Taylormade Speed Blade

[Jackooo]

So here it is, Taylormade's bi monthly release of new golf clubs. Anyone else thinking this is getting a bit ridiculous now? Their marketing department is working overtime churning out all of this speed pocket nonsense... Do they genuine expect the average club golfer to constantly spend more and more each time on new products?!

http://taylormadegolf.com/irons/speedblade.html

 

[credman82]

On the bright side of you were looking for a set of rocketbladez there now half price!!!!!!!

 

[Pro Zach]

Extract from Forbes .com.

TaylorMade-Adidas Golf reported record sales last week of $508 million for the first quarter of 2012, up 32% from the prior year. This comes on the heels of 20% revenue growth in 2011 to $1.4 billion for the world’s largest golf company. Sales should approach $2 billion this year.

TaylorMade’s success comes as other golf companies are hurting. Sales at Callaway Golf were down 8% in 2011 and have declined seven straight quarters. Nike Golf reported sales down 4% in its 2011 fiscal year to $623 million after a 2% drop the prior year.

TaylorMade’s performance is staggering in an industry under duress. Profits doubled in the first quarter. The company is taking market share from rivals. Metal woods is the biggest category in the golf business and represent roughly 35% of TaylorMade’s revenues. TaylorMade owned 30% of the metal woods market at the start of 2011 and now commands 52% of the market.

 

[Foxholer]

Extract from Forbes .com.

TaylorMade-Adidas Golf reported record sales last week of $508 million for the first quarter of 2012, up 32% from the prior year. This comes on the heels of 20% revenue growth in 2011 to $1.4 billion for the world’s largest golf company. Sales should approach $2 billion this year.

Very old numbers.

August 2013 numbers 1st half 2013 sales $1.012Bn +2% (currency Neutral) Irons and Footear up 16% and 18% - no mention of what, if anything, was down - Reebok? Surely not Drivers!

 

[ScienceBoy]

Funny, I cannot remember the last time TM released a new iron.

 

[Pin-seeker]

Do we really need to go through the same rigmarole every time TM releases a new club?

 

[Hacker Khan]

Do we really need to go through the same rigmarole every time TM releases a new club?

Hey, it fills a few pages in the mag and gets some more traffic on the web site. Everyone's a winner Good write up here http://www.mygolfspy.com/taylormade-speedblade-irons/

 

[Foxholer]

Do we really need to go through the same rigmarole every time TM releases a new club?

It does get a bit tedious month after month!

Now where are this week's Slow Play ones?

 

[golfsaint]

Look on the bright side there may be a Tm opportunity for some members! to try out the irons !! & more dissapointment for me lol

 

[Imurg]

TM quote a figure of 4.9 years as an average replacement cycle for irons.

In 5 years we've had - GI only

R7
R9
Burner 2
R11
RBZ
Rocketbladez
SpeedBlade

7 sets of (basically) GI clubs in 5 years - I'm sure many other manufacturers are doing the same

If the replacement cycle is 5 years you could easily delete 3 of theses and still give new buyers, as well as those upgrading, a shift in technology. And as for those who think there will be a real advancement over the last set - really? Are you sure?

How much more can they squeeze out of an iron head?
These "advances" can't keep happening at this rate or the Manufacturers will run themsleves down a No-Through Road...
I feel for the retail side as well.
They have to stock the new model or be seen as lagging behind. It must be a nightmare if you still have 3 or 4 sets of RBZ on the shelf....
Callaway are doing a similar thing but there are those that have a 2 year cycle for clubs - even then you often don't see a huge change (take AP2 to 710AP2 to 712AP2 - not that much change over 4 years)

 

[virtuocity]

I feel for the retail side as well.
They have to stock the new model or be seen as lagging behind. It must be a nightmare if you still have 3 or 4 sets of RBZ on the shelf....

How can you feel sorry for the retail side? It's not like they couldn't have and SHOULDN'T have predicted that new irons were on the horizon. You've provided all the evidence above (the list of irons) which any competent retailer should have seen as a sign that it might not be a good idea to order in 4 sets of RBZ irons. Stock control is part and parcel of being successful, not the ability to stripe a 7 iron 185 yards and sell to punters on that basis.

At worst, golf gear owners can return to Taylormade for a credit note or even ebay them away at cost price.

It's not Taylormade's fault that every time they launch a new product it sells well.

I would agree with your point about clubhead technology- how long until it's impossible to improve distance and forgiveness within the margins of the legal limits?!!

 

[StrangelyBrown]

Another genius name from TM. Reminds me of this...

 

[simplyme]

The loft on the irons is crazy. 17 degree 3 iron? That's 4 wood territory.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

According to responses on Twitter TM reckon the rocketbladez came out in Nov/Dec. Even allowing for that it is only a matter of 9-10 months since the last "big thing". I like TM gear but this is just silly now.

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

It seems I recently bought a set of TM irons that are simply inferior.
But "it's nothing personal, it's innovation".

 

[Imurg]

How can you feel sorry for the retail side? It's not like they couldn't have and SHOULDN'T have predicted that new irons were on the horizon. You've provided all the evidence above (the list of irons) which any competent retailer should have seen as a sign that it might not be a good idea to order in 4 sets of RBZ irons. Stock control is part and parcel of being successful, not the ability to stripe a 7 iron 185 yards and sell to punters on that basis.

At worst, golf gear owners can return to Taylormade for a credit note or even ebay them away at cost price.

It's not Taylormade's fault that every time they launch a new product it sells well.

I would agree with your point about clubhead technology- how long until it's impossible to improve distance and forgiveness within the margins of the legal limits?!!

Can they return for credit?
If so, why are there so many TM Superfast , Ping G15 etc clubs on super sale in places like AG or DG.? These clubs have been superceded twice but are still on the shelves.

 

[BoadieBroadus]

i felt that certainly on the irons front TM had held back on releasing stuff. last year they had two ranges with the R11 / MB / CB ranges plus the rocketballz ranges. this year is been all rocketbladez (allbeit a few variations of the models)

I had been won round to TM after not being a fan but i'm a little underwhelmed by the looks of these irons. was worried I'd love the new range and pester myself to buy them...

 

[One Planer]

Looking at the pictures on their site, it would appear the speed pocket runs through the complete set as opposed to the previous incarnation where it only ran as low as the 8 iron (from memory).

Didn't TM say that the clubs didn't need a speed slot lower than that iron. If that's the case, why does the new range have a slot in every iron?

Classic case of TM marketing contradicting itself. The same as it did with white headed drivers :whiste:

 

[two-clubs]

Looking at the pictures on their site, it would appear the speed pocket runs through the complete set as opposed to the previous incarnation where it only ran as low as the 8 iron (from memory).

Didn't TM say that the clubs didn't need a speed slot lower than that iron. If that's the case, why does the new range have a slot in every iron?

Classic case of TM marketing contradicting itself. The same as it did with white headed drivers :whiste:

Looks like it stops at #7

 

[One Planer]

I stand corrected :thup: