Modifying a TaylorMade M5

[YeezyQ]

I know that I can get some weight out of a TaylorMade M5 clubhead by removing any hotmelt they put in the head during manufacturing. Perhaps save a few grams. Can I also remove the resin that they put behind the face?

Note: Taylormade put the resin there to bring the clubhead back to legal CT/COR rating so I assume I would end up with an out of spec (illegal) clubface. If possible to remove the resin, what is stopping anyone from doing this today? Seems like this would be ultra-hard to detect.

 

[MWard]

I guess my biggest question would be why, what do you think you’d get from it performance wise by making those changes?

 

[Tenputt]

Are you wanting a non-conforming driver that may give you more distance?

 

[YeezyQ]

Sure, I would take more distance. And the overarching question is if the resin can be removed and making the club non-conforming, would anyone even be able to tell?

 

[radiman]

My understanding is that the resin is cured and now hardened to some degree. Not a material that you can just pull out. I think to do that, you would need some serious access to inside the club head. If you are looking to remove weight and not make the driver hot, you are probably better off removing weight from the sliding weights by either buying lighter versions or removing one of the two all together.

 

[MWard]

Sure, I would take more distance. And the overarching question is if the resin can be removed and making the club non-conforming, would anyone even be able to tell?

Probably not? But then again, would you be able to tell if you’ve picked up any gain either? Kinda seems like you could mess up your driver in the process and for not a whole lot of gain. You could probably change golf balls for a lot cheaper and less hassle and get more distance than by making the driver hotter?

 

[wubears71]

Taylormade spent millions engineering the club. Why would you want to mess with the resin and risk ruining the club?

 

[YeezyQ]

My understanding is that the resin is cured and now hardened to some degree. Not a material that you can just pull out. I think to do that, you would need some serious access to inside the club head. If you are looking to remove weight and not make the driver hot, you are probably better off removing weight from the sliding weights by either buying lighter versions or removing one of the two all together.

I would think a solvent could still get it out of there. For the hotmelt, people use Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) as the solvent. Since I am unfamiliar with the internal structure of the M5 head, I am unclear as to whether the resin could be drained out the hotmelt port if dissolved.

 

[YeezyQ]

Taylormade spent millions engineering the club. Why would you want to mess with the resin and risk ruining the club?

Taylormade manufactured the club above 0.83 COR and added resin to bring it back to legal. Removing resin wouldn't ruin the club from a functional point of view. Yes, it would ruin it from a legal point of view. Would you know my M5 is modified if I were to do this? How would you know?

 

[YeezyQ]

I guess my biggest question would be why, what do you think you’d get from it performance wise by making those changes?

I would think you would gain whatever yardage you would gain by having a club that is above COR.

 

[Tenputt]

Sure, I would take more distance. And the overarching question is if the resin can be removed and making the club non-conforming, would anyone even be able to tell?

On a theoretical level, I wonder why you would want to hide that fact that you would have a non-comforting driver. Seems to violate the spirit of the game. On a practical level, there are better ways to achieve your objective. I doubt you can get the resin out, without ruining the club. There are entities out there that will shave the face of a driver, making it more spring-like. You might look into that option.

 

[JB]

I would think you would gain whatever yardage you would gain by having a club that is above COR.

Going above COR by a fraction of a percentage point (which is about what it would be) would net you a yard or two at most.

 

[YeezyQ]

On a theoretical level, I wonder why you would want to hide that fact that you would have a non-comforting driver. Seems to violate the spirit of the game. On a practical level, there are better ways to achieve your objective. I doubt you can get the resin out, without ruining the club. There are entities out there that will shave the face of a driver, making it more spring-like. You might look into that option.

I have a suspicion that M5's are being modified. The reason people would hide it is to get an advantage with an end goal of winning. If you are a junior golfer competing for college scholarships, winning can be everything. Is this thought really that far fetched?

 

[wubears71]

Taylormade manufactured the club above 0.83 COR and added resin to bring it back to legal. Removing resin wouldn't ruin the club from a functional point of view. Yes, it would ruin it from a legal point of view. Would you know my M5 is modified if I were to do this? How would you know?

