TaylorMade Stealth Plus Driver Review
In this TaylorMade Stealth Plus driver review, Neil Tappin puts it up against the other drivers in the Stealth family
TaylorMade has coupled bold aesthetics with an impressive all round performance package to create a Stealth Plus driver that truly stands out.
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Consistently impressive ball speeds provided plenty of distance. Compact aesthetics will suit the more confident ball striker and creates a premium, modern look
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Low spin performance may hurt some slower swinging golfers
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TaylorMade Stealth Plus Driver Review Video
We tested the TaylorMade Stealth Plus driver up against the other options in the family - the standard Stealth and Stealth HD - on a Trackman launch monitor at Kings Golf Studio to see what you can expect from the performance.
For faster swinging golfers or those looking for a driver set-up to promote a certain shot shape, TaylorMade has designed the Stealth Plus driver. As with the other heads in the family, this features a lightweight carbon fibre face.
TaylorMade says this innovation has been 20 years in the making and allows for a more efficient energy transfer at impact for faster ball speeds.
In the Plus version, this weight saving has also allowed engineers to reintroduce a sliding weight in the sole of the head. In this case, a 10g movable weight can be used to promote a certain shot shape bias.
Over the last few years, TaylorMade has consistently produced some of the best golf drivers on the market that stood out particularly for their looks and feel. The SIM2 driver family, released in 2021, offered premium aesthetics and a powerful impact sound that we loved. The question is, how does the Stealth Plus, with its red, carbon fibre face compare?
Looks & Feel
Well, the good news is the TaylorMade engineers haven’t completely abandoned the tried and tested formula that has worked so well for them in the past. Yes, the red face is a departure but the colour looks good and it isn’t distracting at address.
The stealthy, matt black crown creates a classic compact shape down behind the ball. We thought this worked particularly well in the Plus model. Indeed, we thought the overall shelf appeal of this driver was outstanding - the gallery of images above shows the driver from multiple angles.
The feel is slightly different from what we saw in the SIM2 family.
Again, the TaylorMade engineers have clearly worked hard on the acoustics and whilst we thought the Stealth models were slightly higher pitched, they still sound and feel very powerful through impact. So far, so good.
Performance
We tested the Stealth Plus driver up against the other two options in the TaylorMade family at Kings Golf Studio. We used Titleist Pro V1x golf balls and had the same Aldila Ascent 60s shaft in each driver. All three heads were set to 9˚. Below is the launch monitor data from our testing:
In the same loft and shaft set up, the Stealth Plus was the lowest launching and spinning of the three heads. For us, it was also the longest, producing outstanding ball speed, carry and total distance performance. It is worth noting the slight improvement in Smash Factor which will have undoubtedly played a part here.
What really impressed us during our testing was how consistent it was. In our experience, lower spin drivers can be harder to hit but the Stealth Plus delivered good distance from a consistent ball flight, shot after shot.
It is also worth highlighting that with the Stealth Plus driver, we produced one of the fastest ball speeds we have ever had during a club testing session. There is no doubt that TaylorMade is excited about the potential of its new carbon faced driver.
Whilst it is hard for us to quantify exactly how the new technology helps, it was clear during our testing the Stealth Plus delivers an impressive all round performance package. The compact, aspirational aesthetics and powerful feel complete what is set to be one of the top driver contenders for 2022.
If you choose to add the Stealth Plus driver to your bag, take a look at our TaylorMade coupon codes.
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In July 2023, Neil became just the 9th editor in Golf Monthly's 112-year history. Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he has also presented many Golf Monthly videos looking at all areas of the game from Tour player interviews to the rules of golf.
Throughout his time with the brand he has also covered equipment launches that date back well over a decade. He clearly remembers the launch of the Callaway and Nike square drivers as well as the white TaylorMade driver families, such as the RocketBallz! If you take a look at the Golf Monthly YouTube channel, you'll see his equipment videos dating back over a decade! He has also conducted 'What's In The Bag' interviews with many of the game's best players like Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm. Over the years, Neil has tested a vast array of products in each category and at drastically different price-points.
Neil is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade Stealth Plus Fairway Wood: Titleist TSR2 Hybrid: Titleist TS3 Irons: PING Blueprint S (4&5), PING Blueprint T (6-PW) Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 50˚, 54˚, 60˚ Putter: Odyssey Triple Track Ten Ball: Titleist Pro V1X
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