Tag Archives: TaylorMade Golf

Golf Companies, Golf Shops, TaylorMade Golf

TaylorMade Golf – New state-of-the-art Custom Build Lab and Brand Centre with guest of honour Paul McGinley

March 12, 2019 – TeamTaylorMade Ambassador Paul McGinley and Managing Director EMEAP David Silvers officially opened last Friday the new facilities at the company’s European Headquarters in Basingstoke, UK.

Effectively, TaylorMade Golf have been busy transforming its back office operations at the company’s Basingstoke head office introducing a whole host of new initiatives to better service the brand’s retail partners.  As part of this transformation TaylorMade has invested heavily to redesign its custom club production process and upgrade the customer facing Brand Centre.

The Custom Build Lab has been completely overhauled and re-engineered with state-of-the-art technology and efficient processes to ensure best in class build quality and increased capacity for the continued rapid growth in the company’s custom business.

The new Brand Centre now offers the customer a fully immersive TaylorMade experience which includes a contemporary marketing suite with a large wall-sized cinema screen and a fully stocked ‘mock’ TaylorMade Pro Shop to showcase to retail partners how the entire product line can be presented at the point of sale.

Watch behind the scenes footage of launch day alongside Paul’s and David’s thoughts on the new facilities below:

Putters, TaylorMade Golf

TaylorMade Golf – Launch of the Spider X putters, optically engineered for a higher performance

January 29, 2019 – A decade after introducing the putter that shifted the paradigm of putter creation toward high-MOI design mallets and has since become the most popular putter in company history, TaylorMade Golf has announced today the 10th generation of its globally transcendent Spider putters with the introduction of Spider X. Continuing the longstanding heritage of Spider performance in a completely re-designed frame, Spider X putters utilise a new dedicated weighting system and optically engineered sightline (OES) featuring TaylorMade’s new True Path alignment system.

“When we first introduced the original Spider putter in 2008, we never could have anticipated the global phenomenon it has become. With widespread adoption on tours around the world, not only has it become one of the company’s top-selling putters of all time, it has truly shifted the paradigm of putter design toward high-MOI mallets. I’m proud to have played a role in the evolution of Spider and what it has become today,” says Bill Price, Senior Director, Product Creation, Putters & Wedges of the company.

THE X PHILOSOPHY – TRUE PATH ALIGNMENT SYSTEM

The genesis of the Spider X philosophy lies in research derived from more than ten thousand putts from a distance of twelve feet, with results illustrating that golfers strike the ball toward the toe of the putter 66% of the time – this is the result of a parallax effect. As a result, engineers strove to re-engineer the mass properties of the putter head while simultaneously introducing a new alignment system – True Path – for easier alignment enhanced focus, leading to more putts struck on the centre of the face and thus eliminating the parallax effect.

THE X DESIGN

The new Spider X features an optically engineered vision system designed for improved path, clearer vision and enhanced visual perception through colour sensitivity.

The design of the Spider X features a more streamlined design than both the Spider Tour and Spider Mini putters that came before it. The more stable head shape provides more weight on the outside of the frame (36% on both perimeters v. 30%). The head design of the Spider X is more stable than ever, with a deeper centre of gravity (37mm), which is three times deeper than a traditional blade putter.

For the first time in 10 years, the new frame of the Spider X incorporates a modern, seamless and dedicated weight design featuring three new weights: aluminium (2 grams), steel (6 grams) and tungsten (12 grams) to allow for optimised weight preference.

Additionally, the Spider X features a composite core weighing a mere 15 grams. The putter’s new head design was created using multi-material construction, delivering a slightly smaller head shape compared to the Spider Tour. Engineers reduced the size of the Spider X by 5% but were able to maintain the same MOI as Spider Tour within its new construction.

RE-ENGINEERED PURE ROLL INSERT

Spider X putters incorporate a new, thicker 5mm Pure Roll white surlyn insert for improved sound, feel and roll characteristics. The 12-groove Pure Roll insert promotes forward spin for smoother roll, greater accuracy and better distance control.

The composition and construction of the new Pure Roll insert is specially engineered to bring the grooves into direct and active contact with the ball during impact, even on short putts. The grooves in the face — just .5mm deep — also serve in part to strategically soften the insert’s structure. Together, these factors are designed to make the insert deform at impact, putting the grooves into direct contact with the cover of the ball.

Pure Roll inserts are played on the PGA Tour by TaylorMade staffers Dustin Johnson, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm, among many others.

  • Specifications: Spider X putters will be offered in two colorways with both right and left-hand options: copper & white or navy & white. The copper & white model will be available in a short slant or single bend (right-hand only) hosel option, while the navy & white model will be available exclusively in a short slant offering. Each is available in 33”, 34” & 35” lengths and comes equipped with SuperStroke’s Pistol GTR 1.0 grip.
  • Availability: At retail on February 15
  • RRP: €349.
LPGA Tour, TaylorMade Golf, What's in the bag…

TaylorMade Golf – Sung-Hyun Park set to add 2019 TP5x golf ball to equipment arsenal

January 16, 2019 – Team TaylorMade’s Sung-Hyun Park, whose remarkable play in 2018 elevated her to world #2 and who has five LPGA Tour victories including two major championships to her impressive career resume, has chosen to add distance, spin, control and all-around performance with the new 2019 TP5x golf ball.

SH Park had been playing the same ball for more than 10 years but after testing the new TP5x she made the immediate decision to make the switch. SH Park, who puts a lot of emphasis on spin in her game, found the TP5x to be low spin off the tee but at the same time easy to control around the green leading to the ideal performance combination of speed, power, spin and control.

“I was a little worried to be honest because I’ve used the old ball for a very long time, but I tried the new TP5x and it was really good. I tend to put a lot of emphasis on spin when playing because I swing hard, so sometimes it was difficult for me to control spin, but the new TP5x gives me the right amount of spin and I really liked that. If you make the switch to TaylorMade, you won’t regret it”, said Sung-Hyun Park.

