TaylorMade R11 Driver & Fairway Wood Review Thread

[Hole~Out~1983]

Thanks for the write up Ole Gray very good stuff. Though I am a fader I still found it interesting to see the trajectory differences between the settings.

 

[Hole~Out~1983]

When you say shorter shaft, what is the measurement? Is it shorter than 45", or shorter than recent TM drivers?

I believe the shaft measures 45.75".

 

[Ole Gray]

Thanks for the write up Ole Gray very good stuff. Though I am a fader I still found it interesting to see the trajectory differences between the settings.

Thanks buddy! It's a really good club and one that will surprise 7 - wood lovers.

 

[SW]

Awesome feedback Gray, I really enjoyed getting your input specific to how the settings affected the ball flight.

 

[One-T]

Great review Ole Gray, I like how you changed the settings in your review

 

[Tmex]

I love Gray bringing the variety of settings. I'm pretty sure I'm getting my R11 on. Nice review buddy and everyone else in here digging the feedback. I love to see all the different scenarios people are putting these clubs through.

 

[sox1212]

What is the difference between the TP and regular model? Is it just that the TP comes with shaft options?

Yes, it's just the shaft options.

 

[Team-Blackburn]

Great review Ole Gray, I like how you changed the settings in your review

I agree very informative review thank you Ole Gray.

 

[Ole Gray]

Thanks for the write up Ole Gray very good stuff. Though I am a fader I still found it interesting to see the trajectory differences between the settings.

Awesome feedback Gray, I really enjoyed getting your input specific to how the settings affected the ball flight.

Great review Ole Gray, I like how you changed the settings in your review

I love Gray bringing the variety of settings. I'm pretty sure I'm getting my R11 on. Nice review buddy and everyone else in here digging the feedback. I love to see all the different scenarios people are putting these clubs through.

Thanks guys. It was fun playing with the settings and seeing the different ball flights etc. The secret to this little club is to hit down and through the ball like a seven iron. I am looking forward to testing this club in all sorts of conditions. One thing that intrigued me, was the little red (Adjustable Sole Plate button) on the bottom of the club, in no way hinders the clubs turf interaction.

 

[Hole~Out~1983]

Thanks guys. It was fun playing with the settings and seeing the different ball flights etc. The secret to this little club is to hit down and through the ball like a seven iron. I am looking forward to testing this club in all sorts of conditions. One thing that intrigued me, was the little red (Adjustable Sole Plate button) on the bottom of the club, in no way hinders the clubs turf interaction.

I agree, there seems to be quite a bit of concern about that but during my firt round with the R11 4W there was nothing that indicated to me that the ASP had any interaction with the turf that would affect your shot. The only thing I notice was grass getting caught in the space between the ASP and the actual sole and also inside of the screw head.

 

[Dent]

Great writeup Gray, very detailed with all your settings I love it. I didn't know you were a hooker though.


I went to the range again today and will have a small swing video and a little mini write up again.

 

[Ole Gray]

OG, are you pondering other fairway woods now?

Yes I have added a 3 - wood and have also looked at the TM R11 4 - wood as an option. One of my friends bought the TM R11 5 - wood the same day after hitting my 7 - wood!

Great write up Gray, how do you feel it is off the tee? I am most concerned about this. Do you get a nice penetrating traj or do you pop it up pretty high?

Good question Dent. My ball flight is more penetrating. I find this very comforting when teeing up or hitting off the deck with my R11 7 - wood. Some of the older 7 - woods were balloon machines. The cool thing about the R11 is being able to adjust your loft and flight pattern.

Due - You asked if I had used tape on the face, to see where the ball marks were. The face is small but the ball marks were all low and the majority were dead center.

edit: Some of these answers came a bit later as more testing was required to give my honest opinion.

 

[Dent]

Yes I have added a 3 - wood and have also looked at the TM R11 4 - wood as an option. One of my friends bought the TM R11 5 - wood the same day after hitting my 7 - wood!



