TaylorMade Expands SLDR Line Again

A little less than a year ago, TaylorMade Golf introduced a set of woods that started somewhat of a mini revolution in the golf industry. The SLDR line of clubs strayed from the norm of a center of gravity that was low and back to one that was low and forward, and in doing so allowed golfers to hit the ball with a lot less spin. This, in combination with having golfers “loft up” has given many that extra distance that they were searching for, and thus, the SLDR driver has become one of the most popular available.

Some companies would be more than happy to sit back for a while, but that isn’t TaylorMade. Since the SLDRs introduction last August, the company has expanded the line with a smaller 430cc version, a white crowned version, a mini version, and now a version without the adjustable hosel, the SLDR S. In addition to the new woods, the company has also released the first set of SLDR irons.

The new SLDR S line features much of the same technology as its predecessor with a few key differences. To start, the new metalwoods have a new paint job, this time coming in a satin silver finish with a black button back. The driver comes in at 460cc while both the fairways and hybrids feature a larger footprint and shallower face compared to the first SLDR line. Like the original, the SLDR S features a center of gravity that is low and forward and a sliding weight on the sole to help golfers fine tune directional control.

Possibly the biggest difference in the new line up is the lack of an adjustable hosel. With the new club you won’t be able to fine tune the lie angle or add/subtract a degree or two here or there. The driver comes in four different lofts; 10°, 12°, 14°, and 16°. The fairway woods are available in five different models (3, 3HL, 5, 5HL, and 7) and the hybrids can be had in 3, 4, 5, and 6 models.

The driver has the Fujikura Speeder 57 as the stock shaft while the fairway wood and hybrids use the Speeder 65 and Speeder 72 respectively. The lack of an adjustable hosel also leads to a lower price as the driver costs $329 while the fairways and hybrids come in at $229 and $179.

New metalwoods aren’t all the company has to offer however, as the company as expanded the line into the iron category. The new SLDR irons are what many would call a progressive set as they will appeal to those looking for a classic clubhead in terms of size, shape and finish while offering longer distances. Like the RocketBladez and SpeedBlade irons, the SLDR irons feature the company’s Speed Pocket technology on the long and mid irons. However, the new sticks also have the new ThruSlot Technology. This is a 2mm wide slot cut high up behind the face of the club enabling a larger area of the face to flex and rebound at impact leading to faster ball speeds and higher launch. According to TaylorMade, the new ThruSlot technology also leads to more constant gabbing between irons than the previous versions of the Speed Pocket.

The company says that the clubs also have great sound and feel due to an advanced vibration dampening system that includes the polymer filled Speed Pocket and a shock-absorbing badge in the cavity.

While the clubs are more than playable for higher handicap golfers, the company elects strong interest from its Tour staff as well. The irons will come in 8 piece set, with the 4-AW makeup being the most popular. The stock shaft is KBS’s new Tour C-Taper 90 in either regular or stiff flexes or Fujikura graphite in either stiff, regular or senior. The 8-piece sets retail for $899 while matching wedges (SW, LW) will be sold separately for $119 each.