TaylorMade Qi10 Drivers - 2024 Forum Member Review

[Bad Golfer]

1 hour ago, GolfSpy_BEN said:

QI-10 LS Fitting

Once I received confirmation that I was to be one of the testers for the QI-10 LS, I stopped in to one of my absolute favorite places, The Southwest Golf Ranch, to see the head pro and club fitter, Steve Landrum. Steve is fantastic at what he does, so I am including his contact info, if you ever find yourself in Southwest Ohio and in need of his services:

They use trackman and an outdoor range for fitting purposes. 
 

I cannot stress enough, how beneficial seeing the actual flight of the balls you are hitting is, during the fitting process. Having gone through this sort of process with the Titleist irons and now this driver, I won’t do a fitting any other way.

My current gamer:

 

I have mentioned it in my intro, but given my slightly negative AOA and propensity for producing spin, I have found an LS head in combination with a heavier X-Stiff shaft does a decent job of keeping my driver spin manageable. With that in mind I chose the following head to test:

After hitting a warm-up bucket with my PW, 7i, and current gamer to get loose (it was 45 degrees Fahrenheit with a light breeze) we got down to business. The Paradym is a 10.5 head, so that we started with the corresponding QI-10 LS head and this shaft:

After 3-4 swings, Steve switched to 9 head and the following setting:

as well as sliding the weight to the draw setting. That combination started producing a subtle fade with spin in the high 2000’s to low 3000’s, which for my swing is about right. With the settings settled upon, I took turns alternating between the Tensei black shaft as mentioned above and these shafts:

As is shown in Taylor Made’s shaft matrix:

These were the best stock options available to me for this test. There is a temptation to put a Ventus black 7X into play, after testing is complete, but that is a post for another day…

In all, I hit between 50-75 balls with these three shafts. From a performance standpoint, they produced an average: spin of 2900 rpm 

carry of 245 yards

total of 267 yards

ball speed of 153 mph

height apex of 87 feet

There wasn’t a standout performer in the group, as they all did similar in that regard. Which brings us around to feel. 
 

Feel is such a subjective measurement, but it absolutely has to be accounted for. After factoring feel into the equation: the shafts finished in the following order; Tensei Black, Kai Li White, Aldila Rogue Silver. 
I left the fitting encouraged by the results and reassured that the driver I am testing is setup to help me succeed. Which is the point of this entire exercise. With that said, the work continues and the waiting game commences…

Good info so far Ben but the big question is how are those numbers compared to you Parydym Triple Diamond?

[GolfSpy_BEN]

2 minutes ago, Bad Golfer said:

Good info so far Ben but the big question is how are those numbers compared to you Parydym Triple Diamond?

A fair question, to be sure. One that has a couple of answers. I included a recent range session in my introduction, that was done in similar weather conditions. The QI-10 LS fared slightly better on average during the fitting. However, it is my hope that the weather cooperates during testing and I am able to do some comparative testing when it is 20-30 degrees warmer to get a better feel for how they stack up.

I anticipate the Qi-10 to be a little faster, but I am interested in the dispersion pattern, to see if I can tighten it up a bit. In warmer weather, I am capable of getting a 300 yard drive with either, so while distance is nice, dispersion is critical for my overall plans this golf season. 

[Shrek74]

1 hour ago, GolfSpy_BEN said:

QI-10 LS Fitting

Once I received confirmation that I was to be one of the testers for the QI-10 LS, I stopped in to one of my absolute favorite places, The Southwest Golf Ranch, to see the head pro and club fitter, Steve Landrum. Steve is fantastic at what he does, so I am including his contact info, if you ever find yourself in Southwest Ohio and in need of his services:

They use trackman and an outdoor range for fitting purposes. 
 

I cannot stress enough, how beneficial seeing the actual flight of the balls you are hitting is, during the fitting process. Having gone through this sort of process with the Titleist irons and now this driver, I won’t do a fitting any other way.

My current gamer:

 

I have mentioned it in my intro, but given my slightly negative AOA and propensity for producing spin, I have found an LS head in combination with a heavier X-Stiff shaft does a decent job of keeping my driver spin manageable. With that in mind I chose the following head to test:

After hitting a warm-up bucket with my PW, 7i, and current gamer to get loose (it was 45 degrees Fahrenheit with a light breeze) we got down to business. The Paradym is a 10.5 head, so that we started with the corresponding QI-10 LS head and this shaft:

After 3-4 swings, Steve switched to 9 head and the following setting:

as well as sliding the weight to the draw setting. That combination started producing a subtle fade with spin in the high 2000’s to low 3000’s, which for my swing is about right. With the settings settled upon, I took turns alternating between the Tensei black shaft as mentioned above and these shafts:

As is shown in Taylor Made’s shaft matrix:

These were the best stock options available to me for this test. There is a temptation to put a Ventus black 7X into play, after testing is complete, but that is a post for another day…

In all, I hit between 50-75 balls with these three shafts. From a performance standpoint, they produced an average: spin of 2900 rpm 

carry of 245 yards

total of 267 yards

ball speed of 153 mph

height apex of 87 feet

There wasn’t a standout performer in the group, as they all did similar in that regard. Which brings us around to feel. 
 

Feel is such a subjective measurement, but it absolutely has to be accounted for. After factoring feel into the equation: the shafts finished in the following order; Tensei Black, Kai Li White, Aldila Rogue Silver. 
I left the fitting encouraged by the results and reassured that the driver I am testing is setup to help me succeed. Which is the point of this entire exercise. With that said, the work continues and the waiting game commences…

I know exactly where this place is. I used to live in Four Bridges (not the super expensive part though) and would drive by this place whenever I would head to my sister's place in Lebanon (or head over that way). It looks like they've been putting some $$ into the facilities, which is great. It always looked a bit run down to me when I'd pass it.

I don't get along with the AV Raw series, but didn't mind the Black when I did a Titleist demo day. Glad that you found a setup that's gonna work for you.

[Wheelieb]

2 hours ago, GolfSpy_BEN said:

QI-10 LS Fitting

Once I received confirmation that I was to be one of the testers for the QI-10 LS, I stopped in to one of my absolute favorite places, The Southwest Golf Ranch, to see the head pro and club fitter, Steve Landrum. Steve is fantastic at what he does, so I am including his contact info, if you ever find yourself in Southwest Ohio and in need of his services:

They use trackman and an outdoor range for fitting purposes. 
 

I cannot stress enough, how beneficial seeing the actual flight of the balls you are hitting is, during the fitting process. Having gone through this sort of process with the Titleist irons and now this driver, I won’t do a fitting any other way.

My current gamer:

 

I have mentioned it in my intro, but given my slightly negative AOA and propensity for producing spin, I have found an LS head in combination with a heavier X-Stiff shaft does a decent job of keeping my driver spin manageable. With that in mind I chose the following head to test:

After hitting a warm-up bucket with my PW, 7i, and current gamer to get loose (it was 45 degrees Fahrenheit with a light breeze) we got down to business. The Paradym is a 10.5 head, so that we started with the corresponding QI-10 LS head and this shaft:

After 3-4 swings, Steve switched to 9 head and the following setting:

as well as sliding the weight to the draw setting. That combination started producing a subtle fade with spin in the high 2000’s to low 3000’s, which for my swing is about right. With the settings settled upon, I took turns alternating between the Tensei black shaft as mentioned above and these shafts:

As is shown in Taylor Made’s shaft matrix:

These were the best stock options available to me for this test. There is a temptation to put a Ventus black 7X into play, after testing is complete, but that is a post for another day…

In all, I hit between 50-75 balls with these three shafts. From a performance standpoint, they produced an average: spin of 2900 rpm 

carry of 245 yards

total of 267 yards

ball speed of 153 mph

height apex of 87 feet

There wasn’t a standout performer in the group, as they all did similar in that regard. Which brings us around to feel. 
 

Feel is such a subjective measurement, but it absolutely has to be accounted for. After factoring feel into the equation: the shafts finished in the following order; Tensei Black, Kai Li White, Aldila Rogue Silver. 
I left the fitting encouraged by the results and reassured that the driver I am testing is setup to help me succeed. Which is the point of this entire exercise. With that said, the work continues and the waiting game commences…

Did it seem, based off your fitting, that the level of forgiveness has increased?

