The rgbg R11 TP Driver Review

The TaylorMade R11 did not disappoint in testing today, as the stats it produced cannot lie.  As I first picked up the driver and held it in position to swing, the first thing that hits you is the size of the clubhead.  Since it’s all white (with a new non-glare surface) it appears to be much larger than its’ 440 cc size.  We won’t lie and say it doesn’t look large at address, but some may find it comforting to have that look.  Personally, I do not, I prefer a smaller shaped head, that’s more traditional-looking clubhead like the R9 Superdeep.  However, having said that, the second thing that hits you is how well-balanced the club feels in your hands.  It does feel heavier than the Burner Superfast 2.0, but better balanced.  As you swing it lightly, like a waggle, you can really feel the increased MOI the weighting provides.
The new, more aerodynamic shape of the R11 head is touted to be 6 yards longer than the 2010 R9 SuperTri.
The driver comes with Moveable Weight Technology (MWT), just as the R9, but the removeable weights are 10 grams and 1 gram, in the heel & toe, allowing for up to 25 yards of left-right adjustability.
The driver’s new adjustable red sole plate, allows for face angle adjustment in an ‘opened,’ ‘closed,’ & ‘neutral’ to change the face angle look at address, for up to 4 degrees opened or closed.
The R11 shaft sleeve allows for 8 settings of adjustment of up to one degree loft adjustment.  The driver comes with a small torque wrench to make the independent adjustments of face angle and loft.
Apparently, the only difference in the TP model vs. non-TP are the variety of premium shaft upgrades it allows, for the $100 up-charge.  Although, I believe shaft choice is critical to maximizing your driver investment, some won’t see the need to drop the extra one-hundred bucks.
As tested, the driver was the TP (Tour Preferred) Model, 9 degrees loft, Fujikura® Blur® Stiff 65 gram shaft, especially made for the R11, TaylorMade Tour Velvet grip.
The first few swings, I confess, were not stellar statistic-producing events, however, by swing eleven (11) I was killing it, averaging around 280 yds. to 290 yds., with swing speeds in the neighborhood of 108 mph.  The response of the Fujikura® Blur® shaft was impressive.  The feel was above average and the vibration was minimal.  The best drive I hit was 290 yds., with 278 yds. carry, and 12 yds. run, 109 mph clubhead speed, 164 mph ballspeed, 14.2 degree launch angle, backspin 3878 rpm, sidespin 7001, max height 47 yds.
I noticed an average of 8 mph increased clubhead speed over the 2010 R9.
I think the ease of and variety of adjustments one can make with the club is very advantageous, especially for amateurs whose swings tend to change with professional  instruction.  This driver allows you to adjust with the changing of your swing from day to day or month to month.  In effect, the driver changes as you grow as a golfer.  I like that characteristic.
Overall, the driver rated a 4.5, out of 5, based on the appearance, feel, impact sound, technology employed, forgiveness/accuracy and performance.  I don’t feel like the color of head contributed to neccessarily a better alignment of the club at address, but you can see the face characteristics (opened or closed) more effectively.
I observed several amateurs hit the driver, with mixed results, but most deficiencies were swing-related.  I adjusted the sole plate easily and assisted one person to go from hitting a nasty slice to a nice baby draw.