Is the Taylormade R580 XD Driver Still Good? Is it Forgiving for High Handicappers?

“The Taylormade R580 XD was supposed to supplant the standard Taylormade R580 as the longer driver. Did it succeed?”

In fact, the very “XD” in the Taylormade R580 XD title stands for extra distance. We have tested the standard Taylormade R580 in the past and really liked it. So we were extra curious about what the Taylormade R580 XD was all about.

I took a couple of testers with me for this session. Read on to find out whether the Taylormade R580 XD is any good and if it deserves space in your bag in 2023.

What Year Did the Taylormade R580 XD Driver Come Out?

Both the Taylormade R580 XD and the standard Taylormade R580 driver came out in 2002. They quickly became favorites among tour pros and casual golfers alike. The Taylormade R580 XD in particular was made to be a longer, more forgiving version of the standard R580 driver.

Is the Taylormade R580 XD Legal?

As of the time of this review, the Taylormade R580 XD was perfectly legal for tournament play, amateur tournaments and casual play. The United States Golf Association is the governing body for tournament play at the pro and amateur levels and they are the ones who decide which clubs are legal and which ones aren’t. The Taylormade R580 XD, with its 440cc head volume falls perfectly in-line with the USGA stipulations for tournament play.

Taylormade R580 XD Specs

• 400cc and 440cc head options
• 45” stock shaft length
• 5°, 9.5° 10.5° loft
• Taylormade M.A.S. stock shaft

Is the Taylormade R580 XD Driver Still Good?

“The Taylormade R580 XD seemed to tick all the boxes in our test session.”

It was forgiving, workable and played long. I was one of three testers to put the Taylormade R580 XD through its paces and I have the fastest swing of the three. The Taylormade R580 XD appeased my swing with a mid launch. While it wasn’t quite as low as I would have liked, it was still boring enough to work with my aggressive tempo and optimize my carry distance. Plus, it yielded low spin numbers comparable to my current gamer driver.

My other testers were able to get straight shots that were close to mine in distance. They said that the Taylormade R580 XD was incredibly forgiving even though the head was smaller than what they’re used to.

The Taylormade R580 XD utilizes the inverted cone technology that is common in modern TM drivers. This makes the whole face viable for contact.

The Taylormade R580 XD is still a hot commodity on the used golf club market – and having tested it, it’s not hard to see why. It is still a very good driver for both mid and high handicappers.

Is the Taylormade R580 XD Forgiving for High Handicappers?

“My fellow testers were hitting mid-high baby draws that landed really close to the line on nearly every swing.”

We tried the 440cc head version which was a bit intimidating at first; but we got used to it really quickly. For me, the head was more workable. For my testing partners, the smaller head didn’t affect accuracy.

After just a few swings, we were all hitting laser-straight shots down the fairway. I definitely felt that I could take my fastest, hardest swing and still find the fairway and my testing partners echoed that sentiment. So I would say the Taylormade R580 XD is absolutely viable for high handicappers.

Taylormade R580 XD Vs Taylormade Taylormade RBZ Driver

“The Taylormade RBZ driver has a larger 460cc head and an adjustable hosel.”

There’s no denying it, the RBZ driver was more inherently forgiving than the Taylormade R580 XD. It was also more versatile with adjustable loft and face angle. But the RBZ feels clunky and doesn’t produce a pleasant sound at impact.