Curated Golf Expert Ryan Hernandez got his hands on the TaylorMade RBZ Speedlite Set to test this spring. Check out how it performed, but consider the fact that each and every golfer is different; if you have any questions about the RBZ Speedlite Set or need recommendations on which club would be best for you, reach out to a Golf Expert here on Curated.

Before we get started, it's worth noting that Curated Experts are not sponsored by any brands. All of these reviews are completely unbiased.

Brand Claims

What does TaylorMade claim about this club? [Ryan] The brand claims that this is your entry-level into Team TaylorMade without purchasing their top-line gear. They also claim that this will be long distance and forgiveness at lightweight.

Overall Impressions

What are the specs of the club you are testing? [Ryan] You get 10 clubs in the 11-piece set. You get a driver, 3-wood, hybrid, 6-iron through sand wedge, and a putter, and then they count the bag as a piece.

What is your overall impression of the club? [Ryan] Disappointed. There are some very good spots, but overall, just as far as performance construction, what you get from putting the TaylorMade name behind something is disappointing. It’s designed for beginners, somebody getting into the sport. If you don’t have any clubs, obviously, it’s better than nothing. There’s going to be some gapping issues. If you have a driver and 3-wood, and then you’re going down into hybrid, and the hybrid is four hybrid at 22 degrees, and then you go into a 6-iron. There’s some gapping there at that you’ll probably need to address as you improve because you are going to have some yardages that are off for sure, especially with going into a 6-iron. There needs to be another hybrid or a 5-iron to bridge that gap, especially in the irons. And then you go pitching wedge or sand wedge. Eventually, you’ll want more wedges to fill that gap because I think just two wedges are usually not enough. As you improve, you also want an approach wedge and lab wedge there.

Review

How is it for distance? [Ryan] I love the irons, especially the 7-iron and 6-iron. I could hit them, couldn’t miss, hit them straight as an arrow. The distance technology is there.

How is it for forgiveness? [Ryan] Forgiveness is there, especially in the hybrid and the irons. It’s there throughout the package.

How is it for workability? [Ryan] There’s not a lot of workability. It’s not what it's designed for. The driver was too flimsy for me. I see a lot of potential issues with this driver. It’s nowhere near the quality of the traditional RocketBallz. They’re claiming they’re taking that technology and putting it into a new lightweight, aerodynamic version. I don’t see that based on the old RocketBallz technology. The old RocketBallz driver and 3-wood have much more quality.

How is its launch? [Ryan] Launch is very high, especially on the driver and 3-wood. I was hitting it almost way too high and was having a lot of trouble getting that launch down and getting it to actually go somewhere.

How is it for spin? [Ryan] I hit the ball a lot higher than I needed to or would like to and had a lot more spin.

What do you find unique about its appearance? [Ryan] I read many reviews online about the putter that said it was like a “dollar store putter.” I think it's a little bit better than that. You do have the Pure Roll technology in there. It’s made to look like a spider without being a spider. Two interesting things here are you can use alignment points, either the center point or the back channel, to light up your ball. I thought that was interesting and an option for different people who like to line the ball up in different ways.

What may make a player shy away from it? [Ryan]I see the 3-wood and the driver potentially breaking just due to the lightweightness and flimsiness of it. This is supposed to be a stiff shaft, and it didn’t feel all that stiff. It has a lot of whip there. In all honesty, I see that happening.

Does this club swing light or heavy to you? [Ryan] I’m not going to pick the putter if I have other options. But as far as coming with a standard model, it’s a pretty good beginning putter. It’s got really good weight to it. I like the heaviness at the head that feels like I actually get a little oomph behind my putts that I hit.

How does weight affect different players? [Ryan] For a golfer like me, a little bit more advanced, higher-handicap golfer, it actually is a detriment to have lighter weights.

Are there any drawbacks to this club? [Ryan] The bag is a cart bag, which is disappointing. Especially for new beginners, you can’t walk with this bag. It doesn’t stand up very well on its own. Your bag was full, and you haul it over at the range, so you’re asking the clubs to get dented and scratched. The bag itself is just very cheaply made. You can tell it’s flimsy, and the zippers are cheap. It can break on you very easily. Even the printing on the bag is just a cheap kind of plastic. The metal peels off, there’s not a lot of embroidering getting done, and it needs to have a kickstand for sure. So, the set overall is not worth the price, in my opinion.

Recommendations

Who would you recommend this club to? [Ryan] If you’re a diehard TaylorMade fan and you don’t have the money for the M4, SIM2, or Stealth setup, then the RBC could be a fit for you if you want to stick that way and are kind of new to the game and want something that is going to last. But rest assured, you’ll have some quality issues down the road.

Who should avoid this club, and what type of club would be a better option for that player? [Ryan] For a beginner, the price is okay. But there are better sets at this price point and other price points. I think Callaway XR is a better product at the same price point. Cobra Fly XL is a better product at a lower price point.

Golf clubs work differently for different types of golfers. If you are wondering whether the RBZ Speedlite Set is the right club for you, chat with Ryan or any other Golf Experts here on Curated, and they’ll put together free, personalized club recommendations on the best club for your needs.