TaylorMade - SIM vs. SIM2: What’s Best?

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Louis Pringle
Jun 01, 2022
10 minutes

TaylorMade is now established as one of the biggest brands in the golf world. High-profile ambassadors and quality lines of clubs have been TaylorMade’s bread and butter over the last few years.

Amongst those lines of clubs, the SIM family, as well as its successor the SIM2 family, are some of the most memorable products from TaylorMade. Now that both series of clubs have been on the market for a while, it’s time to find out which one is the best between the SIM and the SIM2 line of clubs.

  • Drivers
  • Fairway Woods
  • Hybrids
  • Irons
  • SIM or SIM2 – What's Best?

Drivers

SIM

Released in 2020, the SIM line of clubs marked a departure from the M line for TaylorMade. Transitioning from the red and black look to a refreshed white and blue combination, the SIM was looking to change the game for TaylorMade.

Headlining the SIM family, the driver introduced TaylorMade’s Inertia Generator at the back of the sole, completing the asymmetrical sole design.

The SIM driver, which is the Tour model of the line, retains the adjustable weight at the front of the sole. This weight, which is mounted on a track, is designed to help highly-skilled players fine-tune their driver to get the most out of every drive.

The SIM Max is catered to a wider range of players and will be one of the most popular drivers for new golfers. It’s intended to provide as much forgiveness as possible off the tee to help you find more fairways.

Additionally, the SIM Max D driver is also designed to maximize forgiveness, but it’s also built to help golfers counter a slice with a draw-biased trajectory.

Shop The TaylorMade SIM Driver

Different SIM driver models

  • TaylorMade SIM
  • TaylorMade SIM Max
  • TaylorMade SIM Max D

SIM2

The following year, TaylorMade introduced the evolution of its club line with the SIM2. Building upon what had already made the SIM line so great, the SIM2 simply improved in all the aspects where the SIM had previously shined.

Ditching the adjustable weight track, the SIM2 driver is still the best-suited model for highly-skilled players as it aims to maximize control and ball speed, yet it delivers more forgiveness and a better feel at impact than its predecessor.

The SIM2 Max driver takes forgiveness to the next level by expanding the optimal sweet spot on the clubface. It’s the perfect driver for beginners and golfers with limited skills off the tee.

Just like with the original SIM family of clubs, the SIM2 Max D driver is designed for players who are struggling with a slice off the tee and looking for an easy fix.

Shop The TaylorMade SIM2 Driver

Different SIM2 driver models

  • TaylorMade SIM2 Max
  • TaylorMade SIM2 Max D
  • TaylorMade SIM2 Ti

 

Fairway Woods

SIM

Following in the footsteps of the driver, the SIM line of fairway wood can also be broken down into three main categories.

The SIM Ti is the players’ model of the line and is, to this day, still a favorite amongst the pros who play under the TaylorMade banner. Despite being two generations old, the control the club gives over the golf ball is its main appeal to golfers.

The SIM Max is much more forgiving and designed to be used by golfers looking for more spin with their woods or for added forgiveness on impact. Once again, the SIM Max D model intends to help out golfers struggling with their ball flight.

Shop The TaylorMade SIM Max Fairway Wood

Different SIM fairway wood models

  • TaylorMade SIM Max
  • TaylorMade SIM Max D
  • TaylorMade SIM Ti

SIM2

If you were to simply look at the numbers on a swing monitor, both fairway woods would perform quite similarly. The main difference between the two comes in the feel of the club.

Based on what we’ve seen on the PGA Tour, the SIM2 Ti was intended to replace the SIM Ti in the bag of most pros as it aims to excel in the same aspects of the game. Despite TaylorMade’s best attempts, it seems as if the pros still prefer the predecessor to the SIM2.

The feel of the golf ball at impact is the biggest difference between the SIM and SIM2 fairway woods. While the actual feel of the ball might not be as clear, the feedback through the shaft on mishits will be much less painful and much more forgiving, especially with the SIM2 Max and SIM2 Max D.

Shop The TaylorMade SIM2 Max Fairway Wood

Different SIM2 fairway wood models

  • TaylorMade SIM2 Max
  • TaylorMade SIM2 Max D
  • TaylorMade SIM2 Ti

 

Hybrids

SIM

The release of the SIM family of clubs proved to be a very fruitful one for hybrid lovers. TaylorMade released three different models to cater to three very different styles of players.

The base SIM Max model is your traditional rescue hybrid which tends to look like a miniature version of the fairway wood of the same line. That is also the case for the SIM Max. This model is perfect for beginners and less experienced golfers.

The SIM DHY and SIM UDI are a cross between hybrids and irons creating a more forgiving option for golfers who love longer irons but wish to get more forgiveness out of their clubs.

The SIM DHY is the larger of the two models as its clubhead is noticeably larger. This model is designed to be slightly more forgiving than the UDI, while still allowing you to have some form of control over the golf ball.

The SIM UDI has a look that resembles a traditional blade iron with the notable change that the clubhead will be bulkier than your usual long iron. It’s meant to provide a bit of forgiveness while maximizing control over the golf ball.

