22 replies to this topic

[PBrowne3]

So I have an old 9.5* Taylormade 300 Tour head lying around my house that I've never messed with and I'm starting to get curious.   I picked up a Diamana Whiteboard 73 shaft and I think I might throw it in the TM 300 Tour head to see what this thing can do.

I've read a ton of threads about this club and everyone claimed that it was still as good as any driver that had been produced since.  However, most of those threads were posted most recently in 2008 or 2009.

Based on the advancements in tech in the past few years, is this claim still true?  For a better player, will the 'Holy Grail' still perform as well as anything else that is out there?

Curious to see if any of you still play it.

I'll let y'all know what my findings are, after I get the head shafted and take it to the range.

[03trdblack]

It will still feel fantastic but the 300 series didn't have the inverted cone face technology so ball speed will be lower on off center hits. Still fun to play around with though! Might have to bring mine back out.

[jfzhorseman]

this may apply to the 510 tp - see more of those still in play

[PBrowne3]

I assume that since there were only 2 responses, the club is not that relevant anymore?

That is a shame.  I think there is something to be said for a driver that is 360 cc.  Its funny how quickly our perspective can change.  I remember when the 975D came out (260cc) and we thought it was huge!  Then the 983K came out at 365cc and we thought it was enormous!  Now we see the 360cc Taylormade 300 Tour as 'tiny'.  The sizes of these older clubs sitting in our attics have not changed since the days that we gamed them.  However, our perspectives have changed dramatically.

Can imagine how huge a 360cc head were appear to Hogan or Snead??

[Irishputter]

PBrowne,

It doesn't matter if 3 reply or 3,000. You are looking for your holy grail.

By (loose) definition, the "Holy Grail" is the ultimate quest for something that is sacred.

In the golf world, your TM 300 Tour could be just that...to you.

Dust the buggar off and take it to the range. If it kicks butt, and does better than what you currently bag, then you've found YOUR holy grail.

I've got a Steelhead Plus 3 wood that is collecting dust in the garage that I might do the same with.

Enjoy your "new" club!

[PBrowne3]

Irishputter, on 07 August 2012 - 11:03 PM, said:

PBrowne,

It doesn't matter if 3 reply or 3,000. You are looking for your holy grail.

By (loose) definition, the "Holy Grail" is the ultimate quest for something that is sacred.

In the golf world, your TM 300 Tour could be just that...to you.

Dust the buggar off and take it to the range. If it kicks butt, and does better than what you currently bag, then you've found YOUR holy grail.

I've got a Steelhead Plus 3 wood that is collecting dust in the garage that I might do the same with.

Enjoy your "new" club!

Thanks Irishputter. That is very good advice.  Well said!

Oh and good luck with the Steelhead Plus 3 wood.  That is a classic performer.

[bobcat]

03trdblack, on 06 August 2012 - 07:29 PM, said:

It will still feel fantastic but the 300 series didn't have the inverted cone face technology so ball speed will be lower on off center hits. Still fun to play around with though! Might have to bring mine back out.

True, but the R500 Tour, (TM's follow-up driver to the 300 Tour), DOES have the Inverted Cone Technology.  As does the R510-TP, R540XD-TP and R580XD-TP.  These particular R500 series heads are all Holy Grails in my book and the ONLY drivers good enough to replace the 300 Tour in my bag.  The 500 series seemed to be TM's "golden era"., and distance was maxed during that time.  Ever since, TM has focused primarily on adustablity and forgiveness,(MOI), rather than pure performance.  That is why the super-solid feel and muted sound of the above R500 series head has been lost.

Long lives the R500 Series!  

Edited by bobcat, 08 August 2012 - 11:58 AM.

[Slackattack]

I remember purchasing the Taylormade 360TI back in 2002.  I had been a little reluctant to switch to one of the larger heads thinking I didn't need such a large driver head to hit the ball straight.  I remember demoing the club at the driving range and being blown away by how far, long, and high I was hitting that driver.  I know I picked up 20 yards overnight with that club (I'm sure my old driver probably didn't even fit me well either).  Now that I've been fitted, the only way to pick up 20 yards is to do it the old fashioned way: working on my swing, strength training and flexibility.

