Equipment

Spotted: A TaylorMade “M4” driver (via Instagram)

Published

6 years ago

Nov 10, 2017

We’ve spotted two photos of a TaylorMade M4 driver making the rounds on Instagram and in our TaylorMade M3/M4 forum thread. While Instagram username “Golfization” — whom we believe to be the originator of the photos — has been deleted, below is a screenshot of the original post. The photos have since been shared by a variety of other Instagram users, as well. TaylorMade currently has no comment on the photos or the driver.

Based on the photos of the driver, it appears that the TaylorMade M4 pictured has the company’s “Geocoustic” technology that uses geometries to improve sound and feel. It also displays a new “Hammerhead” technology, based on writing written on a slot in the sole of the driver in the photo above. Even if the photo does not picture an M4 that will hit retail, the photo at least shows that TaylorMade has made a driver that goes away from it’s popular white-centric color scheme, replacing it with silver, much like a previous SLDR S design.

Is this TaylorMade’s new M4? That question has yet to be answered. But click here to see what GolfWRX members are saying about the Instagram photos.

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30 Comments

Joro

Nov 13, 2017 at 11:46 am

Y’all better run out and get in line, cause with that amazing Driver you will be so much longer and is what it is all about, can’t play a lick, but long. And that is a promise from TM. No guarantee, but a promise. Hurry and get you one. lololololol

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MuskieCy

Nov 11, 2017 at 8:18 pm

Raider Nation will eat it up.

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Bernard

Nov 11, 2017 at 10:57 am

I actually like it quite a bit because it definitely has looks of BMW. Enough for a lawsuit or some agreement to be in place. Porche has trademark on their fonts, would be surprised if BMW did not go just as far.

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Bobby Wallace

Nov 11, 2017 at 10:35 am

The silver looks horrible. Black and white looked amazing.

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Had Enuff

Nov 10, 2017 at 11:58 pm

M4 — Febr’18
M5 — June’18
M6 — Nov’18
M7 — Mar’19
M8 — ??????

Reply Report comment
- Val
  
  Nov 12, 2017 at 1:14 am
  
  STOP!!!! I’m getting dizzy.
  
  Reply Report comment
Mr Muira

Nov 10, 2017 at 11:07 pm

Taylormade have only ever built one club (an iron) that was good, but they don’t even know it. They jagged the design of it. If they knew they would bring it back. The R9 tour.

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Anthony

Nov 10, 2017 at 10:29 pm

HammerHead? Oh my god, it all started with rockets and nutz ????

TaylorMade, Your dead to many people!!!

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F the French

Nov 10, 2017 at 10:04 pm

As long as it performs, and that the head isn’t too light like the retail M2, but as heavy as the SLDR

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steve c

Nov 10, 2017 at 8:40 pm

Taylormade cash-grab? I think so…

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Bob Rockwell

Nov 10, 2017 at 4:17 pm

The silver looks like sh*t. Go back to white with black.

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- Joe Dallas
  
  Nov 10, 2017 at 4:47 pm
  
  I agree, no comparison between this and the old M1’s and M2’s. Which are not that old LOL The white and black color schemes look amazing. This is so muhhhhhhhhh.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Bo Pence
    
    Nov 10, 2017 at 4:49 pm
    
    Hopefully they will have color options,(white on black, grey on black, and black on black etc) That would be great!
    
    Reply Report comment
SUHDUDE

Nov 10, 2017 at 4:12 pm

The Ultimate Copyright Infringement Machine

Reply Report comment
- Mr. Replier Guy
  
  Nov 10, 2017 at 4:35 pm
  
  This.
  Pandering to wannabe Bimmerheads.
  
  Reply Report comment
Taylormade Fan

Nov 10, 2017 at 4:05 pm

Can’t stand the grey with the black. The white looks so much better. Why can’t they just keep the crown like it was?

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etc.

Nov 10, 2017 at 2:53 pm

Looks like no sliding or screw-in weights, just some fancy internal structures to reinforce the driver head and give the impression that it’s something important for performance. Another semi-annual WITB scam for gullible gearheads.

Reply Report comment
- Brian
  
  Nov 10, 2017 at 5:43 pm
  
  I’m guessing there will be an “M3” version with the adjustable weights.
  
  Reply Report comment
CB

Nov 10, 2017 at 1:41 pm

Does its engine catch fire and explode like made-in-USA junk BMWs too? lmao

Reply Report comment
- Terry (TMAC)
  
  Dec 14, 2017 at 9:03 pm
  
  Hmmm……never had that happen to any of my BMW’s. SMH
  
  Reply Report comment
John K

Nov 10, 2017 at 1:20 pm

Make the top all honeycomb black and I’m in. Really don’t like the multiple colors.

Reply Report comment
Bishop

Nov 10, 2017 at 1:20 pm

I wonder how much in royalties BMW will be receiving from Taylormade… if none, I’m sure we can expect to see a lawsuit in the near future.

I suppose the slogan can still remain the same for both companies, though: “The Ultimate Driving Machine”.

Reply Report comment
- saveva
  
  Nov 10, 2017 at 1:48 pm
  
  lawsuits? I guess if BMW also applied their trademarks to golf equipment…
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Bishop
    
    Nov 10, 2017 at 3:20 pm
    
    Or a trademark on the “M4” emblem…
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Mr. Divot
      
      Nov 10, 2017 at 4:25 pm
      
      When you apply for a trademark, it has to be specified which category the trademark will be used. Then you have to prove usage in that category after receiving the trademark. Also, you can’t use a super broad description of intended trademark usage so that it covers a bunch of different industries and uses, when in reality, you plan to only use it in one or two particular industry categories. It’s doubtful BMW applied for usage of the ‘M4’ trademark in the golf club category, although they definitely would have applied for clothing, so there may be some overlap there.
      
      Reply Report comment
- xjohnx
  
  Nov 10, 2017 at 3:52 pm
  
  I’m not a lawyer so I wont comment on the legality of it but, I think calling them M3/M4 and using this color scheme is just flat out desperate and disrespectful.
  
  Reply Report comment
Scott

Nov 10, 2017 at 1:15 pm

Boo ya baby! Gonna be an expensive spring. Can’t wait to read what tweaks they made. Is Sergio crying now or is he already dialing in on an epic now? Wow

Reply Report comment
nyguy

Nov 10, 2017 at 12:47 pm

meh… awful M4 logo like the m1 logo, just awful.. Taylormade needs a new art director… does this club come with the purchase of a BMW M-series???

Reply Report comment
dude

Nov 10, 2017 at 11:55 am

I thought RM said it was the ball anyway? Is that silver?

Reply Report comment
Spitfisher

Nov 10, 2017 at 11:54 am

M4, Looks like a BMW rear badge

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

16 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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