TaylorMade M1 Fairway Wood

Wood Options & Stock Shafts

Technology

Tour Fairway Wood

The M1 was TaylorMade's swing-for-the-fences reset in 2016, and it landed. This was the club that kicked off the whole M family, and it did so by putting two sliding weights in the sole where earlier drivers gave you one at most. The idea was simple. Give better players a way to dial in both spin and shot shape without ever picking up a wrench for anything except the loft sleeve.

What made the M1 work is the carbon crown. TaylorMade pulled mass out of the top of the head and dropped it low in the sole, which is where the T-Track system lives. You get a front-to-back track that trades launch and spin, plus a heel-to-toe track that leans the ball left or right. Move the 15-gram weight forward and this thing spins low and flat, which is exactly what a strong player fighting a ballooning drive wants.

This is a Tour-category head, so temper your expectations on forgiveness. The 460cc version is the more playable of the two sizes, but the M1 rewards a repeatable strike and punishes a loose one more than a game-improvement driver would. If you have some speed and you want to control your window, it fits. If you're spraying it, look elsewhere in the lineup.

• Mid to low handicappers with enough clubhead speed to hold their own with a low-spin head.
• Players fighting too much spin who want a front weight setting that flattens ball flight.
• Anyone who actually wants to tinker, since the two tracks plus loft sleeve reward experimentation.
• Better ball strikers who value a workable, adjustable shape over maximum heel-and-toe forgiveness.
• Golfers hunting a used flagship at a fraction of new-driver money who don't mind 2016 tech.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between the 460cc and 430cc M1 heads?

The 460cc is the larger, slightly more forgiving option and the one most players should start with. The 430cc is a more compact head built for faster, more consistent swingers who want a shape they can work both ways. Both use the same carbon crown and T-Track system, so the tech is identical. The size just changes the footprint and how workable the head feels.

How do the two sliding weights on the M1 actually work?

There are two separate tracks. The front-to-back track holds a 15-gram weight that controls spin and launch, so sliding it forward drops spin and slides it back adds forgiveness and a higher flight. The heel-to-toe track carries a 10-gram weight that sets your shot shape, moving toward the heel for a draw bias or the toe for a fade. You can adjust them independently.

Is the M1 a low-spin driver?

Yes. Even in its higher-launch settings the M1 runs on the lower-spin side, which is why it sits in the Tour category. Push the front weight all the way forward and it gets genuinely low-spinning, ideal for players who launch it too high or spin it too much. If you need help getting the ball airborne, that low-spin nature can work against you.

Can I adjust the loft on the M1?

You can. The loft sleeve gives you plus or minus two degrees from the printed loft, so a 10.5-degree head covers roughly 8.5 to 12.5. Turning the sleeve also shifts face angle slightly, which affects how open or closed the face looks at address. It's a separate adjustment from the two weight tracks.

Is the 2016 M1 still worth buying today?

As a used driver, it can be. The M1 holds up if you want low spin and real adjustability, and prices have dropped a long way from its flagship launch. Just know you're giving up almost a decade of face and forgiveness gains compared to current models. For a fast swinger on a budget who values control, it's a fair pickup. For most golfers chasing forgiveness, newer is better.

Alternatives to the TaylorMade M1

Other tour fairway wood models from different brands, closest to its model year.