New Driver Combines Larger-Sized Clubhead with TaylorMade’s Renowned Movable Weight Technology
CARLSBAD, Calif. (November 10, 2005) – TaylorMade Golf Company has introduced the r7 425, a new addition to the r7 family of drivers that includes the original r7 quad, the r7 quad TP and the r7 quad ht. Like those drivers, the 425 employs TaylorMade’s revolutionary Movable Weight technology.
The r7 425 features 28 grams of movable weight divided between two widely spaced TaylorMade Launch Control (TLC) ports, allowing for a lateral shift in CG position of up to 5 millimeters. Robot testing indicates that the 425 delivers a lateral trajectory change of up to 13 yards when the TLC cartridges are configured to promote the maximum amount of either draw or fade. Likewise, players can configure the TLC cartridges to increase or decrease their spin-rate to promote changes in the height of their tee shots, either higher or lower. After a trajectory is chosen, the 425 makes it easier to achieve that trajectory over and over, thanks in part to the club’s exceptionally high MOI and its large 425cc head.
Compared to the original r7 quad, the 425 promotes a wider change in trajectory in terms of both height and lateral movement; it’s more forgiving; and visually encourages greater confidence.
Movable Weight Technology
The r7 425 incorporates four TLC ports, and includes four TLC cartridges: two 2-gram and two 12-gram. By inserting the cartridges into the TLC ports in different configurations, players can change the CG location to promote a broad range of launch conditions. Specifically, the array of TLC cartridges that accompanies the 425 allows the choice of six CG positions. Using a driver that offers a choice of six launch conditions gives players the freedom to choose the launch conditions that work best with their swing to promote greater distance and accuracy.
Compared to the r7 quad, the r7 425 is set up to promote a higher trajectory when the cartridges are configured to deliver a high and neutral ball flight. And because the 425’s TLC ports are spaced wider apart, it promotes significantly more draw when the cartridges are configured to promote more draw, and slightly more draw when the cartridges are configured to promote a draw.
The 425 also includes a TLC cartridge tool specially engineered to install and remove TLC cartridges; a TLC Trajectory Wheel for assistance with configuring cartridges to achieve specific types of trajectories; and a Movable Weight Technology user manual.
Ultra-Thin Wall Technology
The r7 425 was made possible by TaylorMade’s Ultra-Thin Wall (UTW) technology, a casting process that allows the clubhead walls to be just 0.6mm thick, which is fully 40% thinner than the walls of most competitive drivers, and 25% thinner than the walls of the original r7 quad. This saves weight and allows TaylorMade engineers to increase the amount of movable weight to 28 grams, while still making the head 25cc larger.
Pull-Face Construction and Inverted Cone Technology
Like all TaylorMade r7 and r5 drivers, the r7 425 is built using Pull-Face Construction, wherein the clubface is made separately from the clubhead. That allows TaylorMade to cold-roll the clubface out of exceptionally strong titanium, resulting in an exceedingly fast, flexible and light clubface that bumps up against the USGA’s limit for spring-like effect.
The 425 also features TaylorMade’s groundbreaking Inverted Cone Technology (ICT). The Inverted Cone, which is milled directly onto the inner side of the clubface, increases the size of the club’s COR Zone, which is the portion of the clubface that delivers high COR (more than .800). What that means is that ICT allows a larger area of the face to deliver consistently higher ball velocity, resulting in consistently longer drives. An added advantage of ICT is that the exceptionally light clubface allows the saved weight to be put to use as discretionary weight.
TaylorMade RE·AX Shaft with Fujikura Performance Technology
The r7 425 comes equipped with the new TaylorMade REâ?¢AX shaft that features a new technology developed by Fujikura, maker of the No. 1 shaft on the PGA Tour.
A golf shaft exhibits a tendency to change from a circular shape to an oval shape as it bends and twists while subjected to the normal forces of the forwardswing. Fujikura’s new technology helps to make the shaft dynamics more consistent and more stable, which promotes improved consistency and accuracy from shot to shot. This new technology is characterized by one sheet of graphite woven into an intricate, strength-enhancing pattern. This graphite sheet reinforces the shaft’s cross-sectional integrity, allowing the shaft to better maintain and recover its circular shape during the swing. The complex pattern in which the graphite sheet is woven is visible through a "window" just below the grip. This graphite sheet is positioned in the mid-section, from just below the grip to midway down the length of the shaft, covering 25% of the shaft’s length. This strengthens the medium-diameter cross-section just above the soft small-diameter tip section, which stabilizes the middle of the shaft so that its cross-sections remain circular. That also allows the tip section to flex more powerfully and consistently to promote a higher launch angle, faster ball speed, greater distance, enhanced accuracy and improved feel.
More Movable Weight Combined with a Larger Sized Clubhead
"TaylorMade’s Movable Weight Technology has clearly proven itself as a valid and valuable technology, as evidenced by the r7 quad’s current status as the No. 1 driver on the PGA Tour, as well as its tremendous success at retail," said Tom Olsavsky, director of product creation for TaylorMade. "Now, golfers seeking a driver with a larger-sized head can opt for the new r7 425, the increased size of which allows for more movable weight, which helps to promote even greater changes in launch conditions and trajectory."
r7 425 Availability
The r7 425 will be available in 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 and 11.5 degree lofts, and in X, S and R shaft flexes. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $500, and availability will begin at TaylorMade’s retail partners starting in mid-December 2005.
About Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc. dba TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company
TaylorMade Golf has led the golf industry’s technological evolution since being founded in 1979. adidas Golf footwear and apparel is the choice of hundreds of professional golfers around the world. Consumers can find more information on TaylorMade-adidas Golf at (800) 888-CLUB or www.tmag.com, www.taylormadegolf.com, www.adidasgolf.com, www.maxfli.com or www.rossaputters.com.
Contact:
TaylorMade-adidas Golf
John Steinbach
Tel: 760.918.6330
eMail: john.steinbach@tmag.com
