Equipment
Six players switch to TaylorMade’s R1 Black in Memphis
In the days leading up to the start of the FedEx St. Jude Classic, golf fans were treated to a fury of buzz about the debut of TaylorMade’s new R1 Black driver.
“Who was testing it?,” they wondered. And was anyone going to switch?
PGA Tour players are guilty of being some of worst window shoppers on the planet. They look, they touch, they test and they might even take a club home with them. But for most players, the commitment level to a new product, especially in its debut week, is very low.
That’s why we’re shocked that six PGA Tour players decided to put the R1 Black driver in play this week in Memphis, a club that is virtually identical to the R1 White drivers that the players have been using in 2013. The only difference is that the R1 Black has a glossy black-painted crown, while the R1 White has a matte white-painted crown. The players who made the switch this week are:
- Dustin Johnson: Loft (10.5), Shaft (Fujikura Fuel 2.0X), Length (45.75 inches), Sole Plate (Neutral), Weights (7 heel, 7 toe).
- Brian Gay: Loft (9.5), Shaft (Oban Kiyoshi Purple 65X), Length (45.75 inches), Sole Plate (O1), Weights (6 heel, 6 toe).
- Robert Allenby: Specs coming
- Peter Hanson: Loft (8.75 degrees), Shaft (UST Miyama Accra 65X), Weights (7 heel, 8 toe) Sole plate (O2).
- Scott Verplank: Specs coming
- Casey Wittenberg: Specs coming
With the exception of Wittenberg, every player who made the switch to an R1 Black made the cut in Memphis.
Gay’s reason for the change was the most unusual. During testing on Trackman, he saw an 2-mph increase of club head speed with the R1 Black. While no two drivers are ever exactly the same, Gay had the drivers dialed into the exact same specs as his R1 White driver that he used to win this year’s Humana Challenge, making the increased performance even more baffling.
Charlie Kautz, TaylorMade’s social media manager, said that it’s tough to point to an exact reason for Gay’s faster club head speed with the R1 Black, but it’s not unheard of.
“If the visual cues of R1 Black naturally inspire faster swing speed/ball speed for Brian and he picks up a few yards, the analytical testing on Trackman is completely worthwhile,” he said. “And, you could argue, necessary, to evaluate which driver is better beyond just looks.”
There were 26 of TaylorMade’s R1 White drivers used in Round 1 of FedEx St. Jude Classic for a total of 32 R1’s in the field. That means that nearly 19 percent of R1 users decided to tee it up with TaylorMade’s black version.
We expect that number to grow as the year goes on, as several other players such as Brandt Snedeker (Click here to see photos of him testing the driver), Sean O’Hair, Chad Campbell, Boo Weekly, Matt Bettencourt and Ken Duke all tested the R1 Black but decided not to put it in play this week.
This week, we have our Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, on the ground at the OccuNet Classic at Tascosa Golf Club in Amarillo, Texas, for the 14th event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season. With that, we see some great things in the Lead Tape Report as we roll into Amarillo.
Joel Thelen
Monday Qualifier, Joel Thelen is in the field this week. He has played on the Korn Ferry Tour for a full season in 2023, and he is back in action this week. A couple of clubs caught my eye this week in his bag.
First off: His trusted Titleist 816 H2 hybrid. This club came out in October of 2015, and it still remains strong in the bag. Also, take a look at this Odyssey White Hot OG 7, putting a capital S in the 7S model. This custom neck has some impressive lean for an arm-lock-style putter. The bottom of the putter is covered in tape for optimal weighting.
Mitchell Meissner
Taking a look at Mitchell Meissner’s bag this week, we have some great lead tape coverage. Top to bottom working from fairway metals, irons, and wedges. We can see on the short irons and wedges that there is tape at the base of the grip, adding a little counterbalance. Along with that, some tape on the short irons and wedges as well. Moving to his putter, he rolls the Odyssey 7 Bird putter. Meissner putts left-handed and strikes the ball right-handed.
Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.
Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: Titleist GTS3 (15 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 70 TX
7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 80 TX
Irons: Titleist U505 (3), Titleist 620 MB (4-9)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 8 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putters: Scotty Cameron Tour Prototype, Scotty Cameron GOLO 6.3 Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
In our forums, one user has offered up a prompt for the true sickos, inviting fellow forum members to share every set of irons they’ve ever owned. As to be expected, this is a lengthy forum topic.
