Equipment
2020 TaylorMade SIM and SIM Max fairway woods: “Shape in Motion”
The new 2020 Taylormade SIM fairway woods: V Steel is back in a beefed-up package.
It was 2001 when TaylorMade Golf launched the V Steel fairway woods, and over the past 19 years, it’s not uncommon to see one occupying a spot in a player’s bag. It was that snowflake fairway wood that launched high with low spin, it looked great, and it basically stood the test of time. It’s now 2020, and TaylorMade is bringing back the V Steel spirit in a package that is beefed up in every way.
The new 2020 TaylorMade SIM and SIM Max fairway woods offer a very popular sole from the past (V Steel) with some aesthetic upgrades from the previous package that add up to a club that is high launch, low spin and very forgiving. Themes we are used to with all the OEMs. Fairway wood technology has made quite the leap in the past decade with carbon, titanium, and clever weight placement to make them into mini drivers. It’s been a very fun ride for golfers everywhere.
95 percent of the fairways that hit the market go a mile in the air with no spin and fly forever. Like the drivers, gains for the season to season switcher won’t be huge, we just don’t live in that world anymore. What we are looking at now is trust across the face, for me it’s the gains I get when I hit it center thin. With my current fairway (off the ground) its the difference between a shot that carries 265 (flush) or a shot that carries 240 (thin). Personally I’m looking for that bottom number to get closer to 250 knowing the top number won’t move much, and I don’t want it to.
Let’s see whats going on with these things…
2020 Taylormade SIM fairway woods: The tech
SIM fairway
With a 180cc Zatech titanium face, and an even heavier (than M5) 80g steel sole weight, keep in mind that the sole weight is now fixed—unlike the M5 that could be moved for left or right preferences. It was very uncommon for players to manipulate that weight, so it was decided that its a better golf glub locking it in place. I agree with that choice.
The new 2020 SIM fairway is the Mercedes Benz AMG of fairway woods, and I’m not saying that to stroke anyone either: it’s the best of everything a player would want. It feels very heavy-headed, has a ton of playability, and it looks like a TaylorMade fairway wood should. For those who like the real granular info, Zatech titanium is a high-end, small-batch titanium that more or less gives TaylorMade the ability to tune up the face to be hot as well as forgiving across the hitting area.
SIM Max
I am a huge fan of the M6…huge. Especially if you get it dialed in, for me it was really easy to hit, very versatile, forgiving, went far enough, and you could hit little knee-high fastballs if you needed to. A living unicorn. The new 2020 SIM is basically the same fairway wood with V Steel tech and some small optical tweaks. At 185cc and a familiar bonded hosel (I love that part), the SIM Max has already caught the eye of Dustin Johnson who had it in play at Kapalua, and if I was going to guess, Rory and Fleetwood (non-staffer) will have it in play as well. Try ’em both, but definitely don’t make a decision until you have given this one the business.
SIM Max-D
190cc chassis in a draw-biased package that will be a hit with the players that long to hit that soft high draw. Simple enough.
Overall looks
At Address: SIM (Pictured Left) and SIM Max (Pictured Right)
As you can see in the picture, the lines of the New 2020 SIM fairways woods are softer from top to bottom. The goal was to give the V Steel technology some harmony to work with and with the rounded leading edges that allow the club to glide a bit easier into the turf, they accomplished that. For players that like to beat down on it, sweep it, or anything in between, the new 2020 SIM fairway woods have the tech to please any of them. What I noticed (especially in the SIM) was that thin strikes not only flew a bit farther but felt closer to flush than in the past. I spoke with a mini-tour player buddy of mine and he reminded me of what made the V Steel really work…
“Off the tee it was awesome because outta the top of the face it was REALLY hot but what made it magical was it felt really solid outta the bottom for fairway shots, for the tournament players that’s a big weapon to have.” -Anonymous WRX member
Overall feel
This is where TaylorMade really gets it right, and it’s been a pattern with the M Series and now bleeding into the new 2020 SIM Fairways Woods. They feel solid. Not soft, smooth, bouncy but hammer-like solid. That experience got better across the face when Twist Face was introduced. If you like a heavy hit, you’ll get it here. And let’s be honest, there are a lot of OEMs chasing this feeling, it’s awesome, but TaylorMade has been doing it well for years now so gotta give credit where credit is due.
