TaylorMade has finally ended their love affair with the M series of fairway woods. We all stood by their side as they moved from the M1 to the M6.
This year when the manufacturers started releasing the newest options, we were kind of surprised to see that Taylormade did not release the M7.
As far as all the initial testing and performance has shown on these new fairway woods, they are better than an M7 could have ever been!
TaylorMade reintroduced their V Steel sole, which reduces friction at impact and provides much better turf interaction.
The design on these SIM Fairway woods was all about the center of gravity. The lower that center of gravity can get, the better the ball speed, face interaction, and dispersion will be.
In this TaylorMade SIM Fairway Woods review, we will give you all the information you need to decide if these fairway woods deserve a spot in your golf bag.
Features and Benefits
Player Handicap
Just as Callaway did with the Mavrik series, there is a TaylorMade Sim Fairway for all player types.
The middle of the road model for the average golfer is the SIM MAX. When you move to the ultra game improvement category, you have the SIM MAX D, and for the players option, it is called the SIM model.
Shaft Options
Lots of great Shaft options in these Sim fairway woods. Since they were just released, there are plenty of custom shafts available at no extra charge, but the stock options pack some serious performance.
In the SIM MAX fairway, you have the new Ventus Blue shaft perfect option that produced optimum results for the mid handicap group.
For the SIM fairway woods (the lower handicap players club), it is offered standard with the Diamana shaft. The Diamana is a bit heavier, helping better players lower spin and ball flight. All models feature the twist face technology.
Finally, in the TaylorMade SIM MAX D fairway woods, you will see the US Mamiya Helium FW5. Helium is the new thing for players that need maximum speed and help with distance.
Combination of this V Sole design with that Helium shaft and you can’t make too many excuses about distance.
Look/Sound/Feel
One of the best-looking fairway woods on the market. The color combination is featuring the Black, Gray, and Blue colors, which help this club stand out. It’s a clean, modern look that TaylorMade took great care in designing.
The SIM fairway woods are going to be somewhat smaller and have better feel than the TaylorMade SIM MAX and SIM MAX D woods. Since the SIM MAX and SIM MAX D are built for forgiveness, they have a larger face and more forgiving sole design.
Distance
The TaylorMade SIM Fairway woods are long. They will rival any competitor on distance and speed. The V Steel combined with the zatech titanium face, and carbon composite top will help you launch these fairway woods as far as you need to.
TaylorMade never plays around when it comes to ball speed and maxing out the distance. The Sim Max series is no exception.
We do feel as though the Sim will outplay the M6 fairway, and they are certainly longer than the M4. The TaylorMade M4 series held its own for a very long time and stayed a strong competitor, but the technology has now surpassed it.
If you currently play the M6 and are undecided about upgrading, it may be worth waiting until the Sim drop in price.
If, however, you now keep the M4 in the bag, this new TaylorMade series of fairway woods is where you are going to want to make your next investment.
Forgiveness
The TaylorMade Sim fairway woods are very simple to hit out of a variety of lies. Taylormade did everything they could to lower the center of gravity on this club. Lower center of gravity equates to better and higher launch, more forgiveness, and ultimately more distance.
The SIM Fairway has an adjustable loft sleeve to help the better players fine-tune their distance and launch. The SIM is the only model that comes with this feature.
The SIM Max D has a heel-bias internal weight and divergent topline masking. The internal weight will help players square up the club face when they tend to hit the ball right.
Anytime TaylorMade puts a D on a club, it generally means that it is the Draw model, and it is built to help higher handicap players square up the face of the club.
Price
The Taylormade Sim Fairway Woods retail at a slightly higher price than the SIM MAX and SIM MAX D. If you ask us what the difference in the price is all about, we would have to guess it has to do with the adjustable loft.
Anytime you can adjust that loft, it’s like getting two clubs in one.
Pros and Cons of the TaylorMade SIM Max Fairway Wood
The TaylorMade SIM Max Fairway Wood has mostly great benefits to it. Golfers are going to find that their overall ability to hit shots from both the fairway and the rough is greatly improved by putting the TaylorMade SIM Max Fairway Wood into play. Here are a few of the pros and cons that you should keep in mind to help you decide if this is the right club for you.
Pros
- Multi material construction
- Improved V Steel design for better turf interaction
- Twist Face technology
- Ultra strong steel face
- Speed pocket technology
- Impressive look and feel at impact
- Premium Fujikura golf shafts
Cons
- Not the latest release from TaylorMade (SIM 2 Max has slightly higher ball speeds)
Buyers Guide
Now that you have a better understanding as to the technology incorporated into this TaylorMade SIM Max Fairway, it’s time to break down whether or not this could be the right club for you. In addition, we will look at how to ensure that you choose the right TaylorMade SIM Max fairway for your needs.
