Gear: TaylorMade SIM2, SIM2 Max, SIM2 Max D drivers
Price: $629.99 with Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw Blue, Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX, Mitsubishi Kuro Kage Silver, Fujikura Ventus Blue or Fujikura Air Speeder shaft and Golf Pride Z-Grip
Specs: Titanium, aluminum and carbon-fiber chassis with adjustable hosel
Available: Feb. 19

In 2020, TaylorMade retired the M family and debuted three SIM drivers. The name is an acronym for “Shape in Motion,” a new philosophy embraced by the company’s designers that stresses better aerodynamic for more clubhead speed, along with a low and back center of gravity for enhanced stability and forgiveness. Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and a host of other players quickly added a SIM driver to their bag in early 2020.

For 2021, TaylorMade updated those clubs with the release of the SIM2, SIM2 Max and SIM2 Max D drivers.

As with their predecessors, the SIM2 drivers have an aerodynamic shape and a large weight in the back of the sole that TaylorMade calls an Inertia Generator. It is asymmetrical to allow air to move more efficiently across the sole on the downswing, yet still pulls the center of gravity down and back to create a higher launch.

Many golfers who are familiar with last season’s SIM driver will notice there is not a moveable weight in the new SIM2, but the biggest difference between the two clubs is really the multi-material construction and how TaylorMade used it to create more discretionary weight.

The SIM2 drivers feature a six-layer carbon crown that weighs only 11 grams. The sole is now also made from carbon fiber, a nine-layer piece, and it weighs only 12 grams. Finally, instead of designing the back of the chassis using titanium, TaylorMade made it with a forged aluminum ring that internally clips to the front of the head.

In essence, TaylorMade has removed as much weight as possible from the top and middle of the club, where it does nothing to enhance performance, and shifted it to the front and the back

To enhance ball speed, the inner-facing side of the titanium hitting area is now CNC-milled to ensure it is made to the tightest manufacturing tolerances possible. TaylorMade also added a Speed Pocket slot in the sole to protect ball speed on low-struck shots and Twist Face to help golfers hit straighter drives. However, the SIM2 has just one port (in the toe) where the resin material is injected into the head instead of the two ports in the face, as with last season’s SIM drivers. Finally, all three SIM2 drivers have an adjustable hosel that allows players and fitters to increase or decrease the stated loft by as many as 2 degrees.

All three SIM2 drivers are 460 cubic centimeters in volume, but there are subtle differences between them. The standard SIM2 is the lowest-spinning option and produces the lowest launch. It has a larger face than last season’s SIM and a higher moment of inertia thanks to a 16-gram weight in the Inertia Generator, so it also should be more forgiving.

The SIM2 Max has a 24-gram weight, which helps make it the most stable and most forgiving of the SIM2 drivers. It produces about 200-300 rpm more spin than the standard SIM2 but should resist twisting more effectively on off-center hits.

Finally, for golfers who battle a slice, the SIM2 Max D has its Inertia Generator designed more to the heel side, so the face should close more easily on the downswing to reduce sidespin. However, because its 22-gram weight is still all the way at the back of the sole, TaylorMade said the draw bias does not come at the expense of forgiveness.