Buying a new driver can be one of the most exciting and confusing experiences you can have as an avid golfer. What brand do I buy? Is the new technology that much better than that of a couple of years ago?
Well, it definitely is better, but not much better. If you are looking for a long and forgiving driver for a fraction of the price, look no further, as I think the SIM 2 may just be for you.
The Taylormade SIM 2 driver is a great option for the player looking for more distance and forgiveness without breaking the bank. It is for the better player who is looking to bring his ball flight down and maximize distance.
In the following paragraphs, I will run through some of my experiences while testing out the SIM 2 as well as some of the technology that Taylormade packed into this head.
You will learn about its distance through its speed-injected twist face, thru-slot speed pocket, and inertia generator, forgiveness through its split mass weighting and forged ring construction, and finally, we will talk about some real on-course numbers.
TaylorMade SIM 2 Driver
For a number of years, Taylormade boasted that they had the number one driver on the PGA Tour and although this was marketing, I could make the argument that they were right. Since those days, drivers are pretty even across the board and it is really hard to find a bad head out there to hit.
However, I still think that if you are looking for a new driver to put in your bag, Taylormade is the place you should start.
The TaylorMade SIM 2 driver is no exception to this rule. You will learn about its cool features in a minute but first, let’s take a look at its specs.
It is available in 8 degrees, 9 degrees, and 10.5 degrees for right-handed players and is available in both 9 and 10.5 degrees for left-handed players. It comes at a stock length of 45.75” and its stock swing weight is D5.
Compared to its counterparts, the SIM 2 Max which we have tested and the SIM 2 Max D, the SIM 2 is the least forgiving and lowest launching head of the bunch. Unlike the SIM 2 MAX D, it is not draw-biased either.
This driver is made for the player that don’t have a problem finding the sweet spot and are looking for a lower flight. From my experience testing all three, this is spot on how the SIM 2 plays in real life too.
Look, Sound, and Feel
The look of the SIM 2 is great! I found the all-black carbon fiber crown and white stripe around the perimeter to look fantastic at setup.
The sounds and feel are also great as it makes a mid-pitch crack at impact and feels solid on all impact locations.
Speed and Distance
TaylorMade dialed up the speed-injected twist face on this head to get as close to the legal limit of speed without going over.
Other than pushing the limit of USGA specs the twist face also features curvature and weighting to correct off-center hits so these shots will find their way into the fairway and also still have plenty of distance.
Another feature that Taylormade has added to this driver also has to do with the face and it is the thru-slot speed pocket. This can be found behind the face and is a milled cup that helps increase face flexion and ultimately ball speed.
The speed pocket makes this driver creep up to the USGA legal limit while staying on the good side of the line.
Finally, the new inertia generator in the SIM 2 is supposed to help players increase their clubhead speed through precision aerodynamics.
The sole of this head is a 9 layer carbon design that allowed TaylorMade to reshape and redistribute the weight to increase CG and increase club head speed.
Forgiveness
On top of the great distance and speed gains that the SIM 2 provides, it doesn’t miss on forgiveness. There are two main features that help aid in forgiveness on this head; forged ring construction and split mass weighting.
Due to the previously mentioned 9 layer carbon sole, Taylormade was able to spread that weight around the perimeter of the driver’s head through a high-strength aluminum forged ring. This makes the SIM 2 incredibly stable through impact helping with consistency and forgiveness.
MOI or moment of inertia has a ton to do with forgiveness in any driver’s head. The SIM2 driver has an extremely high MOI thanks to the 16 gram weight positioned on its rear.
This weight can also be swapped out to optimize for swing weight and other launch conditions.
To balance this heavy rear weight out and keep spin low, there is a smaller TPS weight close to the face.
Adjustability
The SIM2 driver features an adjustable loft sleeve that allows players to move loft up or down as much as two degrees. There is also an upright setting for taller players or players that need help hitting a draw.
Stock Shafts
- Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw Blue
- Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX
Real Life Numbers
Before taking the SIM 2 to the golf course myself I wanted to see what kind of number people on the internet were getting.
The first place I looked at was pluggedingolf.com. Off a 107 mph club head speed they got the following results:
| Club Head Speed | 107 |
| Ball Speed | 157 |
| Launch Angle | 12.8 |
| Spin | 2152 |
| Offline | 15 |
| Carry | 259 |
| Total | 286 |
For a moderate to high club head speed of 107 mph, these numbers are pretty impressive. Fifteen yards offline is going to find pretty much any fairway and a 286-yard total is about as much as you can expect to get out of that club head speed.
In my personal testing, I found the same thing. I found the SIM 2 to be long but also straight.
The forgiveness proved itself as it only seems like my very worst swings were punished. The low spin to me was also evident as the day I played it was pretty windy and the ball performed very well when I was back into the wind.
Pros
- Fantastic look, sounds, and feel
- Perimeter weighting and twist face technology promote extreme forgiveness on off center strikes
- Promotes a lower launch for high speed, high spin players
- Interchangeable back weight to promote a high MOI and customization for swing weighting
Cons
- Not enough launch and spin for low spin, low speed players
- 45.75” at a stock length can be too long for shorter players
- Stock D5 swing weight is pretty heavy for slower players
Recommendation
Do I recommend the SIM 2 driver, that is why you’re here? I have to answer that question yes and no.
If you are a low to mid-handicap player with a moderate to fast club head speed, this driver is perfect for you. It features a lower spinning lower launching head than the SIM 2 Max and SIM 2 Max D.
The regular SIM 2 also features no draw bias so which is a plus for better players.
If you are a higher handicap player who needs help getting the ball into the air or needs help hitting a draw, this driver is not for you. I would check out the SIM 2 Max or the SIM 2 Max D instead.
However, if you are a mid to low-handicap player looking to bring your flight down and pick up yards off the tee, this driver is a great option for you.
