TaylorMade SLDR Driver - Review Thread

[chas]

Can someone help me with this question? On Taylormade's website, it says the SLDR has up to 1.5 deg +- and 12 different positions. Does this mean that you can adjust the loft .25 deg each way up to 1.5 deg?

Its 0.5 for each notch, you can go up or down in 0.5 on standard settings which gives you 6 settings. Then you can go up and down 0.5 in upright lie settings giving you the other 6

So for the 10.5 head yo can go up to 11,11.5,12, and down to 10,9.5,9 and the same lofts with an upright lie setting

 

[blugold]

Maybe I am alone but I am finding the sldr a little unforgiving , not very consistent with it. Coming from a k15 driver. I know many love this unit , am I out on an island alone with these results ?
gb

Many people have found that. You're not alone.

 

[PhillyV]

To piggyback off of blugold, there aren't many people who find this forgiving

 

[chas]

I so want to like this driver, but like others have said its not forgiving at all. It feels very harsh off the face if you don't hit it on the sweet spot, its a shame as its the most accurate driver I have had. I could get over the lack of forgiveness and the feel of it so I am sticking with mu i25 which is more forgiving for me

 

[salisboss]

To piggyback off of blugold, there aren't many people who find this forgiving

Although not the club for me at the moment, I think it is forgiving in its own way. If I mishit I know it will not slice off into oblivion for me. This club goes straight for me just at a wide range of distances.

 

[PhillyV]

Although not the club for me at the moment, I think it is forgiving in its own way. If I mishit I know it will not slice off into oblivion for me. This club goes straight for me just at a wide range of distances.

True, but most other drivers don't have nearly the yardage loss on mis-hits

 

[salisboss]

True, but most other drivers don't have nearly the yardage loss on mis-hits

True. It just depends on what is important to the player.

 

[LEFTY57]

Many people have found that. You're not alone.

Thanks.. I will more than likely go back to my K15 and send the sldr back to TM for a refund, I will give it a another couple of rounds . Maybe I will try the Callaway line up for a new Driver. gb

 

[blugold]

True, but most other drivers don't have nearly the yardage loss on mis-hits

True. It just depends on what is important to the player.

For me, I cannot fault a club for losing distance when I have no idea where I am putting that club face. My misses are dead duck pull hooks. That is a swing flaw for me, not a forgiveness issue. Otherwise, I have seen some very consistent distances.

Thanks.. I will more than likely go back to my K15 and send the sldr back to TM for a refund, I will give it a another couple of rounds . Maybe I will try the Callaway line up for a new Driver. gb

Taylormade does have that program going with the refunds. Also, why change from the K15 if it's working?

 

[salisboss]

For me, I cannot fault a club for losing distance when I have no idea where I am putting that club face. My misses are dead duck pull hooks. That is a swing flaw for me, not a forgiveness issue. Otherwise, I have seen some very consistent distances.

No doubt. It is most certainly the indian not the arrow for me. If I had a consistent swing/club head placement this would probably be my gamer. I have hit this club further than any other driver out there.

Until I can get a dialed in swing I want something that minimizes my flaws.

 

[blugold]

No doubt. It is most certainly the indian not the arrow for me. If I had a consistent swing/club head placement this would probably be my gamer. I have hit this club further than any other driver out there.

Until I can get a dialed in swing I want something that minimizes my flaws.

Do not get me wrong, I am not saying that my swing is near flawless (it has many flaws you can go see for yourself). I know that the 1-3 times an 18 when I hit that darned dead duck, it sucks but most of the time the distance is really consistent.

 

[LEFTY57]

For me, I cannot fault a club for losing distance when I have no idea where I am putting that club face. My misses are dead duck pull hooks. That is a swing flaw for me, not a forgiveness issue. Otherwise, I have seen some very consistent distances.



Taylormade does have that program going with the refunds. Also, why change from the K15 if it's working?

The k15 does work pretty good a little spiny intothe wind , The reason I bought the sldr was the refund program tm have going on just for this reason haven't had to much success with tm drives in the past also was hoping to pick up some yardage.

 

[salisboss]

Do not get me wrong, I am not saying that my swing is near flawless (it has many flaws you can go see for yourself). I know that the 1-3 times an 18 when I hit that darned dead duck, it sucks but most of the time the distance is really consistent.

I think this is why information is power and understanding the state of our game and why finding the right clubs for ones game is important. We are both on the same page. The sldr works best for your game and I wish it did for me based on the things I do and dont do well.

