05.19.04
Priority Designs helps create the TaylorMade Golf r7 Quad Driver.

Sporting goods designers from Priority Designs in conjunction with the TaylorMade Golf engineering staff recently completed work on what is surely to become the most innovative golf driver in recent years. The r7 quad driver gives players the freedom to change the driver's launch conditions by redistributing 24 grams of discretionary weight. While the average driver delivers a single set of launch conditions, the r7 quad delivers six, allowing the player to choose the one that generates maximum distance, accuracy and workability.

To make it possible to redistribute club head weight, TaylorMade engineers devised a system of four ports, called TLC ports, which are located in the sole of the club head. At the same time they developed differently weighted cartridges, called TLC cartridges, which can easily be installed in the TLC ports and removed again. Installing different-weighted TLC cartridges in different configurations in the TLC ports effectively shifts the CG toward the front or the back or toward the heel or the toe. Each CG location delivers a new set of launch conditions based upon the player's personal performance needs.

In addition to the driver and weight cartridges, Priority Designs also helped design the TLC Torque Wrench, it's storage bag and the r7 quad head cover. The TLC Torque Wrench was created specifically to install and remove the r7 cartridges. The 10- and 2-gram cartridges are engineered to be securely installed when tightened to greater than 30 inch-pounds of torque. The TLC Torque Wrench is self-limiting and will deliver that exact amount of torque to prevent over-tightening the cartridge.

Says Mark King, President and CEO of TaylorMade Golf, "The r7 quad was conceived and created by the brightest minds in the golf industry, and we're confident that it will help golfers to realize their true potential in terms of distance and accuracy off the tee."

Priority Designs contribution to the projects included concept sketch development, photo-realistic Alias 3D computer animations, soft good design and specification, prototyping, engineering, and graphic design. Shown below are pictures of the concept development leading up to the final products. It's a fascinating look at the progression of the design.