golfrewind.com

If you look at my signature, you will see that I use (or try to use) a TM r7 quad. I know that i have swing flaws and all, and I am taking some lessons, and i sorta like my r7 but have never hit it really well. The other day I bought a TM R580XD with a regular flex Fujikura shaft. What i liked about it was the face appeared to be a bit closed. I held it side by side to a new Cobra speed flex M or whatever they are called and it appeared that they are about equal in the face closed catagory. I hit it into the net (this was at a Dick's sporting goods) and the two things that i liked the most were (A) I was putting my shots right into the spot where the net is getting most of it wear which means i am coming off the face straight and with the right launch angle and (B) I loved the sound. I have always thought the r7 sounded a bit tin-ny but this driver had a really nice "Thwack" sound like i have heard from the Cobras. I haven't even hit it on the range yet. Tomorrow night I will. It only cost $150 The interesting thing is that I thought the face was slightly closed and compared it to the Cobra that I know is slightly closed like I mentioned earlier. i happened to have a TM booklet from 2004 when the R540 and the R580XD were (I guess) new. It says that the R540 has a slightly closed face and the R580XD has a square face. So, anyone know if they changed them or if it is just my imagination that the face is slightly closed? Also, am I crazy for doing the impulse buy? Anyone else do the same sort of thing?

Not if you feel it'll perform better. I've never really believed in all the R7 hype/ moveable weights in general... IMO the 500 series are far better clubs.... I love my Titleist, but had I not bought it, I probably would've gotten a 540XD.... You can probably sell off your R7, and come out even anyway...

Woops. I thought this would just be a poll with a yes or no option. About the face, I can't really see it - my old Callaway was supposedly closed 1/2 or 1 degree, but I just couldn't see it.

Hehehe, you're joking right? Golf is built on impulse buying, sites like this try to educate you first though. I mean the only reason I bought my big bertha was because my friend had one (much older) and I wanted a better big bertha than him.

But I'm happy with it. Got a better shaft in it and some lessons now which is helping me put it 250 yds. straight(ish), which is better than my previous 200 yds forward and 50 yds to the right.

HAHA Yeah, and I know you jumped right in to vote YES. har har har

Yes, I do know what you mean. I have battled a slice problem forever. Now, it is more of a push which I know means that I am not doing something right. My instructor doesn't seem to concerned about it. He said that the way I responded to his instruction with my irons indicates that I am getting closer to a somewhat proper swing. To tell the truth, the sound at impact is what really did it for me. It just sounds like a more powerful hit even if it is my same old lame 80mph swing speed. I think I will hold on to my r7 for awhile though just in case my lessons really start to pay off. hehehe

I like my 580 much better than the r7. I agree with you on the sound it makes coming off the club. I have never checked the open v. closed face thing you mentioned but I bought my 580 for $200.00 after the r7 came out. I tried the r7 and didn't like the sound, the feel or the trajectory(both 10.5*). I think when you buy clubs, aesthetics are important as well. Go ahead and trade in the r7, buy the 580 and you'll brake even.

I would have posted this last night, but there appeared to be some problems getting onto the site. I heald the r7 and the 580 side by side in the address position, and they are exactly the same as in degree of face closure. The difference that I did notice is that 580's head appeared to be a good bit larger. Tonight is my golf lesson night so I will be trying it on the range.

It seemed to me that the face of the r7 was higher(bigger?) than the 580 but as I said, I never held them side by side.

I have compared them side by side last night. I think they are very close as far as the face goes, but looking down on them I tend to think the r580 is just a bit larger. I think the 580 is something like 440cc's and the r7 may be something like 400 cc's? Either way, I like the sound better from the 580 and at my lesson tonight we were workling on drivers. my Instructor gave me some tips that seem to be working (slowly). What I did notice on my straight shots was that they were really booming (at least for me). I was getting nice high shots which is what I need at this point. I offered my r7 up for sale on the bulletin board at work asking $200 but willing to work on price with prospective buyer. If i get a bite anywhere close, I will take it. I would offer it on here, but it seems hardly anyone on here uses reg flex shafts. If I do offer it on here, it will be much lower in price. If no buyers, I will save it for when I get better.