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From the GolfWRX archives: 2013 TaylorMade R1 driver (editor review)

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Editor’s note: Looking ahead to where we take our golf equipment coverage in the future (launch season will be here soon enough!), we want to look behind us more frequently. What does that mean, exactly? Well, we want to both place new releases in their historical contexts and highlight past coverage by, as we have done from time to time, opening the GolfWRX archives. 

For this installment, we’re taking a look at former Editor-in-Chief (and honestly, one of the best gear writers to ever do it) Zak Kozuchowski’s excellent review of the iconic/divisive 2013 TaylorMade R1 driver. TM had just concluded the R11 era and was about to foray into RBZ and SLDR territory. 

A portion of Zak’s piece is below (full article here).


TaylorMade, the king of drivers, has done it again. Bold moves visually and performance tweaks make what was a great driver perform better. It’s hard to do but fitters around the country support our opinion that the 2013 R1 Driver can stand proud. Below you will see GolfWRX tried to stay as objective as possible and also add a lot of technical information to describe the differences over last years R11s.

Pros: The TaylorMade R1 improves on the company’s premium driver from a year ago, the R11S, offering slightly more ball speed and less spin thanks to a lower, more forward center of gravity. It’s also quieter than the ear-ringing R11S, and more forgiving on misses low on the face.

Cons: The racing stripe on the crown isn’t as bold as TaylorMade’s decision to go white, but it will still irk purists. A “real deal” stock shaft offering is absent, as is a stock shaft option over 65 grams. A new “loft sleeve” means previous TaylorMade driver sleeves won’t fit in the R1.

Bottom Line: TaylorMade has crept ahead with the R1 with more adjustability and more performance, but word is out on how golfers will receive the graphic-infused crown. Golfers upgrading from the R11S should expect to add 0.5 degrees of loft or more from their current setup, which will give them the high-launch, low-spin conditions necessary for more distance.

R1 Driver Review

The paint on the crown of TaylorMade’s R1 driver will get all the buzz early in 2013, taking the focus off what’s really impressive about the new driver, unrivaled adjustability.

According to TaylorMade, data from the company’s MATT club fitting systems across the country showed that 80 percent of golfers were playing the wrong loft in their drivers, and that 35 percent of them were 2 degrees or more away from their optimal loft.

That’s why the new R1 driver has a 4-degree range of adjustability, from 8 degrees to 12 degrees, giving golfers no excuse for having the wrong loft.

The wide-range of lofts are possible through the company’s revamped loft sleeve (formally called FCT), which is adjustable  in 0.5-degree increments to give golfers 12 different loft settings.

That’s an improvement over R11S, which came in three different lofts — 9, 10.5 and 12 — and only allowed golfers to adjust the loft 1.5 degrees higher or lower.

The loft sleeve was designed in conjunction with the driver’s revamped adjustable sole plate, which has seven different settings that can change the R1’s face angle as much as 3 degrees open or closed in 1-degree increments. This is another another upgrade over the R11S, which gave golfers 5 settings that adjusted in 1.5-degree increments.

The added loft settings are extremely important because of the R1’s lower, more forward center of gravity, as most golfers will underestimate the amount of loft they’ll need for optimal launch conditions. And the face angle adjustability is a necessity as well, because a 1-degree change in loft on the R1 will result in a 2-degree change in face angle.

The R1 is shipped with a standard loft of 10 degrees and face angle that is designed to be “visually square” at address (TaylorMade says a visually square face angle actually measures 2 degrees open). If 1.5 degrees of additional loft is added, the face angle will close 3 degrees. But by wrenching the face angle adapter to the 3-degrees open setting, a golfer can return the face angle to visually square.

Read the rest of the original article from 2013 here.

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. F

    Oct 9, 2025 at 3:40 pm

    My 3hc buddy still plays this driver with Proforce V2. A pro at our club convinced him to “upgrade” to Stealth last year. That lasted 6mo, then it was back to R1. That club is really loud ? compared to modern drivers.

    • Benny

      Oct 12, 2025 at 3:25 pm

      Oh I bet. Those heads were so “tink’sh’ and not at all what we are used to today.

      These were long and with the right combo forgiving. But the adjustability and weight was all a joke.

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Equipment

Tour Edge unveils all-new Exotics mini driver

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Tour Edge Golf has today introduced the all-new Exotics mini driver, engineered to deliver a powerful combination of speed, control, and versatility in the long game. 