Shaft
The stock shaft option that comes with the TaylorMade SIM Max is a Fujikura Ventas shaft. When you consider the shaft options that golfers have access to, the TaylorMade SIM Max has some of the best on the market.
Golf shafts are just as important, if not more important, than the club head. If you are looking for a golf club that has premium golf shaft material, the SIM Max could be the best overall option.
Adjustability
The addition of adjustable technology into today’s modern golf clubs has been a great improvement and advancement. However, the SIM Max fairway does not have any adjustability. This means that when you choose a loft and lie angle for your golf shaft, you will be stuck with it.
Be careful that you choose the proper loft for your SIM Max so that you can get the performance that you need. Overall a SIM Max fairway wood comes in standard loft options for a 3, 5, and 7 wood, but you will have to tailor those needs to your individual set makeup.
The fact that the SIM Max does not have adjustability shouldn’t keep you away from the golf club entirely, but it is something that should be considered.
Loft
The four standard lofts from the TaylorMade SIM Max are the 15, 18, 21, and 24 degree fairway woods. This is a great thing for those that enjoy playing with fairway woods as you will be able to quickly fill your bag with the SIM Max clubs.
Keep in mind that these are known for being easy to launch golf fairway woods so you don’t have to worry quite as much about the center of gravity and whether or not it is low enough to get the ball flight that you need.
Grip Options
The original SIM Max fairway woods came with a variety of grip choices. However, as time has gone on and more new releases have come to the market, the grip options that you are going to get will likely be limited.
Although the type of grip is important, the most important grip decision is the overall size of the grip. Most golfers will need a standard size golf grip; however, if you are a player that has larger hands, you will want to choose something with a midsize grip.
It is not hard to have a grip changed or altered after the fact, so don’t let this stop you from purchasing the SIM Max fairway.
Alternatives
Mavrik Fairway Woods
Although all the technology will have different names, the Mavrik woods are very similar to the SIM series of woods. The Mavrik feature Jailbreak and Flash Face technology to help get the maximum amount of forgiveness and distance off the club.
The Mavrik series of woods include:
If you are wondering which Mavrik wood pairs with which Taylormade SIM fairway wood, we can help!
The Mavrik is most closely related to the SIM MAX. The Mavrik sub-zero will rival the TaylorMade SIM, and the Mavrik Max is most like the SIM MAX D fairway wood.
The Mavrik Woods all retail for the same price. For better players looking for a deal, the Mavrik Sub Zero at sells at the same price as the game improvement models compared to the SIM which charges the better players quite a bit more for the players club.
Read our Callaway Mavrik Fairway Woods review.
Cleveland Launcher Turbo Fairway
Cleveland never gets the credit they deserve for putting out a quality option. What we love best about Cleveland golf clubs overall is that they deliver. Nothing is over complicated. Suitable materials, unique technology, good results.
Keep an eye on this Turbo fairway. We expect it to drop in price as we go through the season.
It was released a little earlier than the Mavrik and SIM options, and Cleveland is always known for introducing at a middle of the road price and then dropping it to an incredible value.
This Cleveland Launcher Turbo fairway is going to offer a beautiful black anti-glare finish, medium to large size club head, and very easy launching.
Cobra SpeedZone Fairway
Similar to the Mavrik and the SIM in the fact that there is a model for every player, the Cobra Speedzone Fairway delivers speed for the players that need it most.
The Speedzone Tour Fairway is the perfect model for the lower handicap players featuring increased workability and control. It is a lower launching and lower spinning.
The Speedzone Big Tour Fairway is a model that can work for a lower handicap looking for a larger clubhead or a high handicap player that loves an oversized model. This club will be quite a bit higher launching and will provide maximum distance capabilities.
Conclusion
All TaylorMade fans (and critics for that matter) were expecting a club that feels and performs just a little better than the M6 fairway woods of last year.
The improved V Sole design does make a difference when it comes to cutting through even the toughest of lies and getting the ball to launch. Improved interaction with the turf is something that even the most celebrated players will take some help with.
Other key improvements include both the overall look of the club, color scheme and clubhead materials.
This SIM Fairway series will likely win quite a few awards this year and some spots in the bags of tour players as well. Any questions about these clubs or any of the clubs we review, don’t hesitate to reach out!
