I bought the Taylormade SLDR driver from a golf site I really like: Tour Spec Golf, which sells to others clubs made for the Japanese market. I started buying clubs from this site because many times the US manufacturers will have their Japanese partners build forged version of their cast clubs.
The Japanese really love forged clubs. It has been long assumed it is due to their Samurai history and years, and years the Japanese have had in perfecting the forging process. I like forged clubs just because the feel softer at impact, there is more feedback and they sound way better than cast clubs.
As far as the SLDR goes, the Japanese version has a black face and black bottom, rather than the silver bottom and face of the US version. That was the only reason I ordered from Tour Spec this time.
The SLDF was not an easy adjustment for me, if felt funny, the feeling of impact occurs more to the front of the driver, rather than further back in the R1 I used to play. I also had a hard time lofting up. I purchased the 10 degree (I played the 9 degree R1) and left the SLDR at 10 degrees. I didn’t hit it as far and it felt funny, not a great combination.
Fortunately the Taylormade crew did a demo day at our club, and I was able to get fitted. Eventually they set me 2 clicks open and took the loft to 11.5 degrees.
It is a freaking bomb now. I love how it feels, I love how I can control the ball and I love, love, love the distance. Great club.
I went for the 430 cc clubhead size, and I do like the smaller head, it just looks like I can’t swing it faster, and for me if I think I can, I usually am better off.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! -DrA
