TaylorMade has introduced the SIM2 family of drivers, fairways, irons and Rescues
The driver offerings include the SIM2, SIM2 Max and SIM2 Max•D.
With the original SIM, TaylorMade focused on reshaping the driver to deliver speed and aerodynamics at the most critical stage of the swing, the milliseconds right before impact.
Embracing the evolution of design, TaylorMade has reinvented the way drivers are constructed with an increased focus on enhanced forgiveness, while maintaining speed and enhanced launch conditions.
“Forgiveness equals confidence. In 2020, we built a driver that was aerodynamic, promoted favourable launch properties and had one of the hottest faces in golf,” said Tomo Bystedt, TaylorMade’s senior director of product creation.
“By increasing forgiveness with SIM2, SIM2 Max and SIM2 Max•D, we’ve truly engineered a driver that has no tradeoffs. Golfers can step to the tee box and have the freedom to swing with confidence every time. Knowing they have a driver that checks all the boxes-forgiveness, speed and distance with a beautifully crafted aesthetic,” said Bystedt.
To reach that level of forgiveness, TaylorMade engineers were forced to completely rethink how drivers are built from the ground up.
By focusing on the process and materials, they discovered a hidden key in the form of a new design called Forged Ring Construction.
Utilizing a lightweight and high strength aluminum that’s precision milled, the adjoining feature unites the critical components of the driver head into a singular force.
As the defining component of SIM2, SIM2 Max and SIM2 Max•D, the forged aluminum ring is one of four crucial elements of the unique construction – each serving a vital function. The other modules are the carbon crown, carbon sole and milled back face cup.
TaylorMade’s evolution to SIM2 began with the lightweight carbon composite technology the company developed over 15-plus years. The six-layer composite material that was refined throughout the lifespan of the M series and SIM, is used on the crown of SIM2, SIM2 Max and SIM2 Max•D.
A new high-strength carbon was developed precisely for the sole and designed for enhanced durability in protection against damage from turf interaction and contact at high speeds.
The nine layers of advanced carbon span the entire sole while simultaneously shaping the asymmetric Inertia Generator, which is designed to produce faster club head speeds through precise geometry and aerodynamic analysis.
The expanded use of carbon saves a considerable amount of weight that’s been redeployed onto the Inertia Generator in the form of a heavy rear weight (16g in the SIM2, 24g in the SIM2 Max and 22g in the SIM2 Max•D).
Placing this substantial weight low and back in the club moves the CG projection to centre face, enhances launch conditions and maximizes MOI for increased forgiveness.
The black satin carbon crown and contrasting chalk colourway help frame the ball at address and improve alignment. A high-gloss black carbon on the sole is used to provide a premium aesthetic when paired with blue accents from the aluminum ring.
The milled back face cup is the only part of the driver head that’s crafted from titanium. The strong and resilient material facilitates energy transfer to encourage faster ball speeds.
Behind the face, internal CNC milling varies face thickness and pinpoints performance where golfers need it the most.
Relying on the data used to develop Twist Face, the company mapped the most common impact locations among golfers of all skill levels that revealed a mis-hit pattern that extends from low heel to high toe.
The milling process allows TaylorMade to precisely tune the thickness of the face to promote peak speed in those areas. The engineered sweet spot has an oval shape and stretches diagonally from the high toe for a sweet spot that’s designed to capture more shots where golfers are more likely to hit it on the face.
In addition, a larger face size enhances forgiveness across the lineup of SIM2 drivers. SIM2 is 12 per cent larger (vs. SIM), SIM2 Max is five per cent larger (vs. SIM Max) and SIM2 Max•D is five per cent larger (compared to SIM Max•D).
In 2019, TaylorMade took Twist Face, the face curvature that’s designed to straighten ball flight, to the next level with Speed Injected Twist Face to reach a new level of speed in metalwoods.
With the SIM2, SIM2 Max and SIM2 Max•D, each driver head is inspected, measured and tuned for maximum speed and to ensure conformity.
In recent years, golfers grew accustomed to seeing the Speed Injection Ports on the face of the driver. New for 2021, the port has been relocated to the outer toe.
With the CNC milling now across the entire back of the face, designers were able to precisely tune the thickness of the titanium to promote peak speed on a specific area slightly to the toe side.
With that development, the company manipulates speed across the entire face using a single port.
The patented Thru-Slot Speed Pocket rests on the sole of the driver, maintaining the marquee purpose of protecting ball speed and performance on shots struck low on the face.
Historically, draw bias drivers have not been forgiving – as the higher centre of gravity needed to create the necessary spin led to a lower MOI.
TaylorMade’s research indicated that design is counterintuitive. As you may expect, data suggested that high handicap players with severe right-miss tendencies gravitate to draw bias clubs. This group needs the forgiveness more than others.
