Unless you have been dead for the last couple of days (or longer), you are aware that Y.E. Yank Yang has set the golf world on it's ear by pulling off a stunning upset of Eldrick the King. Everyone, it seems is TOTALLY amazed that a self taught dude from South Korea won a major tournament. No matter where you look,be it the blogosphere, the traditional print world, on the tube, or every damn golf website you can find - Y.E. (what the hell - is he embarrassed of his name ? I mean, is his real name something like Yevoniquis Elbert or something???) Yang is being hailed as the newfound conqueror - the FIRST ASIAN GOLFER TO WIN A MAJOR !
As usual, however, the whole freaking media empire has missed what is TRULY unique and groundbreaking about Mr. Yang's win (somewhere, Rodney Dangerfield is laughing his a$$ off). What you ask, oh wise one is the REAL story ? Is it that he:
Started playing golf in his twenties and is self taught ?
That he carries a 3 and 4 hybrid, and his iron set starts at a 5 iron ?
That he plays conventional cavity backs like the rest of us ?
That he honorably served his country BEFORE he pursued fame and fortune ?
Although those are all good guesses, and may or not be correct...here is the real deal.... the breaking news that ONLY Bushwood is reporting on.... Yang is the first "Taylor Made Visor Wearing Major Championship Winner".
Additionally, he joins Freddie, Vijay, and Ben Curtis as the Major winners bold enough to "rock the visor", as we say here at BCC.
Bushwood Congratulates Yevoniquis Elbert (Y.E.)Yang on his groundbreaking win at the PGA Championship Hazeltine !!!
As I was watching the US Women's Open last week, I was reminded of something that I have been very curious about for a while. I watched many of the players, and even looked back at some video of earlier events, and the evidence was staring me in the face like a hungry wolf....and I could no longer ignore it.
Equpiment manufacturers practically IGNORE LPGA players from a "staff player" perspective. Rather than try to argue my point however, I will let the facts speak for themself. I put together this chart which shows the major equipment companies (TM,Titleist,Ping,Callaway,etc) and a list of their LPGA STAFF players (players who are sponsored by the equipment companies). Don't confuse this list with one which shows which players USE which company's gear - this shows who actually has LPGA players as sponsored "Staff" players. Check it out (no, I don't expect to make any friends with this list by the way...)
Now,compare this list of 33 LPGA players with the PGA Staff players for just ONE of the companies above....interesting,huh. Rather than try to draw any conclusions from this (other than Ping really supports the LPGA), I think it is much more meaningful to use this in a positive manner. As more and more women are playing golf at the amateur level, these companies are seeing more opportunities to sell them product. In a time of difficulty for the LPGA, wouldn't it be great to see several of these companies step up and show some strong support for the LPGA ? Perhaps one of them could sponsor an event that's looking for a one ? Or how about committing to sponsor at least 5 LPGA players ? Maybe a 2 year sponsorship deal for the top 5 qualifiers from the Duramed Tour ? There is a lot that these companies can do to help support the LPGA even more thasn they already do, and there could not be a better time for them to step up.
The long awaited BCC review of TaylorMade's bangin' new driver, the r9, is finally complete. Since this was such a revolutionary product, I took a LOT of time testing and evaluation this club - thus the delay in completing my evaluation. If you have read this blog for very long, you know that I am a long time believer in TaylorMade's big sticks (see BCC's review of the r7 Limited here). I've tried Ping's G10, a few Callaways, Titleist, and Nike - but for me (and seemingly a bunch of guys who get paid to play), TM totally has the driver game wired. So wired in fact, that they continually churn out new gear at an astonishing pace - but, I digress.
About the r9:For those of you who don't know much about the club, it combines the "Movable Weight Technology" of the r7 series with a new feature - one which allows you to move the clubhead on the shaft. This allows you to rotate the clubface into 5 different settings - from 2 degrees open to 2 degrees closed. For a pro, this functionality is nothing new, as they can get their clubs "bent" to fit - but for the rest of the mere mortals,this a completely new feature. The r9 comes in a variety of lofts and is equipped with a rockin' Fujikura Motore shaft. For more on the technological intricacies of the r9, just go here.