Since turning pro in 2012, SH Park has done nothing but impress throughout her professional career. Park progressed from the KLPGA Tour to play her first tournaments on the LPGA Tour in 2016 where she earned enough money to secure her Tour card for 2017. Park’s rookie year turned out to be phenomenal, as she became the first player since 1978 to win the Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year awards in the same season.

Park became the fastest player in LPGA history to reach $2 million in career earnings at 7 months and 13 days (19 starts) and the fastest to reach $1 million following her maiden major victory at the U.S. Women’s Open (14 starts). Later in 2017 she would also briefly reach World #1. In 2018, Park claimed another three victories including her second major title at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and finished third on the LPGA Official Money List.

Like all of TaylorMade’s Tour staff who play the golf ball, SH Park can choose the number she plays on her golf ball. Park was born in September and pronounces that 9 is the most structurally beautiful number, so she has opted to play #9.

She’s set to play the TP5x in competition for the first time as she tees off in the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions presented by IOA in Florida this week.

The 2019 TP5 and TP5x will be available at retail on February 15, 2019 at an RRP of 58€.

What’s in Sung-Hyun Park’s golf bag?

  • Driver: TaylorMade M5 (9º, MCA KuroKage XT5s)
  • Fairway Wood: TaylorMade M6 (15º, MCA Tensei W6s)
  • Rescue: TaylorMade M3 Rescue #2 (17º, HY75s)
  • Irons: TaylorMade P790 (4, Nippon NS Pro 950R); P760 (5-PW, Nippon NS Pro 950R)
  • Wedges: TaylorMade Milled Grind (50º, 54º & 58º, Nippon Modus 3 105s)
  • Golf Ball: TaylorMade 2019 TP5x (#9)

More information at www.TaylorMadeGolf.eu.

Irons, TaylorMade Golf

TaylorMade Golf – A new frontier in iron design with the introduction of revolutionary M5 & M6 irons

January 7, 2019 – TaylorMade Golf has announced today the fourth and most innovative generation of its high-performance line of M series irons. Featuring the company’s new revolutionary SPEED BRIDGE Technology, the all-new M5 & M6 irons have been engineered to both further increase distance and enhance sound and feel.

SPEED BRIDGE – A BREAKTHROUGH IN IRON ENGINEERING

Completely new for 2019, M5 & M6 irons with SPEED BRIDGE incorporate a high strength, mass-efficient structural beam spanning across the cavity back of the iron to connect the topline with the back bar of the iron. By connecting these specific points, TaylorMade has created a significant technological breakthrough in game improvement iron design. Through extensive use of computational modeling and optimisation, the SPEED BRIDGE uses minimal mass to stabilise the iron by supporting the topline and upper face area at the exact location that vibrates at impact. The increased rigidity in the topline and upper perimeter of the face delivers improved sound and feel with increased ball speed from a more flexible Speed Pocket. The SPEED BRIDGE is the key to unlocking the ability to design M5 and M6 irons with a thru-slot Speed Pocket, our most flexible Speed Pocket to date. With the introduction of SPEED BRIDGE, the company’s most iconic technologies have been united in perfect harmony to deliver game changing performance for players of all levels.

REDESIGNED SPEED POCKET

Speed Pocket Technology significantly enhances face flexibility and generates optimal spin at impact, thus maximising ball speed and carry distance; most specifically low on the clubface — where ball speed protection matters most. Thanks to the new SPEED BRIDGE construction, for the first time it is possible to design a thru-slot Speed Pocket into our M5 and M6 game improvement irons. The SPEED BRIDGE and Speed Pocket work together to systematically improve how the iron face performs during impact by shifting the point of maximum deflection lower on the face. This shift in deflection activates the Speed Pocket more efficiently delivering extreme flexibility over a large area of the face generating faster ball speeds than 2018 M3 and M4 irons.

HYBRAR COMPRESSION DAMPER 

In both the M5 & M6 irons, TaylorMade engineers have implemented a new  HYBRAR  damping system and multi-material badges to control and minimise vibration for a soft and solid feel. Due to the stiffer topline, the maximum point of deflection of the iron face at impact is lower than previous designs. The lower deflection point is aligned with the  HYBRAR  damper allowing it to activate more quickly at impact and dampen unwanted vibrations more efficiently. The ABS/aluminum structure combined with viscoelastic adhesive serves to further improve sound and feel at impact.

M6 IRONS

The 2019 M6 iron is TaylorMade’s newest and most advanced game improvement iron to date. The M6 irons feature technologies designed to offer players an outstanding combination of distance, accuracy and solid feel in a forgiving, confidence-inspiring shape that is easy to hit. Packed with industry leading game improvement technologies from TaylorMade that golfers love, the M6 iron performance has been taken to the next level with the addition of SPEED BRIDGE. The M6 iron’s SPEED BRIDGE spans across a deep undercut cavity back design for an unparalleled combination of distance and forgiveness with enhanced sound and feel in the 4-PW.

“At TaylorMade, we have always strived to push the performance envelope to give players maximum distance and forgiveness in our game improvement irons. Our new SPEED BRIDGE technology allows us to do exactly that while improving sound and feel at the same time. Distance has never felt as good as it does with the M6 irons,” says Matt Bovee, Senior Manager of Product Creation at TaylorMade Golf.

In addition to SPEED BRIDGE, the M6 iron houses several additional performance enhancing technologies. M6 iron’s extreme low center of gravity, ultra-thin face with Inverted Cone Technology (ICT), and the new thru-slot Speed Pocket have all been united by the SPEED BRIDGE to provide players with every advantage possible when they step onto the course.

An extremely low and deep center of gravity (CG) is achieved through design optimisation and proven technologies such as the Fluted Hosel and 360° Undercut to harvest trapped mass from the highest location in the iron and relocate it low in the head design. This low CG design produces an efficient energy transfer at impact with a high launching, penetrating ball flight even for mis-hits low on the face. The M6 iron also has a high Moment of Inertia (MOI) for stability and forgiveness making it remarkably easy to play.

