One of your best vids so far Rick! Just proves that the 'blanket' statement by TM and some other OEM's that more launch means more distance is complete nonsense for some people, and proves the point that it's vital, as you say, to go try a few options out and go with what works best for the individual, not on 'blanket' marketing statements from OEM's. Excellent job Rick!!
Great review Rick. I like the new format of reviews. Detailed and well compared, everything we need to know. BTW thanks for fast forwarding the bit where you changed the loft :-P
Great video as always rick! I think people dont realise how much the AOA plays a role with this driver. Tour players are lofting up but on average they have a negative aoa mening they need the loft to get the club launching, however those with a pos angle of attack wont need the added loft to get the right launch conditions for such a low spinning club.
Got fit today with my brother and he couldn't get his spin down below 4000rpm until he switched to 430cc head. After fitting with right shaft, spread on misses was tighter. About 10yard gain. Must get fit!!
Interesting with regards to carry but how many yards would you have lost in terms of run-out by using the higher lofted version? Another top shelf production Rick!
I think people will be confused by this video. You cannot always take taylormades one liners and think it applies to everything. What Taylormade is saying is that if you are going from a club with the cog rearward like a ping g25 when you will need to loft up when going to a forward cog club. I went from a 913 8.5 titleist d2 to a 10.0 R1. I had to loft up because my backspin was to low. Going from the r1 to the sldr I probably won't need to increase loft at all but I have noticed slightly less spin with the sldr so I may go to 10.5 driver.
8 degree drivers are only advised if you swing around the 110 mph range.. probably not your average golfer, even rick here is probably around the 100 - 105 range at a guess although it seems like a small change in speed it makes a huge difference and it takes a lot of dedication and hard work to achieve it I would imagine.
Hi Rick, something that you may not have considered is how GC2 HMT works, Based on the images recorded it uses computer modelling to predict the ball flight and trajectory. In the past I have witnessed distances and ball flights not born out by readings when using similar devices. Suggest the only device that can truly validate what happens in this instance is trackman as it is the only device I'm aware of that actually tracks the complete ball flight in real time. No doubt that is why Taylormade, Ping, Titleist, Mizuno etc. use it for fitting their professionals and customers at their performance centres.
Thanks for your comment Chris, much appreciated. The GC2 is undoubtedly the most accurate launch monitor on the market. So you are probably right that the data it measures would not have compared against "similar devices", as those devices will be outdated compared to the GC2. The GC2 (and HMT) technology directly measures all critical ball (and club) data as compared to radar devices which do not. The HMT system also measures and provides club data such as lie angle, impact location on the face etc., which no radar system does. As such it is a revolution for the golf industry, which is why IT is now used by Taylormade, Ping, Titleist, Mizuno, and a host of other manufacturers in their R&D labs, by their fitters, and in their performance centres. If you are in any doubt as to the accuracy of the Foresight technology I would suggest you contact them to arrange a head to head test against any other technology on the market. This is what I did and I was able to confirm for myself that Foresight is the most accurate and that, unlike radar systems, it's data is not affected by down-range weather or other conditions. The Foresight GC2 and HMT is, without doubt, the future for the golf industry.
RickShielsPGAGolf , Hi Rick, I read you rely with interest. No doubt Forsight are telling you this. However I suggest you look at Golf Monthly May edition page 127-129. In the pictures taken at the Taylormade performance lab at Wentworth. you can clearly see what Taylormade use for fitting individuals, namely Trackman. In another you tube video Mark Crossfield went down there doing a similar loft up videos insisting on checking numbers using GC2 / HMT. You only have to look at the fitters face to see how underwhelmed he was by this. What Taylormade actually did was a MATT/ Trackman fitting off camera had actually determined the best loft which wasmore than Marks current driver. regards, Chris
Great video was thinking about buying one of these SLDRs but think will just go try this test with my old faithful taylormade r9 supertri thanks very much rick just saved me £300 cheers mate great video
I'm quite curious regarding one thing. The SLDR is available in different standard lofts - 8, 9,5, 10,5 and 12 degrees. Do you, Rick, find it preferable to compare different standard lofts when choosing the one best suited, or is it just as good tweeking the loft to the one best suited for our swings??
