In recent years the TaylorMade M Series drivers have been the weapon of choice for the likes of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, Justin Rose… the list is endless. So, when TaylorMade announced their new driver you might expect the evolution to be M7 and M8 to develop the M storyline which began in 2015 with the M1. So, imagine our surprise when we found out the new 2020 range of metal woods from TaylorMade are called SIM, which stands for ‘Shape In Motion’.
All the previous M Series elements have been retained, such as Twist Face, Speed Pocket, Speed Injection and sliding weight technology, but as the name suggests, the SIM is all about aerodynamics.
You can’t release a golf club these days without inventing a new technical phrase and TaylorMade are the masters. For 2020 we have the: ASYMMETRIC SOLE and INERTIA GENERATOR and you will not miss it! The large triangle shape on the sole of the club is what the SIM driver is all about.
MODEL RANGE
SIM: Designed for low spin; low trajectory and sliding weight technology for adjustability.
SIM MAX: More forgiving than the SIM with an 8% larger face. You can adjust the loft by two degrees up or down but does not have the sliding head weights.
SIM MAX D: With a draw bias and an 18% larger face than the SIM, this head is the most forgiving. The SIM Max D model has divergent top-line masking, which makes the driver look more open at address than it actually is, helping golfers close the face at impact.
Building MORE speed
Breaking speed barriers is the art of balancing aerodynamics with power and it appears that both the face of the M5 and M6 were maxed out to the limits set by the R&A and USGA. Initially, the clubs were produced outside the perimeters – deeming them illegal – but they were brought back into the tolerance range with the resin-injected face weighting.
So, the only way TaylorMade could increase ball speed was to reduce the drag on the downswing, enabling the clubhead speed to be optimised at towards and into impact.
TECHNOLOGY
Asymmetric Sole Shape & Inertia Generator
Designed to provide faster clubhead speed for more ball speed and distance while the rear weight creates high MOI for improved forgiveness.
Speed Injected™
Improves ball speed across the face by calibrating each head to the threshold of the legal speed limit.
Twist Face®
Uses corrective face angles designed to overcome inherent golfer tendencies on mis-hits and to produce straighter shots.
Multi-Material Construction
Creates a head design where weight is positioned precisely in the head for ultra-low CG and high MOI.
Inverted Cone Technology
This face technology expands the C.O.R. zone of the clubface, resulting in a larger sweet spot and better performance on mis-hits.
VERDICT
The SIM is packed full of tech and the three models are easy to understand. But the ultimate test is how the SIM compares to the M5 and M6. In next month’s issue we will be putting them head-to-head to see not just how the numbers stack up on distance but also for dispersion. I’m not sure the enhanced aerodynamics will add a huge amount of distance but the new rear weighting in the SIM will improve the moment of inertia and tighten those loose shots.
What did European Tour Rookie of the Year, Robert MacIntyre, have to say about the new TaylorMade Sim driver?
“The new TaylorMade Sim is a great driver. So far I’ve gained a mile an hour ball speed and clubhead speed and for a golfer at the top level that’s all you’re after for the ball to go further. Then if it’s going just as straight you’re on to a winner! I’ve been with TaylorMade since I was 16 years old which was the first time I got clubs for free so I’ve used them for a while and I’m glad that I can continue working with this brand.”
