TaylorMade R1 2013 – The Problem with TaylorMade Drivers
I currently have two TaylorMade R11S driver heads sitting on my desk, a 10.5 and 12 degree.
They're pretty, they sound ok, I've really gotten used to the white, but there is a major problem...
The R11S Is a Short-Hitting Driver
Is there a problem with the ball speed, is it poorly made? No, it's intentionally mislabeled, and I'm sure the new R1 will be no different.
Read on if you want to hit it 20+ yards farther today...
The new R1 is supposed to allow you to change the loft from around 8 degrees to 12 degrees. Anyone with any experience with adjustable heads will tell you that will severely open or shut the club face.
TaylorMade says their adjustable sole plate solves that problem, and in my experience with the R11s, it has been able to setup square no matter how I adjusted the loft which is a completely different story when you compare it to the Titleist 910.
So, What's the Problem?
The problem is that the TaylorMade R11S 10.5 degree head is actually a WEAK 3 wood.
That's right, the true loft when measured with a loft measuring tool from GolfWorks is actually 16.5 degrees!!!
It's 17.5 degrees on the 12 degree head.
Why does TaylorMade knowingly mislabel their product? Simply because they know that's what most high handicap golfers actually need.
Most high handicap players hit the ball poorly with low speed and need the ball to stay in the air as long as possible to get any distance out of it. However, if you're a lower handicap golfer or someone who swings over 95 mph, you're losing a lot of distance.
Why We Use Nakashima Heads
The simple answer as to why we use Nakashima heads is that they:
- spin ridiculously low,
- were once illegal because their faces were too hot (now toned down just enough to be legal) and
- the lofts ARE TRUE because they are all hand measured BEFORE the loft number is machined into the head.
So, when you buy a 10.5 Nakashima head from RotarySwing.com, you're actually buying a 10.5 head!
If you're tired of being mislead by marketing hype, get the real deal and pick up 20 yards today by clicking here!
It’s interesting to see this post because I have a 2013 R1 adjusted to 9.0 Loft, Neutral Face Angle, and the Counterweights are set with the heavy one in the heel. I’ve had a pretty horrible slice with it since I bought it, but I had to assume that was due to my swing. I’ve just begun the RST training, and it has helped all my other clubs already. But the Driver just seems to be getting worse. Admittedly, I have much work ahead with RST, and my discomfort with the more narrow stance is pronounced with the Driver. Any suggestions on the settings for my driver or is replacing it worthwhile? I’m sure you’d need to know more about my swing problems, but I wanted to ask anyway. Thanks!