 

[ehamady.6]

was it a roll out diffrence if the fairways are still wet/damp with mine i notice a little diffrence most likley due to reduced roll from ball taking a softer bounce

The 9* setting rolled out the most and carried the most for me. When hitting the other lofts the ball was always less than 10 yards from its landing mark, even at 8.5* which I chalk up to the CG. At 9* the ball was always over 10 yards from its landing mark. That started happening when I moved the blue weight directly behind the face's sweetspot. 10.5* produced the most visually pleasing flight, but 9* produced the most distance every time.

I am more impressed with this driver's low spin every day, and the weight of the TP shaft has felt amazing. I've been hitting more bombs in the fairway as I've been getting more used to the club. My group has noticed the increase in distance and I was already outdriving them with my R11! The forgiveness of the 460cc head has also been better than I expected. I hit a ball towards the heel of the 430cc head when I was being fitted and I thought my hands were going to shatter. The 460 sweetspot is so big that it's hard for me to miss. This driver has been a homerun for me.

 

[rkwon]

Its 0.5 for each notch, you can go up or down in 0.5 on standard settings which gives you 6 settings. Then you can go up and down 0.5 in upright lie settings giving you the other 6

So for the 10.5 head yo can go up to 11,11.5,12, and down to 10,9.5,9 and the same lofts with an upright lie setting

So then how do some people have their SLDR's set at 11.25 deg?

 

[fupresti]

So then how do some people have their SLDR's set at 11.25 deg?

I believe the TP model can be adjusted in .25* increments +/-

 

[Brianbigoats]

The 9* setting rolled out the most and carried the most for me. When hitting the other lofts the ball was always less than 10 yards from its landing mark, even at 8.5* which I chalk up to the CG. At 9* the ball was always over 10 yards from its landing mark. That started happening when I moved the blue weight directly behind the face's sweetspot. 10.5* produced the most visually pleasing flight, but 9* produced the most distance every time.

I am more impressed with this driver's low spin every day, and the weight of the TP shaft has felt amazing. I've been hitting more bombs in the fairway as I've been getting more used to the club. My group has noticed the increase in distance and I was already outdriving them with my R11! The forgiveness of the 460cc head has also been better than I expected. I hit a ball towards the heel of the 430cc head when I was being fitted and I thought my hands were going to shatter. The 460 sweetspot is so big that it's hard for me to miss. This driver has been a homerun for me.

The Sweet spot is farily big on the 460 compared to the 430 and it is super easy to hit

moving the weight under the Sweet Spot sounds intresting i will have to give that a try

 

[Brianbigoats]

I believe the TP model can be adjusted in .25* increments +/-

I thought they were .5 increments for sldr, JS, and RBZ 2 the .75 on R1
but there might be a tour only adapter

 

[fupresti]

I thought they were .5 increments for sldr, JS, and RBZ 2 the .75 on R1 but there might be a tour only adapter

Probably. Thought I read it had 12 adjustments +/1 1.5*.

 

[Brianbigoats]

So then how do some people have their SLDR's set at 11.25 deg?

Could be a R1 with a .75 sleeve

 

[Brianbigoats]

Probably. Thought I read it had 12 adjustments +/1 1.5*.

It has 12 Adjustments but some are Upright so 7 STD and 5 Up

 

[ehamady.6]

The Sweet spot is farily big on the 460 compared to the 430 and it is super easy to hit moving the weight under the Sweet Spot sounds intresting i will have to give that a try

Moving the weight to the 2nd tick on the fade side has definitely added distance and produces a more solid feel. I think it puts the weight where it's needed most. IMO the weight doesn't do anything to produce a fade or draw. Definitely give it a try.

 

[Brianbigoats]

Moving the weight to the 2nd tick on the fade side has definitely added distance and produces a more solid feel. I think it puts the weight where it's needed most. IMO the weight doesn't do anything to produce a fade or draw. Definitely give it a try.

My normal shot is a slight Draw when i move weight to the fade side all it does is cause my draw to get hung up and not move if i go to the draw side i tend to over draw it
I will give moving the weight a try tomorrow

 

[Gulby]

Quick question, just purchased a new SLDR White, with the stock 57grm stiff shaft. I want to possibly swap out the shaft to something a bit heavier, but I am rookie setting all this stuff up, along with the head, the guys at golf town are horrible helping people out.

I tend to have 5-10 yards or so of fade most of the time(aka slice). Also how does this loft up work?

Thanks!!

 

[blugold]

Quick question, just purchased a new SLDR White, with the stock 57grm stiff shaft. I want to possibly swap out the shaft to something a bit heavier, but I am rookie setting all this stuff up, along with the head, the guys at golf town are horrible helping people out.

I tend to have 5-10 yards or so of fade most of the time(aka slice). Also how does this loft up work?

Thanks!!

Adding loft will close the face.