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TaylorMade M1 Driver Review Thread

SuperStroke
I have read that 20 number as well. No more "made for" shafts
 
jlukes said:
I have read that 20 number as well. No more "made for" shafts
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If the number really is 20...1 more than their competitor, I will laugh pretty hard and slow clap for them.
 
DevRickus said:
If the number really is 20...1 more than their competitor, I will laugh pretty hard and slow clap for them.
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I'll wait for the list to be published. If it is the case, and the shafts aren't just mediocrity in numbers, I'll be impressed.
 
arydolphin said:
TM is having the 2nd day of the M1 launch today, with media members actually hitting the clubs outside. I've also read that there are a bunch of no upcharge options on the driver shafts, so maybe we should wait to see what those are and then compare their options to Callaway's options with the GBB.
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As I said earlier, there are plenty of shaft options for this head. Way more than the 3 that come stock.
 
Canadan said:
I'll wait for the list to be published. If it is the case, and the shafts aren't just mediocrity in numbers, I'll be impressed.
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So let me get this straight. People scoff at only 3 options and complain that their competitor offers 19 no charge upgrade options. Then, info starts coming in that there may actually be 20 no charge upgrade options. Then, we have to pick and choose and see what the shafts are before we can call it legit. This thread is amusing me more and more.
 
JB said:
Im on the other side (bare with me here, this will get lengthy but make sense). If what I am hearing about the CG being moved a bit back and still low, they could have something here. I dont think the marketing is as on point as it needs to be (so far) in regards to that, but it is just beginning. The problem TaylorMade has had is all due to marketing and message. Part of it is their fault and part of it is the golfer and not liking change.

Convincing golfers that they need to play a high lofted driver is very hard. That has had a connotation in the past for old guys and ladies and while false, the misnomer is there. Spin zapping misses are a problem, but less of one with the right loft, but since everybody thinks they hit it too high to begin with, nobody was in fact lofting up. Which was virtually the only way to get more distance out of one of the heads.

One of the issues with the entire campaign was that just a year prior, they tried to convince golfers that they were playing the wrong loft and needed a one sku driver in the R1. Then they said they needed more loft because low and forward was the way of the future (and still can be). The problem is that like flex in shafts, people are set in their ways with loft. This is not as applicable to the equipment golfers found on message boards, but more to those that read for reviews and are buying the equipment yearly.

SLDR did very well initially and then came the next models and then the rebirth of the legends known as R series and Burner. Buzz was zapped, nothing was moving and while still number one in Driver sales, if you removed prior models sales, they would be getting murdered. So that brings us to M1. A product that looks dynamic, appears to give consumers what they want through adjustability and not a single mention of forgiveness anywhere. Its a tired message. Stay with me here, I am heading somewhere. So this driver which packs a ton of technology, appears to look solid and has what many die hards have asked for, will get lost and here is why.

The average golfer that does not understand all of the tech or follow it alongside their daily news will walk into a store and see the new M1. Probably hit the new M1 along with a number of other drivers. Then he will look at the sole of the M1 and look at the sole of one of the 9 SLDR models, R15, etc and say well these have the slide technology and are a fraction of the cost. How much can change in a year or so and since the store still has a lot of these, they must still be in line too and it saves me money for the Pro V1 I have to play because the pros do.

So now they walk out with their previous model and then low and behold they hit it too low (too low loft) and previously they were keeping up with their league partners at the club, now on the slight miss, they are low and short and not happy. Next time at the store, do they look at the M1 to give the brand another shot? Nope, they go right to Ping, Callaway and others to see what happens. So what does all of this rambling mean? Not much....Other than the writing was on the wall a while ago and nobody wanted to hear it.

Inventory control is the issue and still the issue. The company needs a mass buy back so that when golfers walk into stores after seeing the tour pro win with a TaylorMade driver, the M1 is front and center surrounded by other brands, not front and center surrounded by 9 other models at half the price.

So back to this product, I think they might have something here with their tech. To look at it broadly, you have a some MWT (moveable weight technology) which we know works, just not in this location and you have some Flip It and Rip It technology, which we also know works in another brand. Whether one thinks it lacks innovation is not important in terms of the product working, which I think people are going to be surprised about. I think when push comes to shove what you will find is the front weight doing little and the depth weight (front to back) altering ball flight as much as they have seen with other brands.

Im excited to learn more about the M1, although I think the message needs to be far more refined and targeted to have a lasting impact.
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Per the request, here is the post from earlier.
 
Video with impact sound.

 
Canadan said:
I'll wait for the list to be published. If it is the case, and the shafts aren't just mediocrity in numbers, I'll be impressed.
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That stock Aldila Rogue Silver doesn't suck. If they're putting a $285 shaft in stock that leaves room for a lot of no-upcharge options.
 
DevRickus said:
You quoted my posts and made assertions that I said one thing without actually reading my posts. I posted the EXACT same thing you have posted now 3 times. And I dont care how many years you have been on other forums because it is irrelevant to me. You can post whatever you would like. I havent said a word about your opinion. You feel it's necessary to keep quoting my posts and trying to convince me of your point of view that I already agreed with multiple times last night. Take a step back and deep breath. Everything will be fine.
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I intended to expand on your thoughts, not criticize them. Not trying to convince anyone of anything - merely stating my opinion. If they agree or disagree, that's great.

