TaylorMade Qi10 Driver Review

Every few years, TaylorMade introduces groundbreaking advancements in driver technology that make waves in the golfing world.

In previous years, they introduced added adjustability, twist face technology, and most recently, with the stealth model, they achieved a milestone by being the first company to construct a driver with a fully carbon clubface.

While they have traditionally been recognized for generating distance, their latest iteration of driver heads places a heightened emphasis on forgiveness. This shift positions them in direct competition with other top-performing forgiving drivers on the market, including notable models like the Ping 425 and 430 Max.

The Qi10 driver is suitable for both low and high-handicap players seeking a balanced combination of distance and forgiveness. It also gives players a mid-launch profile moderate spin making it perfect for all types of players.

This article explores the standard Qi10 driver, delving into its sound, appearance, and feel. We’ll also assess its forgiveness, distance capabilities, key technologies, and the pros and cons. This in-depth guide aims to assist you in determining whether the regular Qi10 is a valuable investment for enhancing your game.

Standard TaylorMade Qi10 Driver

Introduced to the market in 2024, the TaylorMade Qi10 driver offers players an optimal combination of distance and forgiveness. It comes in three distinct models: Max, regular, and LS.

The Max head caters to higher handicap players, providing them with maximum launch, spin, and forgiveness to keep their ball in play. The regular Qi10 head offers a balance of forgiveness and distance for both low and high-handicap players, maintaining a mid-launch with mid-spin.

Lastly, the LS head is designed for better players prioritizing distance over forgiveness, while keeping launch and spin down.

The regular Qi10 is available in 9 and 10.5 degrees of loft for all players, with right-handers having access to a 12-degree head.

It also has a weightier feel compared to previous TaylorMade drivers, boasting a D4 swing weight.

Sound, Look, and Feel

In testing, our team loved the look of the Qi10 driver. Its shiny traditionally shaped black crown sits extremely square at the address.

This black crown flows seamlessly into a blue carbon twist face separated only by a white stripe that we found very helpful for alignment.

The bottom of the club the driver is also very clean looking as it features a main color scheme of black, white, and grey while also featuring a faint blue line which seems to be TaylorMade’s signature color with this year’s driver line.

The sound and feel of the Qi10 are also extremely consistent with the Stealth 2 which was much improved the original Stealth. They have figured out how to deliver on these two categories while using the carbon face.

The sound generated by the Qi10 is a traditional mid-pitch crack, and the impact doesn’t feel muted. Well-executed shots produce a remarkably solid feel off the face, while off-center strikes are easily discernible.

Forgiveness

Over the last two generations of drivers, TaylorMade has gradually incorporated forgiveness into their technological advancements. The Stealth driver line marked the beginning of a transition from an emphasis on distance and adjustability to a focus on forgiveness, highlighted by their “fargivness” slogan.

The Qi10 represents a complete shift towards a forgiveness-centric approach, standing as TaylorMade’s most forgiving driver to date. The introduction of additional carbon in the crown has empowered TaylorMade to redistribute weight to other parts of the club, enhancing the moment of inertia.

The regular Qi10 driver boasts a moment of inertia (MOI) of 10,000, reducing the tendency of the driver’s head to twist on off-center hits and ensuring more consistent driving accuracy.

During our team’s testing, the noticeable increase in moment of inertia (MOI) truly made a difference in keeping our balls in play. Shots that seemed destined for the trees or rough unexpectedly stayed in the fairway on a significantly more consistent basis, particularly toe strikes that would typically have hooked dramatically.

Distance

Distance in the regular Qi10 is extremely comparable to the Stealth and Stealth 2 drivers. Our team, through testing, found that they could not tell any difference in distance between their old driver and the new one.

The one factor that did help a lot with distance however is the added forgiveness that the regular Qi10 provides. Off-center shots with this driver not only go straighter, but our team found that they also go farther compared to older less forgiving TaylorMade clubs.

Key Technologies

Contributing to the overall forgiveness and distance from the regular Qi10 are several really cool key technologies:

Infinity Carbon Crown

The Regular Qi10 driver features an Infinity Carbon Crown that covers an impressive 97% of the total crown area. This design offers a strategic advantage by redistributing mass effectively, leading to enhanced forgiveness.

At address, the Infinity Carbon Crown provides a sleek and clean view, complemented by subtle alignment cues. This not only contributes to a visually appealing driver but also sets the stage for increased confidence and success on the course.

60x Carbon Twist Face

Utilizing the third generation of 60X Carbon Twist Face®, the Qi10 driver incorporates a significantly lighter face compared to traditional titanium constructions.