Maybe. Maybe not. But getting in to remove the resin might.

 

[MWard]

I have a suspicion that M5's are being modified. The reason people would hide it is to get an advantage with an end goal of winning. If you are a junior golfer competing for college scholarships, winning can be everything. Is this thought really that far fetched?

For a handful of yards? I kinda doubt it

 

[wubears71]

I am not sure why you came on here to ask the question. If you want to do it then go for it. I think the majority of golfers on here would say it’s not worth the risk for the slight game that you may or may not get. But nobody is stopping you.

 

[radiman]

I have a suspicion that M5's are being modified. The reason people would hide it is to get an advantage with an end goal of winning. If you are a junior golfer competing for college scholarships, winning can be everything. Is this thought really that far fetched?

So here is my thought. If you specifically are trying to do this as to gain an advantage over your playing partners or other competitors in a tournament, you are trying to cheat? If that's not the case, then you would probably be better off trying to find a driver that is designed to be non-conforming. It would probably be cheaper than ruining an M5 and having to buy another club anyways.

 

[YeezyQ]

So here is my thought. If you specifically are trying to do this as to gain an advantage over your playing partners or other competitors in a tournament, you are trying to cheat? If that's not the case, then you would probably be better off trying to find a driver that is designed to be non-conforming. It would probably be cheaper than ruining an M5 and having to buy another club anyways.

Yes, people cheat. They cheat all of the time. The competition to get into top golf schools is fierce. I'm also not saying it is right to do so. It's not always the kids either as I think the parents play a role here.

As far as the Taylormade M5, it is designed as non-conforming. The head is actually manufactured above COR. It is then brought back to conforming status via resin.

 

[radiman]

Yes, people cheat. They cheat all of the time. The competition to get into top golf schools is fierce. I'm also not saying it is right to do so. It's not always the kids either as I think the parents play a role here.

As far as the Taylormade M5, it is designed as non-conforming. The head is actually manufactured above COR. It is then brought back to conforming status via resin.

I understand that. My question is directed to you though. Are you looking to gain an edge over others without them knowing? Or, are you just looking to get a driver that is above COR for your own enjoyment? If it's the latter, then I think you'd be better off just buying a driver that is designed above COR.

 

[Alez367]

ok who left the debate room door open??? MWard was it you?

 

[Tenputt]

I understand that. My question is directed to you though. Are you looking to gain an edge over others without them knowing? Or, are you just looking to get a driver that is above COR for your own enjoyment? If it's the latter, then I think you'd be better off just buying a driver that is designed above COR.

I suppose the third possibility is that this poster suspects others are cheating, has a theory as to how and is attempting to confirm whether the theory is accurate.

 

[JB]

Yes, people cheat. They cheat all of the time. The competition to get into top golf schools is fierce. I'm also not saying it is right to do so. It's not always the kids either as I think the parents play a role here.

As far as the Taylormade M5, it is designed as non-conforming. The head is actually manufactured above COR. It is then brought back to conforming status via resin.

A lot of that message is marketing. Many good drivers on the market are right at the edge.
Still however, going slightly above COR, will do little in terms of noticeable difference in distance.

If you want to go the route of non-conforming and see a difference, there are better ways to do it.

 

[YeezyQ]

I understand that. My question is directed to you though. Are you looking to gain an edge over others without them knowing? Or, are you just looking to get a driver that is above COR for your own enjoyment? If it's the latter, then I think you'd be better off just buying a driver that is designed above COR.

I'm actually trying to figure out if another competitor is cheating. Essentially, a feasibility study and some gut instinct based upon what I have seen. So far, it seems feasible to modify the M5 without it being detected. Nobody checks a driver for conformance in junior golf like they would on the PGA Tour.

 

[YeezyQ]

I suppose the third possibility is that this poster suspects others are cheating, has a theory as to how and is attempting to confirm whether the theory is accurate.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

 

[wubears71]

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Bring it up with Junior golf. Ask them to check the driver. Then you’ll know.