TaylorMade SLDR Driver - Review Thread

17 mph swing speed differences? Whoa...Something is off I have a feeling with the unit measuring. I believe that unit calculates based on ball speed, so what you might be seeing is some of those are showing some pretty big drops in ball speed based off contact.
Yes the SC-100 Is no trackman. But gives an estimate to help me with what I see on the range.

Also we could feel the difference. It was really the added swing weight. The club felt sluggish and a chore to swing.

A lower swing by changing the SLDR Plate should easily correct that.

The real take home message isn't carry distance or swing speed. The take home was the correction of the dreaded Hook. The SLDR Achilles heel.
 
17 mph swing speed differences? Whoa...Something is off I have a feeling with the unit measuring. I believe that unit calculates based on ball speed, so what you might be seeing is some of those are showing some pretty big drops in ball speed based off contact.
I found I could really ripe the R15. But of course it weighs less. So after swinging a E-0 and switching to an E-7. Bam. The club was popping.

My usual trackman average is 108 to 110. Which is accurate but these are grain of salt numbers. Meant for comparing clubs. Since all measures were done with same device maybe we can learn something from them.
 
The answer to this question may be accuracy/dispersion, but why try and fight the SLDR if you are hitting the R15 better?
 
The answer to this question may be accuracy/dispersion, but why try and fight the SLDR if you are hitting the R15 better?
Just tinkering.

Which is fun and challenging in itself.
 
The answer to this question may be accuracy/dispersion, but why try and fight the SLDR if you are hitting the R15 better?
After my round today with the R15.

Sir your are absolutely correct. The R15 is just a better club. Just a long as the SLDR but much more forgiving. Point and shoot. Lights out.

 
Your SC100 actually does measure the swing speed and ball speed with a doppler radar. Carry yardage is what is calculated. But I'm with JB in that a 17 mph variance in swing speed just isn't right. I can share that I've done some extensive driver testing with that SC100 unit and, for me at least, SLDR 460 was one of the slowest swinging drivers of the many tested, while the R-15 460 swings about 3 mph faster than SLDR for me, side by side. R-15 is far superior in ball speed retention on mishits too (for me) but then again I've never tested a 'bobcat' modified SLDR.
 
Your SC100 actually does measure the swing speed and ball speed with a doppler radar. Carry yardage is what is calculated. But I'm with JB in that a 17 mph variance in swing speed just isn't right. I can share that I've done some extensive driver testing with that SC100 unit and, for me at least, SLDR 460 was one of the slowest swinging drivers of the many tested, while the R-15 460 swings about 3 mph faster than SLDR for me, side by side. R-15 is far superior in ball speed retention on mishits too (for me) but then again I've never tested a 'bobcat' modified SLDR.
The feeling and the performance on the range correlated with the Sc-100 numbers. But I have gotten some off numbers from time to time. Like one time it measured my swing speed at 127 mph which is rediculus.

But my goal was to confirm if my impression of slower swing speed with the Bobcat SLDR Mod was correct. The SC -100 confirmed that impression.

The other goal was to determine if the hooks could be cured so easily and effectively. And again this was confirmed.

Finally I'm guessing Bobcat must have noticed that the swingweight became intolerably high and recommended a decreased in the SLDR 16 gram weight to 8 or 10 grams to address this issue.

I have yet to make this modification so I haven't commented on the results.

But It seems Bobcat did his research prior to the recommendation and for this reason I am grateful.

 
The feeling and the performance on the range correlated with the Sc-100 numbers. But I have gotten some off numbers from time to time. Like one time it measured my swing speed at 127 mph which is rediculus.

But my goal was to confirm if my impression of slower swing speed with the Bobcat SLDR Mod was correct. The SC -100 confirmed that impression.

The other goal was to determine if the hooks could be cured so easily and effectively. And again this was confirmed.

