TaylorMade Qi10 Drivers - 2024 Forum Member Review

[Bad Golfer]

Great introductions @Michael.Sandoval33 and @GolfSpy_BEN!

I know @Michael.Sandoval33 getting off the tee is a huge pain in the butt. I struggle with this as well and have been recently doing better in that aspect. Im hoping that the new Qi driver will help you out to find more fairways. The only good thing about a bad tee shot is all the extra practice you get trying scramble to get back out to the fairways. 

[IndyBonzo]

Hello all!  Just popping in here to say my Intro is now available.  

Really looking forward to getting started!

[bens197]

I love seeing newer members involved in such a BIG DEAL test.  Hats off to you folks who have put in the time and effort to make the forums so great.  Respect to the mods for recognizing their efforts as well

 

[Quigleyd]

congrats y'all.

 

[William P]

Nice intro @IndyBonzo! Gotta love the Octopus! 

[HikingMike]

Congratulations testers, ya bunch of jerks!  I'm excited to hear how you get on with these beautiful beasts.

@Michael.Sandoval33 Yep I'll agree with the others - with the increased attention to your game and increased play, I'm sure your handicap will be going down a bit. And with the new driver, even more help I'm sure. I think you're going to have fun here, and it will be fun for us to follow your journey.

@GolfSpy_BEN Cool to see initial data for you already. With that 106-110 swing speed, ball speed, and your apparent high skill, it's nuts to me that is your average distance. Angle of attack and spin I guess, like you said. Let's get that average total distance up to around 270   We're all behind you. (Btw from 9 to 1.4 over 18 months is amazing.)

That said, I am just learning about this stuff for the first time really (data data data!), so take it with a pinch of salt. 

Take a look at these. Here are a couple shots from my free Golf Galaxy fitting with Qi10 LS and a similar ball speed to you... probably mishits, but similar ball speed. I do hit up on it plenty though.

 

[GolfSpy_BEN]

5 hours ago, IndyBonzo said:

Hello all!  Just popping in here to say my Intro is now available.  

Really looking forward to getting started!

Nice Intro! Good luck earning the

[IndyBonzo]

13 minutes ago, GolfSpy_BEN said:

Nice Intro! Good luck earning the

Thank you, Ben!  Yours was outstanding and too much to live up to!  

And @Michael.Sandoval33 - also superbly done!

Edited February 14 by IndyBonzo

[Michael.Sandoval33]

27 minutes ago, IndyBonzo said:

Thank you, Ben!  Yours was outstanding and too much to live up to!  

And @Michael.Sandoval33 - also superbly done!

I want to second what Ben mentioned. We will have to wait and see where the Octopus finds a home!

[GolfSpy_KFT]

@IndyBonzo LOVE the backstory on the  headcover. Stuff like that is why this forum is so awesome. Everyone has a piece of equipment with a unique sentiment to them. Really excited to see how you get along with the standard model as in my head, that is what would suit my game the best.

[TJ Hall]

Nice intros by everyone…really like the octopus story @IndyBonzo!  My wife got me a frog headcover and it hasn’t left my bag.

[TylorJudd]

On 2/12/2024 at 1:06 AM, GolfSpy_BEN said:

Introduction

Hello All, most of you have seen me here and there around the forum, but for the new and uninitiated, my name is Ben. I am a 45-year-old father of 3, who has been happily married for 14 years. I am on the forum staff, as a moderator. My primary duties lend themselves to the VCT, as Commissioner, but I help out in other areas as needed. If you are not aware of the VCT and haven't checked it out, come join us! It is a friendly, low key way to compete against your fellow members in a virtual setting. 

And now, a bit on the current state of my game. Through a considerable amount of practice, hard work and a little rub of the green, I have worked my index down from a 9 to 1.4 over the past 18 months. I am a good ball striker, a great wedge player and a competent putter. However, off the tee, I am decidedly average and a little inconsistent. 

Baseline Numbers

A recent trip to the range allowed me to grab some baseline numbers from current gamer, a Callaway Paradym TD with a Graphite Design Tour AD - XC 7x shaft. Through trial and error, i have found the combination of a low spin head with an x-stiff low spin/low-mid launch shaft helps me keep my spin numbers manageable and helps to mitigate a slightly negative Angle of Attack. This time of year, my swing speed averages around 106 mph, during the warmer weather I am around 110 mph.

