Stealth vs Stealth Plus

[Goldenhawk]

Standard version of the Stealth is definitely the easier of the two to hit.  Sweet spot looks to be as wide as the white lines on the face.  All three of my sons use the Stealth driver now.  The last hold out was the high school golfer that was waffling between the Stealth and the Rouge ST Max.  The stock a Ventus Red didn’t work for him.  But now he is using a GD Tour AD DI in it and the ball just goes a long way.  Easily past the Rogue ST Max.

 

Stealth Plus reminds me of the SLDR Driver that I absolutely crushed.  I have been playing the Plus since launch but hit the standard version out of one of my sons’ bag from time to time.  From what I can tell, there doesn’t seem to be a difference in carry distance for me.  The Plus has more roll out.  The standard version is definitely more forgiving.  My 13 year old calls hitting the Stealth “like cheating”.

 

The shafts and driver heads used by my sons in their Stealth Drivers:  My 13 year old uses a Matrix White Tie 60R and a 10.5 driver head, and routinely breaks 220 yards on Top Tracer.  My 16 year old uses the GD Tour AD DI-6S, and he was easily driving 275 with it during the fitting.  My 21 year old uses the MCA Kurio Kage Silver from his SIM2 Max from last year.  He still has it from his high school golf days and was hitting 285+ on Top Tracer today.  The 16 year old and 21 year old both use the 9.5 driver heads.

 

I use to have a Velocore Blue in the 9.0 Stealth Plus but felt like I had to go after it every time I used it.  The GD Tour AD IZ-6S is a better fit.  Coincidentally, I used the AD IZ-6S in a TSi-2 Driver last year.

Edited March 6, 2022 by Goldenhawk

[tarrantian]

2 hours ago, aquapig said:

Not to be a smart arse, but I find it a bit laughable when folks who haven't played a single round of golf with a club state how a club has been a good fit for them. 

 

I understand people can hit a ton of balls on monitors and look at numbers, but there really is nothing like getting on a course in real conditions, under pressure when you're punished for bad shots. 

 

Put a good golf swing on any of the new drivers that came out this year and I'm sure you'll get very very similar results. 

 

Still fun to have a shiny new toy and a ton of fun to read about how great they all are. Even from those who haven't played a single hole with them. 

 

Being in the 'Great White North', sims play an important part in fittings, gauging what will work in the real world or not...

 

My experience has been if it works in the sims it generally works on the course. The numbers don't lie if you hit a reasonable number of shots for comparison sake, perhaps not statistically significant but directionally for sure.

 

[aquapig]

2 hours ago, BallerNate said:

Spoken like someone who hasn’t been buried under 2 feet of snow since November. 🥶🥶

 

Trust me, every single one of us have been dying to get out to a course all Winter…the struggle is real!!

I couldn't imagine that..I'm a spoiled Florida native and play or practice 3-5 times a week. 

 

I just don't get how people who love the game like I do, can live in places that doesn't allow them to play for months. Sucks

[aquapig]

16 minutes ago, tarrantian said:

 

Being in the 'Great White North', sims play an important part in fittings, gauging what will work in the real world or not...

 

My experience has been if it works in the sims it generally works on the course. The numbers don't lie if you hit a reasonable number of shots for comparison sake, perhaps not statistically significant but directionally for sure.

 

Like I mentioned, if you hit most of the drivers released this year with a decent swing, you will get good results. 

 

My comment was more about people claiming a club is a great fit and definitely staying in their bag all year, when they have yet to play a round of golf with it. 

 

As for launch monitors amd numbers, I've hit plenty of clubs indoors on monitors that showed good numbers, only to find out after a few rounds playing actual golf that they weren't a great fit for me. Same reason I'd never do an indoor fitting, especially for irons and wedges. 

[BallerNate]

4 minutes ago, aquapig said:

I couldn't imagine that..I'm a spoiled Florida native and play or practice 3-5 times a week. 

