TaylorMade r7 Draw Driver Review
Posted September 1st, 2006 by Cody Thrasher
The TaylorMade r7 Draw Driver is supposed to help cure a slice and add distance, but so say many other drivers. Does this one have what it takes to cure this slicer's problem?
There is no mistaking TaylorMade's popularity when it comes to drivers. They are a consistent driver count leader on the PGA Tour. There's a reason for that. The r7 driver is the latest in a long series of drivers released by TaylorMade, makers of the first metal driver. The latest iterations in that series, the r7 425 and 460, were reviewed positively earlier this year.
Fast forward to the present. TaylorMade's latest r7 driver is the "r7 Draw." After reading about the r7 Draw driver at TaylorMade's site, I felt that I understood what the club offered. As a slicer, I was filled with hope.
Reading about something on the Internet is one thing. Playing with it is another. After spending a few weeks with the driver, it didn't take me long to find my answer. Read on to find out if TaylorMade's newest release is hit or miss.
Design and Technology
The TaylorMade r7 Draw is obviously designed for golfers who have trouble keeping the ball away from the right side of the golf course. Traditionally, three methods have been used: heel weighting, a closed face, or offset. TaylorMade opted to use the first two in the r7 Draw.
To move the weight to the heel, engineers created an open channel towards the toe, freeing up a significant amount of weight. This creates what TaylorMade calls "Draw-Weighted Technology." The extra weight in the heel moves the club's center of gravity (CG) closer to the shaft, which in turn speeds the closing of the clubface during the downswing. Slicers leave the clubface open relative to their swing path, so anything that helps them close the clubface is a welcome improvement.
It's easy to see how the Draw-Weighted Technology helps improve slices. This is TaylorMade's most left-happy driver.
The r7 Draw club face is more closed than any other driver I've hit recently. The r7 460 features a closed club face as well, but the r7 Draw takes it to the next level. This setup enables golfers to hit the ball straight or move it from right to left. It certainly helps eliminate the right side of the golf course.
TaylorMade's r7 460 clubhead offers the highest moment of inertia (MOI) - or resistance to twisting - of any TaylorMade driver to date, and the r7 Draw driver likewise bumps right up against the allowable 460cc limit. MOI equals forgiveness, as the less the driver twists on off-center impact the straighter your ball will fly.
Like the r7 425 and 460, the r7 Draw also features TaylorMade's Inverted Cone Technology. TaylorMade claims that this technology expands the high-CoR (coefficient of restitution, or "springiness") region of the clubface. Higher CoR promotes higher ball velocity and longer drives.
The r7 Draw features a RE*AX 55-gram soft-tipped graphite shaft by Mitsubishi Rayon. This shaft is designed to cause a high-launch angle, improving the right-to-left ball flight in the process.
Appearance and Feel
The r7 Draw looks very similar to the r7 425 and 460. The crown features the same solid black look with the same small "T" (for TaylorMade) alignment aid. None of what's beneath - the hollow channel, the heel weighting, the bright yellow paintjob - is visible at address. That's a welcome sign, as I've always found that drivers like the Cleveland HiBore catch my attention for the wrong reasons. I appreciate that the r7 Draw is easy on the eyes.
Like the r7 460 and r7 425, the r7 Draw has a very slick and attractive look to it. Simple, black, shiny.
As for the bottom of the club, the sole channel mentioned above is the first thing I noticed. The r7 Draw also has a bright yellow stripe on the outer sole. The lack of weight ports simplifies the look of the club somewhat over the r7 425/460, yielding one of TaylorMade's tamest looking drivers in recent years. I think the r7 Draw (and 425/460 for the matter) is the most attractive looking driver on the market.
As I mentioned above, the club face is closed more at address than the driver I'm used to hitting. At first, the closed style was very noticeable. I originally contemplated changing my alignment to offset the club face, but I decided to keep things normal. After hitting the r7 Draw a few times, I adjusted to the closed club face quite well.
The r7 Draw feels much lighter than any drivers I've played with recently. My previous driver was a Titleist 905T, and a good friend of mine has a Cleveland HiBore. The difference in weight is definitely noticeable. I've always hit heavier drivers, but it didn't take as long as I expected to adjust to the r7 Draw.
The r7 Draw's clubface is severely closed to help slicers keep the ball in the fairway. Admit it - you need the help.
