TaylorMade R1 Driver Review - Forum Testing Thread

[Tadashi70]

Thanks Freddie, I had some good swings with it today, and you are right about the one that I lost to the right. In the past, that thing is long gone!

I struggle with a low ball flight off the tee, but the distance is there...with the low launch. I think my biggest issue with my driver is a shaft. I need a higher launching shaft, and something to help with the spin.

Ever seen anyone hit a ball off a Launch Monitor with a 0.0* launch angle? I have...

I agree with this 100%, a different shaft will get that launch angle up. I marvel at the ball speed your getting because your right, the distance is still there.

 

[#Cookie]

Guys I need some help please.

Played 3 rounds this weekend, 36 on sunday and my driving was consistently slicing unless I tried really hard and I managed to hit a fade.
On some holes I tried my playing partners Ping i20 and was getting my usual high draw on the ball.
Just to confirm it I then used someone else in our groups R9 with the same nice high draw.
All 3 with the same swing.

Could somebody with the app please tell me what the sole plate should be set to for the face to be neutral at 8* loft?
Also could somebody please tell me what is the loft setting inbetween 8* and 9.5*? 8.75*?

I'm actually just wondering if I have developed some mental block.lol

Did hit some good drives but they were mainly on holes where I needed a fade!

At 8* loft, the face is open 4* so you would need the sole plate at "closed 3" to bring the face back to neutral.

And you are correct, the loft between 8 & 9.5 is 8.75*.

 

[T2GRN18]

At 8* loft, the face is open 4* so you would need the sole plate at "closed 3" to bring the face back to neutral.

And you are correct, the loft between 8 & 9.5 is 8.75*.

I stand corrected. Where did you find this info cookie? I looked on the R1 app

 

[#Cookie]

I stand corrected. Where did you find this info cookie? I looked on the R1 app

I use the little configurator on their site: http://taylormadegolf.com/drivers/R1,en_US,pg.html

 

[six-foe]

I cant use this site in Canada.....tried clicking on it but all it does is redirect me to a canada site. IS there another site like this for Canadians?

 

[ATLGolfer]

Nice work on the reviews, Gentlemen.

I was able to hit balls on Saturday and play on Sunday. Pretty inconsistent results with the R1/B Asha combo, but the biggest culprit by far was my swing. When I make a good swing, the ball flight is impressive.

I plan to put up a detailed review tonight. The one thing that really stuck out, though, was the continued problems associated with shots on the heel. I was having issues laying the club off this weekend, which causes me to hang the club face open and typically hit heel shots. When I was doing that with the R1, the results were not good at all. I had a couple drives in the 250 or less range directly caused by heel shots. (I didn't measure anything yesterday, but I suspect my typical drives were in the 280-290 range.)

 

[#Cookie]

I cant use this site in Canada.....tried clicking on it but all it does is redirect me to a canada site. IS there another site like this for Canadians?

Are you referring to the TM R1 configurator site?

 

[six-foe]

yes.

Thanks for the help

 

[#Cookie]

yes.

Thanks for the help

Well I would have thought that even if it directed you to a Canadian specific site the app would still work the same. Other suggestion may be to download the app for your smartphone if you use one. Of course, you could always post up in here what you are trying to see and I can run it through the app as well.

 

[uman]

After a crazy busy time at work and some cold weather, I've got two sessions to write up, so here we go.

2/24/2013 - RTJ at Hampton Cove - The River

I played the River Course with a friend, his cousin, and his buddy, so we had four. His buddy turned out to be none other than Bama!

First of all, the highlight of the R1 might have been when said friend wanted to hit the R1 after his tee shot with his driver. For the sake of comparison, his first drive was with an FT9 and a callaway ball. Second drive was with the R1 set at 10.5* and a ProV1. Both drives were accurate, but the second drive was about 20 to 30 yards longer... Just sayin!

I played the entire round with the R1 set on 10.5* which seems like a great setting for me. I originally tried the R1 with the weights set on a draw bias... that was a mess. Snap hooks, pulls, some fades... just not a good setting for me. Ever since I put the weights back to neutral, the R1 has been great. My fade is back, which seems to be my natural shot shape.

