According to the folks at TaylorMade Golf, the equipment maker’s new SLDR driver has all the goods. Increased distance. Advanced adjustability. And great looks.
Let’s start with distance, which company technicians say comes from positioning the center of gravity (CG) lower and more forward to promote a hotter launch, faster ball speed and low spin.
“Without a doubt, this is the longest driver we have ever created,” says TaylorMade’s chief technical officer Benoit Vincent. “Our expertise at positioning the CG low and forward sets us apart from our competitors and is vital in making SLDR the distance machine that it is.”
In addition, the club also features what engineers describe as a complete reinvention of TaylorMade’s movable weight technology, allowing golfers to more easily promote draws and fades. That innovation comes in the form of a blue, 20-gram weight that “slides” on a track located on the front of the sole.
The weight shifts the club head’s CG horizontally toward either the heel, to promote a draw, or the toe, to encourage a fade. The weight slides on a 21-point track system and never comes loose from the club head. All a golfer needs to do to position the weight is simply to loosen a screw, slide the weight to the point selected and then tighten the screw.
The SLDR also incorporates TaylorMade’s Loft-sleeve technology, which makes it possible for players to adjust loft as well, choosing from 12 positions within a range of plus- or minus-1.5 degrees.
The SLDR head has a classic shape and features a charcoal-gray crown that is designed to contrast with a silver face to aid alignment.
Offered in four lofts - 8, 9.5, 10.5 and 12 degrees – the SLDR comes with a Fujikura Speeder 57 graphite shaft stock and a TaylorMade high-traction grip. A Tour-preferred version, dubbed SLDR TP, combines the same club head with a Fujikura Speeder Tour Spec 6.3 graphite shaft. A variety of custom shaft options are also available.
