New TaylorMade Stealth 2 drivers promise “fargiveness”

The TaylorMade Stealth 2 drivers.

TaylorMade Stealth 2, Stealth 2 Plus and Stealth 2 HD drivers all offer increased forgiveness over the original and groundbreaking carbonwood.

The original TaylorMade Stealth driver was undoubtedly one of the best drivers of 2022, and the Tour stats and results back it up, but if there was one criticism, it’s that the model perhaps wasn’t the most forgiving driver on the market.

TaylorMade say the new Stealth 2 drivers are all about “Fargiveness” – a term the brand has coined for drivers combining forgiveness with the speed and distance TaylorMade are known for delivering.

What you need to know about the TaylorMade Stealth 2 drivers

Don’t expect massive speed and distance claims

It wasn’t that long ago that new TaylorMade drivers and fairway woods came with claims of big speed and distance gains – some even ran into double digits. Those days are well and truly over. The brand say Stealth 2 is about building on the foundation of the original Stealth. It’s a savvy move, considering the Stealth driver saw TaylorMade regain the top spot for driver sales in the USA. But, this time, TaylorMade are promising increased forgiveness to go along with the power the original Stealth drivers offered.

TaylorMade aren’t promising Ping levels of forgiveness (Ping drivers tend to rank as the most forgiving drivers in golf). That’s because maximizing forgiveness tends to lead to slower ball speeds and reduced distance. But TaylorMade believe they have found the perfect combination of speed, distance and forgiveness in the new Stealth 2 driver range, a combination they are calling “fargiveness”.

More carbon fiber than titanium

Thanks to having a carbon fiber face and new sole section, plus an injection molded back ring, Stealth 2 is the first TaylorMade driver to contain more carbon fiber than titanium. Inevitably some golfers will think that sounds like the construction of the carbon body Callaway FT-3, FT-5 and FT-I drivers back in the mid-late noughties, but Stealth 2 is very different.

The Stealth 2 uses separate pieces of lightweight carbon fiber in different areas of the driver to maximize weight placement and efficiency. Previous single-piece carbon fiber body drivers were wrapped, which gave engineers much less control over thick and thin areas.

TaylorMade say one-piece bodies are much less efficient. To create the best TaylorMade driver, Stealth 2 models have six-layer carbon fiber crowns; where the sole is nine layers thick, the face needs 60 layers to withstand the impact forces of a golf ball.

By injection molding carbon fiber for the back ring, golfers get strength and lightness in different areas and the most efficient part for each individual area. This modular construction optimizes each part for its intended purpose.           

More carbon fiber = more discretionary weight = higher MOI

TaylorMade’s initial foray into carbon crown drivers (the M1) meant less than 10cc of the head was carbon fiber, but that has risen to nearly 50cc of carbon fiber in the Stealth 2.

What has that meant to MOI? The TaylorMade M1 driver (released in 2017) had an MOI of around 6600g cm²; the new Stealth 2 Plus driver is over 7400g cm². 

Good news for heel strikers

Driver faces have been limited by the rules of golf for years, but the rules don’t dictate how much of a driver face can be at the maximum allowable limit. So, whilst it’s great to hit the limit in the center, shots hit away from that spot are punished with lower speeds and less distance.

TaylorMade drivers have traditionally had slightly toe-biased sweet spots, but for Stealth 2 the brand have worked on getting 20% more of the face on the limit of the rules (by using 60% more inverted cone technology shaping behind the face) with a focus on livening up the low heel. It is brilliant news for heel strikers. 

Pick your bias

Choosing a driver based on your shot shape preference isn’t a new idea, but TaylorMade have optimized everything about the three Stealth 2 models, from natural head bias and lie angle in order to fit golfers into their perfect driver.

Lie angles across the family are progressive. The Stealth Plus is 2° flatter, which pros and better players tend to like the look of at address. The Stealth 2 standard model is the same lie angle as its predecessor, whereas the Stealth 2 HD is 2° more upright than the standard, which helps encourage a right-to-left ball flight (for right-handers), or at least limit the amount of left-to-right curvature on shots.

What is the difference between the TaylorMade Stealth 2 drivers and the previous models?

Don’t take me for granted

TaylorMade have steadily built a suite of top-performing technologies into their drivers over the last few years. It means rather than going back to the drawing board each year, the new Stealth 2 models already boast proven technologies in the form of TwistFace, Thru-Slot Speed Pockets and an Asymmetric Inertia Generator that aids aerodynamics in the downswing. Game-improving tech that’s not to be sniffed at.  

Stealth 2 drivers: availability and pricing

TaylorMade’s Stealth 2 Plus, Stealth 2 and Stealth 2 HD drivers are available for pre-order now and will be at retail February 17.

TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus RRP: £529 / $629.99

TaylorMade Stealth 2 RRP: £499 / $599.99

TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD RRP: £499 / $599.99

Read our full review and test of the Stealth 2 drivers, including the type of golfer each model is best suited for.

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