TaylorMade introduces R9 TP irons

Serious Performance Technology in a Classic Player's Shape and Size R9 TP Irons

Carlsbad, Calif. (October 1, 2009)- TaylorMade Golf has introduced the R9™ TP, a classically shaped iron that nevertheless incorporates a variety of performance-enhancing technologies. As part of TaylorMade's revered Tour Preferred® product line, R9 TP irons are engineered to, above all, deliver an exceptional degree of distance control and consistency, which is critical to any player who competes at a high level or wants to.

The R9 TP iron's classic shape and size are characterized by a compact head featuring a semi-straight leading edge, semi-square toe, thin topline and thin, cambered, beveled, multi-functional sole. The particular way the hosel blends with the leading edge and the face comes from Nick Faldo's advisement, who believes it's absolutely essential that this connection point be skillfully rendered so as to be pleasing to the player's eye. Adding to the R9 TP's beautiful shape is an attractive mirror nickel-chrome plating topped by a pearl finish.

Velocity Control Chamber in the 2- through 5-iron
In terms of technology, the R9 TP irons offer plenty. The 2- through 5-iron incorporate TaylorMade's Velocity Control Chamber (VCC), a fully enclosed compartment positioned behind the clubface that allows a large area of the 2.0 mm face to exist unsupported, increasing COR to promote more distance. The open space within the VCC is fully filled with a light yet dense foam that manages vibration energy to deliver excellent feel and sound at impact. The VCC allows the re-distribution of mass within the clubhead to give the R9 TP long-irons an exceptionally low CG and high MOI, which combines with the fast clubface to make them easier to launch high and long.

Progressive Face Thickness and Inverted Cone Technology throughout the Set
Progressive face thickness is incorporated throughout the set starting at 2.0 mm in the 2- through 5-iron, 2.3 mm in the 6- and 7-iron, and 2.5 mm in the 8-iron through pitching wedge. The result is progressively higher COR where you need it in the middle-irons and long-irons, and fantastic feel in the short-irons. All R9 TP irons feature TaylorMade's renowned Inverted Cone Technology fabricated (milled in long-irons, cast in short-irons) directly onto the inner side of the clubface, which promotes higher ball speed on off-center hits so that ball speed and distance are consistent across the face to promote constant distance control.

Superior Distance Control and Consistency
Good players want confidence that their irons will behave consistently from shot to shot especially in terms of distance. Hot spots on the face that add yardage and mis-hits that subtract yardage both kill morale and damage scores. Because of that, TaylorMade's R&D department spent hundreds of hours to ensure that the R9 TP irons deliver superior distance control and consistency, and they succeeded. In each individual R9 TP iron, the combination of head size, VCC, Inverted Cone and face thickness has been carefully calibrated to promote optimum distance control and consistency. The result is a club that players can be confident will deliver the expected distance on swing after swing after swing.

Compact Perimeter-weighted Heads
R9 TP heads are similar to the compact shape of the Tour Preferred® irons (which are the most popular and successful irons on the PGA Tour today), yet the R9 TPs offer a larger hittable face area due in part to differences in the way the head blends into the hosel. The top-line is beveled along the back edge to give it a thin and elegant appearance, and the sole is beveled to reduce resistance so it can perform "thinner" when it meets the turf. Each R9 TP head is perimeter-weighted and equipped with a vibration-controlling cavity badge. The 6-iron through pitching wedge feature an undercut cavity that's visible because the cavity badge is smaller than that used in the R9 irons. The undercut cavity allows us to push more weight to the perimeter of the head in order to increase MOI and distance-control.

Easy-to-Hit Long-irons, Exceptionally Accurate Short-irons
As mentioned earlier, we're making an R9 TP 2-iron, and you might wonder why given that so many players have traded their long-irons for hybrids. The reason is because the VCC allows such a thin, fast clubface and the perimeter weighting allows such a low CG that it makes these long-irons exceptionally easy to launch. We expect a lot of players to put the 2- and 3-iron back in their bags once they find out how easy these R9 TP long-irons are to launch and control.

Tour-Proven KBS Steel Shafts
The R9 TP irons come equipped with KBS Tour Series steel shafts, which is currently the fastest growing steel shaft brand on the PGA Tour. Several of our Tour Staff pros are in the same KBS shaft that's in the R9 TP including Kenny Perry, who's won five times with them and Dustin Johnson and Rory Sabbatini who have each used them to win once. Designed for better players, the KBS Tour Series shaft is engineered with "moment of inertia analysis" to increase stability from grip to clubhead, which promotes enhanced results on well-executed swings. Reducing the mass and radius of each step in equal proportions along the shaft's center line allows the KBS Tour shaft to promote optimum stability, resulting in a more efficient energy transfer from the player's hands to the clubhead.

New and Conforming Grooves for 2010
The R9 TP irons incorporate a new groove design that conforms to the USGA and R&A ruling that goes into affect in 2010 for high-level competition.

The R9 TP: Another Great TaylorMade Iron
"The new R9 TP iron is a perfect example of how TaylorMade has successfully infused meaningful performance technology into a better player's iron," said Brian Bazzel, TaylorMade's manager of iron creation. "You'll notice that fewer of our Tour Staff players are using muscleback blades anymore because of the benefits of our improved cavity designs, Inverted Cone Technology and now the Velocity Control Chamber and sound-management systems. The R9 TP is also further evidence that TaylorMade should no longer be recognized simply as a metalwood company, but also for our top-notch irons. When considering our recent standouts like the r7®, r7 TP, Tour Preferred® and Burner®, you can be confident that the new R9™ and R9™ TP will be counted among them."

R9 TP irons are available in men's right- and left-handed models, steel shafts only, X, S and R flexes. The standard set consists of 3-iron through pitching wedge; a 2-iron and attack wedge are available separately. R9 TP irons become available starting on November 1, 2009; the manufacturer's suggested retail price for a standard set is $1,125.







More equipment news.