Carbon story continues in TaylorMade Stealth fairways and hybrids

The TaylorMade Stealth fairway woods and hybrids.

Carbon crowns and new soles boost forgiveness in TaylorMade Stealth fairway woods and hybrids.

The faces of fairway woods and hybrids and too small to benefit from the carbon fibre face you’ll find in the new Stealth drivers, but that doesn’t mean the carbon story ends with the big sticks.

TaylorMade have developed a new carbon fibre crown, which frees up weight to create uber-forgiving and highly stable clubs.

JUMP TO: TaylorMade Stealth Rescues

The brand’s two-pronged attack at fairway woods continues with Stealth and Stealth Plus+ in 2022.

Players willing to pay for the performance of titanium fairways should take a look at the Stealth Plus+, but the majority of club golfers will flock to the powerful, forgiving stainless steel Stealth.

RELATED: Everything you need to know about TaylorMade’s Stealth drivers

Along with Speed Pockets to improve performance on low face impacts, both models share new Infinity Edge carbon crowns (freeing up weight for improved forgiveness) and laser etched face stripes to boost confidence and set-up accuracy.

“For most golfers, the fairway wood doesn’t get used on every hole,” Tomo Bystedt, TaylorMade’s Chief of Metalwood Creation, told us. “But when those moments arise, it needs to deliver. No matter what the shot requires, whether it’s forgiveness, distance or playability, you need to know your club can produce the desired results.

“That’s why we designed the family of Stealth fairway woods with increased MOI for added forgiveness without sacrificing the high launch and low spin results that produce the marquee distance golfers have come to expect from TaylorMade fairways.

“The new advanced laser alignment system and refined profile, especially on the Stealth Plus model, help inspire shot-shaping confidence with optimal control at every level of the game” 

Let’s take a closer look at the two Stealth fairway wood models.

TaylorMade Stealth Fairway Wood

RRP £279 | Men’s Lofts 15°, 16.5° 3HL, 18°, 21°, 24° | Women’s Lofts 16.5º 3HL, 19º, 21º, 24º | Adjustable No | Stock shafts Fujikura Ventus Red 6 FW (X, S); Fujikura Ventus Red 5 FW (R, A); Aldila Ascent Ladies 45 (L) | Stock grips Lamkin Crossline Black/Red 50g 0.600 Round; Lamkin Ladies Sonar 38g 0.580 Round

Fairway wood faces are too small to benefit from carbon fibre in the same way as the Stealth drivers, but the new toe-and-heel wrapped 3D carbon fibre crown pulls mass from the high toe area and allows it to be positioned further back for huge forgiveness benefits. TaylorMade say you can expect a 5% MOI gain over the previous SIM2 Max fairway and a 13% gain over the original SIM Max fairway.

The Stealth’s forgiveness qualities are further boosted by the V Steel sole, which also aids launch, improves turf interaction and versatility.

The fairway uses Twist Face, first introduced in the 2018 M3 and M4 drivers, designed to produce straighter shots on mishits, and a Speed Pocket which maximises ball speeds and forgiveness on low-face strikes (a common location for amateurs).

‘Advanced Laser Alignment’ provides clear contrast between the face and crown, while the laser-etched alignment aid makes it easy to set-up accurately.

Stealth has a bigger profile than the Plus+ (190cc vs 175cc), from which you can expect a mid-high launch with mid-low spin and a neutral flight.

TaylorMade Stealth Fairway Wood Specifications

RELATED: How to choose your perfect fairway wood

TaylorMade Stealth Plus+ Fairway Wood

RRP £349 | Lofts 13°, 15°, 19° | Adjustable Yes (+/- 1.5°) | Stock shaft Project X Hzrdus Smoke Red RDX 70 FW (X/6.5, S/6.0, R/5.5) | Stock grips Lamkin Crossline Black/Red Grip 50g 0.600 Round

TaylorMade titanium fairway woods have been a massive hit among tour players who love the smaller but forgiving heads, which deliver both workability and shot control.

The Stealth Plus+ has a refined 175cc size, yet there’s a 12% larger face area and a 12% MOI gain over the SIM2.

The ultra-strong and thin titanium Zatech face allowed TaylorMade’s engineers to push the limits of ball speed and promote straighter shots through the Twist Face technology.

The 80g V Steel sole plate has a clever fang-shaped design, with weight stacked at the front so the head wants to roll forward and control spin.

‘Advanced Laser Alignment’ provides clear contrast between the face and crown, while the laser-etched alignment aid makes it easy to set-up accurately. The Speed Pocket maximises ball speeds and forgiveness on low-face strikes (a common location for amateurs).