Don't take this stuff personally. It's golf and it's all good. The internet is sometimes tough on interpretation. The only agenda is golf. Hit 'em straight!
 
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Dave Alvarado said:
That stock Aldila Rogue Silver doesn't suck. If they're putting a $285 shaft in stock that leaves room for a lot of no-upcharge options.
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how do we know it's not made-for? genuinely curious.
 
DevRickus said:
Did I hear them say forgiveness in that video? Huzzah!
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You certainly did!

However, they explained absolutely nothing in that video. I mean, NOTHING was talked about or explained to inform the masses. It was all about tour pros getting more distance.

TM has to change their note with this one! The marketing is downright terrible
 
rtparty said:
You certainly did!

However, they explained absolutely nothing in that video. I mean, NOTHING was talked about or explained to inform the masses. It was all about tour pros getting more distance.

TM has to change their note with this one! The marketing is downright terrible
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Wait so you are going to tell me a commercial didnt break down technology and explain it? What is this world coming too!! :alien:
 
DevRickus said:
So let me get this straight. People scoff at only 3 options and complain that their competitor offers 19 no charge upgrade options. Then, info starts coming in that there may actually be 20 no charge upgrade options. Then, we have to pick and choose and see what the shafts are before we can call it legit. This thread is amusing me more and more.
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Did you fall over the Callaway launch after finding out that there were 19 shaft options or did you check out the list first? Personally, I checked out the list first. I want to see that they have covered the entire market between slower swinging golfers with launch issues to faster swingers with spin issues. I see no reason why my logic should change for TaylorMade.
 
Canadan said:
Did you fall over the Callaway launch after finding out that there were 19 shaft options or did you check out the list first? Personally, I checked out the list first. I want to see that they have covered the entire market between slower swinging golfers with launch issues to faster swingers with spin issues. I see no reason why my logic should change for TaylorMade.
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I mean I didnt and you didnt but most people did. I would guarantee that 99% of the people who mentioned it in this thread couldnt name more than 5 shafts off that list.
 
If a company puts out double digit shafts at no cost upgrade options and they cannot fit the spectrum there is something HUGELY wrong. Of course that would never happen though.
 
DevRickus said:
I mean I didnt and you didnt but most people did. I would guarantee that 99% of the people who mentioned it in this thread couldnt name more than 5 shafts off that list.
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Plus I don't think anyone would be able to entertain the discussion of feeling a difference between shafts.
 
Frankly the entire "no charge shaft options" bothers me anyway. They raise the price to cover the most expensive option, and then offer you all the other options at "no charge". Ping most recently with their ie irons... Change the MAP to $999 from $799, but wait, no charge shaft upgrades! Charge $499 for a driver you charged $399 or $449 a year ago, but look, choose your shaft! Clearly it's working based on some of the excitement on the forums. But I for one, will not subsidize the price with a shaft that works for me but is stock, for everyone else that needs a more exotic offering.
 
With regards to Taylormade needing ground breaking technology, I ask why?

I'll compare it to the phone companies Samsung v. Apple:

I'm a Samsung guy so I like new things/features that may be a hit or miss when it comes to a phone.

Meanwhile Apple tends to safely put out tech in the next gen phone that is tried and true, they don't take many risks. But what they do have is a very large following and sell, sell, sell.

Can Taylormade focus on lessening inventory, and focus on selling a quality product that uses tried and true technology?

I don't know their plan for the future but I can understand it either way. Playing it safe works for other companies and other industries. So why not?
 
Martsy said:
Frankly the entire "no charge shaft options" bothers me anyway. They raise the price to cover the most expensive option, and then offer you all the other options at "no charge". Ping most recently with their ie irons... Change the MAP to $999 from $799, but wait, no charge shaft upgrades! Charge $499 for a driver you charged $399 or $449 a year ago, but look, choose your shaft! Clearly it's working based on some of the excitement on the forums. But I for one, will not subsidize the price with a shaft that works for me but is stock, for everyone else that needs a more exotic offering.
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Yeah, I am not sure why so many people are quick to applaud OEMs for this shell game. I suppose it's a discussion for another thread, but it bothers me too.
 
Harvmp28 said:
With regards to Taylormade needing ground breaking technology, I ask why?
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From a practical standpoint? They don't. People just want something to talk about.
 
DevRickus said:
Wait so you are going to tell me a commercial didnt break down technology and explain it? What is this world coming too!! :alien:
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Not arguing with you but how hard is it to throw in a quick one liner about how shifting the rear sliding weight gave them optimal launch for more carry?

I don't need the white paper or whatever in a commercial but at least throw people a freaking bone.
 
Erky said:
Yeah, I am not sure why so many people are quick to applaud OEMs for this shell game. I suppose it's a discussion for another thread, but it bothers me too.
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Ditto.

I don't mind the price of clubs being higher if the stock shaft is a name brand $250 shaft. What bugs me is if what fits me right is the $100 shaft, I don't get the club for $150 off. If making fancy shafts stock helps sell clubs, then great. But some variable pricing would be nice. Like if you buy a computer from Dell--you tell them you don't need all that hard drive space from the stock configuration, you get a discount. You need a faster processor, you pay more. Let's do the same thing for clubs.
 
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