The River Course at Hampton Cove claims to have water on 16 of 18 holes. Twice, I hit a fade over water, the second of which had woods on the right as well. Both times, I wasn't sure if my ball was going to be in good shape, but didn't see a splash either. Both times, I was in great position! The first, which looked like it may or may not have barely cleared the water, was well past it. The second, didn't fade as much as I might have thought and left me in great shape - past the water and didn't fade into the woods. In summary, both of these shots could have faded into the water/woods or could have not been long enough, but both left me in great position. The word that comes to mind is deceiving. I'm not sure what's happening, but I have a theory. Perhaps my depth perception is not use to the trajectory the R1 is giving me at 10.5* or the length of the fade that those two shots produced. I'm not sure I cleared the water only to find it's well past it and in great shape. Not to get all scientific because I'm not that smart, but maybe the apex of the ball flight is a little different or the fade is a longer fade, so where I'm use to seeing a ball flight and maybe had an idea of when it was coming down, the R1 is continuing to carry a little more. I'm not sure how to explain this and this could come off as babble, but I LIKE IT!

Those were probably the things I noticed most. Overall, the R1 is performing great for me on the course.

3/11/2013 - Madison Driving Range

Today, I set out to do my last R11s versus R1 test. I don't plan to use the R11s anymore, but I still think it's a quality driver. So much that I've even wondered if I would bag the R1 for good. But, I need to make a decision and stick with it.

R11s at "Lower" vs R1 at 8*
The 9* R11s at Lower, if I'm not mistaken, is 7.5* (1.5* increments). This setting, in either driver, just isn't optimal for me. It's sort of hard to compare when you're probably hitting balls on the wrong setting. In summary, I'm not great with either of them at this setting. Pretty simple, but I wanted to be able to say I tried both at a low setting.

R11s at "Higher" vs R1 at 10.5*
Again, I think the R11s increments are 1.5*, so this should be an apples to apples comparison - R11s and R1 at 10.5*.

Length - Both drivers are solid in my opinion and are pretty long. Last year, while using the R11s, I hit one of the longest drives I've ever. We measured it using the skydroid app, so it may have been plus or minus a couple of yards, but it measured at 335 yards. I hit another one that year at about 311 yards. This is not the norm for me, it's long and put me in places on those particular holes that I wasn't used to - the exception, not the rule. I don't think I've been that close on either hole since. With that said, it's hard to let go of the R11s because if I don't hit any that long this year, one might wonder... what if I had my R11s. With all that said, I don't think one of these is necessarily longer than the other. Both produce a nice, similar ball flight with plenty of carry. When struck well, both drives seemed to end up in or around the same area.

Feel - Something feels right to me about the R1. It sounds a little more muted than the R11s but the R11s sound doesn't bother me. However, I can't describe it, but the R1 just feels great to me. I think it may be a combination of accuarcy and sound that make me think the feel is so great.

Accuracy - This is where I give the edge to the R1. At 12*, the R1 seems to be something you can trust. Seeing as how the R11s can't go up to 12*, that's a point for the R1. At 10.5*, the R1 is still very accurate. As I stated earlier, the combination of the sound and the accuracy it produces might be what I attribute to "feel." My misses seem to be tamed with the R1. For some reason, my confidence is higher when the R1 is in my hands. I've hit some nice drives with the R11s, but tend to be scared of it and spray it around a little bit. However, the R1 seems to be resulting in tighter dispersion and increased confidence. This is probably what made me decide to say bag the R1 for good and not look back.

In summary, the R1 is so adjustable, it can do things the R11s can't. My R11s, at standard setting is 9*. With one "higher" setting, you can get the loft up to 10.5* but not 12* like the R1 offers. Also, the accuracy and forgiveness seem to be better with the R1. Distance seems similar. The intangible, possibly because of the forgiveness, accuracy, and beastly graphics, is confidence. I can grab the R1 with confidence as to where grabbing the R11s might make me nervous. The combination of accuracy, feel, and distance make the R1 a driver I can recommend to my friends!

If anyone has anymore R11s versus R1 questions, feel free to let me know. Otherwise I will focus on the R1 moving forward.

Enjoyed reading your excellent review and found your R11S comparisons beneficial. Well done.

 

[Wonton]

I had my first round with my R1 yesterday.
Surprisingly low spin, which kept majority of my drives straight!
RIP Phenom is something that I have to get used to but overall happy as a 4 year old kid!

