The TaylorMade Kalea golf clubs are aimed specifically at women and this latest range is the third generation (Kalea 3) which is designed to make a real statement.
They are inspired by outdoor lifestyle with the main focus on style, elegance and a fresh design which flows through the bag. You won’t see the Kalea’s used on the TV or by any elite players but they will be one of the first clubs a PGA Professional will talk to you about if you're a woman who's new to the game and looking to get a set of new clubs.
New to the game or in need of a little bit more advice when it comes to golf equipment? Read our ultimate GUIDE TO BUYING WOMEN'S CLUBS HERE.
What's It All About & What's In The Full Range?
TaylorMade Kalea 3 isn’t a package set but I would expect people to buy the eleven club set or at least if you buy the driver, it's very likely that you will then buy the fairway woods and hybrids to go with it.
When doing my research for this review I found it very hard to get any information on what technology is in these clubs, which suggests a lot to me really - compared to other TaylorMade clubs like SIM2 or some of the P Series irons, there doesn't seem to be much technology at all. This may be to make it simpler to understand when purchasing for new golfers to the game, or it could just mean that there's just not too much in there.
Having said that, it would be nice to know what's really going on in the head and shaft of these clubs...
Technology
When doing my research, here's what I did find:
Lighter weight = faster swings (this isn't necessarily technology, just lighter weighting of the clubs)
Ultralite shafts and Speed Pocket Technology [(as seen in the TaylorMade SIM2 range)](SIM2 work collectively to increase launch and ball speed which is therefore supposed to deliver more carry with maximum distance.
Each club in the range features an individually optimised weight, length, loft, and designed for proper gapping between clubs.
A low, deep centre of gravity throughout the range also features to make it easier to get the ball in the air.
Soft, tacky feel TaylorMade ladies grips also feature to give women with smaller hands a better chance of holding the clubs properly.
TaylorMade Kalea 3 Women's Range Review
Driver (£259)
The Kalea driver features a white pearl head and a bright, brushed chrome face which really makes the hitting area and sweet spot stand out and helps with framing the golf ball. This will inspire confidence for a lot of female golfers who struggle with ball striking and getting the ball up in the air quickly with a driver.
There is also also a slight bit of chrome on the back of the head which adds to the look of the driver at address. This club no doubt offers great confidence and style. The head is also full of loft and offset to help avoid those low right shots (for a right-hander) beginner golfers all struggle with.
Performance-wise this club was very easy to swing and getting height quickly wasn't an issue at all. However, the feel and sound of it has a lot to be desired and I wouldn't say there was the trampoline effect off the face or too much stability through the hitting zone either.
Fairway Wood (£189) & Hybrids (£179)
These clubs follow the same colour scheme as the driver and in my opinion look great. The fairway wood especially has a surprisingly small footprint that really suited my eye at address. Once again, unsurprisingly it featured some slight offset and plenty of loft for the ball to run up and spring off.
This a golf club that I think a lot of female golfers could fall in love with. It looks great and gets the ball up in the air quickly with a solid feel off the face. There's plenty of forgiveness too for those off centre-strikes.
The hybrids follow suit and are the best looking club in the set, which I would highly recommend. For a beginner golfer, these Kalea 3 hybrids are easy to swing and the added loft and the way the head sits makes hitting out of the rough much easier.
The sole is big and it sweeps through different lies nicely. They will help a lot of golfers on a tee, from the fairway and out of the rough.
Irons (£499)
These are cavity back game-improvement clubs with TaylorMade's speed slot on the sole of each iron to add ball speed, especially on shots struck lower on the face.
At address I liked the look of these irons - there's not too much to not like to be honest. There is a thick topline to add confidence and a very generous rounded shape to the set which will help a lot of female golfers. At address I wasn't put off by them and the offset wasn't too bad, as an elite golfer I certainly didn't think: "I can't hit these!".
Performance-wise however I did find that they sounded tingy and that there was a lack speed at impact off the face, to me they felt a little dead at impact. There isn’t too much technology in the head to really dissect here - the Kalea 3 irons are extremely simple cavity-back game-improvement irons. The colourful Kalea badge covers the cavity, which does make the club more aesthetically pleasing and they will look great in your bag.
TaylorMade Kalea 3 Women's Range Verdict
All in all, this is a very stylish set of women's golf clubs that will make you look the part on the course. They’ll aid swing speed due to their weight but not necessarily speed from the technology as there isn’t much and I didn't really feel too much speed off the face of any of the clubs.
The grips are something that I haven’t seen or felt before, they are very tacky but very soft. Ideal for us women who wear too much hand cream and don’t want calluses.
I get what TaylorMade are doing in their marketing here, but I did think the clubs were going to be better quality overall given the price. The woods and hybrids are nice looking and perform ok but the irons offer very little in feel and performance.
They are very much a higher handicap women’s golfers club and will be easy to buy and very freely available.
I really liked the colours, design and shelf appeal of this range, I also got many compliments on the matching Kalea cart bag I used during this test. The standout performers were the hybrid and a Mini Spider putter that I used during this test also.
TaylorMade say these clubs have been “specifically engineered to optimise distance gaps from driver through to wedge ensuring that you will use every club in your bag”. I have to question the specifically engineered quote as it looks like they’ve just changed the lofts of the clubs and swapped long irons for hybrids. Although this will suit women golfers much more I wouldn't call it 'specifically engineered'.
Who Are They Aimed At?
If you are a golfer who likes everything to match and you don't mind style over substance then the TaylorMade Kalea 3 clubs could be for you. They could easily be the present you receive from your partner who wants you to get into golf or the clubs that your pro will direct you to, as they will be an easy sell based on great aesthetics throughout the bag.
This Kalea 3 range is aimed at the new woman golfer with a very slow swing speed and leisure golfer who might play on holiday or a few times a year. They will be fine for those early beginner years or if you are older, however there won’t be much longevity for those of you who are improving your handicap. These very much fit into the package set category, so head to the SIM2’s if you want an individual and custom fitted offering.
Pros
- The colours are soft and will suit female golfers' eyes
- Hybrids and fairway woods look great
- Matching golf bag is a great addition
Cons
- Build quality is a little cheap
- Lack of technology throughout set
- Expensive given performance
- Irons didn't feel great
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