Review: TaylorMade Rocketballz Driver

Every year original equipment manufacturers (OEM) in the golf world tout new products to consumers claiming improved distance and better accuracy. It's the go-to marketing pitch every year, with every new release and it never ends. The problem is every golfer is different and no matter how great the new club is, there are so many factors that actually go into determining whether or not these promises can be realized. I was given the task of testing out some of these new clubs from TaylorMade and this is part one of that series. Each club was hit at the driving range and played for at least 18 holes. 

Rocketballz Driver, 9.5 degree, stiff shaft

It took me awhile to get over the name of this line of clubs, but I didn't want to go into the reviews thinking that just because the name was ridiculous it would hinder my objectivity in anyway. Well, it didn't take long for the Rocketballz driver to win me over and start making jokes about my golf ballz rocketing through the air. 

Sometimes simply taking a club out of the bag, lining up your shot and swinging away without any practice swing or thought is the best course of action. In the case of this RBZ driver, that's the approach I decided to take on the first tee. The club immediately impresses with great feel, even with stock grips. I tend to prefer leather Golf Pride grips but the stock rubber grips on the RBZ were comfortable and did their job. 

I'm very picky when it comes to the weight and balance of any club. The RBZ driver is bottom-heavy, but not so much that it feels like you're swinging a kettle ball on the end of a rope. The weight of the driver provides a feeling of stability in the back swing, power in the down swing, and control all the way to the end of follow through. With the white head of the driver so big, it's a balance that is essential. 

Now, about that distance... you get it, and then some. Throughout the 18+ holes I played, I averaged 12 yards more distance no matter if I put it down the middle of the fairway or sent the ball of target into the rough. Needless to say, I was impressed. I've hit plenty of drivers that promised the ball would go farther, but I could never seem to get better results than with my trusted Wilson Fat Shaft driver. It's made me skeptical of any shiny new driver, but the RBZ won me over after the first round on the range and couple holes on the course. 

And what of accuracy, you ask? It's not going to completely cure your slice or hook, but it will certainly come close. Once you become well-versed in tuning the loft and face angle on the driver, you'll wonder why you ever spent so much money on golf lesons. Well, maybe it's not THAT good, but it feels that way at first. It's a great tool that only adds to the lore of the RBZ. I was able to figure out the tuning after reading the manual and toying with it for a little while at the range, but even if you cant figure it out the accuracy of the club is still great for one reason: the club face is forgiving and if you mishit, you aren't doomed. I hit one ball directly off the toe and still managed to be in the second cut of the fairway a couple times. 

Final Verdict: The RBZ is what it says it is and does what it promises. There are very few clubs that can boast what the RBZ does and back it up. It's worth the money because the return on investment will improve your game off the tee. Be ready to drive for show, and not feel embarrassed by the results.