TaylorMade Golf has launched a brand new range of SIM drivers, fairway woods and hybrids.
SIM DRIVERS
With an asymmetric sole design and enhanced Inertia Generator, SIM drivers rely on geometry to unlock the next frontier of performance. A series of shape-inspired innovations work in unison to improve forgiveness while also increasing aerodynamics and clubhead speed at the most critical stage of the swing – the last three feet (one metre) of the swing prior to impact. Known as the ‘speed generation zone’, this is where the most meaningful increase of clubhead speed occurs. At the Tour level, players commonly accelerate from 90mph to 120mph in that moment of truth. SIM drivers are engineered to improve aerodynamics, and thus clubhead speed, through this critical phase of the golf swing.
SIM, SIM Max and SIM Max D drivers feature a raised crown and sole to reduce drag and improve airflow throughout the swing. While raising the crown and sole improves aerodynamics, it typically comes with a trade-off in the form of higher CG projection. However, the SIM family of drivers counteract that with the Inertia Generator positioned low and back with a heavy steel weight at the rear of the club. This design element moves the CG projection very low, optimising launch conditions and increasing MOI – providing additional forgiveness for the golfer.
During aerodynamic testing, TaylorMade discovered the need to rotate the Inertia Generator to match the direction of airflow within the speed generation zone. The result is air that moves smoothly across the sole on the downswing and enhanced clubhead speeds in company tests.
“The history of driver design has been about prioritising trade-offs,” said Tomo Bystedt, TaylorMade’s Senior Director of Product Creation. “You could have great launch conditions, but poor forgiveness. You could have great forgiveness, but at the sacrifice of distance. You could have an aerodynamic shape, but with less than optimal launch conditions. But through the use of multi-material technology, we’ve developed a new shape that optimises performance in all three areas. It’s forgiving, fast and promotes the ideal launch conditions.”
AN EVOLUTION OF MATERIALS – TaylorMade’s journey to SIM began with the lightweight carbon composite technology the company has developed over the course of the last 15 years. The fifth-generation carbon composite material, which was refined throughout the lifespan of the popular M series, was the key to unlocking a series of new geometric opportunities for TaylorMade engineers.
By using carbon materials to construct the crown and sole paneling of SIM, SIM Max and SIM Max D, designers saved a considerable amount of weight, which was then redeployed into the flagship design feature of SIM drivers – the heavy Inertia Generator that’s positioned low and back in the club.
New for 2020 is an ultra-light weight chromium carbon crown with a chalk white top-line that creates contrast with the black clubface to help frame the ball at address and improve alignment.
SPEED INJECTED TWIST FACE – In 2019, TaylorMade took Twist Face – the revolutionary face curvature that’s designed to straighten ball flight – to the next level of performance with Speed Injected Twist Face. Exposing the false narrative that speed limits have been reached in a metalwood, this breakthrough technology allows the company to push ball speeds near the legal limit for every driver in the SIM family, particularly on off-centre hits. There are three key features that allow this to occur.
- Ultra-thin Titanium face with redesigned Inverted Cone Technology
- Variable amounts of injected resin based on testing of the face
- A proprietary algorithm to tune each head
SLIDING WEIGHT TECHNOLOGY AND LOFT SLEEVE – Continuing a history of adjustability and personalisation, the SIM driver features Sliding Weight Technology that allows for up to +/- 20 yards of draw or fade bias. For even further personalisation, the 2° loft sleeve allows for the adjustment of the loft, lie angle and face angle of the driver. The loft sleeve is available on all three models, while Sliding Weight Technology is only offered in SIM.
SIM DRIVER
SIM allows the player who craves customisation and adjustability to optimise ball flight characteristics by creating a +/- 20 yards of draw-fade bias through Sliding Weight Technology and a single 10g weight. It features a slightly smaller face than SIM Max and SIM Max D, appealing to players who place a premium on adjustability and control.
SIM MAX DRIVER
The SIM Max driver is designed to deliver maximum forgiveness. The all-new Inertia Generator positions additional weight at the extreme rear of the club to further increase MOI, providing more forgiveness and slightly higher launch conditions than the SIM driver.
SIM MAX D DRIVER
The SIM Max D is engineered to help golfers avoid the right side of the course via a strategically placed heel-bias internal weight and divergent topline masking, which makes the driver look more open at address helping golfers close the face at impact. The draw-biased design promotes the highest launch and offers the largest, most forgiving face in the SIM lineup.
PROGRESSIVE FACE HEIGHTS
Using data collected during the development of Twist Face, which shows the correlation between handicaps and mis-hit dispersion, TaylorMade implemented Progressive Face Heights in SIM drivers. The SIM Max has an 8% larger face than SIM, while Max D has an 18% larger face. Data shows that the golfers most likely to gravitate towards the performance features of SIM Max or SIM Max D will also benefit from the increased forgiveness of a larger face.
“We know that the player who generally purchases a draw-bias driver commonly has the widest area of dispersion across the face,” said Bystedt. “So we wanted to give that golfer the biggest face possible. Using all the data we collected in the development of Twist Face – and learning how big the mis-hit zone is based on handicaps – we really tried to design them for the golfer who’s likely to purchase each of these drivers.”
