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The SIM Max is TaylorMade's 2020 game improvement iron, and it exists to do one thing well: send the ball far with as little punishment as possible on mishits. The 7-iron sits at 28.5 degrees, which is strong. For reference, a traditional 7-iron lived around 34 degrees not that long ago. TaylorMade jacked the lofts and then engineered the club to launch high anyway, so you get the distance of what used to be a 6-iron out of the number stamped 7.
What makes it interesting is the Speed Bridge, a bar that runs across the back cavity connecting the topline to the sole. It stiffens the body so the thin face can flex more at impact, and it lets the Thru-Slot Speed Pocket work harder on shots hit low on the face. The cast 450 stainless body is hollow through the long and mid irons, filled with damping material so a club this fast doesn't sound like a tin can.
This is a forgiving iron, but it won't pretend to be something it's not. The topline is thick, the sole is wide, and the offset is generous. If you want a compact blade look at address, keep walking. If you want help getting the ball airborne and holding your misses on the green, this is squarely aimed at you.
In short
The TaylorMade SIM Max (2020) is a forgiving game-improvement iron built for consistent distance. The set runs 4-iron to PW with a 28.5° 7-iron. It carries a $899 MSRP.
Last-gen value buy
The newer SIM2 Max (2021) is already out, so the SIM Max now sells at closeout pricing. If you do not need the very latest tech, this is the smart-money pick.
Based on release timing and this line's typical refresh cycle, not a live price quote.
Modeled from the $899 original MSRP and a 6-year-old release (about 20% of MSRP retained used).
Used market value
$155 - $200
Private sale, fair to like-new
Trade-in value
$95 - $140
What a shop typically pays
Get an exact quote
Estimate only, from a depreciation model, not a live quote. Search “TaylorMade SIM Max” on the sites above for the real number, which varies with condition, shaft, and demand.
The SIM Max is the 1st of 2 generations TaylorMade has released in this line, from the SIM Max (2020) to the SIM2 Max (2021). It is where the line started. The SIM2 Max (2021) replaced it.
| 4i | 5i | 6i | 7i | 8i | 9i | PW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.0° | 21.5° | 25.0° | 28.5° | 33.0° | 38.0° | 43.0° |
Stock steel shaft. Lofts are approximate and subject to manufacturing tolerances.
Typical carry by swing speed, adjusted for this set's actual lofts. Your numbers will vary with strike, shaft, and conditions.
| Club | Loft | Moderate swing~143y 7-iron | Average swing~158y 7-iron | Faster swing~172y 7-iron |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-iron | 19° | 170 y | 188 y | 205 y |
| 5-iron | 21.5° | 162 y | 179 y | 195 y |
| 6-iron | 25° | 153 y | 169 y | 184 y |
| 7-iron | 28.5° | 143 y | 158 y | 172 y |
| 8-iron | 33° | 133 y | 147 y | 160 y |
| 9-iron | 38° | 122 y | 135 y | 147 y |
| PW | 43° | 112 y | 124 y | 135 y |
Carry distances are modeled from TrackMan-based norms scaled to each club's loft, not measured for this exact model.
The construction is the story here. TaylorMade cast the body from 450 stainless steel and made it hollow in the longer irons, then bonded in a thin, flexible face. The Speed Bridge is the visible signature, a support beam across the cavity that props up the structure so the face and Speed Pocket can spring more. ECHO Damping sits behind the face to keep the feel from going hollow and clicky, which is a real risk with fast, thin-faced cast irons. Inverted Cone Technology on the back of the face expands the sweet spot toward the toe and heel, so off-center strikes hold ball speed better than the strong lofts alone would suggest. The progressive set blends longer, hollow game improvement irons into shorter irons built more for control, so the pitching wedge feels tighter than the 4-iron. A fluted hosel saves weight up high and pushes mass low for launch.
The TaylorMade SIM Max's 7-iron is lofted at 28.5° - moderately strong - slightly stronger than traditional lofts. For a golfer with an 85-95 mph swing speed, this projects to a 7-iron carry of approximately 155-165 yards. The 5-iron (21.5°) to 7-iron gap of 7° is well-gapped, which may create overlapping distance windows with similarly lofted fairway woods or hybrids. The pitching wedge at 43° provides a conventional loft window that pairs cleanly with a 50-52° gap wedge.
The 28.5 degree 7-iron is strong, and yes, your 7-iron will fly closer to what your old 6-iron did. That matters most at the top of the bag, where a 19 degree 4-iron can be hard to launch for slower swingers. If your speed is average or below, consider adding a hybrid to replace the 4-iron. Through the scoring clubs the strong lofts are less of an issue because the club is built to launch high and land soft.
It's a support bar that connects the topline to the sole across the back cavity. By stiffening the overall body, it lets the thin face and the Thru-Slot Speed Pocket flex more at impact. In plain terms, it helps preserve ball speed on shots hit low on the face, which is where most players lose distance. It also lets TaylorMade damp the sound so a fast, hollow iron doesn't feel harsh.
The OS, or oversize, version has even stronger lofts, a larger head, more offset, and a wider sole. The standard SIM Max reviewed here is still very forgiving but a touch more compact and playable. If you want maximum help and don't mind a chunkier look, the OS goes further. If you want game improvement forgiveness without going all the way to the biggest shape, the standard SIM Max is the middle ground.
Both, and that's the point. The strong lofts and Speed Pocket chase distance, while the wide sole, low center of gravity, and Inverted Cone face chase forgiveness and easy launch. You don't get one at the expense of the other here. What you give up is workability and a clean compact look, which this iron was never trying to offer.
The 2020 SIM Max is several generations old now, so newer TaylorMade game improvement irons will feel a little faster and sound slightly better. But the core technology holds up, and the used price has dropped a lot. If you find a clean set with a shaft that fits your speed, it's a strong value for a mid to high handicapper. Get fit for the shaft rather than defaulting to stock stiff, since that matters more than the model year.
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