50 Word or Less
Low spin. Excellent dispersion. Less adjustability than SLDR. Solid look. Great feel. My favorite $299 driver of 2014 so far.
Introduction
With all of the (much deserved) hype surrounding the SLDR drivers, the TaylorMade JetSpeed is flying a little below the radar (plane joke, haha). After thoroughly testing it, I can tell you that ignoring the JetSpeed would be a mistake. With its combination of a low, forward center of gravity (CG) and TaylorMade’s Speed Pocket, the JetSpeed delivers great distance and the best solution to one of the most common driver mishits.
Looks
At address, the JetSpeed is a really solid looking 460cc driver. The matte black crown looks great, and the lack of alignment aids keeps the area near the ball free of distractions. There are some crown graphics towards the back of the head, but they’re done in modest shades of grey and blue and are not a distraction at address. Importantly, in the standard setting, the club sits very square.
On the sole, the most noticeable feature is the Speed Pocket. This is the first time that TaylorMade has put a Speed Pocket in a driver and they state that it has helped them to drop 200-300 RPMs of spin. This is a claim I will discuss in a moment.
Sound & Feel
Since the JetSpeed is priced below the SLDR line, I expected it to be TaylorMade’s everyman driver. Typically, that means it’s going to be louder and more clang-y, so I was very surprised to find that the JetSpeed is actually TaylorMade’s best sounding driver since the R7 SuperQuad. By modern standards, this driver is very quiet which enhances the solid feel.
Additionally, the pitch is very low. It’s not so low that the face feels dull, but it’s still low. From a pure sound and feel perspective, the JetSpeed is a joy to hit.
Performance
We’ve all seen TaylorMade’s Speed Pocket before. It’s what made the RocketBallz fairway woods and hybrids so long, and now it can even be seen in irons like the SpeedBlade. But why put one in a driver, where the COR is already at the USGA limit? In the JetSpeed driver, the Velocity Slot isn’t about speed, it’s about fixing a common mishit: hitting the ball low on the face.
Being no stranger to this particular error, I was able to test this feature thoroughly, and it left me very impressed. Typically, a shot hit low on the face launches low, balloons up in the air, then drops dead with little to no roll. With the JetSpeed, shots low on the face still launch low, but they don’t balloon because the spin stays very low. This means more roll out and more total distance, even when you miss the center of the face.
The other standout feature of the JetSpeed is its accuracy. It’s been a long time since I picked up a driver and hit it as straight as I did with the JetSpeed. I was particularly surprised by this given the relatively light Matrix shaft. As I grew accustomed to the feel of the JetSpeed, my accuracy only got better. I have a new high water mark for driver accuracy that I’m not sure I’ll be topping any time soon.
Conclusion
For players who don’t want or need the added adjustability of the SLDR, but still want low, low spin, the JetSpeed is a fantastic choice. I found the JetSpeed to be very forgiving and very straight. When you add the fact that this is TaylorMade’s best sounding driver in ages, you have a driver that is on the “Must Try” list.
Between the SLDR and the JetSpeed, this is the best year for TaylorMade drivers in a long time.
Price and Specs
The TaylorMade JetSpeed driver retails for $299.
It is available in 9.5° and 10.5° for LH players. RH players also have the option of a 13° head.
The stock shaft is the Matrix Velox T 49 in M, R, S, and X flex.
Watch the Video
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Matt Saternus
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Any chance the Jetspeed hybrids will get reviewed?
We have a review of the JetSpeed fairway wood coming on Thursday, but TaylorMade has not sent in the hybrid as of yet. Feel free to let them know that you’d like to see that. :)
-Matt
Agree, “ignoring the JetSpeed would be a mistake”! I’m a senior player 75 mph swing speed measured on Radar Swing Tempo. I tried my friends Jet Speed on the course. I was happily shocked how much farther I hit it past my Nike Covert! Didn’t measure the first drive. The second was 37 yds farther! I flushed all four drives. On the last one I used a crappy scratched up ball. I didn’t walk, I ran to the the PGA store and bought one! Didn’t get the same result with his 3 wood. Both fairway hits were only a foot apart.
Correction to my comment. The 3 Wood comparison is incorrect. I hit his 3 Hybrid Rocketballz NOT JetSpeed 3 Wood.
Thank you.
Is this the most forgiving driver for 2014. I loved the taylormade burner.
It’s quite forgiving, but I can’t definitively say it’s the most forgiving. The PING G30 is probably among the leaders for that title.
Best,
Matt
when you adjust the loft lower, ex. 10.5 to 10, .5 increment, does it open the club face and if so by how many degrees? also from 10.5 to 11 degrees, does it close the cub face and how many degrees?
Rafael,
Yes, when you decrease the loft setting, the face is more open and vice versa. The relationship is approximately 1 to 1.
Best,
Matt
I have a slice from time to time. Would it be better to set the jetspeed higher or lower angle. Send wrong email add before.
Sam,
If you want to close the face angle to fight the slice, you want to add loft.
Best,
Matt
I am just returning to golf after a very long absence, so most of my gear is long in the tooth. I just purchased a Jetspeed driver because of reviews and great feel of the club. One question I have that is pretty much ignored in all of the reviews and videos I have found. How does one use the adjustment on the shaft for loft? I don’t really want to just twisty- turnie on it without information. The Taylormade site gives no information on this either. Can you enlighten me? Greatly appreciated in advance.
Carter,
The long and short of all adjustable drivers is this: when you add loft, the face closes. When you subtract loft, the face opens. I hope that helps.
-Matt
I deiced to replace JETSPEED 9.5 flex “S” instead of X-Hot last summer. It is very significant change because average driving range increase + 30 yard. Last March , Another FW #3 was come too. I am very happy this family too much. (Not need moving to SLDR or R15)
I currently use a burner 07 and was wondering if I would get a few extra yards with the jetspeed. I have seen reviews for the last five drivers of Taylormade, Jetspeed, rocketbalz stage one and two and the superfast drivers and there is only a six yard increase, am I wasting my money to upgrade.
Tim,
The only way to know is to take your current driver and compare it to the newer models on a launch monitor. I would add that if you do this with a qualified fitter, you can find out how much extra yardage is available to you.
Best,
Matt
i just switched since 2 months from right hand to lefthand play(am left handed &can do both) but feeling left side is better.i bought this taylormade driver today & just started it hitting very straight & longer due to lower ball flight.it kicks ground & starts rolling for 20/30 yards