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Jason Day makes shocking equipment change, shoots 61 anyway

Published

10 years ago

on

How much does Jason Day like the new TaylorMade M1 driver? He’s willing to put $10 million on it.

On Thursday, Day put himself in position to shoot a 59 during Round 1 of the BMW Championship. He needed to hole his approach shot on No. 9 (his 18th hole) for eagle, but a weather delay struck and he had to sleep on it until Friday morning. While he didn’t hole the shot, he finished with a par and a first-round 61 to take an early four-shot lead.

While a #59watch is always entertaining, it was Day’s pre-round decision that was most mind-blowing, and at the time, questionable.

Last week, TaylorMade launched its M1 driver (read more about the driver here). Despite Day’s FedExCup Points lead — and prime position to pocket the $10 million prize — he decided to put the new driver in play with only two tournaments left in The Playoffs.

TaylorMade_M1_Driver

Day switched to the M1 460 (right), but kept the same shaft, Mitsubishi’s Kuro Kage S TiNi 70X (tipped 1 inch).

Day has won three of his last five starts, including the PGA Championship, and is unquestionably playing the best golf of his life. While much of his fine play of late can obviously be attributed to his putter (watch how Jason Day’s putter was made), it all starts with the driver for Day, who has third best average driving distance on the PGA Tour at 314.6 yards.

But when something is performing better, you put it in play, right?

Day wasn’t the only golfer to make the switch to the M1, as it became the No. 1 driver played on Tour at the week’s BMW Championship the European Tour’s Open D’Italia.

Here’s a list of who else switched into the M1 460 at Conway Farms:

  • Dustin Johnson (No. 1 on the PGA Tour in driving distance, 319.9 yards)
  • Justin Rose
  • Sergio Garcia
  • Fabian Gomez
  • James Hahn
  • Brian Harman
  • Troy Merritt
  • Ryan Palmer
  • Brendan Steele
  • Shawn Stefani
  • Brendon Todd

Here’s who switched into the M1 430:

  • Steven Bowditch
  • J.B. Holmes
  • William McGirt
  • Rory Sabbatini

Related Topics:

He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

67 Comments

67 Comments

  1. halensmith

    Sep 24, 2018 at 3:12 am

    Hi I really appreciate your all efforts which is specially for the golf accessories keep posting.

    Reply Report comment

  2. emp

    Oct 1, 2015 at 9:55 am

    He lost the FedEx cup at the end. We will have to watch his next season but Luke Donald fell out of the world No. 1 as soon as switched out his R11. I am not saying a driver is better than the other. TM should not have released M1 in the middle of the playoff and shaken their players like this.

    Reply Report comment

  3. Greg V

    Sep 25, 2015 at 9:38 am

    I have noted that Jason Day hit a ball out of bounds last week at Conway Farms.

    Yesterday he hit one out of bounds at East Lake.

    He might be hitting the M1 farther, but I wonder if he has lost a bit of control?

    Reply Report comment

  4. Richard

    Sep 24, 2015 at 12:37 pm

    This is really just a Driver head change.
    Allegedly He kept the same shaft meaning:
    1) Same shaft tip diameter.
    2) Same shaft weight and bend profile.
    If the “Full Club” MOI was the same as his old driver, then this switch is easier to make than switching a set of Irons.

    Reply Report comment

  5. jaye

    Sep 23, 2015 at 5:55 pm

    I think everyone needs to calm down a bit its just a new driver. if Jason and the other TM Staffers are seeing a gain in there numbers why wouldn’t the put it in play. the R15 was on the market for around 13 months so these TM hatters need to get there facts straight before they start running there mouths.
    I’ve hit the M1 it feels great, sounds great and spins less around 500 rpm less in my case but i do spin it too much. I am by no means a TM fan boy most of my bag is Titleist i just use what works for me

    Reply Report comment

  6. MSLK

    Sep 23, 2015 at 3:36 pm

    wow that is so SHOCKING!!

    Reply Report comment

  7. Kobe

    Sep 20, 2015 at 11:32 am

    All OEM equipment is crap, period. Until you’ve hit JDM gear, you don’t know good. Eat that!

    Reply Report comment

    • graymulligan

      Sep 28, 2015 at 10:53 am

      Meanwhile, a guy in Japan posts on a forum telling his buddies that this domestic crap is awful, and everyone should start playing USDM gear.

