TM again.....

[thecraw]

I have been informed by a reliable source that TM have told disgruntled retailers who still have loads of R11's that its tough and from now on expect the shelf life of a driver to be one season!

So basically reading between the lines it'll be a new big dog every year from now on.

My question is what can actually be improved on now?

We have adjustability, light weight, light weight shafts, aerodynamics, moveable weight technology, what can be done next?

Punters out of pocket every year now I fear!

 

[BTatHome]

Are you really out of pocket each year though ? How often do you change drivers to the current model?

Surely the increases each year mean we are 350 yard bombers now, and dead straight


I can see TM changing one of their product lines each year, for example R11 and Burner drivers are the current model line and the RBZ line is supposed to replace one of them soon.

I guess the big issue is people thinking they have to have the latest model because they are losing out to something.

 

[BTatHome]

.... anyone got a R11 going cheap

 

[richy]

It is for this kind of reason I would never buy a Taylormade product.

Shameless!

 

[Tiger]

I've got no problem with a new driver a year IF they are targeted at different audiences i.e better player one year, game improver the next. It seems clear that TM want position themselves as Market leaders in Innovation and to forget you need to be constantly releasing new products. It's up to retailers to be savvy and take a lower margin for less stock rather than buying bulk for big discounts if the sales figures required are overly ambitious.

Just because they release a new range every year doesn't mean we have to buy it!

 

[BTatHome]

It is for this kind of reason I would never buy a Taylormade product.

Shameless!

Are TM the only ones to release products each year?

 

[Airlie_Andy]

If your the kind of person who HAS to have the latest model then your the reason companies are releasing new models more frequently and you've only got yourself to blame.

 

[Aztecs27]

Are TM the only ones to release products each year?

Exactly.There are others that do it.

Golf manufacturers wouldn't do this if there wasn't demand for them. There's obviously a large demand for them, otherwise they wouldn't spend millions on R&D and marketing every year. They're a business that are trying to make money. How dare they! If people are silly enough to take the bait, more fool them.

If anything this is good for the rest of us as it means cheap "last year" models.

 

[brendy]

Isnt this the same for all areas of manufacture though?
Ford bring out the focus, next year it has colourcoded bumpers, then next year they offer a hotter performance model then next year they do a minor facelift, the next year another hot model and maybe a frugal derv then the next year they bring out the "all new" focus etc.

The thing about progress is that it is constantly changing, if you dont want to be too out of pocket then only upgrade every few years where the tiny differences will all accrue and be noticeable.

 

[richy]

Are TM the only ones to release products each year?

Hardly but I think they are renowned for being the worst culprits.

It's a running joke on here and I've lost count the amount of times I've heard "it's ok the R13 will be out next month!"

 

[BTatHome]

If your the kind of person who HAS to have the latest model then your the reason companies are releasing new models more frequently and you've only got yourself to blame.

Exactly the only people to lose out from this strategy are the people desperate to have todays latest (yet they rarely improve in distance or accuracy for very long).

Personally i like the fact I can get last years model for good prices when I want to upgrade. For instance I got my my Superfast TP just before xmas last year (just as the white superfast was being introduced) and hence I got it for a huge discount.

 

[MadAdey]

The thing is TM spend so much time trying to be the leader in driver technology. They always have done since they formed in the late 70's. First metal headed driver, first people to look into aerodynamics, first to make a line of drivers designed at all levels of golfers(R300 series) etc etc. THey lead the way in new technologies and that is shown by it being the most used driver on tour. Thing is you do not have to get the latest one everytime it comes out do you? I have had the Burner Ti bubble 2, R300, Burner Supersteel, R510TP, R510 XD, R7 Quad, R7 Superquad and now the R9. Quite a few gaps in there but I love TM drivers and will never buy anything else again. I tried Titleist a couple of times but they ended up on Ebay within a couple of months.

 

[Oddsocks]

best way to buy tm stuff is buying last years model, has been for last few years.

 

[pbrown7582]

nothing new there has been a new release most years for as long as i can remember even if it is only a minor change/update, the only way it will stop is if people dont buy the new issue every year, free market economy you pays your money and takes your choice.

 

[USER1999]

best way to buy tm stuff is buying last years model, has been for last few years.

That way you are only ever 3 models behind the current one.

 

[DaveM]

Cool the more new models the better. Got my R9 six months ago for £90. Now looking for new irons. Already seen the TM CB's for £299 and burners for £249. Give it a bit longer and they will be giving them away. Then I will buy.
Oh and last week got the burner 09 hybrid, from online golf for £35! I am not complaining.

 

[One Planer]

best way to buy tm stuff is buying last years model, has been for last few years.

Very true.

I'm considering putting in a request for an R11 3 wood to Santa, but I'm in 2 minds whether to wait until the new year and see what happens as regards a new TM release.

If it saves me £££££ that can only be a good thing!

 

[DaveM]

Have just seen the R11 Ti 3 wood in lefthand for £124. So they are on their way down.

 

[Monty_Brown]

If you want to buy the latest driver every year and can afford it, good luck to you.

As long as people are realistic and understand that the changes from one year to the next are likely to be incremental and not earth shattering, they can make an informed choice.

Every now and then a company will come up with something that is a great leap forward. However, I wonder about the Taylor Made R&D team... they must be under massive pressure to come up with something new every 12 months. That is not conducive to free thinking and creativity.

That's why Honda runs its R&D team as a separate company... less pressure from bosses looking over their shoulder all the time.

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

I have rarely bought into the must have now mindset as it's too expensive. Historically I have tended to buy either demo clubs or 'last years model' at a fraction of the latest clubs price. I did however buy a new driver this year as I had it fitted (1st time for fitting), I think this driver should be perfectly ok for about 5 years unless it breaks.

If you have the money and enjoy constantly buying the latest model, good luck to you, nothing wrong with that at all, however you are exactly any manufacturers A1 demographic.