The M6 iron employs an ultra-thin face design with TaylorMade’s patented Inverted Cone Technology (ICT). An ultra-thin face allows the iron to be flexible and fast, but the secret to a truly optimised design lies within pairing a thin face with the ICT. The ICT design uses varying thicknesses to deliver maximum ball speeds over a large area face and the off-center positioning delivers a directional bias. Simply put, the ICT gives golfers a larger and more accurate sweet spot.

The all new SPEED BRIDGE technology is debuting for the first time in the 2019 M6 iron. As discussed in more detail above, the SPEED BRIDGE is the key to designing M6 with our most flexible Speed Pocket (4-7 irons). The SPEED BRIDGE stabilises the upper portion of the iron in combination with the advanced HYBRAR vibration damping polymer to improve sound and feel, while the thru-slot Speed Pocket expands the flexible area of the face to generate faster ball speeds! This unique combination gives golfers the best of both worlds; an iron with game changing distance and a pleasing soft, solid feel at impact.

All new set wedges specifically designed for the mid to high handicap golfer have been added to the M6 iron set for enhanced playability around the greens.

  • Specifications: M6 irons available in 4-9iron, PW, SW & LW and come equipped with KBS Max 85 steel shafts (S, R) or Fujikura’s ATMOS Orange graphite shafts (7S, 6R & 5A). For women, the M6 irons will come equipped with the TaylorMade Tuned Performance shaft.
  • Availability: Available for preorder on January 14 and at retail beginning February 15 2019
  • RRP: M6 irons 7 club set, 999€ steel and 1,149€ graphite;

M5 IRONS
Optimised for playability and forgiveness, the 2019 M5 Irons offer players an outstanding combination of distance, accuracy and feel in a refined and aesthetically pleasing shape designed for players preferring a more traditional look.

Taking M iron performance to the next level, the M5 irons utilise multi-material construction with SPEED BRIDGE technology, allowing for the integration of the most flexible thru-slot Speed Pocket in a TaylorMade game-improvement iron to date. The new Speed Pocket design (4-7 irons) uses a flexible thru-slot that result in enhanced ball speeds for more forgiveness across the face, especially on shots struck low on the face. Additionally, tungsten weighting has been added (4-7 irons) to lower the CG, increase launch and deliver additional forgiveness.

A cavity back design with deep undercut (4-PW) results in exceptional feel and enhanced shot-making ability and the aforementioned HYBRAR compression damper effectively filters unwanted face vibrations for more solid feel on all shots. The M5’s sole design now includes a leading-edge chamfer for a cleaner entry into the turf for crisp ball striking with preferred turf interaction.

In addition to SPEED BRIDGE and the redesigned Speed Pocket, the M5 irons utilise a variety of proven TaylorMade technologies, including an off-center Inverted Cone Technology (ICT) face design to optimise ball speed across the face, 360° Undercuts with stiffening topline ribs to promote face flexibility and ball speed while maintaining sound and feel and Fluted Hosel 2.0 to promote lower and deeper CG for improved launch characteristics.

Taken together, these technologies work in harmony to deliver distance, peak height and forgiveness to provide favourable launch conditions to a wide range of players. M5 has been designed for mid handicap players seeking performance but will also appeal to better players with a more discerning eye seeking a clean, compact appearance at address.

  • Specifications: Available in 4-9iron, PW, SW and come equipped with True Temper’s XP100 steel (S, R) or Mitsubishi’s Tensei Orange graphite (S, R) in addition to numerous additional custom shaft options.
  • Availability: Available for preorder on January 14 and at retail beginning February 15 2019
  • RRP: M5 irons 7 club set, 1,149€ steel and 1,399€ graphite

More information at TaylorMadeGolf.eu.

Golf Balls, Golf Companies, TaylorMade Golf

TaylorMade Golf – Milestone performance improvements in new 2019 TP5 & TP5x golf balls

January 3, 2019 – TaylorMade Golf has announced today the release of its enhanced 2019 TP5 and TP5x golf ball models. Highlighted by its new High-Flex Material (HFM) TaylorMade has taken the 2017 TP5 & TP5x to a new level of performance.

“With the new TP5 and TP5x golf balls, we knew there was an opportunity to make them even faster. Our research into the driver and ball interaction at the moment of impact along with the development of a new material (HFM) has given us the ability to more efficiently convert compression into speed, at any swing speed. The new Speed-Layer System (SLS) controls spin rates that is critical for driver, iron and wedge performance,” says Eric Loper, Director of Golf Ball R&D of the company.

The key to achieving enhanced speed without impacting other areas of performance comes down to the ability to weave the new High-Flex Material (HFM) within TaylorMade’s proprietary 5-layer ball construction. In traditional golf balls with 3 or 4 layers, manufacturers are unable to utilise a soft core ‘AND’ maintain high ball velocities.

With the 2019 TP5 and TP5x, speed and spin are effectively decoupled—which enables an incredibly soft core to be “wrapped” by increasingly stiff materials, creating a Speed-Layer System with each outer layer getting progressively faster.

Based on initial player testing with the 2019 TP5 and TP5x, the top athletes in the world are experiencing speeds they’ve never seen before. During a recent testing session, Jon Rahm (who averages 177-179 mph ball speed with driver) was seeing numbers upward of 186 mph with an average of around 182.5 mph. Additional TaylorMade staff professionals also experienced noticeable gains in ballspeed at a recent testing session across high, mid and lower swing speeds.

New Speed-Layer System with HFM

The new Speed-Layer System is comprised of four increasingly stiff layers, featuring a new material called HFM. HFM is the fastest material TaylorMade has ever used and is essentially a tightly wound spring and when compressed generates more rebound energy for more ball speed. The tightly wound spring characteristic of HFM also increases the force on the driver face, further increasing the speed of the golf ball when it leaves the driver face.

Tri-Fast Core

The Tri-Fast Core consists of an extra-large, low-compression inner core (16 compression in TP5 & 25 compression in TP5x) and a progressively stiffer outer core and mantle. The combination of these three layers work in conjunction to create lower drag and increased carry—the primary reason TP5 and TP5x have become the hottest Tour balls in golf. The Tri-Fast Core delivers breakthrough iron performance by achieving maximum carry, giving golfers of nearly every swing speed (over 60 mph) choosing less clubs into the green.

