Review of the TaylorMade R11 Driver

By Blair Howard, About.com Guide

So, I received my brand new Taylor Made R11 just a few days ago; it actually arrived while I was at the PLAYERS tournament and, I'd guess, the club was present in more than 50% of the tour pro bags on the course. Anyway, the TaylorMade R11 is something of an innovation: the white club head crown and black clubface are only minor features compared to all of the new technology incorporated into the clubhead: it's almost infinitely adjustable - loft, face angle, trajectory, spin. To be honest, I thought it was all bit beyond me, but TaylorMade has made it easy for even a non-techie like me (there's a little book). Still, it will take time to get the club properly adjusted to my particular needs - trial and error (you can get yours adjusted at one of the TaylorMade Performance Labs). The club feels good in the hands, it's nicely balanced, and it's a real conversation piece too.

What Does it All Mean?

In the words of TaylorMade: "The more a driver is tuned to you, the farther you'll hit it. With R11's 3D Tuning, you can independently tune loft, face angle and flight path to your swing to maximize your distance." That makes sense. But does it work? It certainly does:

I took mine to the driving range and began hitting balls, just as it came out of the box - no changes. At this point, you should know I've lately spent some time with nationally-ranked instructor, Charlie King, and he made some adjustments. Also, I'm still nursing an injured shoulder, so the results of my early efforts may be a little scewed. I can't say I was hitting the ball father (mostly because of the shoulder), but I was hitting it better - straighter, for sure, and more consistently. Adjusting the club did seem to make subtle differences (I have not adjusted the loft yet, just face angle via the sole plate). As I said earlier, it's going to take a little trial and error before I can get it tuned in. Even so, right out of the box, it's the best driver I've ever laid hands on - I love the virtual black line one sees between crown and clubface: it makes it so much easier to correctly align the club. That alone is a terrific feature.

So, that, along with the slight adjustments I have made so far, I do feel there's a marked improvement in my own performance - can't wait to take it out onto the course. In short, I love it! A TaylorMade R11 golf club (driver, fairway club or rescue club) would make a great gift.

For more information about the R11, or to make a purchase online from TaylorMade, visit the TaylorMade Website.

Dustin Johnson said: "I've never been so dialed in on the tee box. The fitting was quick and simple: three steps and the R11 was totally customized to my swing. I can't wait to take this driver out on tour."

As is common in the industry, the writer was provided with complimentary sample for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.