Of course, the 55-gram RE*AX shaft by Mitsubishi Rayon is the main reason the r7 Draw feels so much lighter than other drivers on the market. In comparison, my Titleist 905T has a Grafalloy Blue shaft that weighs 63 grams and the TaylorMade r7 460 features shafts ranging anywhere from 56-65 grams.
Performance
I am a 12-handicapper with a natural fade off my irons. Unfortunately, with my driver, things have always been different. That natural fade turns into a natural slice, robbing me of distance and accuracy. Nothing I've tried has ever worked, and I've been playing the past year with a 3-wood.
My banana balls make me the perfect candidate for anything labeled "draw," so I was excited to give the r7 Draw a chance. I tested a 9.0° driver with a RE*AX 55 shaft by Mitsubishi Rayon. I've mentioned a couple times my problems with keeping the ball from going right off the tee. This problem isn't noticeable with my irons or even my fairway woods. The driver has been my krytonite the past few years, and I have put myself behind the eight-ball (or trees, rocks, walls, and OB stakes) on far too many occasions.
The r7 has a deep clubface, and the grooveless sweet spot aided alignment.
The combination of the r7 Draw's closed face and heel-biased weighting really seemed to have a huge impact on my drives. Combined with the light-weight shaft, my tendency to get the clubhead stuck behind me (resulting in a wide open clubface at impact) has been greatly reduced. My drives were consistently in the middle of the fairway.
It normally takes me awhile to adjust to new clubs - especially new drivers. I'll hit the clubs on the driving range and struggle with my first half bucket or so. The r7 Draw saw immediate action on the golf course. My first drive missed the fairway five yards to the left, a welcome sign. Sure, it was a missed fairway, but I was thrilled to miss left instead of right.
I hit three out of four fairways with the r7 Draw on my first nine. As I mentioned above, the one missed fairway was in great shape as well. On the back nine, I improved by hitting four out of five fairways, and my only miss was once again within five yards of the short grass. In subsequent rounds, I've been equally as consistent. I'll miss a fairway or two here and there, but it's much less frequent than in the past. I am now missing in "better" spots as well.
The open channel on the sole was created to free up weight, in turn shifting the center of gravity closer to the shaft.
My distance has also improved. Everyone knows a right-to-left or straight trajectory will travel farther than a push or slice. I still don't necessarily draw the golf ball with the r7 Draw, but my drives are going much straighter than before. I haven't measured every drive off the tee, but I have hit a few in the 300-yard range. It's very noticeable because I'm hitting sand wedges into a lot more greens than before. My longest drive of record with the r7 Draw was 345 yards on the par-five 18th hole at a local course. I had never hit a drive even close to 345 yards up to that point.
I know that putting and greens in regulation is what scoring is all about, but the driver is very important to my confidence. If I'm driving the ball all over the place, my putting and iron-play go down with it. I picked up the r7 Draw, hit it well from the start, and my confidence off the tee has improved ten-fold. My entire game has improved because of my mental confidence off the tee. I like hitting my 3-wood, but I love hitting my r7 Draw.
Specifications
The r7 Draw is available for men in lofts of 9.0 and 10.5 degrees, all measuring 45 inches. These specifications are also available for left-handed golfers. For the women, the driver is available with a 10.5 degree loft only, measuring 44 inches.
The r7 Draw features a RE*AX 55 shaft by Mitsubishi Rayon. Available flexes include S, R, and M. A TaylorMade TGT grip is standard.
The lightweight shaft (55 grams) makes it easier to get the club through impact.
Conclusion
The r7 Draw has two key slogans. The first is "Hit a draw. Hit it farther." The second is "Unleash your draw." After hitting this driver, I have to agree 100% with both. In the past, I've visited the right side of the golf course far too often, so it's a welcome change for me. This is definitely my new number one driver in the bag, as my confidence off the tee has risen to an all-time high. I enjoy hitting my 3-wood every once in awhile, but it's nice to let the big dog eat when the need arises.
At $299, the r7 Draw is also very affordable compared to some other top-notch drivers on the market. The appearance of the r7 Draw is fabolous, and the performance is even better. It's definitely worth every penny.
Feedback
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Posted 01 Sep 2006 at 6:03pm #
Nice review - it's too bad I hook it.
Posted 02 Sep 2006 at 9:48am #
Nice review, but too late I bought the Cobra M series offset. As one reviewer put it our slice dies here" and it did.
