Like the Burner irons, the new R9 long-irons and middle-irons were designed separately from the short-irons to optimize performance in each club. The result is that the 3-iron through 6-iron are extremely long and easy to hit, and the short-irons are engineered to promote great feel, control and accuracy.

The VCC makes it easier to launch the ball with the long- and middle-irons, yet TaylorMade engineers have gone to great lengths to ensure that the R9 irons deliver controlled power by incorporating Inverted Cone Technology on the inner side of the clubface. In addition to promoting higher ball speed on off-center hits, the Inverted Cone has been carefully calibrated to eliminate "hot spots" so that ball speed is consistent across the clubface, resulting in keen and consistent distance control in all of the R9 irons.

Although the R9 long- and middle-irons don't immediately appear to be perimeter-weighted they are, given that the VCC is occupied by a nearly weightless foam, as well as a silicone shock absorber positioned directly behind the center of the face; both serve to absorb unwanted impact vibration. The foam starts as a powder sealed within the VCC; heating the clubhead turns the powder to foam that expands to completely fill all open areas of the chamber, ensuring that the sound and feel at impact is soft, agreeable and consistent across the face.