I am sorry I total disagree with you Rick. I have say these I was hitting a 9.5 ° driver before I bought my sldr. And I did get in that loft. But I have to say I went from 9.5° to 11° loft because I had more control with the ball. And I was getting more distance with 11° then 9.5°͵8°. If someone going to get fit please do. Because this driver can do some amazing distance and forgiveness. I now that when I loft up I getting over 295 yrs carry with the 11°. Finishing with 325 total distance.
no fully correct, but great review. you get a bit more yards with 8.5 than with 11*, but the thing you ignore is the roll out, with 11* you got far better decent angle (136avg instead of 140ish with 8.5) since the avg distance was 276 against 271, i'm gessing that with better decent angle most likely you would end up with more total distance with the 11*
Nice experiment. But of course you're going to get more carry at 8 deg given your swing and ball speeds. What's telling is the difference between the 9.5 deg and 11 deg where we mortals dwell. ;) On another note, you said here that you average 260 carry rolling out to 280. Your more recent videos show that you've gained at around 20 yards. What do you attribute that to? Your swing? New equipment? A bit of both?
Hey Rick, how does altering the loft affect the face angle? Or have TM managed to get it square in all lofts. Cheers and look forward to the 460/430 test of the SLDR
Great stuff, been wanting to see this happen for ages, to see if TaylorMade's own recommendations of a high launch angle and very low spin rate well under 2500rpm which is nothing like we've all thought the best numbers are to actually give the longer distances. Interesting stuff on these numbers on GC2. The 11 deg driver was giving you the launch angle at 16+degs kind of launch that TaylorMade are actually recommending, yet it didn't fly as far. Wonder if the fact that they test on Trackman so track the actual flight in real time, against GC2 which is calculating the numbers based on data from the first few inches of the balls flight has anything to do with it, would have thought not, but? Also wonder what TaylorMade would say confronted with this data which is giving the opposite answers really to their own recommendations? Really interesting thanks.
Would your club head speed dictate what loft you may need to use. As I see you have a (what looks like a fast club head speed) where I have a slow one at 87mph. Cheers Spen
Hey Rick so if I came to try out a few drivers would I be able to use the flightscope so I could see which one suits me and see which one gives the best distance/accuracy and recommended shaft or would I need to book a lesson for that information?.
Hey Rick, I need help. I currently use a 10.5 degree driver and I dont know why but the ball always comes off with topspin. I had been hitting a 15 degree driver before and it was fine. So all my distance comes from rolling. Any tips?
Tip from one of the top junior golfers. You might be teeing it up really high, and coming up onto the ball through the swing, giving it topspin. Tee the ball lower. Position yourself where the ball is a little closer to center than normal.
Think about driving through the ball and not lifting up on the ball. I use a 9.5 degree driver. Couldn't imagine ever using a 15 degree. Goodness I would hit that nowhere. It would go so high. all that backspin would make it go 190 yards. Love my 9.5 ping g400. As a 15 year old I drive 285.
@@biowaste179 I've hit 280 with my 12 degree but I do see my ball sometimes going 1.5 2x as high as the trees. thinking about lofting my sim2 down to 10.5 and try to get some more carry.
Let's get a bit scientific. There are 2 reasons why these results and the discussion are not useful: 1) There is no correction for swing speed or initial ball speed, and 2) a sample of 3 hits at each setting is not sufficient. In order to show statistically significant results (say with 95% confidence interval), you have to hit more balls. At least 6 balls, for example, if you want to prove there is a real difference of 8 yards in carry distance between the 8 degree loft setting and the 9.5 degree setting. And to prove a difference of 3 yards, you have to hit 36 balls at each setting!! That's only 108 swings for this comparison test,...no problem, right ;-) Otherwise...I enjoyed the comparison!
One of your best vids so far Rick! Just proves that the 'blanket' statement by TM and some other OEM's that more launch means more distance is complete nonsense for some people, and proves the point that it's vital, as you say, to go try a few options out and go with what works best for the individual, not on 'blanket' marketing statements from OEM's. Excellent job Rick!!
yes.. I have the 14deg model for 3 yrs now n I am very happy🤩🤩
Great review Rick. I like the new format of reviews. Detailed and well compared, everything we need to know. BTW thanks for fast forwarding the bit where you changed the loft :-P
Thanks Phil didn't want to bore you with the changing of the lofts haha
Great video as always rick! I think people dont realise how much the AOA plays a role with this driver. Tour players are lofting up but on average they have a negative aoa mening they need the loft to get the club launching, however those with a pos angle of attack wont need the added loft to get the right launch conditions for such a low spinning club.
Wow, slim and nice trousers!
Got fit today with my brother and he couldn't get his spin down below 4000rpm until he switched to 430cc head. After fitting with right shaft, spread on misses was tighter. About 10yard gain. Must get fit!!
Very solid advice
Interesting with regards to carry but how many yards would you have lost in terms of run-out by using the higher lofted version? Another top shelf production Rick!