Posted 03 Sep 2006 at 9:55pm #
The R7s are probably the best drivers on the market. The problem is if you have to deal with a Taylor Made Rep to get fitted to one of them. They don't care if they fit you or not. This has been my experience anyway.
Posted 04 Sep 2006 at 10:07am #
I picked up this driver 9/2/2006. I love this club it is really easy to square the face on. Previously I had a sasquatch lucky 13 to help with the slice and that helped but added height. So I bought the 9 R7 Draw and I'm making great progress gaining some of that distance back.
Great Club and Great Artical!!
Posted 05 Sep 2006 at 11:22pm #
Just purchased this club R7 draw. I went to the golf mart in Forster city, CA so I could try the demo out on the range next door. Only missed two shots all day on the first outing at Spring Valley. Consistantly hitting an extra 30 to 50 yards. I was a huge bannana ball driver for the past 20 years. This corrected my slice enought to consistantly hit the fairway. I realy like the lightness of this club. I tried the R7 460 and you coud really feel the wieght difference.
Love this club!
Do they make this same club with a 3 wood?
Posted 06 Sep 2006 at 1:49am #
Nice Review- I can't wait for it to hit the stores here in Australia. It's just what we all need- more useless 'self correcting' titanium golf junk that will bring down the price of evrything else TaylorMade has released in the past few years.
Off the top of my head, what have we had since the Burner series in 1999; Burner Bubble, Firesole, 300 series (incl 320,340 & 360 models x 2 if you include the R models), 500 series (510, 540, 580 plus TP versions plus XD versions)R7 Series plus TP version, R5 series not forgetting the myriad of different shaft combinations- Now we have the R7 Draw club.
Hang on, I thought that's what all them little screws that came in that neat little red box were for in the R7 drivers. No wonder the consumers are getting confused.
How strange that anyone would consider buying a golf club that supposedly spins the ball right to left over taking a lesson to find out why/how you draw the ball with your swing.
Anyway it's TaylorMade's job to sell equipment and it's for the rest of us to decide how we will play.
Posted 18 Sep 2006 at 12:00am #
I'm a 20 handicapper, am interested in getting a r7 Draw driver, would you advise me to get a 9 degree or 10.5 degree? and what type fo shaft?
Posted 04 Oct 2006 at 3:29am #
Great review... I used the r7 draw at a demo day down here in sydney aus... Although i was not a chronic slicer i had my days when i could not keep the ball on the fairway.. THIS CLUB IS GOLD!!! I bought one that day and since then i have not missed left once(i'm left handed)...
Posted 06 Oct 2006 at 11:34am #
Holy *hit.......this stick delivers! Trust me I am not a long ball hitter and I definitely fade the ball [and slice at times] but this new draw driver is amazing. Had to practice a bit with it but once i figured it out I know can draw, hit it straight and still fade when I need to. I have added at least 10 [probably more] yards. Had the most amazing drive of my golf life yesterday.... right out there with the big boys! Great club for those of us who fade to much!
Posted 13 Oct 2006 at 5:07pm #
I just came from Golf Town today after demoing the r7 draw, I'm a decent golfer but I have always struggled off the tee and have a bad slice. Out of 15 shots with the 9.0 stiff shaft i hit the ball straight 12 times. This is definately going on my must have x-mas items..I just hope they don't fly off the shelves too quicky!
Posted 05 Jan 2007 at 3:50pm #
Infriggingcreadable driver Ive never played this side of the fairway . Hits like a dream I love it. won halve its price from my regular partner he grumblied about a club makes a diference but yours is unbeliveable. I lost two balls left unheard of prior to this club I had always played my banana by aiming 15 degrees left onj the tee. I just had to ajust my set up t6he ball not only goes straight but with more loft and distance then ever . This club has alowwed me to break 100 on my first 2 trips out Ive played for just over 2 years an never broke 100 shot a 90 on my third trip God I love this club.
Posted 21 Jan 2007 at 12:51am #
The quality of all Taylormade clubs are undoubtful, but the r7 Draw seems like a simple marketing strategy - renewal, which everybody does every year. Last time they had the r5 Dual with draw settings. Yes, I'm aware that the clubhead is smaller than r7 Draw, but the difference it makes is slim. Since that the r7 Quad and its "offsprings" can provide both draw and fade settings, there's not much point, unfortunately, to use a driver with fixed ball flight. One quality club is enough.
