TaylorMade, r5 (Type D) driver

My self-taught swing tends to bring the clubhead on a path that delivers a firm but glancing blow, from out to in, creating a low, fizzing, left to right power fade. Manageable but distance debilitating.

I've tried turning the shoulders into a position from which Houdini would struggle to escape, I've alignment my feet to promote a looping hook and I've even put my right hand grip so much under the shaft it could turn a door nob with a flick of the wrist.

But nothing would encourage a right to left draw flight on my driver - until now.

This latest technology from TaylorMade has made a 50-something very happy (at least for the minimal period I have to sample it). This D Type model (D stands for draw flight, as opposed to N Type for neutral flight) producing a soft right-to-left trajectory with which I am usually unfamiliar.

While its predecessor, the r7 Quad, was designed for the better golfer with performance in mind, these r5s - with bulbous 450cc heads - were created for all handicap levels, chiefly to be more forgiving.

And while the r7 had four interchangeable cartridges to find the right flight to suit the player, the r5 cartidges are permanently in position to suit the required trajectory.

From my opening drive, the ball flew on a high, right to left draw curve, thanks to the elongated head shape, which moves the centre of gravity closer to the heel and the TLC cartridges further back from the face. It's a combination which helps impart that delicious draw spin and reduce mishits.

The special graphite shaft designed for the club also helps deliver a powerful kick through impact.

While I'm not going to claim extra distance for the r5, I was delighted by the new sensation of being able to control flight, direction and distance with my driver, instead of having to aim over the left rough in a bid keep the ball in the right half of the fairway.

If you're looking for a straighter, longer ball flight, the r5 Type N, may be more to your liking.