Taylor Made SLDR Marketing Victim? DIY driver fitting...

Hi all,

bought a used SLDR driver for cheap last week. Yes, I am late to the party, but finally succumbed to Taylor Made's driver marketing scheme of the last years.

Been still playing a TM R7 425 and thought hoped that newer technology might help a little distance-wise.

Here are the results testing my 2007 R7 425 driver against the SLDR 460. The test was done with a TrackMan Range unit using heavy, flight reduced range balls. I deleted the obviously bad shots (too much side spin, the low ball speed) to get better values for comparison.

The SLDR 460 9.5 deg. 57gr. standard stiff shaft driver was set to 11 deg. and 10.5, the bottom slider remained in the neutral position. The R7 10.5 deg. regular shafted driver had it weights in the standard out of the box setting.

AVG shows the average from 14,18, 6 and 27 balls I hit.

CONS give the mean deviation

Overall, I hit the balls a little too high on the club face - must bring a better rubber tee next time, since the range tees were a little too high for my taste. I usually see ball speeds of 120-125mph (193-200kmh), but must have lost a little due to the impact location.

The impact on the SLDR (right) was too far on the heel. These were probably the shots I deleted due excessive spin values. The R7 (left) looks better, but I shot the pic after teeing the ball a little lower (found a cut down tee...) plus a few high tee shots.

With the similar range balls the TrackMan Pro unit measured a club head speed of 90mph and ball speed of 125mph. On the course my GPS based App reports 211m / 230y driving distance. These values are pretty much what the FlightScope Trajectory Optimizer tells me by entering my TrackMan data and modding launch angle. Am a little off regarding the driver fitting chart - must be due to an overall lower smash factor looking at averages and not only the best shots.

I did the test yesterday, the day before the weekend being a little spend from the work week. Brief warm-up followed by 100+ drives.

So, it looks like I have not much to gain switching from my 2007 driver to the 2013 SLDR driver. Right?

I hoped to gain either a little more speed or get better results on mishits. A clear no on both hopes. Result for my bad shots by dropping the driver too to early too low and coming very much from the inside, applying side spin of 30+ (spin axis) for a healthy overdraw, were similar. The spin rate of my R7 is even a tad lower compared to the slider. Hitting the SLDR with more loft, e. g. 12 deg., would lead to more carry, but the total distance would be the same (checked it with FlightScope).

Looking at the driver fitting chart total optimizer data, I would be on the right way. Launching it at 85-95 club head speed and 10-14 deg. hitting 0-5 deg. up might give me more distance. That would have me to set the SLDR to 10.5 and work on speed and impact. But hey, that values/results are what I already get with the R7...

Maybe the mid size grip on the SLDR had a little impact, feel-wise, but the results speak for themselves.

What should I do now? Do more testing? Sell the SLDR and continue with my R7 working on swing speed?

It's my understanding the SLDR was designed for golfers with high swing speeds.  It was criticized for launching too low which led to TM initiating the increase the loft campaign.  Most people with your swing speed required the 12* or 14* lofted versions.

You may eventually adjust your swing to get your version of the SLDR to work well for you but I think you'd be better off selling it and finding a driver that works better with your swing and swing speed.

"Marketing victim" is unfair in this case. The technology is new and different and really is impressive. But it has to fit you.

I'd say that you would want to be fitted for the SLDR, and in this case this club does not fit you at all, namely the loft probably ought to be 13 degrees maybe more and the shaft flex probably doesn't fit you either.  I'll leave the specifics to the TM clubfitters on this board, of which there are a few.

Take a look at this thread, esp the first post

http://thesandtrap.com/t/74429/evolution-of-high-launch-and-low-spin

Good luck. Don't give up on SLDR and high launch/low spin. It really works. But your club has to fit you, and I'd say this one does not.

My golf buddy and I played R1 last year, and late in the year he got the SLDR. The shaft didn't work for him and he put his R1 shaft in the SLDR as it bolts right in. Where we were relatively equal off the tee he is regularly 12-13 yds past me now. He hits pretty hard, at least 260-275 as a median distance.

I agree with what's been said by other posters but also wanted to add: the SLDR really punishes you on off-center hits because the weight is so far forward.  It's not a 'forgiving' club like most modern drivers and I'd say your strike is causing more issues any anything.  Your numbers with the "SLDR 11" aren't too bad but I bet if you looked at the smash factor average for that one it's quite a bit lower than the others.  Work on getting your strike more into the center and I bet that driver would work a lot better for you.

After an R1, I avoided the SLDR -- do not have the swing speed and it does not have the forgiveness. From most reviews I have read, golfers experience their longest drives when hit on the screws, and experience their worst when they do not. The SLDR evokes much controversy - some love it, a lot hate it. The R15, from all reports, functions better and is more forgiving. Still, look at other options.

For an individual w 90 ss, I would advise tossing both TM drivers, and lofting up. A lot has changed since the R7 -- higher launch, less spin, larger sweetspot, more aerodynamics, higher MOI -- you just did not find the combo you need in the SLDR.