The Exotics Mini combines a titanium face with a stainless-steel body in design to balance ball speed with stability and control, creating a versatile option at the top end of the bag. 

At the core of the design is Tour Edge’s proprietary Combo Brazing technology, a high-precision thermal bonding process that seamlessly fuses a titanium cup face to a stainless-steel body into a single, continuous structure. By eliminating energy loss found in traditional multi-piece constructions, Combo Brazing is designed to deliver faster face response, more efficient energy transfer, and a uniquely powerful yet controlled feel.

The multi-material construction also allows mass to be positioned lower and deeper in the head in a bid to increase stability, while the thin titanium face is engineered to maintain ball speed across a wider impact area.

“While the initial goal was to enhance control and versatility in the long game, Combo Brazing ultimately drove measurable gains in ball speed and distance within the mini driver category. In robot testing, we’ve documented higher ball speeds, higher launch, reduced spin, and increased carry and total distance compared to leading models.” – Vice President of R&D Matt Neeley

In addition to distance performance, the Exotics mini emphasizes forgiveness through a heavier stainless-steel body that shifts mass toward the perimeter. This configuration increases MOI relative to traditional all-titanium mini drivers, helping preserve ball speed and directional stability on off-center strikes. Paired with Pyramid Face Technology from the Exotics metalwood line, the design is intended to support consistent speed across the face.

To further enhance MOI, a lightweight carbon fiber crown frees additional mass that is strategically repositioned low and deep in the head in design to improve stability and promote optimal launch with controlled spin.

“We designed the Mini to be about five millimeters shallower than other mini drivers on the market. That change improves playability off the deck. From a clean fairway lie, it can function as a strong 3-wood alternative while still providing control off the tee.” – Tour Edge CEO David Glod

An adjustable hosel system allows for loft and lie tuning to dial in trajectory and shot shape, while a fixed 13-gram rear weight helps stabilize the head through impact to improve dispersion consistency. The Exotics Mini Driver is available in 11.5 and 13.5-degree lofts in right-handed models.

Pricing & Availability

The Exotics Mini Driver is available for pre-order beginning today for $399.99 USD at touredge.com, and will be available for purchase at retail outlets worldwide on May 22, 2026. 

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Equipment

Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss

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In our forums, our members have been pitting a Srixon ZXi combo against a TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo. WRXer ‘edutch22’ is on the hunt for a new set of irons and kicks off the thread saying:

“Looking at picking up a new set of irons and think I’ve narrowed it down to Srixon ZXi combo or Taylormade P7CB/770 combo. I am currently a 5 cap and allbeit I feel irons are my weakness. My miss is a little to the toe side. I am decently steep at 4-5 down. Always thought I am high spin but recently on trackman my 7 was spinning at 5800 roughly. 

My question or looking for thoughts on which one would benefit me more from a forgiveness standpoint? Or is there another iron is should be looking at entirely? I only get to play about once or twice a week, if I am not playing a 2-3 day event. Thanks in advance.”

And our members have been sharing their thoughts and suggestions in response.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • manima1: “You just can’t go wrong with Srixon ZXi7.”
  • MattM97: “You have to hit them to know, the V-Sole on the Srixon can be make or break for many.”
  • dmeeksDC: “P7CB is more forgiving for me than ZXi7 because my main miss is low middle and the P7CB still flies and spins great on that miss. These are both really nice irons but I like the P7CB more than the Zxi7 and the P770 (or P790) more than the Zxi5. The Srixons are larger so if that gives you confidence that is the way to go. I don’t feel like I get any benefit from the V-sole and the P7CBs live up to their high Maltby forgiveness rating so the TaylorMades have been great for me.”

Entire Thread: “Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”

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Equipment

From the GolfWRX Classifieds: 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @pianoman0123 has a 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo up for grabs.

From the listing: “2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade Combo.  4-8 irons are CB’s and the 9,PW are Blades.  5-PW have Project X 6.0 Shafts and the 4 Iron has a Steelfiber CW110 Stiff Shaft.   Standard Length, Lie and Lofts.  These are in very good condition the shafts just don’t work for me.  Like new Lamkin Grips on the 5-PW and a stock Golf Pride on the 4 Iron. $525 OBO.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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