 

I just don't get how people who love the game like I do, can live in places that doesn't allow them to play for months. Sucks

Figured that must be the case. Yup, you’re super lucky and there’s millions of us that are super jealous!

 

Can’t speak for everyone, but I’m sure most of us live in cold climates for work and family reasons. Definitely sucks, but there’s pros and cons with everything.

[aquapig]

2 hours ago, BallerNate said:

Haha…no doubt!! Well, I had 9 different Drivers last season, so I’ve got the Platinum WRX card this year!! 🤣🤣

That's a problem.

 

How many months a year do you get to golf there? 9 drivers?? I think it takes at least 3-5 rounds and some tinkering on the range to know for sure..unless something honestly just sucks completely.

[aquapig]

1 minute ago, BallerNate said:

Figured that must be the case. Yup, you’re super lucky and there’s millions of us that are super jealous!

 

Can’t speak for everyone, but I’m sure most of us live in cold climates for work and family reasons. Definitely sucks, but there’s pros and cons with everything.

I get that the reasons are because you must for job/family...I just don't see how you can if you itch to play constantly. 

 

Makes my bitching about slow play and snowbirds seem kinda ungrateful for how lucky I am to live here and play weekly. 

[scheff13]

I had the Sim 2 deleted two notches. The Stealth plus is set at standard(both 9*). I hit the s*** out of the Stealth plus. Into the wind I'm getting an extra 10

[BallerNate]

1 hour ago, aquapig said:

That's a problem.

 

How many months a year do you get to golf there? 9 drivers?? I think it takes at least 3-5 rounds and some tinkering on the range to know for sure..unless something honestly just sucks completely.

I’ll answer this for both you and @ChipStrokes.

 

Long story short, I started playing in June 2020 after around 13yrs away from Golf, and only hacked around for 1 Summer in 2007. I got bitten by the Golfing bug though and am now hooked for life.

 

My first season back, I was hitting the Driver pretty good and had no issues. Then I made the mistake of selling the Driver and 3W that were working for me (Cally Rogue), and that started a chain of events that led me to struggle massively with the Driver spot last season, and led to buying 9 Drivers to fix the issues and find the right fit.

 

Over the last month though I’ve started taking lessons to rebuild my swing from the ground up, and the Driver I’ve chosen for this new journey is the STD Stealth w/ Tensei AV Blue Raw shaft.

 

Edit: to answer the other question, I played 58 rounds in 2021 between April to November.

Edited March 6, 2022 by BallerNate

[Kaven]

Try 2016 M2 2016 !!!

is the best Taylormade Driver of all time

compare with the same shaft the results and you will amaze by is performance 

Taylormade nealed in 2016 with this driver but something changes after that’s don’t know what but seem and maybe the ingenious 🤪

 

[Jeff58]

As with TM drivers since the dawn of the M series, there have been two versions available. One has been at least nominally aimed at the “better player”, while the other featured a more forgiving, higher MOI configuration. In every case, there has been a significant difference in design, which is the weight track.

 

A weight track allows you to alter the face’s closure rate and the lateral CG. For someone with a very repeatable swing, it can produce a desired shot shape without having to consciously manipulate the club head. The other advantage is concentration of mass. It you take a concentrated mass and place it directly in line with the impact location, you will have a higher level of force and a higher resulting ball speed.

The downsides are potentially significant, though the key word is “potentially”. The weight track itself consumes the majority of the head’s discretionary mass budget, and it does nothing to directly aid the player. The 2000 psi gorilla in the room though is MOI. Most measurements will show the weigh track models to have slightly lower MOI, and that should be expected, as the head itself is often smaller, particularly back to front. However, these measurements are normally taken with the weight centered to the nominal CG. The fun starts if you move the weight a considerable distance from the initial CG. The head’s resistance to twisting is now grossly  different on either side of the sliding weight. worst case, if the impact is significantly outside of the mass location, woe be unto your score card, with the movable weight becoming almost a pivot point.