This engineering advancement results in a reduction of forward weight, maximizing energy transfer at impact. The lighter face allows TaylorMade to redistribute weight lower and farther back on the club to increase MOI.

An evolved support structure of the Carbon Face Technology effectively bonds the face and protects ball speeds, ensuring consistent performance across the clubface.

Through Slot Speed Pocket

A Through Slot Speed Pocket located behind the club face. This pocket plays a crucial role in maintaining ball speed, especially on off-center and low face strikes. By strategically placing the Through Slot Speed Pocket, the driver ensures that even mis-hits deliver consistent and reliable ball speeds.

This technology contributes to overall forgiveness and performance, making the Qi10 a reliable choice for golfers seeking precision and playability in their drives.

Adjustable Loft Sleeve

This innovative technology allows players to fine-tune the loft and face angle with a 4° loft sleeve. The flexibility provided by the Adjustable Loft Sleeve empowers golfers to customize their driver settings, optimizing performance according to their preferences and play style.

Additionally, the sleeve allows for an upright setting, providing further customization options to cater to individual preferences.

It is important to note that increasing loft using this feature will slightly close the face and decreasing loft will slightly open the face.

Stock Shaft Options

FUJIKURA VENTUS TR BLUE – Lighter Mid Launch and Low Spin Profile

The TR Blue golf shaft offers a powerful blend of stability and feel. It features an ultra-stiff tip section for superior control at impact, and increased torsional stiffness for enhanced load capabilities during aggressive swings. Despite its stiffness, the shaft maintains a smooth overall feel.

MITSUBISHI DIAMANA T+

The T+ offers faster club head speed players with added weight and stiffness while maintaining a mid launch and low spin profile. Even with the added weight and stiffness however, our team noticed that the T+ felt softer in the tip than the Ventus TR blue due to increased torque.

If you are a high speed player however and are looking for a stock shaft option for the Qi10, this is one for you.

Qi10 Pros

• Highest level of forgiveness fro any driver on the market.
• Increased distance on off-center strikes due to carbon twist face thru-slot speed pocket.
• Four-degree adjustability allows players to craft their driver to exactly what they need.
• Mid-launch and mid-spin design is going to fit most players well, giving a perfect blend of distance and forgiveness.

Qi10 Cons

• Could launch the ball too high with too much spin for some faster players due to a low and rear center of gravity.

Key Takeaways

• Shift to Forgiveness: The latest driver heads, especially the regular Qi10, mark a shift towards emphasizing forgiveness over just generating distance.
• Qi10 Suitability: The Qi10 driver is suitable for both low and high-handicap players, offering a balanced combination of distance and forgiveness with a mid-launch profile and moderate spin.
• Appearance and Feel: The Qi10 driver is praised for its sleek appearance, featuring a black crown, blue carbon twist face, and clean design. The sound is a traditional mid-pitch crack, providing a consistent and solid feel off the face with helpful feedback on off-center strikes.
• Forgiveness: The Qi10 represents TaylorMade’s most forgiving driver ever, with an increased moment of inertia (MOI) of 10,000, reducing off-center hits’ negative impact on accuracy.
• Distance Comparable to Stealth Models: Distance in the regular Qi10 is comparable to previous Stealth models, but added forgiveness contributes to straighter and longer off-center shots.
• Key Technologies:
  • Infinity Carbon Crown: Covers 97% of the total crown area, redistributing mass for enhanced forgiveness.
  • 60x Carbon Twist Face: Third-generation technology with a lighter face for increased energy transfer and higher MOI through precise weight distribution.
  • Through Slot Speed Pocket: Maintains ball speed on off-center and low-face strikes for consistent performance.
  • Adjustable Loft Sleeve: Allows players to fine-tune loft and face angle for customization.
• Stock Shaft Options: The Qi10 offers two stock shaft options – FUJIKURA VENTUS TR BLUE for stability and feel, and MITSUBISHI DIAMANA T+ for faster club head speed players.

Recommendation

We recommend the standard Qi10 driver for golfers seeking the highest level of forgiveness and increased distance on off-center strikes. The mid-launch and mid-spin design make it suitable for a wide range of players, providing an excellent blend of distance and forgivness.

Faster players may need to consider other options like the LS head to get lower launch and lower spin while players looking for maximum forgivness without worrying about distance should consider the Qi10 Max.

Overall, our team is very impressed by TaylorMade’s new Qi10 driver and we all could see a clear difference compared to past offerings.