Comparing the Old and New Gloire Driver, brand new and used!

 

 

Brand New Model vs Used Club

For this edition, let me introduce you to three white-headed drivers! First, I will be testing out the brand new TaylorMade M Gloire, and then I will be testing two TaylorMade Gloire Fs. The brand, Gloire, has a concept of creating easy to use clubs for average Japanese golfers and core golfers who are 50 years old and older. First there was the Gloire, next the Gloire F, and last the latest model, the M Gloire. At Golf Partner, you are able to purchase many different kinds of used clubs from past models, like the Gloire F to brand new models like the M Gloire.

 

↓ Responsiveness for accurate shots! Excellent ball release! Lightweight!

★TaylorMade M Gloire Driver 10.5° Speeder EVOLUTION TM (SR)★

Easy to use, New M Series Brand New Technology

First, I would like to test out the M Gloire. The M is the M for the TaylorMade M Series. The recently released M5 and the M6 have been extremely popular. The M Gloire utilizes M technology. The ease of Gloire plus the brand new M Series technology are what makes the M Gloire. I actually own a M Gloire.

Today, I will be testing out the Speeder EVOLUTION TM (SR). The shaft was created by Fujikura Speeder and TaylorMade. When you waggle, you can feel that it has a low-mid kick point, meaning the top part by the hands is more stiff, while the bottom part is more flexible. The shaft is truly designed for ball responsiveness, which is what makes Gloire a Gloire. What makes M Gloire different from all the other M Series clubs is the large center of gravity angle. This means that the golfer has an easier chance of hitting the ball straight without slices, creating shot control. Both the shaft and the head are designed for the golfer to have great shot control.

Straight, accurate shots! Ball flies off! Lightweight! 

The face looks very nice in address. Let me test it out. Wow! The ball really flew! Listen to that sound. The twist face really works. The ball flight is incredible. This time, I will try to hit the target with a head speed of about 40 m/s. Again, the ball flight is incredible. The combination of M and the Gloire is great. Direct center hit on the target with great ball flight.

The club is pretty lightweight. I think that there are people who love lightweight clubs and people who do not. For me, I changed my shaft and made my club heavier. The original shaft is well under 300 grams so I recommend it to lightweight club lovers. You can swing easier and with a faster head speed when using a lightweight club, but if you already have a lot of power, a lightweight club may mess with the timing of your shot. The weight of the shaft is just as important as the flexibility. It is not the kind of club to swing with a ton of power. The head is easy to turn when you are swinging. The features of the M Gloire are the responsiveness for straight, accurate shots, excellent ball release, and lightweight!

 

↓ 2nd Generation Gloire F - for less responsiveness

★TaylorMade Gloire F（2016）Driver 10.5° GLOIRE GL6600(SR)★

The 2nd Generation- Ball release good as ever

Next, I will test the 2nd generation model of the Gloire F. It is similar to the 1st generation club, which is what I will introduce next. The white area on the 2nd generation is slightly larger than on the 1st. I have some recollection that the 2nd generation came out as a result of the 1st generation, which some could say was a little too responsive. It was released in 2016. Its shaft is more flexible than the M.

When you actually hit with it, immediately, you can really tell that the F has more flexibility in the shaft. The sound is soft. You can tell the sound is a focused area when creating this club since the Gloire has a forged face. The Gloire F does not have a twisted face, but the ball release from the face is as good as the latest model. The ball release from the face of Gloire F is still considered great in the golf world today. The head does not have too much return movement when it makes contact with the ball. Comparing it with the M Gloire, it has less influence on your head rotation. I think that golfers who do not like the face grabbing onto the ball too much and want to hit more in a neutral way should use the 2nd generation Gloire F. 

 

↓ The 1st generation Gloire F has a ball wrapping feel to its shots

★TaylorMade Gloire F Driver 10°GLOIRE GL3000(SR)★

The 1st Generation- The most clear concept

Next is the 1st generation Gloire F. It was released in 2014. I really like this 1st generation. I think this club’s concept is the most clear. The flexibility of the shaft is similar to the 2nd generation. Out of the three clubs introduced today, the projection area of the head is the most straight.

The target customers for this concept is said to be for senior golfers. When you place the face on the ground, you can see that the face is not hook faced and is straight. This club is right for golfers who care about the face. This one has a clear sound on contact, unlike the 2nd generation. On the face, the word “forged” is printed. The 1st generation "wraps'' the ball, giving off a hard, yet springy sound, like a little hardened rice cake is making contact with the ball. This club was released 5 years ago, but as long as it's decent quality I think that it's a better fit for golfers who would rather have a club that wraps around the ball than one that just makes solid contact, like a baseball bat. This club doesn't smack the ball, like the M Gloire. It wraps around the ball.

 

Old and New GLOIRE Drivers. How to choose the right one. 

For this edition, I tested the 1st generation TaylorMade Gloire F, the 2nd generation Gloire F, and the M Gloire. They all have white on the head. The M Gloire has a partially carbon crown and is part of the M Series. For golfers who want responsiveness and to hit more draws, the M Gloire is the right fit out of recently released lightweight clubs. However, you cannot easily replace the shaft or change its angle due to the type of neck it has.

Unlike the M Gloire, the 1st and 2nd generation Gloire has shaft removable necks. They do not have the sole adjustments function, but there are other adjustments you can make. For example, you are able to adjust the face in both. The faces of the 1st and 2nd generations are very different. The original shafts have similar designs and ball contact feels similar. If you are choosing between the 1st generation and the 2nd generation, choose by whichever face you prefer. If you think the M Gloire is too responsive and prefer a neutral club, I recommend the Gloire F. 

The M Gloire and Gloire F are the most core leveled for Japanese golfers and made to target golfers who are 50 years and older. Please give them a shot!

 

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Mark Kanai (Golf Club Analyst)
Mark Kanai was born on September 16, 1958, in Osaka. He is 6 feet tall and has A blood type. After working as an editor for a golf magazine, he switched to freelance. He has tested over 5,000 golf clubs. With his expertise and as a single digit handicapper, his golf club trials and reports are published both in magazines and online.