 

[Franklin51]

After a crazy busy time at work and some cold weather, I've got two sessions to write up, so here we go.

2/24/2013 - RTJ at Hampton Cove - The River

I played the River Course with a friend, his cousin, and his buddy, so we had four. His buddy turned out to be none other than Bama!

First of all, the highlight of the R1 might have been when said friend wanted to hit the R1 after his tee shot with his driver. For the sake of comparison, his first drive was with an FT9 and a callaway ball. Second drive was with the R1 set at 10.5* and a ProV1. Both drives were accurate, but the second drive was about 20 to 30 yards longer... Just sayin!

I played the entire round with the R1 set on 10.5* which seems like a great setting for me. I originally tried the R1 with the weights set on a draw bias... that was a mess. Snap hooks, pulls, some fades... just not a good setting for me. Ever since I put the weights back to neutral, the R1 has been great. My fade is back, which seems to be my natural shot shape.

The River Course at Hampton Cove claims to have water on 16 of 18 holes. Twice, I hit a fade over water, the second of which had woods on the right as well. Both times, I wasn't sure if my ball was going to be in good shape, but didn't see a splash either. Both times, I was in great position! The first, which looked like it may or may not have barely cleared the water, was well past it. The second, didn't fade as much as I might have thought and left me in great shape - past the water and didn't fade into the woods. In summary, both of these shots could have faded into the water/woods or could have not been long enough, but both left me in great position. The word that comes to mind is deceiving. I'm not sure what's happening, but I have a theory. Perhaps my depth perception is not use to the trajectory the R1 is giving me at 10.5* or the length of the fade that those two shots produced. I'm not sure I cleared the water only to find it's well past it and in great shape. Not to get all scientific because I'm not that smart, but maybe the apex of the ball flight is a little different or the fade is a longer fade, so where I'm use to seeing a ball flight and maybe had an idea of when it was coming down, the R1 is continuing to carry a little more. I'm not sure how to explain this and this could come off as babble, but I LIKE IT!

Those were probably the things I noticed most. Overall, the R1 is performing great for me on the course.

3/11/2013 - Madison Driving Range

Today, I set out to do my last R11s versus R1 test. I don't plan to use the R11s anymore, but I still think it's a quality driver. So much that I've even wondered if I would bag the R1 for good. But, I need to make a decision and stick with it.

R11s at "Lower" vs R1 at 8*
The 9* R11s at Lower, if I'm not mistaken, is 7.5* (1.5* increments). This setting, in either driver, just isn't optimal for me. It's sort of hard to compare when you're probably hitting balls on the wrong setting. In summary, I'm not great with either of them at this setting. Pretty simple, but I wanted to be able to say I tried both at a low setting.

R11s at "Higher" vs R1 at 10.5*
Again, I think the R11s increments are 1.5*, so this should be an apples to apples comparison - R11s and R1 at 10.5*.

Length - Both drivers are solid in my opinion and are pretty long. Last year, while using the R11s, I hit one of the longest drives I've ever. We measured it using the skydroid app, so it may have been plus or minus a couple of yards, but it measured at 335 yards. I hit another one that year at about 311 yards. This is not the norm for me, it's long and put me in places on those particular holes that I wasn't used to - the exception, not the rule. I don't think I've been that close on either hole since. With that said, it's hard to let go of the R11s because if I don't hit any that long this year, one might wonder... what if I had my R11s. With all that said, I don't think one of these is necessarily longer than the other. Both produce a nice, similar ball flight with plenty of carry. When struck well, both drives seemed to end up in or around the same area.

Feel - Something feels right to me about the R1. It sounds a little more muted than the R11s but the R11s sound doesn't bother me. However, I can't describe it, but the R1 just feels great to me. I think it may be a combination of accuarcy and sound that make me think the feel is so great.

Accuracy - This is where I give the edge to the R1. At 12*, the R1 seems to be something you can trust. Seeing as how the R11s can't go up to 12*, that's a point for the R1. At 10.5*, the R1 is still very accurate. As I stated earlier, the combination of the sound and the accuracy it produces might be what I attribute to "feel." My misses seem to be tamed with the R1. For some reason, my confidence is higher when the R1 is in my hands. I've hit some nice drives with the R11s, but tend to be scared of it and spray it around a little bit. However, the R1 seems to be resulting in tighter dispersion and increased confidence. This is probably what made me decide to say bag the R1 for good and not look back.

