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This is a comprehensive review of the TaylorMade 2016 M2 iron, claimed to be a “distance machine” and designed to squeeze out as much yardage as possible while maintaining a high trajectory.
The M2 iron is made with advanced materials and modern TaylorMade technologies like the fluted hosel and familiar Speed Pocket.
Does the M2 iron actually deliver on its ambitious claims? What type of golfer is it best suited for? Is it worth buying?
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: 4.9/5 (a MUST-try)
Classification: Game-Improvement
Pros
- manages to be crazy long without sacrificing height and control
- swing feel and impact sound and feel are terrific
- ball speed forgiveness is excellent
- look/aesthetic design will greatly appeal to many
Cons
- severe mishits near the toe or heel can still see substantial losses in ball speed
- hit feedback could be a little more helpful
Best Suited For
The M2 irons are recommended for mid-to-high handicaps looking for maximum distance with excellent ball speed forgiveness. Some low handicaps and pros can be very happy with them as well.
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 sets.
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 irons? 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 M2 irons have had a fantastic reception since their release into the market.
They currently have average customer ratings of 4.6/5 (100+ reviews) on Global Golf, 5/5 (100% recommended) on the TaylorMade website, 4.8/5 (100% recommended) on the DSG website, 4/5 on Golfsmith, and 4.7/5 on Edwin Watts Golf.
What People Like
The M2 irons have been praised for their amazing distance results more than anything else.
- excellent ball speed forgiveness (large sweet spot)
- fantastic sound/feel throughout the swing and at impact (part of this is due to the new fluted hosel which I’ll discuss later)
What People Don’t Like
There isn’t at all much to say in terms of negatives, and I rarely have the opportunity to say that in my reviews.
One thing I can say is that toe/heel mishits don’t tend to do as well in terms of direction and ball speed as shots struck low/high on the face.
What are the features?
The M2 iron has many of the same features and technologies as other clubs in the M2 family such as the M2 fairway wood.
In the case of the M2 iron, all of the following features contribute to an “unprecedented synergy of distance and height”:
Fluted Hosel
The Thick-Thin Fluted Hosel is a new ribbed hosel design that frees up 3 grams of mass and is distributed as low as possible throughout the clubhead.
This lowers the center of gravity (CG) and promotes a higher launch and higher ball speed.
Blind Speed Pocket
A “blind” Speed Pocket in the 4-7 irons thins the sole for increased face flexion at impact. This results in greater ball speeds across the face (particularly low on the face) and hence improved mishit forgiveness.
The Speed Pocket is located farther from the sole of the club and closer to the face compared to other pockets in past models, and this contributes to a higher launch angle.
360° Undercut
A 360° undercut further increases the flexibility of the face for added ball speed forgiveness.
It also allows weight to be removed from the topline, lowering the CG and allowing for a combination of strong distance-maximizing lofts and a high ball trajectory all throughout the set.
Inverted Cone Technology
A thin face with Inverted Cone Technology works in tandem with the Speed Pocket to push the limits of ball speed protection and consistency across the entire face.
3D Sound & Feel
A light yet strong 3D Sound and Feel System is designed to improve sound at impact and virtually eliminate vibrations caused by mishits.
Stock Info
The M2 iron comes stock with the TaylorMade REAX 88HL (steel) and REAX 75/65/55/45 (graphite) shafts.
Available stock grips for men and women are the TM Speed Grey End Cap and TM Winn White End Cap, respectively.
Full details on shafts/grips and their specs can be viewed on the TaylorMade website. Specifications of the M2 iron for men and women are below:
CLUB | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | PW | AW | SW | LW |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loft | 19° | 21.5° | 25° | 28.5° | 33° | 38° | 43.5° | 49° | 55° | 60° |
Lie | 61° | 61.75° | 62.5° | 63° | 63.5° | 64° | 64.5° | 64.5° | 64.5° | 64.5° |
Offset | 6.3mm | 5.8mm | 5.3mm | 4.7mm | 4.0mm | 3.5mm | 3.0mm | 2.5mm | 2.5mm | 2.5mm |
Length | 38.875" | 38.25" | 37.625" | 37" | 36.5" | 36" | 35.5" | 35.5" | 32.25" | 35" |
Swing Weight | D2 | D2 | D2 | D2 | D2 | D2 | D2 | D2 | D3 | D3 |
Women's Length | 37.875" | 37.25" | 36.625" | 36" | 35.5" | 35" | 34.5" | 34.5" | 34.25" | 34" |
Women's Swing Weight | C5 | C5 | C5 | C5 | C5 | C5 | C5 | C5 | C6 | C7 |
How do these irons perform?
