TaylorMade SLDR S Launch

I cannot talk about golf, mention metal-woods or TaylorMade without being grateful to Gary Adams. After he left college, he worked as a golf salesman and was a keen observer. He noticed that golf balls worked well with irons but not woods. He took $24k on his house and founded TaylorMade Golf and invented the world's first metal-wood, a 12 degrees driver. Today the brand is owned by adidas. Unfortunately, Gary Adams died from cancer in 2000 at age 56. So each time you hit a metal wood or hear that sound, remember Gary.

I attended the invitation to the launch of TaylorMade SLDR S golf clubs recently at the Toa Payoh driving range. I was tired and busy but I had to come as there will be familiar faces there to meet. Besides,  I often find TaylorMade golf clubs somewhat intriguing. There is usually something new, otherwise fascinating or compelling qualities that appeal strongly or captivate you.

Some golf clubs have all their technology built into the club and inside of the club head but for TaylorMade they seem to say ''if you have it flaunt it". All the bells and whistles are displayed outside, there for you to see suggesting and tempting you that seeing is believing. You get curious, got your mind stirred and you wonder if they actually work. You try them and bang! It works like they said it will and hey presto!, time to lay your itchy hands on some new weapons of destruction and time to inflict some damage to your flight mates. Only if God had made our lungs and liver hanging on the outside then perhaps all will quit smoking and drinking.

TaylorMade has already launched the SLDR driver but this one is different, it is the SLDR "S". If I could fault TaylorMade, it must be the number and types of golf clubs they released. The SLDR driver was like a replacement for the R1 (mind you the R1 was released like six months earlier and that was a white R1). Then they released a black R1 like two months before the SLDR. Wow! They do it like releasing fish into the pond. It is like a mid-season replacement of their flagship model. Like signing a star player in the soccer mid-season. SLDR do resemble the Mizuno Fast-Track MP-600 driver which has a zipper-like slide to shift weight at the rear perimeter of the club head. SLDR' slide weight system has theirs placed forward in a parallel straight slide. The R1 was already a very good driver. Can the SLDR do better since they called it the longest driver they've ever made? The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

This launch was not just for the driver but a whole new slew of products which included a "mini" driver, hybrids and irons.

Some say the "S" here means same loft because they do not have the usual 9 degrees and comes only in 10, 12, 14 and 16 degrees since the shaft is bonded and non-adjustable so no tinkering of loft which explains their slogan here: "Know your loft?" I think it is more like standard version or "Simplified" version. It is a simple fixed loft club where you can only adjust the weight to fit a a draw or fade flight or to stay neutral.

Here you can see clearly how you can zip from fade to draw or stay neutral.

The launch is not only for the SLDR driver but also a "mini" driver which is a 3-wood in disguise and they come in stronger lofts of down to 12 degrees meaning that it can be used to replace your driver and get superb distance from tee off especially on tight fairways. That's why it is called the mini driver.

The team presenting the launch (L-R) Andre Hoeden, Mike Kasem and Hubert Tang.

Mike Casem is a radio and TV personality and the son of legendary American Casey Kasem who gave us American Top 40 Countdown when we followed him on radio and redifusion.

Mike isn't the biggest or tallest guy around but he packs a wallop. He could whack a golf ball over 300 over yards with a driver.

You could see that distance and it was not his best drive.

Here is Jef Goh our pro fitter here always conscientiously working for the crowd finding a suitable driver for each of them to test and behind him TaylorMade's boss.

This is one good selling point like a power-point presentation to understand how the weight system works and it will certainly take less time to adjust. Excellent for those with compulsive behaviour disorder such that they must always tinker with things. Itchy fingers. There are 21 positions for  you to slide on the grid.

For a long time now, every golf manufacturer has been promoting distance and more forgiveness. They have been telling us the COG (centre of gravity) has been moved to the max right behind and low at the end of the club head. This is so that you could find it easier to launch the ball from tee off. SLDR is now different in that they have put the COG forward and nearer to the face of the club head. The reason is with a forward CG you will achieved a greater ball speed and in case you not aware, faster ball speed = greater distance. 

It is like some reports or doctors telling you not to drink and some saying that you should drink but not more than 3 a day. Then there are reports saying coffee is good and coffee is bad. Wine is good for the heart and other reports suggesting there is no difference. So how?

Let me tell you that when CG is at the back, it facilitates an easier launch of the golf ball. If CG is forward, it promotes faster ball speed because there will be less spin. This is where the SLDR is different. To compensate for moving the CG forward to achieve greater ball speed therefore distance, the compensation comes in the higher loft. My own understanding is the higher loft will equal to the CG at the back while the benefit for more distance comes from greater ball speed from the forward CG.

In particular, what could impress me more is the fact the with the CG moved forward, there is less rotation of the club head to square at impact since the CG is closer to the front. Lesser rotation of the club head means more hits on the sweet spot. That was what they have achieved in the past by getting the right shaft for the same benefit. 

