The TaylorMade R5 series is an extensive collection of drivers released back in 2005. There are around 17 different iterations of this golf club. Since their release, there have been plenty of equipment regulation changes. Many have wondered if any of these clubs are considered illegal because of the changing equipment standards.
To find the answer to this question, I looked up the USGA and R&A’s equipment rules to see whether or not the TaylorMade R5 is illegal.
Is The TaylorMade R5 Driver Illegal? According to the USGA and R&A, all versions of the TaylorMade R5 Driver are legal to use for any casual, amateur, high-level amateur, and professional golf rounds and tournaments. More specifically, the TaylorMade R5 Tour, TP, Dual Type D, Dual Type N, Dual Type W, XL 460 D, XL 460 N, XL Plus Draw, XL Plus Neutral are legal to use in golf.
Both the R&A and USGA are considered ‘governing bodies’ of the professional golf world. Any rule that they create is considered law by the rest of the golf world. So these resources are likely the most reputable in the golf world.
R&A Golf Club Database: TaylorMade R5 Legality
One resource that I always use to see whether or not a club is illegal is the R&A’s conforming club database. This database allows you to see all conforming clubs that the R&A has deemed legal to use for golf. So, it is very easy to see whether or not a club is conforming.
As you can see from the screenshot, I filtered for the ‘TaylorMade R5’ under ‘conforming drivers’. There were 17 versions of the club that appeared. Each one is an iteration of the R5 with varying specs.
One interesting aspect to this database is that you can view the ‘more details’ area that gives detail on the available lofts, sole information, etc. So, if you are more interested in the gritty details of the R5, then have a look.
USGA Conforming Club List: TaylorMade R5
Another great resource to use is the USGA’s conforming club list. This list is a frequently updated PDF that stores all of the legal clubs (except putters) along with their detailed information. Although it is a bit harder to navigate, it is still an awesome resource to use.
I searched for ‘TaylorMade R5’ on this list and was able to find all 17 club versions. The screenshot only has a limited number of clubs because I was not able to fit every club in the same screenshot. Using this list doubles down on what I found in the R&A database. So, it is clear from both of these resources that the TaylorMade R5 is legal to use.
Final Thoughts: TaylorMade R5 Illegal
So, now that we know that this club is in fact legal to use, you can feel free to purchase this club or throw it in your bag. It seems that all versions of the club are legal, so if you have a driver that is an iteration of the TaylorMade R5, then, based on what I’ve found, you can totally use it in any of your rounds or tournaments.