The original Taylormade Sim Max is one of the best drivers that TM has ever made. It delivers exceptional ball speeds, amazing forgiveness, a beautiful design, and a powerful sound at impact.
Fortunately, Taylormade hasn’t altered the winning recipe too much with the Sim 2 Max driver. Like its predecessor, it’s super easy to hit, it looks great at address, and it provides even faster ball speeds (albeit marginally faster).
Specs Comparison - Taylormade Sim Max vs Sim 2 Max
| Product Name | Sim Max | Sim 2 Max |
Head Size | 460cc | 460cc |
Loft Options | 9.0°, 10.5°, 12° | 9.0°, 10.5°, 12° |
Lie Angle Options | 56° – 60° | 56° – 60° |
Men’s Length | 45.75″ | 45.75″ |
Women’s Length | 43.75″ | 43.75″ |
Draw Settings | Yes | Yes |
Fade Settings | Yes | Yes |
Max Loft Increase | 2 | 2 |
Max Loft Decrease | -2 | -2 |
Default Lie Angle | 56° | 56° |
Speed Injected Twist Face | Yes | Yes |
Thru-Slot Speed Pocket | Yes | Yes |
SIM Inertia Generator | Yes | Yes |
Swing Weight | D3 | D4 |
Forged Ring Construction | No | Yes |
Split Mass Weighting | No | Yes |
Launch (Shaft Dependent) | Mid + Mid-High | Mid + Mid-High |
Main Differences Explained
As you can see from the specs table above, the Sim Max and the Sim 2 Max are very similar drivers. With that being said, there are a few key differences:
Forged Ring Construction: This is basically Taylormade’s answer to Callaway’s jailbreak technology. It helps to stabilize the driver at impact, which should help improve your distance and consistency off the tee. You could say that the build quality of the Sim 2 Max is better, based purely on new forged ring construction.
Club Weight: This is arguably the biggest difference between the two drivers. The swing weight of the Sim Max is D3, whereas the swing weight of the Sim 2 Max is D4. That means the new version is slightly heavier.
Stock Shaft Options: The stock options for the original Sim Max Driver are
- Fujikara Ventus Red 5 (mid-high launch)
- Fujikara Ventus Blue 6 (mid launch)
The stock options for the Sim2 Max Driver are:
- Fujikara Ventus Blue 5S (mid-high launch)
- Kuro Kage Silver (mid launch)
Split Mass Weighting: The Sim Max 2 has split mass weighting technology. This promotes enhanced forgiveness and spin properties, and it allows for swing weights to be adjusted during custom builds.
Sole Shape & Design: When you look at the drivers side by side from above, they are virtually identical. However, if you look at the sole of each club, the differences in the design should become very apparent. It’s pretty clear that Taylormade has tried to remove the arrow-like design of the original Sim Max. The sole of the new version has a more traditional shape, although some might argue that the logo, coloring, and design of the original is actually more attractive.
Price: Obviously the Sim Max 2 is more expensive than the original version. However, if you have your eye set on the Sim Max, there’s never been a better time to buy it. You should be able to buy the original Sim Max driver for considerably less the initial recommended selling price. Most golf retailers have discounted it in order to clear the stock. If you wait too long, however, there might not be any left.
Taylormade Sim Max Driver - Key Features
Please note – The following features and specs are sourced directly from Taylormade.com.
Improved Driver Shape
An asymmetric sole design and powerful new Inertia Generator combine to optimize aerodynamics and speed at the most critical stage of the swing..
Asymmetric Sole & Inertia Generator
The reshaped sole design optimizes clubhead speed and enhanced aerodynamics at the most critical stage of the swing. The Inertia Generator positions weight at the extreme rear for increased forgiveness and is strategically angled to reduce drag on the downswing.
Speed Injected Face
The Taylormade Sim Max driver head has been individually calibrated and injected to reach the threshold of the maximum legal limit of ball speed. The revolutionary face curvature reduces sidespin and delivers straighter shots on off-center strikes.
The Sim Max also has Thru-Slot Speed Pocket technology delivers enhanced sole flexibility to create additional ball speed as well as improved forgiveness on low-face mis-hits
Twist Face Technology
Uses corrective face angles designed to overcome inherent golfer tendencies on mis-hits and to produce straighter shots.
This face technology expands the C.O.R. zone of the clubface, resulting in a larger sweet spot and better performance on mis-hits
Taylormade Sim Max Driver - Shaft Options
Fujikara Ventus Red 5
| Flex | Weight | Torque | Tip Size | Launch | Spin |
| Stiff (S) | 55g | 3.9 | .335 | Mid-High | Mid |
| Regular (R) | 54g | 4.1 | .335 | Mid-High | Mid |
| Senior (A) | 53g | 4.3 | .335 | Mid-High | Mid |
The Fujikara Ventus Red 5 Shaft is ideal for players hoping to hit it high and maximize carry. The launch settings are mid-high, while the spin rate is mid. Both of these conditions will help keep the ball in the air for as long as possible.
Basically, if your current trajectory is quite low, the Ventus Red 5 is almost certainly a better choice than the Ventus Blue 6.
