Taylor Made's R7 Draw Driver

[Simon]

I haven't carried a driver in my bag in over a decade because I was tired of cutting everything off the tee. I've now heard enough Linda Ronstadt and Wal-Mart jokes from my buddies and am ready to put a driver back in the bag. I've heard the R7 Draw does a nice job of minimizing slice (or at least turning it into a fade) and was wondering if anybody here uses one.

If so, whaddya think of it?

[agilen]

Do you have a natural fade with your irons? You might just have the wrong flex for your driver....a natural fade + too stiff of a driver would lead to some nasty results. I have the opposite problem, a natural draw, but the only driver I own is too flexible, resulting in an awful duckhook. I've tried a few with a stiffer flex and they work well, but I don't play golf enough to justify the big $$ for a new driver.

 

You don't really want to have to change your swing for only one club, so you should probably go to a range, spend some time hitting with your best clubs, then demo several drivers with different flexes. Buying any club without trying it probably isn't too good an idea.

[The Big Cat]

I haven't carried a driver in my bag in over a decade because I was tired of cutting everything off the tee. I've now heard enough Linda Ronstadt and Wal-Mart jokes from my buddies and am ready to put a driver back in the bag. I've heard the R7 Draw does a nice job of minimizing slice (or at least turning it into a fade) and was wondering if anybody here uses one.

If so, whaddya think of it?

 

 

I use one and can really feel the difference adjusting the weights can make.

 

The driving range around the corner from where I live JUST opened for the season (began resurfacing in early May! ) so I hit for the first time on Friday (about three months later than I usually get out) and as you might imagine, I was pretty rusty. I've got an entire TaylorMade set from the first year the R7 came out and can usually keep them pretty straight. I was pushing everything left (I'm left-handed)- and decided (against my prior intention) to tee up the old driver for a couple balls. The club felt GREAT in my hands and I was amazed at how straight my hits were, especially since I was feeling tired and stiff as hell.

 

I hit some pitch shots to finish it off (putt/chip for dough, I always say)- and in the spirit of tradition I teed up my driver for my final swing so I could light it up as hard as I could. I thought for sure I'd slice the crap out of it, but sure enough the ball played beautifully from left to right and carried about 270 yards. Probably would have gotten another 40 yards on the roll, given the right conditions.

 

I think the reason I hit it so well is because I have the weights set just where I like them and feel is of utmost importance to me.

 

Let me know what you decide/

[Bullpen]

I too have played with a slice on and off for the better part of ten years. I've managed to find away to control it a little bit better (read: more of a fade now), but at the expense of distance, I've wanted to try one out since I saw them a year or so ago. Although a lot of golfers play with a slice (fade) I've yet to see one at a pro shop that I could try out. I would like to try one. Please post if you get to demo one and let us know how it works (or doesn't as the case may be).

 

As a side note, I've found when I roll my right hand over a bit so I can see the about half of the back of my hand I tend to hit it straighter, but as I said before I lose some valuable distance. (it's probably a vanity thing, but I used to love being 20 to 35 yards longer than the other three in my regular foursome.)

 

Looking forward to hearing your results though.

[Sen. John Blutarsky]

I used to love being 20 to 35 yards longer than the other three in my regular foursome.)

Of course, what's 30 yards of distance when you need a machete and a sherpa to find your ball i used to have the same problem when iw as a teenager. I took a couple (5) lessons, fixed my swing path and address (I had unknowingly been standing with my shoulders open and hips closed, instant cut/slice everytime) and now everything moves right to left. I get the odd hook when I get too handsy and I still push the odd ball to the right when I overswing, it just doesn't resemble a banana in flight anymore.

 

When I do start to have the problem again I know what to look for and I can usually iron it out in a round or two. Rather than coughng up a couple hundred for a driver go find a good pro and have a lesson or two to see if they can help you. I found those 5 lessons to be much more helpful than any piece of equipment I ever bought. He fixed my problem but also showed me what to look for if it happened again so i could fix it myself.

[BUFFALOTONE]

Simon, whats your handicap? People buy drivers because they see someone else killing theres. Its all about your swing path and speed.

 

Whats almost as important as the type of driver is the shaft you put into it. For the higher handicap golfers the New King Cobra is very forgiving and goes a long way. Its made for a swing speed between 85-95 mph depending on the shaft.

 

I have been a huge advocate of Cleveland all my Irons and wedges are Cleveland as well as my driver. My advice is Demo a few and see what you think. It took me 4 drivers to figure out the new Ping G10 was for me. Absolutely love it. Its a lil pricy but think of it as an invesment, you will have it for at least 3-4 years and whats 300 bux over that long a time. If you buy cheap sh-t you get what you pay for. Especially with golf clubs.

 

If your a regular golfer the way to go is demo, like anything else it has to feel good and look right when you set up to the ball.

 

I have a regular guy that plays the TaylorMade DRAW and he is in the market for a new driver already, that doesnt mean you wont like it. But theres a reason why all of them are on sale.

[erynthered]

I found those 5 lessons to be much more helpful than any piece of equipment I ever bought. He fixed my problem but also showed me what to look for if it happened again so i could fix it myself.

 

 

Whats that old adage; Dont put the cart before the horse? Great advice FiP!!

[Bullpen]

I took some lessons a few years ago and it also helped me a lot. Dropped my handicap about 7 strokes. You can go to the range everyday until your hands bleed, but if you don't know how to fix something, you end up experimenting to point of not even knowing what does work and what doesn't.

 

I've found if I'm at the range when it isn't very busy sometimes, if the pro is out walking around, he'll come over and give me a couple free tips to help my game also.

 

I agree with FiP invest in some lessons and see if that doesn't work. Often times a new club is a "band-aid" fix. But if you do try to the R7 Draw, let me know just the same!

