Need To Know
When Tiger Woods was seen hitting balls with the new TaylorMade driver at the end of last year, many rumours circulated as to what the new club brought to the 15-time major champion's bag.
The TaylorMade Stealth, Stealth Plus and Stealth HD make up the new three-way family and they come with a dark black head and a unique red clubface.
Read also: Best Golf Drivers 2022
GolfMagic equipment editor Alex Lodge tested the new releases at King's Golf Studio to discover the qualities and differences from previous models.
TaylorMade's new carbonwood marks a new age in driver production and it has proven to be very popular on the PGA Tour.
What is the TaylorMade Stealth driver all about?
It is fair to say that the TaylorMade Stealth Plus model is the flagship club of this new release, but this doesn't take away anything from the rest of the trio.
The face of the TaylorMade Stealth is made of 60 layers of carbon which is different to any club we have seen. This design has been in the making for 20 years as carbon construction has been a technique toyed with for some time.
Carbon is lighter than a titanium face. There is a 17-gram weight difference and this allows for a more efficient energy transfer. This brings a trampoline effect off the clubface.
A carbon face can bring issues with launch angle and spin rate when it is used in different weather conditions, but nano-texture has been used to combat these inconsistencies.
The nano-texture in the clubface means that the TaylorMade Stealth drivers can perform in all conditions. The lighter face also helps to produce higher ball speeds with an easy 2-3 mph increase.
The Stealth faces are 20% bigger than the TaylorMade SIM driver and 10% bigger than the TaylorMade SIM2 driver. This new release also packs in twist face technology and Speed Foam for increased forgiveness.
WATCH OUR FULL TAYLORMADE STEALTH DRIVER REVIEW:
Which golfers should use a TaylorMade Stealth driver?
The Stealth driver is certainly aimed at amateur golfers with its high MOI and high spin rate. Its forgiveness certainly suits mid-to-high handicappers.
The Stealth Plus driver produces a lower flight with less spin and increased distance which is more suited to better players and professional golfers.
Which TaylorMade Stealth driver is right for you?
Here's a helpful table to help you decide which of the TaylorMade Stealth drivers are best suited to your game:
PERFORMANCE | TAYLORMADE STEALTH | TAYLORMADE STEALTH PLUS | TAYLORMADE STEALTH HD |
LAUNCH | MID TO HIGH | MID TO LOW | HIGH |
SPIN | MID | LOW | MID |
FLIGHT BIAS | NEUTRAL | NEUTRAL | DRAW |
FORGIVENESS | HIGH | MID | HIGH |
Looks
The TaylorMade Stealth drivers have a distinctly different look to any driver that the well-known brand has ever produced or any brand for that matter.
The face is red with the middle of the clubface surrounded by black and white highlights. The head is a smart dark black and red with the latter colour being a primary focus of the design.
The TaylorMade Stealth Plus driver looks and feels amazing and so does the TaylorMade Stealth driver, which is more forgiving.
Sound and Feel
As Alex shows first with the TaylorMade Stealth Plus (£499), the connection feels springy off the clubface, but it also has a metallic feel.
Alex noticed a huge difference in the feel of the TaylorMade Stealth models compared to any driver he has used before. You will almost feel a trampoline effect as you strike the ball.
Performance: Distance, Ball Speed, Accuracy and Forgiveness
The Stealth Plus is low spin and produces great distances off the tee and even better ball speeds. Alex was particularly stunned at the latter.
Alex achieved a ball speed of up to 179.1 mph and a smash factor of 1.48, which is mightily impressive and shows that the TaylorMade Stealth Plus will improve your ball-striking.
On the whole, Alex averaged 328 yards, 177.7 mph ball speed, 1.47 in smash factor and 120.8 in clubhead speed. All very pleasing numbers from an impressive new driver.
Finding the middle of the clubface is extremely important with the Stealth Plus driver as it isn't as forgiving as the regular Stealth club.
With the same shaft, the TaylorMade Stealth produced a higher launch angle but the ball speeds didn't diminish much compared to the Stealth Plus.
The spin rate was much higher and Alex found less distance with the TaylorMade Stealth club. The Stealth Plus produces a lower launch angle which was more penetrating.
Alex found that his dispersion and accuracy were improved with the TaylorMade Stealth driver, but the spin rate and launch angle also increased too.
The ball speed remained extremely impressive which signifies that this TaylorMade Stealth family has qualities that please golfers of all abilities.
Verdict
Alex is a fan of the whole Stealth family. Many drivers feel the same when they get released in the new year, but TaylorMade has created something very unique.
The ball speed consistency and the spin rate which Alex found with the TaylorMade Stealth Plus was something he'd never seen before.
Alex has achieved 2-3 pmh more in ball speed between the old TaylorMade SIM2 driver and the new TaylorMade Stealth Plus.
The Stealth Plus is the more expensive model at £499.00. This is a £50.00 increase from last year's SIM2 driver. This is also £30.00 more than the regular Stealth driver (£469.00).
The metallic sound and feel when you connect with your ball is incredible and it offers you a ball-striking experience that you've never had before.