In summary, the R1 is so adjustable, it can do things the R11s can't. My R11s, at standard setting is 9*. With one "higher" setting, you can get the loft up to 10.5* but not 12* like the R1 offers. Also, the accuracy and forgiveness seem to be better with the R1. Distance seems similar. The intangible, possibly because of the forgiveness, accuracy, and beastly graphics, is confidence. I can grab the R1 with confidence as to where grabbing the R11s might make me nervous. The combination of accuracy, feel, and distance make the R1 a driver I can recommend to my friends!

If anyone has anymore R11s versus R1 questions, feel free to let me know. Otherwise I will focus on the R1 moving forward.

Great write up man. I will be at Madison Wednesday. Moving the girlfriend in has cost me golf time. I know I am seeing with the R11 alot of what you are with the R11s. Putting my stock R11 shaft in the R1 is much more forgiving.

 

[ShanksaloT]

After a crazy busy time at work and some cold weather, I've got two sessions to write up, so here we go.

2/24/2013 - RTJ at Hampton Cove - The River

I played the River Course with a friend, his cousin, and his buddy, so we had four. His buddy turned out to be none other than Bama!

First of all, the highlight of the R1 might have been when said friend wanted to hit the R1 after his tee shot with his driver. For the sake of comparison, his first drive was with an FT9 and a callaway ball. Second drive was with the R1 set at 10.5* and a ProV1. Both drives were accurate, but the second drive was about 20 to 30 yards longer... Just sayin!

I played the entire round with the R1 set on 10.5* which seems like a great setting for me. I originally tried the R1 with the weights set on a draw bias... that was a mess. Snap hooks, pulls, some fades... just not a good setting for me. Ever since I put the weights back to neutral, the R1 has been great. My fade is back, which seems to be my natural shot shape.

The River Course at Hampton Cove claims to have water on 16 of 18 holes. Twice, I hit a fade over water, the second of which had woods on the right as well. Both times, I wasn't sure if my ball was going to be in good shape, but didn't see a splash either. Both times, I was in great position! The first, which looked like it may or may not have barely cleared the water, was well past it. The second, didn't fade as much as I might have thought and left me in great shape - past the water and didn't fade into the woods. In summary, both of these shots could have faded into the water/woods or could have not been long enough, but both left me in great position. The word that comes to mind is deceiving. I'm not sure what's happening, but I have a theory. Perhaps my depth perception is not use to the trajectory the R1 is giving me at 10.5* or the length of the fade that those two shots produced. I'm not sure I cleared the water only to find it's well past it and in great shape. Not to get all scientific because I'm not that smart, but maybe the apex of the ball flight is a little different or the fade is a longer fade, so where I'm use to seeing a ball flight and maybe had an idea of when it was coming down, the R1 is continuing to carry a little more. I'm not sure how to explain this and this could come off as babble, but I LIKE IT!

Those were probably the things I noticed most. Overall, the R1 is performing great for me on the course.

3/11/2013 - Madison Driving Range

Today, I set out to do my last R11s versus R1 test. I don't plan to use the R11s anymore, but I still think it's a quality driver. So much that I've even wondered if I would bag the R1 for good. But, I need to make a decision and stick with it.

R11s at "Lower" vs R1 at 8*
The 9* R11s at Lower, if I'm not mistaken, is 7.5* (1.5* increments). This setting, in either driver, just isn't optimal for me. It's sort of hard to compare when you're probably hitting balls on the wrong setting. In summary, I'm not great with either of them at this setting. Pretty simple, but I wanted to be able to say I tried both at a low setting.

R11s at "Higher" vs R1 at 10.5*
Again, I think the R11s increments are 1.5*, so this should be an apples to apples comparison - R11s and R1 at 10.5*.

