Callaway Strata Vs Taylormade RBZ Speedlight Club Sets Review And Comparison 2023
Two of the biggest brands in golf clash in this review of two excellent golf club sets from the pair.
The Callaway Strata are the most famous name in golf when it comes to getting an excellent quality set of clubs for an excellent price.
While the Strata is excellent value, The RBZ is a set of superior quality that offers increased performance for beginners looking to take their game to the next level.
Callaway Strata Set Overview
The Strata is set is famous the world over with 1000’s of 5 star reviews cementing their place at the top of the market.
The set comes in a 12, 14 and 16 piece version but we recommend at least the 14 piece as the 12 piece doesn’t come with a Sand Wedge.
The clubs are game improvement in nature with massive heads and large sweet spots.
They are aimed at average players with steel irons in the shafts that may not suit seniors and slow swing speeds.
Low Center of gravity in the clubs allows you to hit high launching and forgiving shots consistently.
The excellent value of the set makes it unbeatable for newcomers to the sport and those on a budget.
Taylormade RBZ Speedlight Golf Set
Seeing all the success of Callaway’s various beginner sets, Taylormade decided it was their turn to get in on the action with the excellently crafted RBZ Speedlight set.
The set is focused on taking a player from a beginner all the way to a mid handicappers.
The set is incredibly light but the clubs are built for distance and forgiveness.
The driver has low and rear weighting with high MOI and a deep COG for long and straight shots and it also comes with a 50g light shaft which is easy to swing.
The irons have a choice of steel or graphite as well as a choice of flex that will suit any swing speed.
If you are looking to take your game to the next level, the RBZ set is almost unbeatable in the market in terms of performance.
The Strata will suit, absolute beginners the best as the clubs are good quality and keenly priced.
The RBZ will suit a player who wants to take their game to the next level. Seniors and slower swing speeds will also benefit greatly from this set, although it does cost a good bit more.
Taylormade RBZ Speedlite Golf Club Set
Category: Game Improvement/Intermediate
Callaway Strata Complete Golf Club Set
Category – Beginners Golf Club Set
Taylormade RBZ Speedlite – What’s in the Bag?
The Taylormade RBZ Speedlite Golf Club set includes the following clubs:
Driver, 3 wood, 5 wood, 4 hybrid, 5 hybrid, irons 6-9, pitching wedge, sand wedge, putter, cart bag and head covers.
Callaway Strata – Whats In The Bag
The Callaway Strata Set come with 3 different packages:
12 Piece: Driver, 3 Wood, 5 Hybrid, 6 -9 Irons, PW, Putter
14 Piece: Driver, 3 Wood, 5 Hybrid, 6 -9 Irons, PW, SW, Putter, 3 Head Covers
16 Piece: Driver, 3 Wood, 4 & 5 Hybrid, 6 -9 Irons, PW, SW, Putter, 4 Head Covers
Taylormade RBZ – First Impressions & Club Breakdowns
Overall the Taylormade RBZ Speedlite Golf Club set is versatile.
Players of multiple skill-levels will be able to benefit from it, perfect for beginners but high performing for even mid handicappers. The quality is on another level from many beginner/intermediate sets.
They are accurate and some of the clubs feel simply amazing.
Driver
The driver features Taylormade’s signature Speed Pocket which, is a trench bored behind the face to allow it to hinge freely.
This produces incredible ball speed. It is plenty forgiving too with an oversized 460CC titanium head.
Woods
The Taylormade RBZ Speedlite set comes with a 3 wood and a 5 wood.
Both are outfitted with the Speed Pocket so they boast impressive distance. The Speed Pocket also increases forgiveness on low-face shots.
Hybrids
The 4 and 5 hybrids can be deployed almost anywhere on the course.
As you can imagine, they are lightweight and they swing fast.
They also ably take the place of the 4 and 5 irons that are missing from this set.
Irons
If you are in need of irons that launch high, these are the ones for you.
Taylormade has concentrated weight in the soles of these irons to achieve higher-arcing shots.
That coupled with the unique sole geometry helps these irons perform well on any lie.
Wedges
The sand and pitching wedges feature a classic C sole grind.