Dual-Spin Cover

The Dual-Spin Cover boasts an ultra-soft cast urethane cover and a 30% more rigid inner cover. This system creates a condition that is ideal for greenside control, as the rigid inner cover forces the soft urethane cover into wedge grooves for maximum spin generation.

Additional enhancements in the 2019 TP5 and TP5x models includes a new Soft-Tough cast urethane cover. In order to achieve improved scuff resistance, shear resistance, and overall durability, the new cover features a cast urethane compound and new paint formulation to help each ball feel better and last longer.

With the improved cover durability, new HFM material, and TaylorMade’s proprietary 5-layer design, TP5 and TP5x are able to produce optimal flight, velocity, and control regardless of which model golfers prefer to play.

HOW TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THE 2019 TP5 & TP5x

The 2019 TP5 and TP5x offer complete tee-to-green performance thanks to TaylorMade’s patented 5-layer construction. While both deliver significant distance off the tee, the TP5 has a softer feel (85 compression), launches lower on iron shots and has more spin around the greens (+300 compared to TP5x at 100 yards & +200 at 30 yards) while the TP5x has a firmer feel (97 compression) and will generate higher launching iron shots. TaylorMade staffers anticipated to play the TP5 are Rory McIlroy and Beau Hossler, while Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm and Jason Day will expectedly gravitate toward the TP5x model.

  • Availability: 2019 TP5 and TP5x, on 15th of February.
  • RRP: 58€ per dozen.
  • More information at TaylorMadeGolf.eu.
Drivers, Fairway Woods, Hybrids / Rescues, TaylorMade Golf

TaylorMade Golf – New M5 & M6 metalwoods break boundaries, taking speed to the limit

January 3, 2019 – TaylorMade Golf, maker of the “#1 Driver in Golf” for seventeen consecutive years, has announced today the next generation of the globally successful line of its M metalwoods, highlighted by the all-new M5 & M6 drivers, fairways and hybrids.

SPEED INJECTED TWIST FACE: a new Twist on Twist Face

In 2018, TaylorMade engineers developed a new path to performance with Twist Face Technology. To counteract the high-toe miss (a hook), the driver face was modified open (loft increased & face opened) on the high-toe to help straighten ball flight. Similarly, to counteract the low-heel miss (a slice) the driver face was modified closed to de-loft and close the face in the low heel area.

In 2019, TaylorMade has taken Twist Face to the next level of performance with the introduction of Speed Injected Twist Face Technology, exposing the false narrative that speed limits have been reached in a metalwood.

There are four key features to the design of Speed Injected Twist Face that allow TaylorMade to maximise ball speed, working in unison to allow every M5 & M6 driver to be precision-tuned with a new, rigorous process to maximise speed to the allowable limit.

  • 1) Ultra-thin Titanium face with redesigned Inverted Cone Technology (ICT)
  • 2) Reengineered, more-flexible Hammerhead 2.0 slot
  • 3) Internal support foam with variable amounts of injected resin
  • 4) A proprietary algorithm to tune each head

Every M5 & M6 driver head is inspected, measured, and tuned for maximum speed and to ensure conformity; a process truly unmatched in the golf industry. Whereas current drivers have a level of variation from one to the next, TaylorMade’s new engineering and development processes effectively deliver a level of precision that ensures every golfer gets a hot & fast driver head.

The drivers have been designed with a thinner, more flexible face, in fact, initially designed above the legal limit before going through the tuning process, a process in which resin is injected to ensure maximum speed for each head. The injection process utilises two new tuning ports on the face of the driver (both M5 & M6 models) and a proprietary algorithm to ensure the appropriate amount of resin is used, systematically dialing in the speed for each driver face.

A significant benefit of the thinner, faster face design is that it provides the M5 and M6 drivers with faster off-center COR, effectively increasing forgiveness. The new face design is optimised with up to a 20% reduction in thickness that results in a 66% larger sweetspot in the M5 drivers over the M3 and more than 100% larger than the original M1 in 2015.

M5 & M5 TOUR DRIVERS

Highlighting TaylorMade’s next generation of M metalwood performance are the M5 & M5 Tour drivers, designed from the sole up to be the highest-performing drivers in company history. In addition to Twist Face and Speed Injected technologies, TaylorMade has also incorporated numerous additional technologies to take performance levels to unpreceded levels. Aesthetically, a new vibrant blood orange colour and two-tone composite sole make for a visually stunning product that draws immediate attention and has drawn rave reviews from our Tour staff.

Inverted T-Track

TaylorMade first shifted the paradigm of adjustability with the introduction of the original T-Track in the M1 driver. In subsequent models in 2017 & 2018, the sliding weight system evolved into the Y-Track, which allowed for more than 1,000 unique CG configurations, which more than doubled the number attainable in the 2017 M1.

In the M5 & M5 Tour drivers, a new Inverted T-Track makes personalisation more intuitive and simplified than ever and allows the golfer more precise CG adjustability with 1770 unique CG configurations; made possible through the allowance of 20 grams (two 10g weights) of moveable weight to be utilised for both the benefit of heel to toe control as well as front to back CG adjustment.

Though there are 1770 unique settings, the adjustability process has been made incredibly intuitive with high/low & draw/fade settings. The front-to-back CG shift allows the golfer to fine-tune their ball flight through launch angle and backspin. The flat curvature of the front/back track provides the lowest CG possible regardless which weight setting fits the golfer best; this promotes high launch and low spin in any of the M5’s weight configurations.

It also provides a wide range of MOI options—position both weights all the way forward for the lowest CG projection to maximise speed with very low spin, push the weights all the way back into both sections of the Inverted T-Track and maximize MOI and ball speed protection on mishits. The result gives the golfer up to one degree of launch angle and 600rpm of spin change as well as 25 yards of left-to-right adjustability.