That’s why TaylorMade has flipped this design convention on its head. SIM2 Max•D delivers powerful draw-bias with a level of MOI and forgiveness not before seen in a draw driver from TaylorMade.
By shifting the entire asymmetric Inertia Generator towards the heel, engineers were able to obtain draw-bias properties, while also keeping its full function of aerodynamics and forgiveness.
“The new SIM2 Max•D was designed purely with the golfer in mind. We looked closely at data and trends to truly understand who needs a draw bias driver and why. From there we challenged the norms of driver engineering to create a finished product that fits the needs of a large part of the golfing world’s population,” said Bystedt.
SIM2
The reconstructed SIM2 delivers high MOI properties with a heavy 16g steel weight positioned on the Inertia Generator.
The TPS Front Weight is strategically located behind the face to encourage enhanced launch with low spin characteristics, delivering
complete performance that’s low on spin and high on forgiveness.
SIM2 Max
With the focus on speed and forgiveness, the SIM2 Max has high MOI properties with a heavy 24g tungsten weight positioned on the Inertia Generator.
The TPS Front Weight is strategically located on the sole of the club to encourage the optimal mid-to-high launch with mid-to-low spin properties, delivering complete performance and enhanced forgiveness.
SIM2 Max•D
Traditional draw-bias drivers come with a tradeoff, sacrificing forgiveness for a left-to-right ball flight.
The SIM2 Max•D features a repositioned Inertia Generator that’s closer to the heel, encouraging a heel CG that’s low and back for more forgiveness and designed to deliver a higher launch with the largest, most forgiving face in the SIM2 lineup. The end result is a draw-biased driver without compromise.
“These three drivers enable us to deliver vastly different performance for a variety of players. We know there are a lot of different golfers out there,” said Bystedt.
“People will need less spin, people who need more spin, people who hit it straight and people who need draw bias. So, we’re delivering across the board with SIM2, SIM2 Max and SIM2 Max•D – separating them in terms of launch and spin. The unifying feature among all three is forgiveness – we’ve increased MOI throughout the entire SIM2 family,” he added.
SIM2, SIM2 Max and SIM2 Max•D are available for preorder on January 19 and at retail on February 19.
SIM2 has an MSRP of $699.99 Cdn. and will be offered in eight, nine and 10.5 degree lofts.
Shaft offerings include Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw Blue 60 and Project X’s HZRDUS Smoke RDX Black 70, with numerous custom shaft options available at no additional cost. They come stock with Golf Pride’s Z-Grip (47g).
SIM2 Max and SIM2 Max•D have an MSRP of $699.99 Cdn and will be offered in nine, 10.5 and 12 degree lofts.
SIM2 Max shaft offerings include Fujikura Ventus Blue 5 and Mitsubishi KuroKage Silver, with numerous custom shaft options available at no additional cost.
SIM2 Max•D shaft offerings include Fujikura Air Speeder 45, with numerous custom shaft options available at no additional cost. Both models come stock with Golf Pride’s Z-Grip.
Women’s stock offerings include the Aldila NV Ladies 45 shaft and the Lamkin Ladies Sonar grip.
With an elevated focus on customization and clubfitting, women golfers can find a full array of components in the Custom Shop here, including lightweight shafts, grips and more.
With the new MySIM2 program, TaylorMade is providing golfers with a comprehensive online platform for designing drivers that fit their games and personal styles, with five different options for personalization including the forged aluminum ring, topline paint colour and more.
Complete personalization offerings include:
Aluminum Ring: Colour options include Red, Blue, Gold, Orange, Green, Silver, Black and Light Blue.
Topline Paint Colour: Chalk or matte black.
Crown Decals: Colour options include Red, Blue, Gold, Orange, Green, Silver, Black and Light Blue.
Sole Decals: Colour options include Red, Blue, Gold, Orange, Green, Silver, Black and Light Blue.
Face Pin: Colour options include Red, Blue, Gold, Orange, Green, Silver, Black and Light Blue.
MySIM2 is offered in both SIM2 and SIM2 Max models, with more than 2,000 cosmetic combinations. MySIM2 will be available for preorder on January 19 and here as well as select retail locations starting February 19, at an MSRP of $849.99 Cdn. It will be offered in eight, nine and 10.5 degree lofts (a 12 degree loft is offered in SIM2 Max). MySIM2 will feature fully customizable shaft and grip components.
TaylorMade has also introduced the new SIM2, SIM2 Max and SIM2 Max•D fairway woods and the SIM2 Rescue and SIM2 Max Rescue.
V Steel propelled the original SIM fairways. For 2021, TaylorMade focused on refining that technology to drive centre of gravity lower to promote enhanced forgiveness and optimal launch conditions.
