The TaylorMade M5 has now been in the golf bag of the last two Major Champions. Tiger Woods and Brooks Koepka have trusted the performance of the M5 to lead them to victory. TaylorMade has taken the same tour-level performance and built it for every golfer. Thanks to the speed tuning resin of the Injected Twist Face of the M5 driver. Everyone is promised industry-leading ball speeds for more distance and better forgiveness on mishits.
Key Features
- Each M5 driver club head is tested to ensure that it is at the legal limit for ball speeds and distance.
- Twist Face helps players improve accuracy by reducing the gear effect experienced by strikes in the toe and heel of the driver club face.
- The Inverse T-Track of the M5 offers the maximum amount of custom fit ability to tailor make each driver to golfers of all swing types and skill levels.
TaylorMade M5 Driver Detailed Review
Design and Technology
The TaylorMade M5 driver is created with a multi-material, carbon composite crown to give engineers more freedom to move weight into better positions of the club head. The club face of M5 features more recession in the high toe and the low heel sections to help players find more fairways on their worse strike. Hammerhead 2.0 technology helps retain ball speeds across the face, especially in the lower part of the club head. All of this forgiveness combines with the speed tuned resin-injected club head for maximum ball speed and distance characteristics.
The constant advantage of TaylorMade’s flagship driver model is the freedom for club builders and players to dial in their exact launch, spin, and shot shape preferences. The Inverse T-track of the M5 driver helps players optimize the center of gravity of the club head to give them more weight exactly where they need it most. A center of gravity built for your golf swing can lead to more distance and more protection from your frequent misses. Players that struggle with a slice can move more weight to the heel for a draw-bias design. Golfers that cannot see their driver going left can move the weight into the toe section and help them eliminate the left side of the golf course.
I have always been a fan of TaylorMade drivers. Used by some of the best players in the world, TaylorMade metalwoods continue to be validated on some of the most difficult golf courses. The M5 is my favorite TaylorMade driver in this year’s cycle. I was able to achieve my ideal ball flight quickly by adjusting the weights to help suit my swing. The M5 provided me with some of my longest drives ever thanks to higher launches and lower spins. The M5 looks, sounds, and feels like a better players driver. The sound is muted and a pleasure to hit. The contrast of the grey to black is easy to align and inspired me with confidence standing over my tee shots.
For my tests, I outfit the higher lofted, 10.5-degree M5 club head with a Tensei CK Pro Orange shaft 70TX version. I adjusted the hosel setting to sit open and play around 9.25-degrees. Moving the weight slightly into the toe side helped me reduce my left miss and allowed me to swing aggressively without fearing my drives would end up out of play. In total, the M5 could instantly go into my golf bag. Validation on the course led me to more comfort as my practice and play continued. If you are a golfer in the market for a new driver this season, M5 has to be on your list.
Golfers looking for more forgiveness will enjoy the performance of the larger 460 cc version and players that want a different shape and even more penetrating ball flights may find a better fit with the 435 cc option.
The 460 cc M5 is available in three lofts. 9, 10.5, and 12-
Specs
The stock shaft offerings for the M5 are the Mitsubishi Tensei CK Orange, non-pro version, and Project X HZRDUS Smoke. Both shaft models are available in 60-gram and 70-gram weight options in regular, stiff, and extra-stiff flexes. TaylorMade’s full custom shaft line up is available and can be ordered at various upcharge costs. Golf Pride’s popular Multi-compound, or MCC, grips come standard but several options can be custom ordered for no additional charge.
Conclusion
The M5 driver is one of the highest performing drivers in this year’s testing lineup. The M5 excels at giving players the ability to adjust their club to their delivery position. Seeing your favorite ball flight more often can give you more confidence and help you shoot better scores. Technology like Injected Twist Face, Hammerhead 2.0, and the Inverse T-track create more opportunities for you to out driver your competition and help you make more birdies. As more data is collected showing us how important getting the right driver for each golfer is becoming, this is the year to upgrade your equipment and the M5 should be at the top of your testing list.
Author Bio
Paul Liberatore was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. He has been an avid and passionate golfer for over 30 years, and loves learning and increasing his knowledge on the game. While still in college, Paul co-founded the AccuHit Company with his father and helped it to become one of the most recognized golf training aids in the world. A lawyer by day, his true passion is his website Golfers Authority which delivers the very latest in golf equipment reviews, buyer guides, tips, and advice that helps players take their golf game to the next level.