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Here I’ll be comprehensively reviewing the TaylorMade M2 driver, similar in a lot of ways to the M1 but different in a couple key areas.
The M2 is the lowest priced TaylorMade driver with a multi-material construction, and is designed to deliver exceptional distance and forgiveness for the golfer.
So, what’s the M2 driver all about? Where does it shine and where does it lack? Is it worth the buy?
Read on to find out what you need to know about it to make an informed purchase.
Note: Unless otherwise stated, stock shafts and stock grips are used when evaluating this club. In most cases, the golf clubs reviewed on Golfstead are acquired temporarily for testing purposes and are not purchased. The review that follows is based on the personal experience and research of the author. Because everyone’s swing and body are different, results with a particular club may differ from person to person.
Quick Verdict
Rating: 4.8/5 (Excellent)
Classification: Game-Improvement
Recommended for: Low or high handicaps who prioritize forgiveness and want a less-expensive alternative to the M1.
Pros
- affords most of the same benefits of the M1 (and improves in some ways) at a lower price point
- ball speed forgiveness is excellent
Cons
- left-handed version not available in HL and women’s variants
- cannot adjust the CG like you can with the M1
- some find the directional forgiveness to be disappointing
Best Places To Buy Online
Now that this model is a few years old, there are two places where you can get it at a great discount.
The first is eBay, which is a fantastic source for new and used drivers.
The second is Global Golf, which offers many attractive policies and deals that make the buying process smooth. You’d best hurry before they go out of stock.
Want a high-resolution look at the M2? Click on the composite image at the top of the page and navigate the photos on the left-hand side of the screen.
What are the reviews like?
The TaylorMade M2 driver is viewed very positively in general. It enjoys an average rating of 4.8/5 (over 160 reviews) on Global Golf.
What People Like
- excellent forgiveness (more forgiving than the M1)
- low-spin distance-producing ball flight
- solid look
- quiet, efficient sound/feel at impact
- can do tweaking with the adjustable hosel
What People Don’t Like
- some people find the lightweight clubhead a bit difficult to control through the ball
- some feel that the directional mis-hit forgiveness could be better
- some feel the lower price point doesn’t justify using it over the M1
What are the features?
The features and technologies of the M2 driver are similar to that of the M1, but there are some key differences; namely, the absence of the Front and Back Tracks and slideable weights on the sole.
Multi-Material Construction
Like the M1, the M2 is built with a multi-material construction that features an ultra-light, ultra-thin, high-strength, precision-formed, 7-layer “Carbon Composite Crown”.
The crown provides a ton of weight savings, allowing weight to be placed lower and farther back on the sole; this makes for a more efficient power transfer, increasing ball speeds all across the face.
Maximum Ball Speeds
The key to the M2’s exceptional distance and forgiveness is:
- its very large sweet spot, engineered with a high moment of inertia (MOI) for improved stability and ball speed preserving forgiveness.
- Inverted Cone Technology (effectively increases the size of the sweet spot).
- a redesigned Speed Pocket (increases ball speeds and launch angle) located on the sole in the same position as the Front Track on the M1.
The M2 has a hot trajectory: high, low-spin and penetrating with the help of an efficient aerodynamic design. Other features include:
- internal acoustic engineering which reduces vibrations and controls pitches for a solid, crisp, explosive sound.
- a adjustable loft sleeve for dialing in loft, lie and face angle to your preference. There are 12 positions over a range of 4° (±2°). One movement of the sleeve changes loft by 0.5°-0.75°, lie by 0.5°-0.75° and face angle by 1°-2°. See the M1 tuning manual for full details.
Stock Info
Stock shafts available at no additional charge include the Fujikura Pro 60 (X, S), Fujikura Pro 50 (R, M) and TM Reax 45 (L).
The stock grips are the Golf Pride Tour Velvet and TM Winn Women’s Performance.
Specifications of the M2 driver for men and women are below:
| Head | Loft | Lie | Length | Volume | Swing Weight | RH/LH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M2 Driver | 9.5° | 56°-60° | 45.75" | 460cc | D3 | RH/LH |
| M2 Driver | 10.5° | 56°-60° | 45.75" | 460cc | D3 | RH/LH |
| M2 Driver | HL (12°) | 56°-60° | 45.75" | 460cc | D3 | RH |
| M2 Women's Driver | 10.5° | 56°-60° | 44.5" | 460cc | C9 | RH |
| M2 Women's Driver | HL (12°) | 56°-60° | 44.5" | 460cc | C9 | RH |
How does the driver perform?
Distance
Distance results with the M2 are exceptional and very similar to the M1 for any given effective loft.
Typical solid strikes take off like a rocket with a nice mid-high ball flight, low spin, piercing trajectory and a very good mix of carry and roll.
