TaylorMade Golf Stealth 2 Fairway Wood Review: Solid Performance with Advanced Tech Enhancements

When it comes to golf fairway woods, TaylorMade has a reputation for blending innovation with traditional performance. The release of the Golf Stealth 2 Fairway Wood aims to build on this legacy, offering advanced features that promise improved playability and forgiveness.

I spent a couple of weeks with the Stealth 2, hitting the driving range and playing a few rounds to see if it lives up to the hype. This club boasts several technological advancements, like the Advanced Inverted Cone Technology and an Ultra Low-CG Design, which are supposed to boost ball speed and control.

In this review, I'll break down my experience with the Stealth 2, covering aspects like its design, materials, and overall performance. While it does bring some improvements over its predecessor, there are also areas where it's just decent.

Let's dig into whether the Stealth 2 can truly improve your game or if it's just another club in the lineup.

One of the first things you notice about the TaylorMade Stealth 2 Fairway Wood is its design. It features a sleek, confidence-inspiring shape that looks pretty solid at address. The 3D carbon crown is a standout feature, allowing more weight to be positioned toward the rear for better forgiveness.

The club also includes Advanced Laser Alignment, providing a visual contrast between the face and crown. This alignment aid is supposed to boost confidence and help with aim, which I found moderately effective. It doesn't magically fix your slice, but it helps with setup.

Another aspect is the V Steel Sole Design, which aims to improve turf interaction and versatility. In practice, the club does glide through the rough with reasonable ease, but it doesn't feel revolutionary compared to other fairway woods I've used.

Overall, the design is a mix of modern and classic elements that mostly gets the job done. There's room for improvement, especially in making the alignment aids more intuitive.

The Stealth 2 Fairway Wood is constructed using a mix of stainless steel and 3D carbon, which TaylorMade claims enhances forgiveness and playability. The use of 3D carbon helps in pulling mass away from the high toe area, allowing for a lower center of gravity.

The shaft is made from FUJIKURA_VENTUS_TR_RED_FW_5 material, known for its flexibility and performance. It pairs well with the clubhead to maximize ball speed. The grip is the Lamkin Crossline Connect Black, which is standard in size and made from durable rubber. It's pretty comfortable but nothing extraordinary.

While these materials are designed to enhance performance, the real-world difference is subtle. I noticed a slight improvement in distance and forgiveness, but it's nothing groundbreaking. For the price, you might expect a bit more pizzazz in craftsmanship.

So, while the materials used in the Stealth 2 are solid, they don't dramatically set it apart from competitors in the same range.

Performance is where the rubber meets the road, or in this case, where the club meets the ball. The Advanced Inverted Cone Technology aims to maximize ball speed across the face, and I did notice a bit more zip on my shots, especially when I caught them flush.

The Ultra Low-CG Design, with its low center of gravity, helps when you're hitting off the deck. I found it easier to launch the ball, offering a decent amount of height and carry. However, off-center hits were more forgiving than the previous model but not by a huge margin.

While the club does offer a nice balance of distance and forgiveness, it's not going to fix your swing. Compared to some competitors, the improvements are there, but they won't blow you away.

If you're looking for a fairway wood that offers incremental improvements over older models, the Stealth 2 might be worth considering. Just know it's not a magic wand that will transform your game.