LIVE UPDATES: The $5000 TaylorMade SLDR Guarantee Event! Before/After Results Added!

[Imp]

Was away for work last week and essentially away from the internet. Had a nice weekend and back to work which meant reading up when I can on the details of the trip.

Sounds like a fantastic time by all those involved. Can't wait to see what happens 1/2 way through the year as players may post updates on how well (or not) it's all working for them.

--kC

[tembolo1284]

Imp good point there. I'm going to tweak the SDLR a hair and the Wishon and put in some more course time and then in 2 months after i've played some tournaments I'll put them side by side again on a trackman. So I'll definitely be keeping everyone up-to-date on the driver battle.

[callawayjay]

A couple of comments for the Dallas testers....

I wait tables part time at bobs steak house in grapevine. It's too bad you went to silver fox...I would have made sure you guys were thoroughly hooked up....but then I bet silver fox had room as we were busy;)

Hole 14 at cowboys has the mickiest mouse green in Dallas so those that were foiled there shouldn't feel bad.

I was professionally fit into a standard big Bertha 13.5 opened up to 14.5 and am curious if I would see the gains most saw...

[TMBob]

Tembolo1284,

So let's talk about lie angle......you TW driver was 55 degrees? Someone mentioned that the 430 head was less than the 460 head which is 61 but I am not sure of this.

Did you happen to ask about it's lie angle?

Do you feel that the lie angle of your SLDR is hurting your dispersion?

Did you ask what setting on the sleeve is the flattest lie angle?

Did you ask about a if there was a Tour Sleeve that could produce a flatter lie angle.

Thanks

[tembolo1284]

[quote name='TMBob' timestamp='1396969679' post='9046093']
Tembolo1284,

So let's talk about lie angle......you TW driver was 55 degrees? Someone mentioned that the 430 head was less than the 460 head which is 61 but I am not sure of this.

Did you happen to ask about it's lie angle?

Do you feel that the lie angle of your SLDR is hurting your dispersion?

Did you ask what setting on the sleeve is the flattest lie angle?

Did you ask about a if there was a Tour Sleeve that could produce a flatter lie angle.

Thanks
[/quote]

Hello sir! Yes I asked the fitter about the lie angle. My Wishon is 54 lie, 1 degree open, and playing at 44.25. So it's quite fade biased. The hotmelt Kadin put in is also toward the toe.

The fitter was very smart and could immediately tell that with this setup I was still hitting push draws. So he recommending a much higher lofted club (12 deg) and had it cranked nearly all the way open to about 10.75 deg. And to further counteract the more upright lie angle of the SLDR, he had me move the weight 3 clicks over toward the fade biased side.

I wouldn't say the upright lie is hurting my dispersion. I think more than anything it's just a drastically different looking clubhead i'm looking down at compared to before, and I have to get used to how to align it to not have the ball go left. When I go after it I do feel that it wants to really hook.
I have 2-3 more clicks toward fade available and one more setting to open the face further...so there's plenty of tweaking left in the head.

I asked about tour sleeves or if they could do anything, and the fitter said there really wasn't. The best he could do, and he felt it would be sufficient, was opening the face combined with the weight being moved over toward the toe. They gave me the heaviest weight too.

He said if it's a major issue I could also cut the shaft a bit shorter....because he knew my current gamer was 0.75" shorter than what they fit me into.

[scratchswinger]

[quote name='tembolo1284' timestamp='1396972071' post='9046595']
[quote name='TMBob' timestamp='1396969679' post='9046093']
Tembolo1284,

So let's talk about lie angle......you TW driver was 55 degrees? Someone mentioned that the 430 head was less than the 460 head which is 61 but I am not sure of this.

Did you happen to ask about it's lie angle?

Do you feel that the lie angle of your SLDR is hurting your dispersion?

Did you ask what setting on the sleeve is the flattest lie angle?

Did you ask about a if there was a Tour Sleeve that could produce a flatter lie angle.

Thanks
[/quote]

Hello sir! Yes I asked the fitter about the lie angle. My Wishon is 54 lie, 1 degree open, and playing at 44.25. So it's quite fade biased. The hotmelt Kadin put in is also toward the toe.

The fitter was very smart and could immediately tell that with this setup I was still hitting push draws. So he recommending a much higher lofted club (12 deg) and had it cranked nearly all the way open to about 10.75 deg. And to further counteract the more upright lie angle of the SLDR, he had me move the weight 3 clicks over toward the fade biased side.

