TaylorMade SLDR Driver Preview

[fairband]

The bottom, besides the blue accents, is pretty ugly but that is becoming the norm because it is the business side. I must say I like the look of the Amp Cell quite a bit and with the similarities this is quite pleasing, I really love the color.

 

[corydotcom16]

Driver is the most inconsistent club for most. I know I can go a month hitting a big high draw then, without warning or thoughtful change, hit an ugly push fade(just doesn't look right to my eye) for a month. To be able to switch the weight around is nice because it can kick me out of that just by having the change in weights subtly change my path and club face at contact. I do know what you mean though. It also isn't necessarily about changing often but more about having the ability to set it to your ideal ball flight and shop shape without having to be fitted with several different potential head/shaft combos by a professional.

 

[TM_Bobby723]

I'm clearly a TM loyalist and I love my R11s, but I'm hoping this one has more of the feel & sound of the R7 425 TP. That driver, in my opinion, is the best driver they've made. Also, all these complaints about the sole design? Who cares? Last I checked, you don't hit it with the sole nor d'you see the sole at address? I could care less what the sole looks like. I originally hated the white crowns, but after playing my R11s for quite awhile now, white would be my choice. It's more pleasing to my eye, but we know that varies from person to person. Wouldn't be surprised in the least to see this available in multiple crown colors when/if the release hits the general public. I'm thinking along the lines of white, silver, charcoal and gloss black. I am interested to compare the "SLDR 460" to my R11s. I hit the R1 during a fitting session for my new RocketBladez irons and my overall numbers were better with the R11s vs. the R1. My interest is growing the more I see pictures & read about it.

 

[kenh]

[ Skim alert : I didn't read every message in this thread before posting so my bad if someone else hasn't commented on this ]

I see that the clubhead in the OP has "6 grams" written on it with (apparently) a sharpie. This makes me believe you can swap out the moving weight weight for heavier/lighter ones as well as changing its lateral position along the track.

And yeah, I think that groove will be a real pain to keep clean. One low swing and you'll be picking dirt out of it for hours IMO.

 

[Wongstongs]

Copying Mizuno in metal woods? Couple of things to consider.
That would only be the case if Mizuno was the 1st with a slider...Which they were not.

who was and when was it released?

 

[lukedogg]

Hmm. I like the looks! They totally did a 360. Cool concept thou. But when is taylormade going to make their Iron adjustable? I bet it will happen! Soon too.

 

[OUZO Power]

The slot is created by removing mass. The driver does not have the sole plate adjuster thing, or the screw that holds it in place. All other things being equal, it has to weigh less than the R1.

What your meant then is weight reduction vs R11 & R1.

 

[Xarraan]

I would love to try this. Anything that could help my slice would be well worth a shot.

 

[Canadan]

Another good crown photo.

 

[niteowl03]

Im wondering what the SLDR stands for..."Super Long DriveR?" I think I will miss the white crown if they go away, just because it was so noticeable but if its long, straight, and doesnt sound like poo then Id hit it!

 

[Canadan]

Im wondering what the SLDR stands for..."Super Long DriveR?" I think I will miss the white crown if they go away, just because it was so noticeable but if its long, straight, and doesnt sound like poo then Id hit it!

The first thing I thought was "Slider" like the adjustment tool.

 

[niteowl03]

The first thing I thought was "Slider" like the adjustment tool.

Ohh, I actually didnt think of that, doesnt really fit into TM's standard marketing of 1 zillion yards longer though

 

[Barberakb]

I would love to try this. Anything that could help my slice would be well worth a shot.

Have you tried the amp offset driver? Worked well on my slice.

 

[92Esquire]

Look on the bright side, this most likely means the R1 Black will be $250 off in another 2 weeks...

 

[JB]

Don't forget the Burner 2.0 either.

I quoted the wrong post, but to the person saying dont forget all the TP options, the company bashing is fine (heck I know some love it & people can say whatever they would like of course), but lets get the facts straight at least because they dont and have not had TP different heads in quite some time (years).