*Personal Opinion*
Posted 02 Feb 2007 at 2:27pm #
mileshigh said on September 18, 2006:
Your handicap really doesn't tell me much about how you swing. I can give a basic guideline. If you do not have problems getting good height on your drives and you have good club head speed then the 9 degree can be ok, otherwise try the 10.5 degree.
Posted 18 Mar 2007 at 11:26pm #
I just ordered the driver in the 9 degree reg and the 3 wood as well. The rest of my game is spot on and I can't wait to pull thse out and crank down the middle like I used to.
Posted 15 Apr 2007 at 7:51pm #
This is cheating!
Following a lengthy research of all the current drivers I purchased the R7 Draw. Yesterday I used it in anger for the first time.
Used in on 14 tees (all of the long holes) and missed the fairway once. Unbelievable.
I have a bad back currently and hurts to swing so i was off balance a few times and felt like I was duck hooking at times. I was looking for the ball expecting to hear it clatter OB when my partners point out that another one has gone down the middle?!?!
I could not believe it. My off balance rubbish swings were still going 250 or more down the middle - shocking!
The swings when I connected were embarrassing.
The 18th is a Par 5 490 yards with a bunker right across the fairway at 260 yards - I drove it 308 yards down the middle and hit a gentle 5 iron into the green.
My iron play was poor yesterday on the back nine - bad back not helping - and I took a 6 at a par 3 and an 8 on a par 4 (hit irons into woods on both occasions). Both holes are normally pars, or very easy bogies for me. I dropped 7 shots as opposed to the 2 I might expect to drop on these two holes. I still shot a 44 and played the last 5 holes in one over without hitting a good mid iron shot. All because my drives were long enough and in play.
The bottom line is that it is not me, its the technology in the driver. If I had swung the same yesterday with my old Ping driverI would have been lucky to hit 2 fairways.
I'm converted.
My HC was 12 BC (before children) and now with a 3 yr old boy and another on the way my game is truly limited to weekend hacks. That said, I have always played to single digit golf on my short game, my problem has always been the tee shot - I am a long hitter, can sometimes pass 300 yards but that's a problem if you are not actually closer to the pin!
I think its time to trade in m Ping i3s for some TM R7 too...tested them 3 weeks ago and they are certainly much more forgiving.
Posted 27 Apr 2007 at 1:41pm #
WOW WOW WOW.This thing is the real deal. Before becoming a fire fighter i was an assistant super on a golf course and would play 40 to 50 rounds a year and I was a 6 handcap. My prob was always my slice off the tee. I havent played in three years due to kids. I went last week to Golf Town and bought the draw driver and three as well as the racs, I didnt even demo them first because it was busy and didnt want anyone to see what my swing had become.My first trip to the range i could not believe the diff in my distance and every swing was a draw. I LOVE THIS CLUB
Posted 29 Apr 2007 at 10:14pm #
I am new to golf last year but have been totally hooked, taking lessions, practicing and learning as much as possible. Last year, I played 10 times making steady improvement in my game. However, all my drives sliced right and I was playing the second shot off the cart path on a routine basis.
For my second golf season, I bought the R7 draw 10.5 degree loft 2 months ago. It is amazing how much better I am swinging with this club because it has a high trajectory that gives me great distance. I am hitting the ball straighter and longer with most shots landing in the fairway. I played a scramble yesterday with 2 guys who have 14 and 21 handicaps respectively (I am high handicap currently). On virtually every Par 4 and 5, I was either the longest drive or second longest drive, and most shots in the fairway. Only one drive sliced all day.
What can I say? This club is special and, not to my surprise, has been ranked #1 driver last month in Golf Magazine.
Posted 05 May 2007 at 7:37pm #
I just hit the R7 Draw at a demo day event. It was the straightest driver I tested. I looked at the Cleveland HiBore and Mizuno MX500. Both seemed heavier. The Taylormade was light, well balanced, provided a great launch angle, good distance and excellent control and feel. I will definitely buy a R7 Draw when I can find a good deal.
Posted 12 May 2007 at 3:14am #
I was using a Calloway X460 driver with stiff shaft, which I did not get on with at all. Every shot was a slice and had hardly no air time. I went to my local golf shop and traded it in for one of these puppies. I can't believe what a difference it's made, I've gone from 85% of drives being unplayable to about 75% being long and straight.