 

Questions to Ponder

1. Can the QI-10 help improve the following metrics?:

• Ball Speed
• Carry Distance
• Total Distance
• North/South Dispersion
• East/West Dispersion

2. Will the Twist Face Technology help mitigate my misses, weather they be low bullet pulls or high spinny slices? (See above re: consistency. A reliable miss would be a welcome addition as well)

3. Will the QI-10 help me improve my "off the tee" Strokes Gained number during actual rounds?

This is going to be fun! 

Lastly, as always, if there is something that you, the constant reader, would like to see or be tested, please feel free to ask. I will accommodate your requests, as I am able. 

GolfSpy_Editorial shall be your name hence forth. Great intro!

On 2/12/2024 at 1:07 AM, IndyBonzo said:

Introduction

Who is this guy?

Greetings MyGolfSpy readers!  Welcome to my review of the TaylorMade Qi10 standard driver.

(FABWIFE and the author)

My name is John, and for almost as much as I can remember of my 53 years, I have enjoyed two hobbies:  playing drums and playing golf. 

For Father’s Day a couple years ago, my amazing FABWIFE and three daughters gave me an octopus driver headcover as an homage to both of my hobbies.  (The Octopus is sort of emblematic of drummers, with the many limbs doing different things.)  I crazy love that headcover.  In my mind, a driver has to *earn* the right to wear it.   So, what’s really happening in this review, is . . .

That’s interesting I suppose, but how’s his game?

Driving the golf ball has always been the most variable part of my game, with phases of joyful glory, and periods of abject failure and humiliation.  Last summer was a particularly good driver season.  This winter (especially during a dreadful January) practice time has been hard to come by, and driver has suffered most.  This baseline (below, from December 2023) is not where I want it to be.  Can the TaylorMade Qi10 help?

My current gamer is a Callaway Paradym ◊◊◊ with an Accra FX 3.0 140 M0 shaft.  (It’s an Otto-Phlex shaft.  IYKYK.  There's a great, long thread here in the forums on it.)  Right now the handicap sits at 8.2.

So, how will he judge the Qi10?

Would you believe I have never owned a TaylorMade club of any kind?  It’s true, and when the realization hit me, I was surprised myself given TaylorMade’s reputation and longevity.  So no preconceptions here. 

For the TaylorMade Qi10 to Earn the Octopus, as compared to my current gamer, it will need to show:

• Improved accuracy and dispersion
• Greater distance (carry and total)
• Workability
• Consistency

Using launch monitor data (indoors and out), I plan to:

• Provide results with different loft and lie settings from the TaylorMade 4-degree loft sleeve
• Perform head-to-head comparisons against my current driver
• Bonus:  Compare data against the 2023 Stealth 2 (standard) on loan for the test

On the course, I will test for accuracy/fairways hit, distance, forgiveness on mishits, and most importantly scoring effect.

Results will matter most, but feedback on sound, feel, and aesthetics are forthcoming too. 

Dear readers:  please also share any other testing ideas or questions you have!

Seriously though…

I want to express my gratitude to both TaylorMade and MGS for the opportunity to test and review the TaylorMade Qi10 driver.  Thank you!

Now let’s get after it . . . the octopus is eager to find out if it’s moving to a new home.

I’m going to love reading your testing post! Great humor!

[TylorJudd]

On 2/12/2024 at 1:07 AM, EMacK1961 said:

Hello golfers, readers of all ages, I’m EMacK1961 and I have been selected as a tester for the TaylorMade Qi10 Standard Driver.

I play out of a region just south of San Diego, in Ensenada, Mexico. The weather allows for golf year-round, unlike some parts of the spy network, that is currently under snow and ice. Most days are in the 60’s-70’s with on shore breezes to contend with. I currently am a member at Baja Country Club. I also play at the Bajamar Oceanfront and Golf Resort.

I have been playing since the 80’s, when I was in the USArmy at Ft. Campbell, KY. I became more serious about the game in the 90’s as an escape from my bowling pursuit. I was a member of the PBA in the 90’s. I enjoyed rounds of golf to clear my head from the bowling life.

The 2000’s were not kind to me from 1999-2014 I had 14 spinal surgeries. I have pieces of metal, plastic, and cord holding my spine together. It was after the last of the surgeries, that I allowed myself to seek out an instructor who I could work with. Bobby Lopez, PGA was the guy. He worked with what I brought and made a half decent swing out of it.

Since 2020, I’ve had two more surgeries. My swing didn’t change much after that, thank goodness. With surgery behind me, I went to work on my body. I worked out, dropped almost 50lbs, became stronger, yet more flexible as well. Now my clubhead speed with a driver is over 100mph.

