About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the golf club, which I purchased with my own money in May of 2020.

My take

The TaylorMade SIM2 Max Rescue is designed for mid-high handicap players looking to bridge the gap between their woods and irons. It’s a very easy club to use, launches the ball high, and is very forgiving.

About the club I own

• Model: 2020 SIM2 Max Hybrid
• Loft setting: 3 hybrid
• Shaft type: Graphite Tensei Blue
• Shaft flex: Regular

About me

• Average score: 95
• Handicap: 21
• Experience: 3 years of golf
• Right/Left-Handed: Right
• Typical ball flight: Low driver, mid iron
• Golf ball used: Maxfli Tour
• Club swing speed: 90

Test conditions

• When I bought the club: May 2020
• Days tested: 300
• Where I’ve used it: Dozens of courses in and around Raleigh, Par 401, Knight’s Play, Trackman
• Weather and wind conditions: Hot, cold, windy, rain, all times of the year

How it performs

What I was looking for

I was looking for this club because I wanted something that bridged the gap between my irons and 3 wood. I wanted something that was forgiving, high launching, and had some distance behind it.

Why I chose this club

I decided on this club because I had the driver and 3 wood and was happy with their performance. I looked at the Callaway Mavrik, but I just didn’t like the look as much and I preferred the consistency of the SIM2 Max.

What I love about it

• Distance: My distance increased with this compared to my starter set hybrid that I owned before. I used this a lot on holes I needed to lay up, or off the tee on a shorter hole where I knew I could rely on this club to go a certain distance.
• Forgiveness: The head shape and having more weight in the back of the clubhead really adds to the forgiveness. I notice it a lot on thin shots where the ball still travels almost as far as a standard shot. Mishits generally still travel in the same direction unless the strike is severely in the toe or heel.
• Feel: The feel of the club is very consistent across the face. Thin shots can be felt, but toe and heel strikes are harder to detect.
• Sound: The construction of the head provides a satisfying crunch when one hits the ball off of the face.
• Shaft Feel: I use a Tensei Blue and it doesn’t mess with tempo or feel too whippy or stiff.
• Grip Feel: The Lamkin Crossline is the standard grip. It’s comparable to the Golf Pride Tour Velvets and it’s softer than the MCCs, but not overly soft such as the CP2 grips from Golf Pride.
• Launch Angle: The CG of the club makes it easy to launch the ball high in the air. With a hybrid, I prefer a higher ball flight because I’m looking to get the ball down the fairway and not run off into the woods or into a hazard.
• Spin: This club spins enough to keep my balls on the green if I am aiming for them, but not so much spin to where I lose distance.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Workability: With the club being very forgiving, it can be harder to work the ball around. It is very difficult to hit a draw or cut without exaggerating the motion and over-doing it in either direction.
• Adjustability: This club isn’t adjustable at all—the head is glued to the shaft. This would be helpful when course conditions are different. If it’s windy or I’m at a links course, it would be nice to be able to turn the loft down; or if the course is very dry, turning the loft up to get the ball to stop sooner.

Best shot with this club

There’s a par 4 in Wendell that has a severe dog leg left. It’s honestly a right angle. If one’s brave one can try to go for the flag at 275 yards, but there are trees that either have to be hit around or over—which can be difficult. I used my hybrid and was able to hug the tree line with a slight draw and hit the ball 240 yards and end just short of the green.

Value for the money vs. other options

TaylorMade’s clubs are usually on the top end of the price range, but they do offer a lot of performance. For me, this club is worth the money, but there are other options that are less expensive. For those prioritizing distance, the LTDx Hybrid from Cobra is a less expensive option to check out. Though it isn’t as forgiving as the SIM2 Max, and I’m more partial to the look of the SIM2 Max as well.

Final verdict

The TaylorMade SIM2 Max hybrid is a great gaping club that provides a lot of distance and forgiveness. Everything from sound to performance are top notch on this club.