Equipment
TaylorMade goes back to black with R1
Since TaylorMade launched its R11 driver in 2011, golf fans have associated its drivers with white-painted crowns. But the company’s decision to release a black-painted version of its R1 driver reveals that TaylorMade may be moving away from the color in the future.
According to Tom Kroll, TaylorMade’s global product manager, the company has decided to release a limited amount of black R1 drivers in an attempt to connect with whom he called “authentic golfers.”
“The [TaylorMade] brand has always spoken to the zero-to-four handicap,” Kroll said. “Some of those guys screamed loud and clear that they wanted a black driver, so we decided to give it to them.”
Click here to read out Editor Review of TaylorMade’s R1 Driver.
The black version of the R1 is identical to the white version in nearly every way — it’s still 460 cubic centimeters, with the same center of gravity, adjustable loft sleeve and face angle adjuster. It also has the same stock shaft — an Aldila RIP Phenom — and the same grip. But the driver’s crown, which was originally released in a matte white color with an orange-and-gray racing stripe, has been painted black. Underneath the glossy black paint is a black-and-gray racing stripe that has the same design. But because of the color change, the racing stripe is much less noticeable at address.
The black paint also makes the driver appear smaller at address, about 10 percent according to Kroll.
“Some of the guys on tour liked the white head because it looked bigger, so they felt like they could swing it harder,” Kroll said. “But there will be guys switching into the black head because they’ll like the way it looks.”
The driver will make its debut on the PGA Tour next week in Memphis at the PGA Tour’s FedEx St. Jude Classic at TPC South Wind. It will be available for purchase on June 10 for the same price as the white R1 driver, $399.
Kroll would not comment on how many limited-edition drivers would be released, or what percentage of R1 heads will be painted black. But he did say that it will be a “small percentage,” and that “it’s going to be an interesting launch for us in terms of watching the numbers.”
Click here to read what members are saying about the black R1 in the forums.
Click here to read what members are saying about the black R1 in the forums.
Equipment
Putters that never made it: Check out some of the best tour builds that didn’t make the cut
Arguably, the best perk of being a professional golfer on the PGA Tour is the ability to request or even just be handed pretty much any club you could think of. It happens more often than you think, usually with putters around the practice green from one event to the next. Come Wednesday, the Tour bags lining the edge of the putting surface become resting places for fallen flatsticks that never made the cut.
So let’s take a look at some of the best we’ve seen out on Tour this year that never made it to the competition. (You may notice none of Hideki Matsuyama’s custom Scotty Cameron putters made this list. There are too many.)
Let’s start with this custom Damascus Milled Odyssey Rossie made for Ryo Hisatsune. Featuring a single line and the short-slant hossel, we’ve seen plenty of Number 7 and jailbird heads featuring the Damascus Milled insert, but this is the first and only one we’ve spotted in a Rossie. Hisatsune primarily putts with an Odyssey Black Series iX #9, but we have seen him recently with a TaylorMade TP Collection SOTO, so there could be potential that the Damascus Milled Rossie could end up in the bag.
Everyone wants to be Cameron Young right now. We’ve had Justin Thomas and Tom Hoge both game the Scotty Cameron 9.5R prototype. Well, for the PGA Championship, Brooks Koepka nearly joined that list after requesting the same style of putter, with the full-length alignment line. But the Scotty Cameron reps took the request a step further and made one specially for Koepka with a Teryllium insert, similar to one in his previous Newport 2 gamers. The reason why this one didn’t go into play, though? Because it was too heavy.
Harry Hall was the third-best putter on Tour last year, so when Bettinardi made him a custom proto, you know it was going to be good. The custom BB28 blade features VDF face milling, a custom-welded single-bend shaft, and the owner’s initials – HH – on the sole of the putter. Hall, who usually games an Odyssey O-Works #7 W, has dabbled with a TaylorMade Spider Tour X already this year. Maybe there’s a chance this Bettinardi might make his bag.
Honestly, this one doesn’t need a description. It’s Kieth Mitchell’s custom Scotty Cameron Napa. One Scotty Cameron face stamp, two Scotty Dogs, two Scotty Cameron 7-Point Crowns and one Circle T. That is all. Oh, except for the Cashmere Cameron headcover.
