If your main concern is to hit your Driver further than your buddies, you have found your next Driver in the TaylorMade M5.
This Driver is long.
The guys on tour are using it. (Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy to name a few)
TaylorMade has done some heavy marketing on the M5 Driver this year and that’s partially why we feel a review is so important. Is it really as good as they say it is?
TaylorMade M5 Driver
If you drive it 180 can you really start driving it 300. (The answer to this one is no, but you can get more than 180!)
The TaylorMade M5 Driver has a speed injected twist face. The Speed Injected Twist Face is a powerful piece of technology implemented by TaylorMade this year.
Allowing them to reach the limits of what is considered legal in a driver according to the rules of the USGA and R & A.
This driver by Taylormade will provide more ball speed and accuracy than any of their previous models.
The addition of the T Track and Moveable Weights has helped to make this Driver much more adjustable than the M6.
So what does all this speed injection and twist facing do for your golf game?
Since there is a legal limit on speed, all companies try to get as close as they can and then mass produce from that level without going over. They try to get their Drivers as much ball speed as possible without getting in trouble with the USGA.
What Taylormade did with this M5 Driver is they calibrate every single head to make sure it is as close as possible to the legal limit for ball speed.
They didn’t simply settle on getting to 90 percent of the legal limit. They went a step further and made sure that each individual head gets you as close as you can to that legal limit.
This is some pretty advanced, expensive and high end technology and engineering. (Hence the price tag on the Driver!)
There is no shortage of TaylorMade golf Drivers to choose from. Each year they come out with their new technology and they claim that is faster, better, and more forgiving.
So is this M5 better than the M3? If you ask most golfers they will say the improvement is minimal but yes the M5 is longer.
Now if you want to know if this is better than say the R11 or the R9 there is no question the M5 is a better Driver. Even the shaft options have changed so much since that time that an R9 can’t complete with an M5 from a ball speed standpoint.
The M5 also comes in a Tour Model.
This model has all the same capabilities as the TaylorMade M5 Driver except the head is smaller. Some players feel this helps them when working on their shot shape, and from a visual standpoint, they like the smaller more traditional heads.
Take a look at this TaylorMade M5 driver review where we cover everything from player type to adjustability to price.
Features and Benefits
Player Handicap
The M5 Driver is designed for people who have a fast swing speed. Even with the varying shaft options and adjustability you still need to have some speed to make this driver worth your money.
Generally speaking, lower handicap players have more swing speed.
Adjustability
This TaylorMade comes with what they call the T Track. The T Track is just a fancy way of saying that this driver is adjustable just like the M3 was, but unlike the TaylorMade M6.
The T Track features two 10g movable weights that can be used to help you dial in the perfect ball flight and shot shape. So essentially you can adjust how high or low you hit it or how far left and right you hit it.
Now if TaylorMade could just swing this Driver for you, imagine what your golf game would look like!
Shaft Options
The two stock shafts that are offered with the TaylorMade M5 are the Mitsubishi Tensei CK Orange 60 and the Project X Hzrdus Smoke 70.
As I mentioned earlier this club is for the faster swinging, strong golfer. That is why you will notice there is no 50-gram shaft offered as a stock option.
The Mitsubishi Shaft is going to have a little more torque and it also has a mid-launch.
The Project X Hzrdus Smoke is truly the golf shaft of the season. Almost all manufacturers offer some type of driver with this Project X in it as a stock option. If you hit the ball a bit high and are looking to improve that, this would be one to consider.
Look/Sound/Feel
At address, this could be one of the best-looking drivers out there. The matte black face makes it stand out. The clubhead does not sit closed or offset at all, something that better players look for in drivers.
TaylorMade has never had a problem with the sound on their drivers. The M5 is said to be one of the best sounding drivers on the market. Not much for Taylormade to improve when it comes to their sounds.
The Feel at impact with this Driver is perfect. It feels exactly like it should when you hit the ball correctly. The M5 does have one downside from the feel department.
There have been quite a few good players who have said that the M5 does not allow them to work the ball as much as they would like.
When we tested this we were still able to hit this driver as we intended. It could simply be a shaft issue and not a feel issue but it’s something to consider depending on how much you work the ball.
Distance
The TaylorMade M4 Driver is one of if not the longest Driver available. I’m not sure where TaylorMade is going to go from here when it comes to the release of a new Driver next year.
Each year they offer some improvement in both distance and forgiveness and there just doesn’t seem to be much room to move up anymore.
Forgiveness
Plenty of forgiveness for a player’s driver. The M5 is not as forgiving as the M6 is going to be. If your motivation is pure forgiveness, look at the M6.
Price
The M5 sits at the top end of the price range but it has a lot to offer for that price.
TaylorMade M5 Driver Review
Check out the review video below:
Key Features of the TaylorMade M5 Driver
The TaylorMade M5 driver brought a lot of new technology to the market and a great deal of ball speed. For the golfers that have not had much luck getting both distances and feel from a golf club, the M5 can make a big difference.
