Are Taylormade SIM2 Max Irons Good for High Handicappers? – Are They Forgiving for Beginners?

Are Taylormade SIM2 Max Irons Good for High Handicappers? – Are They Forgiving for Beginners?

“The Taylormade SIM2 Max irons are the SIMs that were developed for everyday players.”

Taylormade clearly had high handicappers in mind when they were designing the Taylormade SIM2 Max irons.

Just one look at them and your confidence as a high handicapper is sure to swell.

But looks aren’t everything. We wanted to see if the Taylormade SIM2 Max irons were any good for beginners and high handicappers.

And if they are, we wanted to see exactly what they bring to the table performance wise. So we tested them and recorded the results in the following review.

Overview of the Taylormade SIM2 Max Irons

“Like many game improvement irons that were designed in the same era, the Taylormade SIM2 Max irons feature a strong loft profile.”

To give you a specific idea, the 9-iron in this set is 38°. But make no mistake about it, these are truly game improvement irons.

The strong lofts are tempered by the very low CG and the deep cavity undercut. The soles on these irons are also pretty chunky.

They don’t jut out behind the head at address; but most of that is because the top line is also on the thick side.

The launch is mid/low but most of our testers were able to get high-arching shots with minimal effort. The offset is moderate so you still get a fairly clean look at address.

The Taylormade SIM2 Max irons  feature a “Cap Back” in the cavity. This design replaces the Speed Bridge but it still promotes stability on all types of shots. It also gives these irons a smoother overall feel.

The Taylormade SIM2 Max irons are on the larger side but they aren’t ridiculously huge.

You still get the sense that you can control ball flight and in reality, you can.

What Type of Irons Are They?

The Taylormade SIM2 Max’s fit comfortably in the game improvement iron category.

They offer a good combination of distance and accuracy.

How Forgiving Are the Taylormade SIM2 Max Irons for High Handicappers?

“One thing that blew us away about these irons was the fact that they were so easy to hit.”

It didn’t take more than a few swings for us to find the sweet spot and start sending bombs down the fairway. The Taylormade SIM2 Max irons feel incredibly easy to swing.

Our testers who have issues with consistent contact were not having any such issues with these irons. So yes, the Taylormade SIM2 Max irons are very forgiving for high handicappers.

One of the features that makes them so forgiving is the progressive inverted cone technology. This essentially stretches the hitting zone out to where most players mis-hit.

The sweet spot shifts according to the club too so you get very easy to hit long irons and accurate short irons.

The Taylormade SIM2 Max irons also feature the Speed Pocket which allows the face to flex more on low-face strikes. Basically, almost all of the face is the sweet spot.

Shaft Options

“There are a couple of really nice shaft options for the Taylormade SIM2 Max irons.”

The first one is a KBS Max 85 MT in stiff flex. The other option is a Fujikura Ventus Blue shaft in amateur, regular or stiff flex.

Workability Assessment

“This is the arena in which the Taylormade SIM2 Max irons struggle.”

While it is possible to flight the ball down or up, there is virtually no lateral workability to speak of.

Still, we have to imagine that workability wasn’t a goal when it came time to design the Taylormade SIM2 Max irons.

Distance Assessment

“After three swings apiece, our testing party was averaging 159.8 yards with the 7-iron.”

Bear in mind that our entire testing party was made up of high handicappers. So while a 159 yard 7-iron may not impress powerful swingers, it was more distance than we were used to seeing.

When you hit away from  the sweet spot, the distance drops off; but not by much. They certainly aren’t the longest game improvement irons but there is enough distance under the hood to get the job done.

Accuracy & Consistency Assessment

“It was hard to find a spot on the face that didn’t produce good ball speed.”

Flight was another story. On serious mis-hits, we were slicing like a sushi chef. But it was hard to make contact with a spot on the face that would produce such slices.

It is easy to be accurate and consistent with these irons. It’s only when you are swinging completely carelessly that you get any deviation.

Taylormade SIM2 Max Pros & Con

Pros:

• Very easy to swing
• Very forgiving
• Performs well in the rough
• Smooth feel
• Good for high handicappers
• Good price

Cons:

• Limited workability
• Muted sound at impact

Overall Score: 97/100

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Other Beginner Irons to Consider

Tour Edge Hot Launch C523

“The Hot Launch C523’s are cavity back irons with a relatively compact shape.”

It’s very easy to launch these 431 stainless steel irons. The wide soles allow for good turf interaction and the high toe design adds forgiveness.

Overall Score: 94/100

Check Out More Reviews Here:

SIM2 Max OS Irons

“The SIM2 Max OS irons are even bigger than the Taylormade SIM2 Max’s.”

This is a great set for beginners. It features an oversized face profile, larger soles, bigger footprint and all the same forgiveness features of the SIM Max’s.

Overall Score: 95/100

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Callaway Mavrik Irons

“The Callaway Mavrik irons feature progressive CG.”

The CG is as low as it can get in the long irons. But as you work your way to the scoring irons, the CG gets higher and higher.

This allows for great control throughout  the set. The tungsten weighting also helps stabilize ball flight even on severe mis-hits.

Overall Score: 96/100

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Our Recommendation

“The Taylormade SIM2 Max irons would be great for players who struggle to make consistent contact.”

They are good for beginners but even better for high handicappers.

If you are having a hard time consistently nailing the sweet spot on your current gamers, you should seriously consider picking up the Taylormade SIM2 Max irons.