This is an awsome club and I'd definately reccomend it, it's made a BIG difference to my scores, had my best score the second round I played with it.
Just brought the 3 wood r7 fade which I'm off to play a round with now, can't wait
Posted 27 Jun 2007 at 12:21am #
i just bought the complete r7 draw range. lets see how it turns out to be
Posted 06 Jul 2007 at 1:27pm #
My clubs got stolen, so with my insurance money I am looking at getting an R7 Draw Driver and 3 Wood. Can't wait to use it.
Posted 09 Jul 2007 at 3:49pm #
Fade, fade, slice and so on through 18 holes along came the R7 draw driver straight, draw, straight you guy's get the picture
Posted 11 Jul 2007 at 1:53pm #
I am a lefty, so of course I always want to hit to the right side :-). I purchased an r7 draw 10.5 degree driver the other day and just
spent some time on the range with it this morning. Still had a slice about 60% of the time. Slice was less than what I saw with my old driver. So still trying to work it out. I can say that I am getting more height and quite a bit more length than I was getting with my old driver. Ball hits were centered on the head and has a great feel through the hit. I have a 90 trial period, so will spend some more time seeing if I can improve my swing before the trial period runs out. Overall I do like the club.
Posted 16 Jul 2007 at 2:13pm #
Replaced a Nike Sasq. that I was unable to control with the r7.....What a difference!!! and a pleasure - Drives are back in the fairway (for the most part) and my games returned to normal (+15)
Posted 18 Jul 2007 at 9:07pm #
Posted 26 Jul 2007 at 7:51pm #
Nice review,
I have the same problem as the reviewer, hard fade/slice off the tee, out to in path, high and right. I went to Dicks' today and hit the r7 draw on the simulator...OMG!!!!! the right side of the fairway completely taken out of the equasion, I spent 20+ minutes hitting balls and now I am shopping ebay for a club.
This is a must try for any slicer....
Posted 08 Aug 2007 at 9:56pm #
Posted 13 Aug 2007 at 11:16am #
[...] G10 Draw Driver is Ping's answer to TaylorMade's r7 Draw driver. Like TaylorMade's version, the G10 Draw Driver uses heel weighting to produce a right-to-left ball [...]
Posted 22 Aug 2007 at 4:48pm #
Well I just ordered one off of E-bay for 159.99 listed as new, so that sounds like a damn good deal, due to several reviews I have read. Your description is so identical to mine, it's unreal, fade with the irons, and severe slice with my woods. I hope it works out for me and you don't work for taylor made, haha.
Posted 07 Sep 2007 at 3:39pm #
Like many others I have a natural fade with my irons and a bananna ball with my woods.
Picked up the R7 barely used for $75.00. I have used it three rounds now. It won't cure your slice but it will certainly help for sure. I am definitely hitting more fairways with it and have hit some of my longest drives (225-240) that I have ever hit. When I do miss right they don't seem to be as bad.
I can definitely see the confidence angle to this driver with some range work behind me.
Posted 15 Sep 2007 at 7:31pm #
Great Review, I've been reading all sorts of reviews and your by far described what happens to me. I have a natural fade on irons and big slice on drives. I'm going to trade in my callaway 454 and get a draw r7 on your article review. Great job.
Brian
Posted 17 Sep 2007 at 6:14pm #
Had a TM R5 that I bought used. Definate improvement over my Wilson Deep Red. Swing hard and drive 310-315yds. I am inconsistent with my drive and I think it comes down to swinging too hard (trying to get the distance) and lack of confidence. I had heard good things about the R7 drivers and tried a buddy's. I hit it well.. no, very well.. I looked into R7 Draw and took a chance. Bought it and used it that night. No warm up, no practice balls, stepped on #1 tee and hooked it.. I never hook... so I know this was much different. On the 4 hole, Par 5 545yds from the Blue, I was 200yds out and in the short grass.. I couldn't believe it when I hit it.. perfectly straight.. down the middle.. 6 iron in to the green. I missed the putt but took a very easy birdy.. This is going to drop lots of strokes for me.. Buy the club.. you won't believe it..
Posted 18 Sep 2007 at 3:53pm #
Well, I just took a what I thought was a huge gamble and bought an R7 Draw on eBay never having swung one in anger - it's on its way from Florida to Amsterdam right now.
Why is it a gamble? - well I hadn't stumbled across this site and all the positive remarks. (sigh of relief). Good review - I'm feeling a lot happier with my selection now.
