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By Steve Pike
TaylorMade-adidas Golf’s new R9 SuperTri driver, which the company says combines Flight Control Technology (FCT) and Movable Weight Technology (MWT) with three movable weights in a 460cc head, is now available at retail with a street price in the $399 range. The original R9 has a 420cc clubhead.
The R9 SuperTri was made possible, according to TMaG, by two crucial developments by TaylorMade engineers that saved enough weight to allow FCT and MWT to coexist in a 460cc head. The first is better, more widespread use of TaylorMade's Ultra-Thin Wall technology throughout the clubhead; the second is a new, lighter FCT sleeve that does everything the former one did while weighing three grams less.
TMaG says the 460cc is more forgiving, and its CG is two millimeters farther back in the head than the R9 driver, making it easier to launch the ball higher and with more spin, thus helping players gain more distance. At the same time, TMaG says the inclusion of MWT with three weights promotes a side-to-side trajectory change of up to 75 yards. Inverted Cone Technology (ICT), TMaG says, is also a crucial piece of the R9 SuperTri's makeup. Though it is milled onto the back of the clubface where it is out of sight, ICT plays a critical role by dramatically increasing the area of the clubface that delivers fast ball speed, promoting more distance on off-center hits.
The R9 SuperTri is equipped with a Fujikura Motore 60-gram shaft, which is five grams lighter than the Motore 65 used in the R9 driver. In addition to being lighter, TMaG says the Motore 60 makes it easier to launch the ball on a higher launch angle and at a higher spin-rate, which helps many players achieve longer carry for increased distance.
The R9 SuperTri includes three weights – 16-gram, 1-gram, 1-gram – and an FCT torque wrench. It's available in four lofts -- 8.5, 9.5, 10.5, 11.5 – and five shaft flexes -- L, M, R, S, X. The R9 SuperTri TP features the same head as the R9 SuperTri but with a choice of 10 shafts including the Aldila Voodoo, Mitsubishi Fubuki and Matrix Ozik. Choosing a custom TP shaft adds an additional $100 to the cost of the club.
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