The TaylorMade M2 driver came out in 2017, and TaylorMade has produced quite a few drivers since that time with quite a few new features.
When the M2 came out, the M series of drivers looked like a big winner, and they were for a long time.
While the M1 featured a lot of adjustability, the M2 is more static and setup for a a high launch, straight and penetrating ball flight, and a lot of forgiveness.
That is exactly what most high and mid handicappers are looking for in a driver. The following is a TaylorMade M2 Driver Review where we will discuss the club, list its pros and cons, and then compare and contrast it with some of the new offerings.
We hope this helps you decide whether or not the M2 driver is the right club for your bag.
Things to Consider Before Buying The TaylorMade M2 Driver
The TaylorMade M2 was released in 2017 and it was very long and forgiving at that time.
You can find the M2 for a lower price than many of the other TaylorMade drivers, but that comes at the expense of some of the new driver technology that has come out since then.
If the price is too appealing, however, the M2 is a really good club and there are some real positives to having it in your bag.
The TaylorMade M2, like the M4 and M6, is focused on forgiveness and distance at the expense of adjustability, and that is an exchange that the vast majority of golfers are more than ok with.
The following list is some pros and cons of the M2, but before getting into that list, let me list a couple of the technological advances present in the M6 and SIM drivers that you will not get in the M2:
- Speed Injection Technology
- Hammerhead 2.0
- Inertia Generator
These 3 advances make these clubs longer, straighter, and more forgiving than the M2, but that does not mean the M2 does not have some major advantages.
It produces good distance and forgiveness on its own and it has better sound and feel than most of the drivers TaylorMade developed after the M2.
The bottom line is that while there are some new drivers out there with technological advantages, the combination of feel, distance and forgiveness coupled with the low price makes the M2 one of the better value drivers out there.
Pros
- The biggest pro of the M2 over some of the other distance/forgiveness drivers that TaylorMade has come out with is the sound and feel you get with the M2.
- It is a very easy club to hit with effortless distance and a high launch.
- Really good for any handicap and especially higher handicaps.
- A really good price, especially if you can find a discount golf supplier that carries previous models.
- It is one of TaylorMade’s most popular drivers for a reason.
- Adjustable hosel allows you to change the loft of the club to make it right for your swing.
Cons
- Lacks the Speed Injection technology found in the newer TaylorMade drivers.
- The M2 does not lend itself to workability.
- Driver technology seems to increase at almost the same rate as computer and microchip technology, so a driver that is 4 years old can become “ancient” really quickly.
TaylorMade M2 Driver Features and Benefits
Construction (3 out of 5)
Head
The head of the M2 was built for distance and forgiveness, but it was also the first driver with geocoustic for sound/feel.
The geocoustic technology changed the shape of the head, but it also gave you a lot more feel and what TaylorMade calls “explosive sound.”
The Speed Pocket technology offers really good forgiveness, and the weight of the club is ideal for boosting swing speeds. All in all, the head construction offers you a really good combination of distance and forgiveness.
Shaft Options
The M2 comes with one stock shaft option, the Fujikura Pro XL 58. It is a really good graphite shaft, and you can find the flex and weight that best fits your swing. You cannot really go wrong with the Fujikura brand, and this one is really good. It comes in Stiff, Regular or Senior Flex.
Club Specs
-
- Golfer: Mens, Women
- Hand: Left or Right
- Lofts: 9.5 degrees, 10.5 degrees, 12 degrees
- Material: Multi material driver
- Head Volume: 460cc
- Length: 45.75”
- Swing Weight: D3
- Shaft: Fujikura Pro XL 58
- Shaft Stifness: A, R, S
- Grip: TM Dual Feel
Performance (3 out of 5)
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is probably the main focus of the M2. The Speed Pocket, high MOI, and low center of gravity make this a very easy driver to hit.
It also launches really high and really well. Off center shots are not helped as much as they are with Twist Face technology, but you do have a big sweet spot and a lot of carry even if you miss the center occasionally.
Control/Shot Shaping
Shot shaping is definitely not the forte of the M2, but it does have a little more spin than what you find in many of today’s drivers.
You get a little backspin that can hang the ball up a little, but in general the extra spin allows players to work the ball around the course. It is not the easiest driver to draw and fade but it does give you that option.
Distance
It is not as long as the M6 or SIM line of drivers, but it is not far behind. The Speed Pocket, big sweet spot, and thin face make this club long.
On top of those things, the stock shaft and grip are very lightweight for more control and swing speed on each shot.
Is the M2 the longest driver on the market? No. But it will be an upgrade from the majority of drivers out there and could add a few yards to your game for a good price.
Looks/Feel/Sound (4.5 out of 5)
For a distance club with a lot of forgiveness, you get really good sound and feel with the M2. It can be hard to explain how the sound of a club affects its feel until you actually hear it. When you make solid contact and the “whack” of the club sounds just like it should based on where you felt it in your hands, it is a great feeling. You get this feeling with the M2.
