The TaylorMade M3 Driver is one of most technologically advanced drivers ever produced and is engineered to expand the sweet spot, maximizing forgiveness , and allowing for personalized adjustment of the ball flight. It is meant to replace TaylorMade’s M1 Driver and builds on the innovations and technology that made that driver a success.
The innovative new Twist Face design uses novel corrective curvature on the face of the club to add forgiveness and help drives go straighter . The Hammerhead slot further adds to the forgiveness while also increasing ball speed to help extend drives further down the fairway. Lastly, a new Y-Track movable weight system allows adjustments to optimize ball flight. These all combine to help get the most out of drives, making them straighter and longer than before. The TaylorMade M3 Driver is truly an amazing club that is perfect for the low to mid handicap golfer looking to improve their performance on the course.
Key Features
The new TaylorMade M3 Driver improves on the M1 by introducing revolutionary Twist Face technology. As the name reveals, the innovative design slightly twists the face of the club to correct for inherent human swing tendencies when striking the ball off-center. Most off-center shots tend to be hit high on the toe or low on the heel, so Twist Face design compensates for those by altering the curvature in those areas to correct for those off-center shots and allow for straighter shots.
The Hammerhead feature is a sole wide slot that maximizes the sweet spot, further increasing forgiveness while also increasing ball speed. The outer portions of the slot are reinforced, which allows for a more flexible face. On low-face strikes, the center of the slot drops spin and increases ball speed, all contributing to longer straighter drives.
The Y-Track sliding weight system on the new TaylorMade M3 Driver offers a new unified Y-shaped track that allows movement of two 11g weights from front to back and side to side to adjust the driver for trajectory, forgiveness, or speed. The prior version on the M1 had two separate tracks to move one weight to front to back and a separate weight side to side. The Y-Track combines those two tracks into a single seamless track allowing better and more varied adjustments to the ball flight.
Design and Technology
To understand the advancements of the new M3 Driver, let’s take a look at how the design and technology have evolved from the TaylorMade M1 Driver. First for the appearance – While the M1 had crown made of 6 layers of carbon mated with a white edge, the M3 reduces the weight using only 5 layers of carbon and switches to a slimmer silver edge. This color seems more reminiscent of the SLDR color scheme while also keeping the overall appearance similar to the M1.
The M1 also introduced a T-Track system of adjustable weights, which consisted of two separate tracks for front to back and side to side weight adjustments. The M3 now takes that a step further by fusing the two separate tracks into one Y-shaped track allowing for even more adjustment and customization to further refine the ball flight. Moving the two 11g weights along the unified and unrestricted Y-Track will allow a golfer to compensate for those areas where he or she wants to make improvements to the ball flight, spin, and trajectory.
Front to back movements adjust the trajectory and side to side can adjust the draw and fade of the ball flight. The customizations allow consistent players to get the most out of their drives to compensate for those areas where they want to optimize ball flight on drives to get the most distance and accuracy. Specifically, by unifying the tracks into one Y-shaped track, TaylorMade has lowered the center of gravity (CG) of the M3 from that of the M1. The unified tracks mean that moving the weights all the way to the back results in a 36% difference from rear movements in the M1 and a 10% higher moment of inertia (MOI), all while keeping a low CG.
The Twist Face and Hammerhead slot are new features that are not available in the M1. The Twist Face technology is a result of the tireless efforts of TaylorMade to evaluate actual human drive tendencies, rather than those of robots. What they found is that when people strike the ball off-center, they tend to strike it either high on the toe or low on the heel. The traditional bulge (curve from heel to toe) and roll (curve from top to bottom) were not adequately correcting for these errors, so TaylorMade slightly curves the high toe section, while closing the low heel section to provide more loft in the former while providing less lift in the latter while producing more consistent side spin. The result is a much more forgiving face that accounts for natural human tendencies when striking a ball off-center and contributes to straighter and longer drives.
The Hammerhead slot is also a new feature for the M3 Driver. It complements the new Twist Face technology to maximize forgiveness and ball speed. Although the M1 did not have a comparable slot, the M2 did, and now the M3 improves on that by making the slot 22% wider. The M3 version is not only longer, it also breaks it into three section providing additional strength. This allows for reduced weight and a more flexible face, which means even better ball speed across a larger area. The face is now more flexible, with decreased spin on low-face strikes that all come together for longer and straighter drives.
