TaylorMade Stealth HD iron Review

Name: TaylorMade Stealth HD iron Review
Brand: Taylormade
Price: 899 GBP

By Simon Daddow, Today's Golfer Equipment Editor

Last updated: 09 June 2023

At a glance
TG Rating 5 out of 5
Owner Rating Not yet rated
Pros

– Extremely easy to launch and flight at lower speeds.

– A very forgiving iron option.

– Thanks to a new SelectFit hosel sleeve, the Stealth HD can be custom fitted in the same way as any TaylorMade iron.
Cons

– To get maximum forgiveness the heads are a bit bulky, golfers who need additional help though will notice performance before cosmetics.

What we say...

The TaylorMade Stealth HD is a higher launching, higher spinning and draw-biased iron for lower-speed players and high-handicap golfers.

It’s unheard of in TaylorMade circles in recent history for the brand to launch into a new year and not have a new iron to match their latest all-singing and dancing driver. But where new Stealth 2 drivers, fairways and hybrids are now hitting pro shop shelves, the brand are building upon their Stealth iron platform, rather than reinventing it as the Stealth iron was one of the Best Golf Irons of 2022.

Rather than binning the equity it built up amongst club golfers, TaylorMade have revealed a new higher launching, higher spinning, draw-biased model, which will appeal to lower speed players, to compliment it. Welcome to the first-ever TaylorMade Stealth HD iron, one of the best irons for high-handicaps.

With the Stealth HD iron available alongside the Stealth 2 HD driver, Stealth 2 HD fairway wood and Stealth 2 HD Rescue, TaylorMade now have a range of clubs aimed to help golfers who struggle with launch and/or battle a slice.

TaylorMade Stealth HD Iron

RRP: £129 / $143 per iron (steel), £143 / $157 per iron (graphite) | Availability: 5 – PW, AW, SW, LW | Stock men’s shaft: KBS Max 85 MT (s), Fujikura Speeder NX Red/Silver(g) | Stock women’s shaft: Aldila Ascent ladies 45 | 7-iron loft: 30° | Category/Forgiveness rating: High-Handicap/Moderate Speed Iron – 4/5

Everything you need to know about the TaylorMade Stealth HD iron

Welcome to the family

For several years TaylorMade have made a HD (High Draw) driver and fairway wood. They’ve been lighter, draw-biased, and usually have slightly higher lofts. 2023 is the year the family reaches completion with the Stealth HD iron.

A new shallower profile, wider body draw-biased Stealth 2 HD hybrid will match the new HD iron, making it easier to transition from irons to hybrids and fairway woods. The new Stealth HD iron will also be the most forgiving iron within the TaylorMade family.

Low profile and lofted up

The new Stealth HD iron has a shallow face profile. The shape helps golfers get shots airborne more easily, plus there’s a stepped sole, which isn’t super wide but is more curved so the iron is playable from any lie.

TaylorMade believe golfers of the HD’s target skill level don’t always set up with the sole level to the turf, so the feature will aid cleaner ball striking.

A graphic comparison of sole width and hosel offset of the TaylorMade Stealth and Stealth HD irons

With a 7-iron loft 2° weaker than the standard Stealth iron, the model will also be super easy to launch and flight for maximum carry distance.

What is moderate speed?

75mph with a 7-iron has become the go-to number for brands pitching High Launch moderate-speed irons to club golfers. The HD will be the best TaylorMade iron for players who swing their 7-iron less than 75mph, as they are the golfers who will unlock additional ball speed over the stronger-lofted Stealth iron.

Comparison: Stealth HD vs Stealth

Spec comparison for the Stealth and Stealth HD Irons

A table showing the comparison of the TaylorMade Stealth and Stealth HD irons

Don’t take me for granted

TaylorMade have built up a cracking suite of reliable performance-enhancing technologies for their irons over the last half dozen years, which means the HD comes with a Cap Back Design, Echo Damping System and Thru-Slot Speed pocket all built in.

The Cap Back allows TaylorMade’s engineers to create an extremely low and forgiving center of gravity. The damper tunes sound and feel while the Speed Pocket protects ball speeds when shots impact low on the face.

WATCH: Best 2023 Moderate Speed/High-Handicap Iron video

Verdict: TaylorMade Stealth HD iron

We were as surprised as the next man when TaylorMade unveiled their new Stealth HD, an iron to attract an audience who the brand hadn’t really catered for with weaker loft irons before. The move adds weight to the current thinking that average speed and high-handicap players need more loft, not less, if they’re to flight shots properly and score successfully on the golf course.

We love that TaylorMade have kept the Stealth name for the HD model, it means you don’t feel left out of the cool gang or unfairly labelled as a sub-standard golfer, with a different marquee.

Yes, the look is much more hybrid iron, than Mizuno’s sleek JPX923 HL, but everything about the head and shaft selection scream easy launch and forgiveness at sub 75 mph speeds. From a slightly faster test ball speed than most, the HD hovered around our averages across the board, apart from dispersion where it hit shots into a 19% tighter area.

We love the very friendly, easy to live with nature of the Stealth HD, it’s a model that could help lots of averge golfers realistically score lower.

What TaylorMade say about the Stealth HD iron

“In working with players in this category, we exhausted all optimization tools to determine the ideal loft for each iron in the set,” says Matt Bovee, Director of Product Creation for TaylorMade irons.

“Incorporating higher lofts was done purposefully and with intent. Our goal was to provide as much launch and spin as possible without sacrificing distance, and what we found was this design strategy often led to increased carry distance for the developing golfer when compared to traditional super game improvement irons with stronger lofts.

“By combining this totally unique construction with our existing technologies, we created a high launching, easy-to-hit iron with surprisingly exceptional feel.”