The SIM tech that TaylorMade uses analyzes the moment of impact (MOI) and how the ball and club react at the point of impact. A club with a high MOI factor twists less than one with a low MOI factor. Less twist means better contact and greater control over the ball and its flight path. So TaylorMade does its best to reduce twist and give you a larger sweet spot to drive the ball better off of the tee. All of that makes the M5 the best driver for high swing speed players.
Another physics concept that goes into the SIM Max D driver is the coefficient of restitution (COR) value. An algebraic formula analyzes the club speed prior to hitting the ball versus the ball speed after impact to deliver a COR value. The R&A and USGA strictly regulate the COR value, which has caused prior driver manufacturers to include a small amount forgiveness in their club faces to ensure their drivers comply with organized event rules.
TaylorMade uses a special injection molding technique that analyzes every SIM clubhead and injects up to 2 grams of resin to reach the absolute maximum legal COR value. What that all means is the driver does a better job of transferring energy to the ball upon impact. The ball travels about 2 mph faster than non-optimized drivers produced by competitors and with a more forgiving club face enabling greater accuracy from the tee.
Pros:
- Maximum energy transfer.
- Faster and longer ball flight.
- Better control during downswing.
- Available in multiple launch angles.
- Twist Face tech counteracts off-center hits.
Cons:
- 12-degree loft only available for right-handers.
- No loft adjustment capability.
Inverse T-Track Finely Tunes MOI
The ability to take an already exceptional driver and customize it to your preference without paying professionals to do the work makes the M5 an even better value for its owners. Instead of giving you a costly driver that is exactly the same as all others, you get a driver that you can shape and mold to your golf game. That means the driver adjusts to you more than you adjust to it so that you do not have to spend long hours at the driving range to get the best value from your M5 driver.
Among the customizable features on the TaylorMade M5 driver is an improved T-track system. You get two 10 gram weights that you can position within the reverse T-track and get the best launch from your drive. The customizable inverse T-track gives you better control over ball spin as well as its direction and velocity. The idea is to maximize the physics that go into the moment of impact and determine how the ball reacts.
You can strategically position each weight to get more forgiveness and a larger sweet spot that counteracts your natural swing bias. If you have a natural draw or fade from your swing, the Inverse T-track enables you to adjust the weights to counteract that effect and straighten out your drives. You get better control over the spin as well as an optimized launch angle that enables you to improve your drives and lower your golfing scores.
Speed Injected for Maximum Legal Effect
The TaylorMade M5 review of its construction shows that speed injection enables the driver to reach maximum legal COR limit and get up to an extra 2 mph in ball speed from each drive. More speed off the drive results in greater distance and lower potential scores on longer holes.
The TaylorMade injection-molding system measures the flex on every M5 driver and removes injected resin to attain the maximum legal COR value allowed by the USGA or R&A sanctioning bodies.
TaylorMade injects up to 2 grams of resin into a pair of pockets that are located directly behind two red screws at the bottom of the M5’s face. An algorithm measures the face and determines the exact amount of resin needed to get the maximum allowable COR value for R&A and USGA tournaments. TaylorMade’s production process removes just enough of that strategically placed resin to ensure the driver has the maximum allowable COR value and is legal for all organized tournament events.
Other driver manufacturers typically incorporate an amount of forgiveness in their drivers so that they have legal COR values for tournament play. That generally means those drivers have more flex and slightly reduced energy transfer at the moment of impact during the drive. The stiffer clubface on the M5 ensures you can about 2 mph more velocity and longer and better drives from the tee.
Twist Face and Hammerhead 2.0 Straighten Missed Hits
With 460cc of head volume and a generously larger sweet spot, the M5 driver is very user-friendly. But even the best golfers mishit the drive once in a while and often wind up with a horrible lie or in a hazard as a result. TaylorMade does its best to take care of the fade and draw effects of improperly hit shots with its Twist Face technology.
The Twist Face is a relatively new innovation that TaylorMade has included on many of it recently introduced high-tech drivers. When you hit the ball outside of the sweet spot, instead of fading or drawing away from the fairway, the twist face adjusts the face angles outside of the sweet spot.
Since the ball was not supposed to contact the clubface in outside of the sweet spot, TaylorMade contoured the face to counteract the normal effects when you make too much contact with either the heel or the toe of the driver. You will not get a perfect shot if you miss the sweet spot, but you do not have to miss the fairway and add strokes to your score thanks to the twist face tech.
You also can tune the twist face to achieve the best launch angle and get more distance on your drives. TaylorMade includes loft-sleeve technology so that you can adjust the loft angle for the best ball flight. You can choose an angle from about 56 degrees to 60 degrees and ensure the M5 driver will do exactly what you want when you hit the sweet spot with a truly good swing. Similar to its newer model, the M6.
The adjustable sleeve and face makes it possible to open or close the face even more than the stock version. The potential to adjust the clubface to match your personal game makes the TaylorMade M5 a truly outstanding driver to improve just about anyone’s golf game.
Aerodynamic Sole and Inertia Generator
You have to get good head speed to hit the ball properly. TaylorMade provides an aerodynamic carbon sole that is stronger and lighter with reduced drag. You get better swings and make solid contact with the ball while sending it where you intend. You can choose your preferred launch angle, and the aerodynamically designed sole easier to produces quality swings and better drives to the fairway.
TaylorMade also incorporates an inertia generator to transfer energy more efficiently. The inertia generator makes the sole more aerodynamic while putting the maximum amount of energy on the sweet spot. A good, clean swing will produce some of your best drives off the tee.
The ball leaps off of the clubface with a maximized COR value making the M5 legal for tournament play. Reduced spin and straighter shots give you much more control of your drives and better approach shots throughout each round of golf that you play. You get more club head speed, straighter drivers and lower scores.
Best Driver for High Swing Speed: TaylorMade M5 Review of Specs
Loft: 9, 10.5 and 12 degrees
Lie: 56 to 60 degrees
Volume: 460cc
Length: 45.75 inches
Swing Weight: D4
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Orange 60
Grip: Golf Pride MCC
Shaft and Grip
The TaylorMade M5 review of shaft material shows the amount flex is forgiving and enables more consistent contact with the ball and club face. The M5 is available for right- and left-handed golfers with a shaft length measuring 45.75 inches. That length help you to generate good head speed and make better contact with the ball.
Some golfers might find the longer shaft too much for their games. TaylorMade does provide a service that shortens the shaft length if you find shorter ones to be more comfortable. The M5 also has 54 percent more carbon than the prior M4 driver. The additional carbon fiber enables more weight added to the inertia generator that transfers the club’s energy to the ball.
Why Should I Buy a TaylorMade M5 Driver?
The TaylorMade M5 is an exceptionally good driver that can improve your game with some of the best golfing technology available on the market. You can buy one in your preferred lie and adjust it if you need to perfect your drive.
The twist face technology, inverse T-track and inertia generator all help you to make longer and straighter drives off of the tee. You have an imminently customizable driver that you can adapt to your game with longer and straighter drives off of the tee. The investment in the TaylorMade M5 really pays off when you learn all that it can do and how to adapt it to your game.
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