Cost (4.5 out of 5)
You can find the M2 for a really good price if you look around a little. You can still purchase it new or used and you can definitely get it for less than $300 new and in some places even lower than that. The technology that made this club great in 2017 is still there, and while there have been some advances since then, the M2 at this price is still a really good value.
Alternatives To The TaylorMade M2 Driver
TaylorMade M6
The TaylorMade M6 Driver is easy to hit, very forgiving, and one of the longest drivers on the market right now.
(check out this article here for an in depth review of the M6)
The biggest new feature is TaylorMade’s “Speed Injection” technology. What that means is that behind the 2 tiny red screws on the bottom of the driver, TaylorMade injects up to 2g of resin.
That may seem insignificant, but it is not. In the past, manufacturers had to leave a certain margin for error in both face thickness and polishing to stay within the legal speed limits.
With the M6, TaylorMade measures each face individually and uses a computer algorithm to inject the exact right amount of resin behind the screws so that the club continuously toes the line between legal and illegal distance.
That is the key advantage to this club, it produces the highest amount of ball speed and distance possible in a driver.
In addition to that, it also has a slight draw bias and the same basic, matte black look as the M5.
It is an extremely forgiving driver with Twist Face technology and a 46 gram inertia generator very low and in the back of the driver head.
This inertia generator is simply a weight that increases the MOI of the club and helps to make every shot as straight and as long as possible.
With all of those changes, however, the M6 sacrificed some customization and movable weights for the extra speed and forgiveness.
TaylorMade saw the writing on the wall, that speed and distance is king, and they produced their M6 driver to make themselves one of the industry leaders in both.
Pros
- The Speed Injection technology ensures that each M6 is as long as possible under PGA rules.
- A very forgiving driver. The Twist Face technology keeps the ball going straight and long even on mishits.
- The inertia generator is a weight located in the bottom and back of the driver head that produces a high MOI and fewer mishits.
- A mid spin, mid launch driver that is easy to hit straight and high but also can produce enough spin to work the ball around the course at higher swing speeds.
- Aerodynamic design to reduce drag and create higher swing speeds.
- A decent price for the features offered.
- It looks great at setup and instills confidence as you stand over the ball.
- A simple club that works right off the rack, for golfers who care more about forgiveness than adjustability.
Cons
- The adjustability of the other drivers in the “M” series are missing in the M6.
- One of TaylorMade’s most expensive drivers.
- There are better clubs for workability, this club is all about speed.
TaylorMade SIM Max
TaylorMade remains an industry leader in the “driver” department and the TaylorMade SIM Max continues that legacy.
The SIM line of drivers were introduced last year and remain TaylorMade’s “high end” driver offering.
This driver takes aerodynamics and swing speed to a new level. TaylorMade significantly changed the design of this driver, which may throw some golfers off, to produce what they believe to be their straightest and longest offering yet.
As you can tell by the name, the SIM Max is in the newest line of TaylorMade “SIM” drivers.
It features the Twist Face Tecnoloy, Speed pocket, Speed Injection, and low/rear Center of Gravity just like the SIM. You can get a little more spin with this club but not as much workability as the SIM.
The SIM Max produces a really high ball flight and a lot of forgiveness and sends the ball straighter than most drivers.
It features the really aerodynamic shape for added distance while the MOI and center of gravity give you great launch and fewer mishits.
The SIM Max was designed more for mid to low handicappers, but it has traits and features that make it a great club no matter your skill level.
Pros
- Can create significant help in producing a draw from almost any player.
- Less “twist” at impact than other drivers which will create consistent accuracy.
- TaylorMade’s “twist face” technology adds corrective angles across the face so that no matter where you make contact, the results are as straight as possible.
- Great launch angle as they moved the added weight to the back and bottom of the clubhead.
- The SIM Max is a bigger driver and looks huge behind the ball. The size and look of the SIM Max inspires confidence at setup.
- Has a high MOI and low center of gravity.
- A larger face than both the M6 and SIM, it is appealing to higher handicappers, but it is not so big that low handicappers are turned off.
- The sound off the face is pure and the feedback in your hands is immediate.
- A higher launch angle than previous offerings which is especially good for higher handicappers.
- Tested in a wind tunnel and the resulting aerodynamics are supberb.
Cons
- More expensive than comparable alternatives.
- The club is setup for a draw which can make shaping any other type of shot more difficult making the club less useful for lower handicappers.
Final Thoughts on The TaylorMade M2 Driver Review
(Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5)
The M2 is still a really good driver. If you were comparing it to other clubs that came out at the same time, it would probably receive more like a 4 or 4.5 out of 5.
The problem is that driver technology has changed and it has changed quickly and the M2 has been left behind in a lot of areas including distance and forgiveness.
Overall this is a good driver that you can find for an incredible price if you look around, but as a reviewer I cannot get past the incredible technology that you find in some of the newer clubs.
The Speed Injection alone gives such an edge to the newer drivers but there are other things as well. The M2 is good, but if you are looking for a really high end driver, there are a lot of other options out there as well.
