TaylorMade Rescue Dual

By David Savona

If, as golf dogma attests, only God and Jack Nicklaus can hit a 1-iron, it follows that the 2-, 3- and 4-irons are only suited for angels and saints. Beatification not being a cakewalk, perhaps a better strategy would be to give up on long irons and replace them in your bag with a utility club like the TaylorMade Rescue Dual.

In theory, long irons, with their ultra-long shafts and slim head angles, are helpful tools for smacking the ball with a high degree of accuracy, but in practice they are less forgiving than an ex-wife, causing golfers to spray balls all over the course. Utility, or hybrid, clubs are the new breed of golf weapons designed to hit the ball as far as a long iron, but with ease. TaylorMade takes the concept to a new level with the adjustable screw technology it popularized on its R7 Quad driver. Now golfers can customize their utility clubs to their own swing.

The steel head of the club is compact and powerful, with a pair of weight screws that resemble the eyes of a hungry snake. Thinner than a wood, but thicker than an iron, the Dual's heel and toe weights (called Taylor Made Launch Control cartridges) can be reversed. One configuration promotes a draw, the other a straight shot. The weights-one 14 grams, the other two grams-screw out completely. The heavy one in front promotes movement from right to left. The opposite configuration takes the ball down the center. A third (nonadjustable) weight in the heel slows down the clubface rotation. Touted as more forgiving than TaylorMade's previous Rescue clubs, the Dual features a V-shaped sole for less drag through the grass and more accurate timing. Even high handicappers or older golfers with weak swings can get the ball aloft and on its way toward the hole from 200 yards out.

The Rescue Dual is available in a choice of four loft-angle degrees: 16 (2-iron), 19 (3-iron), 22 (4-iron) and 25 (5-iron). There is also a Rescue Dual TP, meant for very advanced players. The clubs come in graphite ($275) and steel ($235). The wrench to swap weights ($40) is redundant if you already have the R7 tool.

Visit www.taylormadegolf.com.

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