I wouldn't say the upright lie is hurting my dispersion. I think more than anything it's just a drastically different looking clubhead i'm looking down at compared to before, and I have to get used to how to align it to not have the ball go left. When I go after it I do feel that it wants to really hook.
I have 2-3 more clicks toward fade available and one more setting to open the face further...so there's plenty of tweaking left in the head.

I asked about tour sleeves or if they could do anything, and the fitter said there really wasn't. The best he could do, and he felt it would be sufficient, was opening the face combined with the weight being moved over toward the toe. They gave me the heaviest weight too.

He said if it's a major issue I could also cut the shaft a bit shorter....because he knew my current gamer was 0.75" shorter than what they fit me into.
[/quote]

You might need to add some weight if you cut it shorter.... Do you have any lead tape for that?

[TMBob]

[quote name='tembolo1284' timestamp='1396972071' post='9046595']
[quote name='TMBob' timestamp='1396969679' post='9046093']
Tembolo1284,

So let's talk about lie angle......you TW driver was 55 degrees? Someone mentioned that the 430 head was less than the 460 head which is 61 but I am not sure of this.

Did you happen to ask about it's lie angle?

Do you feel that the lie angle of your SLDR is hurting your dispersion?

Did you ask what setting on the sleeve is the flattest lie angle?

Did you ask about a if there was a Tour Sleeve that could produce a flatter lie angle.

Thanks
[/quote]

Hello sir! Yes I asked the fitter about the lie angle. My Wishon is 54 lie, 1 degree open, and playing at 44.25. So it's quite fade biased. The hotmelt Kadin put in is also toward the toe.

The fitter was very smart and could immediately tell that with this setup I was still hitting push draws. So he recommending a much higher lofted club (12 deg) and had it cranked nearly all the way open to about 10.75 deg. And to further counteract the more upright lie angle of the SLDR, he had me move the weight 3 clicks over toward the fade biased side.

I wouldn't say the upright lie is hurting my dispersion. I think more than anything it's just a drastically different looking clubhead i'm looking down at compared to before, and I have to get used to how to align it to not have the ball go left. When I go after it I do feel that it wants to really hook.
I have 2-3 more clicks toward fade available and one more setting to open the face further...so there's plenty of tweaking left in the head.

I asked about tour sleeves or if they could do anything, and the fitter said there really wasn't. The best he could do, and he felt it would be sufficient, was opening the face combined with the weight being moved over toward the toe. They gave me the heaviest weight too.

He said if it's a major issue I could also cut the shaft a bit shorter....because he knew my current gamer was 0.75" shorter than what they fit me into.
[/quote]


Not sure if I understand your setting temblor,

So it is a 12 degree and now it's set to 10.75? What setting moves the loft down 1.25 degrees? A 1.5 degree sleeve give you 3 degrees of play from one extreme to the other is the way I understood it. 13.5 on the high side and 10.5 on the low side, so if your at 1.25 less loft right now don't you only have .25 more left to go?

[tembolo1284]

[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1396972525' post='9046695']
[quote name='tembolo1284' timestamp='1396972071' post='9046595']
[quote name='TMBob' timestamp='1396969679' post='9046093']
Tembolo1284,

So let's talk about lie angle......you TW driver was 55 degrees? Someone mentioned that the 430 head was less than the 460 head which is 61 but I am not sure of this.

Did you happen to ask about it's lie angle?

Do you feel that the lie angle of your SLDR is hurting your dispersion?

Did you ask what setting on the sleeve is the flattest lie angle?

Did you ask about a if there was a Tour Sleeve that could produce a flatter lie angle.

Thanks
[/quote]

Hello sir! Yes I asked the fitter about the lie angle. My Wishon is 54 lie, 1 degree open, and playing at 44.25. So it's quite fade biased. The hotmelt Kadin put in is also toward the toe.

The fitter was very smart and could immediately tell that with this setup I was still hitting push draws. So he recommending a much higher lofted club (12 deg) and had it cranked nearly all the way open to about 10.75 deg. And to further counteract the more upright lie angle of the SLDR, he had me move the weight 3 clicks over toward the fade biased side.

I wouldn't say the upright lie is hurting my dispersion. I think more than anything it's just a drastically different looking clubhead i'm looking down at compared to before, and I have to get used to how to align it to not have the ball go left. When I go after it I do feel that it wants to really hook.
I have 2-3 more clicks toward fade available and one more setting to open the face further...so there's plenty of tweaking left in the head.