@Lamosteve began:
Can you name every set of irons you’ve owned? Here’s mine
Spalding Dots
Spalding Eclipse
Ram Lazer FX
Lynx Parallax
Mizuno EZ Comp
Ben Hogans
Cleveland CG Red
Taylor Made R9s
PING i20
PING iE1
Taylor Made M6
Our members in the forum have been offering up their own collections. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- macedan: “Started with a hand-me-down Golden Bear set from my brother when I was in high school, never really played more than once a year or got into the game until about summer of 2017. First purchased a set of Cleveland CG4’s (I actually really miss this set sometimes, soft & not terribly large for a GI iron), moved into Nike Vapor Fly’s by the end of the year. Those lasted until spring of 18 when I decided I wanted new, so I traded them in for TM Rbladez. Honestly, although I liked the Rbladez, poor decision on my part, I think this was really about the only time so far that after a week or two I was kicking myself for not staying with what I had. Rbladez stayed with me until late last summer when I switched to P790’s and (knock on wood) I am hoping this will be my longest lasting set.”
- JimmyC59: “MacGregor Jack Nicklaus Triple Crown. Palmer The Standard. Still play these.”
- jgrzask: “Tommy Armour 845u
Mizuno MP-32
Mizuno MP-33 (2 sets)
Bridgestone J33cb – still own
Srixon i-302 (2 sets) – still own
Tourstage X-Blades – still own
Mizuno Hot Metal – still own
Nike Forged Blades – still own
Titleist 714 AP1 – still own
Cobra Forged SS – still own”
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Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament. Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura...
Hannah Green WITB 2026 (June)
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Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (9 degrees) Shaft: KBS PGW 3-wood: Callaway Elyte Titanium (15 degrees) Shaft: KBS PGW 5-wood:...
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leftright
Dec 31, 2014 at 10:48 pm
I rest my case. I get tired of telling everyone “I told you so.”
Dunno, Jack
Jun 13, 2013 at 8:10 am
Cool. Does anyone know if this new black version will come in white?
John
Aug 26, 2014 at 12:33 pm
Yeah, i heard it’ll be released as soon as they’ve implemented their revolutionary I.C.T (Inverted Color Technology). Apparently it’s gonna change the game and give all of us 17 extra inches and a stiffer shaft..
Jack
Jun 9, 2013 at 11:21 pm
Good job TMag! You found a new way to make drivers obsolete without even coming out with “new tech”. Great.
Austin
Jun 9, 2013 at 12:06 pm
back in black. I hated the white look. will be testing taylormade product again when I am ready to buy this fall.
Greg
Jun 9, 2013 at 5:36 am
I have ordered my black R1 and can’t wait. White just didn’t suite my eye at address. Having the options to dial in the loft and face angle should help my driving ability and accuracy.
erkr
Jun 9, 2013 at 2:41 am
The white looks better. It is what makes R1 stand out
1puttwoods
Jun 8, 2013 at 9:24 pm
I find it interesting that Brian Gay and his 103 mph swing speed play an x flex….
Blanco
Jun 8, 2013 at 10:18 pm
The folks at UST Miyama Accra must be stoked.
Taylormade Rep
Jun 9, 2013 at 9:36 pm
at 103 mph your supposed to play x, or you can play taylormade TP S which is the same as x. Get your facts right
Kmax™
Jun 8, 2013 at 5:41 pm
Didnt Sneds put the black R1 in the bag too?
URNS
Jun 8, 2013 at 2:45 pm
The shiny finish is more aerodynamic, whipping through the air, rather than the matt finish which causes more friction as it is not as smooth.
Burddz
Jun 9, 2013 at 10:52 pm
Pure genius…
jgpl001
Jun 10, 2013 at 5:34 pm
Don’t be stupid – everyone know it’s due to TM’s new reverse, inverted R bi-concial cone, cold melted, plasma arc, seam free Molybdenum oxide face
You need to keep up with the new technology man..
PS I hear there is a new green TP “B” version on the way next week with an interchangable sole
Can’t wait and it’s only $1199 on special order!
I just wish TM would get lost and stop the nonsense
Jake A
Jun 18, 2013 at 7:24 pm
So every manufacture does that, it doesn’t mean there not high quality equipment….that’s why Justin rose just won the us open, so get out of here, you don’t know anything about golf you dumb*^%, every manufacture has to advertise some way
MFB
Jun 8, 2013 at 12:31 pm
I am sure Taylormade lining a few guys pockets with money to play the new R1 black had nothing to do with it.
Launcher
Jun 8, 2013 at 2:14 pm
TaylorMade pays players to use their stuff? Get outta here!
Taylormade Rep
Jun 9, 2013 at 1:11 pm
all company’s do that
lloyd duffield
Jun 9, 2013 at 4:57 pm
i agree taylormade will sign and pay any old tom dick and harry to use there products so the public is brain washed in to thinking its the best gear on tour so u will spent your months rent on a shiny new R1 driver.
all clubs are the same and always will be its down to u wot u want to be seen using.
Taylormade Rep
Jun 9, 2013 at 9:34 pm
all company’s do that, that is the reason that rory maclroy switched to nike