For even further personalisation, the 2º loft sleeve allows for the adjustment of the loft, lie angle and face angle of the driver; and when combined with the Inverted T-Track, makes the M5 the company’s most customisable driver in company history.

Carbon Composite Crown & Sole

TaylorMade’s composite technology has been in development for more than fifteen years. In the M5 & M6 drivers and fairways, TaylorMade ushers in the 4th consecutive generation of its carbon composite technology. TaylorMade engineers were able to incorporate composite panels that continue to unlock performance with a more efficient mass distribution compared to a traditional metalwood construction.

The use of composite crown and sole panels save weight from the traditional construction of drivers and fairways. This increased discretionary weight is used to create an optimised centre of gravity to deliver a hotter trajectory with increased forgiveness. The 2019 M5 & M6 have also increased the overall composite crown footprint by 10%.

M5 Tour Driver

Following the success and increased demand for a sub-460 cc version over the last three years, the M5 will again be available in a smaller model – the M5 Tour. Featuring the same Speed Injected technology as the M5 driver, the M5 Tour driver utilises a compact 435cc head with optimised aerodynamics for improved workability and maximum clubhead speed. While retaining all of the same key technologies as its larger 460cc counterpart, the M5 Tour driver is designed for the player who seeks more workability with less spin and prefers a more compact look at address.

  • Specifications: The M5 driver will be offered in 9º, 10.5º and 12º lofts; and the M5 Tour is available in 9º and 10.5º lofts. Both the M5 & M5 Tour come equipped with a newly redesigned, streamlined headcover and premium components; either a Mitsubishi CK Tensei Orange 60 and Project X’s new HZRDUS Smoke 70 shaft with numerous additional shaft options available at no additional cost. The stock grip is the MCC Decade grip from Golf Pride.
  • Availability: The M5 driver will available for pre-order on January 14 and at retail on February 15, 2019. The M5 Tour driver will be available on March 1, 2019.
  • RRP: 599€.

M5 FAIRWAY WOOD: TITANIUM WITH A TWIST

Following comprehensive research and analytics of thousands of shots, TaylorMade engineers have also successfully incorporated its breakthrough Twist Face Technology into a fairway wood. Like the M drivers, the faces have been modified to counteract the gear effect on common mishits in the high-toe and low-heel. Although the concept is the same as in the driver, the exact geometry is slightly different to account for the unique mass properties and impact location patterns in fairway woods compared to drivers.

The M5 fairway also represents a complete re-engineering of TaylorMade adjustable fairways. The M5 fairway features an advanced multi-material head construction with a titanium body, 5-layer carbon composite crown with a steel movable weight — a tri- material construction. The two low-density components – carbon and titanium – led to more discretionary weight, which engineers used to completely redesign the sliding weight system for a lower CG location and increased adjustability.

The M5’s adjustable weight system features a 65g moveable steel weight, which is slightly more than 30% of the total head weight, allowing for generous draw/fade adjustability. The position of the steel weight creates a lower centre of gravity for a more efficient energy transfer with higher launch and lower spin. The unique design of moveable weight also creates a more seamless sole contour, producing smoother turf interaction regardless of the weight position. The M5 fairway also features a more streamlined 12- position loft sleeve for up to 4º of adjustability (+-2º).

“The M5 fairway wood is a new super adjustable fairway wood featuring ground-breaking new titanium-carbon construction with a massive 65-gram movable weight. This is the first ever fairway wood to use our revolutionary Twist Face technology for unparalleled accuracy and game-changing performance,” says Tomo Bystedt, Senior Director, Product Creation, Metalwoods of the company.

  • Specifications: The M5 fairway will be offered in Rocket 3/14° (RH only), 3/15° and 5/18° lofts and come equipped with a Mitsubishi CK Tensei Orange 75 (X) and 65 (S, R) with numerous additional shaft options available at no additional cost. The stock grip is the MCC Decade from Golf Pride.
  • Availability: Available for pre-order on January 14 and at retail on February 15, 2019.
  • RRP: 419€.

M6 & M6 D-TYPE DRIVERS: INJECTED FOR A NEW LEVEL OF SPEED 

Complementing the M5 driver are the M6 and M6 D-Type drivers, which, like the M5, are injected to the maximum legal level of speed.

“Injected Twist Face delivers a hot, yet accurate performance package in the new M6 driver. When you add optimised CG and MOI through the use of a full carbon crown and sole, the result is a complete driver that delivers on all fronts,” says Brian Bazzel, Vice President Product Creation of the company.

Speed Injected Twist Face

Like the M5, each M6 driver head is individually speed tested and injected with tuning resin to optimize COR across the entire face and deliver maximum ball speed and distance. The heel and toe ports in the driver face have allowed TaylorMade to maximize speed across the entire face in every driver created, delivering to each golfer a boundary-pushing fast & hot driver head.

The M6 also features Twist Face Technology, which, like last year’s M3 & M4 drivers and this year’s M5 driver, provides more loft in the high toe and less loft in the low-heel to produce more consistent spin where golfers commonly mishit. The face of the M6 driver is also slightly taller (1mm) than the M5.

Aerodynamic Carbon Sole Design with ‘Inertia Generator’

Featuring the same 6-layer carbon composite crown as the M5 driver, the 2019 M6 drivers adds a complete carbon fiber sole, allowing for significantly more discretionary weight to be used elsewhere in the clubhead – as much as 54% more than its predecessor, the M4. With the weight savings, engineers were able to create a sleek, aerodynamic shape inclusive of the new ‘inertia generator.’ The inertia generator houses the additional discretionary weight extremely low and back for maximum forgiveness while lowering the CG compared to previous models.

The M6 D-Type driver brings the same performance features found in the M6 driver into a draw-biased, easy-to-launch package. TaylorMade engineers have utilised a combination of technologies to create a significant amount of draw bias to help golfers prevent a right miss. The key feature is the optical engineering that creates a high-contrast topline masking configured to make the face angle appear more open than the actual face angle, resulting in the golfer returning a more closed face at impact. In addition, the centre of gravity is moved slightly toward the heel to further aid in delivering a square clubface to the golf ball. The combination of these features provides the M6 D-Type driver up to 20 yards more draw bias than the standard M6 driver.

