Dan Box
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Whereas TaylorMade's Stealth Rescue aims to give golfers 'distance and forgiveness you can rely on', the Stealth Plus promises 'distance and control'.

TaylorMade Stealth Plus Rescue

That's because it features a sleeker head profile which lends itself more to the 'better player' who wants a long iron replacement that is still workable rather than just something to get them out of trouble with ease.

The Tech

The smaller shape of the Stealth Plus (compared to the Stealth) encourages more versatility for golfers who don't want to give up all of the workability that a long iron would offer. A new, optimised CG placement is designed to provide speed, forgiveness and accuracy from any lie.

TaylorMade have included the V Steel sole design in their fairways and hybrids for a few years now and this continues again in the Stealth range.

TaylorMade Stealth Plus Rescue

The design of the latest iteration has distributed weight to enhance forgiveness and optimising launch, whist still providing the all-important benefits to turf interaction.

TaylorMade Stealth Plus Rescue

An ultra-strong C300 steel face is designed to provide fast ball speeds, and pairs up with the Twist Face technology to help golfers achieve straighter shots even when they mishit the ball.

TaylorMade Stealth Plus Rescue

A flexible Thru-Slot Speed Pocket, situated right behind the face, is built to maximise ball speeds and also gives golfers a little more help on shots that are struck from low on the face - a common pattern for many players with woods and hybrids.

TaylorMade Stealth Plus+ Rescue Review

Looks and Feel

The Stealth Plus is a sleek-looking hybrid with a straight topline and a compact size down by the ball. It is still very much iron-like with a tall face and squarer toe, so if you're making the transition from a long iron it shouldn't feel like quite as big of a shift.

TaylorMade Stealth Plus Rescue

The black two-tone crown - a hallmark of TaylorMade metals in the last decade - looks fantastic down by the ball, and the lip on the leading edge provides a really nice contrast. The look is very similar to the SIM2 Max Rescue of last year, although I do prefer the new crown pattern on the Stealth.

TaylorMade Stealth Plus Rescue

If you're not a brilliant ball-striker then the profile of this club may not completely fill you with confidence, but TaylorMade also have a standard Stealth Rescue which is better suited to a wider range of golfers and impressed me in my recent review.

The Stealth Plus feels muted and more iron-like than the ping of a normal hybrid. It doesn't really explode or pop off the face but it is more of a solid thud when you strike it well, something which is always said to be a preference for 'better players'.

The Data

I tested the Stealth Plus in 19 Degrees (3H) and the distance was good when hit well but a little inconsistent, which proves that it isn't particularly forgiving.

TaylorMade Stealth Plus Rescue

One shot I hit was struck low on the face and so the ball came out low as expected, but still managed to carry 199 yards which was pretty impressive and perhaps points to the influence of the Thru-Slot Speed Pocket. Whether it would've stopped is another question...

TaylorMade Stealth Plus Rescue

Compared to the standard Stealth, the Stealth Plus produced around 5 yards extra carry with 3mph more ball speed, but I was also a bit surprised to see how much of a difference there was in height and spin rate from the smaller head shape.

On-Course Performance

The Stealth Plus performed best for me on positional shots off the tee as I felt I still had to concentrate on striking it well when hitting off the fairway, a bit of a contrast to the likes of the standard Stealth which just makes life so easy for you.

TaylorMade Stealth Plus Rescue

Luckily the V-Steel Sole is designed to aid turf interaction, similar to the Baffler rails in Cobra woods, and this helped to keep the club moving when hitting from the fairway so that the performance doesn't suffer too much even if you catch the ground before the ball. I found this to be helpful as I wanted to try and hit down on the ball a little more thanks to the iron-like shape, meaning that I was interacting with the ground a little more.

Workability is the advantage of this club compared to the standard Stealth and I definitely found it to be a bit more versatile when hitting different shapes or trying to change the height of my shots.

TaylorMade Stealth Plus Rescue

I tried a couple of shots out of the rough and found it a little harder to get the club ball up and going when the ball was sitting down. It's easier than a long iron but it doesn't just pop out like you might expect from a 'rescue' club.

TaylorMade Stealth Plus+ Rescue Verdict

The Stealth Plus is designed give golfers 'distance and control' according to TaylorMade and from my testing, I'd have to agree. There's definitely more versatility than the standard Stealth model and I was surprised by how hot it was, as I'd put it among the longest hybrids I have ever tested.

TaylorMade Stealth Plus Rescue

This all comes in a club which looks, sounds and feels fantastic and TaylorMade seem to be going from strength to strength in this category - the all-black finish across the Stealth range is fantastic.

TaylorMade Stealth Plus Rescue

It's not the most forgiving hybrid I have used though, and if you're someone who uses their hybrid a lot to escape from thick rough then you may be better to look at the standard model as this seemed to perform better from this type of lie.

Who Is It Aimed At?

The Stealth Plus is clearly aimed at better players, probably those in the low single figures, who are confident ball strikers and want a smoother transition from a long iron to a hybrid as this club feels like it is somewhere in between.

If you already use the SIM2 Max Rescue then it's probably not worth upgrading as it looks and performs very similarly, particularly as TaylorMade haven't managed to fit their new carbon face into the head of a hybrid yet.

Would I Use It?

TaylorMade Stealth Plus Rescue

I'd probably stick with the Stealth as it just felt more forgiving. Hybrids are designed to be easy to hit so I'd rather use one which performs like that. I hit some of my best and longest shots with the Steath Plus, but overall the Stealth was a little more consistent and gave me a little more confidence over the ball.

TaylorMade Stealth Plus Rescue


If you enjoyed this, you may also like:

TaylorMade Stealth Rescue Review

Cobra LTDx Hybrid Review

Golfalot Rating: 4 stars
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TaylorMade Stealth Plus Rescue Hybrid

TaylorMade Stealth Plus Rescue Hybrid - Product Details

UK Launch04 February 2022
UK Launch RRP£249
European Launch04 February 2022
European Launch RRP€329
Handicap Range
Low
High
GolferMens
Hand AvailabilityLeft, Right
Left Handed Lofts19.5°, 22°
Right Handed Lofts17°, 19.5°, 22°
Swing WeightD3
AdjustabilityLoft, Face Angle
Shaft NameProject X Hzrdus Smoke RDX
Shaft TypesGraphite
Shaft FlexRegular, Stiff, X Stiff
GripLamkin Crossline
Number/Loft2/17°, 3/19.5°, 4/22°
Manufacturer's WebsiteTaylorMade Website

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