TaylorMade r5 Dual TP Driver Golf Club

I purchased this club with a Diamana 83 regular flex shaft, 10.5 degrees. I played a stiff flex in my R580XD and wanted to try a slightly softer shaft as well as experiment with movable weight technology.

Despite the "Tour Preferred" label, this driver is very forgiving. Much more so than my R580XD. I've doubled my average number of fairways hit. It is the most forgiving driver I've played. High handicappers need not shy away from this club.

It is longer than my R580XD by 10-15 yards. I hit this driver very, very high. One of my partners remarked "pop up" when I first hit in front of him but "pop ups" don't fly 280 yards. Both he and I were amazed by height of my tee shots with this driver.

I realize that high tee shots are not always desirable but I can't complain because I hitting it farther than my old driver. Well-struck shots resulted in my longest drives ever on my home course. One par 5 has a creek crossing the fairway about 290 yards out, I've played that hole countless times and never hit it into that creek until my first round with this driver. I'll have to play from the blues on that hole from now on.

I also purchased additional 12 and 14 gram weights. Right now I play with a 14 in the heel and a six in the toe. This makes for a high swingweight but it's working for me. This might be part of the reason for the high ball flight. I'm hitting a barely noticable draw. It looks dead straight but tails slightly left at the very end. The "hot spot" is high on clubface.

I've played with three different weight configurations and, to be honest, haven't noticed that much of a difference. The weights are more valuable for changing swingweight and can only "fine tune" ball flight. If you fight a big slice or hook, don't expect alot of help from the weights. If you slice, an R5 type D might be a better choice.

I love the way this driver looks and the magnetic headcover is very cool. The shaft and grip are both of very high quality and give the club a good feel. The flex of the shaft is comparable to OEM shafts, not overly stiff for a given flex.

The bottom line is that this club has improved my game. My only concern is that I might have to reshaft it in the future to lower the ball flight. It just seems too high but, then again, I can't argue with the results. Maybe I'll buy a 9.5 degree, if I find a deal on one. Great driver.