I’m the kind of golfer that enjoys every round as if it could be his last. I appreciate a well done shot by myself or my playing partners and I acknowledge it.

My scores hover around 90. Some higher and some lower. I need to work more on 125yds and in. I keep pulling to the left.

I want to test this product on the range and on the course. I have a launch monitor I will use to show the differences between my current TaylorMade R15 and the new Qi10 Standard. I also have Shot Scope which will help track data with the new driver as well. Ultimately, the data will determine if it stays in the bag.

I’m over the world excited about the testing of the new Qi10 Standard. I have never had any new technology at my disposal before. I’ve always bought used and several years old (at the time). I’m not one to go into a golf shop and look at the new equipment. A. I usually couldn’t afford it and B. I find it hard to decipher all the technospeak used with those new products. That’s why I rely on MyGolfSpy to help me make sense of it all.

Over the years I’ve had a TaylorMade bias, I suppose. I’ve followed their products more closely than the other OEMs. The thing that jumps out at me, at the moment, is the word forgiveness.

Yes, it has a carbon fiber crown, and it is the 3rd generation of the twist face technology (better results on off-center hits), but forgiveness…that’s what I’m looking for.

I’m going into the testing not loving the driver. This is a relationship that has to be built. There  will be a feeling out process in the beginning. I’ll take it to the range and set up the launch monitor and see what we get. I’ll take it on the course for a date, so to speak. Does the club perform the way I want it to? Does the club speak to me? Does the club work as advertised?

My expectations…wow, that’s a good one. I expect that I will see a definite difference on the launch monitor and on the course. My dispersion should be less as my off-center hits wouldn’t be as penal with this new technology.

As far as my specs for the driver, I chose the 10.5 degree and the Adila Rogue Silver 110 60 shaft for low launch and low spin.

I can’t wait to hear how this changes your game! Glad to hear your back is “back” at it

[TylorJudd]

On 2/12/2024 at 1:07 AM, Michael.Sandoval33 said:

Taylormade Qi10 Max Driver
Official MGS Forum Member Review
by Michael.Sandoval33

Greetings from Sunny Southern California! 

A Tidbit About Me
As you may be able to tell, my name is Michael. I am currently 33 years old, a beginner-level player, and this is my official foray into the amazing world of MGS testing! I was born and raised in San Jose, California where when it came to sports growing up, you played football. And I was pretty ok... until my knee...

These days, I am studying for my Bachelor's Degree in Software Programming. Beyond that, I enjoy the little things like spending time outdoors with my Fiancé and our ball of wireless energy Mr. Pickles, or lounging around watching the next episode of the show we are enthralled by. 

Picking The Game Back Up
Growing up, I played from time to time in Middle School with my older brother. He was never really into it, but I appreciated the times we went out to the course as brothers. From there, I would play down in San Diego with friends at a nine-hole on the weekends, but it was all for fun as we used rental clubs from the pro shop. All of that changed towards the end of October when a buddy in Virginia insisted I start playing before my visit this fall. Daily visits to the range and many visits to the courses later and I now think that I may be slightly addicted, though only slightly. Currently, the weakest aspect of my game is finding the fairway from the tee and I am looking to vastly improve in that area during testing.

[Heartwell GC in Long Beach, CA]

Well... What About The Test?
I am going to be testing the Qi10 Max primarily at the driving range and out on the course. I have also committed myself to at the very least, (2) indoor sim sessions per week. As the testing unfolds, I am open to member suggestions on how you would like to see the Qi10 tested, which will further broaden the testing parameters.

As I am fully aware of my current handicap and preconceived notions regarding such, I welcome every opportunity to provide an insightful perspective from my personal skill level. In my testing, the key is in the forgiveness of the 10K MOI that Taylormade has generated. My expectations are mountain-esque for this product, especially so after reading the release information on the Qi10 as well as the buzz from the world of Golf. As of writing, I expect to see results that display a consistent carry distance and flight path, especially when contact with the ball is not directly centered. I am currently looking for a fairway finder, and if the driver can truly deliver a solid and consistent offering while helping elevate my game to the next level, this is no doubt a club that will stay in my bag after testing.

I would like to graciously thank the forum staff here at MGS for the amazing opportunity and I am ecstatic to embark on this journey with you all! 

Can’t wait to see if the 10k is up to hype! Great intro!