      Reply Report comment

  8. Lowell

    Sep 19, 2015 at 12:01 pm

    I’m gonna get me one. Oh ya!!!!!

    Reply Report comment

  9. Brian T

    Sep 18, 2015 at 9:15 pm

    I’m not a big tmag fan but give me a break, there’s no way, no way tmag forced him to switch drivers this late in the season like so many claim. Him winning the fedex cup with any tailor-made driver is huge for them, bigger than risking him putting the M1 in play and losing the cup down the stretch. There’s only 1 reason he put it in the bag, and that would be that it was at a minimum, just a little better than his R15. I guarantee he wasn’t forced to do anything and can ultimately play any driver he wants. He just gets extra money if he plays the driver. And I’m betting it’s nowhere near 10 million to play the driver.

    Reply Report comment

  10. Jacob

    Sep 18, 2015 at 7:00 pm

    Well it seems that TM drivers are a lot easier to get used to than Titleist irons.

    Reply Report comment

  11. Whale

    Sep 18, 2015 at 6:12 pm

    It just goes to show you the high quality of Taylormade products, that the quality is so consistent and stable that the performance increases without having to change your swing

    Reply Report comment

    • Philip

      Sep 18, 2015 at 8:12 pm

      Especially when a manufacturer custom selects/designed the driver specifically for you due to your swing being so consistent that you win professional tournaments.

      Reply Report comment

      • Lar

        Sep 18, 2015 at 10:04 pm

        Oh yeah really that’s why Jordan switched back to the 714 AP2 and threw away the 716 lol

        Reply Report comment

  12. Adam

    Sep 18, 2015 at 5:23 pm

    When Sneds changes then you know its a great driver.

    It has been said a million times, what works for some may not work for others.

    I’m hitting the longest drives of my life with the 815 DBD with B series diamana.

    Reply Report comment

  13. TM

    Sep 18, 2015 at 3:49 pm

    Is this a ad for a floundering Golf company that is FOR SALE??? Give me a break….every 2 months a club that is longer and straighter than the one before…..shocking bs.

    Reply Report comment

    • Whale

      Sep 18, 2015 at 6:14 pm

      Better than that cr@p 915 stuff Titty made that doesn’t fly and I see loads of them returned on the shelf at my local golf shop but there’s hardly any TM drivers

      Reply Report comment

    • scott

      Sep 19, 2015 at 7:57 am

      floundering…..really dude. they are “floundering” relative to high expectations set based on past results. convince me they have lost MARKET SHARE and there is a discussion to be had, but “floundering” – no way.

      p.s. – being “for sale” only indicates the owner wants to invest elsewhere (like in making “Yeezy” sneakers). Every company that is “for sale” is not “floundering” – otherwise, a transaction would never get one.

      Reply Report comment

      • HKR

        Oct 12, 2015 at 8:23 am

        Tried the M1, Callaway XR and the Cobra Fly-Z BECAUSE my 915 would not travel and huge distance loss. All three were longer. M1 was third. Each to their own but I am disappointed with the 915 with the Rogue shaft. A bad buy for me.

        Reply Report comment

  14. Golfraven

    Sep 18, 2015 at 2:41 pm

    Don’t know how much TMAG paid Jason to say that stuff about his new driver in the furst round interview. That was purely scripted and contrived Pure marketing BS. again, it is his ball striking and not the driver entirely otherwise all the guys with the new M1 in bag would perform outstandly over the other staff players.

    Reply Report comment

  15. B-man

    Sep 18, 2015 at 2:32 pm

    Agreed. Shocking!

    Reply Report comment

  16. madgolfer

    Sep 18, 2015 at 2:16 pm

    I agree, why all this hate, I play the R15 and it is really good, tried the Callaway Alpha with the gravity core, I absolutely hate it(I used to hit the old geatest big bertha great) but the new one is rubbish to me.
    So, each to their own, I it works go for it if it does not switch like I did to R15.
    I also tried the cobra fly-z+ which a lot of people raves about but it did not work for me, lost 20 yards relative to the R15.
    So, if the M1 works why not, stop hating and start using what ever works for you 🙂

    Reply Report comment

    • Jack

      Sep 21, 2015 at 11:57 pm

      Seriously there are no bad drivers out there. Modern tech pretty much prevents that from happening.

