TaylorMade M1 Driver Review

The M1 Driver is by far one of the best drivers made by TaylorMade to date. With a crown crafted out of six-layer carbon composite, and a sole built of 9-1-1 titanium, the TaylorMade M1 Driver is truly an amazing club.

The TaylorMade M1 Driver incorporates the revolutionary T-Track System. This system allows players to personalize their M1 to their own specification helping them create the optimal driver for their swing or condition. The redesigned T-Track system now consists of both a Front and Back Track with a total of 25 grams of adjustable weight. The Front Track weighs 15 grams and helps players optimize the shape of their shots. Players can now move the weight to produces either a draw, neutral or fade biased shot. The Back Track weights 10 grams and helps players change the launch or spin condition of the ball, either high or low. A player with more consistent ball strikes is like to see a greater change in ball flight and performance using the T-Track System.

The TaylorMade M1 Driver also comes with an Adjustable Loft Sleeve that is designed to help players optimize their launch to drive the ball either higher or lower. The TaylorMade M1 Driver provides players with twelve different choices of loft on the hosel. The standard loft can be adjusted two degrees either higher or lower, and can be changed in increments of 0.4, 0.6, and 1 degree.

PROS

• When off center strikes occur, the ball will still have incredible distance
• Very forgiving club and the spin rates are one of the lowest of any driver on the market
• Tons of adjustability, players can choose both launch and shot settings

CONS

• A little economically exensive, the M1 may be out of the budget of some golfers
• Some players may be overwhelmed by all the options and complexity in the adjustability
• On mis-hits the low spin may not provide the distance some players need

We tested the TaylorMade M1 driver extensively and found it to be a solid performer, though not a significant upgrade over the previous R15 model for most golfers.

The M1 has a distinctive look with its white titanium front section and black carbon fiber crown. The carbon fiber saves weight which is repositioned to optimize launch and spin. The matte white finish is easy to keep clean and the black headcover is an improvement over the R15.In terms of performance, the M1 provided slightly more distance than the R15 for us, with a higher launch and lower spin. The dual adjustable weight tracks allow you to fine-tune launchthe and shot shape, but only the extreme settings make a meaningful difference. The middle positions have minimal impact. The M1 is a lower spinning driver overall compared to competitors. 

Forgiveness is about average, with ball speed dropping off significantly on off-center hits. The sound at impact is loud and hollow, one of the louder drivers we've tested.

For most golfers, the M1 is not a substantial upgrade over the R15 in terms of performance. The adjustability allows you to optimize your launch conditions, but the differences between settings are small. At $500, the M1 is an expensive driver that doesn't represent a major leap forward in consistency or forgiveness. In summary, the TaylorMade M1 is a solid driver with good looks and customizable performance. But for the average golfer, the improvements over the R15 are modest and may not justify the high price tag. As always, getting properly fitted is crucial to maximizing your performance with any driver.