Speed Injected Twist Face
The TaylorMade M5 golf driver was designed with a speed injected twist face. This is the first TaylorMade Driver to feature this technology, and it proved to bring some new benefits to the market.
The Speed Injected Twist Face means that TaylorMade actually checks each of these club heads prior to leaving the factory to ensure that they are as close to the legal limits as possible.
Hammerhead 2.0 Slot
The Hammerhead 2.0 Slot allows for a lighter weight club head that still has tremendous stability at impact. The Hammerhead 2.0 Slot helps players increase their speed without losing the feel.
Inverted T-Track Weight Adjustability System
Adjustability in a golf driver for the mid to low handicap player is essential. The T Track Weight Adjustability system allows for an easy adjustment and a quick change when a golfer wants to adjust ball speed and control.
Practical and Sleek Design
The TaylorMade M5 golf driver is one of the more practical golf drivers on the market. It is not the biggest and it is not the most technologically advanced anymore. However, for the lower handicap player that wants a golf club that can make a tremendous change in their game, the M5 is well worth it.
Accuracy
The M5 will do what you want it to do. Better players that know how to control and manipulate the face of the golf club will like what the TaylorMade M5 has to offer. If you are a player that needs lots of forgiveness, you will find that the M5 is not all that forgiving. However, if you hit the ball directly in the center of the clubface, it is extremely accurate.
Adjustability
The TaylorMade M5 is one of the more adjustable golf drivers on the market. Players that use the TaylorMade M5 will have no trouble getting the exact ball flight they want with the proper setting in the driver.
Pros and Cons of the TaylorMade M5 Driver
The TaylorMade M5 Driver has plenty of positives about it, but there are also a few negatives. Let’s take a look at the Pros and Cons offered by this TaylorMade golf driver.
Pros
- Easy to launch
- Impressive ball speed
- Twist Face Technology
- Adjustability
- Hammerhead 2.0
- Great alternative to the forgiving M4
- Workable club head
Cons
- Not as forgiving as other golf drivers
- Slightly older technology
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few of the questions that we are most commonly asked about the TaylorMade M5 driver, and other TaylorMade golf clubs on the market. The TaylorMade M5 has been on the market for several years now, and the new SIM Max and SIM Max 2 released have replaced it.
Is TaylorMade M5 a good driver?
The TaylorMade M5 driver is a great golf club that can give players a tremendous amount of distance. For the lower handicap player that wants a bit more control out of their golf drivers, the M5 is a perfect choice. In addition, the size of the club head is not quite as large so it seems easier to control and work the ball.
Is the M5 driver forgiving?
The M5 driver has some forgiveness built in, but you can’t expect this to be as forgiving as something like the M4 or the M6 driver. TaylorMade typically makes a design that works for golfers that need forgiveness and one that works for the lower handicap players. The M5 is, without a doubt, for the lower handicap players.
Is the M5 or M6 driver better?
The M5 and the M6 drivers are built for two different players. The M5 is the more difficult to hit option with plenty of impressive feel and control. The M6 is the forgiving model built for the majority of handicappers in the mid to high range.
When did the TaylorMade M5 driver come out?
The TaylorMade M5 driver came out in 2019, and it has stayed strong as one of the best players drivers on the market for many years. If you feel as though the M6 driver is too forgiving with not enough control, the M5 would be a better choice.
Alternatives
Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero
Similar to the M5 in that is has very easy to use sliding weights, the price point is also the same. Both drivers were designed for the upper-level amateurs providing top-level performance.
Read our Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero Driver review.
TaylorMade M6
The TaylorMade M6 Driver is much less adjustable. It is designed for the player that although can go after the ball, does not have the same swing speed as the guy looking to play the M5.
If all your friends are playing the M5 and you are still 20 yards behind them with your M4, upgrade to the M6, not the M5. No needs to be swinging out of your shoes to hit this club when TaylorMade put together an option for you.
As a bonus, the M6 is also a little less expensive than the M5. Not enough though to make a decision solely on price.
Read our TaylorMade M6 Driver review.
Titleist TS3
The new Titleist TS3 is not your average driver. This club is fine-tuned to work for players with high swing speed. It offers some forgiveness off the clubface but lots of feel.
Justin Thomas has this club in his bag, hard to argue with how it’s working out for him!
Read our Titleist TS3 Driver review.
Conclusion
In this TaylorMade M5 Driver review, we were able to cover a lot of reasons why this is one of the best golf clubs on the market today.
Each company says this from year to year and we know it can get a bit annoying when you feel like you just upgraded your equipment.
However, if you have not upgraded your equipment in the last several years. There is no reason not to take a look at this M5 driver. With the Sliding weights, adjustability, low spin and increased ball speed this M5 leaves nothing on the table.
We found some great pricing on the new M5 Driver for you, take a look here if this is the club for you.
