Big Bertha B21 vs Taylormade Sim Max Irons 2023 Review & Specs

If you are looking to add more speed and distance to your repertoire you have probably taken at least a cursory look at the two iron sets that we are going to be comparing today.

You can’t mention speed irons without talking about these two iron sets.

But there are a lot of features packed into each set. And not all these features will be universally beneficial. As always, some self-awareness is required in order to avoid buyer’s remorse.

But to give you the best shot at landing the iron set of your dreams, we have done some of your homework for you in today’s review that takes a look at two of the best-performing speed iron sets on the market.

Key Features Of The Callaway Big Bertha B21 Irons

Callaway really broke the mold when they introduced an iron set with A.I. technology.

The Callaway Big Bertha B21 irons come with A.I. designed flash face cup technology which is similar to the 360 Face Cup design of previous Callaway clubs.

But it takes things a bit further. Each iron in the set has a face architecture that is unique to all other clubs in the set.

The result is an iron that launches the ball hot off the face. You get more ball speed, more spin consistency and a better launch angle.

Key Features Of The TaylorMade Sim Max Irons

The Sim Max irons are all about giving you better ball speed on less than perfect shots.

The Speed Pocket technology used to create the Sim Max’s (and other TaylorMade irons) effectively expands the sweet spot.

Or more accurately, it increases face flex across a broader portion of the face.

Whereas you might get minimal ball speed on a strike near the lower face region of other irons, you still get a good amount of ball speed on strikes that are near the toe, heel, lower or upper face with the Sim Max’s.

Quick Loft Comparison Chart

Club

TaylorMade Sim Max Loft

Callaway Big Bertha B21 Loft

4 Iron

19°

19°

5 Iron

21.5°

22°

6 Iron

25°

25°

7 Iron

28.5°

29°

8 Iron

32.5°

33°

9 Iron

38°

38°

PW

43.5°

43°

Callaway Big Bertha B21 Set Options

With the Callaway Big Bertha B21 irons you get to choose between left and right hand orientations. You also get to choose between steel and graphite shafts.

There are also a wide variety of configuration options to choose from which we won’t get into with great detail here.

Just know that you can choose any iron configuration under the sun from 4 to SW. And as far as flex options go you can choose from light, regular and stiff.

TaylorMade Sim Max Set Options

You can get a TaylorMade Sim Max iron set in either right or left hand orientation.

You can also choose between a Ventus Blue graphite shaft in amateur, regular or senior flex or a steel KBS Max 85 shaft in stiff or regular flex.

Quick Length & Lie Comparison Chart

Club

TaylorMade Sim Max Lie/Length

Callaway Big Bertha B21 Lie/Length

4 Iron

61.5” / 39.125”

60.5” / 38.75”

5 Iron

62” / 38.50”

61.25” / 38.125”

6 Iron

62.5” / 37.88”

62” / 37.50”

7 Iron

63” / 37.25”

62.5” / 37”

8 Iron

63.5” / 36.75”

63” / 36.50”

9 Iron

64” / 36.25”

63.5” / 36”

PW

64.5” / 35.75”

64” / 35.75”

Who Is Each Set For?

From our testing, we got the distinct impression that the Callaway Big Bertha B21’s were designed with the more advanced player in mind. You can actually work these clubs pretty well and get a decent amount of spin if you want to.

This would be helpful for any player trying to fine tune their approach game. With the Sim Max irons, we found it a bit more difficult to get any spin out of them. Which is certainly a good thing if you are looking for maximum speed and distance.

The Sim Max’s are also more forgiving all around so mid to high handicappers would feel more comfortable with them – at least in our humble opinion.

Composition Comparison

Sim Max Shaft Options

There isn’t much that separates these two iron sets in terms of composition. Both come in your choice of steel or graphite shafts. And the heads are all stainless steel. In fact, the center of gravity design is almost identical between these two iron sets.

The face construction is really the most significant difference. The Callaway Big Bertha B21’s feature unique Flash Face cup architecture for each iron while the Sim Max set actually has a disjointed lower face from the sole to form a more free floating face that launches the ball very fast.

Performance Comparison

Right off the bat, you get exceptional ball speed from both of these irons. But if you like to hit your balls a bit chunkier on approaches for better spin, the Callaway Big Bertha B21’s will perform better for you.

They are reasonably forgiving in terms of slicing too because of the decent offset. So if slicing or right miss is a problem for you, these Callway’s can help. They also launch at higher angles.

Overall though, the Sim Max irons were more forgiving. If you are a mid to high handicapper, you should get better ball speed overall with the Sim Max’s (just less spin control).

Price Comparison

You can get a complete set of Callaway Big Bertha B21 irons for about $1000 at most retailers.

The Sim Max irons are a bit more affordable at $900 for a complete set.

Callaway Big Bertha B21 Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • AI flash face cup technology
  • Pronounced offset
  • Thicker top line
  • Helps correct right misses
  • Deep center of gravity
  • High launch angle

Cons:

  • More for advanced players
  • Less affordable
  • “Clicky” ball impact
  • Less feedback in the short irons

Overall Score: 97/100

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TaylorMade Sim Max Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Better for high handicappers
  • More affordable
  • Floating face technology
  • Progressive inverted cone
  • Advanced vibration dampening system
  • Very fast

Cons:

  • Less spin control
  • Thinner top line
  • Less grip options
  • Weaker launch angle

Overall Score: 97/100

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Final Assessment

If you can’t already tell, these two iron sets have very specific target audiences. If you are a more advanced player looking for greenside spin control, the Callaway Big Bertha B21’s are the better set.

But if you could use a decent amount of forgiveness from your irons, the TaylorMade Sim Max’s are the wiser choice. So take a fearless moral inventory of your game (to steal a phrase from recovering alcoholics) and then check these sets out for yourself.