TaylorMade R5 Dual Driver Review

As someone who has worked in the golf retail business for quite a few years now it really is incredible to see how year after year TaylorMade seems to have the best selling driver on the market. It is the same story again this year, this time with the R5 Dual.   At first appearance …

As someone who has worked in the golf retail business for quite a few years now it really is incredible to see how year after year TaylorMade seems to have the best selling driver on the market. It is the same story again this year, this time with the R5 Dual.

 

At first appearance the R5 Dual looks to be the poor mans version of the R7, and it is, sort of. But not really. The R5 is a much bigger, more forgiving driver than its brother the R7. Yes, the R5 does have weights inserted in the head but no, these weights are not interchangeable. The weights come in two configurations, either Type N – neutral weighted, or Type D – draw biased. By doing this TaylorMade has built a driver that can be fit to anybody to match their ball flight. Aside from the weights the R5 Dual is basically an upgraded version of the 580 XD. At 450 cc’s the R5 has one of the highest MOI’s of any driver available and is extremely easy to hit. The driver comes with the M.A.S. 2 shaft made by Fujikura, the Type N and D heads have slightly different shafts designed to work with the weight configuration.

 

Although sales of the R7 driver have been great this is the driver that 95% of golfers should be using. It is just that much easier to hit. The R5 is a great driver for someone who is just looking to hit the ball straight and gain some forgiveness on their mishits. The main drawback to the R5 is that it is lacking in feel. Like the 580 XD drivers before it the R5 has a very tinny, hollow feel. A number of customers seem to be confused with the weight system that TaylorMade has on this driver, most people assume that the weights can be changed on the back just like the R7. It also sits a couple of degrees closed at address. Because of this it is not a driver I recommend for the lower handicap player but as I said before, for a golfer looking for forgiveness in a driver this is a great one to try.

 

Overall Rating – 70%

 

Target Handicap: 10 and up

 

Ball Flight: Mid-high

 

Lofts: 7.5, 8.5, 9.5, 10.5, 12

 

Shafts: M.A.S. 2, Ladies, Senior, Regular, Stiff, Tour Stiff