Good question Dent. My ball flight is more penetrating. I find this very comforting when teeing up or hitting off the deck with my R11 7 - wood. Some of the older 7 - woods were balloon machines. The cool thing about the R11 is being able to adjust your loft and flight pattern.

Due - You asked if I had used tape on the face, to see where the ball marks were. The face is small but the ball marks were all low and the majority were dead center.

edit: Some of these answers came a bit later as more testing was required to give my honest opinion.

Thanks for the response Gray? Seeing as you have a Driver and a 3W do you find yourself using this club off the tee very much? Also in what situations do you usually use it for your round?

 

[Ole Gray]

Thanks for the response Gray? Seeing as you have a Driver and a 3W do you find yourself using this club off the tee very much? Also in what situations do you usually use it for your round?

I have already used it on some longer par three holes and it works great. TaylorMade definitely set the bar high when they added Flight Control Technology (FCT), to their fairway woods. This enables golfers to dial in their trajectories and flight patterns to work in unique course requirements. I have used this 7 - wood on short par holes with out a second thought. It's a fun club to hit and once you get it dialed in, the real fun begins.

 

[Dent]

I have already used it on some longer par three holes and it works great. TaylorMade definitely set the bar high when they added Flight Control Technology (FCT), to their fairway woods. This enables golfers to dial in their trajectories and flight patterns to work in unique course requirements. I have used this 7 - wood on short par holes with out a second thought. It's a fun club to hit and once you get it dialed in, the real fun begins.

I can't wait to start tinkering, I am hitting this club so well already without even touching anything I feel like I'm already dialed in!

 

[GrantD]

I went out to the range right after work today for some R11 time. I really needed to get to know it better after Sunday's round. I kept having trouble on Sunday hooking it. I think about 6 out of 13 uses I hooked it in to the woods. This was totally different hitting than I did at my fitting on Saturday. I think I figured out what I was doing. At the range today I just bought a medium size bag of balls to work with. I warmed up a bit with my 100 yd club and then moved over to the R11. At first I was sending the balls straight left again. I tried to make a few adjustments, which just sprayed balls all over the range, right and left. I then remembered back to the videos from the Kingdom participants. How Jim Flick spoke a long time about grip and not gripping it to tight. I loosened up my grip just like he said and ripped one right down the range. What an a-ha moment!!! I kept this same pressure and continually just crush the next 10 balls down the range. Not all of them went exactly straight, but I had some small draws and fads. Towards the end of my balls, I was really putting them out there. I had 2 or 3 hit a hill at 240 yds out! I even had one clear the hill. I left the range just feeling on top of the world. I just need to make sure on the course that I loosen up my grip some if I start to see the lefts again.

By the way, did I tell you I LOVE THIS CLUB!!! So does everybody else at the range today. HAHA


Edit: Sorry TC I still do not have the numbers from the other day. I have emailed the pro twice and yet to hear a response.

 

[Chunkylover77]

So I've been waiting to do a little writeup of my past weekend with the R11. I just haven't had the time so I just at least want to post some thoughts. Went to my range prior to the round and did a little testing to try and work out a little bandaid type fitting for myself.

First started with the FCT and settled on Neutral. Played around with the ASP and found that I liked the look a little closed so went with that. After doing that I was still finding that club was going a little short and a little high. I then teed the ball a little lower than usual and voila. Perfect penetrating flight. I will say that even at the range I could tell I was not getting the distance I was getting with the D2. I have a feeling that is probably a shaft issue though

Drive to the course with my somewhat dialed in R11. Find out that it's pretty short so I'm not going to have a ton of chances to hit her today. Puts a little pressure on me as I really want to hit her well when I get the chances.

First chance was the 2nd hole. 530 yard hole with a wide open driving area. Took a good rip at the ball and drove her right around 270-280 with a very nice penetrating flight. I think what is happening is that I'm getting a lot of roll and not a lot of carry which is why I'm thinking that this driver is short. Anyway drive came off right how I wanted. Slight draw that ended up in the middle of the fairway

My next chance was at the 4th hole. Driveable par 4 that almost makes you pull driver and try for a fade. Bunkers in front and all along the fairway and a bailout area to the left of the green makes it a somewhat safe gamble. I take the gamble and the ball just doesn't fade. Straight as an arrow and a little long. Guess I can't complain about straight.