Intro: I've played TM Drivers since the 90's , and since late 2008, I had been playing the r7 Limited, and really,really liked the club. So much so, that I went into the "evaluation" of the r9 fully expecting this to be a fairly short process. I figured I would hit some balls on the range, play with the adjustments, complete a few loops with it in my bag, and come back and write the review. Well, that's where it started to get interesting...
First Date: Out of the box, my first thought was that the r9 is a very good looking club. The head cover has some nice,updated graphics, it is plenty durable, and overall very well finished. The head of the r9 is relatively similar to the r7 Limited, with a bit of a "triangle" shape. The black metaflake pain looks nice - nothing too flashy there. One kind a weird thing I did notice - the little alignment aid seems to be off-center, closer to the heel of the club...not a big deal, but something I thought odd. The new r9 logo is prominently displayed on the bottom of the club. Adjusting both the weights and the face angle are simple, and are accomplished with a special tool that TM provides with the club. As previously mentioned, a Fujikura Motore shaft, all dolled up in TM Red,Black, and White comes standard in the r9 - a kick azz upgrade for certain. IT comes in a variety of lofts, and mine is a 9.5 degree version. Another nit - with the popularity of the Golf Pride Multi decade compound grips, it seems that TM could give some thought to stocking those on the club ( I put a white one one mine to match my set - it looks shweeet), as it currently comes with a TM branded grip.
Making My Move: So my first trip to the range with the new bat, and I was excited. A few practice swings and I was impressed with how solid the club felt when hitting nothing but air...hard to describe, it just felt good. I had been fighting a bit of a hook off the tee, so I decided to take advantage immediately of TM technological wizardry - I whipped out the wrench and cranked the face 2 degrees open (max setting), but left the weights set on "neutral". 10 swings later, and I had yet to hit a drive left... a good sign. However, I was not happy with the ball flight ( a bit to high), so I adjusted it back to 1 degree open. It only took 3 shots, and BANG, I knew I was onto something. Based on this, I decided to take my new toy to the battlefield. The first hole at my home track has always been a challenge to me - the fairway is super tight, and I had long struggled with pulling this shot left. BANG again - right down the middle, high and straight as an arrow. 18 holes later, I had hit 10 fairways, and only missed two of them to the left (one a bad miss, the other only slightly in the rough). Initial Thoughts - This evaluation will take longer than originally planned. I was very,very impressed.
3 weeks later, I have played 7 rounds of golf and continue to be impressed. The adjustability has really helped me (I've not changed the setting of 1 degree open) fully release on my driver swing and not worry (too much) about going left. Meanwhile, I have consistently hit the best drives of my life. Distance, trajectory,ball flight - it's all there. However, one of the really amazing things I have noticed about this club - and something that I have NEVER been able to do consistently or predictably, is "work" the ball. Whether it is the club, my confidence, my swing, or some combination thereof - I can now hit a draw reliably when needed AND hit a fade. Now, for those of you scratch golfers out there (HOLLA, Shane B.), this may not sound like a big deal,because you have been able to do this forever. ..but for a mid handicapper like myself this is a pretty big deal.
Not content to write this review with just my assessment, I let a buddy use it this weekend (he normally plays a Ping G10). He immediately started bombing it - first 4 holes he used it, 4 split fairways, way long. By the 6th hole that he used it on, he was ready to buy one at the turn !
