By James Hunt – Feb 27, 2024
(Reviewed by Coach Erik Schjolberg)
Contents
Key Takeaways
- Very fast ball speeds
- Forgiveness is fantastic
- Slick design that is unmatched
- Incredible sound and feel
I am a big golf fanatic with an interest in everything golf. What’s out there? Can it help my game? If it can’t help me, who can benefit? As a 10.6 handicap in the American golf Mecca of Myrtle Beach, I can easily put golf gear through its paces.
Recently I had the chance to test out the new TaylorMade driver, the Stealth 2. I tested Stealth 2 for just under two weeks and had three range sessions and two rounds on the course with it. I used my Rapsodo PLM on the range to collect shot data points.
Summary of the TaylorMade Stealth 2 Driver
“More carbon, more forgiveness” is the slogan in the second chapter of the Carbonwood era at TaylorMade.This is achieved with more strong and lighter carbon fiber.
The 60x Twist Face has been enhanced to maintain ball speed on off-center strikes, and a carbon-reinforced composite ring strengthens the club as a whole and reduces weight. A 25-gram weight in the rear helps with club speed and launch, and a TPS Front Weight is positioned forward and near the heel to provide optimal launch and low spin rates.
TaylorMade Stealth 2 Driver Lineup:
- Stealth 2 – The best mix of forgiveness and distance
- Stealth 2 HD – Draw bias with higher launch
- Stealth 2 Plus – Sliding weight, lowest spin, longest distances
TaylorMade Stealth 2 Driver Review
Available Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, and 12°
Launch: Mid
Spin: Low
Adjustable Hosel: Yes
Pros:
- As long as any club tested prior
- Impact sound is unique and perfect
- Heel to toe, crown to sole, driver head cover to grip, a total masterpiece
- A springy like feel that makes you feel like you’re hitting bombs every time
Cons:
- No adjustable weight
- Misses were bad misses
Stealth 2 Driver Full Review
- 60x Carbon Twist Face – Upgraded version of the original Carbon face with more forgiveness
- Positioned Weights – 25-gram weight near the back and a TPS weight towards the front act as an inertia generator and provide ideal launch and spin rates for all golfers
- Inverted Cone Technology – an expanded Coefficient of Restitution (COR) zone means you get more ball speed and distance on off-center hits
- Unique Sound – Club head shape and internal rib structure, along with the carbon face give Stealth 2 its name with a muted stealthy sound only found in the Stealth 2
- Adjustable Hosel – The 4° loft sleeve allows for adjustment of the stated loft +/- 2°
Testing the Stealth2
I was lucky enough to have the Stealth 2 for almost two weeks. Tearing up the range three times, and finding fairways in two rounds on the course.
Stealth 2 Driver Experience
That joyous long rectangle box at my door didn’t sit for long. I was eager to open it up and see this thing up close. It’s a work of art, really. The first thing I noticed, and it was a concern, was how tacky the face felt. It gave me major concerns about spin control, especially side spin.
My miss off the tee is right. Sliceville, USA. However, over time I have tempered the slice, and find myself quite reliable off the tee. Out of 99 rounds tracked in the last two years, I hit 61% of fairways. That’s the same as Viktor Hovland and Shane Lowry. Granted much different circumstances.
Taking the Stealth 2 out to the range a few times, the slice reared its ugly head. The first several strikes were found going wide right. I knew an adjustment in swing speed was needed to keep my drives in the fairway with this beast. I found the right combination, and with the two rounds I played with the Stealth 2 I hit 83.3% and 69.2% of the fairways. Pretty incredible increase!
With launch data on the range, I wasn’t overly impressed with the numbers. 239 carry and 254 total. Factor -10% using range balls, that is roughly 263 carry and 279 total with a premium ball. However, one round I played was on my home course, Ole Faithful, and holes I was used to hitting 6-7 iron into the green with, I was using 7- 8 and even 9 iron. This could have been the weather, my swing being on that day, or something else (wink wink), but it was interesting nonetheless.
The most impressive part of Stealth 2 noted by both me and my playing partners, was the sound and feel. We decided that’s how Stealth got its name. It is almost quiet, but not in a bad way at all. Very pleasing sound on impact. Satisfying. Almost as satisfying as the feel. You can feel almost a spring-like effect at impact. Those 60 layers of carbon springing the ball across the course.
I didn’t miss too many fairways, but when I did, I was OB or in the trees. I wasn’t finding any slight mishits at all. It was either on (mostly) or way off (rarely). This could be swing flaws of my own, but something worth noting. I tried hitting a few draws but was unable to. Again, could be my swing speed issues, but I can certainly draw my gamer. Not a major concern, but worth mentioning.