[ram01002]

bobcat, on 08 August 2012 - 11:56 AM, said:

03trdblack, on 06 August 2012 - 07:29 PM, said:

It will still feel fantastic but the 300 series didn't have the inverted cone face technology so ball speed will be lower on off center hits. Still fun to play around with though! Might have to bring mine back out.

True, but the R500 Tour, (TM's follow-up driver to the 300 Tour), DOES have the Inverted Cone Technology.  As does the R510-TP, R540XD-TP and R580XD-TP.  These particular R500 series heads are all Holy Grails in my book and the ONLY drivers good enough to replace the 300 Tour in my bag.  The 500 series seemed to be TM's "golden era"., and distance was maxed during that time.  Ever since, TM has focused primarily on adustablity and forgiveness,(MOI), rather than pure performance.  That is why the super-solid feel and muted sound of the above R500 series head has been lost.

Long lives the R500 Series!  

You need to let it go - - - they are and were fine drivers, but you need to spend some time on Trackman and see the advances in ball speed. I still own the 510tp, but if you think that the 500 series represents the highest performance possible, you are delusional at best.

[bobcat]

ram01002, on 08 August 2012 - 04:56 PM, said:

bobcat, on 08 August 2012 - 11:56 AM, said:

03trdblack, on 06 August 2012 - 07:29 PM, said:

It will still feel fantastic but the 300 series didn't have the inverted cone face technology so ball speed will be lower on off center hits. Still fun to play around with though! Might have to bring mine back out.

True, but the R500 Tour, (TM's follow-up driver to the 300 Tour), DOES have the Inverted Cone Technology.  As does the R510-TP, R540XD-TP and R580XD-TP.  These particular R500 series heads are all Holy Grails in my book and the ONLY drivers good enough to replace the 300 Tour in my bag.  The 500 series seemed to be TM's "golden era"., and distance was maxed during that time.  Ever since, TM has focused primarily on adustablity and forgiveness,(MOI), rather than pure performance.  That is why the super-solid feel and muted sound of the above R500 series head has been lost.

Long lives the R500 Series!  

You need to let it go - - - they are and were fine drivers, but you need to spend some time on Trackman and see the advances in ball speed. I still own the 510tp, but if you think that the 500 series represents the highest performance possible, you are delusional at best.

Perhaps I am a bit old school with my choice, but I have hit plenty of the newer technology drivers and what I consider delusional is people who buy into all the marketing hype that the latest is greatest.

There are many ways to measure driver performance but the best way is actual play on the course, (not with launch monitors, trackman etc). Fact is, I have never found a driver more solid or workable, or as much of a fairway finder as the one I have in the bag now.  Distance is quite respectable compared with the latest out there as well.  I am certainly not the only one who still loves the R500 Tour, the R510-TP, etc. Maybe you should try and find one to compare with your present driver ON THE COURSE!  You might just be surpised.

[ram01002]

Apparently you didn't read my post. I own the 510 tp. It's a great driver . . . The r11 is 15 yards longer and just as workable. Don't be ignorant and assume the earth is flat.

[bobcat]

ram01002, on 08 August 2012 - 07:18 PM, said:

Apparently you didn't read my post. I own the 510 tp. It's a great driver . . . The r11 is 15 yards longer and just as workable. Don't be ignorant and assume the earth is flat.

Oh thinks so much for informing me about the shape of the earth...

Come on now...there is no really no need for rudeness or name calling here. I suggest you check that attitude along with the title of the thread you are posting to.

My only point is that older drivers can indeed still be relevant, (the question the OP was asking), but obviously you have a different view.  Different strokes for different folks.

I'll stick with my R500 Tour, and perhaps you'll get a full season out of your R11.  At least we do agree on one thing...the (2003) R510-TP is still a great driver!

If you are just trolling for an argument because you had a bad day, maybe you should find another venue.

Edited by bobcat, 08 August 2012 - 07:45 PM.

[willard1523]

Funny, the last round I played my father-in-law forgot his driver. I grabbed my 300 tour out of the truck for him to use. He didn't have too much luck with it. His good drive is a sorta heeled low bullet. The 300 tour does not like that apparently. I didn't hit it until the 18th hole, a nice tight draw right down the pipe. You can't beat the sound/feel for sure. Distance is pretty much the same. What I like about the "smaller" drivers is that it seems you don't have to tee them high to get the most out of them. I've been gaming a 9015D for the last couple years though.

[Toph84]

Holy Grail of TM drivers would go R7 282, 510 TP, then maaaaaybe the 300 Tour.

[OffCourse]

PBrowne3, on 06 August 2012 - 05:17 PM, said:

So I have an old 9.5* Taylormade 300 Tour head lying around my house that I've never messed with and I'm starting to get curious.   I picked up a Diamana Whiteboard 73 shaft and I think I might throw it in the TM 300 Tour head to see what this thing can do.

I've read a ton of threads about this club and everyone claimed that it was still as good as any driver that had been produced since.  However, most of those threads were posted most recently in 2008 or 2009.

Based on the advancements in tech in the past few years, is this claim still true?  For a better player, will the 'Holy Grail' still perform as well as anything else that is out there?

Curious to see if any of you still play it.

I'll let y'all know what my findings are, after I get the head shafted and take it to the range.

Slightly old topic, but I have some relevant, recent experience to offer.  I played a TM 300 ti this summer and alternated with a 910D2, distances were the same on good drives, I can honestly say that I did not hit the 300 ti one yard shorter than the 910D2 and I use a GPS.

The difference, as has been said many times, is not distance; 0.830 COR is 0.830 COR no matter how big the head is.  The 300 ti was simply shorter on mishits and easier to mishit.  I found I could literally be sloppy with the 910 and still get fine results.

Something us 'delusional' golfers can keep in mind is that despite all the 'advances' in club technology, the average handicap has not changed for as far back as records go.  From 1995 to 2005 tour handicaps rose by 1/4 point...  Play the 300 ti, I did and it won't hurt your score one bit.  Not to mention the things sound and feel amazing.

[Tread]

Have one of these. Used it on a launch monitor not to long ago. I was averaging 6-8 yards less distance compared to the latest and greatest technology. My furthest drive with my new driver was 13 yards longer than my longest driver with the Ti Tour. My Ti Tour is not custom built. It has an old Penley black and yellow shaft it in. The new drivers I was using had the latest and greatest shafts in them.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

This "Holy Grail" thing is purely an Internet forum construct, isn't it? Desirability based on forum groupthink seldom lasts more than a few months, if that.Hence the usual pattern of certain clubs being supposedly nigh impossible to obtain today and by early next year the BST is flooded with them, first at ridiculous prices then and 1/3 to 1/2 the ridiculous price but still overpriced.

If the driver is a good one for you, play it until you can read the logo any more. Otherwise, toss it and move on. Nothing sadder than trying to chase last year's Holy Grail, the thrill just isn't there any more.

[J13]

Holy grail is another name for classic IMO.  Classic's are those clubs that will be played for longer then normal periods and stay relevant for long periods of time due to design, performance, or a combination.

[cgasucks]

10 years ago the term "holy grail" was definitely used quite at bit when describing the 300 Tour and to a certain extent, the 510 TP, but not used anymore since the CC size and COR is already maxed out now...any driver made in the last 3 years would have been labelled a holy grail driver back then..

[mosesgolf]

I remember that exact head which I personally saw sell for over $1600 and $1400 on ebay.   That is the head that started the "tour issue" craze.  The 300 Tour was followed by the R510DF also the R510TP.  DF had "Titanium" on the toe and almost always had a Txxxxx serial #. Some had no serial #.  In any case the R510DF and R510 TP Tours really outperformed everything available imo when released.

[bobcat]

mosesgolf, on 22 November 2012 - 05:38 PM, said:

I remember that exact head which I personally saw sell for over $1600 and $1400 on ebay.   That is the head that started the "tour issue" craze.  The 300 Tour was followed by the R510DF also the R510TP.  DF had "Titanium" on the toe and almost always had a Txxxxx serial #. Some had no serial #.  In any case the R510DF and R510 TP Tours really outperformed everything available imo when released.

