TaylorMade drivers have long been at or near the top of most people’s list. They just make a good driver, and the features, design, and creativity of this company is unmatched over the last couple of decades when it comes to drivers.
The M5 and M6 drivers are some of TaylorMade’s best.
You will see that a lot of the base technology and looks of these 2 clubs are very similar, but there are a lot of differences in the clubs as well.
The following compares and contrasts the TaylorMade M5 vs M6 and will give you some tips on how to choose between these 2 excellent club options.
TaylorMade M5
The M5 is one of TaylorMade’s most versatile and adjustable drivers not to mention one of their longest.
The M5 boasts adjustability that can be moved both left-to-right and front-to-back. This is great for golfers who want to work their ball around the course and shape their shots effectively.
This adjustability is also the main difference and biggest advantage the M5 has over the M6. It is what makes this club a players driver.
The Twist Face Technology, and the Hammerhead 2.0 give you a huge sweet spot and a lot of forgiveness especially for a club specifically designed for lower handicappers.
All of that to say that forgiveness and adjustability are some of the best features of the M5. The M5 has a slightly thinner face than its predecessors, which produces additional ball speed and a slightly lighter body weight.
You gain approximately 2mph for every 100mph you swing the club. The M3 was a huge advancement in driver technology, and the M5 continues with those new advances while adding a few of its own.
Pros
- A very forgiving driver with Twist Face Technology and a big sweet spot.
- The M5 features the speed injection technology that pushes each driver to the limit of being a legal driver.
- A great club for pros and low handicappers with great distance and control.
- The adjustability of this driver gives you a lot of options that you cannot find on clubs that lack adjustability.
Cons
- Not as forgiving as the M6.
- Lacks the consistency and low spin rate that you find with the M6.
TaylorMade M6
The TaylorMade M6 Driver is easy to hit, very forgiving, and one of the longest drivers on the market right now.
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.
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.
Cons
- Not for players who like to work the ball around the course who like to play a little spin on their drive.
- No adjustable weighting on the bottom.
TaylorMade M5 Vs M6 Features Face to Face
Construction
Head
The base technology for both clubs are somewhat similar. They both feature “Twist Face” technology for forgiveness.
They both have the “Speed Injection” technology that allows each club to be manufactured to the highest amount of ball speed possible while remaining legal.
They have the multi-material carbon sole and matte black carbon crown that both look great and allow the weight of the club to be focused more in the back and bottom. They also have the Hammerhead 2.0 for a larger sweet spot.
All of these things are similar.
The differences come in the forgiveness features of the M6 and the adjustability of the M5. The M6 has an “Inertia Generator” that lowers the Center of Gravity of the driver while creating a higher MOI. The M5, on the other hand, has both a “T” and “Y” adjustability track that allows you to move weight both front-to-back and side-to-side.
These added features are also the biggest differences in the 2 drivers.
Shaft
The shaft options for the M5 and M6 are the same. The stock shaft is the Fujikura Atmos in Stiff, Regular, Senior, or Extra stiff for men and the TaylorMade Tuned Performance 45 (L) for women. Of course you can customize your shaft, but the Fujikura Atmos is a good stock shaft with a good Extra Stiff and Stiff option.
Looks
These clubs look very similar. They both have the sleek black finish and the head size and shape that inspire confidence over the ball.
They look like high end, expensive drivers because they are. When you are standing over the drivers and looking down, you could easily mistake them for the same club.
Performance
Distance
The M5 is very slightly longer if all conditions are equal, but only by about 3-5 yards. For beginners and higher handicappers, the M6 will probably give you a consistently longer drive because of the forgiveness features it has.
Launch
The loft of both the M5 and M6 can be adjusted by 2-degrees so there is a little room to mess around with the launch angle of the clubs.
On balance, however, the M6 has a higher launch because of the Inertia Generator and the lower center of gravity. The M5 does have the option to adjust the center of gravity of the club to change the launch angle both up and down.
Spin
To say which club is more desirable based on spin is difficult because some players want more and some want less.
If you are looking for a very low spin rate, the M6 is a terrific club, one of the best on the market really.
On the other hand, if you want to be able to put a little spin on your ball and work it around the course, the M5 is a better option.
Sound/Feel
They both sound great when you hit them well. One of the issues some golfers had with their predecessors, the M3 and M4, were that they sounded to metallic and high pitched, but those issues were solved with the M5 and M6.
Cost
Cost should not be a determining factor when choosing between these clubs. On average, the M5 is slightly more expensive, but it really depends on what kind of deals you can find and where you are looking.
The better comparison is between these 2 drivers and the other drivers on the market. The M5 and M6 perform better than their price would indicate which makes them both very high value clubs for the price.
Standout Features of The TaylorMade M5 vs M6
Forgiveness
This is a key component to both clubs with Twist Face Technology, Hammerhead 2.0, and high MOI. The M6, however, takes forgiveness up a notch.
The M6 decreases the spin rate so that the ball goes straighter, lowers the center of gravity so that the launch is higher, and increases the MOI so that the clubhead does not move or shift at impact or before.
Basically, the M6 is a game-improvement driver. It helps you to hit your drive long, high, and straight so that you can have more fun on the course.
Adjustability
Both the M5 and M6 have adjustable lofts that can be changed by 2-degrees, but after that the similarities end in terms of the adjustability of these 2 drivers.
The M6 does not have any other adjustability features while the M5 is one of the most versatile and adjustable drivers on the market.
TaylorMade calls it the “T” track and the “Y” and these are the tracks on the bottom of the clubhead that allow you to change the weight of the club.
You can move the weight from front-to-back to change the center of gravity. Doing this will affect your launch angle and the amount of backspin you put on the ball. You can also adjust the weights from side-to-side.
By doing this you turn the club into either a draw biased driver or a fade biased driver depending on the course and the hole.
Players who desire to work their ball around the course and who want to change the shape of their shot without changing their swing will enjoy playing with the M5.
It is definitely a players iron as many lower handicap players will get more from this club than beginners and higher handicappers.
Target Audience
I know, this is not really a feature, but it really encompasses the major difference between the 2 drivers.
For 2 clubs that look, sound, and feel very similar, they appeal to a very different target audience.
The extra forgiveness features in the M6 make the club easier to hit, straighter, and they give it a higher launch which is great for higher handicappers.
The adjustability of the M5, on the other hand, make it a very desirable club for lower handicappers and players who like to tinker with their swing.
The ability to add spin in all directions, change the MOI, and even change the launch angle while maintaining your swing is very appealing to golfers who like to work the ball around the course and know what they are doing to make that happen.
The bottom line is that the clubs seem similar, but they definitely attract very different golfers.
Final Thoughts on The TaylorMade M5 Vs M6 Driver Matchup
At first glance, it might look like TaylorMade just created the same club twice. The M5 and M6 look similar, they sound similar at contact, and they have a lot of the same base technology in terms of distance and forgiveness.
The truth is, however, that these clubs are very different and will appeal to very different players.
The M5 is a players driver that can be adjusted to the course and the hole you are playing. Players with a good and consistent swing can play the extra spin and weight bias to get their ball in the right position.
The M5 is also slightly longer.
On the other hand, if you are a beginner or a higher handicapper whose swing is less consistent, then the M6 is probably a better choice.
There is very little spin, the ball stays straight, it launches higher, it is easier to hit, and it is a very long driver. Either driver can be found at a great price and they are both very high end clubs.
All you have to do is figure out what you are looking for in a driver and choose which features fit your game best.
