After playing a pivotal role in the performance found in M5 & M6 irons, Speed Bridge technology again takes centre stage in 2020. TaylorMade has built upon this revolutionary technology to deliver more refined performance with SIM Max and SIM Max OS irons.
Speed Bridge is a mass efficient beam that spans across the cavity back of the iron, connecting the back bar to the top line.
This intelligent shaping allows for improved stability in the upper face and supports the top line, preventing unwanted vibrations that create the harsh feels associated with traditional distance irons. The increased rigidity in the top line and upper perimeter of the face delivers improved sound and feel while working in conjunction with a flexible Thru-Slot Speed Pocket™ engineered for increased ball speed and distance.
Thanks to the face stability offered by Speed Bridge, TaylorMade engineers were able to incorporate a Thru-Slot Speed Pocket in SIM Max and SIM Max OS. The slot stretches from heel to toe and completely disconnects the leading edge from the sole of the iron, which in essence creates a free-floating face. The collaborative technologies allow the face to hinge upon the top line for enhanced flexibility, more ball speed and greater forgiveness on shots struck below centre.
Through further analysis, TaylorMade engineers were able to redesign the face and optimise the relationship between the stiffness in the Speed Bridge and the flexibility in the face. The result is a thinner and faster face with a larger sweet spot as compared to the company’s previous model. *
Key Technology
ECHO Damping System – Heightened Feel, Efficient Distance
If you lift the hood on SIM Max and SIM Max OS, you’ll find the all-new ECHO Damping System – the key to providing better feel without sacrificing performance. This uniquely shaped damper design stretches across the entire face (from heel to toe) using multiple contact points for accelerated vibration damping. This high-performance damper design is driven by Vibration Damping Channels that wrap around the entire structure for effortless compression. These channels allow the damper to efficiently compress at impact, giving the material a place to disperse without inhibiting movement in the face.
The ECHO Damping System and Speed Bridge work in unison to deliver forged-like feel. In company testing, SIM Max and Max OS consistently produced impact frequencies (the sound at impact that players interpret as feel) in line with those of forged-construction irons. Collectively, these technologies reduce unwanted vibrations at impact and allow the golfer to get feedback on the strike – a performance characteristic commonly reserved for forged irons.
Progressive Inverted Cone Technology – Each Individual Iron Optimised for Accuracy
TaylorMade’s proven Inverted Cone Technology (ICT) is now uniquely positioned in each SIM Max and SIM Max OS iron to both increase the sweet spot and minimise the effects of common mis-hits. ICT is positioned in the centre of the face on mid irons to deliver performance exactly where golfers need it the most.
TaylorMade’s vast archive of club data shows that longer irons struck towards the toe have a greater tendency to miss to the right. With this in mind, engineers progressively positioned ICT towards the toe in both SIM Max and SIM Max OS to generate a draw bias in the longer irons to minimise the common miss to the right. It’s positioned the furthest toward the toe in the 4-iron.
SIM Max
Designed for the golfer seeking all-around performance in a distance iron, SIM Max is built to deliver fast ball speeds, high launch and forgiveness. It all starts with Speed Bridge – the marquee design element that produces enhanced feel and works in conjunction with the Thru-Slot Speed Pocket to provide incredible distance and forgiveness. The all-new ECHO Damping System contributes to the forge-like feel of the irons, while an ultra-thin 1.5mm face (even thinner than the M5 & M6 irons) delivers increased flexibility across the entire face. A lightweight fluted hosel with a 360 undercut shifts mass from high in the club to the bottom of the sole for a super low CG. These features combine to make SIM Max TaylorMade’s core distance iron.
Specifications, Pricing & Availability
Available for preorder on January 10 and at retail beginning February 7, the SIM Max irons will be offered in 4-PW (7 pc. set with AW, SW, and LW also available) and come equipped with KBS Max 85 steel shafts (S, R) or Fujikura’s Ventus Blue graphite shafts (7S, 6R & 5A). For women, the SIM Max irons will come equipped with the Aldila NV Ladies shaft.
SIM Max has an RRP of £899 steel, £1,049 graphite / €999 steel, €1,149 graphite / NOK 8,999 steel, NOK 10,499 graphite / SEK 9,999 steel, SEK 10,999 graphite / DKK 6,999 steel, DKK 7,999 graphite / CHF 1,149 steel, CHF 1,299 graphite
SIM Max OS
SIM Max OS is equipped with all the same technology that powers SIM Max but bundled into an oversized package with a taller face to increase stability and a wider sole for forgiving turf interaction. The chamfered sole design allows engineers to drive CG low and deep to promote easier launch and significant ball speed. Stronger lofts protect the trajectory and produce a penetrating ball flight that makes SIM Max OS the longest iron in the current TaylorMade line-up.**
Specifications, Pricing & Availability
Available for preorder on January 10 and at retail beginning February 7, the SIM Max OS irons will be offered in 4-PW (7 pc. set with AW, SW, and LW also available) and come equipped with KBS Max 85 steel shafts (S, R) or Fujikura’s Ventus Blue graphite shafts (7S, 6R & 5A). For women, the SIM Max OS irons will come equipped with the Aldila NV Ladies shaft.
SIM Max OS has and RRP of £899 steel, £1,049 graphite / €999 steel, €1,149 graphite / NOK 8,999 steel, NOK 10,499 graphite / SEK 9,999 steel, SEK 10,999 graphite / DKK 6,999 steel, DKK 7,999 graphite / CHF 1,149 steel, CHF 1,299 graphite
* Faster face claim based on SIM Max 7-iron vs. M6 7-iron at better player swing speed.
** Longest iron in the current TaylorMade line-up claim based on SIM Max OS vs. SIM Max, P790, and P790 Ti 7-iron at better player swing speed.
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