50 Words or Less
Introduction
TaylorMade’s model last season was to introduce a flagship driver with lots of adjustability (R15) and a less expensive model without any (AeroBurner). They’re repeating that trend this year with M1 and M2, albeit at higher prices. Ironically, last year, many players found AeroBurner more impressive than R15. Will the same pattern emerge this year?
Looks
At address, the TaylorMade M2 driver is identical to the M1. Near the ball the ball the crown is white, but about an inch back it transitions to a grey carbon fiber. As I said about the M1, it’s the most distinctive looking driver out right now, but it’s up to the individual golfer to decide if it’s a good kind of distinctive.
Sound & Feel
Performance
Golfers who played or tested last year’s AeroBurner will know exactly what to expect from the M2 driver: solid forgiveness, mid-launch, low spin, and a draw bias. In terms of both ball speed and direction, the M2 performs well on mishits. When you do catch it flush, the spin is quite low, leading to penetrating shots with substantial roll. The one group of golfers who should avoid M2 are hookers – the M2 is not as draw-biased as AeroBurner, but it definitely wants to go left.
The M2’s $100 jump in price over last year’s AeroBurner is justified mainly by two things: adjustability and shaft options. Where the AeroBurner had a fixed hosel, the M2 has 4 degrees of adjustability (2 up, 2 down) allowing for substantial changes in ball flight. Additionally, like the M1, the M2 driver comes with a number of no-upcharge shaft options from different makers in different weights and profiles. This is something you should absolutely take advantage of if you’re going to purchase an M2.
Conclusion
Buy the TaylorMade M2 Driver HERE
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Matt Saternus
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What are your top 5??
Tim,
PING G is #1 by a lot. After that, all of the new Cobra drivers are pretty impressive, I’m still a big fan of the Big Bertha Alpha 816, the Wilson FG Tour F5 is solid. As I said, the M2 is adequate, it just doesn’t do anything for me.
Best,
Matt
I agree, I’ve tested all the new drivers and for me the ping and cobra win. The Ping gave me the best numbers while the cobra wasn’t too far behind. Id be interested to hit the Srixon, Mizuno and Bridgestone drivers but those are tougher for me to get my hands on.
Tim,
Shaft recs for the M2? I’m 240 carry dist who draws the ball, swing speed high 90’s, 102 on good days, average height ball flight. Current titleist 909 who had similar numbers with 909 and 915 on launch monitor.
Thxs
Jim,
We are strong advocates of fitting, so we don’t make shaft recommendations. Honestly, no one should be making shaft recommendations without seeing the person swinging in front of them.
Best,
Matt
I agree would never buy a driver without being fit first. But I will hit as many drivers as I can, and narrow it down to a few before I go to a fitting. I can eliminate some drivers by just not liking the look of it or the sound or feel.
Tim,
Absolutely, that’s a great first step. It keeps you from wasting what another reader dubbed “fitting minutes.”
Best,
Matt
Thanks Matt, appreciate your unbiased advice .
Matt, will you do a review of the M2 fairway wood?
And how does the Titleist 915 D2 compare to your favorite driver Ping G?
Stanley,
Yes, we have a review of the M2 FW scheduled for mid-March.
To be blunt, the Titleist 915 D2 is trash compared to the PING G. Much higher spinning, much less forgiving, and slower.
Best,
Matt
Come on Matt! Don’t sugar coat what you think! Haha. Continuing to enjoy the no Bull&*&^ reviews.
Thanks, Matt. Curious about your comment on the Titleist 915 D2, I brought it to the Taylor Made fitting lab and hit that side by side with the M1.
Clubhead speed and launch numbers very similar at 110 and 10-12 range respectively. Curiously, M1 had marginally higher ballspeed. The main difference was spin, as M1 averaged 2000 while 915 D2 averaged 500 RPMs higher. The M1 therefore had lower peak height, longer carry, shallower descend angle, and thus lots more roll. 15 yards difference between the two.
Maybe part of the difference came from the shaft length (M1 0.5 inch longer) and shaft (Aldila Rogue Silver 70x for the M1 and Aldila Rogue Black 70x for the 915 D2.) The fitter said the silver works better for me because I need a stiffer tip.
Regardless of the reason, this confirms your saying that the 915 D2 is higher spinning and slower.
I’ll second Matt’s thoughts, but with some pretty real world experience. I had the 915 D2 bagged for awhile, liked the feel of it, but just felt I wasn’t really getting anywhere with it. Sure enough, during one of our Club Champion Myhtbusting test days, I jumped in one of the other bays with my D2 alongside my old Cobra Fly-Z+. Man, I was losing crazy yardage on rollout alone with the Titleist compared to the Cobra. I honestly picked up about 30 yards total distance making that switch, and now I’m playing all Cobra woods…and couldn’t be happier with that move.
I think the Titleist is a fine enough club in the right hands, but it’s definitely not doing the regular mortal golfer any favors.
I beg to differ in that this M2 should be one of the top drivers around today. I got one couple of weeks ago with an Ozik, 50 gram shaft, regular. I get 10 yards more than my Nike, Callaway, and Titliest drivers. This one is in the bag.
I can’t miss with this M2, at least not yet. but I mark where I hit on the face and when I miss on the bottom, or toe, or hozel, I may lose 10 yards carry, but man, it’s in the fairway.
I’m a 10.7 index right now.
So this club is very forgiving. It takes a really really bad swing to hit a bad ball. I can’t seem to slice it OB. I do pull it, as it is a draw bias club. However, to pull it, have to be a really really bad swing.
This club is for everybody who wants to just swing the driver at ball without any swing thoughts. Cause, I’m finding out, 90% just seem to find the fairway, or close to it.
Buy this club, I say…
I was fitted yesterday by my asst pro, hitting all the new drivers. I was surprised when we found that I consistently had more carry/roll with M2 than anything else. I did not expect to buy an M2. Biggest disappointment was the G.
Enjoyed your commentary….somewhat eye opening
I was just fitted, I am a 8.7 index, driver swing speed in the low 20’s. I spent hours hitting every driver. Narrowed to the G, M1, 915 d2 (I am coming from a 913 d2). Really hit the M1 best. Then the pro handed me an M2 with an xstiff shaft. The ball exploded. consistently hitting the ball 30 yards further than the 915 with similar shaft configuration, and 20 plus further than the G and M1. Once we honed in the shaft I was averaging 295 yards carry with a long of 325 yards. This distance with a higher than I would like launch angle… WOW! A couple degree drop and I should pick up additional yardage. I was easily controlling my draw and cuts. I liked it best and fit how I swing and what I want.
Anyhow mine was shipped today and should be her by Friday, just in time for weekend tournament.