[CudaKota66]

8 hours ago, IndyBonzo said:

Hello all!  Just popping in here to say my Intro is now available.  

Really looking forward to getting started!

@IndyBonzo nice flowing locks in the photo!! 

[GolfSpy_BEN]

@EMacK1961, nice intro!

it must be quite the burden having those views of the Pacific, while you are trying to concentrate on the game

[William P]

Nice intro @EMacK1961. Glad to hear you have the medical issues behind you and are pressing forward. Looks like one awesome course judging by the scenic pictures. 

[Jmikecpa]

My intro post is up!

 

[William P]

Nice intro @Jmikecpa! Beautiful family and Sebastion is the king of the house no doubt.

[Jmikecpa]

12 hours ago, William P said:

Nice intro @Jmikecpa! Beautiful family and Sebastion is the king of the house no doubt.

He is a really good boy and has adjusted well the last year to having three teenage kids running around the house all the time. When are Great Dane passed in July of 2022 we all said we were not getting another dog and well we now have Sebastian. The night my buddy passed away I had the choice of taking him in or he went to a shelter. The choice was obvious and at 1AM I had to call my wife and tell her we just adopted a dog.  The saint that my wife is had all that we needed for him a few days later when I got back from VA.  Now that I am home full time working he spends most of the day snoring in my office. Pretty useless as my admin but he does make the work day better. 

[Rob Person]

Enjoyed reading all the different intros and perspectives of what this driver may be able to accomplish for them!

[TylorJudd]

On 2/12/2024 at 1:06 AM, Jmikecpa said:

Intro and About Me

First off thanks to MGS for this great opportunity to test one of the hottest product launches of 2024.  I have been a member of the site for a lot of years and have done several tests for products over the years and it is nice to be back after being quiet on the site for a few years.  So a little about me…  I am 47 and for the first time in close to 10 years I actually live at home with my wife of 23 years and my three children.  My wife and I met at 19 and well she somehow hung onto me for going on close to 28 years….yes she is a saint and supports my golf addiction.  I have a soon to be 18 year old son that is a senior in high school and will be heading to Johnson and Wales in the fall. A 15 year old daughter that is a freshman in high school and just taking the game of golf back up so she can play in high school. Last but not least 12 year old daughter that turns 13 next week and is the reason I have a gray beard and drink.  We also have a five year old St. Bernard named Sebastian that came to live with us after my best friend passed away.

Career wise I am a finance guy by trade and am a CPA and have my MBA.  From 2010 until late last year I was in the casino business and as mentioned above I either lived away from home or travelled so much that I was never home very much.  I spent close to a decade with the Genting Group so if you have ever been to a Resorts World property in the US I was part of the design team as well as the opening team for just about every property.  Now that I have decided to grow up and stop playing casino I work from home four days a week and am the CFO for a software company that develops slot machine content as well as iGaming infrastructure.  It is a good gig and I am starting to get adjusted to being home all the time and working a more traditional job.  Overall it was a positive move and allows me to have a little more free time on my hands

My Golf Story

My golf career started when I was two years old and my grandparents starting taking me to the course.  I had a cut down left handed 7 iron that I would wack away at on the course and somehow was pretty natural at it.  I started taking some very basic lessons when I was about 5 and then was essentially self taught from that point forward.  The four lessons at the end of Golf Magazine from Jack Nicklaus was my guide for close to a decade.  I spent many years on the course with my Grandfather and by the time I was about 8 or 9 I was beating him and his group fairly regularly.  Around the age of 10 I stopped playing left handed and started playing on the correct side of the ball and was a scratch handicap by the age of 14.  I have pretty much stayed scratch or better most of my adult life with my lowest index being about a +5.6.  I unfortunately grew up in the pre-Tiger era where golf was not cool so I played baseball, football and wrestled in high school.  I was on my high school golf team but considering that the season was the same as football I played matches very infrequently. When I went to college I was supposed to play baseball and thanks to a nasty shoulder injury my freshman year I got an opportunity to walk onto the golf team and the rest was history.  Golf became my number one sport and baseball became a hobby that I played until my late 30’s.

My game these days can be summed up as I can make a 7 from places I should make 4 and 4 from places I should make a 7.  I have always had distance on my side and can still move it pretty well for someone my age.  Iron play has always been good and really good from 100 yards and in.  Putting was my nemesis for a lot of years, but I have finally tamed the beast to get to where I am average at worst and have days that I can make everything I look at.

Bit of an older video of my swing but not much has changed in 5 years.

