Sim.max 2 Driver
Athenasby Regalado
combos anyway to try out. If you had the Sim Max and hit it well what knocked it out of the bag? BTW I have not even had the chance to hit the Stealth driver yet much less the Stealth 2. It does not have to be a Taylormade driver either if it performs much better.
People often recommend going to swing and test out the clubs yourself in hitting bays because it's more than likely there are a couple you hit better than others. Some drivers, stock shaft or not, just get along with certain swings nicely and others may not.
Purely from a 'new tech' perspective, no.. I would say you are not leaving anything on the table with the small single digit % difference a current year driver will change vs yours. I would however strongly think that there is a driver out there that likely jives with the swing you currently have better than your sim, unless you were fitted for it at the time and your body/swing has overwhelmingly not changed since.
I'm kinda in your same boat, I've tried knocking my og sim max outta the bag the last couple years but it's still in there. I play a 9 deg turned down to open the face, average high 160's ball speed and around 2500 spin. Sim 2 wasn't as good for me, epic wasn't as good for me, stealth wasn't as good for me. However, the standard mavrik is something I'm toying with, I get some pretty awesome numbers with it. Going to build up a poor man's auto flex with it and see just what that does. As far as new this year, I am most interested in the standard paradym and g430 lst.
As for the 2023 drivers, this year I think they are hot but don't discount the 2022 drivers. The Rogue ST Max or the Max LS is worth a look at especially if you just pick up the head for around $250 from BST. Having said that, sometimes it pays to have a Universal adapter system on your shaft like All-Fit (check out the WRX subforum thread) where you switch same shaft to different heads.
For the 2023, I will look at the Paradym Triple Diamond, crazy long but still pretty forgiving for what this head is suppose to do. May be the Stealth 2+ as well but it doesn't look like TM has the engine grunts like Callaway this year in terms of sheer ballspeed performance.
You're not missing out on much. The Stealth Plus gives me more consistent back spin and ball speed numbers numbers across the face compared to the OG SIM but it's not a game changer. Stealth Plus also launches quite a bit lower. If your OG SIM is dialed in and you're getting optimal numbers, I would suggest keeping it in the bag for awhile longer.
Go on YouTube and watch some videos by Peter Finch or Rick Shiels. Their numbers are indicative of what gains available from the latest and greatest. A shaft change will probably help you more than any l&g head.
if you play something well, keep playing it...if you just wanna swing something else, well...do that, too. i got longer going from the sim2 max to the stealth but i think it was more due to me getting better and not simply the club change.
I bought my sim max last year and tried it against the stealth at the time. The sim max was 250, the stealth 450. The stealth was a couple of yards longer with worse dispersion (same evenflow shaft and loft in both). My dad has been playing the same sim max three years and every year tries the new drivers with no increase in distance.
... I believe every golfer should hit new drivers every year. If you look you can usually find a demo day or a free OEM fitting. Chances are you won't find anything "better" for several years but you never know when a new feature may work perfectly with your swing. Say you catch the ball a little low and just left of center or a little high and just right of center, a new driver face construction my produce a slightly longer shot with better dispersion. What works for some forum members may not work for you. Only way to find out is to hit them.
... I had an opportunity to trade my OG Sim Max for a Sim2 Max straight up but can't say they were any different for me. I went to demo days last year hitting the Stealth and Rogue LS producing basically the same performance and I like the sound/feel/look of my Sim2 and of course there is that level of confidence rom playing it. Unless you do a "try and buy" where you can take a driver out on the course and play it a couple rounds, you are stuck with hitting balls and comparing with your Sim at the range. I think for most, grooving a swing with repeated drives when they don't count is a little like the handicap system. It won't tell you what your average drive will be like but it can tell you how it will perform with your best swings. Unfortunately most of us don't play golf with our best swings on every tee and an average drive would be much ore helpful.
This debate seems to have been settled several years ago. Zero to negligible improvements. My 9 year old Bridgestone J715, (recently sold), was as long/longer and as accurate as anything I've currently put it up against.
As I said in the the Stealth thread, my SIM 2Max out performs the OG Stealth Plus and the new Stealth by at least 10 yds on the course in an exact paired comparison test I.e. same: lofts, holes on the course, wind, ball and shafts.