SPECS & PRICING
The SIM driver will be offered in 8°, 9° and 10.5° lofts. Stock shaft offerings include Mitsubishi Diamana S Limited 60 and Project X’s HZRDUS Smoke Green 70, with numerous custom shaft options available at no additional cost. They come with a new Golf Pride Z-Grip (47g). RRP: £479/€579.
The SIM Max and SIM Max D are offered in 9°, 10.5° and 12° lofts. SIM Max stock shaft offerings include Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 and Ventus Red 5, with numerous additional shaft options available at no additional cost. SIM Max•D stock shaft offering is the UST Mamiya Helium, with numerous additional shaft options available at no additional cost. Both models also come stock with the new Golf Pride Z-Grip (47g). The women’s offering for both SIM Max and SIM Max•D include the Aldila NV Ladies 45 shaft and the Lamkin Ladies Sonar grip (38g). RRP: £449/€529.
SIM, SIM MAX AND SIM MAX D FAIRWAY WOODS
The iconic V Steel design has been reinvented with the new SIM family of fairway metals. Advanced shaping combines with a V Steel sole to improve turf interaction and playability from various lies. A more rounded leading edge improves the club’s initial contact with the turf, while the V Steel sole further raises heel and toe sections of the sole away from the ground and improves versatility.
These design features combine to significantly reduce turf contact area in SIM, SIM Max and SIM Max D fairways, reducing ground friction, which can positively influence both clubhead speed and ball speed. Matching the aesthetics of the SIM driver family, the chromium carbon crown and contrasting chalk white colour help frame the ball at address and improve alignment.
SIM FAIRWAY
The SIM fairway is a 180cc titanium head that combines a lightweight carbon construction with a revolutionary new ZATECH titanium face and a heavy 80g steel sole weight. The strategically positioned weight creates an extremely low CG that allows for increased ball speed, higher launch and improved forgiveness on low-face hits.
The ZATECH Titanium face is a breakthrough in materials technology that enables TaylorMade engineers to push the limits of speed in a titanium fairway wood. It’s the first time TaylorMade has used this rare and ultra-strong material in the construction of a metalwood. The ZATECH titanium is made in small batches using a unique process that allows engineers to improve the strength of the face while maintaining a high level of ductility. The SIM titanium fairway is engineered for crazy distance with adjustability through the Loft Sleeve.
SIM MAX FAIRWAY
The 185cc SIM Max steel fairway woods are constructed using strong and durable C300 face material. Also featuring the reinvented V Steel for exceptional versatility from all lies, the SIM Max is designed for higher launch and peak trajectories, with extremely long distance and improved playability.
SIM MAX D FAIRWAY
The oversized 190cc SIM Max D has been optimised for forgiveness and golfers seeking a draw-bias design. Like SIM drivers, the fairway woods feature progressive head sizes to provide greater forgiveness to the players who need it the most.
TWISTFACE – TaylorMade introduced Twist Face to its fairway metal lineup in 2019 and has carried the revolutionary technology into each SIM offering. Like the SIM drivers, the faces have been modified to counteract the gear effect on common mis-hits in the high-toe and low-heel. Although the concept is the same as in the driver, the exact geometry is slightly different to account for the unique mass properties and impact location patterns in fairway woods compared to drivers.
SPEED POCKET – 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.
SPECS & PRICING – SIM fairway woods have an RRP of £369/€419 and will be offered in Rocket 3/14°, 3/15° and 5/19° lofts. 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 fairway woods have an RRP of £269/€299 and will be offered in lofts of Rocket 3/14°, 3/15°, 5/18°, 7/21° and 9/24°. 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 fairway woods are offered in lofts of 3/16°, 5/19° and 7/22°. UST Mamiya’s Helium FW is the stock shaft offering with numerous custom options available at no additional cost. Both models also come 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).
SIM MAX RESCUE
TaylorMade has incorporated V Steel technology into a hybrid for the first time in the company’s history with SIM Max Rescue. The clubhead is engineered to deliver improved turf interaction and reduced friction when playing from various lies. A reshaped leading edge works in conjunction with V Steel to further improve playability and strike conditions. Designers rounded the toe and adjusted the face angle to give SIM Max Rescue a more confidence-inspiring shape at address for all levels of golfers. It utilises the same C300 Steel face used in the SIM Max fairway woods to help improve ball speed, durability and overall performance. The corrective technologies of Twist Face and Speed Pocket offer improved performance and forgiveness on mis-hits on the toe, heel and low on the face.
SPECS & PRICING – The SIM Max Rescue has an RRP of £229/€249, and is offered in lofts of 3/19°, 4/22°, 5/25°, 6/28° and 7/31°, with a Fujikura Ventus Blue stock shaft, with numerous custom shaft options at no additional cost. It comes with Lamkin’s Crossline 360 grip (47g). Women’s offerings include the Aldila NV Ladies 45 shaft and the Lamkin Ladies Sonar grip (38g).
AVAILABILITY – The entire SIM, SIM Max and SIM Max D range will be available for pre-order on January 10 and at retail on February 7.