I asked about tour sleeves or if they could do anything, and the fitter said there really wasn't. The best he could do, and he felt it would be sufficient, was opening the face combined with the weight being moved over toward the toe. They gave me the heaviest weight too.

He said if it's a major issue I could also cut the shaft a bit shorter....because he knew my current gamer was 0.75" shorter than what they fit me into.
[/quote]

You might need to add some weight if you cut it shorter.... Do you have any lead tape for that?
[/quote]

The fitter mentioned that! I told him i'd try my best to get some lead tape from the local golf shop to get the weight back to where I want it.

[tembolo1284]

[quote name='TMBob' timestamp='1396973035' post='9046775']
[quote name='tembolo1284' timestamp='1396972071' post='9046595']
[quote name='TMBob' timestamp='1396969679' post='9046093']
Tembolo1284,

So let's talk about lie angle......you TW driver was 55 degrees? Someone mentioned that the 430 head was less than the 460 head which is 61 but I am not sure of this.

Did you happen to ask about it's lie angle?

Do you feel that the lie angle of your SLDR is hurting your dispersion?

Did you ask what setting on the sleeve is the flattest lie angle?

Did you ask about a if there was a Tour Sleeve that could produce a flatter lie angle.

Thanks
[/quote]

Hello sir! Yes I asked the fitter about the lie angle. My Wishon is 54 lie, 1 degree open, and playing at 44.25. So it's quite fade biased. The hotmelt Kadin put in is also toward the toe.

The fitter was very smart and could immediately tell that with this setup I was still hitting push draws. So he recommending a much higher lofted club (12 deg) and had it cranked nearly all the way open to about 10.75 deg. And to further counteract the more upright lie angle of the SLDR, he had me move the weight 3 clicks over toward the fade biased side.

I wouldn't say the upright lie is hurting my dispersion. I think more than anything it's just a drastically different looking clubhead i'm looking down at compared to before, and I have to get used to how to align it to not have the ball go left. When I go after it I do feel that it wants to really hook.
I have 2-3 more clicks toward fade available and one more setting to open the face further...so there's plenty of tweaking left in the head.

I asked about tour sleeves or if they could do anything, and the fitter said there really wasn't. The best he could do, and he felt it would be sufficient, was opening the face combined with the weight being moved over toward the toe. They gave me the heaviest weight too.

He said if it's a major issue I could also cut the shaft a bit shorter....because he knew my current gamer was 0.75" shorter than what they fit me into.
[/quote]


Not sure if I understand your setting temblor,

So it is a 12 degree and now it's set to 10.75? What setting moves the loft down 1.25 degrees? A 1.5 degree sleeve give you 3 degrees of play from one extreme to the other is the way I understood it. 13.5 on the high side and 10.5 on the low side, so if your at 1.25 less loft right now don't you only have .25 more left to go?
[/quote]

I'm one setting just to the left of the most open (lowest) setting...which would get me at 10.5 if I opened it all the way that's right you got it!

[tocino]

[quote name='2659edward' timestamp='1396920012' post='9042679']
[quote name='geauxWRX' timestamp='1396918470' post='9042449'][quote name='2659edward' timestamp='1396918224' post='9042401'][quote name='geauxWRX' timestamp='1396914655' post='9041925']
It may be better but what I am trying to point out is that a person has to spend a ton of money to make it better. And off the rack vs off the rack I would bet the sldr would be worse than most.
[/quote]

But do you play an stock shaft?[/quote]
No I do not. Everything I play came from a tour van.[/quote]

You might be right stock shaft to stock shaft. But, even the 10 yr olds at the Drive, Chip and Putt had custom shaft....and SC...and TW14!!
[/quote]

I was watching the drive, chip and putt event with the wife over the weekend and i noticed one of the kids using a sc tour rat... I wonder if his dad is adopting =P

[^m9]

Thanks for all the updates and pics guys. Really impressive trip. TM really rolled out the red carpet for you.

Re: stock SLDR shaft v. stock other OEM: Recently I went for a TM fitting with a master certified fitter (outdoors, Flightscope X2, etc.).