Dispersion was pretty bad for me with the Stealth+, however, ball speeds were on the higher side. It was one of those hit big or miss big drivers. It also had a tiny hot spot where the ball would jump off the face with a 3-5 mph ball speed increase. Cheat code, lol. Unfortunately, I missed with it far more often than nut it, so it had to go. At first I thought it was the million shafts I was swapping out. However, I figured it out that it was the head after testing different heads with the shaft combos. It was a Homer Simpson moment for me, lol.
Whether this driver intrigues you or not, the one thing I hope you take away is that it is essential to test clubs and be fit before you put down your money, lest you end up in an unhappy driver marriage.
I tested all types and confidently bought the Sim Max D. Works for me well compared to other expensive Japanese brand drive. I got the investment back in 1 play with friends. Thank you TM. You did great job !
Like you, I've been reticent to play the new stealths, although I hit one at a full bag fitting and it performed well for me. Even if budget wasn't a concern, I would probably skip the stealth lineup because I have concerns about the face.
Still packing my sim max 9 degree turned down one click. It's been just as long as any of the new stuff and I've tried constantly to kick it outta the bag. The only thing I don't like on tm's is if you miss it on the heel it's more punishing than other brands.
Funny, I just picked up an excellent condition OG M2 from Cally preowned for pretty cheap because I actually have a Sim Max and I cant hit the thing to save my life. The loft is way way too low for me though, 8* so that's probably why. I've messed wit the setting and I just cant find one that works. For some reason TM drivers and have never gotten along so I figure if I cant hit the M2 I should just something else.
I've got a 10.5 Sim turned down to lower with a Tensei Blue. Each year I'll demo the new drivers and haven't hit anything that would knock it out of the bag. Tested the QI10 two weeks ago and the Sim held it's own.....slightly less carry on average, similar total distance and lower spin than the QI10.
I've had both and they're one of TM's best drivers of all time, IMO. I would have no problem gaming one as we speak. The best combo was the SIM/SIM MAX paired with Ventus Black for me. Mid launch/low spin bombs all day.
I recently went back to my Sim Max 9.0* and I love this thing. I gamed one for all of 2021 and tinkered with Ping G410/425 LST, Titleist Tsi3, Sim 2, Cobra LTDx and LTDx LS for '22 and '23. The TaylorMade just gives me the confidence out on the course to play any kind of shot and it's forgiving enough while still looking awesome down at the ball. Its really hard to beat for me.
You may like the SIM2 better. Go test one if the opportunity presents itself. I've had the SIM/SIM MAX/SIM2 and preferred the SIM2. HIghest ball speeds outta the three, looks and feels better as well. Slightly more forgiving as well.
TaylorMade has risen to the top of the ranks in the golf industry, especially when it comes to metalwoods. Every year the golf community waits in eager anticipation for what TaylorMade will do next with drivers and fairway woods. In 2020, TaylorMade has transitioned away from the M family and introduced the SIM series. SIM, which stands for Shape in Motion, features a revolutionary new shape with impressive aerodynamics designed to increase swing speed. The SIM Max driver features a large footprint and deeper center of gravity, which will work best for golfers seeking forgiveness, high launch, and added distance. The standard SIM driver is designed with a more compact shape and a sliding weight on the sole for golfers looking for lower spin and adjustability, while the SIM Max D-Type driver offers all the benefits of the SIM Max driver in a draw-biased package.
The TaylorMade SIM family has been designed to help golfers increase their clubhead speed through aerodynamics. The sole features an Inertia Generator that has been strategically shaped and placed asymmetrically so that it matches the airflow created by a golf swing. This construction creates faster clubhead speed, which results in more ball speed and distance. The clubhead is also created with a multi-material construction that includes carbon, titanium, and steel. Through the use of these materials, TaylorMade was able to precisely position the center of gravity low to generate both high MOI and low spin. Returning from previous TaylorMade drivers are the Speed Injected and Twist Face technologies. Speed Injected technology involves an injection process of resin that allows the driver to be built over the legal speed limit before it is tuned back to conform. Twist Face technology consists of a slightly twisted clubface, particularly at the heel and toe areas, to overcome inherent tendencies on mis-hits and produce straighter ball flights. The SIM Max driver also features an adjustable loft sleeve that allows the golfer to optimize the club for trajectory and ball flight biases.