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TaylorMade SLDR Driver Preview

SuperStroke
This club is sparking my interest, looking forward to hitting it once available. Tour staff has some great things to say.
 
Great preview Hawk! I like the idea of the simplicity of changing the weights and I will a few others. This is the first TM driver I have had interest in swinging in a long time. Very interesting that they appear to going away from the white finish.
 
I'm very interested in this driver but am probably in the minority in that I miss the white crown so I'm not a huge fan of the looks. But if it performs I can get past it. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts Hawk.
 
ncsalesman said:
Good review Hawk. I've heard this was a club that was in the Adams pipeline when TM bought them and TM decided to take it for themselves. Just based on pictures the slider looks like something that would not hold up over the long run, but that is just the pictures. I also like to hit a driver off the deck once about every blue moon and this club would scare me doing that. I still want to hit it though and I really like the colors, never could look down and comfortably hit the white clubs I bought and sold.
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I've heard a few people say that, out of curiosity what about it makes you think that?
 
I'm interested to hit this. I feel like the SLDR looks plastic, so I'd be afraid to hit it off the deck, and I'm just nervous about that weight popping out. I know it's a crazy thought, but just something about it concerns me. I also feel like the embroidery on the headcover looks a lil dodgy?

By all reports, from what i've seen around people feel like it's amazing and one of the best drivers all time from Taylor Made, that alone is enough to wmake me want to put my hands on it and hit a bunch.
 
StanTheCaddy said:
I'm very interested in this driver but am probably in the minority in that I miss the white crown so I'm not a huge fan of the looks. But if it performs I can get past it. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts Hawk.
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I actually think it's a bit of a mistake. They'll maintain their #1 driver status and while other companies also offer white I feel that the average fan could see how many Taylormades drivers there were by watching a telecast.
 
The sliding weight is definitely not plastic or flimsy.
 
Jman said:
Hear, is the key word for me. I want some of that old school lower toned audible feeback back. Badly.
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Agreed. The press release notes a distinctive "TaylorMade" sound at impact. My initial thought was "Pre or Post R11?"


I've heard at least one non-TM driver that is louder than the R1. (The original RBZ may be the loudest driver I've ever heard in person.). I'm hoping that TM went back to the pre-R11 sound with the SLDR. It's tough to keep saying, "Yeah, the sound is atrocious, but it still really performs."
 
I have access to the R9 series and will attempt a compare. It is nothing like the R1 imo.
 
So what we're hearing is that black is the new black.

Looks interesting. Can't wait to read more from THP in-hand product reviewers.
 
fracisco said:
So what we're hearing is that black is the new black.

Looks interesting. Can't wait to read more from THP in-hand product reviewers.
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Except it's not black.
 
This guy is going on my Christmas list for sure.
 
In-hand pics look great! very clean looking crown and what a deep face! I love me some Taylormade so I'll certainly be tuning in for reviews!
 
Taylormade has had a live chat about the SLDR going since 11am eastern. I asked about the cavity to the side of the sliding port and they came back with this answer:

Will, the cavity above the word "fade" is the port used to insert the weight during assembly of the head. The tungsten weight that slides on the bottom of the track is actually slid underneath the track through the toe port, then it is permanently locked under the channel when the silver toe port cap is bonded in place.

I just thought that was a curious extra slot in the sole that I had not seen any explanation for yet.
 
Definitely need to get some more range time in with this one. I'm having some control issues with it that are somewhat uncharacteristic of me. Seeing some very hard hooks that I can't seem to shake. I'm wondering it it's because my X-Hot is opened up and I don't have this one set that way.
 
I stayed with a good bit of the on-line chat that they conducted and it sounds as if they make the head with some different color combinations. They said on several occasions that they were listening to the customers and the market on the issue.
 
Hawk said:
Definitely need to get some more range time in with this one. I'm having some control issues with it that are somewhat uncharacteristic of me. Seeing some very hard hooks that I can't seem to shake. I'm wondering it it's because my X-Hot is opened up and I don't have this one set that way.
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Hey Hawk, for me directional misses are mostly attributable to shaft characteristics. Perhaps the speeder 57 is quite different from your x-hot shaft?
 
golf4life said:
Hey Hawk, for me directional misses are mostly attributable to shaft characteristics. Perhaps the speeder 57 is quite different from your x-hot shaft?
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I did think about that. Actually put the shaft from the R1 in there today without much success either. I do have a White Tie that I love in the X-Hot, so maybe that's something to do with it. I do think I'll try an open setting. Today I went neutral face with fade weighting and I was way left again. The only thing I could think of was the face angle. I've played the X-Hot open (and I think it's like 1.5-2° open) for months here, so maybe that's a factor.

I will say that when I connect it delivers a great ball flight and distance. Just need to get a little familiarity going. Not rare for me to struggle right off the bat with new gear.
 
Hawk said:
I did think about that. Actually put the shaft from the R1 in there today without much success either. I do have a White Tie that I love in the X-Hot, so maybe that's something to do with it. I do think I'll try an open setting. Today I went neutral face with fade weighting and I was way left again. The only thing I could think of was the face angle. I've played the X-Hot open (and I think it's like 1.5-2° open) for months here, so maybe that's a factor.

I will say that when I connect it delivers a great ball flight and distance. Just need to get a little familiarity going. Not rare for me to struggle right off the bat with new gear.
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Does the SLDR accept the R1 tip, or did you add a SLDR tip to the R1 shaft?

One thing that has irked me about TM is that the tips are not consistent for their clubs. I get that the R1 is set up as a universal loft driver, but it would still be great to be able to swap a RBZ tip into an R1 and vice-versa.


My "live session" time with you is very limited, but I'm having trouble picturing a snap hook.
 
LOL you caught me on a terrible day man. I'm going to see what opening the face does. I suspect that might help me out. Hoping it keeps the ball height where I want it though. Either way, it's nice to have the option to tinker with it. I'm not really concerned, just need to find that perfect setting.

To answer your question though, yes the R1 tip and the SLDR tip are the same.
 
I think it was smart for them to keep the tip the same. Allow some R1 uses to have shaft options. Also makes it easier from a manufacturing stand point.
 
I'm thrilled the tip is the same. There's such a large range of loft adjustments available that way.
 
Agreed. But, now that I think about it, putting an R1 tip in the SLDR is pretty confusing. The R1 tip goes from 8* to 12* and includes a few upright loft positions. The SLDR is only supposed to have about 1.5 or 2 degrees change in loft. Not sure how that would work, but I guess it does.

Either way, that's a move that I'm glad to see TM make. It's certainly better for the consumer.
 
The only thing I'm worried about are people being confused that it has the R1 tip, but yet a set loft specification. I know it's easy to see why once you figure out face angle, etc. but I feel from a standard buyers POV, it might be a head scratcher.
 
Hawk said:
I'm thrilled the tip is the same. There's such a large range of loft adjustments available that way.
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So... even if you have a 10.5 SLDR, you can play it at whatever loft with the R1 tip?

That would be interesting. It also may explain the snap hook issue if you can't adjust the face angle in the SLDR like you can with the R1.
 
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