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2020 TaylorMade SIM and SIM Max fairway woods: “Shape in Motion”

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The new 2020 Taylormade SIM fairway woods: V Steel is back in a beefed-up package.

It was 2001 when TaylorMade Golf launched the V Steel fairway woods, and over the past 19 years, it’s not uncommon to see one occupying a spot in a player’s bag. It was that snowflake fairway wood that launched high with low spin, it looked great, and it basically stood the test of time. It’s now 2020, and TaylorMade is bringing back the V Steel spirit in a package that is beefed up in every way.

The new 2020 TaylorMade SIM and SIM Max fairway woods offer a very popular sole from the past (V Steel) with some aesthetic upgrades from the previous package that add up to a club that is high launch, low spin and very forgiving. Themes we are used to with all the OEMs. Fairway wood technology has made quite the leap in the past decade with carbon, titanium, and clever weight placement to make them into mini drivers. It’s been a very fun ride for golfers everywhere.

95 percent of the fairways that hit the market go a mile in the air with no spin and fly forever. Like the drivers, gains for the season to season switcher won’t be huge, we just don’t live in that world anymore. What we are looking at now is trust across the face, for me it’s the gains I get when I hit it center thin. With my current fairway (off the ground) its the difference between a shot that carries 265 (flush) or a shot that carries 240 (thin). Personally I’m looking for that bottom number to get closer to 250 knowing the top number won’t move much, and I don’t want it to.

Let’s see whats going on with these things…

2020 Taylormade SIM fairway woods: The tech

SIM fairway

With a 180cc Zatech titanium face, and an even heavier (than M5) 80g steel sole weight, keep in mind that the sole weight is now fixed—unlike the M5 that could be moved for left or right preferences. It was very uncommon for players to manipulate that weight, so it was decided that its a better golf glub locking it in place. I agree with that choice.

The new 2020 SIM fairway is the Mercedes Benz AMG of fairway woods, and I’m not saying that to stroke anyone either: it’s the best of everything a player would want. It feels very heavy-headed, has a ton of playability, and it looks like a TaylorMade fairway wood should. For those who like the real granular info, Zatech titanium is a high-end, small-batch titanium that more or less gives TaylorMade the ability to tune up the face to be hot as well as forgiving across the hitting area.

SIM Max

I am a huge fan of the M6…huge. Especially if you get it dialed in, for me it was really easy to hit, very versatile, forgiving, went far enough, and you could hit little knee-high fastballs if you needed to. A living unicorn. The new 2020 SIM is basically the same fairway wood with V Steel tech and some small optical tweaks. At 185cc and a familiar bonded hosel (I love that part), the SIM Max has already caught the eye of Dustin Johnson who had it in play at Kapalua, and if I was going to guess, Rory and Fleetwood (non-staffer) will have it in play as well. Try ’em both, but definitely don’t make a decision until you have given this one the business.

SIM Max-D

190cc chassis in a draw-biased package that will be a hit with the players that long to hit that soft high draw. Simple enough.

Overall looks

At Address: SIM (Pictured Left) and SIM Max (Pictured Right)

As you can see in the picture, the lines of the New 2020 SIM fairways woods are softer from top to bottom. The goal was to give the V Steel technology some harmony to work with and with the rounded leading edges that allow the club to glide a bit easier into the turf, they accomplished that. For players that like to beat down on it, sweep it, or anything in between, the new 2020 SIM fairway woods have the tech to please any of them. What I noticed (especially in the SIM) was that thin strikes not only flew a bit farther but felt closer to flush than in the past. I spoke with a mini-tour player buddy of mine and he reminded me of what made the V Steel really work…

“Off the tee it was awesome because outta the top of the face it was REALLY hot but what made it magical was it felt really solid outta the bottom for fairway shots, for the tournament players that’s a big weapon to have.” -Anonymous WRX member

Overall feel

This is where TaylorMade really gets it right, and it’s been a pattern with the M Series and now bleeding into the new 2020 SIM Fairways Woods. They feel solid. Not soft, smooth, bouncy but hammer-like solid. That experience got better across the face when Twist Face was introduced. If you like a heavy hit, you’ll get it here. And let’s be honest, there are a lot of OEMs chasing this feeling, it’s awesome, but TaylorMade has been doing it well for years now so gotta give credit where credit is due.

Overall opinion

It’s fairly obvious in my writeup that the new 2020 SIM fairway woods are a winner, and yes I am a bit biased. I have been playing TaylorMade woods for a long time. However, in a job that gives me a look at everything, it becomes less about what’s best and more on what the experience is. Allll the OEMs make great stuff: it’s a fact. There are very few lemons out there anymore.

What I’m hoping you get from any writeup I do is a sense of what you might feel when you hit a particular club. In this day and age, that’s the first selling point: the experience, and after that with a solid fitter, the math of it all can be solved. Enjoy the hit first, find a fitter, get the launch math done and go with God. In TaylorMade’s case, they do what they always do, they made another awesome fairway wood line that has something for everyone. Can’t argue with that.

TaylorMade SIM MAX fairway

Click image to enlarge

TaylorMade SIM Ti fairway

Click image to enlarge

Specifications, Availability & Pricing (Per TaylorMade Golf)

SIM, SIM Max, and SIM Max-D fairways will be available for preorder on January 10 and at retail on February 7, 2020.

SIM has an MSRP of $399.99 USD and will be offered in Rocket 3/14 degrees, 3/15 degrees and 5/19 degrees. It will be offered in the Mitsubishi Diamana FW Limited 75 stock shaft, with numerous additional shaft options available at no additional cost. It comes stock with the new Golf Pride Z-
Grip (47g).

SIM Max and Max-D have an MSRP of $299.99 USD. SIM Max will be offered in lofts of Rocket 3/14 degrees, 3/15 degrees, 5/18 degrees, 7/21 degrees and 9/24 degrees. Shaft offerings include Fujikura Ventus Blue FW 5 (R and A flexes) and Ventus Blue FW 6 (S and X flexes), with additional custom shaft options available at no additional cost.

SIM Max-D will be offered in lofts of 3/16 degrees, 5/19 degrees, and 7/22 degrees. UST Mamiya’s Helium FW is the stock shaft offering with numerous custom options available at no additional cost. Both models also come stock with the new Golf Pride Z-Grip (47g). Women’s offerings for SIM Max and SIM Max-D fairways include the Aldila NV Ladies 45 shaft and the Lamkin Ladies Sonar grip (38g).

Additional TaylorMade SIM features

Twist Face (Per TaylorMade Golf): TaylorMade introduced Twist Face to its fairway metal lineup in 2019 and has carried the revolutionary technology into each SIM offering.

Speed Pocket (Per TaylorMade Golf): The Speed Pocket in SIM fairways has been engineered to provide increased ball speed to the entire face while improving forgiveness on low-face impacts. A slot insert has also been designed to sit flush with the sole to improve sole interaction and eliminate turf drag from the Speed Pocket, aligning with the performance goals of V Steel.

Loft Sleeve (SIM Only): 2-degree Loft Sleeve allows for the adjustment of the loft, lie angle, and face angle of the driver.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. JD

    Jan 14, 2020 at 10:43 am

    The 5 wood sim max is the most inviting fairway wood i’ve even seen in my life. It is the perfect size. Now if only fitting carts had stiff 5 wood shafts in them… 5 woods are not just for old folks anymore! Half the tour uses them!

  2. John

    Jan 6, 2020 at 11:05 am

    Yawn

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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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