TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD driver review
What’s new? How much does it cost? And how does it perform? Jack Backhouse brings you the low down on the new Taylormade Stealth 2 HD driver
How does the most forgiving of TaylorMade’s new Stealth 2 drivers perform? Find out in our TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD driver review.
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TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD driver review: NCG Summary
NCG SUMMARY
This driver blew me away. TaylorMade have upgraded the aesthetics in the Stealth 2, and with its round shape, it has a classic feel about it.
The only giveaways that this is a draw-biased driver are a weight on the sole further down towards the heel and that your ball doesn’t go to the right anymore.
This driver will suit players who hit the ball low and/or slice the ball, which is nearly all golfers.
PROS
- Hugely forgiving
- Great launch characteristics
- Draw features really work
CONS
- Limited stock shaft options
First Impressions
I really like the changes TaylorMade have made to the Stealth 2. The crown being glossy instead of matte gives you a more classic feel, and I think it’s brilliant that although it is a draw-biased driver, when you stand over the ball you can’t tell.
NCG Review
TaylorMade are right on the money with the new Stealth 2 HD driver. It has all of the looks of a players club that golfers want, with all the technology to straighten out the ball flight, which is what all golfers need. I love that the draw bias is subtle and not so in your face as it can be with other brands.
My first shot with the Stealth 2 HD was a high bomb with a touch of draw that was remarkably easy to create. I didn’t feel like I had to work at all to get the ball turning over at all, and the ball seemed to launch in a completely different flight window compared to the other two Stealth 2 drivers.
I wouldn’t normally go anywhere near a draw-biased driver, with my bad shot normally being a low hook, so I wasn’t sure how I would get on with the Stealth 2 HD. I was quickly blown away by how easy to hit the driver was and how well the miss-hit shots performed.
This isn’t the longest of the Stealth 2 drivers, and that did show for me with the carry distances I achieved, not breaking any personal records, but this isn’t the point.
The point of the Stealth 2 is to give players who struggle with tee shots a driver that is easy to launch, performs well on off-centre hits and gets the ball in play more often, and that is exactly what the Stealth 2 HD delivers.
TaylorMade have added more carbon to the Stealth 2 and have been able to save weight around the head, which allows them to add more to the heel and move the centre of gravity further back and closer to the heel to provide maximum launch and maximum draw.
The new face design features an advanced version of Inverted Cone Technology (ICT) to help maintain ball speed on off-centre strikes and increase forgiveness. It also features a flexible speed pocket in the sole, which boosts performance on low-face strikes.
I believe that this driver is going to be a real hit in 2023. It is remarkably easy to hit, and because of it’s good looks, it will appeal to more than just the slicers of the golfing world.
I am sure there are golfers out there that hit the ball far enough, so just want a new driver that is more forgiving and easier to get into play. The Stealth 2 HD is precisely the driver these golfers are looking for.
This is the only draw-biased driver I have ever considered putting in my bag. Before taking it out for tournament play, it would need to be finely tuned and tested to ensure I am not likely to hit my confidence-shattering low left shot, but I can’t look past how easy it is to use.
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TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD driver review: The Details
Available: Now
RRP: £499
Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12°
Featured shaft: Fujikura Speeder NX Red: S (60g) R & A (50g)
More information: TaylorMade Website
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Jack Backhouse
Jack is a PGA Golf Professional who specialises in coaching, teaching golf to beginners and top-level amateurs for 10+ years. He also loves his golf equipment and analysing the data of the latest clubs on the market using launch monitors, specialising in blade irons and low-spinning drivers despite having a chronically low ball flight.
Although Jack has no formal journalism training, He has been reading What's In The Bag articles since he started playing at 12 and studying golf swings since his dad first filmed his swing to reveal one of the worst over-the-top slice swings he reckons has ever been recorded, which set him off on the path to be a coach. His favourite club ever owned was a Ping G10 driver bought from a local top amateur with the hope that some of the quality golf shots would come with it (they didn't), and worst was a Nike SQ driver he only bought because Tiger was using it.
Jack is a member of Sand Moor Golf Club and regularly gets out on the golf course to prepare for tournaments. Jack uses a TaylorMade BRNR Mini driver, a half set of TaylorMade P7MB irons, MG4 wedges and a TaylorMade TP Reserve putter.