Here are my ratings by "category":
Sound: Consistently receive comments on how "solid" the club sounds, which I have never gotten before (including on other TM gear). Very pleasing overall. Grade:A+
Distance: I'm killing it and so are my buddies. I know they say the r9 460 is longer, but I'm hitting it onto the downhill lie sections (which is further than you'd like to be) on a lot of par 4s so far. It's a bomber. Grade:A+
Trajectory: With the multiple adjustments, you should be able to fix this to your liking. I certainly was, with only two adjustments. My only advice - go slowly o the adjustments, make one at a time, and make them in the smallest increments possible. Grade:A+
Grip: As mentioned, I wish they would offer the Golf Pride Multi Decade Compound grip - the white one or the red one would look great on this club. The stock TM grip is sufficient tho. Grade: B
Other: The movable weights and adjustable face angle are simple,well constructed, and easy to understand and use. No complaints there. Grade: A
Overall Performance: I won't belabor this - this is the BEST DRIVER I have ever played. I like everything about the club (ok,ok, except the grip...but that is so minor).
Will He or Won't He ?: This is a great club, and a huge advance in golf technology. If you are in the market for a new driver, do yourself a HUGE favor - give the r9 a long,serious look. I've never had so many people borrow a driver, hit it, and absolutely LOVE it as with the r9. If you are already a TM fan, just go buy it....it completely rocks. Grade: A+
Postscript - Check back soon, I'm hoping to do a review of the TM r9 Fairway wood as well !!!
The Newest Convert to an R9......and a nice reward for switching...
Lots has been written about TaylorMade's newest big stick, the R9. Look for a product review of this mighty staff coming soon from Bushwood. However, in the world of the dudes who play for millions each week, TM has just had another top player join the ranks and be baptized in the holy water of the River TaylorMade.
It seems that none other than Ryder Cupper and Fluff employer (not to mention the proud owner of perhaps the largest collection of earth-tone golf clothing in the world), Jim Furyk has jumped ship and switched to the R9. Furyk is rocking the new bat with a Mitsubishi Kai'li k 60 gram X Flex shaft and a 10.5 degree head. No word yet on his loft, face angle, or favorite shade of beige yet....but stay tuned...
(ed note: The talented young lady above did indeed present said roses to the beige clad one...at the 2003 U.S. Open...)
I will be the first to admit that I am a frequent buyer/seller of golf equipment. Sometimes new, sometimes used, sometimes from my local shops, sometimes online. I probably fall into that category that people call an "equipment junkie", but I prefer to think that this is just a part of me staying current on what's happening with my favorite hobby.
Anyway - there is a story here, so let's get started with it. Like many golfers, I carry a couple of hybrids in my bag. Unlike many golfers, it took me FOREVER to find some hybrids that I could actually hit. I tried (I am not kidding here) at least 10 different hybrids - Adams,Callaway, Ping, Titleist, Cobra, TaylorMade, Sonartec, etc.... Finally, I found a model that I could play - the TaylorMade 2007 Burner. Once I realized that I really liked these clubs, and considered how blazingly fast TM releases new models, I started to think that maybe I should purchase a "back up" set of these. When TM did indeed release the successor to the "original" Burner hybrid, I tried them out, and found that I liked the originals better. This sealed the deal for me, and my search for a backup set was on.
I decided that I would wait a little while for the new model to proliferate, thus reducing the prices of the "originals". I also decided to purchase the clubs on steel shafts, as I wished to upgrade to UST aftermarket shafts. Ultimately, I located a 3h and a 4h from two different, high volume, reputable sellers on eBay. I was able to buy both clubs for a total cost of $150 bucks - all in all a pretty sweet deal. Once I got the clubs, I inspected them and they looked great - brand new, perfect condition, still in the plastic. I was very satisfied with these products from two sellers, each of whom had over 3,000 positive feedback remarks on ebay. I then took them to my local GolfSmith store for the new shafts to be installed, and was very pleased with them when they came home.