Traditional golf driver's club head crown are shining black. There have been blue and red ones but TaylorMade came up with a white one. Cobra has red, blue, white and orange ones. When I first played Callaway a long time ago, the Warbird was grey. Then they switched it to black for the original SLDR with a silver horse shoe at the back. This SLDR "S" is silver satin with a dark face for contrast. I am not sure about it but it may probably have less visible scratches or swirls around it after prolong usage. What about the darker piece at the end? As an alignment aid? It may not serve any purpose, an alignment aid possibly but I just think it is clever marketing. 

What happens when you are watching PGA pros on TV? When television angles zoom in and get close to the driver, you will see this piece at the back of the club head and know straight away it is the TaylorMade SLDR driver. Don't you think? 

The face is deep with a nice darker contrast to the silver satin crown colour.

They come in 10, 12, 14 and 16 degrees. Yes these loft are correct. I know many golfers who play drivers with wrong loft. How do I know? They could not launch the ball high enough. If your shots do not hit the apex, it would come back down to quickly thus losing distance. Male golfers are macho beings. Who would dare risk carrying and playing with a 12 degree driver and get laughed at by their flight mates who may think they are sissies and playing with a ladie's driver? But you are wrong. 

I tested a 10 degree regular and it was were fine and then I tried the 12 degree and it was fabulous. Easy to launch, in fact effortless and the shots went straight as an arrow. Easily reaching slightly over 200 at the distance marker. For the first 12 shots, only two drew slightly to the left and two faded to the right. 8 split the fairway. Great dispersion. I like it very much that its swing weight is a D2 and the length is 45.5 inches. Anything longer than 45.5 inches is considered unnecessary in my books and D2 swing weight is my favourite and just nice to feel.

I was not even in the best physical condition to say the least. This club feels solid. The moment I hit it I became colour blind and was no longer bothered by its colour. It is about getting used to and you may even like it. The sound it made was a solid "thwack" with the loudness considered medium at best. There is something about the ball flight which I observed that is different from other drivers that I have employed throughout. 

It went high but seemed like slowly but did not ballooned for me and then it kind of just dropped down at the end of the carry with a very satisfying result. I consulted Jef and he advised me to use a 12 degrees SLDR with an Asian Specs Japanese shaft with a Stiff Regular shaft. This was probably the regular shaft has too much whip for me and may result in some shots spraying and a stiff tip will put things in perspective. Thanks Jef.

My curiosity was now aroused. So what's up with the SLDR irons?

Simple, understated, modern classic shape and yet classy appearance. These are smaller than Super Game Improvement irons but bigger than Tour Preferred types. 

They come in thin toplines as some of us just won't like chunky tops. Soles are comfortable for both mid-handicappers and even scratch players. This is forgiveness, confidence and playability. 

The black line that looks like a telephone receiver conceals the speed pocket developed to promote higher launch and increased ball speed for more distance. It is also to manage and dampen vibration to create sound and feel. I can't make the faces any thinner so speed pocket is meant for the face to have more flex on impact. I actually like its look and feel. 

Lofting up is the same as most golfers finding that they actually hit better and straighter shots with a three wood than a driver. It is simply because a typical 3-wood is 15 degrees with a length of 43 inches as compared to a driver's 10.5 degrees and length of 45.5 inches. The shorter the club and greater the loft the easier to hit. 

They call it the mini driver because you can actually use it as a driver. Or as a second driver on tight fairways and they come in stronger loft of down to 14 degrees and a bigger head volume of up to 153cc. I hit them off a tee and they went pretty far. Food for thought.

There are at least ten or more PGA Tour players using 12 degrees SLDR drivers now and there could be more. So it means it is working. 

I told Andre Hoeden that I miss the Married Men's radio show that he once hosted with Rod Monteiro and Jill.

We also met Media Corps artist Pan Ling Ling who often attends golf launches with her hubby as both are avid golfers. Here is wishing her great health!

It was a good outing and glad that I came. TaylorMade has been generous with food, drinks and nice gifts in a goodie bag and offering a range of interesting golf clubs that created a buzz!

I definitely like the driver and quite curious with the irons but fairway wood is not really my cup of tea and though I generally prefer to hit with a hybrid on the fairways, due to time constraint I did not have the chance to test the hybrid.

My hands are itchy. A new driver to out drive the rest? New irons too? Sell some old clubs to fund new ones? Or simply to give myself a small reward for the hard work in life? A pat on my own back to say well done Geoff! I feel some excitement rushing through my blood. Decisions, decisions just like playing golf is about making decisions all the time. I think you should go check these out for yourselves before you get any new clubs. This is a game changer if you are a high spin player. I am happy that TaylorMade has the b*lls to tell you to loft up and you did not listen to me when I have been telling you the same. Good luck!

Golf as in life, play as it lies.