New Driver Combines Ultra-Large Head Size with Movable Weight Technology
CARLSBAD, Calif. (January 15, 2005) – TaylorMade Golf Company has introduced a third new addition to its r7 driver family, the r7 460. The largest of the r7’s, the r7 460 measures 460cc, the largest volume allowed by the USGA. This exceptionally large head helps to make it extraordinarily forgiving and extraordinarily easy to launch. In fact, the 460 delivers the highest MOI of any driver that TaylorMade has ever created. Like all other members of TaylorMade’s r7 driver family, the 460 features Movable Weight Technology, which gives players the power to change the center of gravity (CG) in order to promote different types of launch conditions and trajectories.
The r7 460 is engineered with two TaylorMade Launch Control (TLC) ports and includes two movable TLC cartridges, a 14-gram and a 2-gram. While the 460’s internal weighting characteristics give it a distinct draw bias, configuring the cartridges so that the 14-gram is in the toe port and the 2-gram is in the heel port shifts the CG toward the toe, counteracting the 460’s inherent draw tendencies to promote a straight, or neutral, trajectory. Conversely, installing the 2-gram cartridge in the toe port and the 14-gram in the heel port shifts the CG toward the heel, which supplements the 460’s internal draw tendencies, promoting a large draw. Robot testing indicates that the draw bias created by the 2-gram/toe and 14-gram/heel configuration promotes 15 yards from right to left for most players compared to the 14-gram/toe and 2-gram/heel configuration.
Ultra-Thin Wall Technology (UTW)
The combination of the r7 460’s ultra-large clubhead and Movable Weight Technology was made possible by TaylorMade’s new 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. The 10 grams saved by the 460’s drastically thinner walls contributes to the discretionary weight necessary to allow for Movable Weight Technology in the 460cc clubhead.
The r7 460 also features a small metallic swing weight plug permanently installed at the bottom-rear of the clubhead, between the TLC ports. By using plugs with differing weights, TaylorMade engineers can simply and easily adjust the club’s swing weight. Positioning the plug in the back of the clubhead allows for a lower and deeper center of gravity.
The r7 460’s UTW construction, combined with the swing weight plug, gives it a CG that’s lower and deeper than TaylorMade’s r5 dual drivers. That difference increases the 460 user’s opportunity to activate the club’s vertical-gear effect, which promotes a higher launch angle and lower spin-rate, elements that encourage greater distance.
Pull-Face Construction and Inverted Cone Technology
Like all TaylorMade r7 and r5 drivers, the r7 460 is built via 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 460 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 460 comes equipped with the new TaylorMade REâ?¢AX shaft, which features a special 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.
Size, Forgiveness and Power Meet Movable Weight Technology
The r7 460 features the highest MOI and is the most forgiving driver that TaylorMade has ever offered. It delivers an MOI that’s 12% higher than the original r7 quad, while the 460’s generous, 460cc volume is 15% larger than the original r7 quad.
"The r7 460 was created to deliver tremendous distance, forgiveness and accuracy to players that prefer a very large head and deep face, whether they’re tour pros or high handicappers," says Todd Beach, director of metalwood development. "The 460cc clubhead sets up big and powerfully behind the ball at address, and our Inverted Cone Technology helps deliver greater average distance, drive after drive. On top of that, our Movable Weight Technology can help any player dial in a trajectory that enhances their distance and accuracy."
r7 460 Availability
The r7 460 will be available in 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 and 11.5 degree lofts, and in X, S, R and M shaft flexes. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $500, and availability will begin at TaylorMade’s retail partners starting in February 2006.
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