Distance
Distance results with the M2 irons are fantastic. In fact, I’d say that the M2 is a solid candidate for longest iron up until this point.
TaylorMade certainly isn’t wrong when they say the M2 is a distance machine.
Moreover, what’s great about the power of this iron is the fact that the stronger lofts don’t necessarily translate to less carry and more roll. The properties of the face are such that you can get huge ball speed and distance numbers while still being able to launch the ball high and land it soft if desired (this is largely thanks to the ultra-low CG).
It’s basically distance without sacrifice — something that has historically been very difficult to achieve in golf clubs.
In terms of numbers, I was personally hitting the M2 7-iron about a club longer (10 yards or so) on average than I normally do, although exact results will of course vary from person to person.
Forgiveness
It turns out that the M2 is very reliable when it comes to minimizing the damage from off-center strikes. The Speed Pocket, the thin face design, Inverted Cone Technology, and 360° undercut are all in place to help achieve this.
Forgiveness tends to be strongest low on the face and weakest at the heel and toe.
The effective sweet spot region of the M2 is considerably larger than that of TaylorMade’s previous iron offerings.
Playability/Trajectory
Despite the strong lofts, players should have no trouble getting the ball up in the air with the M2 irons.
Distance control, accuracy and consistency are great all throughout the set. Typical trajectories are mid-high.
The M2 irons interact well with the turf and are effective out of all the standard lies.
What about look, sound & feel?
The Look
The M2 iron has one of the thicker top lines I’ve seen, even for a game-improvement iron, although it’s nothing crazy.
Comparatively speaking, offsets are a little more extreme than the RSi 1 but less extreme than the Aeroburner.
I really dig the rather unconventional sole design with its functional and visually appealing 3D badge. There’s no question that the M2 inspires plenty of confidence at address, and it looks awesome in the bag too.
The Sound & Feel
I really like both personally; I’d venture to say they’re one of the best feeling and best sounding game-improvement irons currently available.
Thin shots (struck low on the face) feel very similar to solid strikes, which themselves feel quite hot and very solid. Naturally, the worst-feeling shots tend to be near the heel and toe (and high on the face if you end up sticking your iron into the ground!).
It seems like the fluted hosel and Speed Pocket, among other things, really make a difference here.
In terms of mishit feedback, I didn’t find it to be terribly informative but I was still able to (more or less) discern the area where the ball contacted the face.
Where should you buy these irons online?
Check out the links on this page to be taken to the best buying destinations.
Conclusion
There’s no doubt that the M2 irons are some of the longest out there.
Match this with terrific forgiveness, a sharp look, and premium sound and feel, and you have an iron that every mid to high handicapper or game-improvement player should try.
They’re also a very attractive option for single-digit handicappers and even pros who want top-of-the-line distance with little to no compromise.
Have you tried the M2 irons yet? Feel free to share your thoughts by dropping a comment below!
Hi Paul: Great review and perfect timing for my read here in New England. I ended up with a set of knock offs when I purchased a full set of what I thought were Pings online. So needless to say I now need new clubs. I use a TaylorMade driver and will look for a place to try out the M2 irons. It sounds like a purchase from Amazon would be safe, correct? Once burned I don’t want to be twice burned.
Yes. Amazon is a great place to buy the M2 irons. I’m fairly sure they accept returns for clubs that have been used, but I’m not positive on that. I’m not sure where you could have bought those PING knockoffs, but when it comes to buying clubs online I would recommend having the e-commerce sites I mention in the review at the top of your consideration list. Do make sure you check out all the links I provide and compare prices and availability.
Just getting back into the game after a 30 year hiatus and was starting from scratch. Started taking lessons from a reputable local driving range and after 3 months of lessons took the plunge with a club fitting. I hit EVERY GI and SGI iron they had – Callaway XR OS, Cobra Max, Ping G Max, Adams Blue, and the TM M2. I hit the TM M2 the best BY FAR. I had no prejudices going in because I had been out of the game for so long. The other clubs were fine, but when I hit the M2s the ball exploded off the club face. My club fitter showed the computer results and my ball speed increased by 4MPH which resulted in a 7-10 yards further hit. These clubs are LEGIT.
Extra ball speed is definitely a big deal even in irons because you’re able to fly the same distance but take more loft for softer landings into greens — one of the most important factors is good iron play. Awesome that the M2 irons are working out for you. Thanks for sharing.