[slothrop]

I have a crazy slice if I get too lazy with my driver (i.e. drink too much).

 

A club that really helped me was the Ping G5 offset. GREAT CLUB!

 

Also, listen to whoever gave you the advice above about the club's shaft. I had way too much flex in mine when I started and could not figure out what was wrong. It turned out I took some lessons and the Pro told me my head speed was too much for the shaft I was using. I went to a shaft that is not as flexible (I did not want to write "stiff shaft") and I have much more control.

[shrader]

Something that a lot of people don't realize with the shaft with too much flex is that not only does the shaft bend, but it will twist a bit too, opening the club face. That's always a fun demonstration to watch.

 

The lesson thing should always be the first option. Try to scout out the pro a little if you can. Some are far better teachers than others. If you find the right person, you can spend far less money, but improve that much more. If I had the time and resources to golf more than I do now (maybe 5 times a year if I'm lucky), that would be the first thing I'd do.

[VABills]

Don't listen to them. It's always the clubs fault. When it doesn't work buy new ones. Lessons are overrated.

[LongLiveRalph]

Don't listen to them. It's always the clubs fault. When it doesn't work buy new ones. Lessons are overrated.

 

Plus, when you're playing shiitty, you can always say, "Hey, what do you expect, I've never even had a lesson."

[WellDressed]

I haven't carried a driver in my bag in over a decade because I was tired of cutting everything off the tee. I've now heard enough Linda Ronstadt and Wal-Mart jokes from my buddies and am ready to put a driver back in the bag. I've heard the R7 Draw does a nice job of minimizing slice (or at least turning it into a fade) and was wondering if anybody here uses one.

If so, whaddya think of it?

 

 

Go to a fitting shop. Let them measure your swing speed, ball speed, launch angle etc. They will tell you what type of shaft fits your swing best.

[ACor58]

I haven't carried a driver in my bag in over a decade because I was tired of cutting everything off the tee. I've now heard enough Linda Ronstadt and Wal-Mart jokes from my buddies and am ready to put a driver back in the bag. I've heard the R7 Draw does a nice job of minimizing slice (or at least turning it into a fade) and was wondering if anybody here uses one.

If so, whaddya think of it?

 

I would recommend getting fitted. The problem that you are going to run into is that most of the big companies are increasing the length of the stock shafts to 45.5 inches or 46 inches (On the new TM Burner). Whilde this might equal a few more yards, it makes the club much harder to control. Your best bet would be to find a higher lofted driver (Think 11 or 12 degrees) with a shaft that is cut down to 44 inches.

[Simon]

Thanks for all the sound advice re: getting fitted, going to demos, taking lessons, etc. They're all very sensible ideas but aren't practical for me here in the hills of Western Pennsyltucky. I'm looking at a 2 hour round trip to find a decent pro and a 3-4 hour round trip for any kind of demo day or a fitting. I just wanted to know if anybody had one and how they liked it (thanx for the feedback Big Cat).

My irons are very long with a slight draw and I hit a fairway wood straight as an arrow and can carry it over 230. But for some reason I've been slicing any driver I hit for the last 25+ years. I can straighten it out by playing the ball about 6-8" off my front foot, rolling my right thumb back to the right and making a concerted effort to throw the head of the club out on my follow through, but all that tweaking of my regular swing saps me of any power I gain from hitting driver; then I don't end up any longer off the tee than I do with my inherited $9.99 K-Mart driving iron.

If I can find a driver that will help turn my natural slice into a controlled fade I can pick up the extra 30 yards that will prevent me from having to hit two clubs higher than my buddies. Those sumbitchces are starting to beat me and we can't have that.

I found a preowned r5 Draw driver online for under $100 that should be here in about a week. It will be the final piece in the new set I've just assembled, which is the first and only time I've ever bought clubs in my life. For the last quarter century I've been using the same rusty, bent up old hand-me-downs I had back in high school. Now maybe we'll see how my smart-assed friends like me attacking pins with a new 8-iron instead of trying to hit the center of the green with a dinged-up crooked old 5-iron.

[The Big Cat]

Thanks for all the sound advice re: getting fitted, going to demos, taking lessons, etc. They're all very sensible ideas but aren't practical for me here in the hills of Western Pennsyltucky. I'm looking at a 2 hour round trip to find a decent pro and a 3-4 hour round trip for any kind of demo day or a fitting. I just wanted to know if anybody had one and how they liked it (thanx for the feedback Big Cat).

My irons are very long with a slight draw and I hit a fairway wood straight as an arrow and can carry it over 230. But for some reason I've been slicing any driver I hit for the last 25+ years. I can straighten it out by playing the ball about 6-8" off my front foot, rolling my right thumb back to the right and making a concerted effort to throw the head of the club out on my follow through, but all that tweaking of my regular swing saps me of any power I gain from hitting driver; then I don't end up any longer off the tee than I do with my inherited $9.99 K-Mart driving iron.

If I can find a driver that will help turn my natural slice into a controlled fade I can pick up the extra 30 yards that will prevent me from having to hit two clubs higher than my buddies. Those sumbitchces are starting to beat me and we can't have that.

I found a preowned r5 Draw driver online for under $100 that should be here in about a week. It will be the final piece in the new set I've just assembled, which is the first and only time I've ever bought clubs in my life. For the last quarter century I've been using the same rusty, bent up old hand-me-downs I had back in high school. Now maybe we'll see how my smart-assed friends like me attacking pins with a new 8-iron instead of trying to hit the center of the green with a dinged-up crooked old 5-iron.

 

Haha! Best of luck! Ever try shortening your back swing when you use your woods?

[ACor58]

Haha! Best of luck! Ever try shortening your back swing when you use your woods?

Tough for many to do since it also inhibits proper shoulder turn, the key to a good swing.