TaylorMade

There are the golf shirts Adidas makes to fit the uber-athletic Dustin Johnson. Then there are the ones Adidas makes for the mere mortals. Similarly, hybrids need to be designed differently for the two classes of golfers who use them. The standard SIM2 [above] is all about enhancing the skills of better players. It has a smaller head for more versatility and a penetrating iron-like ball flight. The shaft is shorter to allow for a heavier head so that extra mass can be repositioned for the right amount of forgiveness. Furthermore, its adjustable hosel can adapt to different ball-flight needs. Conversely, the Max is larger front to back and heel to toe for optimal forgiveness and a higher launch. Still, every level of golfer wants more ball speed. That’s why both options in this line have sleek soles with a lower centre section to promote clean turf interaction. This design feature also increases perimeter weighting for even more forgiveness. Best of all, each of these thin, high-strength steel faces is jet-fuelled by an ingenious slot that cuts through the sole so that it flexes more freely. The slot extends well into the toe for extra speed over much of the face, especially effective with SIM2’s adjustable hosel.

LOFTS 17, 19.5, 22 (sim2); 19, 22, 25, 28, 31 (sim2 max)