 

Testing Plan

So the last question is what do I want to get out of this test?  Well, quite simply I am chasing distance for the first time in my life.  Chasing may not be the right term but more appropriately preserving distance.  I am playing CB irons for the first time since college because well I am just not long enough with blades anymore.  I have also moved full time to graphite in my irons as being a pitcher for over 30 years is starting to catch up with me physically.  In full disclosure the last TM driver that was in my bag was the R1 and that was just a short stint.  I would have to go way back to the R7 to say that I had a TM driver in my bag for and extended period of time.  The M series and I just never got along for various reasons and it just became a brand that I was not interested in.  Will the Qi10 change all that????  Stick around and we can find out together.

I plan to test this driver primarily on the range to start since well I live in NY and we are in later winter.  I will try and provide as many numbers as I can from launch monitor data or as much as I am comfortable with.  I tend to not try and get caught up in the numbers but prefer to go by the eye test.  As for competition I have two drivers for comparison; my gamer which is TSR 3 with a HZRDUS RDX Smoke Blue 60 TX and a Rogue ST Max LS with an AD DI 7x turned down two degrees.  Looking forward to the process and maybe I will discover a driver I would have normally overlooked in the new releases.

...and man I gonna miss playing this place every week.

Too bad you can’t throw one of your fit shafts into the Qi10. Very curious to see if the LS model has gone too low spin. Great intro, awesome looking swing!

[Jmikecpa]

43 minutes ago, TylorJudd said:

Too bad you can’t throw one of your fit shafts into the Qi10. Very curious to see if the LS model has gone too low spin. Great intro, awesome looking swing!

Ah but I can. I have a full build shop in my basement and have been building and fitting my own clubs for a lot of years.  Heck, I built up a new five wood yesterday in about half an hour and it was ready to hit this morning. Toying around with building a three wood up this afternoon just for fun.  
 

I did not go for a fitting for the Qi10 but keep in mind I did not choose my specs randomly either. I also appreciate the compliments, my swing is mine and mine only. Fortunately it works for me. 

[IndyBonzo]

Great intro @Jmikecpa!  Looking forward to your review.  And your swing looks pretty good to me!  I am petrified of putting mine on film during this review, but I will.

Sebastian looks like a great dog.  I miss my Saint (Duncan) everyday.  You are a lucky man, and he is a lucky dog!

[IndyBonzo]

The borrowed Stealth 2 has arrived, and here are a few glamourish shots.  Looking forward to comparing results with the Qi10.  Both will be standard (Goldilocks?) heads.

 

Edited February 16 by IndyBonzo

[Michael.Sandoval33]

19 minutes ago, IndyBonzo said:

The borrowed Stealth 2 has arrived, and here are a few glamour(ish) shots.  Looking forward to comparing results with the Qi10.  Both will be standard (goldilocks?) heads.

 

Looks mint, I look forward to seeing how the two compare (or maybe don't.)

[HikingMike]

21 minutes ago, IndyBonzo said:

The borrowed Stealth 2 has arrived, and here are a few glamour(ish) shots.  Looking forward to comparing results with the Qi10.  Both will be standard (goldilocks?) heads.

 

Wow that thing has a tall face. Or maybe it's just narrow and looks that way? Great idea to borrow a Stealth 2 as part of your testing, and of course great that you had that available. Thanks to your buddy  

[HikingMike]

On 2/12/2024 at 3:06 AM, Jmikecpa said:

...and man I gonna miss playing this place every week.

Great intro! What do you mean here? Is this a place near where you worked at or travelled to every week at your last job? 

[Jmikecpa]

14 minutes ago, HikingMike said:

Great intro! What do you mean here? Is this a place near where you worked at or travelled to every week at your last job? 

That is Royal New Kent in Providence Forge, VA. I was a member there for the last three years when I worked in VA. The 15th hole ran down the backside of the casino where my office was. Great golf course and an even better staff. Most of my weekends were spent pretty much there from sun up until they closed. Best $250 a month I have ever spent on golf. 

[Michael.Sandoval33]

6 minutes ago, Jmikecpa said:

That is Royal New Kent in Providence Forge, VA. I was a member there for the last three years when I worked in VA. The 15th hole ran down the backside of the casino where my office was. Great golf course and an even better staff. Most of my weekends were spent pretty much there from sun up until they closed. Best $250 a month I have ever spent on golf. 

I have a buddy who is playing Royal Kent as we speak. That is crazy. I will be playing there this fall when I head there to visit. Now I am even more excited.