The Ping configuration places the weight track at the extreme rear, which is wise, as it protects MOI to the greatest extent possible. The TM approach is far more risk/reward. For me, while my swing is quite consistent, my balance in real play conditions isn’t adequate for absolute impact precision. My impact location is randomly placed around the lateral CG. A weight track isn’t useful for this type of distribution. Ultimately, few players actually benefit from the potential added distance. In a fitting or simulator environment, the ball may go 5 yards further somewhere, but that variance from a direct line to the flag is never considered. If you drive one ball to the edge of the fairway, and another directly at the flag but 5 yards shorter, which is actually closer to the flag?

[phizzy30]

5 hours ago, aquapig said:

Like I mentioned, if you hit most of the drivers released this year with a decent swing, you will get good results. 

 

My comment was more about people claiming a club is a great fit and definitely staying in their bag all year, when they have yet to play a round of golf with it. 

 

As for launch monitors amd numbers, I've hit plenty of clubs indoors on monitors that showed good numbers, only to find out after a few rounds playing actual golf that they weren't a great fit for me. Same reason I'd never do an indoor fitting, especially for irons and wedges. 

Def agree with getting fitting for irons and wedges outdoors as mats indoors are a piss poor way of determining the important stuff like turf interaction and ACTUAL spin.  As for driver and fairway woods, I found that numbers indoors vs. outdoors aren't worlds apart and can be fitted correctly indoors. 

[Jungleland]

After extensive try-outs with the Stealth (standard) and Rogue ST Max the Sim2 is firmly bag in the back.  For me it's far more reliable in terms of accuracy, ball flight and distance.  I've tried the same shaft the Stealth and Sim2 and I just can't get the consistency out of the Stealth.  It reminds me of the SLDR, when I nutted that club nothing was better but miss a little to the toe or heel and look out.  While the Stealth still goes straight the distance off on off-center hits is noticeable against the Sim2.

[aquapig]

3 hours ago, phizzy30 said:

Def agree with getting fitting for irons and wedges outdoors as mats indoors are a piss poor way of determining the important stuff like turf interaction and ACTUAL spin.  As for driver and fairway woods, I found that numbers indoors vs. outdoors aren't worlds apart and can be fitted correctly indoors. 

Golf is largely a mental game and for the majority of amateur players without a repeatable swing, there can be a huge difference between hitting dozens of balls into a screen or net vs standing on a tee with trees, water, OB with only 1 ball that counts against there score. 

 

I'm a 2 and have a pretty repeatable swing, but I know for sure whenever I go into one of those indoor places where I'm hitting a bunch of drivers and golf balls, that I'm swinging a little differently than my on course swing. 

 

I'm not saying you can get a really good idea what will work for you and what you like, but I'm willing to bet some try things indoors that seemed great and were mediocre on the course. 

[BallerNate]

8 hours ago, Jeff58 said:

As with TM drivers since the dawn of the M series, there have been two versions available. One has been at least nominally aimed at the “better player”, while the other featured a more forgiving, higher MOI configuration. In every case, there has been a significant difference in design, which is the weight track.

 

A weight track allows you to alter the face’s closure rate and the lateral CG. For someone with a very repeatable swing, it can produce a desired shot shape without having to consciously manipulate the club head. The other advantage is concentration of mass. It you take a concentrated mass and place it directly in line with the impact location, you will have a higher level of force and a higher resulting ball speed.

The downsides are potentially significant, though the key word is “potentially”. The weight track itself consumes the majority of the head’s discretionary mass budget, and it does nothing to directly aid the player. The 2000 psi gorilla in the room though is MOI. Most measurements will show the weigh track models to have slightly lower MOI, and that should be expected, as the head itself is often smaller, particularly back to front. However, these measurements are normally taken with the weight centered to the nominal CG. The fun starts if you move the weight a considerable distance from the initial CG. The head’s resistance to twisting is now grossly  different on either side of the sliding weight. worst case, if the impact is significantly outside of the mass location, woe be unto your score card, with the movable weight becoming almost a pivot point.

