TaylorMade SIM Max Driver Review
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TaylorMade’s new SIM Max Driver focuses on forgiveness, with an 8% larger face than the SIM driver and 20g of back weight
TaylorMade’s new SIM Max Golf Driver has a much higher MOI than the SIM driver, and is aimed at golfers who want more forgiveness.
The biggest difference between the SIM Max and SIM driver is that there is no weight track, which means that TaylorMade have instead placed 20g of weight low and deep on the tip of the inertia generator to boost the MOI by 80 points.
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In addition, the clubface is 8% larger than the SIM, too, which is there to aid confidence and comes from TaylorMade’s research into impact locations.
What TaylorMade say: The SIM Max driver is designed to deliver maximum forgiveness. The all-new Inertia Generator positions additional weight at the extreme rear of the club to further increase MOI, providing more forgiveness and slightly higher launch conditions than the SIM driver.
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What you need to know about TaylorMade’s new SIM (Shape in Motion) Drivers
TaylorMade’s M-series drivers have been part of the brand’s product line-up since the M1 launched in 2015. The marque has been around for five years, which says “M” really hit the spot with consumers and on Tour.
Designing M led TaylorMade down a road of carbon-fibre-fuelled discovery, creating innovations like TwistFace and Speed Injection, which has allowed the company to post gains of 2mph of ball speed per year.
But TaylorMade believe now is the time to retire M, take everything they’ve learnt from all six M models and move on. And where “M” pioneered new materials, the focus has switched to geometry in 2020’s SIM drivers.
TaylorMade’s engineers have come up with a brand new “Shape in Motion” concept, which improves aerodynamics at the point in the swing where drivers experience most drag – from nine o’clock to six o’clock in the downswing – or just before impact, where you need speed to peak.
According to TaylorMade, typical drivers aren’t optimised for this critical point in the swing – most focus on speed in a straight line, not a swing arc.
But by throwing the kitchen sink of aerodynamic analytics at SIM – thanks to an enormous wind tunnel and sophisticated 3D motion analysis tech – TaylorMade has optimised three new drivers with a new “asymmetrical” sole, which targets how the head rotates aerodynamically through 45° at impact.
And initial internal testing (including with TaylorMade’s tour payers) shows a gain of 2 mph in ball speed over M, which could rinse out an extra three-five yards from a club golfer’s swing.
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What you need to know about the TaylorMade SIM Max driver
TaylorMade are well aware one one driver doesn’t suit everyone. So while SIM focuses on controlling spin and dialling in shot bias, SIM Max is much more about forgiveness. The face of the Max is 8% larger than the SIM, and there’s a 20g of back weight (where the SIM has 12g and a 10g sliding front weight) positioned on the tip of the inertia generator in the sole, which ups MOI by 70 points over the SIM.
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Shape in Motion
The asymmetrical, curved sole optimises sole aerodynamics right where golfers create most speed. So it’s super slick when you create speed and not just optimized to perform in a straight line at impact. DJ’s swing speed at the nine o’clock position is 90mph; at impact (six o’clock) it’s 120mph; SIM is designed specifically to perform at this moment of truth.
Speed pocket tech
A straight-through speed pocket means the face isn’t attached at the bottom, just like TaylorMade’s P790 irons.
New cosmetics
SIM has had a makeover cosmetically, too. A chrome carbon-fibre crown and grey-tinged chalk paint give a sleek appearance. Both are taken from the automotive industry.