I think people will be confused by this video. You cannot always take taylormades one liners and think it applies to everything. What Taylormade is saying is that if you are going from a club with the cog rearward like a ping g25 when you will need to loft up when going to a forward cog club. I went from a 913 8.5 titleist d2 to a 10.0 R1. I had to loft up because my backspin was to low. Going from the r1 to the sldr I probably won't need to increase loft at all but I have noticed slightly less spin with the sldr so I may go to 10.5 driver.
Nice work Rick. Did not expect that.
Good vid
Honestly neither did I. Expected 11 to go further
8 degree drivers are only advised if you swing around the 110 mph range.. probably not your average golfer, even rick here is probably around the 100 - 105 range at a guess although it seems like a small change in speed it makes a huge difference and it takes a lot of dedication and hard work to achieve it I would imagine.
Hi Rick, something that you may not have considered is how GC2 HMT works,
Based on the images recorded it uses computer modelling to predict the ball flight and trajectory. In the past I have witnessed distances and ball flights not born out
by readings when using similar devices. Suggest the only device that can truly validate what happens in this instance is trackman as it is the only device I'm aware of that actually tracks the complete ball flight in real time. No doubt that is why
Taylormade, Ping, Titleist, Mizuno etc. use it for fitting their professionals and customers at their performance centres.
Thanks for your comment Chris, much appreciated. The GC2 is undoubtedly the most accurate launch monitor on the market. So you are probably right that the data it measures would not have compared against "similar devices", as those devices will be outdated compared to the GC2. The GC2 (and HMT) technology directly measures all critical ball (and club) data as compared to radar devices which do not. The HMT system also measures and provides club data such as lie angle, impact location on the face etc., which no radar system does. As such it is a revolution for the golf industry, which is why IT is now used by Taylormade, Ping, Titleist, Mizuno, and a host of other manufacturers in their R&D labs, by their fitters, and in their performance centres. If you are in any doubt as to the accuracy of the Foresight technology I would suggest you contact them to arrange a head to head test against any other technology on the market. This is what I did and I was able to confirm for myself that Foresight is the most accurate and that, unlike radar systems, it's data is not affected by down-range weather or other conditions. The Foresight GC2 and HMT is, without doubt, the future for the golf industry.
RickShielsPGAGolf , Hi Rick, I read you rely with interest. No doubt Forsight are telling you this. However I suggest you look at Golf Monthly
May edition page 127-129. In the pictures taken at the Taylormade
performance lab at Wentworth. you can clearly see what Taylormade use for
fitting individuals, namely Trackman. In another you tube video Mark Crossfield went down there doing a similar loft up videos insisting on checking numbers using GC2 / HMT. You only have to look at the fitters face to see how underwhelmed he was by this. What Taylormade actually did was a MATT/ Trackman fitting off camera had actually determined the best loft which wasmore than Marks current driver.
regards, Chris
Big fan of yours. Watching your content has really improved my game.
It's just really weird seeing you this young😅
Great video was thinking about buying one of these SLDRs but think will just go try this test with my old faithful taylormade r9 supertri thanks very much rick just saved me £300 cheers mate great video
Ok don't tell TaylorMade
Holy baby rick shiels!!
Would like to see you do a distance contest between SLDR and Jetspeed, my bet is Jetspeed will be longer with better dispersion.
I'm quite curious regarding one thing. The SLDR is available in different standard lofts - 8, 9,5, 10,5 and 12 degrees. Do you, Rick, find it preferable to compare different standard lofts when choosing the one best suited, or is it just as good tweeking the loft to the one best suited for our swings??
With the modern drivers its easier to just change the loft on the club. Thanks for the comment
Thanks for answering!!!
I am sorry I total disagree with you Rick. I have say these I was hitting a 9.5 ° driver before I bought my sldr. And I did get in that loft. But I have to say I went from 9.5° to 11° loft because I had more control with the ball. And I was getting more distance with 11° then 9.5°͵8°. If someone going to get fit please do. Because this driver can do some amazing distance and forgiveness. I now that when I loft up I getting over 295 yrs carry with the 11°. Finishing with 325 total distance.
@Bryan Begley Unless he is a Long Driver competitor, it's imaginary as few tour pros even hit it 295 in the air...LOL
Interesting review! Can you please review the X2Hot Driver as well as the Nike 2.0 tour drivers? Im excited for your long drive contests as well!
Yes coming very soon
no fully correct, but great review.
you get a bit more yards with 8.5 than with 11*, but the thing you ignore is the roll out, with 11* you got far better decent angle (136avg instead of 140ish with 8.5)
since the avg distance was 276 against 271, i'm gessing that with better decent angle most likely you would end up with more total distance with the 11*
Don't think guessing would make a good video
Would getting an even lighter shaft fitted help swing faster and carry longer ? Or perhaps senior flex
Wow. He looks young here!