      Reply Report comment

  17. TY

    Sep 18, 2015 at 1:55 pm

    Golfwrx’s headlines getting more and more click bait like?

    Reply Report comment

  18. dc1

    Sep 18, 2015 at 12:41 pm

    He’s playing so well right now he could hit a shovel 310 down the middle!

    Reply Report comment

    • Golfraven

      Sep 18, 2015 at 2:45 pm

      I agree! Dive him any brand or technology with the right shaft and you will not see significant difference.

      Reply Report comment

  19. Nick

    Sep 18, 2015 at 12:33 pm

    I don’t get what all the fuss is about. It’s a switch from an R15 to an M1….they’re not THAT different. It’s not like someone is playing a G30 and then switches to a Nike or something completely different. It’s just the next incremental iteration of the same club.

    Reply Report comment

  20. Shakers97

    Sep 18, 2015 at 12:16 pm

    I hit the new M1 yesterday. I drove the ball 4 1/2 miles. This morning I woke up and I was 20 pounds lighter, a foot taller and 10 years younger. My wife has turned into a model and my kids now all have straight A’s. But I’m not going to buy it. I don’t really like the shape and nobody on the PGA tour has won with it yet. I don’t want to waste my money until I’m sure.

    Reply Report comment

  21. joe

    Sep 18, 2015 at 12:15 pm

    To the TM haters: what club manufacturer is most prominent in your bag? If it’s Callaway, you’ll find a more accelerated product release cycle than TM. You will also find ads that make wild distance claims. In other words, you will find all of the things you claim to hate TM for. Why does Callaway get a pass?

    Reply Report comment

  22. Big Mike

    Sep 18, 2015 at 11:58 am

    They get paid to switch. and what better way to create a viral buzz than have players make the switch now and get it out on sites like WRX. Not saying it won’t be an improvement or great stick but am saying TM is a marketing machine that makes excellent equipment

    Reply Report comment

  23. ron

    Sep 18, 2015 at 11:50 am

    I hit the M1 460 yesterday with the Speeder Pro 60 shaft…. Impressive!!

    Reply Report comment

  24. Joe

    Sep 18, 2015 at 11:46 am

    I’m a 25 handicap. I bought new TM equipment and shot 68.

    Reply Report comment

  25. Archie Bunker

    Sep 18, 2015 at 11:29 am

    Pros who switch like this are paid salesmen. They sell the new product, even though it is carefully tweaked to make them happy. Often, it is not much different than what they’ve used previously. The product you buy off the shelf is produced for the masses, with a hefty profit built in to help pay for the PGA Tour salespersons. And like Gillette with its’ steady introduction of new and improved razor blades, I would guess that TM doesn’t introduce a new product until they have their successor already in production. Ready for the M-1 Burner anyone?

    Reply Report comment

    • Christestrogen

      Sep 18, 2015 at 1:29 pm

      No offense but the Gillette powered Mach 5 was/is life changing….u are comparing apples and trampolines dude

      Reply Report comment

      • cgasucks

        Sep 18, 2015 at 2:11 pm

        Try an old school safety razor…it changed my life after spending $$$ on Mach 5 cartridges..

        Reply Report comment

        • JMcDonough

          Sep 18, 2015 at 2:24 pm

          It’s like going from SGI to Forged CB’s. #nevergoingback

          Reply Report comment

    • Teaj

      Sep 18, 2015 at 1:37 pm

      Hmmm the Burning M
      the M Arrow

      Reply Report comment

  26. Chuck

    Sep 18, 2015 at 11:21 am

    Interesting to see Ryan Palmer switch, after so many years with a Burner Superfast in the bag. Palmer’s bag — as a TM staffer — is really unusual.

    http://www.golfwrx.com/267111/ryan-palmer-witb-2015/

    Reply Report comment

  27. Chuck

    Sep 18, 2015 at 11:18 am

    Ryan Palmer switching is an interesting factoid. Because he was one of those guys who kept a VERY old Burner Superfast in the bag as his old faithful driver, along with some other quirky choices. He only has about five TM clubs (driver, RBZ 3w, R15 5w, and the old TM wedges with interchangeable faces) along with some Titleist irons, a FourteeN driving iron, and an Odyssey putter. Still, he’s a staffer, right? With a cap- and bag- logo deal, right?

