Taylormade SIM2 Vs Taylormade M4 Fairway Wood Comparison Overview
While there are a lot of similarities between the Taylormade M4 fairway woods and the original SIM fairway woods, the SIM2 woods marked a more drastic shift.
Many consider the Taylormade M4 woods classic game improvement woods – and for good reason.
They are forgiving, offer great turf interaction and they sound great. So considering that the SIM2 fairway woods are significantly different, one can’t help but ask, ‘did Taylormade ruin the formula?’
We help answer that question and give you an insight as to who these clubs are for in the following comparison overview.
Taylormade SIM 2 Fairway Overview
“There are a few key feature differences between the SIM2 and the Taylormade M4 woods.”
The SIM2 features an 80g V-Steel sole instead of the GeoCoustic stepped sole that the Taylormade M4 has.
The SIM2 has an upgraded titanium face as well. Lastly, the SIM2 has an adjustable hosel rather than the fixed, fluted hosel of the Taylormade M4.
Then, comparing the 3-woods in each series, the SIM2 has a smaller head (170cc vs 176cc). So does all this new tech ruin the formula? Not really. But it does shift the demographic.
The smaller head means more workability for better players. The V-steel sole panel means lower CG. The adjustable hosel means more options for your fitter.
And the titanium face just sounds/feels nicer and gives a more lively response at impact.
Taylormade M4 Fairway Wood Overview
“There is one thing that Taylormade kind of messed up between the M4 and the SIM2.”
Turf interaction. We loved the smooth and easy turf interaction of the M4 fairways and it’s kind of lost on the SIM2’s.
I guess Taylormade thought better players wouldn’t need much help from the rough because they don’t end up there often.
In any case, the Taylormade M4 is a higher-launching fairway wood that feels slightly heavier than the Taylormade SIM2 fairway wood.
Both the M4 and SIM2 feature the combination of twist face and speed pocket technology to enhance forgiveness across the face.
“Taylormade did a good job of maintaining the forgiveness of the M4 in the SIM2 fairway wood. They improved feel with the titanium face and body.
They also drew the CG lower; but at the cost of turf interaction. It’s clear that the SIM2 woods are better for mid handicappers while the Taylormade M4’s are better for high handicappers.”
TaylorMade SIM2 Fairway
In 20 Words Or Less
The ultimate player’s fairway wood, small sized head gives you the ability to shape the ball with ease.
Taylormade M4 Fairway Wood
In 20 Words or Less
“The Taylormade M4 fairway wood will make it easier for you to stay out of the rough.”
TaylorMade SIM2 First Impressions
The first thing we noticed about this model is the size of the head, compared to the SIM the 170cc makes the SIM2 a much smaller looking club, definitely something to consider when purchasing the club.
Maybe it’s because of the more compacted head, but my word did we see some crazy ball speeds. The Zatech Titanium and precise weighing really complement each other here, these ball speeds were some of the fastest we have ever seen.
The V Steel and Speed Pocket worked like a charm, unbelievable turf interaction on every shot, the club just slid through the turf with ease, and all low struck shots kept their ball speeds up.
TwistFace is remarkable, shots struck towards the heel and toe, came out much straighter and further than we would expect with any other club.
The adjustability allowed us to get really dialed.
TaylorMade SIM2 Fairway Family
The TaylorMade SIM2 has two other models in its range.
The SIM2 Max is going to be your more forgiving option compared to the SIM2, it has all the same technology as the SIM2 except it has a C300 steel head and is none adjustable. It is more forgiving with higher launch, so it will be aimed more towards the mid to high handicap player.
The third model is the SIM2 Max D, exactly the same features as the SIM2 Max, however the weight is placed towards the heel, this gives it a slight draw bias, handy for those of you that struggle with a fade.
Taylormade M4 Fairway Wood – First Impression
“The Taylormade M4’s have a silver section on the crown.”
It’s a bit distracting at address but we get why Taylormade added this feature: it contrasts with the face so you can frame the ball.
We also noticed that unlike the Taylormade M3 fairway woods, the M4’s have a fixed hosel. This limits versatility a bit.
The Taylormade M Family
Included in the M family of fairway woods is the M5.
The M5 brings back the adjustable hosel. In fact, the M5 doubles down on adjustability by incorporating a sliding rear weight.
The M5 also sports a titanium face and a carbon fiber crown. Overall, the Taylormade M5 is more versatile and can help you straighten out your shot whether you tend to draw or fade the ball.
TaylorMade SIM2 Fairway Selling Points
- V Steel helps with turf interaction
- Speed Pocket keeps ball speed up on low struck shots
- Adjustable loft sleeve
- TwistFace helps with forgiveness and distance
Taylormade M4 Fairway Wood Selling Points
- Fluted hosel
- GeoCoustic sole design
- Large head profile
- Inverted cone technology
- Speed pocket
Who Is The TaylorMade SIM2 Fairway For
TaylorMade SIM2 is a Tour looking head, it has a small profile, so it will definitely suit the better golfer.
It is very low spinning, meaning you will need some good clubhead speed to get the ball up in the air.
The adjustability is great, it allows you to dial in the face angle and loft.
Distance: 95/100
Feel & Control: 91/100
Accuracy: 92/100
Forgiveness: 90/100
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Who is the Taylormade M4 Fairway Wood for?
“This is a great fairway wood for high handicappers.”
It ticks all the boxes for 18+ handicap players.
It’s forgiving, it looks assuring at address, it plays well from the rough and you’re likely to gain a bit of distance with reduced lateral divergence.
That being said, none of our testers reported ridiculous increases in distance with the Taylormade M4. The relatively high spin rates are the biggest hindrance to the carry distance of these woods.
But in every other sense, the Taylormade M4 is an ideal fairway wood for high handicappers.
Distance: 94/100
Accuracy: 97/100
Forgiveness: 97/100
Feel & Control: 97/100
Overall Score: 97/100
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