Anyone Have An Idea of What TM’s Driver Plans Are for 2022?

[JasonDurham2020]

TM, when should we expect a preorder date? 

[sbjinx]

31 minutes ago, btyh said:

It's a marketing tactic for built up anticipation of the product. The anticipated early leaked photo is part of the process. They want a frenzy of pre-orders and instant buying. 

I don’t doubt that but you’d think they would leak a better pic. Not expecting a professional pic but every year when there is a leak the pic looks like something my 5 year old takes when he has my phone. 

[btyh]

6 minutes ago, sbjinx said:

I don’t doubt that but you’d think they would leak a better pic. Not expecting a professional pic but every year when there is a leak the pic looks like something my 5 year old takes when he has my phone. 

Probably because taylormade said 30 sleeps and it already posted so they needed to improvise 

[bladehunter]

3 minutes ago, btyh said:

Probably because taylormade said 30 sleeps and it already posted so they needed to improvise 

Yep.but it’s purposely camo to not incriminate the person who had Possession of that head.   Scooped the sleeps and the later planned  source for the planned controlled  leak.  
 

the real question is , will it be available when it’s released ? As in will it be a 6 month wait or ? 

[youngwaldo]

I have pictures. To me it looks better than I thought.  The face looks really cool.  It’s a carbon twist face.  Contact me if you want to see it.  
 

Wk

[DaleUK]

On a Plus note( bare with me) hopefully there won’t be the + Heads floating round with bizarre CT numbers that claim better distance numbers…. We wait  

[mrmikeac]

Just got sent a few more photos of the stealth, it looks good, like really good. Still has the same line on the leading edge but gloss black instead of white/silver and the gloss goes around the crown with a matte black carbon crown inserted in the middle 

[BirdieBob]

1 minute ago, mrmikeac said:

Just got sent a few more photos of the stealth, it looks good, like really good. Still has the same line on the leading edge but gloss black instead of white/silver and the gloss goes around the crown with a matte black carbon crown inserted in the middle 

 

You mean like this......😉

 

 

[mrmikeac]

It also looks like there is some light milling done across the carbon face

[Double Dodger]

The real leak is the price. A trial balloon to soften the blow and get feedback. 

[s515_15]

embargo's exist in the fall so the last bit of inventory for the current year drivers can be sold. The new TM driver was probably already good to go in July and just being tested with pro's for feedback. Now if somebody leaks every feature, benefit and HD photo's of it in the middle of summer and the marketing suggests its X% better than driver Y...who is going into their golf shop to buy whats on the shelf at full price? The would wait until the new year to buy. Manufactures then bring in trade in trade up. Retailers are offered net downs. Old inventory is shipped back to the manufacturer for credit on 2022 orders or swapped out for something that isnt expiring at the end of the season. Its a fine line to balance everything to maximize sales and profitability. Not only for companies like TM but your local proshop too. Thats why they try as hard as they can to avoid leaks. I dont even get to order the new driver in the fall. I order DRIVER A, DRIVER B etc. Or with another manufacturer, a different code name. Pictures aren't emailed, i speak to reps over the phone or in person. TM is pretty air tight on their secrecy. Ping too.

 

I have a whole other issue with things like callaway preowned and what it does to proshops, but thats a topic for another day.

 

The meat of the issue is that its embargo'd for a reason. That being said if the cat is out of the bag there isnt any way they can put it back in. Only slow it down. Which happens because pretty much all golf review sites and forums have agreements with manufacturers.

[btyh]

14 minutes ago, Double Dodger said:

The real leak is the price. A trial balloon to soften the blow and get feedback. 

Been announced in a few posts already 

[dcmidnight]

25 minutes ago, s515_15 said:

embargo's exist in the fall so the last bit of inventory for the current year drivers can be sold. The new TM driver was probably already good to go in July and just being tested with pro's for feedback. Now if somebody leaks every feature, benefit and HD photo's of it in the middle of summer and the marketing suggests its X% better than driver Y...who is going into their golf shop to buy whats on the shelf at full price? The would wait until the new year to buy. Manufactures then bring in trade in trade up. Retailers are offered net downs. Old inventory is shipped back to the manufacturer for credit on 2022 orders or swapped out for something that isnt expiring at the end of the season. Its a fine line to balance everything to maximize sales and profitability. Not only for companies like TM but your local proshop too. Thats why they try as hard as they can to avoid leaks. I dont even get to order the new driver in the fall. I order DRIVER A, DRIVER B etc. Or with another manufacturer, a different code name. Pictures aren't emailed, i speak to reps over the phone or in person. TM is pretty air tight on their secrecy. Ping too.

