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Is the SIM family of drivers the shape of things to come?

Well, TaylorMade certainly thinks so.  

• TaylorMade SIM fairways & rescue – FIRST LOOK!

TM’s new driver line-up looks unlike anything we have seen from the brand before, utilising aerodynamic shaping and unconventional geometry to take performance to the next level.

Taylor Made Sim Drivers 2

Now, the first thing you will notice with these new drivers is the somewhat unusual, asymmetric sole design. 

Like the M6 from 2019, we have an Inertia Generator, but this one looks a bit skewwhiff.  

That apparent misalignment is one of the keys to the incredible performance SIM has to offer. 

Taylor Made Sim Drivers 3

During aerodynamic testing, TaylorMade discovered the need to rotate the Inertia Generator to match the direction of airflow within the speed generation zone. 

This zone, the last three feet (one metre) of the swing prior to impact, 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 (which stands for Shape in Motion) is engineered to improve aerodynamics, and thus clubhead speed, through this critical phase of the golf swing.

Taylor Made Sim Drivers 4

The result of twisting the inertia generator by roughly 20˚ is that air moves smoothly across the sole on the downswing to enhance clubhead speeds.

SIM, SIM Max and SIM Max•D also 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 counteract that with the Inertia Generator positioned low and back with a heavy steel weight at the rear of the club. 

Taylor Made Sim Drivers 5

This design element moves the CG projection very low, optimising launch conditions and increasing MOI for additional forgiveness.

TaylorMade believes it has designed a driver with no trade-offs. SIM is fast, forgiving and promotes favourable launch conditions.

Taylor Made Sim Drivers 6

“The history of driver design has been about prioritising trade-offs. 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,” explained Tomo Bystedt, TaylorMade’s Senior Director of Product Creation.

He continued, “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.”

Taylor Made Sim Drivers 8

But that’s not all. 

Like last year’s M5 and M6 we have Speed Injected Twist Face to ensure maximum ball speed from every SIM driver.

Each head is inspected, measured and tuned to maximise speed and to ensure conformity through variable amounts of injected resin based on testing and a proprietary algorithm to tune each ultra-thin titanium face with its redesigned Inverted Cone Technology (ICT).

Taylor Made Sim Drivers 7

There are three models to choose from in the SIM line-up, the SIM, SIM MAX and SIM MAX•D, with each offering varying performance benefits for different kinds of golfers. 

First up, the SIM. It 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.

It features a slightly smaller face than SIM Max and SIM Max•D, so should appeal to those of you who place a premium on adjustability and control. 

It is also the lowest launching and lowest spinning head of the three.

Taylor Made Sim Drivers 9

Next up we have the SIM MAX. It 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.

Taylor Made Sim Drivers 10

Last, but by no means least, is the SIM MAX•D. If you find yourself in the trees to the right of the fairway a little more often than you’d like then this is the one for you.

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A strategically placed heel-bias internal weight and divergent topline masking, which makes the driver look more open at address, helps to promote a right-to-left shot shape and you to close the face at impact respectively. It is also the highest launching of the three models

Taylor Made Sim Drivers 12

To further differentiate between each model we have progressive face heights.

• TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 wedges – FIRST LOOK!

The SIM Max has an 8% larger face than SIM, while Max•D has an 18% larger face. Data gathered by TaylorMade 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.

Taylor Made Sim Drivers 11

So that’s everything you need to know with regards to the design and technologies packed into the new SIM drivers, but how do they perform?

You can check out our full review by clicking here.          

SIM 

Available: February 7 (Pre-order January 10) 
Price:
£479
Loft options: 8˚, 9˚, 10.5˚
Stock shafts: Mitsubishi Diamana S Limited 60, Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green 70 (numerous custom shaft options available at no additional cost) 

SIM MAX & SIM MAX D

Available: February 7 (Pre-order January 10)  
Price: £449 Loft options: 9°, 10.5˚, 12°
Stock shafts: MAX – Fujikura Ventus Blue 6, Ventus Red MAX D – UST Mamiya Helium (numerous additional shaft options available at no additional cost)

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