Expect a mid launch with low spin and a neutral flight.

Stealth Plus+ Fairway Wood Specifications

RELATED: Best Fairway Woods

TaylorMade Stealth Rescue Clubs

The last two seasons have seen more players than ever putting TaylorMade hybrids in the bag.

Originally seen as clubs to help amateur golfs who struggle with long irons, times have rapidly changed with Major champions Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy among those who have turned to rescue clubs.

Feedback from the world’s best players have fueled the refinements made to the new Stealth Rescue and Stealth Plus Rescue.

RELATED: Best Hybrids

The carbon story continues into the Stealth hybrid with the new carbon-fibre crown helping to free up weight and increase forgiveness in a club that will target the majority of club golfers.

Meanwhile Stealth Plus is a shot-maker’s dream that will attract better players. The iron-like high-toe profile and compact overall footprint make it easier to control trajectory and shot shape, while maintaining added forgiveness compared to long irons. 

Let’s take a closer look at the two models.

TaylorMade Stealth Rescue

RRP £229 | Men’s Lofts 3-19°, 4/22º, 5/25º, 6/28º, 7/31º | Women’s Lofts 4/23º, 5/26º. 6/28º, 7/31º | Adjustable No | Stock shafts Project X Hzrdus Smoke Red RDX 70 FW (7S, 6R, 5A); Aldila Ascent Ladies 45 (L) | Stock grips Lamkin Crossline Black/Red Grip 48.5g 0.600 Ribbed; Lamkin Ladies Sonar 38g 0.580 Round | On sale Pre-order now, in stores April 1

Stealth sees a carbon crown on a hybrid for the first time and it’s had a stunning impact.

The toe-and-heel wrapped 3D carbon fibre crown weighs three grams, a seven gram saving on SIM2, which has been relocated to massively increase forgiveness. Stealth, which is uber stable and easy to launch, delivers a 7% higher MOI than SIM2 and 15% higher MOI than SIM Max.

Forgiveness is further helped by the redesigned V Steel Sole, which positions weight low in the club and improves turf interaction and versatility to make it a club for a huge variety of lies.

As with the fairways, the new laser alignment creates a clear contrast between the face and crown and makes it easy to aim to the club.

The high-strength C300 steel Twist Face, coupled with the Speed Pocket, maximises distance, encourages a straighter flight and boosts speeds from low-face strikes (a common location for amateurs).

Expect a mid-high launch, mid-low spin and neutral flight bias.

The women’s version of the Stealth Rescue features a stand-alone bright silver PVD sole and a dark silver crown, as well as lighter heads and higher lofts. 

TaylorMade Stealth Rescue Specifications

TaylorMade Stealth Plus+ Rescue

RRP £249 | Lofts 13°, 15°, 19° | Stock shaft Project X Hzrdus Smoke Red RDX 70 FW (75X, 75S, 70R) | Adjustable Yes (+/- 1.5º) | Stock grips Lamkin Crossline Black/Red Grip 50g 0.600 Round | On sale Pre-order now, in stores February 4

There’s no carbon in the Stealth Plus+ Rescue, which has been designed to be fast and workable. A smaller, more compact shape than the Stealth gives the Plus+ a utility-iron look, feel and flight. 

The Centre of Gravity has been optimised to boost speed and forgiveness from any lie, with MOI and versatility further boosted by the redesigned V Steel Sole, which sees weight positioned low in the club..

The high-strength C300 steel Twist Face, coupled with TaylorMade’s most flexible Speed Pocket, creates explosive distance, encourages a straighter flight and boosts speeds from low-face strikes (a common location for amateurs).

Unlike the standard Stealth, the Plus+ Rescue has an adjustable hosel (+/- 1.5º), to allow better players to dial in the club, but you can expect a mid-launch, mid spin and neutral flight bias as standard.

TaylorMade Stealth Plus+ Rescue Specifications

READ NEXT: Everything you need to know about TaylorMade’s Stealth Irons

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rob Jerram is the Digital Editor of todaysgolfer.co.uk
He has been a journalist for more than 20 years, starting his career with Johnston Press where he covered local and regional news and sport in a variety of editorial roles across ten years.
Rob joined Bauer Media in 2010 and worked as the Senior Production Editor of Today’s Golfer and Golf World magazines for ten years before moving into the Digital Editor’s role in July 2020.
He has been playing golf for almost three decades and has been a member at Greetham Valley Golf Club in Rutland for eight years, playing off 12.