I would look at other drivers, as in the Callaway XR, V Series, Nike Speed, Cobra Fly Z, Ping G30, TM Aeroburner... even Srixon is getting good pub on its new drivers

After a TM R1 set a 12.5 degrees, I went to a Callaway V Series and with its lighter weight - head and shaft - went to 10.5 deg and received easier hight and more distance, and forgiveness. I don't need to work as hard. Some others on the list may perform the same. Good luck.

I too ended up with a V Series 10.5. Good feel and forgiveness for my swing which was low 90's. I suspect the V Series has helped push it up to nearly 100 (light weight).

It's no so much designed for 90 mph swing speeds as much as it's designed for players who want higher swing speeds or a lighter feeling club. Sang-Moon Bae and Matt Every both game it and they swing plenty fast. And the 9° is apparently designed differently from the two higher lofted offerings.

This is a good point; my golf buddy is a good striker. Mid to upper 70s on hos card mostly.

True, Chris Kirk won a tourney last year with it, and had a nice hot streak with the V Series in the bag. The 9 deg - adjustable 1 down, 2 up - has more headweight (and I believe different internal weight distribution) and the Fuji 565 (Callaway) Shaft is stock in the 9 head. I have both the stock Bassara shaft and the Fuji 565. I play the 565 at 45 inches, and must loft up 1 degree to get a more ideal flight. I play the stock shaft at 45.5 inches and use a CB weight for better center contact. Both are good, smooth shafts. I did notice that my swing speed increased by about 5-7 mph with the V Series, with the Fuji 565 only about 1-2 mph slower at times.

Good luck, OP, in your driver journey.

From what I've read it's marketed for those who struggle with swing speed, hence the light shaft and head, and it's unlikely either of them two game the same model that's off the shelf, also people who struggle with swing speed are rarely fitted to a 9* loft driver, it's more probable that both the 2 above and kirk are paid to promote it?

It's been reviewed well. I've swung it and gotten nice numbers, but I don't like the look so it's out. Also, switching between the regular Big Bertha 815s and R15s I was hitting and that one made the v-series not feel as great. Like I said, while its marketed at slower swing speeds, it can fit lots of player types depending on what they want out of their driver. A slower swing speed might get into a 9° if they hit up on the ball. Most of these tour guys don't switch equipment if they don't like what they're getting put into. Plenty of Callaway pros are still gaming X2 Hot and RAZR drivers.

If you want a recommendation for a forgiving driver I say look up a local Wishon fitter and ask about the 919THI.

Almost everyone is paid to play... that said, they have the pick of the stable. I have not heard of special tour heads for the V series -- but it is weighted heavier and more neutral. I'm certain they can add hot melt, put whatever shaft and customization is needed and voila!

Hey - Ben Crane won with an ultra lightweight Bassara a few years ago - stock Titleist shaft - so yes, sometimes it is custom fit off the shelf... no magic heads, just a good fit.

As Ricky Fowler says, "Custom Fit."

I don't play off the shelf, and I am just a normal Joe Golfer ... I tinker with shafts, counterbalancing, etc. ("Custom Fit" , "Wow")

Yeah, I hear ya, but as you may or may not be aware from my previous posts in other threads, I'm not hung up on fittings, I still believe fittings benefit the better players and specifically pro's and single or low double digit hc's, and that those above 20hc should be concentrating more on getting their technique and swing relatively consistent before getting fitted, get ya drivers shortened below 45", choose a flex relative to your ss, then learn a consistent swing, I think only at that point will you see a fitting produce some positive results! Anyway I rambling off topic here! ...so back to the op, I say sell ya sldr, keep practising with your other till you have a consistent...ish swing and ball flight, then go get fitted properly and see the results the right club can do for your swing.

Hi all,

thanks for the interesting discussion.

My official handicap is 28 (Europe...), I usually play around 15 over, best rounds last year were 6 and 8 over. My performance off the tee - LSW... - is too short to go flag hunting...

Impact during testing was a little erratic, especially hitting the SLDR for the first time and switch back and forth to my old driver.

Been pondering the alternatives fiddling with the FlightScope Trajectory Optimizer . With a swing speed of 90mph I would gain around 10yards max adjusting launch angle and spin (would need a 12 deg. driver head to do that). Since every driver is limited by the rules (COR, etc.), I suspect there is not much left in the head to adjust. Its the swing speed stupid...

The SLDR club head weights around 200 grams, the shaft 57. So, it is already on the light side.

Since the driver won't loose value, I will keep it another week or two and try to adjust to the stiff shaft, the midsize grip and work on the impact. Read TrackMan docs, I lost up to 4mph hitting it that high on the face and toward the heel. Gotta buy my own rubber range tee (or get the Kuchar move right). Plus I will work on speeding up the club. 250yards (230m) total distance is my goal - I hit a few that far, but would like to get the length on every drive. And that would call for a speed increase of 5mph. Tough, me thinks. I'll post updates.

Regarding shafts, I am all ears. Does a shaft really contribute that much to club head speed? If so, how much?