  • Specifications: The M6 and M6 D-Type drivers will be offered in 9º, 10.5º and 12º (RH only) lofts. The M6 driver has two stock shaft options from Fujikura, the high-launching Atmos Orange 5 and a lower- launching Atmos Black 6 in S-, R- and A-flexes. The M6 D-Type comes equipped with a Project X EvenFlow Max Carry 45 shaft in 6.0 (S), 5.5 (R) and 5.0 (A). For women, the M6 and M6 D-Type drivers will be offered in 10.5º and 12º lofts (RH only) and come equipped with TaylorMade’s Tuned Performance 45g L-flex shaft. The stock men’s grip is the Lamkin Dual Feel grip and the stock ladies grip is the Lamkin Comfort Plus Dual Feel grip. Both drivers are available with numerous additional shaft options at no additional cost.
  • Availability: Available for pre-order on January 14 and at retail on February 15, 2019.
  • RRP: 529€.

M6 FAIRWAY WOOD

The M6 fairway adds to TaylorMade’s rich lineage of high-performance fairway woods with the addition of revolutionary Twist Face technology in a fairway for the first time (alongside the M5); the result is an explosive, yet playable fairway from the tee or off the deck. New in ’19 is the addition of ‘Rocket 3’ a 14° offering for those seeking reduced spin and slightly increased ball speed.

Advanced Speed Pocket Design

The Speed Pocket has been re-engineered for the M6 fairway woods to provide even more ball speed on low face impacts. A new TPU slot insert has also been designed to sit flush with the sole to improve sole interaction and eliminate turf drag from the Speed Pocket.

The M6 fairways also improve performance over the M4 by optimising CG placement directly behind centre face, producing maximum energy transfer at impact. Maintaining a very low centre of gravity, the face height of the M6 fairways is also slightly taller, creating a more confidence-inspiring look at address with more available impact area on the clubface. The new larger carbon composite crown increases discretionary mass which is concentrated low in the head, lowering CG for a higher launch while maintaining high MOI for excellent forgiveness.

M6 D-Type Fairway Wood

In addition to the M6 fairway, TaylorMade has also created an M6 D-Type fairway, engineered with the same technologies in a more draw-biased package. This is accomplished through divergent face masking and modified internal weighting that effectively delivers additional draw bias in the ball flight up to 15 yards.

  • Specifications: The M6 fairway woods will be offered in Rocket 3/14º, 3/15º, 5/18º, 7/21º and 9/24º lofts, equipped with Fujikura’s Atmos Orange FW shaft in S, R and A-flexes. The M6 D-Type will be offered in 3/16º, 5/19º (5) & 7/22º lofts and come equipped with the Project X EvenFlow Max Carry 50 shaft in 6.0 (S), 5.5 (R) and 5.0 (A). The stock men’s grip is the Lamkin Dual Feel grip and the stock ladies grip is the Lamkin Comfort Plus Dual Feel grip.
  • Availability: Available for pre-order on January 14 and at retail on February 15, 2019.
  • RRP: 299€.

M6 RESCUE: ULTIMATE VERSATILITY WITH A TWIST

Rounding out the 2019 M6 series metalwoods is the M6 Rescue; TaylorMade’s longest and most versatile hybrid club to date.

For the first time ever, the M6 Rescue incorporates Twist Face technology, following the lead of its fairway and driver siblings to produce longer and straighter shots across the face. As the face of the M6 Rescue is significantly smaller than that of the M6 driver, the face curvature is thus more pronounced. As a result, the two-tone crown has been meticulously designed to mask its increased curvature.

The M6 Rescue features a low CG steel body construction with a stepped crown creating a lower CG and easy alignment. It also features a thinner and faster face for improved ball speed and overall distance. A redesigned more flexible Speed Pocket with a TPU slot insert that sits flush with the sole delivers a larger COR area with better off-center performance, especially on low-face strikes and improved turf interaction.

  • Specifications: The M6 Rescue will be offered in 3/19º, 4/22º, 5/25º, 6/28º and 7/31º lofts and come equipped with a Fujikura Atmos Orange HY shaft in 7 (S), 6 (R) or 5 (A). For women, the M6 Rescue will come in 4/22º, 5/25º, 6/28º and 7/31º lofts (RH only) and come equipped with TaylorMade’s Tuned Performance 45g L-flex shaft. The stock men’s grip is the Lamkin Dual Feel grip and the stock ladies grip is the Lamkin Comfort Plus Dual Feel grip.
  • Availability: Available for pre-order on January 14 and at retail on February 15, 2019.
  • RRP: 249€.

More information at TaylorMadeGolf.eu.

Golf Junior, Juniors, TaylorMade Golf

TaylorMade Golf – Introduction of new Rory Junior Golf Sets, in collaboration with Rory McIlroy

November 2, 2018 – TaylorMade Golf has announced the Rory Junior Golf Sets, inspired by and created through input from Rory McIlroy to welcome the beginner and developing player to the game of golf. The introduction of young players to the game is a passion point for TaylorMade and McIlroy, who himself was introduced to the game at a very young age.

“Growing up, golf was an extremely important part of my life. It allowed me to stay active, enjoy the outdoors and have fun within a competitive sport. I partnered with TaylorMade to design the Rory Junior Set to give kids an easy introduction to golf so they can have the same opportunity I had to fall in love with the sport,” says Rory McIlroy.

Incorporating many of the same technologies found in other TaylorMade products, each has been specifically engineered to deliver the optimal lengths, lofts and shaft flexes to promote proper swing mechanics for junior golfers while developing their passion for the game.

“We were looking for a gateway for young players to enjoy the game with product built specifically with them in mind. Having a role model like Rory McIlroy to support this new initiative, as well as a program like the PGA Junior League that encourages these youngsters to thrive in the sport, is crucial to encourage them to play well into their adult life. That’s why we partnered with Rory and are delighted to support the PGA Junior League by making a direct donation to them,” says David Abeles, CEO of TaylorMade Golf.

