3balls Golf
The TaylorMade R11S driver was built for a world where one-size-fits-all simply doesn’t, and this tends to be especially true in the world of golf. This upgrade to the R11 driver brings with it 460 cubic centimeters of club head and 32 more settings than its predecessor, which may leave a golfer new to adjustable drivers scratching their head trying to find their optimal settings. The beauty, as well as the curse, of the R11S is that it was designed to work for a wide range of golfers – determining the optimum settings for your game will require some patience and dialing-in (or a professional fitting). To help you get your driver in order, we’ll explain what each setting does and how it can affect your game.
Flight Control Technology
The FCT on the R11S allows you to adjust the loft of your head by as much as 1.5 degrees, using one of eight settings. By adjusting the angle of your clubhead ever so slightly, you can get a higher loft that will give your ball more air or tune it down for a lower loft and a straighter shot. Once you’ve got it dialed in, the FCT is all about adding distance to your game.
Adjustable Sole Plate Technology
If your driver’s face angle needs an adjustment, look no further than the ASP. Five settings give you a six-degree range of motion and you can choose to open or close the face of your club without affecting the loft. An adjustable sole plate can compensate for issues in side-to-side trajectories, but not every golfer needs to move beyond neutral.
Moveable Weight Technology
Two moveable weights in the clubhead allow you to shift the center of gravity as needed. Although this has been a feature in TaylorMade clubs for years, it’s not a point to ignore. Moving the weight toward the toe will encourage more fade; moving the weight to the heel encourages draws. With the right center of gravity, you may discover you’re finding the fairway more often.
The R11S is an incredible driver for all levels of golfers, especially those who want the flexibility to adjust their driver on the fly based on swing changes or for different courses, but there is no single set of optimum settings – each tweak changes the way the driver works with your individual swing. Although this club is nothing short of amazing when used properly, it may cause many golfers to doubt their settings and end up frustrated as they constantly tweak and test.
If you’re a casual player, the TaylorMade R11S can be overwhelming for some as some say it’s not a grab and go kind of driver. Many golfers will be just as happy – and play just as well – with drivers that offer little to no customization. Keep in mind the R11S can be that as well, just leave the settings on factory neutral and go out and play. Once you start to get comfortable on the neutral settings, then you can make slight adjustments as you continue to play. Do not feel as though you need attempt to fix your club every time out on the course. There is no question that whether you tinker with the settings or not the R11S has improved many golfers driving abilities and scores!