Length - Both drivers are solid in my opinion and are pretty long. Last year, while using the R11s, I hit one of the longest drives I've ever. We measured it using the skydroid app, so it may have been plus or minus a couple of yards, but it measured at 335 yards. I hit another one that year at about 311 yards. This is not the norm for me, it's long and put me in places on those particular holes that I wasn't used to - the exception, not the rule. I don't think I've been that close on either hole since. With that said, it's hard to let go of the R11s because if I don't hit any that long this year, one might wonder... what if I had my R11s. With all that said, I don't think one of these is necessarily longer than the other. Both produce a nice, similar ball flight with plenty of carry. When struck well, both drives seemed to end up in or around the same area.

Feel - Something feels right to me about the R1. It sounds a little more muted than the R11s but the R11s sound doesn't bother me. However, I can't describe it, but the R1 just feels great to me. I think it may be a combination of accuarcy and sound that make me think the feel is so great.

Accuracy - This is where I give the edge to the R1. At 12*, the R1 seems to be something you can trust. Seeing as how the R11s can't go up to 12*, that's a point for the R1. At 10.5*, the R1 is still very accurate. As I stated earlier, the combination of the sound and the accuracy it produces might be what I attribute to "feel." My misses seem to be tamed with the R1. For some reason, my confidence is higher when the R1 is in my hands. I've hit some nice drives with the R11s, but tend to be scared of it and spray it around a little bit. However, the R1 seems to be resulting in tighter dispersion and increased confidence. This is probably what made me decide to say bag the R1 for good and not look back.

In summary, the R1 is so adjustable, it can do things the R11s can't. My R11s, at standard setting is 9*. With one "higher" setting, you can get the loft up to 10.5* but not 12* like the R1 offers. Also, the accuracy and forgiveness seem to be better with the R1. Distance seems similar. The intangible, possibly because of the forgiveness, accuracy, and beastly graphics, is confidence. I can grab the R1 with confidence as to where grabbing the R11s might make me nervous. The combination of accuracy, feel, and distance make the R1 a driver I can recommend to my friends!

If anyone has anymore R11s versus R1 questions, feel free to let me know. Otherwise I will focus on the R1 moving forward.

Great information here! Answered all my questions in that one post - my specific one would be if it is any longer - but if just a somewhat more accurate I will stick with my 11S!

 

[Faiz]

At 8* loft, the face is open 4* so you would need the sole plate at "closed 3" to bring the face back to neutral.

And you are correct, the loft between 8 & 9.5 is 8.75*.

Thanks so much man this makes sense now. I had it set on 1* closed and it still looks open. Even when I tried really hard it was still fading marginally.

Sorry guys I also looked on TMs website but I couldn't find a configurator. I wonder if that's US only.

 

[#Cookie]

Thanks so much man this makes sense now. I had it set on 1* closed and it still looks open. Even when I tried really hard it was still fading marginally.

Sorry guys I also looked on TMs website but I couldn't find a configurator. I wonder if that's US only.

No problem. Can you go to the main TaylorMade Golf webpage and then hover over the link that says Driver? From there, mine shows 4 different drivers and then a box right beneath them that says "Make it YO1R" that can be clicked to launch the configurator.

 

[ATLGolfer]

Range testing session: March 9, 2013


Saturday started an excellent weekend of warm and dry weather that this area had not seen in quite some time. It was my first real opportunity to try the R1 in rather warm (65+ degree) weather, and it was also the first time to really try the R1/B Asha combo. Wind conditions were low (maybe 5-10mph), and the range balls used were generally in good condition.

i kept the R1 at 9.5* with neutral bias and the face angle opened 2*.

After hitting several shots with an 8i and 5W, I went to the R1. Instantly, I was pleased with the R1/B Asha combination. Te ball flight was lower than what I was experiencing with the RIP Phenom shaft. Carry still looked pretty good, as I was hitting balls that were flying over the rear fence of the range (lasered at 253). I was hitting a slight fade (maybe about five yards), which is my preferred ball flight. I hit a groove during the range session, and I was simply peppering balls between two flag sticks that were about 20 yards apart. When I was in the "zone," each ball basically stayed on the same line, and each had a nice rising flight that seemed to carry without end. It was fun to watch.

