50 Words or Less
The TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD driver just wants to do one thing: hit high, right-to-left bombs. Great forgiveness. Stout draw bias. High launch and mid-low spin.
Introduction
TaylorMade is an industry leader when it comes to coining terms, and “Fargiveness” is among their best. It’s also a lot to live up to, but the new Stealth 2 HD driver can bear the burden. With an unprecedented amount of carbon fiber allowing for huge stability gains, this driver can help you hit high, long draws time after time.
Looks
My first thought when I pulled the TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD driver out of its headcover was “throwback.” I’m aware that might seem bizarre for a club with a red, carbon fiber face, but hear me out. The golf industry has been doing colored crowns, matte finishes, and bold graphics for so long, that the clean, gloss black crown feels positively retro. It harkens back to my favorite drivers of all time, the TaylorMade R7s. On close inspection, the carbon fiber in the crown is visible, but there’s no way you can see it from 45 inches away. Similarly, the red ring around the back edge – which I love – is very easy to miss if you’re not looking for it.
The shape of the Stealth 2 HD is round and asymmetrical – a little fuller in the heel but a touch longer on the toe side. That may sound unusual, but, as you can see above, the overall address look is perfectly conventional. As you would expect from a draw biased driver, it sits a little shut in its standard setting, and the alignment aid is positioned slightly toward the heel.
In the bag, the Stealth 2 HD driver is extremely slick. The gloss black of the crown carries over to the sole, and covers most of the club. All the branding is pushed to the heel and toe. The focus is the Assymetric Intertia Generator which is highlighted with red and silver graphics. The dark red ring is more visible from the underside and remains my favorite part of the design.
Finally, the Stealth 2 HD has a very strong stock headcover. The middle red section is patterned to match the carbon fiber face. To me, the “2” embossed in the bottom section is the best design element.
Sound & Feel
Striking a premium ball with the carbon fiber face of the Stealth 2 HD driver creates a beautiful sound. It’s crisp and sizzling, a mid-pitched “snap.” TaylorMade’s last few drivers have all been average to slightly quiet, and this is no exception. Audio feedback comes primarily through the volume which picks up when you leave the center of the face.
Through the hands, the Stealth 2 HD tilts toward a solid feel. There’s some pop, but your hands would not guess that the face is as thin as it is. The feel feedback is clear but not obvious. If you’re not paying some attention to your hands, you can easily think every shot is pure.
Performance
The TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver line consists of three models: the Stealth 2 Plus, Stealth 2, and Stealth 2 HD. According to TaylorMade, the line up is progressive from Plus to HD in forgiveness, launch and spin, and draw bias. My testing showed that the Stealth 2 HD is massively forgiving, strongly draw biased, but an interesting mix when it comes to launch and spin.
First, let’s talk about fargiveness…excuse me, forgiveness. The Stealth 2 HD has it in spades. The most obvious criteria is ball speed, and this club excels there. I hit shots off the far toe that registered 1.45 smash factors. Just as important to consistent distance, this driver has very robust launch and spin. Across one entire testing session, my launch angle only spanned three degrees!
That forgiveness is powered by the heaviest back weight of any Stealth 2 driver – 30 grams. The reason TaylorMade’s engineers have that much discretionary weight is all the carbon fiber. The Stealth 2 HD has twice as much carbon fiber as the original Stealth. Carbon fiber is actually the most used material in this head – there’s more carbon fiber than titanium. All that savings means more weight where it’s useful for creating stability.
Next, let’s get to the draw bias. It is strong. This club wants to go left. It can help cure all but the most outrageous slices. If you naturally hit a straight ball, you will see some powerful draws. Should you have any tendency to go left on your own, you may never see the right side of the course again. If you’d prefer more adjustability in your driver, check out the TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus driver HERE
Finally, there’s the launch and spin. With “High” right in the name (“HD” standing for “High Draw”), I expected high launch, and I got it. Even my shots that started left and went further left flew on high trajectories. What I did not see was anything resembling higher spin. For me, this driver produced mid spin at most. The one caveat is that I hit draws exclusively with this club. If you’re a natural slicer and this club has you hitting straighter shots, your spin numbers will likely be higher.
Conclusion
If high draws are what you dream of hitting off the tee, there may not be a better choice than the TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD driver. This club has tremendous forgiveness and enough draw bias to turn a weak slice into a powerful draw. Get fit for the right shaft and specs, and you’ll be hitting shorter approach shots all season.
Visit TaylorMade HERE
TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD Driver Price & Specs
Matt Saternus
Latest posts by Matt Saternus (see all)
- Edison 2.0 Wedge Review - March 28, 2023
- Tour Edge Exotics C723 Hybrid Review - March 27, 2023
- TRUE Linkswear Lux Hybrid Golf Shoe Review - March 24, 2023
Matt, I haven’t done a “study” but my memory is that with most drivers you test your carry distance is around 250 yards. The Stealth numbers show 261. Is that you or the Stealth?
My carry distance has been as high as 270, it can be lower with a club or shaft that doesn’t fit me as well. This club launches high with pretty low spin, so it’s going to have a lot of carry.
-Matt
Matt, thank you for your review.
For me, not in the bag when « draw bias is in description » .
Stealth 2 would be more interesting match for me.
After previous of your reviews on Titleist, I just bought a Titleist TSR.
I am just more a Titleist’s fan,
Best regards,
More left bias than the Ping SFTs? Or similar
Great review
Andrew,
This is in the same ballpark.
Best,
Matt
What driver make did u carry at 270?
PING G425 Max
How would you describe any performance differences (if any) between the Stealth 2 HD and last year’s Stealth HD?
Jim,
I don’t have head to head data, but my sense is that the new version is lower spinning, more draw biased, and more forgiving.
Best,
Matt
If you have a “baby fade” and tend to stay left at times, will the HD help with that…and a few lessons!
Jim,
This driver has a strong draw bias. If you don’t hit more than a “baby fade,” you won’t see the right side of the course very often.
-Matt
Matt,
Great review, does the HD lose distance to the regular stealth 2? I guess straight is better
Matt,
It depends on the player.
-Matt
Thanks! I currently hit the HD straight but wondering if I should upgrade to the Plus or just 2 for more distance!
Matt,
It might be worth testing in a fitting.
-Matt