TaylorMade’s M2 line of golf equipment is designed to help golfers increase distance and accuracy by offering more forgiveness, at least when compared to TaylorMade’s M1 line, which targets better golfers. Generally speaking, the M2 drivers, fairways woods and hybrids have larger club heads and lower profiles to help golfers hit higher, longer shots.

Compared to the previous line of M2 fairway woods and hybrids, the new M2 models offer more forgiveness, better sound and improved feel. Learn more about how TaylorMade designed its new M2 fairway woods and hybrids below, and join the discussion of the clubs in our forums.

M2 Fairway Woods

Like the M2 drivers, the M2 fairway woods have a lighter 6-layer carbon fiber crown that helps lower the center of gravity (CG) of the club heads to make them high-launching and more forgiving. Unlike the drivers, however, TaylorMade’s new M2 fairway woods have a recess, or a “step” between the white, steel portion used on the front of the crown and the black carbon fiber used on the rest of the crown. The new geometry also lowers the CG of the fairway woods.

The M2 fairway woods also mark the first time TaylorMade is putting its Inverted Cone Technology (ICT) in a fairway wood. The technology, which serves to spread out the sweet spot of a club, has been commonly used in TaylorMade driver and iron designs, but never in a fairway wood.

“Inverted Cone” club faces are thicker in the center and get progressively thinner around the perimeter of the club face. The thicker center portion allows COR (coefficient of restitution, a measure of spring-like effect) to remain at the USGA’s legal limit in the center of the club face, and maintains COR on the outer portions of the face, thus raising ball speeds on off-center hits.

The soles of the M2 fairway woods are designed with TaylorMade’s “Geocoustic” theme, as seen throughout the M2 metal wood line. It uses geometry to tune the sound of the club head at impact, moving weight structures from inside the club head to the outside where they can improve CG location while also managing vibrations from impact.

The soles of the M2 fairway woods also have a Speed Pocket, a slot in the sole that’s longer and more flexible than its predecessors. It increases forgiveness across the club face, according to the company. As in the 2016 M2 fairway woods, the hosels of the clubs are also “fluted” to remove weight from the top of the clubs, ultimately lowering CG and dampening vibrations up the shaft.

The M2 fairway woods will be offered in 3 (15 degrees), 3HL (16.5 degrees), 5 (18 degrees), 5HL (21 degrees) and 7HL (24 degrees) options and will be available on Jan. 27 for $249 each.

M2 Tour Fairway Woods

Despite their smaller club head size (about 156 cubic centimeters), the club heads of the M2 Tour fairway woods use all the same technologies as the standard M2 fairway woods. Their compact design can improve versatility and reduce turf interaction for better players, however, while providing the more compact look that many golfers prefer.

The M2 Tour (left) and M2 fairway woods.

It’s expected that the M2 Tour fairway woods will produce all the ball speed golfers have come to expect from M2 fairway woods, while producing slightly more spin because of their deeper club faces to help better players more easily manipulate trajectory.

The M2 Tour fairway woods ($299.99) will be available Jan. 27, 2017 in lofts of 15 and 16.5 degrees. Mitsubishi Rayon’s Kuro Kage Silver TiNi 70 (R, S X) will be the stock shaft.

M2 Hybrids

The M2 hybrids have the same recess or “step” seen in the M2 fairway woods. And golfers who enjoy the black-and-white look of TaylorMade’s driver and fairway wood crowns will also be happy to see a new black-and-white paint scheme its added to the M2 hybrids.

The soles of the M2 hybrids have a Speed Pocket that TaylorMade says is “more active” compared to its predecessors. It’s larger, and is said to transfer more energy to the golf ball on off-center hits. The hosel of the new hybrids are also fluted, but shorter than their predecessor to help lower the CG of the club heads.

Although the M2 hybrid heads are still larger and longer from front to back than the M1 hybrids, which makes them play more like mini fairway woods, the 2017 models are slightly smaller than the 2016 M2 hybrids. They also have more rounded soles for improved turf interaction.

TaylorMade’s M2 Rescue clubs will be offered in 3 (19 degrees), 4 (22 degrees), 5 (25 degrees) and 6 (28 degrees) options, and will be available for $199.99 apiece starting on Jan. 27.

Related

• See what GolfWRX members are saying about TaylorMade’s M2 fairway woods and hybrids in our forums.
• TaylorMade 2017 M1 Fairway Woods and Hybrids: What you need to know
• 12 Important Changes to the 2017 TaylorMade M1 and M2 drivers