The video was made in 2014. 😅.
Nice experiment. But of course you're going to get more carry at 8 deg given your swing and ball speeds. What's telling is the difference between the 9.5 deg and 11 deg where we mortals dwell. ;)
On another note, you said here that you average 260 carry rolling out to 280. Your more recent videos show that you've gained at around 20 yards. What do you attribute that to? Your swing? New equipment? A bit of both?
Shouldof done this test with an x flex shaft
Does forward CG mean the weight or feel of the club is more forward...more like an iron for instance?
i would like to see a video on the sliding bar itself. so does this sliding bar actually work. i hope you will test this in a future video
Ive done one before. Check out my previous SLDR reviews
Hey Rick, how does altering the loft affect the face angle? Or have TM managed to get it square in all lofts. Cheers and look forward to the 460/430 test of the SLDR
They work on keeping the face square
Lofting down will open the face. Lofting up will close the face
Great stuff, been wanting to see this happen for ages, to see if TaylorMade's own recommendations of a high launch angle and very low spin rate well under 2500rpm which is nothing like we've all thought the best numbers are to actually give the longer distances.
Interesting stuff on these numbers on GC2. The 11 deg driver was giving you the launch angle at 16+degs kind of launch that TaylorMade are actually recommending, yet it didn't fly as far.
Wonder if the fact that they test on Trackman so track the actual flight in real time, against GC2 which is calculating the numbers based on data from the first few inches of the balls flight has anything to do with it, would have thought not, but?
Also wonder what TaylorMade would say confronted with this data which is giving the opposite answers really to their own recommendations? Really interesting thanks.
Thanks again for the comment
Would your club head speed dictate what loft you may need to use. As I see you have a (what looks like a fast club head speed) where I have a slow one at 87mph.
Cheers Spen
Depends more on attack angles
When you crank it up does it make the club face more open aswell?
When you raise the loft it closes the face, when you lower the loft it opens the face.
Hey Rick so if I came to try out a few drivers would I be able to use the flightscope so I could see which one suits me and see which one gives the best distance/accuracy and recommended shaft or would I need to book a lesson for that information?.
American golf offer testing on flightscope or you can book a lesson for my opinion and GC2 testing
"Loft up" huh? Great sales pitch and that's about it!
Hey Rick, I need help. I currently use a 10.5 degree driver and I dont know why but the ball always comes off with topspin. I had been hitting a 15 degree driver before and it was fine. So all my distance comes from rolling. Any tips?
Tip from one of the top junior golfers. You might be teeing it up really high, and coming up onto the ball through the swing, giving it topspin. Tee the ball lower. Position yourself where the ball is a little closer to center than normal.
Think about driving through the ball and not lifting up on the ball. I use a 9.5 degree driver. Couldn't imagine ever using a 15 degree. Goodness I would hit that nowhere. It would go so high. all that backspin would make it go 190 yards. Love my 9.5 ping g400. As a 15 year old I drive 285.
@@biowaste179 I've hit 280 with my 12 degree but I do see my ball sometimes going 1.5 2x as high as the trees. thinking about lofting my sim2 down to 10.5 and try to get some more carry.
The voice is familiar but not the face.
I've just mentioned your TH-cam channel on GolfWRX forum,if you wanna pop the cheque in the post Rick that would be great ;)
Let's get a bit scientific. There are 2 reasons why these results and the discussion are not useful: 1) There is no correction for swing speed or initial ball speed, and 2) a sample of 3 hits at each setting is not sufficient.
In order to show statistically significant results (say with 95% confidence interval), you have to hit more balls. At least 6 balls, for example, if you want to prove there is a real difference of 8 yards in carry distance between the 8 degree loft setting and the 9.5 degree setting. And to prove a difference of 3 yards, you have to hit 36 balls at each setting!! That's only 108 swings for this comparison test,...no problem, right ;-)
Otherwise...I enjoyed the comparison!
way to inconsistent to tell at 11 degree's hit more balls around the same launch angle was all over the place
Taylormade say you need a launch angle of 17° & rpm spin of 1700 to get max distance
I can't see that happening. Maybe just not for me
1700 rpm is pretty low,don't think many will be able to get those figures,looking forward to your review of 2.0 tour driver
but what about that center of gravity... plus what is the shaft flex, length and weight you using?
give up the total specs not just sell me on loft.
I have a nike covert 2.0 and my spin rate was hovering around 1800 I am a low spin king haha
I've just mentioned your TH-cam channel on GolfWRX forum,if you wanna pop the cheque in the post Rick that would be great ;)