 

I have a whole other issue with things like callaway preowned and what it does to proshops, but thats a topic for another day.

 

The meat of the issue is that its embargo'd for a reason. That being said if the cat is out of the bag there isnt any way they can put it back in. Only slow it down. Which happens because pretty much all golf review sites and forums have agreements with manufacturers.

 

Not that I disagree completely with this.

 

But the kind of guy who goes into a big box store and pays full retail for a club - the kind of guys you're talking about OEMs "protecting" - those guys arent on WRX. In fact, those guys probably have never heard of golf forums or even know what the word "embargo" means.

 

I'm not selling us short by any means but over 99% of golfers that buy golf equipment in stores - they aren't on golf forums to be "spoiled" by "leaks" like this. I would say out of the regular group at my club, lets say there are 50 guys on our email list, I'd so no more than 2 or 3 have even heard of WRX or other forums. And that age range probably runs 25-80.

 

Again I hear what you are saying in terms of protecting product and trying to squeeze out every last sale they can - and I dont disagree. But the Joe Publics that this applies to - my feeling is that the first time they hear of the Stealth is when the first 500 commercials run during the TOC.

Edited December 5, 2021 by dcmidnight

[MtlJeff]

Haha this takes me back. I remember when literally everyone knew the Callaway Epic was gonna be called the Epic except we weren't allowed to call it that and were under NDA. I'm still not sure if i'm allowed to call it the Epic, my NDA might not have expired yet. Should have read the fine print on that one.

 

I like the suggestion though that they themselves are leaking it, maybe to get some feedback on things like price or design from early adopters. It would make sense.

 

If what i'm reading is accurate this will end up being like 700-800CAD--yikes.

[taylorx300]

This is true. Remember DJ driving the green in Kapalua over 400 yards a couple a seasons ago? The Monday after the TOC, people were coming in the shop and asking for the Dustin Johnson driver. Not the TaylorMade driver or M4 driver. They wanted the DJ driver.

[Red4282]

1 hour ago, youngwaldo said:

I have pictures. To me it looks better than I thought.  The face looks really cool.  It’s a carbon twist face.  Contact me if you want to see it.  
 

Wk

You realize, that 2 pages back in this thread the pictures are still there. Have not been removed…

[Radeon962]

Pictures are up on Reddit.

 

NVM… see that the same pictures are in this thread 2 pages back.

Edited December 5, 2021 by Radeon962

[TiScape]

8 hours ago, Red4282 said:

Og sim, not sim2

And an ‘R’ or ‘S’ flex shaft?! 

JK 😁 🤣

[Lemonde]

2 hours ago, StillCantPutt said:

The funny thing is, I posted pictures I found online as well of the new Cobra woods on Thanksgiving  and nobody has said boo about it. 

It’s unfortunate but I don’t see much in the way of general interest in the Cobra products.  That pre release thread for the driver is really thin and it’s only 10 days away from the launch. 

[Lemonde]

1 hour ago, mrmikeac said:

Just got sent a few more photos of the stealth, it looks good, like really good. Still has the same line on the leading edge but gloss black instead of white/silver and the gloss goes around the crown with a matte black carbon crown inserted in the middle 

This is good. I like the white paint break but there’s a least some separation with the black.  I think the red face will give you all the paint break you want at address lol.  Just hoping this profile is more 440ish.   I don’t like all gloss or carbon top drivers.   The TSi would be in the running if they could release a matte finish. 

[TiScape]

3 minutes ago, Lemonde said:

It’s unfortunate but I don’t see much in the way of general interest in the Cobra products.  That pre release thread for the driver is really thin and it’s only 10 days away from the launch. 

So true. Seems like Mizuno irons and TM drivers rule the roost when it comes to huge pre-release buzz. TM irons and Titleist irons and drivers do pretty darn good as well. Cobra doesn’t get much it seems regardless if it’s irons, putters or drivers. Honestly doubt that will ever change 

[Red4282]

26 minutes ago, TiScape said:

And an ‘R’ or ‘S’ flex shaft?! 

JK 😁🤣

Tx of course 😉

[Bdck]

2 hours ago, sbjinx said:

I don’t doubt that but you’d think they would leak a better pic. Not expecting a professional pic but every year when there is a leak the pic looks like something my 5 year old takes when he has my phone. 

Look at how many posts are in this thread.  

[Bdck]

22 minutes ago, TiScape said:

So true. Seems like Mizuno irons and TM drivers rule the roost when it comes to huge pre-release buzz. TM irons and Titleist irons and drivers do pretty darn good as well. Cobra doesn’t get much it seems regardless if it’s irons, putters or drivers. Honestly doubt that will ever change 

They've been leaders  in their respective categories since before Tiger came around.