Turns out the cheapo Speeder 57 in X gave me the best numbers. The new 757 was very close, but the fitter said it may not be worth it to drop the dough for that shaft as the difference was negligible. We did not try all the different shafts though, so there may have been others that may have given me slightly better numbers/dispersion. As it stands though, the driver fits me quite well..very high and straight, low spinning shots. Surprisingly, the SLDR is straighter than my G25. The only thing I could hit with the PING was high spinny fades. When I cut the ball with the TM, the curvature was noticeably less pronounced.

Anyway, keep the info coming - it's been a fun thread to follow.

[Ed Settle]

[quote name='^m9' timestamp='1396974167' post='9046951']
Thanks for all the updates and pics guys. Really impressive trip. TM really rolled out the red carpet for you.

Re: stock SLDR shaft v. stock other OEM: Recently I went for a TM fitting with a master certified fitter (outdoors, Flightscope X2, etc.).

Turns out the cheapo Speeder 57 in X gave me the best numbers. The new 757 was very close, but the fitter said it may not be worth it to drop the dough for that shaft as the difference was negligible. We did not try all the different shafts though, so there may have been others that may have given me slightly better numbers/dispersion. As it stands though, the driver fits me quite well..very high and straight, low spinning shots. Surprisingly, the SLDR is straighter than my G25. The only thing I could hit with the PING was high spinny fades. When I cut the ball with the TM, the curvature was noticeably less pronounced.

Anyway, keep the info coming - it's been a fun thread to follow.
[/quote]

You make a good point about working the ball with these lower spinning heads combined with lower spinning shafts, hit golf balls designed for less spin off the driver. Good topic for another thread.

[cphrey]

[size=5][color=#000000]Hey guys, cphrey here, and I was one of the lucky ones chosen to attend the SLDR Challenge. My name is Chris and I am from Denver. I'm the one of twenty that did not see any distance gains from the new TaylorMade offering, and I'm here to tell you about my experience.[/color]



[color=#000000]Thursday: [/color]



[color=#000000]I had spent the week being totally unproductive and sleeping very little. Thursday came and I headed to the airport around noon. As I was rearranging some things in my luggage in bag check line, I hear, "You aren't Chris by chance, are you?" And the trip began there with my new buddy Scott (johngalt55) and I talking golf and getting acquainted. We both had a million ideas about what was about to happen, but I can tell you now that TaylorMade blew everything we imagined out of the water. We had some slight delays at DIA, but we're eventually on our way. We arrived to a nice gentleman with our names on a sign, a first for me at the airport, and we got our luggage and were off to the Carlsbad Sheraton Resort and Spa. We were the last to arrive so we quickly dropped our luggage and went to meet the crew. [/color]



[color=#000000]That first night we ate at the hotel with Brian Bazzel and Tony from TMaG new product development, and right away we were shown some pretty cool new items that you have all seen by now, the Tour Preferred wedges and the SLDR Mini Driver. I knew right away that the Mini was my cup of tea. It just looked right. I wasn't certain yet but i felt I had just seen something important, and I was correct, but more about this later. [/color]



[color=#000000]We all had a great meal, and exchanged some stories about our online home here. We went around the table and introduced ourselves and i then realized how very lucky I was. I have only been posting on the site for a month and most of the guys for years now so it was very humbling to know some of my opinions on GolfWRX were taken seriously enough to be invited on the trip. [/color]



[color=#000000]After the meal, we all decided it would be best to take it easy and be fresh for the next morning. That was a great idea. A few of us had another drink at the bar, and then headed back to the rooms to rest up. That's when I got to see what was in our welcome bags. I particularly fell in love with the pullover TMaG gave to us, and wore it both days to the course. One of the few long sleeve pullovers I've owned that allowed a nice free swing. And then it was time to sleep, the next day was sure to be epic.[/color]



[color=#000000][attachment=2165743:gift bag.JPG][/color]



[color=#000000]Friday:[/color]



[color=#000000]We woke up early and prepared for the long day ahead. The schedule was packed with Kingdom tours, Driver fittings, and a round of golf, followed by some beer and pizza at a local favorite, Pizza Port. We all met in front of the hotel that morning and loaded up, and were then off to something none of us could have thought to be true. [/color]



[color=#000000]After a short drive we pulled up to the TaylorMade Campus and unloaded into the main lobby to meet up with Dave Cordero. The group toured a few buildings, where we saw the production floor, as well as the Ghost Lab, and the legend himself, Kia Ma. I had no idea the influence he had on Scotty Cameron. His lab was sweet! Packed with custom putters made for PGA and LPGA players alike, but no pictures were allowed so you will have to imagine the shop. [/color]