Overall opinion
It’s fairly obvious in my writeup that the new 2020 SIM fairway woods are a winner, and yes I am a bit biased. I have been playing TaylorMade woods for a long time. However, in a job that gives me a look at everything, it becomes less about what’s best and more on what the experience is. Allll the OEMs make great stuff: it’s a fact. There are very few lemons out there anymore.
What I’m hoping you get from any writeup I do is a sense of what you might feel when you hit a particular club. In this day and age, that’s the first selling point: the experience, and after that with a solid fitter, the math of it all can be solved. Enjoy the hit first, find a fitter, get the launch math done and go with God. In TaylorMade’s case, they do what they always do, they made another awesome fairway wood line that has something for everyone. Can’t argue with that.
TaylorMade SIM MAX fairway
Click image to enlarge
TaylorMade SIM Ti fairway
Click image to enlarge
Specifications, Availability & Pricing (Per TaylorMade Golf)
SIM, SIM Max, and SIM Max-D fairways will be available for preorder on January 10 and at retail on February 7, 2020.
SIM has an MSRP of $399.99 USD and will be offered in Rocket 3/14 degrees, 3/15 degrees and 5/19 degrees. It will be offered in the Mitsubishi Diamana FW Limited 75 stock shaft, with numerous additional shaft options available at no additional cost. It comes stock with the new Golf Pride Z-
Grip (47g).
SIM Max and Max-D have an MSRP of $299.99 USD. SIM Max will be offered in lofts of Rocket 3/14 degrees, 3/15 degrees, 5/18 degrees, 7/21 degrees and 9/24 degrees. Shaft offerings include Fujikura Ventus Blue FW 5 (R and A flexes) and Ventus Blue FW 6 (S and X flexes), with additional custom shaft options available at no additional cost.
SIM Max-D will be offered in lofts of 3/16 degrees, 5/19 degrees, and 7/22 degrees. UST Mamiya’s Helium FW is the stock shaft offering with numerous custom options available at no additional cost. Both models also come stock with the new Golf Pride Z-Grip (47g). Women’s offerings for SIM Max and SIM Max-D fairways include the Aldila NV Ladies 45 shaft and the Lamkin Ladies Sonar grip (38g).
Additional TaylorMade SIM features
Twist Face (Per TaylorMade Golf): TaylorMade introduced Twist Face to its fairway metal lineup in 2019 and has carried the revolutionary technology into each SIM offering.
Speed Pocket (Per TaylorMade Golf): The Speed Pocket in SIM fairways has been engineered to provide increased ball speed to the entire face while improving forgiveness on low-face impacts. A slot insert has also been designed to sit flush with the sole to improve sole interaction and eliminate turf drag from the Speed Pocket, aligning with the performance goals of V Steel.
Loft Sleeve (SIM Only): 2-degree Loft Sleeve allows for the adjustment of the loft, lie angle, and face angle of the driver.
- LIKE82
- LEGIT13
- WOW12
- LOL7
- IDHT1
- FLOP2
- OB1
- SHANK11
- Kris Kim what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. More photos from the event here.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @7)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 60 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (15 degrees @13.5)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 73 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (2, 4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120 X
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-09SB, 56-12SB, 60-11TW)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 WV 125
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Check out more in-hand photos of Kris Kim’s equipment here.
View this post on Instagram
- LIKE0
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
TaylorMade is continuing its UDI/DHY series with the successor to the Stealth UDI and DHY utility irons: PUDI and PDHY (which the company styles as P·UDI and P·DHY). TaylorMade is folding the designs in with its P Series of irons.
TaylorMade outlined the process of developing its new utilities this way. The company started with the data on utility iron usage. Not surprisingly, better players — i.e. those who generate more clubhead speed and strike the ball more precisely — were found to gravitate toward the UDI model. DHY usage, however, covered a wider swath than the company might have expected with six-to-18 handicappers found to be bagging the club.