DRIVER

At 16° of loft and 400cc in size, the Rory titanium driver was designed to instill confidence and be easy to hit and produce high launching drives off the tee. A high-quality, high-performing product created specifically with the junior player in mind.

“For me, confidence is the most important thing when I’m standing on the tee. This driver has been specially-designed to help young golfers hit it far and straight so they can start building their confidence from the first time they tee it up,” says Rory McIlroy.

FAIRWAY & RESCUE

The fairway and Rescue in the Rory Junior Golf Sets were created to bridge the gap between the driver and irons with easy-to-hit, forgiving performance from a variety of lies on the golf course.

“With a fairway wood or Rescue, kids need clubs that are versatile and allow them to hit a variety of shots no matter where they are on the golf course. These clubs are built for easy launch and extra forgiveness whether you’re hitting from the tee, the fairway or the rough,” says Rory McIlroy.

IRONS

Made from 17-4 stainless steel, the irons in the two sets were strategically developed with loft configurations that help launch the ball high and straight. The 4-plus set features an iron loft 2 degrees lower than the 8-plus set to encourage higher lofts for easy launch for the younger player.

“Growing up, nothing felt better than hitting it close with an iron. With these easy-to-hit irons, young golfers will experience that feeling that keeps them coming back for more,” says about Rory McIlroy.

PUTTER & WEDGE

Among the most important skills a junior golfer can learn are the fundamentals of putting. The center-shafted mid-mallet putter was created with short-game development in mind by way of higher stability combined with easy alignment. For greenside chipping and bunker play, a 54°/56° wedge will help make this critical part of the game easier to learn and have more fun.

“As much as everyone loves hitting big drives, myself included, the key to this game is chipping and putting. Creating the most appropriate clubs they need to develop a sharp short game are critical for their growth and enjoyment of the game,” says about Rory McIlroy.

Available starting December 7, Rory Junior Golf Sets are in two set configurations for boys and girls (4+ and 8+), each created for a specific size and age range of player. Both sets include graphite shafts that have been flexed specifically for junior swing speeds. Additionally, each set also includes a special St. Bernard headcover, inspired by the headcover found on Rory’s M3 driver.

8-PLUS SET

Both the Boys & Girls 8 Plus set (designed for ages 8+ and 52″ to 60″ in height) that includes 7 clubs + bag, at an RRP of €449: Driver 400cc Titanium (16º, 39.5″); fairway wood 3 (24º, 37″); rescue 5 (30º, 34.5″); irons 7 (36º, 32.5″) and 9 (44º, 31.5″); sand wedge (56º, 31″); and putter (30″).

4-PLUS SET

In addition to the 8 Plus set, a 4 Plus set will also be offered for both Boys & Girls (designed for players aged 4+ and 42″ to 52″ in height) that includes 5 clubs + bag at an RRP €329: Driver 400cc Titanium (16º, 33.5″); rescue 5 (30º, 29.5″); iron 7 (38º, 27.5″); sand wedge (54º, 26″); and putter (26″).

Irons, TaylorMade Golf

TaylorMade Golf – The next generation of forged progression arrives with the new P760 iron

October 15, 2018 – TaylorMade Golf have announced today the extension of its globally successful P700 series irons with the introduction of P760, a progressive forged players iron designed to give better players specifically what they want and need through the entire set, alleviating the possible consideration of combination sets.

The P760 pulls performance technologies and shaping attributes from its Tour-proven siblings, the P750, P770 and P790. The P760 irons effectively replace the P750 and P770 in the TaylorMade lineup, giving players the performance of P750 in the short irons and improves on the performance of P770 in the long irons. The P760’s progressive design is individually optimised for each club from 3-iron to AW to provide Tour-caliber shaping and performance.

“With P760, we set out to design a players iron for Tour-level competition, combining all the elements that are most desirable to the better golfer. The P760’s progressive set shaping enables short irons to be compact and precise while the long irons take on a hollow construction, injected with our revolutionary SpeedFoam. P760 is designed to inspire confidence whether you’re attacking pins from short range or sticking greens from long range,” says Brian Bazzel, VP of Product Creation, TaylorMade Golf.

FORGED MULTI-MATERIAL CONSTRUCTION

The progressive design of P760 goes beyond shaping; specifically, the iron’s construction. The P760’s unique iron design transitions from a single piece 1025CS forged head in the 8-PW/AW to a 1025CS forged hollow body with SUS630 face material injected with the revolutionary SpeedFoam in the 3-7 irons. The hollow cavity construction (3-7 irons) produces consistent distance while adding forgiveness to maintain optimised gapping throughout the set, while the one-piece forged construction in the 8 through AW results in remarkable feel and shot shaping capability for better ball strikers.

PROGRESSIVE PLAYER-PREFERRED SHAPING

Shaping is one of the most critical phases in the development of a new iron, and TaylorMade’s engineers set out to create a progressive set that met even the most discerning players’ demands. Head size, offset and lofts have been meticulously detailed to engineer specifically what better players demand for precision shot making.

The sole geometry of the P760 has also been redesigned with a chamfered leading edge that delivers a cleaner entry into the turf, activating the club’s bounce without the risk of digging, all within a square look at address.

SPEEDFOAM TECHNOLOGY

SpeedFoam technology, which was first introduced in the highly popular P790 irons last autumn, has been incorporated into the P760’s 3-7 irons. SpeedFoam serves the dual purpose of generating ball speed while also dampening vibrations to create optimal sound and feel. SpeedFoam is injected into the club head in liquid form before expanding within the club, providing increased face support while maintaining the soft, solid sound and feel that golfers prefer.

  • Availability: From 2nd of November, 3-PW with True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 (S300, X100) shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grips.
  • RRP: 1,399€ for a 7-piece set.
Hybrids / Rescues, TaylorMade Golf

TaylorMade Golf – GAPR trio deliver golfers maximum performance to fill distance gaps in their long game

18 Julio 2018 – TaylorMade Golf, the industry leader in high performance product innovation and technology and creators of the original Rescue line of hybrids in 1999, announced today the debut of GAPR, a highly innovative trio of products with unique identities and performance deliverables providing golfers with the right clubs to fill gaps in the long game.