Now let's see if I picked the right eBay seller!
Posted 09 Oct 2007 at 3:01pm #
Very nice review. I was always wondering where will I get a good understanding of this club or for that matter live experience.
200% helpful for anyone looking forward to buying r7.
Thanks.
Posted 09 Oct 2007 at 4:07pm #
Jerry Norbury said on September 18, 2007:
And now the follow up. eBay seller was as good as his 100% rating. (http://myworld.ebay.com/timtheputterman)
The club is great; 90% straight, 5% right, 5% left.
I since bought an R7 Draw Rescue - it's even better than the driver.
Posted 12 Nov 2007 at 4:23pm #
8 Handicap with the same problems, hit a big fade that frequently became a %#% slice. So I also took a gamble and bought the R7 draw. I have only played 1 round and two trips to the range, but I already notice some improvement and i am actually starting to hit some small draws. A lot more forgiving at the toe with noticable improvements in length on those misses. Its early but I think I am going to be pleased!!
Posted 29 Nov 2007 at 10:25am #
What a Driver, not only does it produce the goods out on the course, it looks the part and come on guys, image is everything out there... isn't it??
Posted 03 Dec 2007 at 10:36pm #
Would it be best to go with the R7 Draw or....
the R7 with movable weights....
Any serious difference???? Go with price ???
Posted 31 Dec 2007 at 11:43am #
Phil T said on December 3, 2007:
Hi Phil T,
I had the same question and went with the R7 Draw for two reasons: 1) I found that the wrench and weights cost around $50 and 2) I thought that I would rather keep the club set at one setting and adapt to hitting a draw, streight or fade.
I haven't had the opportunity to go out to the local course (New England winter) but have had several trips to heated driving ranges and I'm very impressed with the Draw. Frozen range balls were going around 230. I have an inborn fade that just has not come into play and I can work a draw...amazing to me.
I'm a 17 handicapper and I'm sure this club will help me this season.
Posted 31 Dec 2007 at 3:37pm #
I too am a snowbound golfer....
After all the discussion.... (drum roll, please)
I went with a new Hogan C-s3 Draw Driver....
Got the driver on Ebay (3BallsGolf.com)....
for about a quarter of the R7's.
I did test demo a R7425 Which I hit very well!
Part of the reason I felt safe going with the Hogan...
hogan is a 420cc head... like the 425...
I kept loosing the TM 460 right!!
Sad but true...
I went to a local driving range (closed)....
stood on the plowed grass and hit some balls...
Thought I hit them well...
But actually I never saw them land.... white on white !
Posted 02 Jan 2008 at 9:52am #
Neil said on April 15, 2007:
Posted 02 Jan 2008 at 10:06am #
This is a follow up comment after one full season of using the R7.
It is definitely the best driver I've owned and without doubt gave me the confidence to fully release through the ball with a driver in my hand. Probably improved my game off the tee about 100%. The club hits long as well as straight and overall I am delighted with it. Added a hybrid 5 R7 to my collection late in the autumn with good result but the driver is still the best club.
By mid summer I was more confident with this club than any other in my bag - a strange concept for me. One or two drives this year were so long and straight I was getting very close to driving 340 yard greens. I also posted an eagle for the first time in a few seasons. I moved from trying to break 90 to trying to break 80 within weeks and if my chipping had been better this year then sub 80 would have been frequent. Actually the R7 Draw put me about 70 yards out on so many Par 4s so often (12 out of 14 holes per round average) that it brought my wedging into focus more so this year.
I did use a friend's Nike Square once on a hole after I'd it a terrific shot with the R7. I just wanted a comparison. The Square sounds awful but went another 10 yards and just as straight - however I'm sticking with the R7 for a while yet - its proven to be forgiving and consistent and helped me to my best year of golf ever.
Final word - an excellent club.
Posted 03 Jan 2008 at 2:18am #
I'm not saying that the R7 Draw is a mirical club, i did hit some huge bannana balls when trying to spank the skin off it... but i did manage a 300m drive aswell!! I'm looking forward to playing more golf with this club and as a beginner i would recommend the club to other beginners looking to seek more fairway and ''help" correct that pain in the arse slice.
