TaylorMade Qi10 Max Driver Review

Taking the golf world by storm, TaylorMade has had a massive shift in 2024 for what their focus is with driver technology.

A company in the past known for cutting-edge features and distance has now shaped the way for a new technological breakthrough by creating the Qi10 Max, the most forgiving driver on the market.

The Qi10 Max driver is for the high-handicap players looking to hit more fairways and get more assistance on off-center strikes.

It is for the player who is not concerned about distance but instead wants to hit as many fairways as possible.

Below, we delve into the Qi10 Max driver, examining its sound, appearance, and feel. Our evaluation includes an assessment of its forgiveness, distance capabilities, and key technologies, as well as a consideration of the pros and cons.

This comprehensive guide is designed to help you decide whether investing in the Qi10 Max is a worthwhile choice to elevate your game this season.

TaylorMade Qi10 Max Driver

Introduced to the market in 2024, TaylorMade’s new Qi10 Max driver offers players maximum forgiveness without as much concern about distance as past TaylorMade offerings.

The Qi10 line comes in three distinct models, the regular, Max, and LS.

The Max head is tailored for players with higher handicaps, offering maximum launch, spin, and forgiveness to keep their ball in play.

The standard Qi10 head provides a blend of forgiveness and distance suitable for both low and high-handicap players, maintaining a mid-launch with mid-spin. Lastly, the LS head is crafted for skilled players who prioritize distance over forgiveness, while ensuring a controlled launch and spin.

The Qi10 Max is available in 9, 10.5, and 12-degree loft options for both left and right-handed players.

Just like the other two drivers in the lineup, it also comes sin at a D4 swing weight which is considerably heavier than most other drivers in the market.

Sound, Look, and Feel

During our testing, most of our team was impressed by the aesthetic appeal of the Qi10 Max driver. The glossy, classically designed black crown aligns perfectly square at address.

This black crown seamlessly transitions into a blue carbon twist face, with only a white stripe separating them, providing a valuable alignment aid that our team found particularly helpful.

However, certain team members didn’t express a strong preference for the shape of the Max’s head when compared to other options in the Qi10 lineup.

This is attributed to the Max’s distinctive long and shallow head shape, designed to enhance MOI (Moment of Inertia) and forgiveness.

The bottom of the driver club maintains a sleek appearance with a predominant color scheme of black, white, and grey.

Additionally, a subtle blue line, seemingly TaylorMade’s signature colour for this year’s driver line, adds a touch of distinction.

The Qi10 Max maintains a remarkable consistency in both sound and feel, aligning closely with the improvements seen in the Stealth 2 over the original Stealth.

The utilization of a carbon face has allowed them to excel in delivering a consistent experience in these aspects which they have dialled in nicely.

The sound produced by the Qi10 Max is a classic mid-pitch crack, and the impact doesn’t feel dull.

Well-executed shots yield a remarkably solid sensation off the face, and off-center strikes are easily noticeable.

Forgiveness

Starting with the Stealth driver line, TaylorMade has slowly started to phase in forgiveness to their driver offerings more than ever.

The carbon twist face was a revolutionary key technology that allowed their design team to redistribute weight lower and farther back in the clubhead to increase MOI.

This year, TaylorMade is pushing the boundaries of forgiveness with the Qi10 Max, boasting an impressive 10,000 MOI.

This achievement is made possible by maintaining the carbon twist face, incorporating a seamlessly blending free-flowing carbon crown, and introducing the Max head—a longer and shallower design that allows for even greater weight distribution away from the face.

The culmination of these elements results in the most forgiving driver ever created by TaylorMade.

Our team unanimously observed a noticeable difference in testing, particularly in ball control. Mis-hit shots appeared closer to the fairway’s centerline than ever before, and aside from a few user errors, we observed minimal instances of erratic misses.

Distance

Traditionally recognized as a frontrunner in delivering impressive distance off the tee, the Qi10 Max driver disappoints in this aspect.

While our team did achieve a notably higher fairway accuracy compared to previous clubs, it came at a price.

In contrast to their diverse range of current drivers, the Qi10 Max, on average, fell between ten and thirty yards shorter off the tee.

This can be attributed primarily to a significantly higher launch and spin experienced by most players due to the longer head positioning weight farther away from the face.

Great for forgiveness, not good for distance.

Key Technologies

To get maximum forgiveness, the following key technologies are worth noting:

Innovative Head Shape

The Qi10 Max showcases a head shape with increased shallowness from front to back, effectively boosting inertia by enabling mass to be positioned farther away from the center of the clubhead.

The lower and farther back mass is placed from the clubface, the for forgiveness and inertia the club will produce.

Infinity Carbon Crown

The Qi10 Max 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.

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 SPEEDER NX TCS 50

The TCS 50 offers slower-speed players a light shaft option to give them a high launch with mid-spin. If you have a clubhead speed under 95 and are looking to get even more height and spin out of the Qi10 Max, this shaft is for you.

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, we have noticed that the T+ felt softer in the tip than the speeder NX TCS 50 due to increased torque.

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

Pros

• The most forgiving driver that TaylorMade has ever created.
• It gives slower-speed players much-needed height and spin to get their ball in and keep it in the air.
• It can be adjusted up to two degrees in either direction for the loft to truly fit each player’s needs.

Cons

• Very short off of the tee compared to other drivers on the market.
• It creates way too much loft and spin for players with fast clubhead speeds.
• Head design can be uncomfortable for some players who are used to traditional shapes.

Key Takeaways

Introduction of the Qi10 Max

TaylorMade has undergone a significant shift in 2024, focusing on driver technology.

The Qi10 Max, positioned as the most forgiving driver on the market, marks a new technological breakthrough for the company.

Player Profile

The Qi10 Max is designed for high-handicap players seeking increased forgiveness, particularly those prioritizing hitting more fairways and gaining assistance on off-center strikes.

It caters to players less concerned about distance and more focused on accuracy.

Sound, Look, and Feel

The Qi10 Max impresses with its aesthetic appeal, featuring a sleek design with a glossy black crown transitioning into a blue carbon twist face. Despite mixed opinions on the head shape, the driver provides a consistent and appealing look at address.

Forgiveness

With an impressive 10,000 MOI, the Qi10 Max prioritizes forgiveness. The integration of key technologies, including the innovative head shape, Infinity Carbon Crown, and Carbon Twist Face, contributes to enhanced forgiveness and face stability.

Distance

While excelling in forgiveness, the Qi10 Max falls short compared to TaylorMade’s traditional offerings when it comes to distance. The higher launch and spin contribute to a reduction in power off the tee.

Key Technologies:

• Innovative Head Shape: The shallower head design increases inertia by placing mass farther away from the clubhead’s center, enhancing forgiveness.
• Infinity Carbon Crown: Covering 97% of the crown area, this technology strategically redistributes mass for improved forgiveness and provides a clean, visually appealing look at address.
• 60x Carbon Twist Face: The third generation of this technology results in a lighter face, allowing for weight redistribution to increase MOI and maximize energy transfer.
• Adjustable Loft Sleeve: The 4° loft sleeve provides customization options for loft and face angle, allowing golfers to fine-tune their driver settings according to individual preferences.

Recommendation

We recommend the Qi10 Max for high-handicap players prioritizing forgiveness and accuracy over distance.

If you aim to hit more fairways and seek assistance on off-center strikes, the Qi10 Max is an ideal choice.

However, for those placing a higher emphasis on distance, alternative options in the Qi10 lineup may be more suitable