TaylorMade SLDR Driver Review – How Low Is The Spin?

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TaylorMade SLDR Driver - 4 Perspectives

This is a review of the 460cc model of the TaylorMade SLDR driver, considered the companion club to the SLDR fairway wood.

With a clubhead that’s larger and more forgiving than the 430cc model, the 460 SLDR driver packs a serious punch for high-spinners and other golfers alike.

Read on to find out what you need to know about this quality driver to make an informed purchase.

Note: Unless otherwise stated, stock shafts and stock grips are used when evaluating this club. In most cases, the golf clubs reviewed on Golfstead are acquired temporarily for testing purposes and are not purchased. The review that follows is based on the personal experience and research of the author. Because everyone’s swing and body are different, results with a particular club may differ from person to person.


What are the reviews like?

Surprise, surprise (or not): the SLDR driver has excellent ratings.

It has 4.6/5 stars based on over 130 reviews on Global Golf, and 4.6/5 stars based on over 67 reviews on the TaylorMade website.

Although the driver is many years old, it still remains very relevant and delivers a modern, quality performance.

What People Like

  • extensive adjustability (loft as well as sliding weight for shot shapes)
  • decent forgiveness and consistency

Many have gained 10-20 yards distance when switching from other drivers like the TaylorMade R1 and Callaway RAZR.

What People Don’t Like

  • this driver isn’t terribly forgiving like a game improvement driver might be
  • may not be the best fit for high-handicappers who regularly miss the sweet spot

Overview & Features

Low & Forward CG

The center of gravity of the SLDR driver is low and forward, and this has the effect of increasing ball speed and reducing spin. The SLDR is one of the lowest spinning drivers available.

Combining the CG with the ability to adjust the loft (and therefore the launch angle), you can potentially gain some serious distance off the tee over your previous driver.

Sliding Sole Weight

The SLDR driver also has an adjustable weight that can be moved closer to the heel of the club to promote a draw, or moved closer to the toe to promote a fade.

Effectively, this weight shifts the center of gravity horizontally.

The change in trajectory resulting from moving the weight can be as much as 30 yards in either direction.

Stock Info

The driver is available in three lofts (9.5°, 10.5°, 12° (HL)) and each of these lofts can be adjusted in increments of plus or minus 1.5°, up to 9° in either direction.

There are also markings on the crown that assist with alignment.

The full specs for the club and the Fujikura Speeder 57 shaft are below for those who are interested:

LoftHandLieVolumeLengthSwing Weight
Right59° - 62°460 cc45.5"D4
9.5°Right/Left59° - 62°460 cc45.5"D4
10.5°Right59° - 62°460 cc45.5"D4
12°Right/Left59° - 62°460 cc45.5"D4
FlexWeightTorqueTip SizeButtGripSTD LengthGrip Weight
X-Stiff613.30.350.62TM 36045.554
Stiff583.40.350.62TM 36045.554
Regular553.50.350.62TM 36045.554
Senior533.60.350.62TM 36045.554

How does the driver perform?

Forgiveness

The 460cc model is, without a doubt, more forgiving than the 430cc model. In absolutes, however, it isn’t quite as forgiving as other drivers in a similar price range such as the R1 or Big Bertha.

In addition, one disadvantage the 460cc model has is that feedback on mis-hits is not as clear, and this makes it more difficult to correct flaws in your swing. There are certainly better options if you’re looking for good side-to-side forgiveness on the face.

If you can hit most of your drives flush, you will be able to hit it a long way and get the most out of this driver.

Even if you don’t quite get the sweet spot though, you’ll still retain a good ball speed and good trajectory.

Distance

Shots hit solidly with this driver really do go far when you have the correct loft dialed in, and they do have low spin.

Mis-hits will generally see a loss in distance, but unless you’re severely off the mark, you should still get decent results.

Just make sure you experiment with different lofts (and perhaps shafts) and settle on the one that works best for you; you might need more loft than you’re normally accustomed to because of the low-spin attribute of the driver.

Performance

High-spin golfers may be surprised by the lower-spin trajectory that this driver produces.

Typically, the ball will reach its peak height quickly, carry for a ways and then drop quickly.

It may be alarming, but you will find that it yields great results.


What about look, sound & feel?

The Look

The SLDR driver has a similar design and colour ensemble to the SLDR fairway wood, with a dark metallic finish on the crown, a line graphic to assist with alignment, and a slick sole design with blue accents.

There is a nice contrast between the face and crown as well as a line graphic; these allow for an easier, more accurate alignment and setup.

At 460cc, the head is rather large, but at the same time, it’s not clunky or disproportional.

The Sound & Feel

Hits with the driver feel very solid and satisfying, and the sound can be characterized as a “medium-to-low whack” — not high pitched or hollow like some lower quality drivers out there.

It’s a good sound that helps reinforce the feeling you’re swinging a quality driver.


Where should you buy this driver online?

At this time, I would discourage you from buying on Amazon, partly because of the limited availability and partly because you can find better prices elsewhere. Amazon is not as good of a source for golf clubs as they used to be.

While the SLDR model is quite old now, you can still find it in a couple places online. There are two places where you can get the driver at a great discount.

The first is eBay, which is a fantastic source for new and used SLDR drivers.

The second is Global Golf, which offers many attractive policies and deals (check out the current coupon codes) that make the buying process relatively painless. Do note that their stock may run out soon.


Conclusion

Pros

  • very long and consistent if you make good contact
  • great look with helpful alignment graphics
  • easy to adjust loft and shot shape tendencies
  • relatively low price point

Cons

  • not the most forgiving club for hits that don’t touch the sweet spot
  • low-spin trajectory can take some getting used to

The TaylorMade SLDR driver is an excellent driver that would be a valuable addition to the bag of any amateur or skilled golfer.

For those who want modern adjustability and performance at a very affordable price (now at rock-bottom prices), this is definitely a club to consider.


If you have any thoughts or opinions about the SLDR driver, feel free to leave a comment below!

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2 Comments

  1. Brandon September 20, 2015
    • Paul September 20, 2015

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