Club Test: TaylorMade PSi vs RSi 2

Is Newer Better?

TaylorMade’s PSi iron is an indirect replacement for RSi 2. What does that mean exactly? While it takes the RSi 2’s place in the TaylorMade lineup, it’s not exactly an equivalent offering – it doesn’t overlap perfectly.

In an age where lofts are becoming strong with each release, TaylorMade took the somewhat unusual approach of weakening lofts by .5 degrees on average throughout the set, though shaft lengths unchanged. As you might glean from the slight alternation in specs, the PSi isn’t designed to fit exactly the same golfer as the RSi 2. Instead, the PSi is designed with a slightly better player in mind.

That created a bit of a gap in the lineup, which TaylorMade filled by making M2/M2 Tour a bit less game-improvement than last season’s AeroBurner. Basically, over the last several months, TaylorMade has basically bumped its entire iron lineup towards the better player – though M2 remains an excellent option for higher handicap golfers.

And all that’s without digging too much into PSi Tour, which was actually designed with, really, tour guys in mind. We’re talking about a legitimate Tour iron, developed for TaylorMade’s top players as an alternative to unforgiving blades.

PSi Technology

Much of PSi’s technology (most notably Speed Slots) carries over from RSi 2. A redesigned Cut-Thru Speed Pocket is intended to bring a bit more distance (particularly on low face shots). The face itself has been thinned a bit to boost the COR.

In an attempt to improve feel, TaylorMade created a new HYBRAR-based dampening system. The material offers rubbber-like elasticity, but has fantastic shock absorption properties. I had the chance to play around with the material at a TaylorMade event last fall. It’s a fascinating material. It looks and feels like rubber, but is almost entirely non-responsive when dropped. Basically, it doesn’t bounce. It absorbs impact almost entirely.

The Test

With an iron like PSi, we believe we need to consider two things.

• Is the product measurably better than what came before it.
• Did the company achieve the design goals specific to the product.

That first one is admittedly tricky given that TaylorMade moved its own goal posts a bit, but to find out if PSi compares favorably to RSi 2, we put the irons to the test.

Test Conditions

• 3 Testers  HCP Range from 2-11, hit 10 shots with 4 irons, 7 irons, and Pitching Wedges
• The order clubs were hit was randomized on a per tester basis
• All shots hit using Bridgestone B330-RX balls
• All shots measured using ForeSight GC2 Launch Monitors
• Country Club Elite Mats from Real Feel Golf Mats were used as the hitting surface.
• Each iron was outfitted with its stock shaft
  • RSi 2 – KBS 105
  • PSi – KBS C-Taper 105

Test Results

Observations:

Given the design emphasis around COR, and presumably ball speed, we were a bit surprised to see PSi produce consistently slower ball speeds. That’s at least in part attributable to the weaker lofts, and becomes much less of a concern when you consider that PSi consistently launched higher with more spin. It’s a combination that’s undesirable in a driver, but unless it’s excessive, many will find it desirable in an iron.

Focusing on distance for a moment, we see less than 2 yards of distance between the two irons, with the PSi producing an apex nearly 2 yards higher. We also like the significantly tighter shot area (dispersion) favoring the PSi, which, as you’ll see, is the defining difference between the two irons.

Observations:

Again we find plenty of similarities and some subtle, yet not unimportant, differences.

As was the case with the longer irons, PSi proved to be the slower of the two irons, but launch angles, spin rates, and apex (peak height) were again higher. PSi carry distance lagged by roughly 2.5 yards.

While we’d be remiss to point out that our testers missed the target line by a bit more with the PSi this time, we also feel compelled to point out that once again – and we’d argue most importantly – the shot area (our preferred measurement of consistency) was tighter with the PSi.

We like that quite a bit.

Observations:

Moving to the wedge, differences are perhaps a bit more surprising. The slots are out of the equation, which means distance comes primarily from loft and not technology. Nevertheless we did see some notable points of distinction.

Yet again, RSi 2 was the faster iron producing a bit more distance, while the PSi continued to launch higher, spin more, and climb higher. Most significantly, the average shot area for the PSi was half the size it was for the RSi 2… and we think RSi 2 is a really good iron.

Once again, we’ll trade a couple of yards for the added consistency.

Look & Feel Notes

As you’re probably aware, we don’t dig too much into sound and feel because it’s entirely subjective, but this time around I did want to share some observations and tester feedback.

• It may not be immediately apparent, but with enough focus, it’s clear that the topline on the PSi is noticeably smaller.
• Offset is less pronounced as well.
• Personal opinion for sure, but the badging on the PSi is cleaner and yet more modern.
• As far as feel is concerned, one tester preferred the PSi, another strongly preferred the RSi 2, while the 3rd was completely indifferent.

The crucial points are probably the first two. The PSi is slightly more compact, slightly more refined, and because of that, will likely be more appealing to golfers who generally don’t like the appearance of what you might call tech irons.

The Verdict

In a perfect world, the PSi would offer almost immeasurable improvement over the RSI 2. This, however, is reality, and that’s generally not how year-over-year iterations of golf clubs work.

We do believe that TaylorMade succeeded at its goal of creating a slightly more player-centric iron without compromising on the technology. That said, only you can decide if the performance improvement justifies the increased cost. A set of PSi of irons will run you $1100 (based on 4-AW, steel), while persistent shoppers can likely find a set of closeout RSi 2 irons for less than $500.

Cost is always a consideration, but we can’t argue even a little with the tighter dispersion and improved consistency. While the PSi isn’t groundbreaking, it’s a step-forward… an unquestionable improvement over what came before it.

What more can we as golfers ask for?