Hole 6 is a 486 yard short par 5. Hit a nice straight line drive that leaves me with 210 into the green. Once again the ball was very straight. I am starting to gain some confidence with this driver

Hole 12 is a short straight ahead 334 yard par 4. Hit a nice cut shot into the right side of the fairway and leave about 80 yards. I have started to notice that I like playing a fade with this driver. But once again in the fairway

Hole 13 is where I try to play my first real shot with this driver. 506 yard par 5 with a bunker in the right edge of the fairway. If you carry the bunker there is a slope that will sling your ball probably an extra 30-40 yards. I try to play the Knucklefade here. I start the ball a little less left then I needed to and I catch the edge of the bunker. It was a beautiful knucklefade though. That shot was something I struggled a little with when hitting the 910. It came off perfectly with the R11 and if I could align myself worth a damn it would have been a perfect drive.

Hole 18 is a 478 yard par 5 with water all up the left side. I hit a nice line drive right up the middle of the fairway but a little short. But once again I was in the fairway and I will take that. I think I caught this shot on the top part of the driver because I heard a little more sound then usual and the distance was not great. I will take fairway though.

Walk off and I am very impressed with the R11 today. I think I got used to the sound as I didn't really hear it on the course except for the 18th. I think this driver likes to be teed lower IMO. I found that I was getting a nice penetrating ball flight when I teed it lower. Hit 4/6 fairways and the ones that I missed were "good" misses. I can't wait to play this coming weekend. I hope to play a course that will make me hit driver a little more.

 

[Ole Gray]

I went out to the range right after work today for some R11 time. I really needed to get to know it better after Sunday's round. I kept having trouble on Sunday hooking it. I think about 6 out of 13 uses I hooked it in to the woods. This was totally different hitting than I did at my fitting on Saturday. I think I figured out what I was doing. At the range today I just bought a medium size bag of balls to work with. I warmed up a bit with my 100 yd club and then moved over to the R11. At first I was sending the balls straight left again. I tried to make a few adjustments, which just sprayed balls all over the range, right and left. I think remembered back to the videos from the Kingdom participants. How Jim Flick spoke a long time about grip and not gripping it to tight. I loosened up my grip just like he said and Ripped one right down the range. What an a-ha moment!!! I kept this same pressure and continually just crush the next 10 balls down the range. Not all of them went exactly straight, but I had some small draws and fads. Towards the end of my balls, I was really putting them out there. I had 2 or 3 hit a hill at 240 yds out! I even had one clear the hill. I left the range just feeling on top of the world. I just need to make sure on the course that I loosen up my grip some if I start to see the lefts again.

By the way, did I tell you I LOVE THIS CLUB!!! So does everybody else at the range today. HAHA


Edit: Sorry TC I still do not have the numbers from the other day. I have emailed the pro twice and yet to hear a response.

I love it that you brought that little loose grip tip back up. Great update on your driver dmb :thumb:

 

[GrantD]

Great write up CL. I think the fade is a nice shot with this club. I tend to get small fads and draws when I am hitting it well.

 

[coolbreeze]

I went out to the range right after work today for some R11 time. I really needed to get to know it better after Sunday's round. I kept having trouble on Sunday hooking it. I think about 6 out of 13 uses I hooked it in to the woods. This was totally different hitting than I did at my fitting on Saturday. I think I figured out what I was doing. At the range today I just bought a medium size bag of balls to work with. I warmed up a bit with my 100 yd club and then moved over to the R11. At first I was sending the balls straight left again. I tried to make a few adjustments, which just sprayed balls all over the range, right and left. I then remembered back to the videos from the Kingdom participants. How Jim Flick spoke a long time about grip and not gripping it to tight. I loosened up my grip just like he said and ripped one right down the range. What an a-ha moment!!! I kept this same pressure and continually just crush the next 10 balls down the range. Not all of them went exactly straight, but I had some small draws and fads. Towards the end of my balls, I was really putting them out there. I had 2 or 3 hit a hill at 240 yds out! I even had one clear the hill. I left the range just feeling on top of the world. I just need to make sure on the course that I loosen up my grip some if I start to see the lefts again.