Here is where the story gets interesting.... about 2 months afterward, I was switching my clubs from one bag to the other. For some reason, I laid the "original" 3H alongside the "backup" 3H and noticed something funny. The clubs looked noticeably different when compared side by side. Closer inspection revealed that "the backup", which I purchased from (sellers name redacted), was taller and had a different curve to the sole than the original. Puzzled, I compared the 4H set - SAME EXACT RESULT. I checked out the graphics, paint, serial number configurations - and it all checked out... but they were clearly different. A quick trip to my favorite local golf store for an inspection, and a call to TaylorMade with the serial numbers confirmed my suspicion - I was the proud owner of two counterfeit TM Burner hybrids. See the picture below for a comparison of a REAL TM product (left) with a counterfeit (right).
The amazing thing about this whole deal is that (1) I bought them from two different sellers, (2) I bought them from highly reputable, high volume sellers, and (3) both of the fakes looked EXACTLY the same. Somewhere, there is a factory cranking out a lot of very authentic looking, but fake golf clubs, folks... I have since destroyed the fake heads, and PayPal was super cool in handling the situation - full refund, no questions asked. I wish there was some great,revealing, enlightening moral to this story - but there is not. All I can offer is "caveat emptor", - because there are a lot of crooks out there...
Bushwood Country Club is rapidly becoming known as home of some of the coolest interviews in the golf blogosphere. I've got a lot of catching up to do before I am at the level of my personal "Yodas of Golf Blogging" (Armchair Golfer and Golf Girl) - but I am a grinder...
Anyway, we have a total SCORE here - In what looks to be a FIRST in the sports world, Bushwood CC has nailed an interview with the guy previously known only as "the eTrade baby". It took some real negotiating, and a serious chunk out of my rapidly dwindling cash balances (dealing with Parent/Agents is a beyotch!!!) ,- but the lil' guy finally signed on the line that is dotted (ABC - always be closing...) and stopped by for a chat. Things were really going great for a long while, until we got sort of, .....well, lets just say this will be a two part interview because we did not quite finish.
Here is how it went down amid the plushness that is BCC's 19th hole....
The Basics Cash: Welcome to Bushwood, uhhhhhh, eTrade baby...
eTrade Baby: Thanks, dude....how about a beverage, a guy could die of thirst around here.
Cash: Ok, sure - what'll you have ?
eTrade Baby: hmmm, it's early...maybe just a little brewski in my bottle here, ok...Mom will think it's just apple juice or something
Cash: No problem, here you go (incredulously - jeez, it's only 8:30 am)... so, before we get started, ummmmm, what should I call you, I mean what is your name ?
eTrade Baby: Everyone asks me that, y'know... it's a long story, just call me ""e" , ok bunny.
Cash: No problem, "e". Is your bottle ok, before we get started ?
e: "burrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrp" - "ahhh, why don't you go ahead and top me off there ok - yeah, that's good. I'm ready to go
Cash: Ok - first, tell us a little about yourself.
e: "Well, my people are trying to keep this very hush hush, but screw 'em, I'm letting it all hang out today. I'm 2 1/2 years old, a Saggitarius, and I'm working on getting my own pad down in South Beach (hot chicks there, y'know...). I'm a day trader by profession, but my passion, my craft, my reason for being, is golf. I've been playing for a little over a year now, and am a plus 1 handicap.
Golfing Skills
Cash: Wow - That's pretty amazing - tell us about your game.
e: Well, I am long off the tee for sure - I can lay it out there about 340 most of the time. Everybody thinks this Rory dude is long...let's just say his beatdown is coming. Bunker play is the toughest for me, because at 2' 10", it's damn hard to see over the top of the bunkers. Getting fitted properly is a pain too because I am still growing. I keep the fitters at TaylorMade pretty busy.
Cash: Understood - TaylorMade, huh ? We noticed the visor in your SuperBowl commercial - are they a sponsor ?
e: Oh yeah, they ponied up some serious jack in our first meeting, and just would NOT take no for an answer. We're talking Tiger money, baby - mid 7 figures right out of the chute. I'm set up with the latest and greatest that they have to offer, including Paula Creamer and Natalie Gulbis on my speed dial.
Cash: Paula and Natalie, hmmm- not too shabby. So you like the ladies, do ya ?
e: Absotively.....hot chicks and kewl sticks, that's how I roll...
