By Coach Erik Schjolberg – Jan 15, 2024
Key Takeaways
- The ONLY driver on the market with a carbon fiber face
- Stealth Plus is TaylorMade’s low spin option in the Stealth lineup
- As a “players driver” Stealth Plus is best suited for lower handicap players (15 and under)
- Sliding 10 gram weight and adjustable hosel for fine tuned ball flight
- Explosive ball speeds and low spin provides improved distance over SIM2
The TaylorMade Stealth Plus driver is TM’s low-spin offering in this driver family.
Aside from the obvious moveable weight track on the bottom and a silver accent towards the back of the club, it looks and feels almost identical to the Stealth; however, it magically plays about 400-500rpm lower!
We’ve also got the Stealth 2 PLUS review here if you’re looking for the latest model.
TaylorMade Stealth Plus Driver Review
Lofts Available: 8⁰ (RH only), 9⁰, 10.5⁰
Shaft Options: Yes
Pros:
- Ball speed is EXCELLENT
- Very solid head through contact
- Low spin and launch are tuned for distance
- Flashy looks! We get some chrome on this bad boy
Cons:
- Tuning is a MUST for this driver
- Low spin and launch will be too much for many to effectively handle
- Price… ouch
Lofts Available
8⁰ (RH only), 9⁰, 10.5⁰
Handicap Range
Scratch to 15 handicaps in my opinion. This driver will be too low spin and launch for players who can’t elevate the ball well.
Technical Review
The TaylorMade Stealth Plus Driver retains all the benefits of the Stealth model but comes in a low-spin, low-launch package. This driver is designed for fast swingers who want to bomb the fairway and keep the ball rolling.
In addition to the 60x Carbon Twist Face and “Asymmetric Inertia Generator” (read, aerodynamic shaping) technology, the Stealth Plus features a sliding 10g weight that is wildly reminiscent of the SLDR driver.
Those of you who recall playing the SLDR will remember that it represented a big shift in driver tech and was another HOT face.
The Stealth Plus accomplishes the same and provides a proper recipe for hitting the ball far by combining low spin and low launch for extra roll-out.
Shaft Options
The pure stock option currently includes either a Project X Hzrdus Smoke, Red RDX, or Mitsubishi Kai’li shaft, but other options are available for customization including choices from Aldila, Fujikura, Graphite Design, KBS, LAGP, Mitsubishi, Project X, and UST.
Many of these choices are at zero upcharge with most premium options adding an extra $250.
Performance
Hitting this driver was an eye-opener for me.
First and foremost, it retains the superb feel of the Stealth model, but nukes the spin numbers.
My initial testing with this driver produced spin in the neighborhood of 1800 rpm and 9⁰ launch angle, which yielded blistering rockets that hovered above the ground and rolled out to 280y easily.
While very cool and fun to hit, I prefer to have more carry distance in my ball flight for drives.
Thanks to TM’s superb adjustable hosel I raised my loft to 10.5⁰ and started bombing fairways. Note, that this adjustment also closes the face angle by 3⁰, which enhances an already strong draw.
An alternative to better carry distance was also achieved by switching out the Hzrdus Smoke RDX Black for an RDX Red.
An aside — for those of you who have never played a modern TM driver, I suggest you check out their online manual regarding hosel settings. I think TM has one of the most comprehensive approaches to fine-tuning your driver in the game and it paid off when hitting this beast.
After some adjustments and testing, we finally got the fit right, and boy was it worth it!
I said it before in the Stealth standard section; ball speed is the name of the game here. With the launch and spin dialed in I was cranking the ball to 165-167mph with around 110mph swing speed.
This produced carries out to 292 yards with a playable draw shot shape producing roll out easily in the 310+ yard range.
Smashing the ball was downright addicting to the point where accuracy began to suffer purely for the sake of seeing how far I could smoke it. Pairing this with a ProV1x or TP5x will be a dangerous combination for the elusive drivable Par 4s.
Looks
The TaylorMade Stealth Plus shares identical looks to the Stealth but for the sliding weights, and a silver/chrome accent at the butt-end of the driver head.
I like the additional flair of the Stealth Plus, but all around the Stealth family are beautiful drivers.
Sound and Feel
As with looks, there isn’t too much variation here from the Stealth. The Stealth Plus has a slightly more solid feel when striking the ball and retains a pinch more stability overall.
