FIRST LOOK: TaylorMade’s new SIM Max and SIM Max OS irons

Although TaylorMade’s new SIM Max and SIM Max OS irons are built for distance to satisfy the needs of game-improvement golfers, they have an all-new design feature to improve upon feel.

In 2019, TaylorMade introduced a Speed Bridge onto the back cavities of its M5 and M6 irons. These Speed Bridges, which are masses that connect the toplines and the bottom back bars, provided stability to the thin-faced structures and allowed the thru-slot Speed Pockets behind the faces to be built more flexible for greater distance. The Speed Bridges also worked to dampen vibrations for a better feel.

TaylorMade has continued to use the Speed Bridges in 2020 with its SIM Max and SIM Max OS irons, but the company has added what it calls an ECHO Damping System behind the faces to further improve feel. This system works by compressing at impact and absorbing vibrations without affecting the movement of the face. Less vibration means a better feel for these new TaylorMade irons.

With a damping system in place, and more in-depth analysis about the relationship between the Speed Bridge and the thru-slot Speed Pocket, TaylorMade was able to reengineer the structures and build a thinner face compared to the previous M5 and M6 irons. For golfers, that means higher ball speeds even on off-center hits.

Additionally, TaylorMade repositioned its Inverted Cone Technology (ICT) on each of the SIM Max and SIM Max OS irons to maximize efficiency for golfers. TaylorMade says, based on its testing data, that game-improvement golfers tend to miss to the right (for righties) with their long irons, so the company positioned its ICT in a draw-biased position in those irons to help with that common miss.

Both the SIM Max and the SIM Max OS irons are built with low center of gravities (CG) for high launch and more speed, but the SIM Max OS (over-sized) irons are built with even lower CG for more forgiveness. The OS versions have a larger overall profile, a taller face for more stability, a wider sole for better turf interaction, and what TaylorMade calls a chamfered sole to drag weight lower in the heads. The OS irons also have stronger lofts to help keep the trajectories from being too high, which results in greater overall distance.

TaylorMade’s new SIM Max (4-PW, AW, SW, LW) and SIM Max OS irons (4-PW, AW, SW, LW) are available for pre-order on January 10 and will hit retail on February 7. They will sell for $899 for an eight-piece set in steel, and $999 per eight-piece set in graphite.

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