TaylorMade’s game improvement irons have always been amongst the longest in the market and the M6 irons carry on this proud tradition.
They are a cavity back iron with a Speed Pocket slot in the 7 to 4 irons, but in the M6 version it is the Thru-Slot, which we first saw in the TaylorMade P790 irons.
This means the variable thickness face is only connected to the body by the top line so that it hinges like a metal wood face. This moves the point of deflection down and reduces the amount of weight located forward in the sole, so the slot is actually smaller and its effect is bigger thanks to the free floating face.
This has all been made possible by the Speed Bridge, which is the bar on the back that connects the top line to the back of the club.
This not only supports the face and stiffens the structure, but more importantly improves the sound by reducing the frequencies generated at impact.
TaylorMade could have used this kind of slot in the RSi 1 iron but apparently it sounded terrible because of the hollow nature of the larger slot. A few iterations later and the Speed Bridge takes them over to the promised land, in conjunction with a Hybrar Damper bar on the inside.
This takes care of the unwanted vibrations from the face that will cause your ears to go ouch. The Hybrar works best when compressed at impact and the lower deflection point helps to activate it.
The open cavity behind the Speed Bridge looks good too, even if it could become a bit of a dirt trap.
It is a simple yet effective design and for a generous sized game improvement iron the M6 does sound pretty good, especially in the shorter irons.
As you get up to the 6-iron and beyond it starts to sound a little more hollow as the trailing edge starts to show at address. However it is not as hollow as the previous model, so I think TaylorMade has done a good job.
The shorter irons from 8 downwards don’t have the Speed Pocket and as before, they are nice and solid with decent control.
For those wondering where the face slots have gone, apparently the speed gains they create are offset by the weight of the infrastructure required behind the face.
Watch this space though, as I am sure TaylorMade will also solve this problem too in the future.
At address they sit very well with a generous top line and a progressive level of offset that increases as you go up the set.
The looks are very clean too and, with just a hint of the burnt orange across the back of the cavity, the TaylorMade M6 is one of the better looking game improvement irons they have done.
The lofts are the same as the M4, but of course that means they are on the strong side with the 4-iron starting at 19.5º and the wedge at 45º. Obviously this is all relative, but if you are used to more traditional lofts, then switching to the M6 will see you coming down a number or two. This can take some getting used to, but it makes you feel good!
Comparing 6-irons, the M4 and M6 irons went about the same distance for me, with a slightly higher launch with less spin from the M6.
Even with the same shaft in, the M6 felt a little heavier to swing and that combined with the lack of face slots might have reduced the ball speed. This probably goes against TaylorMade's official figures, but even with distance irons, the sets are still about consistency and hitting certain numbers and the M6 irons were more consistent for that.
The M6 irons did give a more solid sound compared to the hollower sounding M4, so in that respect you have a more refined iron.
Compared to M5 you were gaining a fair amount of yardage, thanks to a bigger sweet spot and lofts that are 1.5° stronger.
TaylorMade M6 Irons Verdict
TaylorMade has changed the mix of their game improvement irons a little and made it sound a little better to your ears. The M6 will cost you the same as the M4, so for me it is more evolution than revolution, clever though the Speed Bridge is.
For some the TaylorMade M6 irons may be longer, but for all they will be providing distance and forgiveness with good value for money, so this is still one of the game improvement irons to beat in the market this year.