Are you torn between the TaylorMade SIM2 and the TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver?
After extensive research, demo days, and countless hours of contemplation, I’m here to provide you with a comprehensive side-by-side comparison of both drivers.
This will help you determine if investing more in the Stealth is justified, or if the SIM2 can deliver similar results at a more budget-friendly cost. Let’s dive into the details to make your decision much more manageable.
Both drivers are fantastic options for anyone looking for superior distance and forgiveness. The SIM2 will be a better option for players wanting to bring flight down with enough spin to keep the ball in the air and the Stealth 2 is great for players looking for higher launch and lower spin.
VS
In this article, I’ll share my firsthand experience with both drivers, as I’m fortunate to have access to test and review each of them. I’ll dive into various aspects, including the sound, appearance, and overall feel of both the TaylorMade SIM2 and the TaylorMade Stealth 2 drivers.
Additionally, I’ll assess their forgiveness and distance capabilities to see how they compare. I’ll also highlight the stock shaft options available for each driver and provide an analysis of the pros and cons of both models.
After a thorough evaluation, I’ll conclude with my recommendation, guiding you toward the driver that best suits your needs and preferences.
Taylormade SIM2 Driver
Released by TaylorMade in 2021, the SIM2 driver swiftly gained recognition as one of their most exceptional drivers to date. In right-handed, TaylorMade offers options in 8 degrees, 9 degrees, and 10.5 degrees, while left-handed players can choose from 9 and 10.5-degree models.
The standard length of the SIM2 driver is 45.75″, and it features a stock swing weight of D5.
When compared to its counterparts, the SIM2 Max and SIM2 Max D, the SIM2 stands out as the least forgiving and lowest launching head among the trio. It differs from the SIM2 Max D, as it lacks a draw bias.
The driver is tailored for players who excel at consistently finding the sweet spot and prefer a lower ball flight trajectory.
Based on my personal testing experience with all three models, I can confirm that the SIM2 lives up to these characteristics on the course.
Taylormade Stealth 2 Driver
The Stealth 2 driver from TaylorMade is the company’s newest release featuring revolutionary carbon face technology.
It is available in 9,10.5, and 12 degrees for right-handed players and is available in both 9 and 10.5 degrees for left-handed players. Its stock length is 45.75” and its stock swing weight is D3/D4.
The Stealth also comes in two other versions, the Stealth 2 Plus and Stealth 2 HD. The Stealth plus has more adjustability options and promotes a lower ball flight with more spin than the regular Stealth.
The Stealth HD is the same club except it promotes a draw.
TaylorMade SIM2 vs TaylorMade Stealth 2 Sounds, Look, and Feel
The visual appeal of the SIM2 is truly remarkable! Its sleek design, featuring an all-black carbon fiber crown complemented by a stylish white stripe around the edges, creates a stunning look when you set up for your shot.
Moreover, the driver delivers an outstanding sound and feel, generating a gratifying mid-pitch crack upon impact and providing a solid sensation, no matter where the ball strikes the face.
The look of the Stealth 2 driver is a lot different than the SIM2. The top of the crown has a shiny black finish and you will immediately notice the red face which I really liked at setup.
Also, compared to the original 2022 Stealth, the sounds and in the Stealth 2 are much improved being much deeper and more traditional. The feel, however, I found to still be lacking as the carbon face really dampens your feel at impact which I am still not a fan of.
I’m a traditionalist when it comes to sound and feel so for me, the SIM2 wins in this category.
TaylorMade SIM2 and TaylorMade Stealth 2 Forgiveness
The SIM2 driver incorporates two key features that significantly contribute to its remarkable forgiveness and performance. Firstly, the forged ring construction, combined with the 9-layer carbon sole, strategically distributes weight to enhance forgiveness.
The high-strength aluminum forged ring effectively spreads the weight around the driver’s perimeter, providing exceptional stability during impact. This translates to improved consistency and forgiveness for golfers.
Another crucial factor in forgiveness is the driver’s moment of inertia (MOI). The SIM2 driver boasts an impressively high MOI, mainly due to the inclusion of a 16-gram weight positioned at the rear of the club.
