TGB Go Clubbing: Review of TaylorMade Rescue Dual

Having tried many different hybrid clubs on the market, I believe the new Taylormade Rescue Dual TP model might be the best hybrid I have ever played. However, in order to put my review of the club into perspective, I should describe my golf game first.

I started playing golf when I was eight years old. I turn 25 on August 26. During Jr. and Sr. high school, the golf course acted as my "baby sitter" and I played 4 years of varsity high school golf and competed in a state championship, my senior season. After high school, I played college golf at Ohio Wesleyan University, where I was a 2-time Academic All American and 2-time North Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year. After graduating from OWU, I went on to law school at Ohio State, and I still play a decent amount of golf, but not as much as I did in my high school and college days. Currently, I play to about a 3 handicap, yet if I played more, I could get back to a scratch or even plus golfer, which I was at one point.

I work at Oakhaven Golf Club in Delaware, Ohio, which is where I have hit most of the clubs on the market. Last time I checked, which was about a month ago, my swing speed was 107mph and my ball speed was around 168mph (to put it into perspective Tiger's is around 210). I have an Adilia NV X-65g shaft in my 7.5 degree Titleist 983 driver and play Cleveland TA7 Tour irons with True Temper S300 shafts. So, I am not your typical weekend golfer, but I have a lot of experience hitting, being fit, and testing clubs.

When I got the new Taylormade Dual Hybrid, I tried the 19 degree with the stock-graphite stiff shaft. These clubs retail at $199.99. I figured with my swing speed close enough to the 95-105mph swing speed for a typical stiff shaft that the stock-graphite shiff shaft would work. The club came with two weights, a 2 gram and a 14 gram weight which you are able to switch to make the club have a draw face and a fade face. I typically hit a slight draw, so I started with the fade setting. With my swing speed, I would hit it good about 2 out of every 3 times. However, when I hit it, it was a beautiful 230 yards straight up and straight down. I was able to work the hybrid as well, but I found it easier to hit a draw than a fade. Also, I hit my "the shot of the year" with the Taylormade Dual Hybrid. It was #6 on the Player Nine at Hilton Head National in Hilton Head, SC. I hit a pretty poor three wood and left myself with 232 yards over water off a down hill mound. I pulled out the Rescue Dual and proceeded to hit it 5 feet and rolled the putt in for eagle (with a new Taylormade Monza line putter, which I'll be reviewing later). Honestly, I would have had to lay up if I didn't have the Rescue Dual, since my 2-iron would have probably placed me into the water fronting the green. Nevertheless, I felt that the shaft in the club was not right, so I went out to find the "TP" model which I could find in an extra-stiff graphite shaft.

After searching around, I obtained a Rescue Dual TP, which retail for $299.99. The TP model has a few different features: First, it comes with a pair of 8 gram weights which allow you to set the club up for a neutral ball flight. Second, the club has a Mitsubishi Diamana H, X-stiff shaft in it. The Diamana is the same make of shaft Tiger has in his Nike driver. Now, I thought that I would not notice a difference in the club, but the TP model is amazing. I picked up an additional 5 yards of carry and the ability to set the club "neutral" allowed me to work the ball both ways. In fact, I replaced my 2 iron with the TP Dual after hitting the TP 3 times, and the 2 iron is still riding the pine.

Botttom line: Even though I liked the standard Rescue Dual, I needed to find a stiffer shaft. In fact, my father, who typically uses a standard graphite stiff shaft, loves the standard Rescue Dual. But, for my game the Rescue Dual TP model is just the best fit, and I look forward to hitting it every time that I can.