Shop The TaylorMade SIM Max Hybrid

Different SIM hybrid models

  • TaylorMade SIM Max
  • TaylorMade SIM DHY
  • TaylorMade SIM UDI

 

SIM2

After multiple releases in 2020, TaylorMade scaled back a bit with only two releases in 2021 with the SIM2 Rescue and the SIM2 Max Rescue. They aimed to target specific golfer personas with each one of them.

The SIM2 Rescue is the smallest model of the two as it is designed to help highly-skilled players maximize the performance of their hybrid. The smaller clubhead allows for more feeling at impact and more control over the ball flight.

Like the rest of the line, the SIM2 Max Rescue is designed to help beginners and less-experienced golfers find success on the course by delivering more forgiveness at impact, regardless of where you’re hitting your ball out of.

Shop The TaylorMade SIM2 Max Rescue Hybrid

Different SIM2 hybrid models

  • TaylorMade SIM2 Rescue
  • TaylorMade SIM2 Max Rescue

Irons

SIM

Much like they did with the M line, TaylorMade released an iron set to go along with the woods and the hybrids from the SIM line. All the SIM irons are considered game-improvement irons which are best for less experienced players.

The SIM Max iron set is the set that is most suited for beginners and golfers with limited skills. These irons have the typical game improvement profile with a larger sole and are intended to provide more forgiveness at impact.

The SIM Max OS (oversized) iron set is the next step in the process of creating the best irons for beginners and golfers who are still learning the game. These clubheads are the largest of the family as they are intended to provide larger and more forgiving targets for golfers.

Shop The TaylorMade SIM Max Iron Set

Different SIM iron set models

  • TaylorMade SIM Max Iron Set
  • TaylorMade SIM Max OS Iron Set
  • TaylorMade SIM Max Combo Iron Set

SIM2

With the evolution from the SIM, the SIM2 irons also happen to be some of the best game-improvement irons. New golfers, or golfers who are looking to upgrade their old forgiving set, will instantly adopt the SIM2 iron set.

The SIM2 Max iron set follows in the footsteps of the SIM Max but takes things to the next level by dialing up carry distance and forgiveness. In other words, performance-wise, the SIM2 Max is a clear update on its predecessor by packing the punch of the OS, in a smaller clubhead.

The SIM2 Max OS will limit players’ ability to work the ball’s trajectory in the air, but that’s not the goal for this club. Its objective is to provide as much forgiveness as possible while offering a bigger target for players to find the golf ball.

Shop The TaylorMade SIM2 Max Iron Set

Different SIM2 iron set models

  • TaylorMade SIM2 Max Iron Set
  • TaylorMade SIM2 Max OS Iron Set
  • TaylorMade SIM2 Max Combo Iron Set

SIM or SIM2 – What's Best?

Performance

The SIM2 line of clubs is an undeniable step up from the SIM family when it comes to performance, but there’s more to the story.

Generally speaking, when it comes to the woods and hybrids, the gain in distances will be minimal. The big difference will be noticeable in the forgiveness on mishits as TaylorMade managed to expand the sweet spot with the second generation.

Winner: SIM2

Variety

Both line-ups are almost entirely similar. The drivers, fairway woods, and irons lineups are the same from one generation to the next. Hybrids are where we find differences as the SIM lineup offers more options for a wider variety of skill levels with the SIM Max Rescue, SIM DHY, and SIM UDI.

Winner: SIM

Looks

As looks are suggestive, arguments can be made for both the SIM and the SIM2. This question is all the more complex as both these lines of clubs have a white, blue, black, and grey colorway.

The SIM sports a more aggressive look with sharper curves that give the impression that the club is cutting through the air when you’re hitting it.

The SIM2’s look is a more polished one with smoother edges and uses blue touches more prominently. It does give drivers a bulkier look, but the performance makes up for it.

Winner: Tie

Price

This goes without saying, but since the SIM line is a year older, the price point of the clubs will be lower than the SIM2. If you’re looking to build a bag on a budget, opting for the SIM clubs will get you high-quality golf clubs for a bargain.

As previously mentioned, they’re quite similar performance-wise, so it’s understandable that some golfers wouldn’t be willing to pay the bigger bill, but if you’re willing to shell out the extra money for the SIM2, you’ll experience the difference in feel and the added forgiveness.

Winner: SIM

Shop The SIM Models From TaylorMade

Its affordability and the different options it offers to golfers make the SIM the top option for most. The different clubs in the lineup can adjust to a wide variety of skill levels and suit multiple playing styles, as well as being the more affordable option of the two.

Don’t discount the SIM2 though! If you need that extra forgiveness and you can afford it, then you should strongly consider investing in the best technology to help you out. At the end of the day, you need to understand your needs, but for the average golfer, the SIM takes the crown.

Until next time,

The Golf Avenue team

Further reading

Golf can look like an expensive sport, especially for beginners. Find how to get a quality iron set for less than $550 and well under your budget.

Looking to upgrade your golf driver? Find the best information on shaft material, flex, loft, length, and top brands, to help you choose your next golf driver.