil Evans senior teaching pro at my home club for his expert opinion and though he was impressed by their performance, like most scratch players he found the heads too bulky for his liking.
"I can see the need for a bigger oversize head in the longer and medium irons, they instill confidence to the handicap golfer. But although all the irons looked good at address the shorter irons were too clumsy for my taste. I like a slimmer Titleist 990 head or Cleveland wedge," Neil told me.
"The 8-iron had a powerful flight and I was able to hit it over 200 yards downwind. It had a high, hanging trajectory and the 4 and 6-iron were very forgiving. It was easy to hit a high ball with them."
Neil's main criticism was in the shaft. He couldn't see the necessity for a 'stiff' flex graphite.
"Graphite is not as consistent as steel in producing the feel and ball flight for a pro or low handicapper. The shafts felt more like a firmer regular shaft with no comparison to a stiff steel shaft.
"These would be good clubs for me with a stiff steel shaft but overall the big heads would not suit me," Neil commented.