[color=#000000][attachment=2165745:hq.jpeg][/color]



[color=#000000][attachment=2165747:floor.jpeg][/color]



[color=#000000][attachment=2165749:kia.jpeg][/color]







[color=#000000]After a quick breakfast it was time to head to the Kingdom, where we met a few more guys, Tim Huet, Brian Bazzel, and Todd Chew, as well as Daryl, the one that would later be chosen to fit my sorry swing! Brian and Tim spoke a little about the technology behind the SLDR, which many of us had already read up on and were somewhat knowledgeable about. We are WRXers ya know…One thing I found interesting was that the SLDR was not only engineered for high launch and low spin, but also for the sound it created when it contacted a ball. Really cool stuff![/color]


[color=#000000][attachment=2165751:kingdom entrance.jpeg][/color]

[color=#000000][attachment=2165753:kingdom doors.jpeg][/color]


[color=#000000][attachment=2165755:names on tv.jpeg][/color]



[color=#000000]And then it was time to head out to the range, but as we walked that way there was some very cool memorabilia lining the walls. Check it out below:[/color]



[color=#000000][attachment=2165757:sergio.jpeg][/color]

[color=#000000][attachment=2165759:sergio shaft.jpeg][/color]



[color=#000000][attachment=2165763:creamer.jpeg][/color]



[color=#000000][attachment=2165765:lehman.jpeg][/color]



[color=#000000]The Kingdom in all its Glory![/color]



[color=#000000][attachment=2165767:range1.jpeg][/color]

[color=#000000][attachment=2165769:range2.jpeg][/color]

[color=#000000][attachment=2165771:range bag.jpeg][/color]



[color=#000000]And now it was time to warm up and mess around with some toys they had on the range. I set my bag down at my space and began to loosen up. I was hitting my Driver quite well, so I suspected I would be a bit of trouble for the fitters, but little did I know how much trouble I would be. We were told not to go too crazy hitting balls, and I attempted to abide by that request, but as you can see from the pictures, this place is Heaven. I quickly set in and hit about 50 balls, using my whole bag, and then Scott went to work with Daryl as the first Challenger. As the fitters came and chatted us up, I hung back, attempting to take everything in and watch some of the other guys go before my turn came. I ended up rolling a few putts on the practice green, which was in great condition and rolled so well, and then back to the range to watch some more of the guys get fit. It was during this time that I decided to take a break, as my back was already beginning to tighten up. And then Evan (RedSide) went to work, and boy did he put on a show! He was the big gainer of the day with 24 yards earned, and was hitting balls over the fence at the back of the Kingdom and bouncing them off the street back there. That was awesome![/color]



[color=#000000]I decided after that to try to hit just enough balls to stay loose, but not let my back get too sore in the process. Apparently I did a poor job of this because when my time came to be fit, I was getting pretty darn sore. So, Daryl walked up behind me, took a look at my clubs and began to work with me. We began with the gold Matrix RUL shaft, which felt good so that was where we began. As I had mentioned earlier, I was a bit of trouble for Daryl and the guys, because of my unique, hockey style swing. I come very far from the inside and I rely a ton on timing, and with the pressure of HD cameras, the Kingdom staff, and having just hit nearly 100 balls, I was not driving the ball well. I set the standard with my R1, Kuro Kage TiNi, 67 grams at 44.25 inches in a stiff flex. It only took 4 shots to get the baseline, which was going to be tough to beat. Daryl asked who fit my Driver…I replied that I had access to the Golfsmith shop and had worked there as a club builder in the past, so I fit myself and it took over a year to get to this final product. He agreed that it was well fit since my numbers were at 13 degrees of launch with just over 1700 RPM spin. Another caveat is that I use ribbed grips with extra wraps, so the stock shafts at 45 inches with a small round grip were not cooperating with my swing. I felt like I was going to throw the club down the range a few times, but we worked through a few more shafts before any big changes were made. I tried the Diamana D+ Stiff, but it was too whippy and created a lot of spin, then we tried the Matrix Black Tie 7m3, and it felt great. Daryl took that inside, cut it down to my length and threw a two wrapped, ribbed Golf Pride on the SLDR for me. Now it felt great! The only problem at this point was that I had hit around 150 balls by this point, and my lower back and legs were really fatigued. I was not at optimal performance standards, but I was finally hitting some respectable drives. Nonetheless, I was beat, and could not get the SLDR to reach my R1 numbers. I had “won” I guess, in that my driver beat theirs, but a bit bummed that I had worn myself out before I had the SLDR dialed in correctly. I really believe that had much to do with my lesser numbers for the driver, and still think that if I had another go at it; Daryl could get the SLDR more on track. (One other issue I realized only after we left was the big net on the right side. I hit a big draw when I am driving well, but that net’s placement right to my right side, may have been in my head a little. If I wasn’t so concerned with my poor driving at the time I would have suggested moving to the middle of the range where some others had done their fitting.) So while I was that ONE person that did not see gains with the SLDR, I believe I truly had some circumstances that contributed to that small failure. [/color]



