The TaylorMade Stealth Irons have been out for a few years now. Judging from the reviews and sales they seem to have been very successful. My perspective on these irons is admittedly a little bias since I ended up purchasing a set for myself. I’ll comment specifically on my experience as well as give you some general information for this TaylorMade Stealth Iron review.
What TaylorMade Says
TaylorMade says that the Stealth Irons are the replacement irons for their SIM2 Max and SIM2 Max OS lines. So the Stealth line would fall into the game improvement category.
Here are some comments from TaylorMade’s website on the Stealth Irons:
EXPECT BETTER SHOTS MORE OFTEN
Golf is an interesting sport. The better you hit it, the fewer shots you take during a round, and the less you actually play golf. Introducing the all-new Stealth™ irons, with an optimized Cap Back™ design for more forgiveness, to help you play less golf, more often.
THE NEW LOOK OF GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS
The new-look Cap Back™ Design with toe wrap construction is engineered to improve face flexibility and deliver faster ball speeds. The multi-material design allows Stealth to eclipse the performance of traditional irons.
FAST AND FORGIVING
Powered by the all-new Cap Back Design with toe wrap construction, Stealth irons feature an intelligently positioned sweet spot that spans the most common impact points, delivering enhanced forgiveness with explosive ball speeds.
HIGH LAUNCHING
Taking mass from the toe and placing it in the sole lowers CG for increased launch angle and peak height, producing a towering ball flight, long carry distances and heavy stopping power.
FORGED IRON FEEL
Hidden inside the Cap Back Design, the ECHO® Damping System spans the full face from the heel to the toe and uses multiple contact points on the face to absorb unwanted vibrations, giving the Stealth iron a solid feel as the ball explodes off the club face.
Looks
Rarely do game improvement irons provide such a good looking club, but this is clearly the route TaylorMade went down in creating the Stealth iron. It replaced both the SIM2 Max and SIM2 Max OS in becoming the single game-improvement iron option in 2022, which simplifies the range nicely for golfers that want even more distance and forgiveness than what is on offer in the P790 model.
While the enclosed cavity concept continues, the Cap Back design has evolved to where the midsection of the toe has been completely removed to lower the CG of the iron, assisting with both ball speed and launch.
Down at address, the Stealth still has all the hallmarks of an iron aimed at the higher handicapper – offset, generous length from heel to toe – in a more refined package than SIM Max. From the rear, the shelf appeal is outstanding. The mix of satin and chrome sections and the carbon fiber effect detailing creates a very appealing look. The irons have the look of very upscale clubs that would generate a premium price tag.
Performance
Review testing showed that the Stealth 7 iron has a 28 degree loft which is half a degree stronger than the SIM2 Max and a half a degree weaker than the SIM2 Max OS. The loft of the clubs seem to fit between last year’s offerings.
The standard shaft offerings are the KBS Max 85 MT Steel shaft is regular or stiff. The graphite standard shaft is the Fujikura Ventus Red Graphite shaft in senior, regular or stiff.
Indoor testing showed that Stealth was 0.5mph faster than SIM2 Max, launched one degree higher and had 900 rpm less spin. This is a slightly concerning reduction, but the fact this iron is faster and flies higher through the air should maintain an element of stopping power. That said, long iron shots will be travelling into the green hot – something to be wary of in the dry summer months.
On average, Stealth was five yards longer than SIM2 Max – much of which will be down to the lofts and the lower spin – but with a similar descent angle into greens. Accuracy for the clubs was very good. The dispersion on ten shots with the 5 iron produced only a 8 yard dispersion circle of the shots.
TaylorMade was able to engineer high launch by moving mass from the toe to the sole which created a launch angle and height that were impressive but also achieved distances that were strong. For many reviewers, that combination resulted in near 6 iron distance with 8 iron height.
One other noteworthy aspect of having the mass positioned along the sole is forgiveness on thin shots. To help maintain ball speed on the low face mishits, TaylorMade continued with their time tested Thru-Slot Speed Pocket design. The face flex technology begins with the 8 iron.
Specifications
My Personal Experience
I needed to replace an older set of Callaway Big Bertha irons. At the time I was taking some tune-up lessons at Golftec. My instructor and I went through a lengthy session of trying out all of the latest irons on the market along with different shaft combinations. As an aside, I highly recommend this process. You can check out your options with them at Golftec.com. After trying out all of the usual suspects we settled on the TaylorMade Stealth Irons with the Recoil Shaft.
Now having played a season with them I have to say I really do agree with TaylorMade’s proclamations on the set. The clubs are forgiving and launch the ball high. The distance I am getting with them is outstanding. My 6 iron shots are rivialing my 5 hybrid. Some of the reviews seem to be concerned with the fact that the clubs produce less spin than the SIM2 models and might be difficult to stop on the greens. I’ve found that I’m taking less club on my approaches and coming in higher. One particular par 5 hole that I play regularly is a good example. I was usually using my 7 on my approach on to the green and am now using my 9 iron landing in front of the green letting it run up on to it.
The feel and sound are appealing to me. Good center hits produce a slight feel and a very satisfying but quiet click. Off center hits produce just the right amount of feedback.
I will more than likely change the grip from the standard Lamkin grip over the winter. Not quite sure to what yet but no rush to make a decision on that right now.
TaylorMade has subsequently come out with the Stealth HD Irons. This is supposed to add a level of game improvement to the clubs producing a higher draw oriented shot pattern. I have not tried these but would be interested in experiencing whether they really make a difference.
Where Can You Buy Them
It looks like the Stealth Irons sets are discounted around $200. If you try them and like them than shop around online for your best deal. Global Golf is a great place to start. Here are a few other places to try:
Stealth Irons | TaylorMade Golf | TaylorMade
TaylorMade Stealth Irons w/ Steel Shafts | PGA TOUR Superstore
TaylorMade Stealth Irons – Up to $100 Off | Golf Galaxy
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