The Ping configuration places the weight track at the extreme rear, which is wise, as it protects MOI to the greatest extent possible. The TM approach is far more risk/reward. For me, while my swing is quite consistent, my balance in real play conditions isn’t adequate for absolute impact precision. My impact location is randomly placed around the lateral CG. A weight track isn’t useful for this type of distribution. Ultimately, few players actually benefit from the potential added distance. In a fitting or simulator environment, the ball may go 5 yards further somewhere, but that variance from a direct line to the flag is never considered. If you drive one ball to the edge of the fairway, and another directly at the flag but 5 yards shorter, which is actually closer to the flag?

Great insights here…thanks for the well written and well thought out post.

[BallerNate]

10 hours ago, aquapig said:

I get that the reasons are because you must for job/family...I just don't see how you can if you itch to play constantly. 

 

Makes my bitching about slow play and snowbirds seem kinda ungrateful for how lucky I am to live here and play weekly. 

Trust me, Winter is absolutely excruciating for us in cold weather climates that love Golf.

 

Some have the flexibility and resources to be able to take Golf vacations or live somewhere warm during the Winter (snowbirds you’re bitching about), but most of us just have to grit our teeth and suck it up.

 

The indoor ranges and simulators are all we have, and thank God we do because without them Winter would be that much more unbearable.

 

This has become my go-to spot this Winter…so thankful for it.

[aquapig]

9 minutes ago, BallerNate said:

Trust me, Winter is absolutely excruciating for us in cold weather climates that love Golf.

 

Some have the flexibility and resources to be able to take Golf vacations or live somewhere warm during the Winter (snowbirds you’re bitching about), but most of us just have to grit our teeth and suck it up.

 

The indoor ranges and simulators are all we have, and thank God we do because without them Winter would be that much more unbearable.

 

This has become my go-to spot this Winter…so thankful for it.

Pretty sweet setup! 

[ob1soccer]

9 drivers last year? wow i thought i was bad

[mizuno player]

Question for experts.... 

Are most playing similar loft with either of the Stealth drivers when cleared to old driver. 

 

I have a 9.5 M2. 

[BallerNate]

2 hours ago, ob1soccer said:

9 drivers last year? wow i thought i was bad

Haha…yeah man, it was an absolute mess!!

 

I’ve learned a lot since getting a fitting at the end of last season and taking lessons over the last month. Driver should be a really good club for me this season, and it will make the game so much more enjoyable!

[Goldenhawk]

17 hours ago, Jungleland said:

After extensive try-outs with the Stealth (standard) and Rogue ST Max the Sim2 is firmly bag in the back.  For me it's far more reliable in terms of accuracy, ball flight and distance.  I've tried the same shaft the Stealth and Sim2 and I just can't get the consistency out of the Stealth.  It reminds me of the SLDR, when I nutted that club nothing was better but miss a little to the toe or heel and look out.  While the Stealth still goes straight the distance off on off-center hits is noticeable against the Sim2.

I found the exact opposite.  The distance loss from an off center strike with the SIM2 and SIM2 Max were significant, to the point that I played a TSi2 for half the year in 2021.  Off center strikes in the area marked with the white lines on the face of the Stealth and Stealth Plus are pretty good when compared to the SIM2s

[Pastit]

On 3/6/2022 at 1:28 AM, Goldenhawk said:

Standard version of the Stealth is definitely the easier of the two to hit.  Sweet spot looks to be as wide as the white lines on the face.  All three of my sons use the Stealth driver now.  The last hold out was the high school golfer that was waffling between the Stealth and the Rouge ST Max.  The stock a Ventus Red didn’t work for him.  But now he is using a GD Tour AD DI in it and the ball just goes a long way.  Easily past the Rogue ST Max.

 

Stealth Plus reminds me of the SLDR Driver that I absolutely crushed.  I have been playing the Plus since launch but hit the standard version out of one of my sons’ bag from time to time.  From what I can tell, there doesn’t seem to be a difference in carry distance for me.  The Plus has more roll out.  The standard version is definitely more forgiving.  My 13 year old calls hitting the Stealth “like cheating”.