[color=#000000]In the end, the SLDR built for me was the 10.5 degree model, set standard, with a slight draw bias on the SLDR weight, with a Matrix Black Tie 7m3 X Flex. This was an attempt to straighten me out a bit, as distance was not an issue, but my accuracy certainly was at the Kingdom. Daryl had his hands full, but he persisted and built me a great driver that just happened to not beat my R1 that day. I still think it is a great driver, and I believe in the technology. [/color]



[color=#000000]The real huge win for cphrey on this trip was the SLDR Mini Driver. I had seen it the night before at dinner and just loved the look and feel of it in my hands. So when I got my chance to hit the 12 degree and 14 degree on the range, I was very excited to see the results. While I did not hit the Mini on the Trackman, I was able to hit it enough to see the difference it made. I picked a target out on the range and hit a few drives there. They hit just over a bunker that was out there and rolled over the green at the back of the range towards the fence. These were about 305 yards, based on the info I got off the Trackman shortly after. Then, I picked up the 12 degree Mini and hit a ball. BOOM! This thing launched on a beautiful flight path and soared right out to the area where I was landing my R1. The ball dropped out of the sky and of the 20 I hit, 19 landed in a small area about 280 yards from the tee. I hit the big draw as I stated earlier, but each of these shots flew straight and high and went right where I was aiming. I then moved to the 14 degree and shockingly did not lose much distance at all; maybe 5 yards less at most. I was instantly in love, and knew that my golf game had just found one of those magical clubs we all search for our whole lives. I requested the Mini in 14 degrees instead of the two woods or hybrids we were offered and was told not to get my hopes up, but also to expect a surprise at my door sometime soon. I REALLY hope it is the Mini. The SLDR tech in this club works just as described and provided me the high launching yet piercing ball flight I was after. This puppy is legit, and I cannot recommend it to you guys enough. Get a Mini, it will change your life![/color]



[color=#000000][attachment=2165773:mini top.jpeg][/color]

[color=#000000][attachment=2165775:mini bottom.jpeg][/color]

[color=#000000][attachment=2165777:sldr.jpeg][/color]


[color=#000000][attachment=2165779:king cover.jpeg][/color]



[color=#000000]After the fitting it was off to Shadowridge to play a round and try out our new toys. I replaced the Black Tie with my Kuro Kage and instantly saw some improvement, which was the final suggestion from Daryl at the Kingdom. He told me he based his shaft suggestions on my iron shafts, which he later found to be wrong for my swing. I have KBS Tour Stiff in my RBladez Tours, but he said I should definitely be in the C Tapers, and knowing this would have led him to some different shaft options on the range. He liked the Kuro Kage for me and said to try it out, and he was right, it works great. I was still all over the place, but I did manage to pump a few really deep drives during the round, and that felt great![/color]



[color=#000000]We finished the day at Pizza Port, with some tasty food and great beer, and talked with Dave and Tony more about the wedges, the Mini, and everything else we could think to ask. Then it was off to the hotel for one last drink and to collapse in my room after one of the best days of my life.[/color]



[color=#000000]Saturday:[/color]



[color=#000000]Up early again and all packed, we headed to La Costa to play the Legends Course, but not before a really nice brunch on their patio, where we soaked in the views of the course and got to pet an owl that protected the patio from the many birds trying to get at our meals. Then to the range and after that our final round of golf at a very nice Legends course. [/color]



[color=#000000][attachment=2165781:la costa course 1.jpeg][/color]

[color=#000000]THE BEAST, RedSide[/color]

[color=#000000][attachment=2165783:la costa redside.jpeg][/color]

[color=#000000][attachment=2165787:la costa flowers.jpeg][/color]

