Taylormade RBZ Speedlite Review

The TaylorMade RBZ SpeedLite is a complete set of golf clubs that is aimed at beginner to intermediate male golfers looking for great distance and performance. Without the hassle of building a custom set of irons, woods, wedges, putter and golf bag – but is it worth its price tag?

We tested the TaylorMade RBZ SpeedLite and have some results to share with you.

Driver & Woods

The driver and woods in the TaylorMade RBZ Speedlite are considerably better than the drivers and woods in other complete set options for beginners and intermediate players. The only option that comes close is the Cobra Fly XL complete set, which we’ll cover as a possible alternative at the end of this review.

The TaylorMade RBZ set comes with a lightweight 460 titanium driver that generates great ball speed. We were impressed with how much distance this driver generates, very comparable to a premium $450 driver. The RBZ driver creates a high, neutral ball flight and is very forgiving – ideal if you are learning the game, or play infrequently.

The set also has two fairway woods, a 15-degree 3 wood and a 19-degree 5 wood. Both the fairway woods feature Speed Pocket technology, something used in the TaylorMade SIM Series of golf clubs.

The fairway woods are easy to launch, even when hit thin or struck low on the face. Will they bring you the same performance as the new Stealth clubs from Taylormade? Probably not. However, compared to fairway woods in other package sets, these are superb, offering great distance and forgiveness.

Hybrids & Irons

The TaylorMade RBZ Speedlite package set comes with a 4-rescue (or hybrid) and a 5-rescue. The 4 has 22 degrees of loft, and the 5 has 25 degrees of loft. The rescues are considerably easier to hit out of the rough than long irons, and due to their design offer far more forgiveness from all situations.

After testing these, we can report they fly! These will become a firm favourite of yours for longer shots on par 4s and 5s.

The iron set is a 6-PW set makeup that comes in either steel or graphite shafts. The graphite shafts are considerably more expensive (expect to pay $150-$200 more for graphite), but they offer better performance for those with slower swing speeds, looking for more distance and control.

The irons are excellent when it comes to creating a high launch, forgiveness, and distance. In fact, even when trying to work the ball, we were surprised by how well these irons did. Most forgiving irons offer very little workability, but the TaylorMade RBZ Speedlite was not a complete miss regarding workability.

These irons are very similar to the Callaway Edge irons in terms of performance, we weren’t testing them side-by-side, but our hunch is these slightly out-perform the Edge irons. The Cobra Fly XL irons are a tad more forgiving than these, thanks to their chunky design, but all three complete sets are great options for golfers.

Wedges & Putter

The wedges extend past the pitching wedge to the sand wedge. There is no lob wedge in this set, so that is something that you may want to add at some point. In fact, that is the only thing we would see needing to add to this set; the rest is going to get you into the game and last you for. avery long time as you progress.

The wedges offer great control and spin, they are slightly chunkier than a premium $150 wedge, but still perform very well around the greens. The versatile C Grind can help from the rough as well as the short grass. Many beginners sets only include one budget wedge, so the TaylorMade RBZ Speedlite is a great choice if you want to invest in some great gear for pitching and chipping.

The putter is a mallet-style putter with the TaylorMade Pure Roll technology. This putter stands out as one of the best you’ll find in beginner sets and is our favorite part of the entire TaylorMade RBZ Speedlite set. When it comes to alignment, roll, consistency, and overall capability on the green, you will have a hard time finding a complete set with a better option than the TaylorMade RBZ Speedlite package putter.

Golf Bag

The set comes with a cart-style golf bag with 14 individual dividers and 8 pockets. Overall the golf bag with the RBZ Speedlite Set is high quality; it is darker in color so that it won’t get as dirty, and it does a good job with overall organization. It would be nice to have a choice of a stand bag if wanted, but the cart bag is generally quite lightweight.

Golf Insider verdict

The TaylorMade RBZ Speedlite Package is top of the range when it comes to complete sets, but it offers great value, and some of the best gear for beginners out there. If you have the money to spend, and you want great clubs for your golfing jounrey the RBZ Speedlite Package is a great option to consider.

Alternatives to the TaylorMade RBZ Speedlite

The TaylorMade RBZ Speedlite has some of the best gear on the market, but it is pricey. Here we’ll look at some top alternatives to consider.

Cobra Fly XL Golf Set

The Cobra Fly XL Golf set is one of the best options for money on the market and is closest to the TaylorMade RBZ SpeedLite in terms of performance.

This set has an excellent feel, impressive launch, fair value, and offer great forgiveness across all woods and irons. The Cobra FLY XL golf clubs have a bit more draw bias than the TaylorMade RBZ Speedlite, so that is something to watch out for if you already draw the ball. They also have slightly lighter shafts, so these are a good option if you have a slower swing speed and want to max out distance.

If you need new clubs but are not ready to spend the money that the TaylorMade package sets require, the Cobra Fly XL is an excellent alternative for most golfers. For a more detailed review, check out our full review of the Cobra Fly XL complete golf set.

Callaway Strata

Callaway Strata is a very popular beginner set that comes in a few different set makeups. If you are looking for a complete set or simply need a few clubs, there are Callaway Strata options for your needs.

This set is considerably less expensive than the TaylorMade RBZ SpeedLite, but you will see that reflected in the technology, materials, and set makeup. There are fewer clubs in the Strata sets, but the biggest difference lies in the performance of the woods – the driver, fairway woods and hybrids just don’t perform anywhere near as well as the higher-quality TyalorMade or Cobra options. Whereas, the irons, wedges and putter show less of a difference.

As professionals testing tis equipment, we maybe find this difference more pronounced, and many beginners may not feel such a difference – the Strata clubs are still one of the best budget options on the market.

You can check out our details Callaway Strata complete set review here.

Callaway Edge Complete Set

The final comparison you need to know about are the Callaway Edge complete set. These were launched off the tremodous success of the Strata series. They come in a few hundred dollars below the TaylorMade RBZ complete set but what do you lose/gain?

First, there is no bag with the Callaway Edge set. However, the Callaway Edge irons, wedges and putter are all top-notch, offering nearly the same performance as the TaylorMade set. There is a slight dip in performance with the hybrid and fairway woods compared to the TaylorMade RBZ, but the main difference lay in the driver – the Edge driver is well above the average package set driver, but the TaylorMade RBZ is very good – offering better forgiveness and a little more control.

As golf coaches, we wouldn’t have any concerns if a beginner golfer came for a golf lesson with the TaylorMade RBZs, Cobra Fly XL or Callaway Edge complete set, so the bottom line is your preference and budget.

For more information on the best golf club sets for beginners, check out our detailed review.

Conclusion

TaylorMade have done an excellent job of putting out a high-quality set of golf clubs designed specifically for the golfer that wants high performance clubs in a package set.

If you want some great golf clubs and have the budget, the TaylorMade RBZ SpeedLite complete set is a great choice. The Cobra Fly XL and Callaway Edge are two great alternatives at slightly lower price points. The Cobra are ideal for shorter hitter who want more of a draw, whereas the TaylorMade RBZ’s are better suited to mid-high swing speeds who are after a neutral ball flight.

Happy golfing.