Finally, and just for fun, how about we pour one out for this TaylorMade Spider Tour X made for Scottie Scheffler in its new torched finish. It’s unlikely we’ll see a putter change anytime soon from the best golfer in the world. In fact, he hit just two putts with it on the Harbour Town practice before going back to his trusty gamer.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (9 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 130 M.S.I. 70 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 X
7-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X
Irons: Grindworks PR-202 (4), Grindworks PR-101A (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Cleveland RTX6 Tour Rack (52-10 Mid), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-08M), SM11 (60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Tour Rat 1.5 Tour Prototype
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
In our forums, our members have been discussing their favorite major winning irons used by Tiger Woods. WRXer ‘golferdude54’ kicks off the thread saying:
“Mizuno MP 14/29. Titleist 681T. Nike Forged Blades. TaylorMade P7TW.
Among these irons that helped Tiger win 15 majors, which is your favorite in terms of looks?”
And our members have been naming their favorites and why in response.
Here are a couple of posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- SwingBlade: “I prefer the early blades he played and the more recent TM TW’s especially because after Tiger had his major behavioral setbacks, part of Nikes support payback was making Tiger play a Nike putter and cease using his beloved uniquely customized Scotty putter.”
- ProjectX: “This (Nike Forged Blades) and there’s not even a close second.”
Entire Thread: “Which of Tiger’s major winning irons are your favorite? – GolfWRXers discuss”
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Photos from the 2026 PGA Championship
Patrick Reed WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Titleist GT3 (9 degrees) Buy here. Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 130 M.S.I. 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (15 degrees)...
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
Driver: TaylorMade M6 (9 degrees) Shaft: Aldilda Synergy Blue 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue...
Michael Block WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black VeloCore+ 5 X 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees @14.25) Shaft: Mitsubishi...
Bryson DeChambeau WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Krank Formula Fire Pro (6 degrees) Shaft: Project X Prototype 3-wood: Krank Formula Fire (10 degrees) Shaft: LA Golf BAD...
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Barry
Nov 30, 2013 at 4:27 pm
Just purchased the R1 Black……love the look but love the added distance (12 to 15 yds. more than my old Cleveland. Just hope I consistently hit it as straight.
mississaugua monster
Aug 14, 2013 at 8:39 pm
will wait for 400cc black R1
460 too big and white………….ru kidding me
mark
Jul 2, 2013 at 3:37 am
I have just purchased this club “wow” is all a can say. Go out now and buy this u won’t regret it.
Ben
Jun 16, 2013 at 9:55 pm
And in a couple years they will bust out the white again. It’s all marketing.
Shad
Jun 4, 2013 at 11:44 am
The funny thing is that some people think TaylorMade is contradicting their initial claim that white “instills confidence and is easier to align”. Releasing a black version is just a desperate misguided attempt to increase lagging sales that are 100% due to the fact that they decided to put those stupid graphics on the crown of the R1! TaylorMade and all other club manufactures let me set you straight once and for all – Put all the graphics you want on the bottom of the club and the head cover, but THE TOP OF THE CLUB, WHETHER IT BE WHITE, BLACK, GREY, PINK, ETC. SHOULD BE CLEAN AND FREE OF GRAPHICS OTHER THAN A SINGLE MIDDLE ALIGNMENT AID, PERIOD! TaylorMade should have just released a white version without the graphics. The white heads are a much better club. That said, I know there are some mental cases that “just can’t get used to the white club head” so a black version should have probably always have been an option. Don’t get too excited folks, the new black R1 is just a temporary stop-gap fix to spur some better retail numbers this year. The next completely new version will be white.
KCCO
May 31, 2013 at 9:56 pm
Should have done reverse…..crown flat, lettering gloss…..but beggars can’t be..ya know
G
Jun 1, 2013 at 12:01 am
No, it’s good that it’s shiny. Shiny makes you focus more. Matt does not. Flat or matt is just blah.
Curt
Jun 1, 2013 at 9:26 am
Agreed, flat black is boring. TM got it right, going stealth black!!
