Fernando H. Green Blog: Spend $800 on this TaylorMade Driver, because America

Monday, July 25, 2016

Spend $800 on this TaylorMade Driver, because America

Personalized distance and forgiveness takes on a new, patriotic look...

By: Tony Covey

More than a month late too for the U.S. Open, 3 weeks too late for the 4th of July, but just in time for the Olympics, the Ryder Cup, the DNC, the impending (and imposing) election, and whatever other flag-waving occasion that happens to pop up, TaylorMade has just announced perhaps the least specific limited edition golf product in recent memory.

And they say timing is everything.

Because America (in a most general sort of way), behold the M1 Special Edition Driver in all of its red, white, and blue, star-spangled glory.

"Available for a limited time, the M1 Special Edition Driver features a stunning blue carbon composite crown, red loft sleeve, and an American flag icon on the toe. Further accentuated by a chrome face and a T-track that includes blue and red sliding weights, the M1 Special Edition Driver makes a powerful statement for any golfer, in both looks and performance."

Don't find yourself chanting USA, USA, USA yet? No worries, there's more America where that came from.

"Additionally, the driver comes stock with premium componentry, including a Z-Grip Patriot grip from Golf Pride, a special edition Fujikura Speeder Evolution TS 661 shaft, and a red, white, and blue TaylorMade head cover crafted from premium leather"

Seriously. TaylorMade just used the world componentry, and I don't think it was smiling, like I am right now, when it did.

Now in fairness, I've been nothing if not consistent in my praise of limited edition product. I love the uniqueness (or at least implied uniqueness), and I can certainly appreciate the need for a golf company to keep its product lines looking fresh in what is damn close to a commodities market. Those feelings certainly apply here.

It should also go without saying that given its 1st place finish in our Most Wanted Driver test, which we'd playfully describe as #DoM1nant), we're also big fans of the M1's performance.

And let's be honest people, given all the moaning and groaning some of you do about TaylorMade releasing new drivers every 6 weeks (a total fallacy, but it persists nonetheless), isn't a Special Edition driver, no matter the cost, preferable to an actual new model?

When you consider alternatives to this release, the Un-Official Driver of America is among the least egregious of possibilities.

So yeah, I like the driver just fine, even if the price tag is absurd.

The reality is that, as we've discussed, the equipment market is performing below expectations this summer. A lack of discounted product availability, along with what sure looks like consumer fatigue, has the golf companies feeling a bit of a pinch. Cobra and Callaway have responded by dropping prices on some lines. TaylorMade appears to be taking a different approach.

While this release certainly borders on pandering, I'd also be remiss not to point out that TaylorMade was at its best when it did things differently than its competitors.

That said, the Special Edition Driver, cool as the color scheme may be, looks more more like a gratuitous money grab than it does any sort of innovative path forward.