[color=#000000][attachment=2165785:la costa 2.jpeg][/color]

[color=#000000]TMBob in white and ForeMBC in blue.[/color]

[color=#000000][attachment=2165789:bob and marcus.jpeg][/color]

[color=#000000]This track had just been renovated so it showed some signs of that, but still, just playing that place was something I will always remember. The SLDR was performing a bit better from the start, and I finally managed a good hole with a birdie on 9. We made the turn to the back and the wind picked up, and my game went south, but none of that mattered as I was having a great time with RedSide, johngalt55, and Tony from TMaG. RedSide put on a show for us as usual, taking lines none of us considered, so that was awesome to watch, and johngalt55 as well as Tony had some really nice play in there as well. I brought up the rear that day with a few good shots here and there, but like I said, it was amazing! [/color]



[color=#000000]Finally the trip was coming to an end. Scott and I ate some lunch with Tony as the other guys made their ways home, and then we took off to catch our flight, new toys and so many great memories coming with us. [/color]



[color=#000000]I cannot thank TMaG, GolfWRX, Zach Heusser, Dave Cordero, Brian Bazzel, Tim Huet, Tony, Todd, and the rest of the members I met on the trip enough. The TaylorMade guys were first class all the way. From the moment we met them, we were treated like Tour Pros, and not once did I feel like I was bothering them or wasting their time. Dave, Brian, and Tony became our buddies, and were willing to talk shop, chat about their new products and even drop hints on some new stuff coming out, like the possibility of a different shade for the SLDR…I really was taken in by all the guys, and as a new member of GolfWRX, that welcoming from the guys only strengthened my love for what we all have here in WRX. Zach Heusser is a great guy, and I felt fortunate to get to know him and the other members, TMBob, johngalt55, RedSide, and ForeMBC (Bob, Scott, Evan, and Marcus). I have told my story to my Men’s Leauge, my friends, my family, and co-workers numerous times now, and each time I tell them I stress how awesome the people I met along the way were. The experience of seeing the Kingdom and TMaG HQ was epic, but meeting the TaylorMade guys and getting closer with the WRX guys is what made this trip for me. I feel like I made some great new friends and hope to get some rounds in with them in the future. Dave, Brian, and Tony made me feel like a king for the entire time I was in their presence, and that speaks volumes to their brand. They are all golfers and they all really know their golf and their equipment. I was really impressed and when I told my Dad the story of these guys, he too was so impressed that he went right to the TaylorMade Facebook page and informed them that simply through my great experience, they had earned our entire family’s business for the future. I was honored to be part of this experience and can say I too, am now a TaylorMade player for LIFE! In my opinion, many companies can create great products and market them well, and while TMaG excels at this, it is the people that have forever changed my view of the company. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I will never be able to say that enough! [/color]



[color=#000000]TMaG for LIFE!!![/color]



[color=#000000]Chris[/color]

[color=#000000]cphrey[/color][/size]

[jongalt55]

[quote name='deck' timestamp='1396919271' post='9042577']
[quote name='bjackson' timestamp='1396919017' post='9042537'][quote name='deck' timestamp='1396917693' post='9042331']
Could you use your mod powers and throw all the information like that on first page? Please lol
[/quote]

Done, along with hyperlinked trip summaries.

[quote name='swizbeatz' timestamp='1396918474' post='9042451']
Maybe update that list with wrx tag? I want to ask Sam a question but don't know who Sam is ya know?

G25 numbers weren't terrible, feel like the SLDR is as forgiving?
[/quote]

Done.[/quote]

You are the man. Thanks



Sent from my iPhone using GolfWRX Mobile
[/quote]

Any chance those mod powers could also be used to include hyperlinks to the trip summaries of the folks who participated at the other sites? Thanks!

[tembolo1284]

cphrey, awesome review sir!

[Mizgoodie]

the write ups have been superb, well done

[cphrey]

[quote name='tembolo1284' timestamp='1396979888' post='9047823']
cphrey, awesome review sir!
[/quote]


thank you! I enjoyed yours as well. It was literally the least I could do to show my massive amount of appreciation for being included on this trip. I hope you were able to feel the experience from my eyes with my review, I tried to tell the story and relay how it felt along the way.

[Turbo]

First off Big Thanks to TM and staff, GolfWRX and staff for the amazing opportunity!! This has been a great read, filled with a ton of info. The mods and contestants have been great with the pics, info and reviews. This has been worth the 3 days it has taken me to get through it all!!
Thanks again everyone and keep up the good work!!