The C grind is the most versatile and can be used for a wide variety of shots.
However, the best thing about the wedges are the deep grooves that give you superb spin control on approaches.
Putter
The putter (in a modern mallet head shape) features what Taylormade calls Pure Roll grooves.
The grooves are set at a 45 degree angle to promote forward roll which, is why they are especially handy on long putts.
Shafts
You get a choice between graphite and steel shafts in the irons, ensuring the clubs are perfect for average to fast swing speeds but also for seniors and slower swing speeds.
Callaway Strata – First Impressions & Club Breakdowns
After seeing the 1000’s of positive reviews online, I was looking forward to getting my heads on the clubs and getting them out on the driving range for a test run was high on the list of priorities.
You can immediately tell that the clubs are good quality when you take them out of the bag. The clubs feel light to hold and the shafts are solid but do have a bit of flex.
Driver
The driver stands out initially with the large titanium head and massive sweet spot. The club is long accurate and forgiving.
3 Wood
The 3 Wood also has a large sweet spot and is a dream to hit off the fairway. These clubs are built for distance and if you have a slower swing speed, the 3 Wood can also be excellent off the tee.
Hybrids
With the 14 piece set, you get the 5 hybrid which is the perfect club for when you veer to the left or right of the fairway. If you want an extra hybrid that can close any distance gaps and replace some irons shots, go with the 16 piece set.
Irons
The irons are game improvement with thick soles, built for distance and they interact well with the turf making them easy to get in the air and towards the green.
Wedges
The pitching wedge is nice to hit and the lack of a Sand Wedge in the 12 piece set makes the 14 piece a must have for most beginners in my book.
Putter
No complaints with the putter, they haven’t tried to reinvent the wheel, it’s a simple blade putter with a solid shaft that gets the job done with visual alignment included.
Shafts
The shafts in all of the clubs with the Strata set are Steel but you have a choice between regular and stiff flex. There is also a ladies set with ladies flex available.
The clubs are built for forgiveness AND distance, so if you have an average to faster swing speed, Strata can be an excellent option.
Taylormade RBZ Speedlite Selling Points
- Lightweight bag
- Great control from the wedges
- High launching irons
- Good driver distance
- Multi-alignment putter
- Great for all skill levels
Taylormade RBZ Speedlite Cons
- A bit pricey
- Doesn’t include stand bag
- Older Taylormade model
Callaway Strata Set – Selling Points
- Forgiving Clubs Built For Distance
- Everything You Need At An Excellent Price
- Game Improvement Irons For Distance And Forgiveness
- Durable Set Of Clubs
- Great Value For Money
Callaway Strata Cons
- No Sand Wedge in 12 piece set
- Doesnt suit seniors or slow swing speeds.
Who is the Taylormade RBZ Speedlite for?
It’s hard to pin down a specific niche for these clubs since the features seem to be beneficial for a wide variety of players, but especially beginners.
In our experience though, these game improvement clubs are for anyone looking for all around performance but especially distance with forgiveness and accuracy.
They can be used as a set of game improvement clubs for players at virtually any skill level thanks to their versatility.
The woods offer good distance for beginners, the irons are forgiving enough for intermediate players and the wedges and putter have the spin control that advanced players demand.
The Taylormade RBZ Speedlite driver comes with a 50g RBZ shaft and the set is available in right and left-handed.
Distance: 95/100
Accuracy: 93/100
Forgiveness: 90/100
Control & Feel: 95/100
Value: 90/100
Overall Score: 94/100
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Who Is The Strata Set For
The Strata set is for beginners. The clubs get rave reviews but it is important to keep in mind that they are not going to compete with a premium $400 driver or $6oo set of irons when it comes to performance.
What you are getting here is a perfectly good quality and durable set that offers plenty of performance to high handicappers for a competitive price.
Distance: 94/100
Accuracy: 94/100
Forgiveness: 95/100
Feel And Control: 90/100
Value: 98/100
Overall Score: 96/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
Aidan Lehane here, I’m a Mid-low handicap golfer who has made tremendous progress in breaking 90 in just over 1 year of playing golf seriously.
I get out to the course or range as often as possible and review all the equipment I’ve come across on this blog.