Martin Hopley
By

The TaylorMade M5 irons are their game improvement irons for single figure players and upwards. That may sound like a bit of an oxymoron, but even better players need some forgiveness and TaylorMade has been getting better in this sector, as the previous M3 irons showed.

TaylorMade M5 Irons

The M5 irons take this to the next level as they cross to the promised land of speed and forgiveness in a compact head by using the Speed Bridge.

TaylorMade M5 Irons

This bar across the back of the head connects the rear of the cavity to the topline in order to stiffen the chassis, which in turn improves ball speed and sound.

The Speed Bar enables TaylorMade to use the same Thru-Slot they had in the P790 iron, which enables the face to hinge from the top and flex more.

TaylorMade M5 Irons

Unlike the P790, there is no foam inside, but instead there is a Hybrar damper in the sole behind the face. This is activated by being compressed at impact and it modifies the sound waves so you go ‘that feels good’.

TaylorMade M5 Irons

The Speed Pocket is a different type of slot to the M3 irons as it is shorter and a proper cut through, whereas the previous version looked more like an accordion on the inside.

This saves weight that can then be moved lower and further back to give the launch to go with the extra ball speed.

TaylorMade M5 Irons

Taking the M5 irons on GC Quad, you can see that whilst the ball speed was similar, the stiffer frame was creating less spin and that saw a small distance gain.

TaylorMade M5 Irons

This puts the M5 6-iron a bit behind the 1.5º stronger lofted M6 iron version. The M6 is also more forgiving, hence the faster ball speed and more distance.

TaylorMade M5 Irons

In order to keep the peak height the same the M5 lofts are 0.5º stronger than M3 to accommodate the different launch conditions.

The M5 is obviously a smaller profile than M6, but it is also slightly more compact than M3 with less offset and a thinner topline, although you hardly notice.

TaylorMade M5 Irons

Like the M3, there is a leading edge grind to improve contact with the turf, which helps to reduce the bounce a little, but I think it works very well.

TaylorMade M5 Irons

Even with the compact head size, this is a forgiving iron. The high density tungsten on the inside helps to position the CG of the head more towards the centre to improve the MOI and keep your mis-hits going straighter.

TaylorMade M5 Irons

The sound and feel was excellent right through the set, with the 4 and 5 iron maybe starting to give off the odd hollow note, but that is being picky. When you get to the forged short irons the feel is very solid, giving you plenty of control.

TaylorMade M5 Irons

Higher single figure players could also consider putting in the M6 4-iron as it is the same loft and will give you that extra margin for error.

TaylorMade M5 Irons Verdict

I have to say that I really like the TaylorMade M5 Irons. They offer better players the speed of P790 irons, with the forgiveness of a cavity back design, for the same price as the M3 irons, making them a compelling choice.

They look clean, compact and sharp and the feel is everything better players will want. Those who have been used to forged irons could easily transfer into the M5 irons without having an issue with the sound.

For me this is one of the stand out products of the M5 & M6 range this year, so go check them out.

Golfalot Rating: 5 stars
More from TaylorMade
Share:

Videos

Picture

TaylorMade M5 Iron

TaylorMade M5 Irons - Product Details

UK Launch15 February 2019
UK Launch RRP£999
USA Launch15 February 2019
European Launch15 February 2019
European Launch RRP€1149
Handicap Range
Low
High
GolferMens
Hand AvailabilityLeft, Right
ManufactureCast
MaterialSteel
FinishChrome
Swing WeightD2
Shaft NameTrue Temper XP100, Mitsubishi Tensei Orange
Shaft TypesSteel, Graphite
Shaft FlexRegular, Stiff
GripGolf Pride Tour Velvet
DesignCavity Back
Set Makeup4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, PW
Additional ClubsGW, SW
Manufacturer's WebsiteTaylorMade Website

Write a Review

Facebook Comments