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In this review, I’ll take a good look at the TaylorMade SIM2 Max D driver.
The SIM2 Max D shares the same cutting-edge technologies and performance potential as the SIM2 and SIM2 Max drivers, but with a shifted center of gravity (CG) that promotes a draw ball flight.
TaylorMade says that they were able to accomplish the draw bias without the reducing of forgiveness that normally comes with it.
So, just how much draw bias is there in the SIM2 Max D? Is the driver as forgiving as the SIM2 Max? How does it perform out on the course? Is it worth putting in the bag?
I’ll try to answer all of these questions and more in this review. Here’s what I’ll be covering:
- Ratings
- Features & Technologies
- Performance
- Look, Sound & Feel
- Where To Buy This Driver Online
- Conclusion
Read on to find out what you need to know 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.
What are the reviews like?
The SIM2 Max D driver has been received very positively, with average ratings of 5/5 on Global Golf and 4.7/5 (95% recommended) on the official TM store.
Along with the other drivers in the SIM2 family, it earned a gold medal on the 2021 Golf Digest Hot List.
What People Like
- an improvement over the SIM Max D in terms of forgiveness
- has a real draw bias that helps straighten out fades and slices
- easy to swing
- great aerodynamic feel
- right up there with the performance of the SIM2 and SIM2 Max
What People Don’t Like
- some people would like a more pronounced draw bias
- 12° loft is not available for lefties
What are the features?
The SIM2 Max D leverages the same features and technologies as the other drivers in the SIM2 family, namely:
- Forged Ring Construction: lightweight, high-strength aluminum wraps around the back of the club to save weight and greatly improve forgiveness.
- Asymmetric Inertia Generator: increases aerodynamic club head speed and shifts the CG back for increased stability.
- Split Mass Weighting: consisting of a single weight in the back and a TPS weight on the sole, this allows for precise custom weighting, increased forgiveness, and optimal spin properties.
- Speed-Injected Twist Face: a Twist Face that helps correct off-center hits is combined with injections that bring the speed of the face (COR) up to the legal limit.
- Thru-Slot Speed Pocket: the most flexible Speed Pocket design yet increases sole flexibility, leading to increased ball speed and forgiveness low on the face.
The key differences lie in size and weight distribution.
The SIM2 Max D has an oversized face that is the largest in the SIM2 line, making it easier for amateurs to make good ball contact.
Secondly, instead of the 16g steel and 24g tungsten weights of the SIM2 and SIM2 Max, respectively, the SIM2 Max D uses a 22g steel weight at the back of the Inertia Generator, optimizing the CG for draw properties.
Thirdly, the Inertia Generator is shifted closer to the heel, bringing the CG closer to the heel and promoting a draw bias while maintaining forgiveness.
Stock Info
The SIM2 Max D driver is available in 9°, 10.5°, and 12° standard lofts at 460CC. Unfortunately, the 12° is not available for lefties, so they’ll need to get a lower loft and adjust up using the loft sleeve.
The included loft sleeve allows you to adjust loft, lie and face angle. There are 12 possible sleeve variations that can increase or decrease the loft and lie angle by ±2°, and the face angle by ±4°.
The stock shaft available with the SIM2 Max D is the Fujikura Air Speeder (high launch and mid-high spin). The stock grip is the TM Z600.
Below are the specs of the SIM2 Max D driver (full details here). Click or zoom to enlarge.
How does the driver perform?
Distance
The SIM2 Max D driver has a unique distance profile, but at the same time, it’s comparable to the distance of the SIM2 and SIM2 Max.
I was generating really high club head speeds during my testing. And given my swing speed, the location of the CG is most conducive to me maximizing distance out of all the drivers in the SIM2 line.
When I would have normally hit a modest fade off the tee, the SIM2 Max D helped to straighten out the shot and get it to go 5-10 yards farther. Sweet spot strikes were unquestionably longer than the SIM2 Max, while mis-hits tended to go about the same distance.
When all is said and done, some golfers (particularly higher handicappers and slicers) are likely to pick up substantial distance gains over their previous gamer. But it really depends on your swing type and natural ball flight.
