Weight transfer has always been a very important part of golf and, up until very recently, if you were talking about it with your club pro it would be because you were in a swing lesson.
However the evolution of club design means, in the coming years, you are just as likley to be having that conversation at a club fitting.
The advance of carbon heads means designers at TaylorMade and other companies have scope to use the weight saved to essentially make clubs more reliable but increasingly they are incorporating moveable weights to counter-act draw/slice biases and also tailor front-to-back weight distribution.
In the Stealth 2 Plus driver there is a 15g weight that goes from side to side and a 25/30g version in the back of Stealth 2/HD that can be changed to suit each golfer’s weight balance needs.
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However with the Stealth 2 Plus fairway wood, TaylorMade has given you an enormous 50 grammes to move around (back to front) and there are three main settings. The customability that provides is without precedent.
The middle setting is the most versatile for optimal playability off the deck or off the tee. This standard setting will fit a wide range of golfers and has mid launch, mid-spin and consistently powerful distance.
Shifting it to the front reduces spin and helps with trajectory for added distance off the tee. This setting is also ideal for high-spin golfers who want to knock off spin for increased roll out and distance.
Positioning the weight all the way back is the most forgiving setting. It adds spin and increases MOI for enhanced performance on off-centre strikes. This setting also encourages a steeper descent angle with more spin.
Tomo Bystedt, Senior Director of Product Creation, said: “We anticipate the forward setting being popular on Tour, particularly among players like Collin Morikawa who have historically used our 13.5° Rocket 3-wood for increased distance and a low spin/low launch.
“The versatility of Stealth 2 Plus will allow for this type of “rocket” setting but ultimately its versatility is its greatest appeal. Adjusting the movable weight creates noticeable performance differences in terms of launch, spin and distance, allowing golfers to dial in the preferred flight characteristics that their game, course and conditions require.”
The original Stealth Fairway only came in one version so TaylorMade has also taken the opportunity to really tailor the Stealth 2 HD to the needs of the higher handicapper. An oversized 200cc head also helps considerably when you are putting the emphasis on MOI.
Every Stealth 2 fairway and Rescue also features a new Advanced Inverted Cone innovation, an intelligent design that optimises the face thickness profile of each individual club type to ensure peak performance regardless of face size, shape or material. Engineered to maximise speed and enhance durability, the design is thinnest at true centre and around the edges, with a thicker mantle surrounding centre face.
Compared to the original Stealth Rescue, the centre of gravity (CG) is positioned lower in the Stealth 2 head for a more centred CG projection that leads to optimal launch and spin. A mass pad positioned at the back of the club further increases MOI and who doesn’t want that extra bit of forgiveness.
The Stealth 2 HD rescue is also a new addition. It utilises a larger but lower overall profile along with internal draw-bias weighting to deliver high launch and easy-to-hit performance.
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Fairway – Stealth 2 Plus
• Loft: 3/15° and 5/18°
• Shaft: Mitsubishi Kai’li Red FW (75X, 75S, 65R)
• Grip: Golf Pride’s Z-Grip (52g)
Stealth 2 and Stealth 2 HD
• Loft – Stealth 2: 3/15°, 3HL/16.5°, 5/18°, 7/21° and 9/24°. Stealth 2 HD: 16°, 19° and 22°
• Shaft – Stealth 2: Fujikura Ventus TR Red FW (6-S, 5-R, 5-A). Stealth 2 HD: Fujikura Speeder NX
Red
• Grip: Golf Pride’s Z-Grip (52g)
Stealth 2 HD Women
• Loft: 16°, 19° and 22°
• Shaft: Aldila Ascent Ladies 45
• Grip: Lamkin Ladies Sonar
Rescue – Stealth 2 Plus
• Loft: 2/17°, 3/19.5° and 4/22°
• Shaft: Mitsubishi Kai’li Red HY (95X, 85S, 75R)
• Grip: Golf Pride’s Z-Grip (52g)
Stealth 2 and Stealth 2 HD
• Loft – Stealth 2: 3/19°, 4/22°, 5/25°, 6/28° and 7/31°. Stealth 2 HD: 3/20°, 4/23°, 5/27° and 6/31°
• Shaft – Stealth 2: Fujikura Ventus Red TR HB (7-S, 6-R, 5-A). Stealth 2 HD: Fujikura Speeder NX Red (60-S, 50-R, 50-A)
• Grip: Lamkin Crossline 360 grip (47g)
Stealth 2 HD Women
• Loft: 4/23°, 5/27° and 6/31°
• Shaft: Lamkin Ladies Sonar grip (38g)
• Grip: Aldila Ascent Ladies
UK Prices
• Fairways: £379 (MyStealth 2 Plus); £299 (Stealth 2/Stealth 2 HD)
• Rescues: £249 (MyStealth 2 Plus); £239 (Stealth 2/Stealth 2 HD)
Pre sales / fitting date: January 10th
Available to buy: February 17th