Nearly every golfer has a gapping challenge in the long part of their set; specifically, the difficult-to-manage yardage between the longest playable iron and the shortest metalwood. With a majority of players not comfortable hitting 3, 4 and even 5 irons consistently to precise yardages or with any dependable accuracy and 5, 7 and 9 woods often difficult to control, TaylorMade set out to engineer a line of products that allow golfers to get the distance, carry and control needed to fill these gaps. The result is GAPR, three distinct products which invite golfers to choose their shape, find their distance and bridge their gap.

“More Tour players are adopting utility clubs to bridge the gap between their longest iron and shortest fairway wood. GAPR provides innovative options for players to confidently hit a specific yardage with a specific trajectory”.

“With SpeedFoam, Loft Sleeve and Speed Pocket technologies, golfers have the performance and adjustability to fine-tune their long game for the right combination of distance, versatility and precision,” says Tomo Bystedt, Senior Director Product Creation, Metalwoods of the company.

In recent years, the majority of hybrid clubs have gradually evolved into extensions of the iron set or simply smaller fairway woods. Few compelling options for golfers to upgrade their hybrids exist unless they purchase them as part of an iron set. On Tour, the number of wood-style hybrids has steadily declined. Players are starting to adopt iron-style utility clubs and driving irons for better control and workability.

In each of the 3 different GAPR models, engineers have incorporated TaylorMade’s innovative SpeedFoam technology, which was first introduced in the globally-successful P790 irons last autumn. SpeedFoam serves the dual purpose of generating ball speed while also dampening vibrations to create optimal sound and feel. SpeedFoam is injected into the club head in liquid form before expanding within the club, providing increased face support while maintaining the soft, solid sound and feel that golfers prefer. Additionally, strategically-placed ultra-low center of gravity in each GAPR model creates a hotter, higher launch for more distance and improved playability.

TAYLORMADE GAPR LO

Designed primarily for players with faster ballspeeds, GAPR LO is the smallest of the three models and features a low-forward CG for extreme distance with a mid-to-low trajectory. It’s driving iron-type shape has a players profile that allows for excellent flighting and workability, and the mid-thin sole width delivers maximum performance and versatility for the stronger player.

TAYLORMADE GAPR MID

Slightly larger in size than the GAPR LO, GAPR MID was designed with players of all skill levels in mind. Featuring a CG that is ultra-low and forward for maximum distance and a mid-high trajectory, GAPR MID has an iron face profile that inspires confidence and easy alignment and a medium-wide sole width for ease of play and versatility.

TAYLORMADE GAPR HI

Similar to the GAPR MID, GAPR HI was engineered for the widest range of players. The largest of the three models, GAPR HI features an ultra-low/back CG for maximum distance and a high, penetrating trajectory. Where the HI differs from the other 2 models is its shaping, which features modern Rescue shaping with a high-toe, peanut shaped clubhead. The dropped crown feature provides lower CG and improved alignment.

SPECIFICATIONS

  • TaylorMade Golf GAPR LO: #2 (17º, 40,25”); #3 (19º, 39,75”); #4 (22º, 39,25”)
  • TaylorMade Golf GAPR MID: #3 (18º, 40,25”); #4 (21º, 39,75”); #5 (24º, 39,25”)
  • TaylorMade Golf GAPR HI: #3 (19º, 40,75”); #4 (22º, 40,25”); #5 (25º, 39,75”); #6 (28º, 39,25”)
  • Shaft: KBS Hybrid in either an 80/x, 80/s, 70/r or 60/a profile (via custom). Additional shaft options are available through TaylorMade’s custom program as well.
  • Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360
  • Available on September 7, 2018.
  • RRP: 299€.
Putters, TaylorMade Golf

TaylorMade Golf – The Spider Mini Putters arrives with Spider performance in refined design

June 8, 2018 – TaylorMade Golf, the industry leader in product innovation and technology and makers of one of the most sought-after putters on Tour in Spider Tour, has announced the expansion of its benchmark product platform with the introduction of Spider Mini, a wingless design to deliver the performance characteristics of the original Spider Tour putters in a more streamlined, minimalistic design.

Overall, the construction of the Spider Mini has a 15% reduction in head size compared to Spider Tour while still delivering the stability and high MOI properties as its bigger sibling still with a 355g head weight. The smaller head size results in a movement forward in CG from 37mm to 30mm away from the leading edge; enabling the release of the putter head easier through the hitting area of the stroke – more similar to that of a blade putter.

Spider Mini also incorporates TaylorMade’s patented, Tour proven Pure Roll insert which combines 45º grooves with a softer polymer to increase topspin and improve forward roll across varying surfaces – helping the golf ball start and stay on its intended line. Redesigned steel weights cast directly into the putter’s head provide precise and consistent balance.

Derived from Tour player feedback, the new T-sightline encourages proper alignment and a square club face. The new sightline’s depth mimics the dimensions of a classic blade putter to provide a seamless transition for golfers exploring mallet shaping and has been praised by players seeking alternative options to a through-line or current alignment options.

“Spider Mini gives golfers a brand-new look and feel while still remaining very much a part of the Spider Tour family. It has the same Pure Roll insert and presents many of the same features that make Spider such a successful putter, but it is delivered in a scaled-down shape for those seeking a smaller footprint without sacrificing stable, high-MOI performance,” said Chris Trott, TaylorMade Tour Manager.

  • Specs: Spider Mini will be offered in right hand only in a Tour Red or Diamond Silver finish with a double bend shaft. Equipped with SuperStroke Pistol GTR 1.0 grip and available in 33″, 34″ & 35″ lengths, Spider Mini is face-balanced and features TaylorMade’s tour-proven aluminum Pure Roll insert.
  • Availability: From now.
  • RRP: €329.