Forgiveness
TaylorMade claims that they were able to add a draw bias into the technology-packed SIM2 head without sacrificing any forgiveness.
The reality that I experienced is this: mis-hit performance is definitely better than the SIM2, but not quite as good as the SIM2 Max. This is expected because TM used a slightly lighter 22g weight in the back (as opposed to the 24g weight of the SIM2 Max)
Being able to add draw bias without compromise is a sweet concept, and TaylorMade did an excellent job with this (the SIM2 Max D is more forgiving than the SIM Max D too), but there is still just a touch of tradeoff there.
Having said this, many golfers will find the SIM2 Max D to be the most forgiving driver in the SIM2 line simply because it mitigates their slice and keeps more of their tee shots in the fairway.
Playability/Trajectory
I was getting similar rpm numbers (around 2800) to the SIM2 Max, but the trajectory was a little higher. Contributing to this is the Fujikura Air Speeder stock shaft (a good shaft, by the way) which is designed to launch high.
I can confirm that, consistent with the marketing, there is indeed a draw bias. The SIM2 Max D promotes a draw shot shape; however, it’s not as pronounced as it is with some of the other draw bias drivers I’ve tested in the past.
What this means is that the driver won’t completely eliminate a slice, but it’ll really help to take the edge off and make your tee shots much more playable.
As I always say, the height and shape of your ball flight will largely depend on how you swing the golf club.
Although there isn’t as much room to experiment given the lack of a sliding weight, you can still experiment with the loft sleeve if you’re not completely satisfied. Keep in mind that this will alter the face angle.
One other thing I will say is that this is not an ideal shotmakers’ club. The size of the clubhead makes it quite unwieldy to shape shots, so if you want good workability along with great forgiveness, the SIM2 Max will be a better option.
What about look, sound & feel?
The Look
The SIM2 Max D driver shares the same overall look as the other drivers in the SIM2 line, with a black carbon crown, carbon sole, and pops of white, blue and yellow accents.
The one major difference in appearance is the Inertia Generator, which is shifted more towards the heel; you can clearly see this when you look at the sole. But despite this, the SIM2 Max D looks practically identical to the SIM2 Max at address.
Unlike the SIM2 and SIM2 Max drivers, TaylorMade’s MySIM2 customization offer is unfortunately not available with the SIM2 Max D.
The Sound & Feel
The SIM2 Max D doesn’t deviate much from the feel of the other drivers in the SIM2 family: very solid and powerful with a nice, satisfying “crack” at impact. Sound and feel is very similar to the SIM2 Max in this respect.
Having said that, I did sense a little more stability towards the heel due to the shifted CG. That’s not to say that performance on the toe side of the face is worse (it’s not), but the feel is a touch less solid and the sound is a little softer. It’s not jarring or resonating, though, which is a big plus.
This is why the feedback of the SIM2 Max D is quite informative. I was able to determine quite easily whether I hit in the center, towards the heel or toe. You’ll get in tune with this as you get used to the driver.
Where should you buy the SIM2 Max D driver online?
There are a couple places I recommend buying the SIM2 Max D driver aside from the official TaylorMade store, which is running low on stock.
One is Global Golf, which is the certified pre-owned source of TaylorMade golf clubs (new condition is also available). They offer many attractive programs and deals including club trade-ins and Utry, a try-before-you-buy program.
The other is eBay. They are a fantastic source for golf equipment, both new and used.
Conclusion
Despite the fact that the TaylorMade SIM2 Max D is not labelled a “Tour driver”, it delivers roughly the same level of performance as the SIM2 and SIM2 Max: exceptional forgiveness and distance, a nice high launch, a modern look, and premium feel.
But unless you’re a higher handicapper who struggles with fades, cuts or slices, I would go with the SIM2 Max if you want more forgiveness. This is because the SIM2 Max is more workable and has MySIM2 customization options if you want to go that route.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a modern draw-bias driver and like the TaylorMade brand, the SIM2 Max D should be your top consideration.
Are you interested in the SIM2 Max D driver? Have you played it? What’s your experience? Let us know in the comments below.