Are Taylormade R11 Irons Good for High Handicappers? – Are They Forgiving for Beginners?

The Taylormade R11 follow in the footsteps of the popular R11 driver. But does that make them good for high handicappers?

One of the best things about the R11 driver was the tuning port that allowed for precise swing weighting and CG. That same feature is present in the Taylormade R11 irons but has been optimized for iron performance.

The Taylormade R11 irons also have classic forgiveness features that can be found in many Taylormade golf clubs such as the inverted cone technology which helps correct toe-side misses. The Taylormade R11 irons provide decent forgiveness and a surprising level of workability.

So what does that mean for the average high handicap golfer? Find out in the following Taylormade R11 irons review.

Overview of the Taylormade R11 Irons

The weight port in the back of the head of the Taylormade R11 irons moves the CG away from the heel and closer to the center of the club head.

The result is less variance during assembly and a very balanced feel. One of the things about the Taylormade R11 irons that our testers noted almost instantly is the amazing leverage you get from them on your downswing.

The Taylormade R11 irons also play very hot. The faces are nice and thin which does affect consistency a bit but overall, it makes for great distance. The R11’s also have progressive toplines that start very thick in the long irons but thin out as you work towards the shorter irons.

We thought this was a really nice touch for all kinds of golfers. The long irons look much more inviting and you get a sleek player’s performance look from the short irons – a very smart design element. The long irons also have wider soles than the short irons which improves launch.

And that’sa good thing because the Taylormade R11 have relatively weak lofts. For instance, the 9-iron is set to 40 degrees. These were definitely intended to be distance irons but the wider soles in the long irons make them viable for long approaches to fast greens.

What Type of Irons Are They?

We believe it’s safe to call the Taylormade R11 irons game-improvement irons.

As a subset to game-improvement, we would also call the Taylormade R11’s distance irons. They are great for punch shots and deliver piercing trajectory powered by the ultra-thin faces. The inverted cone technology does definitely help with toe-side misses; but the main attraction of these irons is the distance.

How Forgiving Are the Irons for High Handicappers?

The best thing about these irons for high handicappers is that they appear to increase swing speed. Most of our testers noted at least a 2 mph increase in club head speed when using the Taylormade R11 irons.

The Taylormade R11 irons have moderate offset but they are muscle back irons so they are inherently pretty forgiving. Are they the most forgiving Taylormade irons on the market? Certainly not but if you have a moderately accurate swing and need more distance, the Taylormade R11 would surely work for you.

Are The Taylormade R11 Irons Still Good?

The R11 irons, despite being on the shelves since 2011 are still very competitive when it comes to todays irons.

While manufacturers will claim massive improvements to their clubs every year, the actual differences the average player will see are minimal and incremental.

The R11 irons are still an excellent game improvement option for those who are new to the game or those looking to reach the mid handicap level.

Shaft Options

The Taylormade R11 irons come with either graphite or steel shafts.

You won’t get a ton of stock shaft options because these are older irons. But you can choose from a KBS 90 steel shaft in stiff or regular flex and a Motore graphite shaft in stiff or regular flex.

Workability Assessment

We were surprised at how workable the long irons in this set were.

Not only do they produce great loft; but they land with plenty of spin too. The longer irons were truly a pleasure to hit and the stick fast greens very well thanks to their high launch (despite the weak lofts) and the spin rate.

The shorter irons are also very workable in terms of spin. They have biting grooves and beveled soles that really increase feel and control even from tight lies. While you can’t draw or fade the ball at will, we don’t think that will bother high handicap players too much.

Distance Assessment

The thin faces really help increase distance while the precision weighting allows for a smooth backs swing and downswing.

The Taylormade R11 irons play long because they allow the player to swing the club faster – well, that and the super thin faces. It’s a very effective combo but players should be warned that you will still need at least a moderate swing speed to get good distance from these irons.

Our testers with a swing speed of at least 85 mph were getting max distances of 155 yards with 7-iron in this set.

Accuracy & Consistency Assessment

Accuracy was great from distance and short range but the consistency was a bit of an issue.

The thin face design doesn’t allow for great stability. Mis-hits were pronounced as they shanked erratically off the club face. It was also a bit difficult to get a bead on repeatable distances.

Do They Have a Beginner-Friendly Price?

More or less. Nowadays, you can pick up a full set of Taylormade R11 irons for about $500.

Taylormade R11 Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Excellent swing balance
• They help increase swing speed
• Good distance
• They’ll help you land the ball dead on the green from distance
• Good short-game spin
• They play well in tight lies

Cons:

• Poor consistency
• A bit pricey
• Poor feel
• Hard to determine where the ball struck

Overall Score: 95/100

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Other Beginner Irons to Consider

Callaway Epic Max Star Irons

The Epic Max Star irons have premium appointments and a very beginner-friendly look.

These irons have a large footprint which will be very pleasing for high handicappers. They are also forged from 1025 steel.

Overall Score: 96/100

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Taylormade M3 Irons

The M3 irons feature face slots which help with mis-hits.

These irons were great on shots hit close to the toe or heel. They produced good distance on mis-hits by allowing them to fly straighter.

Overall Score: 93/100

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Callaway Rogue ST Max Irons

It’s hard to miss the sweet spot on these irons and the 62 grams of tungsten weight allow for incredible launch.

Overall Score: 93/100

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Our Recommendation

The Taylormade R11 yield great distance.

Distance is great but the accuracy from distance is really what struck us the most. They perform like muscle-back irons. We recommend them to anyone who wants to land more greens from distance; but they aren’t the most forgiving irons.