TaylorMade M3 Driver
TaylorMade improves on the M1 Driver to again create the most technologically advanced driver ever – the TaylorMade M3 Driver.
If you are looking for a great club that will take your drives to the next level then the M3 is the club for you. The M3 Driver is perfect for the low to mid handicap golfer looking to get the most out of their drives and improve their performance on the course.
PROS
- One of the most technologically advanced drivers ever produced by TaylorMade
- Off-center strikes can still result in incredible distance and accuracy off the tee
- Costs less than the M3 Driver, it comes with the same advanced technology, just without the movable weights
CONS
- One of the most technologically advanced drivers ever produced by TaylorMade
- Off-center strikes can still result in incredible distance and accuracy off the tee
- Costs less than the M3 Driver, it comes with the same advanced technology, just without the movable weights
Our Experience
The M3 driver features several innovative technologies that help improve distance and accuracy. The Twist Face technology helps correct common off-center hits, straightening out shots that would normally veer offline. The Hammerhead slot in the sole also boosts ball speeds across the face for more consistent distance.
Our testing showed the M3 driver to be extremely forgiving, with off-center hits still landing in the fairway. The Twist Face technology lived up to its billing, reducing dispersion by up to 11 yards compared to previous drivers.
The M3 produced distance that was comparable to our gamer driver, with carry distances around 245 yards on average. What was most impressive was the consistency, with the M3 delivering straight, penetrating shots that rolled out to over 265 yards total. We even hit a few drives over 300 yards on the course.
While the impact sound is a bit louder and sharper than ideal, the M3 has an overall solid, powerful feel at impact. The thin, flexible face provides excellent feedback on ball strikes. The club simply feels high-quality and confidence-inspiring.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main features of the TaylorMade M3 Driver?
The M3 Driver features Twist Face Technology for improved forgiveness on off-center hits, a Y-Track adjustable weight system for customizing ball flight, and a Hammerhead Slot that increases ball speed on low-face strikes. The driver also includes an adjustable hosel that allows for +/- 2° loft adjustments.
How does the Y-Track weight system work?
The Y-Track system uses two 11g adjustable weights that can be positioned along a single flat track in a Y-shape configuration. One weight moves diagonally to influence shot shape (fade/draw), while the other moves forward and back to adjust spin and trajectory.
What are the available specifications for the M3 Driver?
The M3 comes in lofts of 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°, and 12°. It has a 460cc head volume, measures 45.5 inches in length, and has a D4 swing weight. It's available in multiple shaft flexes (X, S, R, A) and comes in both right and left-handed models (LH limited to 9.5° and 10.5° lofts).
How does the Twist Face Technology benefit golfers?
Twist Face Technology creates a corrective face curvature that helps reduce unwanted side spin on off-center hits. This design particularly helps with shots hit high in the toe or low in the heel, resulting in straighter shots and improved consistency for amateur golfers.
What improvements does the Hammerhead Slot provide?
The Hammerhead Slot makes the face more forgiving and creates a larger sweet spot. It features reinforced outer portions that allow for a lighter, more flexible face, while the center portion increases ball speed on low-face strikes and reduces spin for greater distance.
Conclusion
TaylorMade improves on the M1 Driver to again create the most technologically advanced driver ever – the TaylorMade M3 Driver. The new M3 Driver improves on the adjustability of the M1 Driver by offering a unified and seamless Y-Track weight system with revolutionary Twist Face technology paired with a Hammerhead slot system to not only maximize the sweet spot and forgiveness of the driver but also offer almost unlimited adjustability that can be tailored to each player’s unique strengths to get the most out of every drive. All of these advancements result in longer and more accurate drives than ever before.
Paul Liberatore
As the Founder of Golfers Authority Paul Liberatore Esq. has spent the last 7+ years writing about the best golf equipment or instruction from the top golf instructors in the world. He has been a contributing writer for Sports Illustrated Golf and GolfWRX. After graduating with honors from Purdue University, he realized that he had a passion for the golf business and the law. When he's not practicing law, or creating golf content on YouTube, he can be found on his syndicated Behind the Golf Brand podcast talking with the most prolific leaders in the golf industry.