[PVSaluki]

[noodle3872]

3 minutes ago, PVSaluki said:

Yep, same pics have already been posted. 

[TiScape]

It’s been mentioned somewhere… But is it safe to say we can just start referring to it as ‘The Spider-Man’ driver?! 😆 

[s515_15]

57 minutes ago, dcmidnight said:

 

Not that I disagree completely with this.

 

But the kind of guy who goes into a big box store and pays full retail for a club - the kind of guys you're talking about OEMs "protecting" - those guys arent on WRX. In fact, those guys probably have never heard of golf forums or even know what the word "embargo" means.

 

I'm not selling us short by any means but over 99% of golfers that buy golf equipment in stores - they aren't on golf forums to be "spoiled" by "leaks" like this. I would say out of the regular group at my club, lets say there are 50 guys on our email list, I'd so no more than 2 or 3 have even heard of WRX or other forums. And that age range probably runs 25-80.

 

Again I hear what you are saying in terms of protecting product and trying to squeeze out every last sale they can - and I dont disagree. But the Joe Publics that this applies to - my feeling is that the first time they hear of the Stealth is when the first 500 commercials run during the TOC.

True but it spreads from instagram to here to facebook and youtube and then joe 6 pack hears about it from his buddy at the car dealership. Its a slippery slope. Either way there is next to no money in hardgoods unless you're in a major city and can push volume. My shop has the best prices in the country on hardgoods and some members will still go to big box stores in big cities because its convenient. Then the minute these drivers come out in the spring you've got ebay listings for under wholesale price, and your member is asking you to match it. If TM wants to help golf retailers they need to clamp down on that reselling. Driver heads given to pros should have a different paint job entirely, with clearly labeled serial numbers that identify the specific person selling the head. Im not talking tour pros I'm talking PGA pros that run a local proshop. Then you dont get those ebay listings anymore because the pro wouldnt want to get in trouble with the manufacturer. Put an embargo on those heads being sold until after the season is done and you'd help out small clubs immensely. Because then the ebay price is the MSRP of the driver. The proshops that can compete in hardgoods are the ones with 30,000 rounds or more per year and have the traffic to sell the volume.

 

Getting a little off topic but I could write for days on the intrecrecies of how difficult it is to sell hard goods for small clubs and policies the major manufacturers could put in place to help us out and generate even more sales for themselves, but either way the embargos is one of the few ways to help my shop out in that i can sell the last bit of inventory i have. I've been good this year and we sold out of everything in hardgoods so no harm no foul, but other small clubs I'm sure have stuff left over to sell and they need the help.

 

This stuff all leaks eventually though so it is what it is. I like seeing pictures of the new stuff from different manufacturers early too but i notice a lot of the time I see it on golf forums before the rep even tells me about it. Those are the leaks that cause the most problems for manufacturers. I know TM is still doing fall bookings for 2022 so I'm sure they want to keep a lid on it until all clubs have a chance to order for next season.

[Str8Putt]

2 hours ago, dcmidnight said:

 

Not that I disagree completely with this.

 

But the kind of guy who goes into a big box store and pays full retail for a club - the kind of guys you're talking about OEMs "protecting" - those guys arent on WRX. In fact, those guys probably have never heard of golf forums or even know what the word "embargo" means.

 

I'm not selling us short by any means but over 99% of golfers that buy golf equipment in stores - they aren't on golf forums to be "spoiled" by "leaks" like this. I would say out of the regular group at my club, lets say there are 50 guys on our email list, I'd so no more than 2 or 3 have even heard of WRX or other forums. And that age range probably runs 25-80.

 

Again I hear what you are saying in terms of protecting product and trying to squeeze out every last sale they can - and I dont disagree. But the Joe Publics that this applies to - my feeling is that the first time they hear of the Stealth is when the first 500 commercials run during the TOC.

I agree. Average people may know what the top brands are and go to the store and buy that brand you even had some that know it's a yearly cycle like the iphones and people will buy iPhones at full price days before the new one is set to be released all the time.

 

I knew last year this was the year new Mizuno MP irons were due and I held off from buying TM and Titleist irons because Mizuno is really what I want. 

 

Also by the same token that since the rumor is out there about pricing buyers may go ahead and just buy a current Sim2 for cheaper and since the Stealth is going to cost more. There's no reason to lower the price of the Sim2 at the retail level even being an older clubs because now it just becomes a cheaper price point driver line for a buyer

 

[third-times-a-charm]

lol I like how whoever took the photos blacked out the background like people do with fishing spots on Instagram so TM can't come after them  🤣