3balls Golf
TaylorMade has long been the name in adjustable golf drivers, but the new R15 fairways may be the first solid attempt in golf at an adjustable club that belongs outside the tee box. Even so, like with an adjustable driver, setting up an adjustable fairway can be frustrating and takes a lot of time to get just right. If you have some idea what each adjustment will do for your game, though, it can speed the process up considerably.
So before you head out to the course with your shiny new R15, let us give you some pointers for getting the most from your club.
Loft Up with the Adjustable Hosel
TaylorMade has spent the last couple of years demanding that you #LoftUp, and that still applies to the R15 Fairways. These low-spinning fairways can give you a lot more distance if you loft up more, but not so much that your balls are ballooning. Adjust that loft all the way up, then tweak it by slowing coming back down until the ball shows a penetrating flight pattern to find your ideal loft setting.
It’s important to keep in mind that with the R15’s adjustable hosel, you’ll also be opening and closing the face as you adjust. Raising the loft from neutral to +2 degrees will close the face down, lowering it below neutral to -2 degrees will open the face up. So if you tend to slice badly, make sure you loft up to close the face down and maintain that closed face at address.
Influence Ball Flight with Adjustable Weights
Unlike regular fairways, the R15s have an adjustable weight on the sole that can help shape shots from the fairway. Some players have worried that the groove for the moveable weight might become a dirt magnet, and though that seems to be the case in real life, it also doesn’t seem to affect play.
When adjusting your 25-gram sliding weight, pay attention to the direction you’re sliding it. This is kind of a no-brainer, but in case your markings are covered in mud, we’ll walk you through it.
Sliding the weight toward the heel increases the draw bias, helping to compensate for your slice or fade. Sliding the weight toward the toe increased the fade bias, which helps with a hook or a draw. If you need something less extreme, move the weight more toward the middle until you see your ball is flying more or less in a straight trajectory.
If you’ve not yet picked up your TaylorMade R15 fairways, there’s no time like the present! Check out the huge selection of fairways from top names like TaylorMade, Titleist and Callaway at 3balls.com. We’ve got new and used golf clubs you’ll love at prices that won’t break your golf budget.