IceDave
May 31, 2013 at 9:17 am
I think I’ve just won a bet! Great looking driver.
Matt
May 31, 2013 at 5:53 am
Two years ago Sean Toulon said that TMAG would make the black driver obsolete, and they would not consider making a driver in any color other than white until 2016. Taylor Made marketing at its best.
Roger
May 31, 2013 at 3:18 am
Brad B……..thats what i was thinking…….Ozzy Ozzy Ozzy
But hopefully with Gals in School Uniforms….
WoodButcher
Feb 5, 2014 at 11:07 am
Ozzy is Black Sabbath, not AC/DC. You ment Angus Young I’m sure.
Curt
May 30, 2013 at 10:41 pm
Thank you TM, please stay black and end that white crap!!!
The black looks so goooood!!!!!!!
Brad B
May 30, 2013 at 9:08 pm
So they use AC/DC “Back in Black” for the 30 second commercial???? It’d work.
bob
May 30, 2013 at 8:34 pm
doesn’t anyone else think this is hypocritical? i mean TM was talking crap about how black drives affect your aim and all that and know they release a black driver? stupid imo
Weavs
May 31, 2013 at 8:51 am
It’s called marketing to a broader market… Alot of people didn’t like the white version, so they made a black version. Alot of drivers come in different colors these days. I guess if they didn’t like making more money it would be stupid.
Jeff
May 31, 2013 at 12:03 pm
the benefits of having a white driver–particularly, lining it up correctly–still exist. there are just some people (*achem* members of this board *achem*) who, no matter how beneficial it is, they will never buy a white driver head. many of these players begged TM to come out with a black driver head that included the same technological advances as the white one (moveable weights, loft sleeve, sole plate–well, maybe not so much the sole plate, but still). Kudos to TM for listening.
Josh
Jul 13, 2013 at 10:01 am
If you can’t line up a driver correctly you should probably be spending your money on some lessons and not a new driver.
John F
May 30, 2013 at 4:12 pm
I also saw this here and was able to pre-order. Can’t wait for this puppy to arrive!
JChoj
May 30, 2013 at 3:00 pm
The golf community is funny. Why does it matter what color it is? If a driver hit dead straight 350 yards on every drive it could be Neon Pink and Purple. I’d still use it.
John
May 30, 2013 at 3:59 pm
Because when you pay $400+ it’s nice to get what you want.
Steve
May 30, 2013 at 1:40 pm
Wow. Their sales must not be anywhere near what they were expecting thus far… The black looks great though! I can see this flying off the shelf
BC
May 30, 2013 at 12:29 pm
Not sure how this is a Fail. Black finish, subtle graphics, adjustability…Yes, I will be back on the TM wagon with this. Give me some woods in the same make-up and my bag will be set!!
Matt
May 30, 2013 at 12:23 pm
Now you’re talking. Looks great!
Big5Hole
May 30, 2013 at 11:32 am
Must…. Resist…..
Who am I kidding; I’m going to put a deposit on one this afternoon if I can.
Nike Loyalist
May 30, 2013 at 11:10 am
FAIL.
John
May 30, 2013 at 1:02 pm
Seriously? I don’t care for taylormade even and that thing looks sexy!
oban wan-kanobi
May 30, 2013 at 11:09 am
About time this happens.!! I really hope they go matte black for retail; the shiny black is so 10 years ago.
Don
May 30, 2013 at 7:23 pm
Only problem with matte is that any marks show more in my opinion. Traditional finish is easier to touchup or keep looking good with a light wax or Scratch X or such if needed.
paul
May 31, 2013 at 12:51 am
I really like my shiny black driver head 🙁 Should i buy a new one in matte… Maybe ping I20…? Catch up with the times 🙂 Oh wait, that will be replaced with an I25 in 7 months. I will never catch up :'(
KCCO
May 31, 2013 at 9:59 pm
Not matte….
Jeff
Jun 1, 2013 at 5:00 am
If you sky your driver, you shouldn’t be buying a $300+ golf club yet.
Jeff
Jun 1, 2013 at 5:01 am
My bad, reading comprehension…