Taylor Made's Driver Release Schedule

[jamo]

Simple question: why do consumers complain?

You get new, innovative (or at least different) products coming out several times a year. This even drives down the price of the previous models. What's not to like?

Plus, but now we should know when they are releasing new products. If you are buying a driver a week before the new one comes out, by now you should know enough to wait a week to see if they lower the price of the old one.

[Stretch]

People complain because they like to have the latest, greatest driver in their bag to impress their friends. And, given the cost of doing this, they'd like the halo effect to last more than six months.

[xxsoultonesxx]

And in a few months if your driver isn't white you might as well throw it away.

[delav]

I think people complain primarily because such a short product life cycle accelerates 'perceived' product obsolescence.

Additionally, I think there is also the perception that product releases are marketing driven rather than technologically driven. This can come across to as manipulative to consumers because each release is touted as the 'latest and greatest.'

[CassinoNorth]

I think people complain primarily because such a short product life cycle accelerates 'perceived' product obsolescence.

Bingo.

Also why the iPhone is still largely considered the king of all smartphones even though Android phones do outsell them (many more devices have android), is due to the fact every 3 months a new latest and greatest android phone is out on each carrier. Seemingly it's calming down a little though...at least I hope so.

[jamo]

Let me ask a second question: do you guys think that these concerns (the "latest and greatest" thing and the "marketing vs technology" thing) are valid concerns?

I like nice things as much as anyone, but my Taylor Made is 5 years old. It's not the latest and greatest, and it's certainly not the peak of technology.

You can say what you want about the frequency of releases, but they really do add technology to most release (so far at least. That Burner Superfast 2.0 looked awfully similar). Just think of everything they have done since the first '07 Burner. They first added the dual crown and the triangle shape in the '08 Tour Burner, then the Superfast technology in the '09 Burner. This year the Superfast Burner is dual crown and lighter than ever.

Think of everything since the r5 too. The r5's weights couldn't be moved. The first r7s were either 460 or 4 weights. Then the Superquad put them together. The R9 started with either MWT and FCT or 460cc and FCT. Then the SuperTri put them all together.

[delav]

Without going into a ton of detail, I believe what we are seeing is a huge push for product differentiation. Manufacturers are already constrained by clubhead size and COR, so we've seen an onslaught of new technologies like lightweight and very adjustable drivers.

In response to Sean Millers post in another thread, I agree with Jamo in that TM isn't giving products a facelift in the name of marketing alone. They are certainly incorporating new technology into each release, albeit in a very predictable and likely calculated manner.

What I dont agree with, is the obsolescence argument. If Jamo's driver is getting long in the teeth, mine should be on a ventilator eating up medicare dollars. Yet, I'm holding onto this 425 head until it fails... technology hasn't come leaps and bounds in the last 6 years aside from small steps in features that help differentiate offerings in the market.

[newtogolf]

All products have defined life cycles dependant upon the R&D; time, manufacturing ramp up effort, and their competitors product life cycles. The golf industry is fortunate to have the right customer demographics (higher disposable income) to support such short product life cycles.

I'm sure for a low handicap player it's much easier to determine if a new driver really makes a difference as they have a good swing, and years of data in their heads on their average distance, dispersion, etc. I'm always amazed (and a bit envious) at the claims I read in driver reviews where someone upgrades from the manufacturers current model to a new model and claims a 20 yard increase yet has a 25+ handicap. I drank the Kool-aid and upgraded my FT-9 to the FT-IZ, it seemed like a major upgrade given the complete change in the head shape. I couldn't tell you right now if the switch did did anything for me except lower my bank account. The upgrade seemed to be justified during the fitting, but on the course, it slices just like the FT-9 did for me.

[boogielicious]

Frankly, I like it because I just got a brand new R9 from the Taylormade Pre-owned site for $150. It's last years latest and greatest, but more cost effective for me. Marketing and innovation, even by small amounts, drives sales. That's the bottom line for companies to survive.

[CrazyXGolfer]

In all honestly, I think taylormade should take there time with a driver and really make it "the best" on the market, I liked all of the old gear, r5 and r7 ect, but there new stuff has a terrible feel to it, most of it looks ugly aswell.

Latest and greatest, it;s all about what people think when standing over the golf ball, if they no they have the new'est model of driver they no they have the most updated tec then. Or thats what they think anyways, it's all a mental game.

Im buying the old Hibore 3 wood today, I have the new Mizzy one and the Titelist one, but I still prefer the old hibore :P

[wrx_junki]

No complaints here. Just saw a Super Tri sell for $140 on eBay. I think it sucks for the club ho's because if they buy a TM driver they lose value much faster. For the people that don't upgrade often this should be a great way for them to score some quality clubs for CHEAP.

[xxsoultonesxx]

It's funny about TM drivers. I bought my R9, knowing that if there was something that I didn't like about it somewhere down the road(except the head itself) that I could change it. And I got mine new for $199 at golf galaxy. I don't feel like I got ripped off, and I know that I don't have any valid excuses to replace it for some time.

[Joeyvee]

I don't wanna offend anyone but I think if you have to have the newest TM driver the day it's released for $399 or $499 you're an ass. I know people with PLENTY money who don't work and play 4 or 5 days a week and even they would wait 3-6 months to get it for half price still in the frigging wrapper. These are usually th people with normal cars and not a ton of debt. This disposable, latest and greatest marketing has ruined this country.
There are exceptions. I know that. If you've got a driver older than a year or there and you're in the market for a driver then by all means shop away. But if youve got the last model and you're buying the new one BECAUSE it's the new one(at full price) ; You're an ass.

[delav]

I don't wanna offend anyone but I think if you have to have the newest TM driver the day it's released for $399 or $499 you're an ass. I know people with PLENTY money who don't work and play 4 or 5 days a week and even they would wait 3-6 months to get it for half price still in the frigging wrapper. These are usually th people with normal cars and not a ton of debt. This disposable, latest and greatest marketing has ruined this country.

Not quite sure how this thread got spun into a judgement against certain types of consumers... but, without "asses" like you identify here, eBay wouldn't have such lovely pre-owned and lightly used gifts for the rest of us, shortly after a product launch.

And for the record, once my wife is done with residency I fully intend to HO out my bag, probably in a manner described above.

[newtogolf]

Yeah, calling someone an ass because they spend their money in a manner you don't agree with is a bit judgemental. This is done in every industry, though sports and hobbies tend to be more susceptible to short product life cycles. If enough people weren't buying these clubs the manufacturers would lengthen the life cycles. It's during these early phases of the life cycle that the manufacturer and retailers make the most money. The manufacturers get most of their money up front. By the time the next generation is out and the current product price is cut significantly the retailers are just looking to minimize their losses and maintain a healthy cash flow by not having cash tied up in inventory.