Black clubs are not new. But drivers, fairways, irons and clothing all at once? This is not your average collection of interruptions.
Almost every major OEM does a discontinued release at some point in the season. TaylorMade does it almost every year. It’s like monster cereal at Halloween. You know it’s coming, you know exactly what it is, and yet every year some man-child (totally not me) still gets a little excited when it shows up on the shelf. I will say that manufacturers are getting more and more creative about how to say “black” without actually saying “black”.
The fall of the shadow. This is it SOMETHING.
So that The Shadowfall Collection not worth mentioning because TaylorMade painted something black. What is worth noting is the scope. This is not a single, limited edition driver or a single iron finish. There are three Qi4D driver models, a wood option, a full set of P·790 irons, fairings. This is a full bag plus a hood and, for TaylorMade, this is an extremely broad commitment to a single aesthetic.
As for the finish itself, TaylorMade describes it as “high gloss black” on the fairways and a “luxurious dark finish” on the P·790 irons. Beyond that, details are scarce. No specific process (PVD, DLC or otherwise) is mentioned so we can’t tell you much about durability or how it will hold up after a season in your bag. If TaylorMade shares more, we’ll update.
CLUBS
three Qi4D driver models (Core, Max, LS) are available in the Shadowfall finish in nine and 10.5 degrees. of core available on the right and left. of MAX AND LS are only right-handed. The stock axle is REAX MR 50 Blue in solid and regular (the LS gets REAX MR 60 Blue in solid). The drivers cost $699.99, the same price as the standard limited-edition colors, though it’s worth noting that you’re not getting the LME (launch monitor enabled) version here. You are paying for termination.
Freeway forests come in 3-wood (15°), 5-wood (18°) and 7-wood (21°), right-handed standard with left-handed custom available. The stock axle is REAX FW 65S (55R/A for easier flex options). Fairways are $399.99.
P·790 Shadow irons are available in a 4-PW set (with an AW only on the right). Right hand is standard, left is custom order. The kit will set you back $1,499.99, roughly a $100 premium over the standard P·790. Whether a dark finish is worth a hundred bucks is a question only you can answer, but no one has accused golfers of being fiscally responsible.
Shaft worth mentioning
A detail not to be missed in aesthetics: the P·790 Shadowfall ships with Nippon Modus Tour 105 Luxury Black. This is a new cosmetic offering from Nippon, specially designed to go with dark and black headwear. If you’ve ever put a set of blackened irons together only to have the chrome shafts spoil the look, Nippon is solving that problem. It’s a smart move and we expect to see the Luxury Black appear in more limited and special offerings going forward. A UST Recoil DART HDC Blackout is offered as a custom graphite option.
wardrobe
Because TaylorMade loves a hoodie, the Shadowfall lineup includes one hood ($120), a T-shirt ($55) and one A-frame hat ($39.99). All black. TaylorMade branding is subtle. The hood and top are a French blend of polyester (55/45). The hat comes in XS, regular and XXL.
conclusion
Look, no one is going to tell you that a black golf club performs differently than a non-black golf club. This is a cosmetic game and TaylorMade does not claim otherwise. But the width of The Shadowfall Collection is legitimately different. Matching the driver, fairways and irons in the same finish (with a co-ordinated shaft option on the irons, no less) is something most OEMs don’t bother to offer as a complete package.
If you’re the type of golfer who cares about a cohesive look in the bag, this is one of the most complete options we’ve seen. If you’re not, well, TaylorMade still makes these clubs in the usual colors.
