While much of TaylorMade’s recent driver success has been attributed to the M Series of drivers, the often overlooked RBZ Driver has been the true champion of the TaylorMade collection. First marketed as a less expensive and beginner-friendly, the RBZ Driver was a true success. This overwhelming success resulted in a recent redesign of the original TaylorMade RBZ Driver. Thus the RBZ Black Driver was born!
So in today’s article, we will be reviewing the TaylorMade RBZ Driver. We will take an in-depth look at all the technology and special features TaylorMade uses to help get you max distance off the tee. Plus, we’ll give our recommendations about who the RBZ Driver is best suited for. No stone was left unturned in our quest to bring you the most important information about the TaylorMade RBZ Driver.
TaylorMade RBZ Driver Review
TaylorMade Men's RBZ Black Driver
Features
- A large, 460cc Titanium head with an adjustable loft sleeve allows for optimized launch and trajectory
- Ultralite Titanium core strategically positions mass for higher launch and trajectory control
- Premium matrix White tie 55 shaft for maximum distance and smooth feel
- Legendary speed pocket performance for high launch and low spin, resulting in more distance
- New satin black finish with elegant detailing to improve alignment
Key Features
While the RBZ Black Driver does not have many of the “latest and greatest” features, it still has the most important features which include:
- Ultralite Titanium Core
- A Speed Pocket
- Adjustable Loft Sleeve
- Premium Shaft
What is most impressive of these four key features isn’t how they work alone, but rather how they work together. You see, one of the biggest reasons why the RBZ Driver is a best seller is because of the great mix of forgiveness, distance, and feel. So it seems that TaylorMade has found the perfect recipe with these four features.
Another thing to note is many of these features on the RBZ driver are also present on TaylorMade’s newest drivers. For instance, a large Speed Pocket can be found on both the RBZ Driver and the M Series Drivers. An Adjustable Loft Sleeve is also present on almost every modern TaylorMade driver.
In the next section, we will take a look at what exactly each feature does and how it can help your golf game.
Technology used in this Club
The first technological feature that we will discuss is the Ultralite Titanium Core. A golf driver is only as good as its core, and the RBZ Driver uses a premium Ultralite Titanium Core. This lightweight core allows for weight to be placed further back in the clubhead, increasing forgiveness. Another benefit of increased back weighting is higher launch angles and more consistent carry.
The second type of technology that is part of the RBZ Driver is a Speed Pocket on the underside of the driver’s head. Any type of speed pocket helps increase clubhead speed through reduced weighting and aerodynamics. Speed pockets also help create a trampoline effect, transferring more energy to the golf ball during impact.
The final piece of technology that has been helping golfers for almost a decade is an Adjustable Loft Sleeve. Specifically, this loft sleeve allows for adjustments of loft approximately +/- two degrees. So you can dial in the RBZ Driver to the perfect launch height giving you the most carry possible.
Who is Best Suited for this Club
Quite honestly, the TaylorMade RBZ Driver will work great for almost any golfer. This isn’t really a surprise as this is what TaylorMade intended. But there are two groups of golfers who may have the most to gain; budget-minded golfers and golfers with slower swing speeds.
For the budget-minded golfers, the reason the RBZ Driver is so great is that no other driver offers the same performance for the price. The only way you can get better performance for the price is if you buy a used top brand driver from the last five years. But used clubs come with no warranty and some wear, unlike a brand new RBZ Driver.
As many golfers know, swing speed plays a big role in how much distance you can get off the tee. While swing speeds tend to decline as golfers age, golfers can unlock some extra swing speed by swinging a light and aerodynamic club like the RBZ Driver. RBZ actually stands for Rocketballz, a line of clubs that TaylorMade created to help golfers capture more swing speed. So it’s no surprise that the Rocketballz driver helps the average golfer swing faster and get more distance.
While the RBZ Driver will work great for everyone, it does lack some workability that low handicap players may desire. Also, it doesn’t have the newest driver face technology, which impacts forgiveness a bit.
Benefits & Drawbacks
At this point, it’s quite clear that TaylorMade’s RBZ Driver’s greatest benefit is its affordability. Other great benefits include outstanding distance and improved swing speeds. Another often overlooked benefit is the sleek look and excellent sound.
The number of drawbacks for the RBZ Driver is very few. As noted earlier, the RBZ Driver does lack some forgiveness across the face. It also doesn’t have many customization options as the newest drivers do. But these drawbacks are somewhat small and do not heavily impact the driver’s performance.
Perhaps the best thing to say about the RBZ Driver is to have the right expectations. At $200 it is a great value. But do not expect it to have the latest and greatest features as higher-end drivers. As long as you have your expectations in line with what the club can deliver, you will be very happy with the TaylorMade RBZ Driver.
Pros
Here is a quick roundup of all the positive features of the TaylorMade RBZ Driver:
- Great Distance
- Increases Swing Speed
- Sleek Looks
- Outstanding Value
Cons
There are only a couple negatives with the RBZ Driver and they are:
- Little Customization
- Could Have Better Forgiveness
Bottom Line
You’ve reached the end of our review of the TaylorMade RBZ Driver. By now it should be pretty clear why the RBZ Driver is a best seller on Amazon and one of TaylorMade’s all-time best-selling drivers!
For those looking to add the TaylorMade RBZ Driver to their bag, the best place to pick up the club would be on Amazon. For those near a golf specialty store like Golf Galaxy or PGA Superstore, a quick trip should allow you to find an RBZ Driver. Regular sporting goods stores and your local golf course will probably not have the RBZ Driver in stock, despite its popularity.
Overall, the TaylorMade RBZ Driver is by far the best value driver on the market. It is also a great speed driver that can help golfers with slower swing speeds regain some extra distance. So if you are a budget-minded golfer who’s looking for a new driver, the TaylorMade RBZ is the perfect match!