The Stealth 2 HD is the easy-launching, draw-biased option in TaylorMade's fairway wood lineup, with the brand claiming that it is their highest MOI fairway ever for ultimate forgiveness.
I have used the TaylorMade M2 Fairway for a good few years now and really enjoyed it's performance, but could the new Stealth 2 range challenge it's place in the bag?
The Tech
TaylorMade is saying that the Stealth 2 HD signifies a departure from traditional TaylorMade fairways, with an eye-catching design that combines low CG with high MOI for optimal performance.
There's an oversized 200cc head with a low profile design to provide golfers with extra confidence when they look down at the ball.
Inverted Cone Technology sees variable thickness across the face to maximise ball speed even on off-centre hits, whilst keeping playability thanks to an easy-to-launch shape.
The larger, low-profile design helps the club to sit flatter to the ground at address, which provides the higher launch, whilst there is weighting inside the head to encourage a draw-biased flight.
The V Steel sole has been around in TaylorMade's fairways for years and it continues again in the Stealth 2 range, helping to improve both turf interaction and versatility.
A laser etched aid provide a contrast between the face and the crown and is designed to improve directional alignment, to get golfers starting the ball straighter on line.
The flexible Speed Pocket design provides faster ball speeds and added forgiveness on strikes that are low on the face, something that can be very common with fairway woods.
TaylorMade Stealth 2 Fairway Wood Review
Looks
I do think that the Callaway Paradym range takes the prize for the best looking woods of 2023, but the Stealth 2 probably comes in at a close second.
I love the sleek black colourway on top, with the slight contrast of the lip compared to the carbon crown. It looks really smart and classy, complete with the small TaylorMade logo that doubles as an alignment aid.
The black and red looks great on the sole too, and TaylorMade always do a good job of reminding you how much technology they pack into the head thanks to the 'Speed Pocket' and 'V Steel' badges.
Down by the ball the head shape is pretty flat looking with a large surface area which looks like it's going to be easy to hit. It also sits pretty square at address despite being a draw-biased fairway, as TaylorMade are using weighting rather than any offset to encourage this.
Feel
Out of the middle it felt really strong and solid, with a nice solid thwack which matched this too. I like my woods to sound a little duller rather than having a real 'ping' at impact and this was just about right.
When you missed the middle it wasn't the best feeling club to be honest, it was quite firm when I struck the ball from the toe or the heel although the performance was still good.
Despite being part of the Stealth range, the fairways haven't yet got the bright red carbon face that the drivers use, nor do they have the carbon feel of the drivers, although TaylorMade say that this is because it doesn't improve performance in these clubs.
Performance
Before testing the Stealth 2 HD out on the course I headed to Hukd Golf to get some numbers using the Foresight GCHawk.
The fairway produced pretty decent results on the launch monitor - my usual carry distance is around 220 yards with my current 3 wood, but the Stealth 2 HD came in 16 degrees and is more around launch and forgiveness than all-out distance so I was still impressed with the performance.
The most reassuring aspect was the consistency in the numbers, the front-to-back dispersion was less than 15 yards between my best and worst shots which is really good, especially considering that I find 3 wood as the hardest club in the bag to hit.
TaylorMade fairway woods are renowned for having had their V-Steel sole plate for many years and on the course, the turf interaction from the Stealth 2 HD was really good on a variety of different lies.
A couple of times it felt as if I caught the ground slightly before the ball but I was really impressed by how well the fairway launched and how high the ball still managed to travel.
The forgiveness levels were good on off-centre hits too, even if it didn't always feel great across the face as mentioned earlier. The main takeaway was that it felt easy to hit and launch, it didn't balloon up in the air but just felt like no matter where I struck it on the face it managed to get up and fly well.
The flight was left-biased as you'd expect thanks from a 'High Draw' fairway but it felt reliable and pretty consistent. I missed the first couple of shots to the left but soon learned to adjust and the performance was pretty good after that.
TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD Fairway Wood Verdict
The Stealth 2 HD Fairway is another great looking and solid performing product to add to TaylorMade's Stealth 2 range. I enjoyed using this fairway because it provides confidence at address and the ball launches easily and consistency, which is exactly what I'd be looking for from a fairway wood.
The High Draw model could be a really good option for golfers who struggle with their woods as it should make life easier, particularly if you want to encourage more of a draw shape (or less of a slice).
To be honest I'm not sure that the technology has improved that much from my own TaylorMade M2 Fairway to the Stealth 2 range, but if you've got an older fairway wood or you think you might need the extra launch and draw bias then they could be well worth a look.
Would I Use It?
I think the extra distance offered by my own 15 degree M2 Fairway fits the gap in my bag better, but I did enjoy how easy this club was to launch and how forgiving it was.
Who Should Use It?
Golfers who want a fairway wood in the bag but need a little more assistance in getting the ball launching, as well as those golfers who are fighting a slice. At £299 it's a little cheaper than the Paradym X or G430 Max HL too.
If you enjoyed this article, you may also like:
Callaway Paradym X Fairway Review
TaylorMade Stealth 2 Driver Review