[GolfSpy_BEN]

Just now, Wheelieb said:

Did it seem, based off your fitting, that the level of forgiveness has increased?

Granted, forgiveness isn’t the LS’s selling point, but the strikes I had toward the toe weren’t punitive, as the distance loss wasn’t too severe.

I don’t typically miss on the heel side, so I couldn’t say on that miss, but I would presume the results to be similar.

when I have the club in hand for testing, I will grab some powder spray and see what I can create in terms of misses and comparative distance 

[TJ Hall]

1 hour ago, GolfSpy_BEN said:

Granted, forgiveness isn’t the LS’s selling point, but the strikes I had toward the toe weren’t punitive, as the distance loss wasn’t too severe.

I don’t typically miss on the heel side, so I couldn’t say on that miss, but I would presume the results to be similar.

when I have the club in hand for testing, I will grab some powder spray and see what I can create in terms of misses and comparative distance 

During my fitting I can vouch for forgiveness on the heel…distance was slightly less than center but not substantially.

[Josh Parker]

5 hours ago, GolfSpy_BEN said:

QI-10 LS Fitting

Once I received confirmation that I was to be one of the testers for the QI-10 LS, I stopped in to one of my absolute favorite places, The Southwest Golf Ranch, to see the head pro and club fitter, Steve Landrum. Steve is fantastic at what he does, so I am including his contact info, if you ever find yourself in Southwest Ohio and in need of his services:

They use trackman and an outdoor range for fitting purposes. 
 

I cannot stress enough, how beneficial seeing the actual flight of the balls you are hitting is, during the fitting process. Having gone through this sort of process with the Titleist irons and now this driver, I won’t do a fitting any other way.

My current gamer:

 

I have mentioned it in my intro, but given my slightly negative AOA and propensity for producing spin, I have found an LS head in combination with a heavier X-Stiff shaft does a decent job of keeping my driver spin manageable. With that in mind I chose the following head to test:

After hitting a warm-up bucket with my PW, 7i, and current gamer to get loose (it was 45 degrees Fahrenheit with a light breeze) we got down to business. The Paradym is a 10.5 head, so that we started with the corresponding QI-10 LS head and this shaft:

After 3-4 swings, Steve switched to 9 head and the following setting:

as well as sliding the weight to the draw setting. That combination started producing a subtle fade with spin in the high 2000’s to low 3000’s, which for my swing is about right. With the settings settled upon, I took turns alternating between the Tensei black shaft as mentioned above and these shafts:

As is shown in Taylor Made’s shaft matrix:

These were the best stock options available to me for this test. There is a temptation to put a Ventus black 7X into play, after testing is complete, but that is a post for another day…

In all, I hit between 50-75 balls with these three shafts. From a performance standpoint, they produced an average: spin of 2900 rpm 

carry of 245 yards

total of 267 yards

ball speed of 153 mph

height apex of 87 feet

There wasn’t a standout performer in the group, as they all did similar in that regard. Which brings us around to feel. 
 

Feel is such a subjective measurement, but it absolutely has to be accounted for. After factoring feel into the equation: the shafts finished in the following order; Tensei Black, Kai Li White, Aldila Rogue Silver. 
I left the fitting encouraged by the results and reassured that the driver I am testing is setup to help me succeed. Which is the point of this entire exercise. With that said, the work continues and the waiting game commences…

Sounds like a great experience.  Will be following along on the journey. 

[Michael.Sandoval33]

*FITTING UPDATE*
I headed into the local(ish) Golf Galaxy to be fitted for the Qi10 Max. Ready to try out the club for the first time, I wrote down a list of options that I wanted to try out, checked it twice, and headed in. The fitter saw my list of options so we got right into the questions about my game.

My list of options:
Aldila Rogue Silver 110, 60 & 70.
Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 5 & Speeder NX TCS, Regular/Stiff/XStiff
Mitsubishi Diamana T+ 60  & