TaylorMade SIM Fairway Woods

We assess the looks and performance of the TaylorMade SIM and SIM Max fairway woods having put them to the test out on the course

TaylorMade SIM Fairway Woods Review

The TaylorMade SIM and SIM Max fairway woods truly stand out in this category, offering performance like no other. You can read about the technology here.

Even the looks are unique to the market. The thin chalk white section at the front of the crown contrasts sharply with the carbon fibre section behind it, helping align the face at address. They are certainly up there with the best looking fairway woods you can buy in 2020.

On to the performance and our testing has shown that the SIM and SIM Max produced some of the fastest ball speeds of any fairway wood on the market. The SIM model was particularly fast, reaching ball speeds in excess of 152mph.

VIDEO: Best Fairway Woods 2020

It also produced fairly high spin, which could be negated with a different shaft or adjusting loft on the hosel through a custom fitting, and is possibly why it wasn’t the longest model we tested but it was certainly up there.

But the other standout characteristic was the launch and ball flight. Both the SIM and SIM Max launch and flight the ball considerably higher than any other fairway wood we tested.

In fact, the SIM Max had a peak height of 40 yards, six yards higher than any non-TaylorMade fairway, while the SIM had a peak height of 38 yards.

This higher trajectory is especially useful in creating more carry distance as well as stopping power when hitting into long par fours and par fives.

We struggled a little to strike the larger SIM Max model cleanly off the deck, which was a little surprising, but you may have a different experience. Being larger, it should be more forgiving and also a more effective option off the tee.

Off the deck, the SIM model is one of the easiest fairway woods to strike cleanly. One downside is the price, as it comes in at £369 which is £100 more expensive than the SIM Max model because of the use of a rare Zatech titanium on the face.

So while there is extra performance to be had, in the case of the SIM model it does come at a cost – it is the most expensive model on the market from all the mainstream brands.

If you choose to buy the SIM Max, check out our helpful TaylorMade promo codes.