[dave s 316]

Chris, very well written. Great job.

[jll62]

[quote name='cphrey' timestamp='1396978856' post='9047693']
[size=5][color=#000000]One other issue I realized only after we left was the big net on the right side. I hit a big draw when I am driving well, but that net’s placement right to my right side, may have been in my head a little.[/color][/size]
[/quote]

Great write up! I'm glad you pointed out that big net. A few pages back I wondered if anyone was going to have an issue with that thing. I normally play a slight draw with the driver, but when I was there all I could do was hit fades because of that monster parked to the immediate right of the TrackMan area. All my brain could see was a cut.

Congrats on "winning" the challenge...hahaha.

[deck]

So the guys with driver swings of 95-105 who also hit the mini please answer!!!!!!


How did you do off the deck with it?!!! Sooo much to read and no time to read it all.

[jongalt55]

[quote name='deck' timestamp='1396997766' post='9049805']
So the guys with driver swings of 95-105 who also hit the mini please answer!!!!!!


How did you do off the deck with it?!!! Sooo much to read and no time to read it all.
[/quote]

I had no problem hitting the mini off the deck. The ball gets up much faster than you would think. Brian Bazzel had the mini prototype in his bag and was consistently using it off the deck to go at par 5s in two when we played with him. I'm a guy that plays fairway off the deck quite a bit at my home course and I will be looking at the mini to fill that role when it comes out.

[ThunderBuzzworth]

Mini was better off the deck than off a tee as said by everyone at Reynolds. Surprisingly easy to launch

[magdocjr]

[quote name='deck' timestamp='1396997766' post='9049805']So the guys with driver swings of 95-105 who also hit the mini please answer!!!!!!


How did you do off the deck with it?!!! Sooo much to read and no time to read it all.[/quote]
Easy to hit off the deck. High launched rockets. I tried to trade my TEE CB5 for it.

[deck]

[quote name='ThunderBuzzworth' timestamp='1397001976' post='9050173']
Mini was better off the deck than off a tee as said by everyone at Reynolds. Surprisingly easy to launch
[/quote]

Lol anything at your speed gets airborn!!!! Thank you

[deck]

[quote name='jongalt55' timestamp='1396999254' post='9049921']
[quote name='deck' timestamp='1396997766' post='9049805']
So the guys with driver swings of 95-105 who also hit the mini please answer!!!!!!


How did you do off the deck with it?!!! Sooo much to read and no time to read it all.
[/quote]

I had no problem hitting the mini off the deck. The ball gets up much faster than you would think. Brian Bazzel had the mini prototype in his bag and was consistently using it off the deck to go at par 5s in two when we played with him. I'm a guy that plays fairway off the deck quite a bit at my home course and I will be looking at the mini to fill that role when it comes out.
[/quote]

Thank you bud!!! That's what I was hoping to hear

[deck]

[quote name='magdocjr' timestamp='1397002416' post='9050245']
[quote name='deck' timestamp='1396997766' post='9049805']So the guys with driver swings of 95-105 who also hit the mini please answer!!!!!!


How did you do off the deck with it?!!! Sooo much to read and no time to read it all.[/quote]
Easy to hit off the deck. High launched rockets. I tried to trade my TEE CB5 for it.
[/quote]

Thank you bud. Man I have things to consider. Have a little discount I have to use.

[epixep]

Yup, I'm jealous.

[9ccat9]

I was not on the trip but hit the mini a couple weeks ago. I swing 107-110 with the driver and loved the Mini 12 and 14 off the tee. I was shocked how good they both were off the deck, the 14 had the stock 57 shaft and was not enough shaft but the 12 with the stock TP was money. One will be in the bag for sure for the tee and for my 3wood replacement.

[cphrey]

Super early update here: put the Matrix back in, set to slight draw, opened the stance and just did the ole Lee Trevino figure 8, and BOOM! My contact instantly improved and I was hitting high mini fades. It felt awesome, and all due to the tip my fitter Daryl left me with. Don't totally overhaul the swing, just get the path a little better, and don't be scared to open up and just hit a push. It was just one range season and I wasn't quite feeling it with my irons, but the ball striking on every shot was so much better! And my misses were not problematic. More to come but figured you guys would want to hear that I'm using the Kingdom fit set up now and really striking it well. Thanks Daryl!!!