Our Honest TaylorMade SIM 2 Max Fairway Wood Review

The TaylorMade Sim2 Max Fairway may have been forgotten in the shadow of the company’s Stealth line of drivers and fairway woods.

But for mid and high handicappers, the Sim2 series delivers premium performance for considerably less money.

Compared to the previous model, the Sim2 Max Fairway features improved aerodynamics and a refined V Steel™ sole design, enhancing turf interaction and playability.

In this TaylorMade Sim 2 Max Fairway Wood review, we’ll look at what makes it one of the most high-performing golf clubs in recent memory and who should add this club to their bag.

Pros

• Impressive golf ball speed after contact
• Exceptionally high launch for extended carry
• Outrageously good turf interaction

Cons

• No adjustable features for customization
• Higher shot height makes the club less workable for advanced players

TaylorMade SIM2 Max Fairway Key Features

The TaylorMade SIM2 Max Fairway features a darker shade of the carbon crown and the repositioning of the alignment ‘T’ logo, enhancing its design and functionality.

V Steel Sole with Low CG

For the Sim2 Max, it all begins with the exceptionally tough V Steel Sole that delivers outstanding versatility to the golfer.

With low spin and clean ground interaction, the sole helps the golfer maintain swing velocity with each hit, improving alignment and accuracy for straighter shots.

Twist Face Technology with C300 Steel Face

Twist Face from TaylorMade helps create that high-grade forgiveness that reduces side spin on off-center strikes.

As a result, the Twist Face allows you to cleanly pick the ball from the ground to reach more greens on the course to help you achieve par on the scorecard.

Thru-Slot Speed Pocket

Another long time TaylorMade feature finds its way to the Sim2 Max Fairway Woods as the Thru-Slot Speed Pocket adds flexibility to the entire hitting area while maintaining shot velocity that creates a rocket-like jump from the face.

The Speed Pocket works its magic most when you hit the golf ball off the toe. Instead of producing shots that die quickly and tail off, the Speed Pocket holds the target line while keeping the MPHs up for maximum distance.

Specifications

Our In-Depth TaylorMade SIM 2 Max Fairway Wood Review

Looks

At address, the Sim2 series shines with a high contrast white that features the TaylorMade logo to denote the center of the face.

The woods deliver a lot of confidence while playing a round due to their solid build and color scheme.

There’s not much difference fundamentally in appearance between the fairway wood and driver in this series. TaylorMade has worked to streamline the appearance of all the Sim2 Fairway Woods so they present a uniform look in the golf bag

Sound

Like irons, the fairway wood provides a clean, solid sound that offers immediate feedback.

If you hit the shot heavily, the fairway wood responds with a dense sound that provides immediate responsiveness, letting you know that you are staying behind the golf ball.

Working in concert, the sound and feel offer an excellent combination to help you make adjustments as you play to improve your overall game.

Feel

After dozens of swings, we began to experience more confidence in how we played this dynamic fairway wood.

Even though the Max model doesn’t feature adjustable settings, our advanced golfers in our test pool found the club really enjoyable to play on the course due to the golf club’s expressive responsiveness to the golfer.

Performance

During our testing for this review, our golfers noted that the low center of gravity produced some of the most majestic shots they’ve ever seen from a fairway wood, great for players looking for a more reliable alternative to a driver off the tee box.

When hitting off the fairway, the Sim2 Max delivers clean contact to the golf ball with a forgiving approach, a huge bonus when looking to power the shot off the deck.

Although we didn’t find the Sim2 Max to be perfect, it’s rare to find a fairway wood that delivers low spin from the tee box or off the deck with impressive ground interaction and extended carry for less than a $300 price.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Sim and Sim Max Fairway Woods?

The Sim models are made for advanced golfers, such as Rory Mcilroy. The Sim fairway woods offer less forgiveness, a lower loft spectrum, and a smaller, more compact head for total control over the shotmaking.

In contrast, the original Sim Max series offers more forgiveness with a larger head.

The Max also provides deeper CG for a high ball flight that’s less controllable compared to the Sim series but also creates the longest shots possible for the double-digit handicapper.

In most instances, the Sim Max Fairway Woods can also take the place of a driver with its elevated loft.

What is the difference between TaylorMade SIM 2 and SIM2 Max?

When it comes to the TaylorMade Sim2 Fairway Woods, the Sim2 offers a more compact head of 170cc compared to the 190cc volume of the Sim2 Max Fairway, a difference you’ll notice at address.

The Sim2 model also offers a 4-degree loft sleeve for total control in elevating or lowering the shot height provided by the fairway wood.

While the Sim2 Max offers a higher degree of forgiveness, the Sim2 provides exceptional hold on off-center strikes to keep you playing in the fairway.

The SIM2 Ti, on the other hand, is known for its need for speed and concentration to achieve good results, making it suitable for low handicappers and players looking for a long fairway. However, it can be inconsistent in performance compared to the SIM2 Max.

Finally, one of the biggest differences between the two TaylorMade fairway woods comes from the launch angle. The Sim2 Max offers a high launch, while the Sim2 provides a mid-range launch to better help shape shots from low handicappers.

Our Verdict

While most of TaylorMade’s attention has moved to this year’s model, the Stealth (check our full review), it would be a shame for golfers to ignore the muscle and forgiving nature of the Sim2 Max Fairway.

With the exceptional launch and the ability to provide quick confidence, the Sim2 Max delivers outstanding performance at a moderate price point.

If you are struggling to find consistency with your fairway woods, the TaylorMade Sim2 Fairway Wood offers a lightweight carbon crown that keeps your swing moving freely and provides maximum MPHs to the golf ball.

With three models to choose from, the Sim2 Max offers fairway woods to the mid handicapper struggling with distance, delivering clubs that provide the complete performance you’d expect from TaylorMade.