Black TaylorMade R1 Driver

[Mr. Desmond]

The following is an excerpt of an article, including statements made by a Director of Taylormade, when the R11 was introduced. It is not offered to prove anything. But is the only article I could find on the topic:

TaylorMade’s Senior Director of Product Creation, Tom Olsavsky says the company’s latest drivers are more than just a new pigment. “We introduced a white line of metal woods for its increased visibility, of course, but we really believe there’s a science to it as well.”

Science? It’s just a coat of paint, right?

Not exactly. “The fact is, the white clubs allow for better alignment. We’ve received a lot of feedback over the years indicating that alignment – specifically with clubs like woods and putters – is really critical because you have such a large amount of area on the head, and you don’t see much of the face (or the loft) of the club,” Olsavsky explained.

So TaylorMade did a series of studies using different color combinations, and found that if there’s a stark contrast between the crown and the face ( note : the R11’s and Burner 2.0’s face is black), lining up the club becomes much easier.

Okay, so you can line up the club easier – but how are people going to react to a white driver? Seeing as most people don’t even like to change the color of their golf shoes, how can they be expected to take a leap of faith into a white driver head?

Again, Olsavsky supplies the answers. “We showed our test subjects a number of colors as well as a number of color combinations – and we found that in most cases, you’d see about a 20% rejection in a focus group on the white color.”

That was before anyone hit the driver. It turns out the 20% (‘rejection’) was pretty consistent both on Tour and in the market – a number TaylorMade was willing to accept because the company was covering about 35% of the metal wood market at the time (it’s subsequently gone up to about 44%). Olsavsky said that the 20% ‘unfavorable’ was acceptable, because that would likely be part of the percentage that wasn’t buying their products anyway.

But they also figured that once people hit the clubs and used the R11’s adjustability to ‘tune’ their driver to their swing -- they’d even potentially capture part of that 20% who’d said they were initially turned off by the white color.

Looking at what’s happened on Tour, the numbers bear that out. “We’re getting about 80% conversion rate into the white in the current year product on Tour,” Olsavsky explained. “Because guys like their old clubs and they’re playing well with them, it’s usually about a 60% rate of switching to the current product. But once they’ve tried the white, and found that it really is easier to line it up properly, they’re choosing it.”

http://www.golftheunitedstates.com/story/449

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Mr. Desmond

The following is an excerpt of an article, including statements made by a Director of Taylormade, when the R11 was introduced. It is not offered to prove anything.

Good… because it doesn't. Marketing claims of "backed by science" have been going on since snake oil salesmen were offering magical elixirs to cure all kinds of things. :)

I'm not a fan of things which claim "science!" and aren't.

[JaxGolfer1]

I enjoyed the movie Weird Science when I was younger. Implied science, absolutely no proof.

[jshots]

I really like the white on my R11 a lot. My only complaint is that it gets really dirty, I've got a few stains now that I can't get off.

I really don't think it helps me align the club at all though.

[GaijinGolfer]

Typical TM.  A few months after the release the R1, they release another in a different color and with a better shaft.

[Beachcomber]

I like the commercial. That is about it.

[TourSpoon]

I think Taylor Made should market the black with the white. The new ad would feature Stevie and Paul with their classic...

"Ebony and Ivory"

Now we should start a lyric contest.

[Valleygolfer]

Originally Posted by TourSpoon

I think Taylor Made should market the black with the white. The new ad would feature Stevie and Paul with their classic...

"Ebony and Ivory"

Now we should start a lyric contest.

Tiger and Sergio singing it? I couldn't resist....

[Na5carr3]

Originally Posted by jamo

Or it could be that club you "discretely" urinate into.

I wouldn't waste my good urine on it or in it. Had the white one and it's "scientifically proven" crap. The stock shaft that comes with it was made for a beginner. Having 168 different settings is ridiculous. It just adds to the confusion of one thinking their swinging correctly. Get some lessons. Then get fit. Then go play the best golf of your life.

I will admit the black looks outstanding, however, if you paint a terd a beautiful color it's still a terd.

[Bellamy803]

Originally Posted by Na5carr3

I wouldn't waste my good urine on it or in it. Had the white one and it's "scientifically proven" crap. The stock shaft that comes with it was made for a beginner. Having 168 different settings is ridiculous. It just adds to the confusion of one thinking their swinging correctly. Get some lessons. Then get fit. Then go play the best golf of your life.

I will admit the black looks outstanding, however, if you paint a terd a beautiful color it's still a terd.

I guess I speak for TM when I say this guy ^ falls into the 20%.

There are WAY 2 MANY good golfers that support the R1 and agree it is a top 3 Driver for regular consumers. So saying it is a complete " turd " (<- yes that is actually how you spell it) is clearly self hatred for the brand. Which is OK - its actually common for certain types of people to dislike highly successful winners or products.

You say " It only adds confusion - 168 different settings - just get fit and go have fun " this explains EVERYTHING. You were unable to set it up properly for yourself or you were not fit properly for it.

[Na5carr3]

Originally Posted by Bellamy803

I guess I speak for TM when I say this guy ^ falls into the 20%.

There are WAY 2 MANY good golfers that support the R1 and agree it is a top 3 Driver for regular consumers. So saying it is a complete " turd " (<- yes that is actually how you spell it) is clearly self hatred for the brand. Which is OK - its actually common for certain types of people to dislike highly successful winners or products.

You say " It only adds confusion - 168 different settings - just get fit and go have fun " this explains EVERYTHING. You were unable to set it up properly for yourself or you were not fit properly for it.

I guess your correct in your thinking. I saw this club and immediately loved the looks. I was set up for it properly, even hitting some pretty consistent 290 yd drives with it. However, that was on the machine, but on the course was another story. I just couldn't get anything going with it. I even put it down for a round or two and went back to it and you guessed it....nothing. I'm mostly a Ping guy and have been for a long time. I thought I'd try something different. I really felt confident over this club looking down on it but the result was nothing short of a "turd" on the course. This is not to say that TM is a "turd" company, it just didn't work for me. But I still say the stock shaft was a "turd" for sure.