TaylorMade R9 SuperTri driver
By Dominic Pedler - May 2010

TaylorMade have transformed the driver market in recent years with both their Movable Weight Technology (MWT) and their Flight Control Technology (FCT) – sometimes both at the same time – though never before in a 460cc head.

As the name suggests, the R9 SuperTri brings you all of the above in a single design courtesy of a new ultra-thin-wall design which, along with a 3g lighter hosel (for the FCT), saves enough weight to allow the two adjustable features to co-exist in a maximum size head.

The centre of gravity is now 2mm further back in the body than the R9 driver, making it easier to launch the ball higher, while the MWT is now in the form of three weights (16g, 1g, 1g) that can deliver a lateral trajectory variation of up to a massive 75 yards between the extreme settings.

While the face is the deepest (62mm top to bottom) that TaylorMade has ever incorporated into a driver with MWT, the focus is also on aerodynamics with the SuperTri sporting a sleeker crown than previous R9 driver heads, reshaped to reduce wind resistance.

There's also been some progress in the shaft, with the 60g Fujikura Motore being 5g lighter than the Motore 65 used in the R9 driver, for both a higher launch angle and an improved spin-rate to promote longer carry/increased distance.

The club plays and looks good, too, with the rich black colour scheme that includes a black PVD clubface not seen since the R7 SuperQuad. It was no surprise that some 25 tour players used SuperTri in the week it was launched on the US Tour, in early March.

Available in 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5° and 11.5° lofts and five shaft flexes (L, M, R, S, X), priced at £329.

Also available in a £379 TP model with the same head but with a choice of 10 premium shafts including the Aldila Voodoo, Mitsubishi Fubuki and Matrix Ozik.

Further details at www.taylormadegolf.eu