TaylorMade also found that the majority of golfers playing UDI or DHY utilities were playing P Series irons at the top of their iron configurations.
Can you see where this is going?
Matt Bovee, Director of Product Creation, Iron and Wedge at TaylorMade: “As we look to the future, beyond the tech and the design language, we are excited about repositioning our utility irons into the P·Series family. P·UDI is an easy pair for players that currently play P·Series product and P·DHY is an extremely forgiving option for players of all skill levels. It is a natural fit to give these players the performance in this category that they are looking for.”
View this post on Instagram
TaylorMade PUDI
TaylorMade PUDI technology cutaway (via TaylorMade)
Crafted with tour player input, TaylorMade sought to develop a confidence-inspiring utility iron that blends with the rest of the P Series irons. Also of note: Interestingly, the PUDI has a more compact head than the P790.
In comparison to past UDI products, the PUDI has a more traditional iron shape, slimmer toplines, and less offset with a little of the backbar visible at address.
TaylorMade PDHY
TaylorMade PDHY tech cutaway (via TaylorMade).
Larger in profile than the PUDI, the PDHY seeks to position center of gravity (CG) lower in the club for ease of launch. The toe height is larger and the profile is larger at address — roughly five millimeters longer than PUDI — the sole of the club is wider for improved forgiveness.
Club Junkie’s take
Golfers who feel like they are missing something at the top of the bag could find the PUDI or PDHY a great option. The look of the PUDI should fit the most discerning eye with a more compact look, less offset, and a thinner topline. If you want a little more confidence looking down the P-DHY will be slightly larger while still being a good-looking utility iron.
For being small packages both models pack a pretty good punch with fast ball speeds, even off-center. The feel is soft and you get a solid feel of the ball compressing off the face when you strike it well. Your ears are greeted with a nice heavy thud as the ball and club come together. The PDHY will launch a little higher for players who need it while the PUDI offers a more penetrating ball flight. Both utility irons could be the cure for an open spot in the top end of the bag.
PUDI, PDHY, or Rescue?
TaylorMade offers the following notes to assist golfers in filling out their bags:
- PUDI has mid-CG right behind the center face to create a more penetrating mid-to-low ball flight
- PDHY has a lower center of gravity to produce an easier-to-launch mid-to-high ball flight.
- Both PUDI and PDHY are lower-flying than the company’s hybrid/Rescue clubs.
- PUDI is more forgiving than P790.
- PDHY is the most forgiving iron in the entire TaylorMade iron family
Pricing, specs, and availability
Price: $249.99
At retail: Now
Stock shafts: UST Mamiya’s Recoil DART (105 X, 90 S and 75 R – only in PDHY)
Stock grip: Golf Pride’s ZGrip (black/grey)
PUDI lofts: 2-17°, 3-20°, 4-22° in both left and right-handed
PDHY lofts: 2-18°, 3-20° and 4-22° in both left and right-handed
- LIKE15
- LEGIT4
- WOW3
- LOL3
- IDHT1
- FLOP2
- OB2
- SHANK4
Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (5/3/24): Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
From the seller: (@wwcl): “Has been gamed as pics show. 33.5 includes original h/c and grip. $575 includes shipping and PP fees.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
- LIKE1
- LEGIT1
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
-
19th Hole2 weeks agoJustin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
-
19th Hole2 weeks ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
-
19th Hole3 weeks agoTwo star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
-
19th Hole3 weeks agoReport: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
-
19th Hole3 weeks agoNeal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
-
19th Hole3 weeks agoBrandel Chamblee has ‘no doubt’ who started the McIlroy/LIV rumor and why
-
19th Hole1 week agoLET pro gives detailed financial breakdown of first week on tour…and the net result may shock you
-
Equipment3 weeks agoJason Day on his recent switch into Srixon ZX5 and ZX7 Mk II irons
JD
Jan 14, 2020 at 10:43 am
The 5 wood sim max is the most inviting fairway wood i’ve even seen in my life. It is the perfect size. Now if only fitting carts had stiff 5 wood shafts in them… 5 woods are not just for old folks anymore! Half the tour uses them!
John
Jan 6, 2020 at 11:05 am
Yawn