Fujikara Ventus Blue 6
| Flex | Weight | Torque | Tip Size | Launch | Spin |
| Regular | 63g | 3.9 | .335 | Mid | Mid-Low |
| Stiff | 64g | 3.8 | .335 | Mid | Mid-Low |
| X-Stiff | 65g | 3.7 | .335 | Mid | Mid-Low |
The Fujikara Ventus Blue 6 shaft is the better option for players that want a piercing ball flight. The combination of mid launch and mid-low spin should help prevent the ball from flying too high. This is usually the choice of better players with faster swing speeds that don’t want too much backspin. If you hit your current driver sky high, you can potentially increase your distance by decreasing backspin.
Taylormade Sim2 Max Driver - Key Technology
One of the key selling points of the Taylormade Sim2 Max is the build quality. According to Taylormade, the driver has been reshaped and reconstructed, with the express intention of increasing the stability of the clubhead at impact. You could say that this is Taylormade’s attempt to offer an answer to Callaway’s ‘Jailbreak’ technology. The end goal is to stabilize the clubface at impact, which should increase accuracy off the tee.
Please note that the following stats and images are sourced directly from Taylormadegolf.com
Forged Ring Construction
Forged Ring Construction is the key to unlocking consistently long distance and optimal forgiveness with SIM2 Max. Crafted from a lightweight and high strength aluminum that’s precision milled, it unites the critical components of the driver head into a singular force. Forming a driver built for forgiveness and power, designed to give you the confidence to take on any tee shot.
Higher Launch, Maximum Forgiveness
The underlying goal of the Sim2 Max is to provide power, speed, and forgiveness in a single driver. The reconstructed SIM2 Max delivers high MOI with a heavy 24g tungsten weight positioned on the Inertia Generator. The TPS Front Weight is strategically located on the sole of the club to encourage optimal launch and spin properties, delivering complete performance and max forgiveness.
Aerodynamic Shape
Building on the breakthrough performance of Shape In Motion, SIM2 Max features an all-new Inertia Generator formed by its 9-layer carbon sole. The lightweight panel is strategically angled to improve aerodynamics at the most critical phase of the swing for faster clubhead speeds
Extremely Fast Ball Speeds
The milled back face cup works in unison with a new toe-side Speed Injection Port to push ball speeds to the threshold of the maximum legal limit. The iconic Speed Pocket protects performance on shots struck low on the face, while Twist Face continues to help golfers find more fairways.
SIM Inertia Generator
The asymmetric Inertia Generator is designed to provide faster club head speed through advanced geometry and aerodynamic analytics. A full lightweight carbon sole enables the redistribution of mass for a deeper CG and enhanced forgiveness.
Speed Injected Twist Face
Speed Injected Twist Face improves ball speed by calibrating each head to the threshold of the legal speed limit with corrective face curvature also protecting against heel and toe mis-hits.
Thru-Slot Speed Pocket
Taylormade’s most flexible Speed Pocket™ design is engineered to maximize ball speeds and produce additional forgiveness on low face strikes.
Split Mass Weighting
Featuring a TPS weight on the sole of the club and 16 grams of steel at the rear, this design element promotes enhanced forgiveness and spin properties while allowing for precise target swing weights during custom assembly.
Sim2 Max Driver Shaft Options
Fujikara Ventus Blue 5S
| Flex | Weight | Torque | Tip Size | Launch | Spin |
| Stiff (S) | 55g | 3.9 | .335 | Mid-High | Mid |
| Regular (R) | 54g | 4.1 | .335 | Mid-High | Mid |
| Senior (A) | 53g | 4.3 | .335 | Mid-High | Mid |
Kuro Kage Silver
| Flex | Weight | Torque | Tip Size | Launch | Spin |
| Regular | 65g | 3.9 | .335 | Mid | Mid-Low |
| Stiff | 68g | 3.8 | .335 | Mid | Mid-Low |
| X-Stiff | 69g | 3.7 | .335 | Mid | Mid-Low |
Taylormade Sim2 Max Driver - Tuning Chart
As you can see from the Tuning Chart featured above, both drivers offer a 4 degree loft sleeve. This is a good call from TaylorMade. There are 12 different settings to choose from, and can you can set up the Sim2 Max to favor a draw bias or a fade bias (or you can just set it to neutral).
You can also adjust the lie settings of the club. Generally, a more upright the lie angle, will promote a draw. By the same token, a flatter lie angle will promote a fade.
The best part about adjustable clubs is that they can dramatically increase the lifespan of the club. It’s like have 12 slightly different drivers to choose from, giving you the options you need to tinker around until you find the perfect settings for your swing.
Final Thoughts
In the end, this product comparison actually comes down to choosing the Taylormade driver that is best matched to your swing speed and playing style.
If you want a super forgiving driver that launches high and travels a good distance, the original Sim Max and the Sim2 Max will both do the job with ease.
If you’re on a tight budget, you might be able to find the original Sim Max for a discount, which could represent better value for money given how similar the performance is. However, if you want the better of the two drivers, the new Sim2 Max edges out it’s predecessor, primarily because of slighly faster ball speeds and the forged ring construction which stabilizes the driver.
