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TaylorMade SIM2, one month in: How is the tour rollout going?

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More than any big stick out there, the follow up to the TaylorMade SIM had more anticipation than anything coming to the market in 2021. SIM was such an overwhelming favorite in reviews, hitting bays, and on tour. So, anything short of Thor’s Hammer in End Game was always going to be a disappointment.

This, to me, is where the story gets interesting. SIM2 didn’t promise anything extravagant. What it did promise is that TaylorMade listened to the feedback (good and bad) from SIM and made the switches necessary to make it playable. That was the biggest critique of SIM on and off tour—the foul balls could be quite penalizing and a wide right shot at high speeds with no spin can be quite jarring.

I like how TM attacked this problem in a nuanced way—SIM was already plenty long, now the goal was to make the adjustments necessary to make it forgiving, add some spin and stability to spots on the face, and give players a golf course driver—for everyone.

We are now four weeks into SIM2/Max out on tour, and I wanted to get a sense of the early feedback on the SIM2 metal woods, so I went back to my buddy Adrian Rietveld, TaylorMade’s Senior Manager – Tour, and this is what he had to say.

JW: What is the most notable improvement you see thus far among players on tour who have switched into SIM2?

AR: From day 1 at the Floridian, forgiveness was the hot point across the board. With SIM, we had a part that gave us everything we could ever want from a speed and launch perspective. If there was one element we needed to address it was at times, it could be a bit punishing on mis-hits. SIM2 gave us everything SIM had and added a very playable face giving our players even more opportunities for speed. If you have trust that your equipment won’t penalize you, it frees you up to be more aggressive, and that’s exactly what happened here.

The nice little touch I would add is the look of the golf club. Subtle tweaks to paint lines, face angles etc. once again inspire just a bit more confidence to hit th shots our players visualize in their heads. SIM2 is just the next step to create that perfect harmony between athlete and equipment.

JW: Looking back at the mighty SIM, in your opinion, what did it do well and where did it have deficiencies?

AR: It was like a race horse, almost. It’s fun when you are flying down the track in a straight line, but if you need to move around a bit, things can get challenging. SIM had that profile. Ultimate speed and low spin product, but what it lacked was a bit of flexibility, workability and finesse. It was basically a missile launcher. Make no mistake, the best players in the world loved this head, but with SIM2, you add a softness to the head that gives players some shot shaping capabilities and a bit of love out of the toe and heel. That’s big on tour.

JW: For a player like Rory, where did SIM2 improve his numbers? 

Rory McIlroy SIM2

AR: Rory has put a ton of time and effort into building his body for speed and stability. He pounded SIM, but as I mentioned before, it could be a bit unruly on an off day. With SIM2, his launch improved a touch, speed went up three mph, and most importantly, it freed him up to hit shots with little concern of a serious foul ball. You give Rory freedom with the driver, and he’s almost unbeatable.

 JW: Do you think you have discovered exactly what this driver can do yet or is there still plenty of room to grow?

AR: Ask me after the U.S. Open (laughs). It’s still early days. I have my ideas to crack this thing open but still need time to experiment and test with players. Lots of feedback to receive, and obviously, the performance on tour in the first few months is a very valuable tool to make any adjustments. In short, yes, I’m sure this is a part I will learn something new about every day. As a fitter, you can’t ask for more.

JW: SIM2 vs SIM2 Max on tour—In a general sense, what’s the trade-off for players going from one to the other?

Matthew Wolff in a SIM2 Max 10.5

AR: Pretty easy. The trade-off is very little. SIM2 Max is a high MOI head but with a “lower spin” profile. If I had to break them down, I would say faders and anti-lefters will love SIM2 and your draw player will feel at home with SIM2 Max.

JW: In regards to the fairway woods, where have you seen improvements versus SIM?

AR: The speed is unmatched on SIM and SIM2. Our work in the fairway wood department over the past couple of years has been second to none. The difference in ball speed between driver and 3-wood has never been this close—3-wood is creeping ever closer to the driver. Hence, you are seeing guys like DJ going to higher lofted parts because the speed off of the SIM fairway family is insane. 

 

 

5 Comments

5 Comments

  1. Pelling

    Feb 3, 2021 at 9:27 am

    So good that Taylormade is up for sale!

  2. Funkaholic

    Feb 3, 2021 at 9:10 am

    The SIM2 doesn’t look or sound good to me.

  3. jgpl001

    Feb 3, 2021 at 3:22 am

    Brooks put an old M5 in the bag last week and out drove Rory regularly during their second round…

  4. Max

    Feb 2, 2021 at 1:58 pm

    I do not like this trend of tour reps referring to heads and shafts as “parts”. Makes the equipment sound not special at all. Marketing department needs to squash it. I am not going to spend $500 on something that is just a “part”.