By the way, did I tell you I LOVE THIS CLUB!!! So does everybody else at the range today. HAHA


Edit: Sorry TC I still do not have the numbers from the other day. I have emailed the pro twice and yet to hear a response.

Good stuff dmb, I enjoyed reading that, the funny thing is I was working on the same thing today and remembered the same tip from the video and it worked just as you described. Can`t wait to get my hands on an R11 on an outdoor range, I really love the way it feels, and the reviews of it have me antsy.

 

[Ole Gray]

I can't wait to start tinkering, I am hitting this club so well already without even touching anything I feel like I'm already dialed in!

That's a good thing lol!

Walk off and I am very impressed with the R11 today. I think I got used to the sound as I didn't really hear it on the course except for the 18th. I think this driver likes to be teed lower IMO. I found that I was getting a nice penetrating ball flight when I teed it lower. Hit 4/6 fairways and the ones that I missed were "good" misses. I can't wait to play this coming weekend. I hope to play a course that will make me hit driver a little more.

CL -- When you tee it up high is when you start loosing some accuracy? Interesting observation but one that I have heard on prior occasions. Tee it high to let it flight and tee it low for more control.

 

[Dent]

Just had to throw in a bit from todays session. I still have the settings on Neutral and while my swing is really shaky right now this thing just performs. I hit maybe 10 shots with it or so and it varied from a low cut to a high straight ball. I either got one of those two ball flights. I switched to my 3 wood and just couldn't hit . Everything was a high ballooning slice.

I am this close to taking the 3 wood out of the bag because of the R11. Everything about it is just so sick. I feel when I'm swinging it I can really generate speed, power, and distance.

 

[10YardDraw]

Well the rain held off until tonight so i went straight from work to the golf course and met my dad out there for a quick 9, well that turned into a 18 hole 4 man best ball lol, I decided i wanted to try some new settings today so before the first tee i set the FCT to Higher+1 which brought the loft up to 10* and 6 gram heel and 1 toe with the ASP open. I ended up hitting 10/14 FW and the 4 i missed were in the first cut of rough so i was very happy with the R11 today, I was getting a very nice mid/high trajectory that seemed like it stayed in the air forever compared to what im use to, i had to much of a draw and sometimes hook with the 10 gram in the heel and even with the 8 gram so thats why i went down to 6gram in the heel and it helped allot, nice baby draw or straight with no big hooks. One of the shorter par 4's is a dogleg left and its 300 to the green and i ripped one with a nice draw around the dogleg and was 15 yards from the green, to say i was happy would be a understatment, im not a real long hitter usually 260-270 in that range with the occasional 280+ and 300 late summer when its rock hard and wind at my back lol. Even my iron play was great today, every since i had them bent 2* upright which is my spec i have been throwing darts with them. Good day overall

 

[Hole~Out~1983]

Good stuff Dent, Im glad to hear your hitting it well. The weather here looks like its going to possibly give me an opening to get out tommorow morning/early afternoon. So I will get some tee feeback from the 4W and try and hit a few shots to test the ability to work the ball with this club.

 

[Ole Gray]

Just had to throw in a bit from todays session. I still have the settings on Neutral and while my swing is really shaky right now this thing just performs. I hit maybe 10 shots with it or so and it varied from a low cut to a high straight ball. I either got one of those two ball flights. I switched to my 3 wood and just couldn't hit . Everything was a high ballooning slice.

I am this close to taking the 3 wood out of the bag because of the R11. Everything about it is just so sick. I feel when I'm swinging it I can really generate speed, power, and distance.

Throw it to the curb and make your bag a bit lighter. Sounds like you got the ticket to the big show now :thumb: