The most beautiful thing about this driver is that it conforms to YOU. You do not have to conform to the driver. Of course, you will need several buckets of balls on the range and some patience and free time to adjust the specifics of the club. Additionally, I would recommend buying some additional TaylorMade weights to match the club to your needs.
I was playing a Callaway Diablo, great driver, 250 yards, nice and straight (when my swing was correct). I am hitting the R11 270-280 straight after about 5 buckets of range balls and some personal frustration getting it set up.
Thoughts on loft - don't think you're a professional and go setting the loft to 8*. Try it with everything set to neutral first. Get the loft set before moving on to anything else.
Next adjust the sole plate. I leave mine in Neutral. The professionals have their sole plates set to open. Remember, they are taking the left half of the fairway out of play. It's just how they play - they only play from the right side of the course. Unless you are deadly accurate with a driver, I'd leave it neutral. Leaving it open can induce slice in a duffer. Closed of course will induce a snap hook.
Weights - this is where I believe the true beauty of the club is. Stock it comes with 10g in the heel and 1g in the toe. That is a fine setting. I put the 10g in the toe and 1g in the heel and the ball sliced nasty. I went and bought a full set of TaylorMade weights (not knock offs, real ones) and I'm now playing with 14g in the heel and 4g in the toe. It's evened out the club face for me, and the added mass of the club head is getting me more distance.
Pros:
1. adjustability - If you have the time and patience, you're going to have a perfectly set up club
2. Feel - club feels great, looks great.
3. length - it's a little longer than most drivers=more leverage=more distance
4. Price - honestly, it costs the same as any new model driver from any manufacturer.
5. White head - I like the look. Your irons aren't black, why should the driver?
Cons:
1. Grip - stock grip is just horrible, I've replaced it with a Golf Pride New Decade multi-compound. The stock grip was slick and moved around in my hands too much.
2. Accessories - it comes with the tool and manual, but some additional weights would be nice, or even the complete weight set, even if it adds to the cost.
3. Shaft - I don't have a problem, but a lot of people do not like the stock shaft on this thing.
4. Counterfeiting - There are lots of fake of this club out there already! Ensure you're buying from an authorized TaylorMade retailer. Fakes are even being found at real golf shops because they are that high quality fake!
5. Adjustability - if you don't know what you're doing, you can really mess yourself up and possibly damage a $400 club.