My Grading of the Stealth2 Driver
Distance (A)
Forgiveness (A)
Playability (C)
Looks (A+)
Sound and Feel (A+)
Customer Reviews
Bottom Line – Why Consider the Taylormade Stealth 2 Driver?
“Switching from a previous TaylorMade driver will likely lead to improved distance and dispersion. Even if you were previously using the original Stealth from an OEM, you can expect consistent performance with the added benefits of enhanced appearance, sound, and feel.”
Available Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, and 12°
Launch: Mid
Spin: Low
Adjustable Hosel: Yes
Pros:
- As long as any club tested prior
- Impact sound is unique and perfect
- Heel to toe, crown to sole, driver head cover to grip, a total masterpiece
- A springy feel that makes you feel like you’re hitting bombs every time
Cons:
- No adjustable weight
- Misses were bad misses
Who is the New Stealth 2 Driver For?
Low Handicap (Maybe)
“A lower handicapper with a weakness off the tee should consider the Stealth 2, while the Stealth 2 Plus is a better option for others.”
Mid Handicap (YES)
This is the perfect driver for a mid-handicap player.
High Handicap (YES)
Given its forgiveness factors, a high handicap player could find this fitting their game (spoiler alert: it won our Best Beginner Driver award!).
Alternate Choices
- Ping G430 Max – Comparable distance and forgiveness in the Ping line
- Callaway Paradym – Movable weight makes it slightly different, but performance is on par with Stealth 2
- Cobra Aerojet – Aerodynamic shaping creates faster ball speed and great distance gains
- TaylorMade Stealth Driver (our review here) – Yes, Taylormade’s original model is still a good driver today.
My Final Verdict on the Stealth 2 TaylorMade Driver
The Stealth 2 Taylormade driver is an amazing club, upon testing the new driver, I found that while there were no significant distance gains compared to my previous one, the driver’s FARgiveness slogan holds.
Differentiating a mishit from a well-struck shot was challenging, with only a subtle change in feel upon impact. Overall, this driver helps maintain momentum during a round, especially on days when my tee shots are off.
My gamer has been a reliable club in my bag for nearly two years, and I had no intentions of replacing it this year, but the Stealth 2 makes a case to crack open the piggy bank. One thing is for sure, you will want to see what fits your game the best.
The UTry Program with Globalgolf.com offers invaluable real-world testing on clubs before investing. I recommend giving it a try to see if the Stealth 2 fits your bag as well as I think it will fit mine.
FAQ
Most commonly asked questions.
Yes, the TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver is extremely forgiving. If you are a golfer with a weakness hitting off the tee, the Stealth 2 will be perfect.
The disparity between the Stealth 2 and Stealth 2 Plus lies in their forgiveness.
The Taylormade Stealth 2 driver is highly adjustable; you can customize the loft sleeve at a +/- 1.5° angle, as well as many other shaft options available.
Yes, the TaylorMade Stealth2 driver is worth buying, especially if you are a mid to high-handicapper who isn’t very strong off the tee and could benefit from a club that increases forgiveness.
The Taylormade Stealth 2 release date was February 17th, 2023
Available Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, and 12°
Launch: Mid
Spin: Low
Adjustable Hosel: Yes
Pros:
- As long as any club tested prior
- Impact sound is unique and perfect
- Heel to toe, crown to sole, driver head cover to grip, a total masterpiece
- A springy feel that makes you feel like you’re hitting bombs every time
Cons:
- No adjustable weight
- Misses were bad misses
About the Author
By James Hunt – Last Updated on Feb 27, 2024
Expertise:
James is an avid golfer and equipment tester here at Swing Yard. He’s currently living in the golf mecca of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He first started playing golf at age of 11 with his Dad on the weekends. Just last spring, James was finally able to take his dad on a bucket list trip to The Masters! At a current handicap of 9, and consistently breaking 80, James is working hard to get closer and closer to breaking Par. Give James’s full bio a read for more info.
Reviewed By:
By Coach Erik Schjolberg – Last Reviewed on Feb 27, 2024
Expertise:
Coach Erik actively coaches several PGA Tour Professionals. He’s the head golf instructor and writer here at Swing Yard, was voted the “#1 Golf Coach in Scottsdale, Arizona”, and has been coaching for over 20+ years. Erik also owns and operates his own online golf school, EJS Golf Academy. His other credentials include: Active PGA Coaches Membership, Titleist TPI Level 1 and 2, Trackman Certified Level 1, Dr. Kwon’s Biomechanics Level I and II, Scott Cowx Certified Level I Advanced, BodiTrack and V1 Sports Pressure Mat Certified, Titleist Club Fitting and Ball Fitting Certified, PGA Hope, and Sportsbox AI. Check out Erik’s full bio and certifications for more info.