Finally I'm guessing Bobcat must have noticed that the swingweight became intolerably high and recommended a decreased in the SLDR 16 gram weight to 8 or 10 grams to address this issue.

I have yet to make this modification so I haven't commented on the results.

But It seems Bobcat did his research prior to the recommendation and for this reason I am grateful.


I would never recommend a club modification to someone that I hadn't first tried myself over time to prove its effectiveness.

At this point, there are many SLDR users who have tried this modification as I have been recommending it for quite awhile now on another golf forum.

Many have benefited from it and provided positive feedback, so I am now very confident in recommending it to SLDR users here who are experiencing the dreaded "low hook miss" with their SLDR Drivers.

I am always happy to offer help when I can to those I feel will appreciate it.

:act-up:
 
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I ordered a 10 gram weight and a 4 gram last week and picked up an extra 20 gram locally. Package should be at home today when I get there. I haven't had many problems with my SLDR, most are long & high (I have mine set @ 10*). I have hit a few hooks with it but those are a swing issue more than the club. So I'm going to play with the weights and to do some experimenting.

I have two goals in mind. 1, decrease swing weight, increase swing speed, gain distance. 2, maybe add a second weight to increase stability/ forgiveness. Can anyone suggest a combination that works for them? Maybe a good starting setup with the weights listed above?
 
I ordered a 10 gram weight and a 4 gram last week and picked up an extra 20 gram locally. Package should be at home today when I get there. I haven't had many problems with my SLDR, most are long & high (I have mine set @ 10*). I have hit a few hooks with it but those are a swing issue more than the club. So I'm going to play with the weights and to do some experimenting.

I have two goals in mind. 1, decrease swing weight, increase swing speed, gain distance. 2, maybe add a second weight to increase stability/ forgiveness. Can anyone suggest a combination that works for them? Maybe a good starting setup with the weights listed above?
Check out the recent post by Bobcat on swingweight and SLDR weight changes and the SLDR Mod with the use of two 2 grams tungsten weights placed distally on the bottom of the SLDR head. Photos attached

dc7f9dfa7d0694fd7f3c4195c2f65055.jpg
 
Check out the recent post by Bobcat on swingweight and SLDR weight changes and the SLDR Mod with the use of two 2 grams tungsten weights placed distally on the bottom of the SLDR head.


Post or page number please?
 
Found it.
 
You should start with post #2930 on Page 196

Start there and read to the end if you want all the information I have posted on how to overcome the dreaded "low hook miss" commonly seen with the SLDR, as well as how to resolve the swing weight issues, (another common SLDR complaint)...

My recommended fixes work...You will learn to love your SLDR Driver if you use them!


:act-up:
 
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Bobcat Mod SLDR 430 & 460.

Before swing weight adjustment.

D-5 here we go
 
f5384349979d681e5c61ce48ebde2cc0.jpg


Bobcat SLDR Mod 460 & 430 with swingweight adjustment done.

5 minutes.

Swingweight D-5.

Switched the 16 gram weight to a 10 gram weight

 
Just to compare the swingweight of the R15 430 is listed as D-4
 
cc0d72d740c7e895c6cfb280c382c2b9.jpg
 
f5384349979d681e5c61ce48ebde2cc0.jpg


Bobcat SLDR Mod 460 & 430 with swingweight adjustment done.

5 minutes.

Swingweight D-5.

Switched the 16 gram weight to a 10 gram weight


The stock SLDR slider was actually 20-grams including the silver part, the blue part, and the screw. The 10-gram weight kit includes all those parts, so you reduced the weight of your SLDR by 10-grams which is equal to 5-swingweights. Since you were up in the E-0 range after adding the tungsten weights, D-5 is where you should be now. That's a very good driver swingweight in my opinion.

It will feel much easier to swing now, plus you should see increased swing speed due to the lighter swingweight.

Its "Bombs Away" for you now Johan! Enjoy!
 
