Comparing the Taylor Made M1 Driver to the R15 Driver

Taylor Made just launched their new M1 driver in the last couple of weeks.

Taylor Made are calling it their longest driver. We tested the driver recently to see how it compared to last years R15. Is the M1 their longest driver yet? How much better is it then the R15? These are the questions we were looking to answer.

We used 3 players and had them hit 10 shots with each driver. The results were recorded on a Trackman 111 launch monitor. Each player used used a shaft suitable to them and used the same shaft in the M1 and the R15, this way we could measure how much difference there was between the heads only. The Mizuno MP S ball was used for all shots hit.

The results we wanted to compare were Club Head Speed, Ball Speed, Carry Distance, Overall Distance, Lateral Distance from Target, Launch Angle and Spin Rate

Conditions were very good on the day for testing around 15 degrees C and a slight breeze against.

Results

	Carry (Yards)	Overall (Yards)	Club Head Speed MPH	Ball Speed MPH	Side Distance Feet	Launch Angle	Spin Rate RPM
Player A M1	226.9	247.9	101.8	149.4	49.69	10.4	2282
R15	231.5	249.5	103.6	150.6	40.31	10.7	2670
Player B M1	239.9	262.9	107.2	155.7	25.83	11.5	2349
R15	241.7	262.5	108	156	26.82	11	2465
Player C M1	245.3	266.9	108.6	160.8	56.54	11.9	2374
R15	249	266	108	161.3	58.97	11.9	2524

Player A used a 9.5 degree M1 and R15 with a Diamana Kai'li 70 S Shaft

Player B used a M1 and R15 set to 10 degrees with a Diamana 'Ahina 60 X Shaft

Player C used a 9.5 degree M1 and R15 with a UST Attas 7 X Shaft.

Analysis

We can see that the results of both drivers are very similar for all players.

For Player A The R15 had longer carry by 4.6 yards, overall distance by 1.6 yards, higher club head and ball speed, 1.8 & 1.2 mph, better dispersion 9.38 feet closer, launch angles quite similar just 0.3 degrees apart. The M1 had lower spin - 388 rpm lower.

For Player B The R15 had longer carry by 1.8 yards, higher club head and ball speed 0.8 & 0.3 mph. The M1 had more overall distance by 0.4 yards, better dispersion 0.99 feet closer and lower spin 166 rpm less. The M1 had a slightly higher launch angle by 0.5 degrees

For Player C The R15 had longer carry by 3.7 yards and higher ball speed by 0.5 mph. The M1 had longer overall distance by 0.9 yards, higher club head speed by 0.6 mph, better dispersion by 2.33 feet and lower spin by 150 rpm. The launch angles were identical 11.9 degrees.

Things to note the M1 has lower spin for all three players. It also has a very attractive sound when hit. The R15 has longer carry and higher ball speed for all three players.

Conclusion

Is the M1 the longest driver? The answer is yes for some and no for others. In our test for 2 players it was 0.4 and 0.9 yards longer or around 1 foot and 3 feet longer, longer yes but not by much. For one player it was 1.6 yards shorter.  

Should you rush out and buy the M1 immediately? Definitely not, in this test the R15 is better for player A and for players B&C there's negligible difference between the two and not worth the difference in price.

I would say the most important thing when considering buying this driver is to test it and get fitted for it. If your current driver suits you it's unlikely that the M1 will give you a significant boost.

Comments and questions are always welcome.