Posted 03 Jan 2008 at 2:18am #
I'm not saying that the R7 Draw is a mirical club, i did hit some huge bannana balls when trying to spank the skin off it... but i did manage a 300m drive aswell!! I'm looking forward to playing more golf with this club and as a beginner i would recommend the club to other beginners looking to seek more fairway and ''help" correct that pain in the arse slice.
Posted 22 Jan 2008 at 1:35pm #
I am an intermittant player who has worked to correct a bannana slice. I played an old TM Bubble offset which was great until I managed to correct my swing. I have been playing a Titleist 975 for a number of years and have been happy with the result. Straight, minor push, minor pull. I recently purchased the R7 to take advantage of the new technology for forgiveness and length. I chose the draw bias not to correct a slice but to create a draw. After eight rounds I have not played one enjoyable round with this club. My banana slice is back with a vengance. I have tried everything that I can think of figuring that my swing is the problem and probably is. At the end of my last frustrating round of slice and slice again, I borrowed my partner's old Big Bertha with a regular shaft (I play stiff) and hit it perfectly down the center with no hint of a slice. Hit another, same result. I went immediately to the range and hit a bucket with my Titleist. Hit a few push fades but not one slice.
Has anyone got a clue on this? I saw one additional comment of the same nature. Obviously I've lost all confidence in the club. Anyone want to buy an R7 Draw?
Posted 25 Jan 2008 at 9:16pm #
I would suggest checking your ball position.
The larger head may be distorting your preception of how close you are to the ball. Setup to the ball with your old (straight?) club. Hold your position (feet and ball, spine angle) and have a friend give you your new Draw club. My guess is you have changed your angle trying to stay the same distance from the ball.
As for my own game... about every 2 weeks I find myself with an overly closed stance... just seems to sneak up on me. So when the swing goes bad it is one of the first things I check.
Posted 21 Feb 2008 at 4:18pm #
Only just got this r7 draw driver this week and only been down local range with it, but imediately hitting longer and straighter shots , well impressed with it so far . I am playing on sat with it so will let you know the outcome with it after .It has certainly cured my slice and added distance , poss 40yds ..
Posted 03 Mar 2008 at 6:24pm #
Thanks for all the comments. I've been giving a lot of thought to upgrading to the R7 draw driver based on my swing habits...
Can anyone comment on the usefulness of the R7 draw irons? I have had a persistent slice that only occasionally straightens out or produces a beautiful fade. I'm looking for an honest answer on whether or not draw irons are worth it or in the long run just a possible nuisance.
Thanks,
AK
Posted 04 Mar 2008 at 2:40am #
I also have the draw irons (stiff graphite) to go with the R7 Draw driver. I went from a significant and repeatable slice to a mild draw. I previously had "onset" not "offset" irons so the change for me was dramatic.
I suspect that if you currently have conventional irons that you would see at least some improvement.
Technique is of course of primary importance and not equipment. However, I found that the R7 draw irons gave me a great deal more confidence and really do assist in producing draws.
Posted 10 Mar 2008 at 8:08pm #
I have had the same experience with the r7 draw. I am a 15 handicap with a fade/slice tendency. Used a 3 wood all last seaon. Bought the r7 and immediately hit it long and straight. Love the club.
Posted 15 Mar 2008 at 1:49am #
I'm thinking of switching from my Calloway to the R7 Draw. I will probably need to go used. Does anyone know how or where to get the adjustment book. I have checked online but have not turned over the correct stone yet.
Posted 15 Mar 2008 at 10:01am #
I went ahead and purchased the draw R7 irons on sale after spending a good deal of time on the practice range trying conventional 6 irons and the draw 6 iron. Compared to what I've been playing with my entire adult life (15year old irons), I was hitting a slight fade with the traditional irons, and either dead straight or a slight draw with the draw irons. Either traditional R7 and draw R7 gave me about 20 extra yards compared to my old clubs.
I mishit a couple of balls on the range and the draw club seemed to minimize the mistake much better than the traditional.
I'm thinking I'll probably go with the draw r7 driver as well, if I can find a used one.
I haven't been out to play a round yet due to weather, but at the driving range, I'm hitting much more consistently with my new irons.
Thanks for input.
AK
Posted 29 Mar 2008 at 6:01am #
Lots of good reviews on this club and nice to see that they're not ALL good. I just have one question. I can hit a neutral driver straight, but if I'm gonna miss it's right, whether a fade or a slice. So I would like to know if I should go for this club or go for a neutral club. Help please?
