I love this club! I play of 27 at the moment and this club suits me perfectly. Not only do I get good distance when I hit it in the middle but the mistimed shots only travel a bit less and they still go quite straight. This club would be excellent for a mid-high handicapper who wants confidence off the tee.

Similar Products Used:

GBB, Cleveland Launcher

I resisted the opportunity to jump straight in with a review after my first round with this driver. And I'm glad I did! My first impressions were of disappointment. I could'nt get the ball more than a few feet in the air. There were painful vibrations through the stiff graphite shaft and, most perplexing of all, sparks were literally flying off the head. Several, similar, rounds later I discovered the problem. I was backing out of the shot and paying the driver too much respect. Now a year later I am amazed how much my game has changed. I am averaging an extra 50yds (no kidding)on my drive and the ball goes straight! To be fair this is the first decent driver I have tried after picking an ex demo up for £80, but I am so impressed. Here's what I think Pro's Huge Sweets Spots Stiff Shaft Hits a long way Hits straight almost all the time My average score has come down to low 90's from 110 Con's Mates dont want to play with me anymore! Perhaps wasted on a non-handicapped golfer like me Head cover is terrible

Customer Service

Not Needed

I started playing at the age of 49 in March 2005. A friend had given me a set of old Northwestern clubs. Since I started a new business recently, I concluded I would at least need to learn how to not humiliate myself. I started out at a practice dome. I couldn’t hit the driver to save my life. I toe’d one ball directly into the rear end of the lady next to me. I’m sure it left a big bruise because she was rubbing the spot for quite a while. That kind of messed up the rest of my practice session seeing that going on out of the corner of my eye. The irons were oversized (which was nice for a beginner), but the last time I used the 5 iron, I decided to really give it all I had. I hit the ball but the head flew off, going the entire length of the dome and put a hole in the back wall. That really pissed off the guy behind the counter, so I never went back there. Luckily the outdoor ranges opened the next week. Since I couldn’t hit a driver, I tee’d off with my 3 iron and didn’t hit a single fairway the entire round. My first full round of 18 I scored 126. Well I thought that score pretty much sucks. So I tried every different driver I could from folks at the range. Finally I came to this site and read every review for each of the big name manufacturers. I decided to purchase a TM R580XD 9.5 degree with a regular shaft (because the goof at the golf store looked at a middle aged guy and determined, old = slow). I was spraying the ball all over the driving range (a different one) at about 170 to 190 yards. After about six weeks of this crap, I went back to the store and asked if I could have my swing speed checked. It turns out I have an average swing speed of 111 and a max swing speed of 124. The young guy helping me really seemed to know his stuff. I had them change the shaft to a Graffalloy Blue Stiff. I also had them Pure the shaft for another $15. Man what a difference! A nice easy swing with a little oomph, playing the ball even off my left toe produces a straight out shot that has dropped at the 250 sign at the range more times than I can count. Fast forward…. By the end of the season my best score was 95. Putting needs serious work. When I am not nervous and hit a decent drive I have been able to put it out 245 to 260 with consistency. Not always in the fairway, but I’m not hitting it into the next fairway like I used too and it’s out a good distance. At least the guys in my group (the slackers) don’t make wise cracks about my tee shots any more. And every once in a while I manage to make a rather good (lucky) shot that actually goes very close to where I wanted it to go. The best advice I can offer is, first, “Do the homework”. Check what equipment is available in your price range and get some competent help to determine what is best for you. Once that is done they will be able to dial in the correct shaft & club head to match your swing. Second, have the shaft Pured. It’s like having the tires on your car balanced. The shaft is tested for the position in which it will deliver the most consistent performance. I noticed the vibration is virtually nonexistent unless I hit the perimeter (either way inside or way outside) of the face. Check http://www.sstpure.com. Third, find out what the third step is because I don’t know, I’m new at this, but I’m sure there’s more. If you decide to go with a 580XD, I sincerely believe you will not be disappointed. It’s very forgiving and I am starting to develop that slight draw everybody talks about. Not as often as I would like, but I’ve seen it come off my club so I’ll get it one of these days. Oh, one more thing! If you haven’t played with a large head driver before, you might need a little time to get used to it. One of my friends that tried it said it was kind of like swinging a toaster on the end of a fishing rod. I wouldn’t know I don’t fish either.

Customer Service

Not yet needed.

Similar Products Used:

Ping, Callaway, Northwestern, Perfect Club, Titlest, Snake Eyes and more I can’t remember.

I got this club when it was first released onto the market, I compared it to the Titlest, Cobra, Cleveland Launcher and the Big Bertha II. I love this club! Half a dozen swings with it and I was sold. I'm a big swinger and when I stepped up from a callaway steelhead to this, it was a great improvement. I can really work the ball with this club and when I want to, I can absolutely hammer the thing. I've hit several drives over 315+, but Im pretty consistantly in the 290-300 range. I use the stock TM stiff shaft and it works pretty well, however I get a very low ball flight with it. I think an exchange with a lower-kick-point shaft will get the desired ball flight I really want. In addition to being long and versatile, I also find that it is very forgiving. My off center shots rarely go haywire and usually still leave me in pretty good shape. With this club being >$200 now, I can honestly say if you are looking for a 'newer' generation driver, but dont want to spend 400 bucks.. give this club a try.