You're right, but perception and reality are two different things. I think consumers are tiring of making significant purchases, only to be frustrated when the new hotness comes out shortly thereafter. We see it with cell phones and it seems like that's what leads to disdain towards manufacturers. You cant fault people for wanting their new shiny object to be latest and greatest for as long as possible. Maybe it's not reasonable anymore to expect 2-3 years out of a product anymore, but doesn't mean that accepting disposable clubs will happen quickly either.

Im confused by this. A company gets bashed for releasing products every 120 days or so, so they switch to only releasing once a year for 3 straight years. They still get bashed for it. I understand die hards wanting to have the latest and the greatest, but that is a tiny number. If a club is working, nobody is saying one must change. This is a win win for everybody involved. More choices, more fitting options, lower prices. I fail to see how this is a bad thing. However I agree that if a person perceives something as bad, its bad (to them) and no facts or anything else is going to change that (nor should it).

The company released the R1 in January, and offered another color in July. Same driver however.
This club is not released as of yet. In fact as of right now it is only out on tour. Lets say it was released, that would be 3 driver lines in their current lineup. No different than half the companies out there and you never hear a word about Ping having 3 different lines released at different times. Heck, just 2 years ago, Ping had 4-5 different lines that were current and nobody said a word (G, I, Anser, K and not sure if Rapture was still listed as current when K came out).

Not saying they copied, but they're definitely similar.
See http://golf.mizunoeurope.com/woods/mp630-trajectory/index.html
You can move both weights to toe -or- heel for draw/fade bias.

Mizuno was not the first with slider technology, and yet nobody said a word when that driver came out. Vulcan Golf came out with this prior. Now I am sure this is do to most not knowing this, but lets say for a second that Mizuno released an adjustable hosel just like that of TaylorMade, do you think anybody says a thing?

Callaway has a new driver so TM has to answer.


THPing on Tapatalk

You said the same thing when Callaway came out with the Optiforce after TaylorMade came out with the Black R1.

It's nice being able to make adjustments on the range and see the changes for yourself. Once you have it where it works, I don't see the point in making adjustments.

I agree. Although in a recent survey, we found that most golfers do not use weight adjustments. Yet they do tinker with adjustability. If this changes that and makes fitting more common (even just initial fitting), I think it's a good thing.

 

[dcbrad]

I agree. Although in a recent survey, we found that most golfers do not use weight adjustments. Yet they do tinker with adjustability. If this changes that and makes fitting more common (even just initial fitting), I think it's a good thing.

I think that weight sets (to the common golfer) are somewhat hard to understand/tinker with. But by adjusting the weight with a slider may change that just due to the fact that it is simpler. It's an interesting concept, I'd like to give it a swing and see what it can do.

 

[T0AD]

This thing's on tour? Who?

Couldn't they accomplish the same thing while making the slot a little less noticeable? Thing is hideous.

 

[JB]

[

This thing's on tour? Who?

Couldn't they accomplish the same thing while making the slot a little less noticeable? Thing is hideous.

What I meant by that is that it was released to tour. Meaning the guys are testing it now. I expect it ends up in a few bags shortly however based on early feedback we got.

 

[Tadashi70]

Another good crown photo.

I'm a fan of the look. Looks like you can really fine tune this bad boy. Getting away from white would be nice.

 

[Hawk]

Man this is terrible. I don't know about you guys, but I hate when there are new golf clubs to look at and try.

*alienfacething*

 

[Chunkylover77]

I would give this a proper ripping. I like new clubs

 

[Canadan]

Man this is terrible. I don't know about you guys, but I hate when there are new golf clubs to look at and try.

*alienfacething*

Yeah, I really don't get being bothered by multiple or single releases throughout the year. If a company has an idea and it's good, release it. For us gearheads, it makes for something to talk about and hit on the range with friends, all the while slowly pulling the price down on their second to latest offering.

It's a great cycle. Release away TM!

 

[War Eagle]

Man this is terrible. I don't know about you guys, but I hate when there are new golf clubs to look at and try.

*alienfacething*

I remember when I liked Hawk.

 

[War Eagle]

Also, I am loving the look of this driver. Love it.

 

[Hawk]

I remember when I liked Hawk.

Lies!!