Results stay true to TaylorMade’s claims for the most part, in the sense that there is minimal loss in ball speed on off-center hits; it’s safe to say that the M2 does better than the M1 in this regard.
This means that, in general, the M2 tends to play a bit longer than the M1 for many golfers.
Forgiveness
As mentioned above, ball speed forgiveness is outstanding with the M2. Directional forgiveness is not quite as impressive and is about on par with the M1.
Slight mis-hits should find the fairway, but you certainly should not expect severe misses to do the same.
Playability/Trajectory
The typical trajectory of the M2 is mid-high and low-spinning with a draw bias, but this may differ depending on your swing type and swing speed.
Golfers who are not getting a distance-maximizing flight or are otherwise not satisfied with the trajectory can tweak it to a degree using the adjustable hosel; this is one of several advantages the M2 has over the previous Aeroburner driver.
I found workability to be solid, again similar to the M1. Competent golfers shouldn’t have problems manufacturing different shot shapes.
What about look, sound & feel?
The Look
The look of the crown and hosel is just about identical to that of the M1, as is the overall shape of the clubhead.
The major differences lie in the sole which, in the case of the M2, does not have the slideable weight tracks. The M2 features a Speed Pocket in place of the M1’s Front Track just behind the clubface and an M2 logo and removable weight in place of the M1’s Back Track.
Overall, it’s a nice look that inspires plenty of confidence at address.
The Sound & Feel
Superb overall. The M2 makes a soft, muted, metallic/ceramic sound at impact that is quieter than the M1. Naturally, mishits don’t feel as good and are a little louder.
The M2 feels very lightweight through the swing — many people love this, but others feel this sacrifices a bit of control in terms of making consistent contact.
Where should you buy this driver online?
Click the button and the links on this article to be taken to the best buying destinations.
Conclusion
The M2 driver is a definite improvement over the previous Aeroburner model.
While it lacks CG adjustability on the sole, it also retains more ball speed on mis-hits and is much cheaper than the M1 (with the same no-upcharge custom shaft options).
It’s a very viable option for those on a tight budget who prioritize forgiveness and distance over adjustability and who want to experience modern driver technology without paying extra for the M1.
Have any thoughts or opinions about the 2016 version of the M2 driver? Leave them in the comments below!
I am wondering if it is as good as the Titleist 915D2. The M2 just seems like an awesome club. One of the things I like most about it is its forgiveness. As a high handicapper, forgiveness off the face is one of the most important factors I look for in golf clubs. The TaylorMade M2 seems like a great club, and it helps that I’m a fan of the brand.
Eric,
I haven’t done a direct comparison of the M2 and the 915D2, but knowing what I know about the two clubs I’d say that the 915D2 has better directional forgiveness, which is very important to many golfers. When it comes to ball speed preservation, things aren’t as clear cut — the M2 might have a bit of an edge in that regard, but I don’t think it’s something you should agonize over. Make of that what you will. Hope this helps.
This looks like an excellent driver. It’d be awesome to see a comparison to a driver in a similar price range to see how they compare.
You mentioned it’s the cheapest Taylormade driver a person can find but I didn’t see a price anywhere. Do you have a comparison chart with the price for these compared to other taylormade drivers?
Thanks for the suggestion; I’ll definitely mark that in the books for future content. The reason why I don’t like including actual prices in my reviews is because they’re always changing — in the case of drivers and other clubs, prices generally drop substantially over time as newer models get released. It wouldn’t be practical for me to continually update the prices in my reviews to keep them up-to-date. Current prices are readily available on the websites that I link to, and these links should automatically and conveniently open a new tab for you.
In regards to the comment you mentioned, what I meant to say was that the M2 is the cheapest multi-material-construction driver by TaylorMade, not the cheapest driver they sell. One way to find current prices for a whole range of TaylorMade drivers going back many years is by selecting the TaylorMade driver filter under the used club section of Global Golf.
This is a great comprehensive review of the M2. I am a leftie, but luckily I usually hit around a 9.5 loft, so I could still get this driver. I am really excited about the new TM drivers.
Indeed, TaylorMade is really stepping up to the plate and coming out with some terrific stuff. Thanks for the comment. Let me know if you have any questions.
Would the TaylorMade M2 driver be a good driver to start with as a beginner? Do you have a good startup driver recommendation for new golfers?
Yes, as a game-improvement driver it would be an awesome starter choice, and it’ll impress your buddies too! It’s almost impossible to make a recommendation that can apply to all beginners because each person has different priorities and wants different things out of their clubs. Assuming that you want forgiveness and distance above all else, you should look at models like the M2 or the Callaway XR 16 which I review here. It all comes down to your budget, brand preference and what performs best for you, and these factors vary on an individual basis.