I certainly had some struggles during the range session. I have been fighting an upright swing lately, which causes me to lay the club off at the top. For woods, the result is a lot of heel shots, which is not what you want with the R1. The error seemed to be magnified with the B Asha, which I suspect is caused by a firmer tip than the RIP Phenom. Heel shots with the B Asha stayed very low and almost dribbled off of the club face. These missiles resulted in weak fades that never seemed to have a chance at impact. I suspect that none of these miss hits went over 250. Everything generally stayed on the same path, but a couple pretty bad swings led to some dreadful slices. Those results, though, are easily attributed to a swing flaw instead of the club.

All in all, I like the R1 B Asha combo. It will take a little getting used to the firmer feel of he shaft, but I certainly like the ball flight on well struck shots. However, I also realize that the B Asha does not leave as much room for error as the RIP, which I will discuss in more detail in my next posting.

 

[bhilton]

I went out to the range after work and hit balls for a couple of hours. When I started hitting the R1, I had it set at neutral with the 10g weight in the toe. I was hitting a pretty consistent little fade. It wasn't that bad of a fade, but it was a little more than what I was wanting. However, I knew almost exactly where the ball was going on just about every shot. It may have been more of a fade than I wanted, but it was where I could keep it in the fairway all day long if I needed to.

I decided I would switch the weights and put the 10g back in the heel to see if that would cut down on the fade, but when I did that I had no idea where the ball was going. I was either hitting a big cut or a big hook. I just didn't feel comfortable at all after I made the switch. I'm going back out Wednesday and I'm going to put the 10g back in the toe, but I'm going to close the face a little and see if that doesn't fix the problem.

I can say that after working with this driver quite a bit, that I've finally got the ball flight down to where I want it. It was kind of a combination of learning a new swing and messing with many settings on the driver, but it's finally there. Now if I can just get the big fade out of this thing, I'll actually have it where I want it.

 

[ATLGolfer]

Course Testing: Echelon Golf Club, Alpharetta, Georgia -- March 10, 2013


In what is a rarity for me, I was able to take the clubs out twice in one weekend. The weather was simply too good to miss. I played a round with THPers Rust, JT and SeeMoreGuy. The weather was a bit cool in the morning and generally breezy throughout, but overall the conditions were good. The course was also dry, which gave me a chance to see the roll out generated with the R1/B Asha combo.

My swing, unfortunately, did not cooperate during the round. The upright, laid off swing flaw that I was fighting with on the range the previous day was still there for the round. Unfortunately, it only became worse as the day went on. While I actually scored better on the back nine, I had a much better swing working on the front nine. I'll separate the nines to compare the R1.

I stayed with the R1/B Asha combo throughout the round (although I admittedly thought about putting in the RIP Phenom towards the end for a little more forgiveness). Settings were the same as prior sessions: 9.5*, neutral weight setting, face angle open 2*.

Front Nine:

I had one really bad swing with the R1 on the front nine. I over swung on a long par 5 and completely came out of the shot, causing a massive slice and a lost ball. (Per the usual, my second ball off eye tee was striped down the middle.) Apart from that tee shot, I struck the R1 well on the front. I was 4/7 in fairways, with one tee shot missing the fairway by about two yards. The other missed fairway was caused by the wind blowing my ball off course into the right rough. (That was hole No.9, and the wind really started to pick up at that point.)

Distance was generally good with the R1. I was in the 280-290 range for most of the tee shots. Nothing went amazingly far, but I also did not feel like I really caught anything on the screws. Lots of average (but good) hits that resulted in average (but good) drives.

Accuracy was good with the R1/B Asha. I was hitting a slight fade for most of the round, although I actually hit a little bit of a draw off of the first tee. The ball was generally staying where I wanted it on decent/good swings. The wind was certainly affecting the ball, particularly as the day progressed and hen winds became stronger. But, I don't think that I can reasonably expect any driver to drive a ball completely through the wind.


Back Nine:

Things started to fall apart on the back nine. The wind picked up, and I started to swing harder and faster to compensate. My swing became longer and more upright, and bad things started to happen.

For the R1, it can get a little ugly when I am too upright. I tend to lay the club off at the top to compensate, which causes a lot of miss hits off of the heel. As many have noted, that is the worst place to hit the ball with this club. The heel shots produced low, short fades that looked like they never really had a chance off of the tee. I hit a few of these on the back nine, and I don't think any of them went further than 250 yards.