“In the world of golf club engineering, we fight for millimetres because those small changes can lead to big results,” said Bystedt.
“With the SIM2 Titanium fairway, we repositioned CG a mere 12.1 mm from the ground. That delivers a CG projection that’s absolute centre face along with increased MOI for more forgiveness compared to last year’s model. We’ve gone lower across the entire line of 2021 fairways, so golfers can go even higher,” he said.
V Steel design is used to promote enhanced turf interaction and playability from various lies, while improved weight distribution offers pinpoint CG projection for enhanced MOI and launch properties.
The more compact SIM2 Titanium fairway features a 170cc pear shaped head for a tour- inspired look at address while still maintaining a generous face size to combine properties of playability and forgiveness.
It features a lightweight carbon construction with the ZATECH Titanium Face and a heavy 80g steel sole weight. The strategically positioned weight creates an low CG for five per cent greater MOI than its predecessor.
With progressive face sizes for strategic forgiveness, the SIM2 Max fairway has a larger 190cc footprint and with a face constructed from strong C300 steel.
Also featuring the reinvented V Steel for versatility from all lies, the SIM2 Max has refined weighting designed for forgiveness, higher launch and peak trajectories.
Using data collected during the development of Twist Face, which shows the correlation between handicap, mis-hit dispersion and the need for draw-bias equipment, the 195cc SIM2 Max•D has been enhanced for forgiveness with the largest head and face area in the current family of fairways.
Matching the aesthetics of the SIM2 driver family, the carbon crown and contrasting chalk colour help frame the ball at address and improve alignment.
SIM2 Titanium, SIM2 Max and SIM2 Max•D fairways will be available for preorder on January 19 and at retail on February 19.
SIM2 Titanium has an MSRP of $529.99 Cdn. and will be offered in 13.5 degrees (Rocket), 15 and 19 degree lofts. It will be offered in the Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw Blue 75, with numerous additional shaft options available at no additional cost. It comes stock with the Golf Pride’s Z-Grip (47g).
SIM2 Max and Max•D have an MSRP of $399.99 Cdn. SIM2 Max will be offered in lofts of 15, 16.5, 18, 21 and 24 degrees. Shaft offerings include Fujikura Ventus Blue FW 6 and Ventus Blue FW 5, with additional custom shaft options available at no additional cost.
SIM2 Max•D will be offered in lofts of 16, 19 and 22 degrees. Fujikura’s AirSpeeder 45 is the stock shaft offering, with numerous custom options available at no additional cost. Both models come stock with Golf Pride’s Z-Grip (47g).
Women’s offerings include the Aldila NV Ladies shaft and the Lamkin Ladies Sonar grip. With lofts of 16.5, 18, 21 and 24 degrees in SIM2 Max and 16, 19 and 22 degrees in SIM2 Max•D.
The SIM Max Rescue was played on tour with approximately a dozen of the hybrids in play any given Sunday. It even accounted for wins with current World No. 1 Dustin Johnson winning the 2020 Travelers Championship with two SIM Max Rescues in his bag.
Building on that success, TaylorMade has expanded its hybrid offerings in 2021 to include the SIM2 Rescue and SIM2 Max Rescue. The SIM2 Rescue was designed with insights from Johnson, Rory McIlroy and more.
A compact players shape provides added versatility for the golfer who wants an iron-like ball flight and workability. A new leading edge design, sole geometry and enhanced CG placement maintain the forgiveness of the original SIM Max Rescue It features a plus/minus 1.5 degree loft sleeve to further dial in performance.
Relying on V Steel technology, the SIM2 Max Rescue has a more refined sole geometry that redistributes weight for increased forgiveness while maintaining low CG properties.
The ultra-strong C300 Steel face offers a powerful ball flight and when paired with Twist Face, the corrective face curvature is designed to give everyone straighter shots on mis-hits.
SIM2 and SIM2 MAX Rescues will be available for preorder on January 19 and at retail on February 19. SIM2 Rescue has an MSRP of $379.99 Cdn. and will be offered in lofts of 17, 19.5 and 22 degrees. It will be offered in the Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw Blue HY shaft, with numerous custom shaft options available at no additional cost. It comes stock with the Golf Pride’s Z-Grip (47g).
SIM2 Max Rescue has an MSRP of $339.99 Cdn. and will be offered in lofts of 19, 22, 25, 28 and 31 degrees. It will be offered in the Fujikura Ventus Blue shaft, with numerous custom shaft options available at no additional cost. It comes stock with the Lamkin’s Crossline 360 grip (47g).
Women’s SIM Max Rescue offerings include the Aldila NV Ladies shaft and the Lamkin Ladies Sonar grip (38g). Loft offerings include 22, 25, 28 and 31 degrees.
