About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the driver, which I purchased with my own money in November of 2021.

My take

The TaylorMade SIM2 Max Driver is exceptionally forgiving on mishits and produces top-end ball speeds with a solid sound and feel at impact.

About the club I own

• Model: 2021 TaylorMade SIM 2 Max
• Loft setting: 9 degrees
• Shaft type: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei CK Pro Orange 70TX
• Shaft flex: TX Flex (Tour extra-stiff)

About me

• Average score: 74
• Handicap: 2
• Experience: 25 years of playing golf, 5 years as a golf instructor
• Right/Left-handed: Right-handed
• Typical ball flight: Mid-trajectory and right-to-left draw
• Golf ball used: TaylorMade TPx
• Club swing speed: 109 mph

Test conditions

• When I bought the club: November 2021
• Days tested: 100 days
• Where I’ve used it: Angel Fire Country Club, Brookhaven Country Club, and on countless other courses.
• Weather and wind conditions: All conditions including wet/dry, soft/firm, and in temperatures ranging from 50-108°F.

How it performs

What I was looking for

I’m not a golfer who looks to work the ball much with the driver, so I look for a driver that will create a minimal amount of curvature and provide a lot of stability at impact.

Why I chose this club

I have played TaylorMade drivers for decades now, and generally upgrade to one of their newest models when they are released each year. I chose the SIM2 Max instead of the SIM2 because the Max is designed to provide a bit more forgiveness.

What I love about it

• Distance: It is as long or longer than any driver I have ever played. My ball speed numbers on TrackMan are very good from swing-to-swing, and with less deviation than I usually see with other drivers.
• Forgiveness: The drop-off in ball speed on slight mishits is very minimal. Even more helpful is the twist face which reduces how far off-line the ball curves when impact is towards the toe or heel.
• Feel: There is a solid yet explosive feel at impact without the driver feeling overly metallic.
• Sound: The sound is similar to the feel in that it is solid and explosive-sounding without being over loud or producing a tingy sound like some drivers.
• Adjustability: As with all TaylorMade drivers produced in recent years, it has a loft sleeve with 12 different settings that can be adjusted to as needed to dial in ball flight, which I find very useful.
• Shaft Feel: The Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro Orange shaft that I use with this driver feels incredibly stable and solid at impact without any of the harshness usually felt from extra-stiff, low launch, or low spin types of driver shafts.
• Shaft Performance: It delivers the clubhead to the ball with stunning consistency regardless of the way I am swinging on any particular day.
• Spin: The spin I see from the combination of the SIM2 driver head and the Tensei Pro Orange is low enough to produce maximum carries, but not so low that I see occasional knuckle balls or would need to consider a higher-spinning shaft. I also don’t get the occasional ball with far too much spin which is something I’ve seen a lot in the past.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Workability: As previously stated I’m not looking to work the ball much with my driver, but for golfers that do this driver isn’t going to easily curve the ball much.
• Aesthetic Appeal: I prefer the appearance at address of previous versions of TaylorMade drivers released in recent years. In my opinion, the top of the club that is visible when hitting a shot has a slightly cheaper and less pleasing look.

Best shot with this club

While playing a money match with my son I took an incredible line on a short par 4 over a corner into a tiny landing area about 290 yards away. No one ever tries to go that far and I successfully pulled it off. My friends didn’t think I had it in me and before I hit the shot they were taunting me for even attempting it!

Value for the money vs. other options

The slightly older TaylorMade SIM Max drivers and M6 drivers produce a similar performance and are available for a significantly lower price at this point. However, the Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro Orange 70TX shaft that I use with mine is worth the couple hundreds I spent on the upcharge cost. I’d even go so far as to say it’s worth quite a bit more.

Final verdict

The SIM2 Max driver is a great option for anyone wanting top-end ball speeds, minimal ball flight curvature, and plenty of forgiveness on mishits across the face.