The Ladies
Cash: Wow - well, speaking of the fairer sex, we all remember the "bad girl" who texted, and then called you while you were filming on of your famous spots. Who was the naughty one ? Anyone we know ?
e: Awwwwww man, don't press me on that ....Well, ok...it's on the major down low..., but I guess I can let you in on it. You know, I sort of have this thing for older chicks - I mean girls my age just can't handle me. Anyway, it was ....Madonna. How about a refill - this is making me thirsty...burrrrrrp.
Cash: WHAT ? Madonna ?
e: Yeah, she got tired of that A-ROID - I mean, he's like always sticking needles in his butt and stuff, and he still could not keep up with her. Let me tell you, she is hot, my man...Loves the game, too....I've been working with her on her ballstriking, and she is really coming along.
Plan for World Domination
Cash: What do you see in your future ?
e: Well, I've banked a ton of cabbage doing the day trader thing, and my game is almost tour ready - so I am about to BLOW UP. I plan to continue my market mastery for another year, play the Nationwide Tour when I turn 4, and then press Tim Finchem big time to let me on the big stage no later than my 5th birthday. I figure by the time I'm 25, I will have done all I can do on the links and broken all of the records. Then, I plan to climb all 7 Summits, win the NYC marathon, and start training for the Tour de France.
Cash: You certainly have your goals laid out clearly for someone who was born in 2006... Anything else on the horizon ?
e: Actually, yes, a couple of pretty big things. My hip hop record drops July 15th - HOLLA ! Snoop, Fiddy, and T.I. are all over it - (had to tell Kanye "no way"). I've also got a book which will be out in the fall. Beer me, will ya bunny ?
Cash: A book huh - well, our members are of the studious sort, tell us about your book.
e: It's kind of the story of my life - it's called " How to Throw Up and Still Hook Up". I am prolly the world's foremost authority on that...
Mommy Interruptus !!!!
The interview ended abruptly when "e's" Mom, startled by the belch-fest, enters the room and tells us it's time for his nap....It's all good, until she pickes up his bottle of "apple juice" and notices the frothy head on it. Mommy is, er, not thrilled - I may be in a little trouble here...
Postscript: Mommy settled down, and agreed to Part 2 of the interview. Check back soon for more revelations about the Life of "e"...
My trusted advisor and star of Fox Business News, Talented Blonde, is reporting that Golfsmith and TaylorMade (never one to shy away from a product promotion) have launched what could be the most costly promotion ever...
According to news reports, Golfsmith plans to REFUND the full purchase price of ALL R-9, R-7 Classic, and Burner drivers sold between today and April 11th. The press release states "Starting today and ending April 11, golfers who purchase one of three new TaylorMade drivers at any Golfsmith store or online at www.golfsmith.com will have the purchase price of their TaylorMade driver fully refunded by Golfsmith.
"We're excited to combine the No. 1 selling driver brand in golf, TaylorMade, with one of the very best golfers in the world, Sergio Garcia, into one event only at Golfsmith," said Martin Hanaka, president and CEO of Golfsmith. "TaylorMade's new R9 driver is the hottest driver in the marketplace, and this promotion will only add to that excitement as we kick off the season in Augusta."
"We are extremely excited about this promotion and for the opportunity to highlight our revolutionary driver technology at Golfsmith, said Bob Maggiore, TaylorMade's vice president of marketing. "Sergio has a lot of fans in the United States.
To learn more about Golfsmith's promotion with Sergio Garcia and TaylorMade-adidas Golf, stop by any Golfsmith store or visit www.golfsmith.com/gosergio.
What's Sergio's role in this promotion ? Ahhhhh, good question. You see, Sergio has to WIN THE MASTERS in order for the refunds to be issued... Sorry, gotta go buy my Powerball tickets now...., you see, I've got a FEELING....