While the Stealth may deflect a touch more with an off-hit, the Stealth Plus will power through it (potentially producing a push or pull).
Pros
- Flashy looks! We get some chrome on this bad boy
- Low spin and launch are tuned for distance
- Ball speed is EXCELLENT
- Very solid head through contact
Cons
- Tuning is a MUST for this driver
- Low spin and launch will be too much for many to effectively handle
- Price… ouch
The Bottom Line
This driver absolutely SMOKES golf balls once you have it set up properly!
Swing speed and the ability to get the ball in the air are a must for this edition of the Stealth as well as proper tuning.
I jumped into testing using a stock shaft (Hzrdus Smoke Black line) that I’m most familiar with to keep consistent with most of the other drivers I’ve hit, and it just didn’t fit the bill.
Adjusting for a loft or a higher spin/launch shaft helped this driver find the sweet spot. For those of you not afraid to tinker, this is a must-try. Buyer beware though, you’ll try to hit too many greens in one.
Lofts Available: 8⁰ (RH only), 9⁰, 10.5⁰
Shaft Options: Yes
Pros:
- Ball speed is EXCELLENT
- Very solid head through contact
- Low spin and launch are tuned for distance
- Flashy looks! We get some chrome on this bad boy
Cons:
- Tuning is a MUST for this driver
- Low spin and launch will be too much for many to effectively handle
- Price… ouch
Other Drivers in the TaylorMade Stealth Family
There are 2 more drivers in the Stealth family. If you’re looking for a little more forgiveness and/or help in getting some more launch on your driver strikes, check out our article on the TaylorMade Stealth Driver Review. The Stealth vs Stealth Plus is going to be a more forgiving option.
And if you’re someone who’s struggling with a slice, or you just want to play more draws off the tee, then give our article on the TaylorMade Stealth HD Driver a read.
Alternate Choices to the TaylorMade Stealth Plus Driver
Ping G425 LST
I still love the Ping G425 line from 2020, Ping’s most recent driver release (since they only release new drivers every few years). The Ping G425 LST is going to be their low-spin option, and the most comparable to the Stealth Plus driver in my opinion.
TaylorMade SIM 2
If you want to stick with TaylorMade, but don’t want to fork out the cash for the new carbon fiber family… the SIM2 line is still a great option. The TaylorMade SIM 2 Driver is their standard model and their low spin option and compares to the Stealth Plus driver.
List of All the TaylorMade Drivers by Year
Don’t see what you’re looking for? We’ve compiled a list of all the TaylorMade drivers and the year each was released right here if you want to check that out.
Best Drivers for 2024
If you’re looking for more of a roundup “Ranking” type list… we’ve done an intense review of the absolute BEST drivers 2024 (all being in the class comparable to the Stealth Plus). Find out where the TaylorMade Stealth Plus ranked in our best drivers for 2024.
FAQ
Note – Some of these FAQs were covered throughout the article, but I still get these questions a lot… so here are the “short and sweet” answers to the most common questions:
The TaylorMade Stealth Plus Driver is the longest-hitting driver in the TaylorMade Stealth driver family in my opinion. It has the most carry and rollout of the 3 drivers. But you’ll need to be a big swinger to get the ball in the air high enough to take advantage.
The difference between the Stealth and the Stealth Plus driver is that the Plus model reduces spin by about 500 rpms, causing a lower launch angle. There is also a shot bias adjustment track on the Stealth Plus driver, which is absent on the Stealth standard model.
The TaylorMade Stealth Plus driver is decently forgiving in my opinion, pretty much all the newer drivers are. But it’s the least forgiving of the entire Stealth family. It’s for advanced golfers who can control their shots.
1. To adjust the TaylorMade Stealth Plus Driver, you’ll first need a golf-specific torque wrench (it doesn’t matter what brand)
2. Using the wrench, simply unscrew the head from the hosel
3. Use the chart below in the next section to determine which hosel position you want
4. Connect the hosel back to the driver’s head at the desired location
5. Screw the hosel screw back down and tighten the screw until the torque wrench “ratchets”
Lofts Available: 8⁰ (RH only), 9⁰, 10.5⁰
Shaft Options: Yes
Pros:
- Ball speed is EXCELLENT
- Very solid head through contact
- Low spin and launch are tuned for distance
- Flashy looks! We get some chrome on this bad boy
Cons:
- Tuning is a MUST for this driver
- Low spin and launch will be too much for many to effectively handle
- Price… ouch