2017 TaylorMade M1 driver

Golf Monthly's new TaylorMade M1 driver review, a driver that promises more forgiveness and even more adjustability

TaylorMade clearly thought it was on to a winner with the concept of the original M1 driver (we happen to agree) and so its replacement, the 2017 TaylorMade M1 driver, keeps the name and the headline technologies.

Much of what has changed is hidden from the vision of the human eye, the weight distribution inside the clubhead is now much more efficient (you can read more about how TaylorMade has done that here), but there is still some new technology for everyone to see.

Besides the new graphics and colour scheme on the sole, the eagle eyed amongst you will notice that the back track of the T-Track system is considerably longer.

TaylorMade say this will account for 64 per cent greater spin separation, giving golfers even more scope to find the launch conditions that will suit their game, something not available to those who opt for the less expensive 2017 TaylorMade M2 driver.

At address, there’s no question the new TaylorMade M1 driver looks more forgiving. It has a larger footprint at address, especially noticeable when you put it next to the old TaylorMade M1 driver, which should inspire more confidence at address.

It would be inaccurate to say the new M1 outperforms the old M1 in every area a golfer considers. While it doesn’t perform at a lower level in any, carry distance and spin levels remained similar from the sweetspot.

But where the new M1 shines above its predecessor is in the category of forgiveness and customisation. More tweakability means more swing speeds and golfers will be catered for, while all abilities of golfer will appreciate the extra oomph on off-centre hits.

The other visible technology is the carbon fibre section on the toe area of the sole. This is the first time such a large amount of carbon fibre has been used here and we couldn’t help but feel it may have contributed to a little extra draw bias in the head.

This can be easily offset by the front sliding weight, however, so no cause for alarm. In fact, dispersion control and general forgiveness levels from strikes across the clubface performed impressively, up a notch from the original M1. Toe strikes were especially long and accurate, while low impact also saw minimal drop-offs in carry distance.

If you choose to buy the M1 driver, check out our helpful TaylorMade coupon codes.