In late 2008, Bridgestone introduced a new ball - the B330RX. According to the media hype, this marks the first attempt by a golf ball manufacturer to create a "Tour" caliber ball that is specifically made for amateur swing speeds (85 - 105 mph). Up to this point, the only way for the average duffer to get the distance, spin, and feel of a "Tour" ball was to play one which was manufactured for swing speeds of 105 mph+ (Pro V1, Pro V1x, TM Red & Black, Callaway Tour, etc)
Bridgestone says the DNA of the B330 Rx has the following genetic traits:
* Driver Distance - LONGEST (6 on a 6 point scale) * Drive Spin - LOW (1.5 on a 6 point scale) * Short Iron Spin - HIGH (5 on a 6 point scale) * Feel - SOFTEST (6 on a 6 point scale)
The 330 RX is a urethane, multilayer ball with a soft gradational core. The softer core is the reason for this ball is better suited to "amateur" swing speeeds - as it allows for the right amount (read "more") compression. This is also engineered to allow for a higher launch AND less spin off the driver. The soft urethane cover provides both the high short iron spin, and (obviously) the soft overall feel of the ball .
Having played the Pro V1x, TM Red and Black, and the Bridgestone B330 S in the recent past, I was quite interested in giving this ball a try. I like Bridgetone products, but always drifted back to the Pro V1x as my preferred ball. All of this sounded too good to be true for me, which is a sure fire way to get me to try it out. Here are the results after playing the ball for the last 3 months:
Off the Tee: I compared the B330 Rx to a Pro V1x, and a Taylor Made Red for 6 rounds of golf - my swing speed fluctuates between 90 and 100 mph, so I figured to be a good test subject. In terms of distance off the tee, the Bridgestone was equal to or slightly longer than the Pro V1x, and generally longer than the TaylorMade Red. The ball flight of the Bridgestone tended to be more penetrating than either the Titleist or TM. The lower driver spin is where the Bridgestone really distinguished itself, as I found the 330 RX to be significantly straighter and less likely go astray than either of the other two balls. Another measure, albeit relatively crude, but nonetheless accurate - the B330 Rx was much harder to lose than either the Titleist or the TM. I play on a tight, tree and woods lined course with plenty of opportunities to hit one 10 feet off the fairway and lose it in the leaves - and I found that the B330 RX was much less likely to offline than either of the other balls. Oddly, I did not initially think to "measure" this - I just noticed repeatedly that I would be on the 15th or 16th hole and still be playing with the same ball that I started with...and it would be in good shape. Overall score off the tee: A +
Mid Iron & Hybrid Play: The B330 RX performed comparably with both the Pro V1x and the TM Red on Mid Iron and Hybrid shots (3H thru 7I). Distance, trajectory, and feel were virtually the same, with the B330 RX feeling a wee bit softer than the Pro V1x. Overall Score on Mid Irons: A
Short Irons ,Wedges, and Spin: The B330 RX performed admirably on Short Irons and Wedbe Shots (8I thru LW). Trajectory seemed a bit flatter than the TaylorMade, and comparable to the Titleist. I was able to spin the B330 RX with all of my scoring irons, and I found the performance to be predictable. On "full" shots with my gap wedge through lob wedge (50 degrees to 58 degrees), the Pro V1x did a spin a wee bit more than the B330 RX - so if you value spin over all other things, the Pro V1x has a slight advantage here - otherwise, the Bridgestone is a great performer. Overall Score on Short Irons : A
Feel off the Putter : The B330 RX was comparable to both the Pro V1x and TM Red on the green, providing a great feel off the putter head. It has a nice alignment "line" , and felt nice on both long and short putts. I did not notice the cover to be susceptible to unusual wear - which is nice for a "Softer" ball. Overall Score on Green Performance : A+
Overall Analysis: I can't be anymore direct than this - I switched to the Bridgestone B330 RX as my preferred ball. I found that I gave up no performance, and gained greater accuracy (and perhaps some distance) off the tee due to lower driver spin. If you are a someone who is willing to pay for a "Tour" caliber ball ($38-$45 per dozen), and have a "normal" swing speed (85-105), I highly recommend these balls. Give 'em a try - I do not think you will be disappointed. Overall Score: A+
For more info on selecting the right ball, check out Bridgestone's online tool here.