This weight can be customized to optimize swing weight and launch conditions, catering to individual preferences. To balance the significant rear weight and maintain low spin, a smaller TPS weight is placed near the face, resulting in a well-balanced and forgiving performance on the course.
The Stealth 2 for me was more forgiving than the SIM 2. Taylormade has added even more carbon including a new reinforced carbon ring around the perimeter of the head. This has allowed the company to add an even heavier 30 gram weight at the back of the head to increase MOI even further.
They have also added an enhanced version of their inverted cone technology behind the face to help players maintain ball speed on off center hits.
I found that the increased carbon and new and improved inverted cone technology in the Stealth 2 did make a difference. Both heads wanted to keep me in play on misshits but distance stayed high on mishits with the new club so I’m going to give this category the Stealth 2.
TaylorMade SIM2 and TaylorMade Stealth 2 Distance
To aid in distance, The SIM 2 driver, similar to the Stealth 2 driver, incorporates both the twist face technology and thru slot speed pocket for exceptional performance.
However, the key difference lies in the face construction. While the stealth driver boasts a 60x carbon twist face, the SIM 2 driver features a face made of titanium.
TaylorMade has equipped both drivers with a twist face that optimizes ball speed without surpassing the legal limit set by the USGA. This innovative twist face design also includes curvature and weighting adjustments to improve accuracy on off-center hits, ensuring shots find their way towards the fairway with remarkable distance.
Additionally, both drivers come with a thru-slot speed pocket located behind the face. This precisely engineered milled cup enhances face flexion, resulting in heightened ball speed and overall performance, all while adhering to the USGA regulations.
However, the Stealth 2 driver this year comes with an enhanced inverted cone behind the face delivering even more distance the original Stealth and SIM 2 on off center hits.
In my experience hitting both of these heads, I found that the features mentioned above made both drivers exceptionally long.
The carbon twist face on the stealth did give me a little extra distance though compared to the SIM 2 so the Stealth 2 wins this category.
TaylorMade SIM2 and TaylorMade Stealth 2 Stock Shaft Options
TaylorMade SIM 2 Driver
- Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw Blue
- Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX
TaylorMade Stealth 2 Driver
- Mitsubishi Diamana S+ 60
- Fujikura Ventus Red TR 5
SIM 2 Pros and Cons
Pros
- Very forgiving due to strong perimeter weighting and twist face technology
- Fast ball speed
- Lower price than Stealth 2
- Great sounds, look, and feel
Cons
- Not as fast ball speed as Stealth 2
- Promotes a lower flight with low spin so might not be right for all players
- Not as forgiving as Stealth 2 on off center hits
Stealth 2 Pros and Cons
Pros
- Extreme forgiveness due to massive perimeter weighting promoted by light carbon face and light carbon crown
- Fast ball speed due to carbon 60x carbon twist face
Cons
- High price
- Higher launch profile than some faster and better players may need
Real Numbers
Below are some numbers from Golf IQ on YouTube, you can CLICK HERE to watch the video yourself.
| Club | Club Speed | Ball Speed | Spin | Carry |
| SIM 2 | 110.6 | 161.1 | 2717 | 270.6 |
| Stealth 2 | 112.5 | 163.8 | 1967 | 278.9 |
Recommendation
As you can see, the newer Stealth 2 is a much faster head than the SIM 2.
When researching these two heads before trying them out myself I learned that the Stealth 2 is a much higher launching and higher spinning head than the SIM 2 but just like the numbers above, I found the Stealth 2 produces very little spin which increased my distance by about 5-10 yards.
For me, both drivers are incredibly forgiving but I did feel that my mishits with the Stealth 2 came out a little more favorable than the SIM 2.
Both of these drivers are amazing but they are for different groups of players.
If you are someone who is looking for low spin, more distance, and the highest amount of forgiveness possible, the Stealth 2 is the driver for you if you don’t mind shelling out the cash.
If you are looking for a more traditional sound, feel, look, and want to save money, the SIM 2 is still a fantastic alternative that won’t leave you missing out on much technology.
These drivers are fantastic and in my mind, I would choose the Stealth 2 as I thought it performed much better than the SIM 2, and if you’re anything like me you’ll pay whatever it takes to play better golf!
