TaylorMade M4 Driver Review

The M4 Driver was released along with the M3 driver and it replaces the highly successful M2 Driver, so let’s take a look at those drivers to understand the advancements of the new M4 Driver. First the updated appearance – while the M2 had crown with of a white edge, the M4 now bears a slimmer silver edge. The silver accent is more reminiscent of the SLDR color scheme but, also the general appearance is still similar to the M2.

The Geocoustic design is the critical difference from the M3/M1. This design improves the moment of inertia for the golfer by placing the weight far to the back.

The Twist Face and Hammerhead slot are innovative advancements shared with the M3 that were not available in the M2. TaylorMade engineers carefully studied actual human drive tendencies, rather than those of robots to develop Twist Face technology. Their results showed people tend to strike the ball off-center either high on the toe or low on the heel. 

Traditionally, the bulge (curve from heel to toe) and roll (curve from top to bottom) did not adequately  correcting  for these human errors, so TaylorMade added a slight curve to the high toe section, while closing the low heel section. This provides more loft in the former while providing less lift in the latter, while also producing more consistent side spin. The result is a much more forgiving face that accounts for natural human tendencies when striking a ball off-center and contributes to longer and more accurate drives.

The Hammerhead slot complements the Twist Face technology to maximize forgiveness and ball speed. Although the M2 had a comparable slot, or Speed Pocket, the M4 improves on that by making the slot 22% wider. The M4 version is not only longer, it also breaks it into three sections and providing additional strength. This allows for reduced weight and a more flexible face, which means even better ball speed across a larger area. The face is now more flexible, with more speed and decreased spin on low-face strikes that all come together for longer and straighter drives.

his innovative face curvature helps correct the gear effect on shots hit high on the toe or low on the heel, keeping the ball straighter and more accurate.

Hammerhead Slot: A wider and more reinforced slot in the sole increases ball speed across the face for greater distance, even on mishits.

The recessed sole section improves acoustics, providing a pleasing and solid sound at impact.

In our testing, the M4 performed very well, producing a similar launch and spin to the previous M1/M2 models, but with increased forgiveness. The fixed weight in the back of the sole helps lower the center of gravity and raise the moment of inertia (MOI), making the M4 more forgiving than the adjustable M3 driver.

Compared to the newer Stealth driver, the M4 had a slightly shorter average distance but performed better on mishits, with a more consistent and pleasing sound and feel.5 The Twist Face technology on the M4 seemed to be effective at keeping shots straighter, especially on off-center hits.

Overall, the TaylorMade M4 driver is an excellent choice for golfers seeking a forgiving, high-launching, and great-sounding driver that provides consistent performance, even on imperfect strikes.