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The stock SLDR slider was actually 20-grams including the silver part, the blue part, and the screw. The 10-gram weight kit includes all those parts, so you reduced the weight of your SLDR by 10-grams which is equal to 5-swingweights. Since you were up in the E-0 range after adding the tungsten weights, D-5 is where you should be now. That's a very good driver swingweight in my opinion.

It will feel much easier to swing now, plus you should see increased swing speed due to the lighter swingweight.

Its "Bombs Away" for you now Johan! Enjoy!
As lite as a feather.

Really unbelievable how much improved it is.

Lighter and straighter. A touch harder to work the ball. But the head feels more connected to my swing.

Thanks for your assistance

 
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The stock SLDR slider was actually 20-grams including the silver part, the blue part, and the screw. The 10-gram weight kit includes all those parts, so you reduced the weight of your SLDR by 10-grams which is equal to 5-swingweights. Since you were up in the E-0 range after adding the tungsten weights, D-5 is where you should be now. That's a very good driver swingweight in my opinion.

It will feel much easier to swing now, plus you should see increased swing speed due to the lighter swingweight.

Its "Bombs Away" for you now Johan! Enjoy!
Feels lighter and swings faster than the R15.
 
The stock weight on mine was 18 grams. 16 gram weight and an additional 2 grams for the cap and screw. The extra "stock" SLDR weight I bought locally was also a 16g and it was stamped on the back. Same thing with the weights I ordered (10 and a 6) were really an 8 and a 4.
 
The stock weight on mine was 18 grams. 16 gram weight and an additional 2 grams for the cap and screw. The extra "stock" SLDR weight I bought locally was also a 16g and it was stamped on the back. Same thing with the weights I ordered (10 and a 6) were really an 8 and a 4.
I guess I should have been more specific. I had the 20 gram weight (sliver plate + blue cap + screw) replaced by a 10 gram (sliver plate + blue cap + screw) . So I decreased the weight of the head by ten grams total. The swingweight therefore went from E-0 to D-5.

This has significantly decreased the perceived weight of the club and has lead to faster swing speed and ball speed. With of course longer drives.

It is amazing what the strategic placement of 2 grams × 2 and the removal of 10 grams, which is barely perceived went placed on the palm of your hand can do for a golf club.

It has increased my appreciation of the hard work the OEM have to do to produce a top of the line golf club.

Mtc
 
As Johan has discovered, major changes to swingweight can be accomplished by changing the silver weight beneath the blue slider, but did you know the blue slider covers are also available in various weights?

The stock blue slider cover weighs 2-grams but you can replace it with a blue weight cover of either 4-grams or 6-grams should you want to "tweak" the swingweight slightly (heavier). Changing to a 4-gram blue piece will add 1-swingweight, while a 6-gram blue weight cover will add 2-swingweights to your SLDR Driver. You can find these weighted blue weight covers (cheap) on ebay from multiple sellers.

Obviously changing the blue slider cover is only recommended for "fine tuning" your SLDR's swingweight, but I thought you should be aware of it nonetheless. If you are trying to hit a very specific swingweight target this may help you do that.

Changing only the blue piece takes less than a minute and the only tool needed is the TaylorMade Torx Wrench that came with your SLDR Driver. Making the swap involves nothing more than loosening the slider screw. This is just one more way to "tweak" the SLDR Driver's swingweight slightly higher.

On the other hand, if you are looking to lower the swingweight slightly, you can simply use a heavier grip which Johan has also done. A heavier grip essentially works as a counterbalance to the clubhead's weight.

You can use the online swingweight calculator at www.golf-components.com/swing-weight-calculator.html to help you work all this out. (Scroll down on the landing page to find it).

Below is a pic of a weighted blue slider cover:

mQnrijjF7dS0Pmo2dUgpZjA.jpg
 
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This thread gets more confusing by the day.
 
This thread gets more confusing by the day.

this is a really goo head, you just have to do the R&D guy's job to get it to perform, so its even more fun
 
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