    • Funkaholic

      Feb 3, 2021 at 9:10 am

      That seems like a silly nitpick. They are “parts”, the head and shaft are separate parts made by different companies.

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Equipment

Tour Edge unveils all-new Exotics mini driver

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Tour Edge Golf has today introduced the all-new Exotics mini driver, engineered to deliver a powerful combination of speed, control, and versatility in the long game. 

The Exotics Mini combines a titanium face with a stainless-steel body in design to balance ball speed with stability and control, creating a versatile option at the top end of the bag. 

At the core of the design is Tour Edge’s proprietary Combo Brazing technology, a high-precision thermal bonding process that seamlessly fuses a titanium cup face to a stainless-steel body into a single, continuous structure. By eliminating energy loss found in traditional multi-piece constructions, Combo Brazing is designed to deliver faster face response, more efficient energy transfer, and a uniquely powerful yet controlled feel.

The multi-material construction also allows mass to be positioned lower and deeper in the head in a bid to increase stability, while the thin titanium face is engineered to maintain ball speed across a wider impact area.

“While the initial goal was to enhance control and versatility in the long game, Combo Brazing ultimately drove measurable gains in ball speed and distance within the mini driver category. In robot testing, we’ve documented higher ball speeds, higher launch, reduced spin, and increased carry and total distance compared to leading models.” – Vice President of R&D Matt Neeley

In addition to distance performance, the Exotics mini emphasizes forgiveness through a heavier stainless-steel body that shifts mass toward the perimeter. This configuration increases MOI relative to traditional all-titanium mini drivers, helping preserve ball speed and directional stability on off-center strikes. Paired with Pyramid Face Technology from the Exotics metalwood line, the design is intended to support consistent speed across the face.

To further enhance MOI, a lightweight carbon fiber crown frees additional mass that is strategically repositioned low and deep in the head in design to improve stability and promote optimal launch with controlled spin.

“We designed the Mini to be about five millimeters shallower than other mini drivers on the market. That change improves playability off the deck. From a clean fairway lie, it can function as a strong 3-wood alternative while still providing control off the tee.” – Tour Edge CEO David Glod

An adjustable hosel system allows for loft and lie tuning to dial in trajectory and shot shape, while a fixed 13-gram rear weight helps stabilize the head through impact to improve dispersion consistency. The Exotics Mini Driver is available in 11.5 and 13.5-degree lofts in right-handed models.

Pricing & Availability

The Exotics Mini Driver is available for pre-order beginning today for $399.99 USD at touredge.com, and will be available for purchase at retail outlets worldwide on May 22, 2026. 

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Equipment

Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss

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In our forums, our members have been pitting a Srixon ZXi combo against a TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo. WRXer ‘edutch22’ is on the hunt for a new set of irons and kicks off the thread saying:

“Looking at picking up a new set of irons and think I’ve narrowed it down to Srixon ZXi combo or Taylormade P7CB/770 combo. I am currently a 5 cap and allbeit I feel irons are my weakness. My miss is a little to the toe side. I am decently steep at 4-5 down. Always thought I am high spin but recently on trackman my 7 was spinning at 5800 roughly. 

My question or looking for thoughts on which one would benefit me more from a forgiveness standpoint? Or is there another iron is should be looking at entirely? I only get to play about once or twice a week, if I am not playing a 2-3 day event. Thanks in advance.”

And our members have been sharing their thoughts and suggestions in response.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • manima1: “You just can’t go wrong with Srixon ZXi7.”
  • MattM97: “You have to hit them to know, the V-Sole on the Srixon can be make or break for many.”
  • dmeeksDC: “P7CB is more forgiving for me than ZXi7 because my main miss is low middle and the P7CB still flies and spins great on that miss. These are both really nice irons but I like the P7CB more than the Zxi7 and the P770 (or P790) more than the Zxi5. The Srixons are larger so if that gives you confidence that is the way to go. I don’t feel like I get any benefit from the V-sole and the P7CBs live up to their high Maltby forgiveness rating so the TaylorMades have been great for me.”

Entire Thread: “Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”

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Equipment

From the GolfWRX Classifieds: 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @pianoman0123 has a 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo up for grabs.

From the listing: “2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade Combo.  4-8 irons are CB’s and the 9,PW are Blades.  5-PW have Project X 6.0 Shafts and the 4 Iron has a Steelfiber CW110 Stiff Shaft.   Standard Length, Lie and Lofts.  These are in very good condition the shafts just don’t work for me.  Like new Lamkin Grips on the 5-PW and a stock Golf Pride on the 4 Iron. $525 OBO.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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