Similar Products Used:

Titleist 975, Callaway BBII, Cobra, Callaway steelhead, Cleveland Launcher.

I play in the low 80's high 70's and am amassed (like the other gentleman who also posted) how people who shot in the 90's and 80's claim to hit 300+, need to hit the tour guys! I am happy with 250-270 in the fairway. This club (like ANY CLUB) needs to be fitted, took 6 shaft/loft combinations to get me to hit 255/265 with a nice ever slight draw 7/10 times.

Customer Service

None BUT, brother-in-law broke shaft in year+ R-580 an he got a new shaft plus two day UPS shipping at no cost.

Similar Products Used:

R-580, Ping TEC, Callaway Big bertha

Stock shaft is horrible. 10.5 launches drives straight up, face has no pop compared to other heads. I got it new for 140, and traded it in and got 110 for it. So many other options out there, dont bother!

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Everything, McGregor, Bang, Ben Hogan

I didn't like this club. I played it for one season with the standard stiff shaft. This club consistently hit a fade for me. I shortened the shaft to 43" and still hit a fade on a normal swing. I could set up to pull the drive and could get it straight that way, but that isn't a preferred method. This year I stepped back a generation and am playing a R540 driver which is a lot better, but a bit shorter. Much more controllable, and playing this club at 43". I did a club/swing analysis just recently and found that the torque on the stock shaft is too weak. The opinion of my club pro is that the oem shafts are pretty much terrible all around. I'm using a Grafalloy ProLaunch, stiff, low torque shaft now at 44" and it's made a LOT of difference. I would bet that a better shaft in 580XD would make a notable difference in this club, but as a stock club I can't recommend it. If you have or test a 580XD, use a ball strike sticker on the face of the club. If your pattern runs diagonal, such as low heel to high toe, then it's a more than likely a torque issue. It's worth checking out. Lots of folks are thinking that these clubs are a good deal since the R5 and R7 are out, but if you have to spend another 60-95 bucks to get a decent shaft, then all of the sudden it isn't such a good deal.

Customer Service

never needed any.

Similar Products Used:

TM Burner Bubble, 540 and 540XD.

It never ceases to amaze me the kind of distances people claim to be hitting these clubs and still making high scores. Granted, distance does not make a good golfer, but 290, 320 and such on a regular basis seems a bit over inflated. My handicap is in the 5's and if I can hit a drive 250 I am very happy. That being said: This is an excellent product. Any club, when hit on the screws (assuming the shaft is even close to what you should have) is going to go long and straight. This club's strength is not its extraordinary distance (which is solid), but its ability to make a not so good hit turn out not so bad. Keep it in play folks. A 300 yd drive into the parking lot looks alot worse than 220 just in the rough. I love this club. I bought it for $199 at the beginning of the 2005 season and it has been great. No need to drop the 399 or whatever for the r7. Lets face it, most people do not understand the weighting anyway. If you really want that feature, spend $5 and get a pack of lead tape. Bottom line: Great club, great value and just keep it in the fairway and you will aggrivate your playing buddies plenty. Let them gripe, "Just hit it in the fairway again and lets go find our balls."

Customer Service

No experience.

Similar Products Used:

Titleist, Callaway

today is my 13th birthday, and i went to golf town today to pick out a new driver, (i played a piece of crap ram before) and tryed out a few drivers on the simulator. of all the ones i tried this was definitly the longest and most consistent of all , and can you say forgiving!! i was hiting my mis-hits over 210 yards, which is what i usually average with my other driver on a good hit, i actually hit 3 of them over 240 yards which is prettty damn good for me considering im only 120 pounds. it is also easy to work, i can fade it or draw it mostly when i wanted which ive never been able to do. i was hitting it consistently, as i hit 10-15 in a row between 220 and 245 yards. the only downside to this club is the stock grip, i mean its not bad, its just not that great. it wasnt a bad deal, not great but 270 canadian is pretty reasonable for the best driver ive ever hit. i will update after a few weeks usage.

Customer Service

havent needed yet.

Similar Products Used:

tm r580, orlimar vt 440(i think thats the name), which was fairly long but not as forgiving, nike nds (fairly forgiving just not as long).

How can you shoot in the 70's, admit that you play an xtra stiff and review a club with a regular shaft? The last review is dead wrong. If you play the right shaft in this club, it is great. I first reviewed this one after I bought it (117. off E-Bay..like new) and liked it. Now, after a summer of use, it is THE driver in the sack. Great sound, forgiving, and just a great club for the money. Great club, but be sure you play the right flex and loft for your swing speed.

Customer Service

no problems mate

Similar Products Used:

TM 420 Burner, SMT 455DB, TM Supersteel (junk)