As did the R500 Tour Driver which was the true follow-on to the 300 Tour.

[PBrowne3]

PBrowne3, on 06 August 2012 - 05:17 PM, said:

So I have an old 9.5* Taylormade 300 Tour head lying around my house that I've never messed with and I'm starting to get curious.   I picked up a Diamana Whiteboard 73 shaft and I think I might throw it in the TM 300 Tour head to see what this thing can do.

I've read a ton of threads about this club and everyone claimed that it was still as good as any driver that had been produced since.  However, most of those threads were posted most recently in 2008 or 2009.

Based on the advancements in tech in the past few years, is this claim still true?  For a better player, will the 'Holy Grail' still perform as well as anything else that is out there?

Curious to see if any of you still play it.

I'll let y'all know what my findings are, after I get the head shafted and take it to the range.

Thanks everyone, lots of good thoughts and opinions.  After I got it re-shafted with the whiteboard, I went out and tested it on trackman, as well as on the course.  The club performed great and when hit solid, the numbers were as good as the trackman numbers for solid strikes with an R11S, which was also shafted with a whiteboard (i have done extensive shaft testing and the whiteboard is an ideal fit for me).  Therefore the only variable was the head.  The sound and feel of the 300 Tour was significantly better than the R11S but as expected, my mishits with the 300 Tour showed significantly lower numbers in comparison to the R11S.  This experiment showed that for me, the advances in technology result in more forgiveness and better ball speed on off-center hits, but when struck solidly, there is not change in distance and ball flight.  This might not be the case for everyone, but for a better player, i think it holds true.

I have put the 300 Tour in the bag and plan to continue to keep it there for a while.  Opting to use this driver as opposed to a 460 CC driver is basically the equivalent of using blades instead of cavity backs, as I have found that it has really improved my game b/c it forces me to swing within myself in order to make consistent center contact.

Hoep everyone has a great Thanksgiving weekend out on the course.

Cheers

[Tread]

PBrowne3, on 23 November 2012 - 11:19 AM, said:

PBrowne3, on 06 August 2012 - 05:17 PM, said:

So I have an old 9.5* Taylormade 300 Tour head lying around my house that I've never messed with and I'm starting to get curious.   I picked up a Diamana Whiteboard 73 shaft and I think I might throw it in the TM 300 Tour head to see what this thing can do.

I've read a ton of threads about this club and everyone claimed that it was still as good as any driver that had been produced since.  However, most of those threads were posted most recently in 2008 or 2009.

Based on the advancements in tech in the past few years, is this claim still true?  For a better player, will the 'Holy Grail' still perform as well as anything else that is out there?

Curious to see if any of you still play it.

I'll let y'all know what my findings are, after I get the head shafted and take it to the range.

Thanks everyone, lots of good thoughts and opinions.  After I got it re-shafted with the whiteboard, I went out and tested it on trackman, as well as on the course.  The club performed great and when hit solid, the numbers were as good as the trackman numbers for solid strikes with an R11S, which was also shafted with a whiteboard (i have done extensive shaft testing and the whiteboard is an ideal fit for me).  Therefore the only variable was the head.  The sound and feel of the 300 Tour was significantly better than the R11S but as expected, my mishits with the 300 Tour showed significantly lower numbers in comparison to the R11S.  This experiment showed that for me, the advances in technology result in more forgiveness and better ball speed on off-center hits, but when struck solidly, there is not change in distance and ball flight.  This might not be the case for everyone, but for a better player, i think it holds true.

I have put the 300 Tour in the bag and plan to continue to keep it there for a while.  Opting to use this driver as opposed to a 460 CC driver is basically the equivalent of using blades instead of cavity backs, as I have found that it has really improved my game b/c it forces me to swing within myself in order to make consistent center contact.

Hoep everyone has a great Thanksgiving weekend out on the course.

Cheers

Glad you did this. I have been curious what the results would be if I put a proper shaft in this club.