If you were to ask any experienced or professional golfer about their most favorite or say, the most popular drivers during their time, the Taylor Made R15 Driver is most likely to be on their list. The label ‘R’ for Taylor Made has been one of the most iconic names in the entire golf industry for more than a decade now. Ever since the inception of the ‘R’ series, it has always been considered to be synonymous with elite performance and top-notch quality.
Give the credible reputation of Taylor Made, the R15 driver continues the tradition of this amazing line with its incredible features and specifications. To make the most of this driver, you must know how to adjust it so that you can use it the way it is supposed to be used. When playing with the R15, one of the most important things to bear in mind is that it has sliding weights that should be placed on each side of the place where you hit the ball in the face. You must split the weights and align them properly on either side. This will increase the stability of the club head as well as the speed of the golf ball.
Our Taylormade R15 Driver Review
The R15 is Taylor Made’s latest iteration and has become one of its most popular sliding weight drivers. It is most notable for employing the highly optimized Taylor Made metalwood technology that has greatly proven its efficiency and worth over the years.
The Taylor Made R15 Driver utilizes a low and forward center of gravity that allows it to produce the lowest spin possible. This further leads to increased penetration, distance, and trajectory, which are possibly the three most important factors or features that should be present in any golf driver.
Given the advanced technology of the R15, it is an ideal driver option for professional and highly-skilled golfers as well as high-level amateurs who have single handicaps.
What We Like about the Taylormade R15 Driver
Choosing a driver, and not just any driver, but the right type of driver can be one of the hardest decisions when it comes to selecting your golf equipment. To help you make a better and a well-informed purchase decision, we have drafted a list of all the pros and cons of the Taylor Made R15 Driver.
Pros
The Taylor Made R15 Driver comes with its fair share of pros that make it a really impressive and top-rated piece of golf gear. One of its most prominent benefits is that it is very forgiving in terms of its playability and accuracy. This driver has two 12.5 gram movable weights at the heel as well as the toe that greatly prevent the ball from going in the fairway even with poor contact. It has an incredible feel and is rated as one of the ‘best feeling’ drivers that Taylor Made has ever manufactured.
If you are big on looks and appearances, this driver will make you really happy with its beautifully sculpted, pear-shaped body. Additionally, it comes with a larger footprint coupled with a stunning new satin white finish. It is also available in black, yet another beautiful color.
Considering the fact that Taylor Made holds quite a reputation for manufacturing drivers with exceptional distances, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the R15 lives up to that status. It is one of the best longer models available and offers plenty of distance.
- Great value for money
- Impressive looks and appearance
- Employs advanced technology
- Moveable weights allow players to tweak ball flights
- Allows plenty of distance
- Has a satisfying feel
Cons
On the flip side, though, The R15 also has a few cons that you must be aware of. One of the biggest downsides is that the R15 is not suitable for beginners, so if you are new to golf, you ought to wait till you have enough golf experience to play with this driver. It is primarily intended for professionals and skillful neophytes who stand at the single-handicap level.
Another issue with this driver is that it only works well with relatively straighter shots. This means that it is quite difficult to curve the golf ball with the R15 driver. Many golfers have complained that they hit far too many straight shots with this driver and that they weren’t able to curve the ball at all.
- It is not a great option for beginners and amateurs
- It doesn’t allow curving the ball and only hits straight shots
Top Features of the Taylormade R15 Driver
Now that you know the pros and cons of the R15, it is time for you to learn about some of its key features that have made it such a popular driver ever since it was introduced.
1. Front Track System
This feature of the Taylor Made R15 Driver gives it a low and forward center of gravity that allows golfers to make super straight shots. The front track system of this driver is fairly long and also adds a second, adjustable weight. It is closer to the front edge that pushes the center of gravity towards the face. This aspect allows the face of the driver to flex more, which furthers allows the player to get fewer drops in ball speed.
2. Fujikura Speeder 57g
This is the shaft of the R15 driver and has a manageable length of 45.5 inches. Fujikura is a very prominent name in the industry of golf shafts and is ranked among the top few names. The Fujikura Speeder 57g is incredibly lightweight, which helps promote a higher speed and trajectory, two elements that are vital for a good-quality driver.
3. Split Weights Technology
One of the most noteworthy features of the R15 is its split weights technology, whereby it makes use of two sliding split weights that pave the way for increased shot-shaping and enhanced trajectory settings. All you need to do is unscrew the weights with the help of a wrench and slide them towards the toe or the heel for increased fade or draw, respectively.
You can split the weights at both ends to achieve overall stability of the head, produce more spin, and increase the forgiveness of the driver. This feature allows you to achieve great personalization with this driver by fine-tuning the center of gravity according to your playing style and preferences.
4. Lamkin UTx Grip
The Taylor Made R15 Driver utilizes the Lamkin UTx Grip which has been hailed as ‘one of the best all-weather grips’ that you are likely to find in the market today. Even in the rainiest of days, this gripping feature allows players to tightly hold on to the R15 driver and sufficiently maintain their hold. Not only this, but the Lamkin UTx grip also allows for comfortable shock absorption levels and provides an adequate amount of responses to your shots on the golf course.
Alternatives to the Taylor Made R15 Driver
The Taylor Made R15 Driver is often compared with its former model, the Taylor Made SLDR Golf Driver. Although the R15 is a much more advanced and an upgraded model, there are still quite a few similarities between the two. They are both adjustable and come in two different sizes.
If you are on a tight budget, you can definitely go for the SLDR model. Although R15 is much easier to get going, if you are new to golf and don’t want to spend too much on your first golf set, the SLDR is a great option for you.
Our Final Thoughts
It is safe to conclude that the Taylor Made R15 Driver does sound extremely promising and has some excellent features and specifications. If you are a professional golfer and are looking to invest in a quality golf driver, we suggest you check out the R15 driver. If budget is not an issue, you will definitely find this driver to be worth the price tag.
