Gear Patrol | Spirit of Adventure, Passion for Gear

It's got cojonez

Recently, TaylorMade asked a handful of folks, including GP, to go hands-on with the all-new RocketBallz club franchise. Comprised of two new drivers, two new iron sets, and a golfball, the Rocketballz (aka RBZ) will hit shelves this Spring packed with tons of new technology and a pretty unforgettable name. Ultimately, all that research and [...]

Everything, and the kitchen sink.

When TaylorMade launched their Burner Irons they knew they had a great club. The Burner 2.0 has made TaylorMade the number one selling iron company in golf. While that was great for a large segment of the golfing world, the Burner’s supercharged speed and distance didn’t always work for those who occupy the mid-to-low handicap [...]

White Widow

With the success of the original Spider Putter, TaylorMade has brought back the Ghost Spider Putter ($180), this time with a fresh coat of paint and a new face insert. Turns out the white finish is 80% more reflective than traditional black providing a sharper image for better mental focus. That may not seem like [...]

Make any club a training aid.

Vince Lombardi once said, “Only perfect practice makes perfect.” True for football, also true for golf. Weighted golf clubs have been a hot training aid for years, but who wants to practice with a club they aren’t actually going to play with? Taylormade’s TR3 Speed Sleeve ($30) does just that, transforming any club in your [...]

This past Tuesday, TaylorMade unleashed the commanding new R11 Driver to frigid New Yorkers. In celebration TaylorMade and Golfsmith converted the 54th street block into a driving range — in less than 7 hours. Gear Patrol had a pair of intervelometer equipped Canon 7D’s on the ground to capture the build-up in a 4,000 photo [...]

White is the new black

Let’s just get it out of the way. The Taylormade R11 is white. It’s designed to cut down on sun glare and reflections on the crown that can be distracting. Is it unique? Yes, for now. Does it warrant buying a new driver? Not really. I can’t remember ever being distracted by my driver. Don’t [...]

Compensation to the third power

When it comes to golf, there’s no rest for the weary engineers. The latest volley into the epic battle for longest, baddest driver continues with the upcoming TaylorMade R11. Using a small wrench (included), the driver allows for not one, not two, but three axes of adjustability and customization, which can affect up-to 100 yards [...]

Second Burning

Buying a new set of irons can be daunting. It’s a big investment and you have to find a set that works for so many different shot needs. Some sets may have great scoring irons but you can’t elevate the long irons to maximize distance. Conversely, some have explosive distance but the look and feel [...]

I Ain't Afraid of No Ghost

If you haven’t seen the new TaylorMade Rossa Ghost Putter ($160) all over the PGA Tour this summer it’s not surprising. It’s designed, after all, not to draw your attention. Justin Rose has already won twice with it (and nearly a third time), and I easily counted a dozen pros at St. Andrews sporting some [...]

Super Charged, Super Long

Unsheathing a driver always triggers a little excitement, no matter how many times I’ve done it. It’s the anticipation that something spectacular could happen. The fact that it could be good or bad only adds to the rush. But I don’t worry so much about the bad these days. What I didn’t mention was that [...]

Time to Face the New Groove Regulations

The start of the PGA Tour season is upon us and with it comes a new USGA rule governing grooves. The beloved U-groove that has been the gold standard for scoring wedges for years and is a vast improvement over the less-effective V-grooves of yesteryear has been decreed illegal. The idea is that the rollback [...]

Because 5 Pieces Are Better Than, Well, Pretty Much Anything Less

It’s not uncommon to see a stack of nondescript boxes littering the Gear Patrol mail room. Recently, found amidst said pile was a package from our good friends at Taylormade Golf containing the yet to be released Penta TP golf ball. To say that we did not dance the customary happy dance before bolting to [...]

When it comes to customization, Taylormade gives you the shaft.

I have long envied tour players, what with their golf clubs fitted down to the n’th degree. You see, we mere mortal men may buy the same clubs, but they bear little resemblance to what you see used on tour each week. It hardly seems fair that just because they’re better golfers, pros should get [...]

An Affordable Premium Golf Glove

I play golf in the northeast where summer months bring lots of humidity. The last thing that you want to experience is feeling the club slip when you swing. A lot of gloves on the market today simply don’t offer a solution for sweaty hands. The Targa Tour Glove from Taylormade Golf is my salvation. [...]

Are you a Bomber or a Technician? While putting may be universally accepted as the most important aspect of golf, I believe that driving is the key to enjoying golf. Poor driving puts tremendous pressure on the rest of your game. Yes, missing a short birdie putt makes you sick, but a poor drive precludes [...]