I was only 1/7 for fairways on the back nine. In fairness, I think four of the six misses were out of the fairway by about two yards. I had several dries that were just barely in the rough. For as badly as I was swinging and as much as the wind was blowing, the results were not that bad.

I definitely chalk up the back nine to a cruddy swing. On the drive back, I initially thought that I needed to make more changes with the R1 in light of the new shaft. That is still a possibility. However, I remember how well I was hitting the R1/B Asha on the range the prior day, and I realize that I should probably adjust my swing before trying to tinker with the R1 settings.


Discussion:

I left the course feeling like it was a "Meh" testing session. I definitely did not feel like my swing did any justice for the club. I'm hoping to get back out later this week to straighten out my swing so that I can see how the R1 performs on the course when struck properly. I just don't think I really gave that much of an opportunity to see the proper results on that particular day.

With that said, I am a little concerned about the heel shots. My tendency to miss, by far, is towards the heel, and I wonder if I should be gaming a club that penalizes me more for misses at the heel. It seems counterproductive. Ultimately, if the R1 does not become the permanent driver in my bag, that will be the reason why.

Still, I am seeing a lot of things to like with the R1/B Asha. I am just scratching the surface with this combination, and I really want to see how the club can perform with a solid swing.

 

[Faiz]

No problem. Can you go to the main TaylorMade Golf webpage and then hover over the link that says Driver? From there, mine shows 4 different drivers and then a box right beneath them that says "Make it YO1R" that can be clicked to launch the configurator.

Yeah worked out fine once I followed your link, think my internet is just too slow here!lol

 

[Canadan]

I went out to the range after work and hit balls for a couple of hours. When I started hitting the R1, I had it set at neutral with the 10g weight in the toe. I was hitting a pretty consistent little fade. It wasn't that bad of a fade, but it was a little more than what I was wanting. However, I knew almost exactly where the ball was going on just about every shot. It may have been more of a fade than I wanted, but it was where I could keep it in the fairway all day long if I needed to.

I decided I would switch the weights and put the 10g back in the heel to see if that would cut down on the fade, but when I did that I had no idea where the ball was going. I was either hitting a big cut or a big hook. I just didn't feel comfortable at all after I made the switch. I'm going back out Wednesday and I'm going to put the 10g back in the toe, but I'm going to close the face a little and see if that doesn't fix the problem.

I can say that after working with this driver quite a bit, that I've finally got the ball flight down to where I want it. It was kind of a combination of learning a new swing and messing with many settings on the driver, but it's finally there. Now if I can just get the big fade out of this thing, I'll actually have it where I want it.

That's pretty intriguing that sending weights to the heel would cause such erratic changes.. You think it was a confidence thing more than anything else?

 

[War Eagle]

That's pretty intriguing that sending weights to the heel would cause such erratic changes.. You think it was a confidence thing more than anything else?

The weights reversed for me were brutal. 4 OB tee shots in the front 9 when I had them reversed. Switched them back for the back 9, not a single miss.

 

[Canadan]

The weights reversed for me were brutal. 4 OB tee shots in the front 9 when I had them reversed. Switched them back for the back 9, not a single miss.

That's pretty interesting. I do think it takes a lot to stay on your ideal plane, and could definitely see it causing some major malfunctions..

Do you find the same level of inconsistency when switching the dial or adjusting the shaft setting?

 

[War Eagle]

That's pretty interesting. I do think it takes a lot to stay on your ideal plane, and could definitely see it causing some major malfunctions..

Do you find the same level of inconsistency when switching the dial or adjusting the shaft setting?

With the weights switched, my ball flight was right to left... yeah, mind blowing.

 

[Canadan]

With the weights switched, my ball flight was right to left... yeah, mind blowing.

haha I just read my comment back and it sounded like I was judging YOUR swing.. I meant that for everyone.. I've seen the look fitters give me when they alter a setting and I make the ball do exactly what it was beforehand hahaha!

With that said, you going right to left is hard to comprehend. I'd have to see it first hand.

 

[War Eagle]

haha I just read my comment back and it sounded like I was judging YOUR swing.. I meant that for everyone.. I've seen the look fitters give me when they alter a setting and I make the ball do exactly what it was beforehand hahaha!

With that said, you going right to left is hard to comprehend. I'd have to see it first hand.

I call it a draw-pull-hook.