Posted 26 Apr 2008 at 10:51am #
I used to hit a natural draw with all the Taylormade drivers I've owned. I have mysteriously now developed an over the top swing that I am improving on, mainly by improved set up and keeping my right elbow in tight, and have gone back to my always faithful 580XD R 10.5 loft. The characteristics of the R7 Draw has got my attention, and I need some help. My club head speed is 92 mph, and my tempo is smooth, which puts me into a regular shaft flex quite comfortably. I do not have any problem getting the ball into the air, even with a firm tipped shaft. The advice I need is, based on your experience is the 9 degree 1 degree closed face preferrable over the 10.5 degree, face 2 degrees closed. With the soft tip I am afraid the 10.5 degree may have a ballon effect in flight. Any advice is much appreciated.
Posted 01 May 2008 at 10:36am #
I've been golfing for 3 years and have my share of difficulties. One thing that got me was a big banana fade->slice off the tee. I started off with a Nike Ignite driver and a regular flex shaft -- too whippy. I moved to an R5 with a stiff shaft --- better, but still producing those high balls that start moving right and pick up major speed, throwing me into a hazard or OB. I've spent more on lost balls than I have on drivers, I bet.
I bought an R7 Draw last week out of desperation. I didn't even demo it, just thought I'd give it a try. What I can say, is that the driver has been a miracle for me. The banana slice is gone and the resulting re-direction of lost energy has added a lot of distance. My whole attitude improves and I tend to play the other shots better after a great tee shot (as someone else mentioned).
The best thing about this is that I can forget about my driver now and put most of my focus on my chipping, which has been costing me strokes as well.
I got the 9 deg loft, RE*AX 55 stiff shaft.
The first day I took it out I went to the local course and flew 260 yards to clear the far endge of a water hazard and ended up 15 yards short of the pin (about 275 total) and just a little right off the tee. I would have never cleared the water with my other clubs. The last hole of the day for me I went 285 off the tee. I'd say I am getting 20+ more yards thanks to whatever spin correction is going on. The main thing is...I am hitting straight!
Posted 03 May 2008 at 9:56am #
Picked up the R7 draw driver at golf town -- while testing it, I could not slice, even if I tried. My worst hook was 40 yards off target,but I quickly corrected that....all were on line with a slight draw about 10-15 yards. Switched to medium (not stiff shaft) that added about 7-10 more yards. And this was with a tape on the club face still...hit about 205 yrds with barely a back swing. This club will change my game...I know the mechanics of fixing a slice, this club just makes it so much easier, and less of a daunting task....less thinking about correcting the slice.
Posted 16 May 2008 at 4:03pm #
I bought the R7 Draw with a 9 degree loft and a stiff shaft 2 weeks ago and I'm just estatic about it!
I'm a 25 handicap and with my old driver I never knew what was going to happen when ripped it on the tee box. Was I going to hit it straight? (this didn't happen very often). Was I going to hit a fade? (this happened a few times). Or, was I going to hit a wicked slice that more than likely either put me into the trees or into the adjacent fairway? (this is usually what happened).
Also, my shots tended to balloon up and I wouldn't get much roll on the fairway (when I hit the fairway that is).
Now, with the R7 draw, I'm hitting the ball straight or with a slight fade and I'm consistantly keeping the ball in the fairway without having to aim far left to compensate for a wicked slice, and the ball is flying a lot lower now and I'm getting a lot more distance!
I'm looking forward to a much lower handicap at the end of the season, now that I'm able to keep the ball in play more often.
BEST CLUB I'VE BOUGHT IN YEARS! Now I'm seriously considering changing my 3 wood to the R7 3 Wood Draw.
Posted 25 May 2008 at 1:43pm #
I am only 14 years old and playing for the golf team in high school. I have a horrible slice on occasions with my 3-wood. my driver is consistently hitting the right side of the fairways. My iron play and short game are spectacular!! About 2 nights ago I purchased a r7 Draw. I have spent a number of days researching to make sure this was the club for me. Once the club comes in i am going to adapt to it for a couple of hours then go play.
Posted 03 Jun 2008 at 10:17am #
I have been a golfer for about 25 years. I have always struggled with my fade. (I still refuse to call it a slice) Some days its more controllable than others. I even managed to shoot under par to accomplish one of my life goals. I just got the r7-draw and will try going to the range and then the course. After reading these reviews I am very excited to see what happens!