Club:Taylor Made R580 Driver 9.5 degree
Shaft: M.A.S. 60 stiff flex
Grip: TNG

Looks:This Club has a HUGE 400cc head, but looks remarkably compact for such a size.This is due in no small way to the top class finish of the club.The head,shaft and grip are all black in colour and the polished head is top class to look at and you really feel that you have quality kit in your hands. The club feels quite head heavy for a driver (not a bad thing in this age of superlight drivers) probably because at 60 grams the shaft is extremely light and therefore gives the impression that the head is heavier than it actually is. A plastic recess at the back of the clubhead housed 3 metallic rods.
This cannot be viewed at address,but looks a little cheap and tacky in contrast to the rest of the package.The club,as with all TaylorMade drivers,seems to be quite upright in lie.This is a help to habitual slicers as it can reduce a slice to more of a gentle fade.
Also of note is that the head sits slightly closed at address,which again will benefit the vast majority of club golfers who hit the banana ball.The shaft seems to have a very low kickpoint (ie.it flexes at a point nearer to the head than the grip) and seems very whippy for a stiff flex.
A single mark on the crown aids alignment.This is a fine looking club in every respect.
Marks:(out of 10) 9

Performance:This club is a direct replacement for the TaylorMade 360,which was a fine driver in it's own right.The problem with the 360 and it's sister clubs the 300 and 320 was that they hit the ball on too loopy a trajectory and were not much use into a headwind or on a windy day.This club (with the use of extra long tees of course!) seems to solve this problem.
The ball flight is much flatter and more penetrating,despite the softness of the shaft and there is lots of roll on landing to give excellent overall distance.A smooth,even tempo is required to get the most of the club (the overall length of the club is 46 inches as against an industry standard of 45) and because of the closed face a big hook can occur on occasion.
This is a most forgiving club and toe and heel mishits fly well and for reasonable yardage.There seems to be more forgiveness across the face than thePing Si3 and Callaway GBB2 and high handicappers will like this club a lot.Shaping a shot left to right (for the right hander) is quite a struggle however,due to the combination of large head,soft shaft and closed face.
Low shooters would be advised to look at the 510TP or 540 from the same manufacturer,or if you like this club, try a premium shaft that TaylorMade offers (ProForce,Graffalloy,Fujikura).
Marks:9

Value:$399 is high, but is not bad value. Taylor Made change their models about every 6-12 months,however,so you may find you will be trading in rather quickly if you want to be up with the next door neighbours.
Marks:8

Verdict:A very fine driver for the mid to high handicap golfer who has the greenbacks.Low handicappers should look at the V.expensive but excellent TaylorMade R510TP,Titleist 983 or new Callaway Fusion.High handicappers on a budget should look for deals on the superb Cobra SS 430.
Marks:9

Drivers	Irons	Wedges
Taylormade 510 driver	RAC Forged cavity backed	RAC wedge
Taylormade 540 driver	RAC MB	Raw wedge
Taylormade 580 driver	XO3
Taylormade 860 driver	Ladies Miscela irons	Cor value
Taylormade XR05

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