TAYLORMADE M4

YOU NEED TO KNOW:

New RIBCOR tech behind the face localises face flexibility which Taylormade say transfers more energy to the ball, increasing ball speed and distance. A fluted hosel, undercut top edge, speed pocket sole and face slots all help create a very low CG design and highly forgiving iron. A carbon-fibre cavity badge dampens unwanted vibrations, improving sound and feel for this category of iron.

WE SAY:

Taylormade have taken stick over the years for ramping up iron lofts and using longer shafts, just so they could lay claim to being the longest irons available. For the last two years our tests have thrown up Taylormade’s M2 as the longest iron we’ve

hit. Unfortunately, for 2018 Callaway, have played the strong loft game harder and faster. Distance with irons isn’t everyone’s cup of tea (though when was the last time you had too much?). But the idea of this test is to turn yards into a commodity. So as beautiful and jam-packed full of ball speed improving tech as the M4s are, they aren’t quite the longest iron of 2018.

VERDICT:

As good as the M4’s RIBCOR tech is at preserving ball speeds, with a 7-iron loft 1.5° more than the Rogue X it was always going to struggle to match the Callaway pound for pound in terms of carry distance. On a level loft playing field, results might be different. But it isn’t a fair fight, and if our test pro chose the M4s over the Rogue X, he’d give up half-a-club, or six yards, of carry.