A Closer Look At The New Taylor Made R1 Driver!
The Taylor Made R1 Driver was one of the most talked about clubs at the PGA Merchandise Show and Rock Bottom has got it! This hot new driver may be called the R1, but the number 168 is more important – that’s the number of ways the adjustable driver can be tuned. According to Taylor Made data, 80% of golfers are playing the wrong loft, costing them distance. So Taylor Made decided to simplify and make a club with the loft for all player, from pros to noobs. Instead of deciding amongst a number of options to buy, consumers buy one club and “tune” it to the loft, face angle, and shot shape they desire.
The first thing you need to know that the R1 is an improvement over the R11. The R1 offers more ball speed and less pun thanks to a lower, more forward center of gravity. It’s also quieter and more forgiving on the face. Second, don’t be scared of the tuning options. Taylor Made offers videos and phone apps to help you find your ideal fit. Let’s look at the tuning options!
12 Position Loft Sleeve
The R1 has a 4-degree range of adjustability, from 8 degrees to 12 degrees, in the loft. This is possible through the new loft sleeve which is adjustable in 0.5-degree increments. That’s 12 different loft option – seven settings from 8° to 12°, in addition to five settings with an upright lie angle. The R11 only had three.
Adjustable Sole Plate
The new adjustable sole plate offers seven different settings that can change the face angle as much as 3 degrees open or closed in 1-degree increments. This is a must because with adjustable drivers like the R1, loft angle changes result in face angle changes. In the R1, a 1-degree change in loft equals a 2-degree change in face angle. If this seems a little confusing, check the app on the Taylor Made website to find exactly what loft and face angle you need.
Shot-Shape Weights
Movable weights allow you to move the CG location to change the trajectory of ball flight. The R1 comes with two interchangeable weights,10g and 1g. The heavier weight determines the shot shape. To give the driver a draw bias the 10g would be place in the heel and the 1g in the toe. For a neutral setting, switch the weights. If you want to further tune the swing weight, you can purchase additional Taylor Made weights separately.
New Face Paint
It’s not just the adjustability that has people talking. The R1 features a funky, retro gray, orange, and white racing stripe that runs diagonally from the hosel to the rear-toe section on the crown with a white R1 logo on the heel. Taylor Made contends that there the paint aids alignment. It also aids brand awareness. You won’t be able to pretend you’re using a different driver.
Some initial reactions to the new paint were very negative. Some said that it was too flashy. But remember the eye rolling when Taylor Made introduced the white club head? Taylor Made laughed all the way to the bank on that one; during three months in 2012, eight out of ten of all metal woods sold were white. And look at the adjustable drivers Cobra and Nike are putting out this year. Cobra Amp Cell comes in bright orange, red, blue, and silver drivers. Last month, Nike released its Covert driver which comes in candy apple red.
The Taylor Made R1 Driver is going to be one of most talked about clubs this year, just wait and see! If you’d like to check it out personally, get the R1 driver at RBG! We also have the left handed R1!