    Reply Report comment

  28. mo

    Sep 18, 2015 at 11:15 am

    OMG look at the launch numbers. 333 carry 13.6 launch 1700 spin. I absolutely love my R15 and the M1 will be a nice transition.

    Reply Report comment

    • Whale

      Sep 18, 2015 at 5:15 pm

      Yeah you know all about them trannies, don’t you Smizzle they’re your faves

      Reply Report comment

  29. Philip

    Sep 18, 2015 at 11:00 am

    Not shocking at all if there really isn’t much difference between the drivers anymore (other than gimmicks or more ability to adjust) and Jason has most certainly been testing one to get it perfect, besides the one he put in play is definitely of a higher precision level than the average stock sold to the average golfer.

    Reply Report comment

  30. Leon

    Sep 18, 2015 at 10:26 am

    That doesn’t M1 is a better driver.
    He switched to it because (1) His sponsor required him to do so. (2) He already tested it months before the release and every specification is met for his swing. (3) There is no different between M1 and his previous driver (R15), except the cosmetics. So, why not?

    More importantly, TM desperately needs to boost their driver sales, and playoff is a good stage for the marketing. Success or fail, TM doesn’t have many cards in hands.

    Reply Report comment

    • ooffa

      Sep 18, 2015 at 10:53 am

      Perfect comment. Everything you said is true. Nothing shocking at all. Clickbait headline. A GolfWRX trademark move.

      Reply Report comment

    • Chuck

      Sep 18, 2015 at 11:11 am

      I like the comment; appropriately thought-provoking. But I’m curious how TaylorMade “requires” a change. Is it in a contract? Is it a matter of good will; that is, TMaG makes it known to Day that they want him to feature it, and he likes getting tons of money from TMaG, so he does it even if there isn’t contract language to require it? What does that contract language look like? (It could be fascinating; we all understand the notion of playing products produced by “your” manufacturer, and we have all heard of 12-, 13- and 14-club deals. But what about specifying models in a contract?) Not every TM staffer switched. And I expect that some might never put an M1 in play, even while they play a different TMaG driver and remain on staff. I wish I knew how much Day gets from TMaG. I don’t even have a guess. Is it $500k? Or is it ten times that amount? Somebody must know; TMaG has fifty guys under similar contracts. It can’t be such a secret.

      And it is a very good point that the rollout week for a big product probably comes after every player has gone through the usual process; they are given protos to try out. The tour staff goes away with the player’s comments, and returns with two dozen carefully-spec’ed identical clubs for the player to choose from.

      Still, every tour player will tell you that every club is different. And there is that confidence factor. There is simply nothing like that exact club that you have just won a major with. In the end, these players — many of them in their twenties — are still golfers. And if given a chance to hit a driver that they think will go farther, or straighter, or be more workable, or sound better… well they are a lot like the rest of us recreational players, right?

      Reply Report comment

    • DatSliceDoe

      Sep 18, 2015 at 11:14 am

      yep, this guy gets it!

      Reply Report comment

    • Scooter McGavin

      Sep 18, 2015 at 12:31 pm

      Meh… maybe half true. 1) yes, it may be part of his contract to play the most recent woods, but Taylormade isn’t going to force him to change in the middle of the FedEx Cup playoff if he isnt ready. They would rather see him win with an R15 than lose with an M1. 2) yes. 3) that’s an overt hyperbole. While it might be true to the average Joe golfer like you or me, these pros will certainly notice even the most subtle differences between clubs. And for the last part about success or fail, see #1.

      Reply Report comment

  31. Andrew

    Sep 18, 2015 at 10:21 am

    Check your photos of the event and Breden Todd has an M1 cover on an R1 driver…hardly call that switching??

    I’ll happily be proved wrong and before anybody asks I’m keen to try the driver when it’s available in the UK

    Reply Report comment

  32. Kt

    Sep 18, 2015 at 10:19 am

    When you come out with the exact same clubs every year, I could understand how it was such a simple switch.

    Reply Report comment

  33. KD

    Sep 18, 2015 at 10:10 am

    Small detail missing, how much $$$ did they receive to play the new driver?

    Reply Report comment

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