 

The shafts and driver heads used by my sons in their Stealth Drivers:  My 13 year old uses a Matrix White Tie 60R and a 10.5 driver head, and routinely breaks 220 yards on Top Tracer.  My 16 year old uses the GD Tour AD DI-6S, and he was easily driving 275 with it during the fitting.  My 21 year old uses the MCA Kurio Kage Silver from his SIM2 Max from last year.  He still has it from his high school golf days and was hitting 285+ on Top Tracer today.  The 16 year old and 21 year old both use the 9.5 driver heads.

 

I use to have a Velocore Blue in the 9.0 Stealth Plus but felt like I had to go after it every time I used it.  The GD Tour AD IZ-6S is a better fit.  Coincidentally, I used the AD IZ-6S in a TSi-2 Driver last year.

The stock red is so bad you should get a refund IMO.

[bvanlieu]

10 hours ago, ob1soccer said:

9 drivers last year? wow i thought i was bad

 

Over under BallerNate is starring in the Rogue ST On Course thread? 

 

I'm going 8 weeks. 🙂

 

I am waiting for an outdoor demo day at my club. I expect to see a lot of Stealths out there this year (though many have SIM2s and many are frugal, my kinda club) and I expect to trade in my old Rogue SZ for a CPO at some point, but just want to see what spin window fits me best. For now Mavrik sits nervously in the bag. I do want to try the Steath, first TM driver I can stand to look at in ages. 

 

 

 

[ob1soccer]

Baller Nate plus/minus 9 drivers this year also? Bet

[ChipStrokes]

2 minutes ago, ob1soccer said:

Baller Nate plus/minus 9 drivers this year also? Bet

over/under is at 6.5 and i’ll take the over. 

[ob1soccer]

stealth

stealth plus- he didnt like the shaft

TSi- traditional

Rogue 1- forgiving

Rogue 2- workable

Rogue 3- low spin

Mizuno- why not

Cobra- he wants to be like Bryson

Clevleand launcher- he has an old hat

XXIO- his girlfriend is rich

 

anything else?

[BallerNate]

3 hours ago, bvanlieu said:

 

Over under BallerNate is starring in the Rogue ST On Course thread? 

 

I'm going 8 weeks. 🙂

12 minutes ago, ChipStrokes said:

over/under is at 6.5 and i’ll take the over. 

Bahaha!!!! Man, you guys are killing me!!!

 

Well technically I started 2021 with a SIM2 in my bag, then had the Stealth Plus, and now have the STD Stealth, so at 3 already I guess I’m not off to a good start!! 🤷🏽‍♂️🤣

 

Love the looks of the Rogue ST and everything I’ve heard, and had a ton of success with the ‘19 Rogue. But honestly the main thing that would keep me away from it is the direction Cally is going with their Fairways.

Bought the Epic Max 3W last year and HATED it with a passion because the face was shallower than my Hybrid. And unfortunately the Rogue ST 3W looks like it might even be shallower. I’m too OCD to not have matching Driver and 3W, so Cally and PING are out with their shallow-faced 3W’s.

[ob1soccer]

You are OCD? no way

[NRJyzr]

On 3/5/2022 at 9:39 PM, aquapig said:

I couldn't imagine that..I'm a spoiled Florida native and play or practice 3-5 times a week. 

 

I just don't get how people who love the game like I do, can live in places that doesn't allow them to play for months. Sucks

 

There are trade-offs.  We don't have hurricanes, for example, and the humidity of a FL summer would be a bit hard for me (I tend to run a little warm).

 

 

 

[BallerNate]

5 minutes ago, NRJyzr said:

 

There are trade-offs.  We don't have hurricanes, for example, and the humidity of a FL summer would be a bit hard for me (I tend to run a little warm).

For sure. From the visits I’ve had to Vegas and Florida in the Summers, I absolutely couldn’t do that.

 

If I had to pick an ideal climate to live in, it would probably be somewhere in the Carolinas close to the coast…that would be amazing!