Intro: In late 2008, TaylorMade introduced (yet another) addtion to the R7 family - the R7 Limited. Being a long time TaylorMade fan/user, I was curious, but also a little puzzled. Curious, because I have played a several of the R7s (the original, the 425, and lastly the SuperQuad), and puzzled because the description of the club (and it's supposed benefits) just did not make a lot of sense to me. Couple that with the fact that I had switched to the 2008 Tour Burner (not to be confused with the 2008 Burner, or the 2009 Tour Burner, etc....UGH !!!), which I was quite happy with - and you have total mental chaos. All these emotions led me to basically ignore the R7 Limited for several months.
The Courtship: During that time, I also started to get a litte pi$$ed at TM - I mean, they only released 4 different NEW drivers in 2008, right ? Anyway, Christmas came around, the spirit of the season softened my inner grinch - and there I was, standing in my local golf emporium holding (and admiring) a TaylorMade R7 Limited. Even though it lacked the solid black "stealth" look of the SuperQuad, it started to appeal to me. The longer, I looked at it, the more I liked it - and in a few short moments, I was the proud owner of a new R7 Limited.
About the Club: The TM R7 Limited has a fairly pronounced "triangle" shaped head, which is a bit of a departure for TM. It comes in a variety of lofts (8.5,9.5,10.5, and 11.5), and is billed as their "best movable weight driver". The head is a nice subdued black, with a silver face and sole - and some pretty cool R7 graphics on the bottom. TM says that the movable weights allow for up to 35 yards of ball movement, based on your settings. Perhaps the best feature (aside from the movable weights) is a bangin' shaft from Matrix. The Ozik XCon is sweet for a stock offering - no upgrade needed. Oh, and Sergio Garcia used this club to win two events in 4Q 2008, just after it was released.
In the Real World:- Looks: The Matrix Oxik XCon shaft is a cool red color, that almost glitters in the sunlight. The black head does not glare unreasonably, and the silver bottom masks wear marks nicely. The silver face also does not show tee marks, and any "sharpie" markes are easily cleaned off with a damp rag. Headcover is solid black, with cool red and white accents. Grade: A
- Sound: As you have come to expect from TM, the sound is a pleasant one - not the dull thud of a Titleist, or the high pitched noise of a Nike or Cobra. I found the noise to be only a little bit more "pingy" (no pun intended) than the G-10 or the TM Tour Burner. Grade: B+
- Distance: Very pleased with the distance - somewhat longer than my Tour Burner, which was my longest driver thus far. Grade: A+
- Trajectory: Loved the medium trajectory offered by the 9.5 degree head and the stiff Ozik XCon shaft. Previously, I had struggled to find a shaft that assisted in keeping the trajectory down, but this one seems to really be the ticket. Grade: A+
- Grip: The TaylorMade rubber grip is so-so. I suggest replacing with the same grip you have on your other clubs as soon as you find time to (that is my personal pref, anyway). Grade: C
- Other: Movable weights, as you may expect, really DO work - I was able to make tweaks to correct for those days when I seemed more likely to pull my shots to the left. After experimenting several times out, I settled upon the neutral setting as I got more acccustomed to the club coming through the hitting zone. However, if you fight a fade, the "draw" setting will definitely get you back in the fairway. Grade: A
After the Honeymoon:Overall, I rate the club highly. It is long, straight, controllable, and I love the trajectory offered by the shaft/head combo. I predict we may actually see an anniversary.... Grade: A
P.S.- In case you have not watched any golf lately, TM has announced the "R9" will be released on 3.20.09 (ahhhh, the ides of March...). Early word is that it has both movable weights AND adjustable face angles (open/closed). Sounds a little wacky to me - more on this club as info becomes available.
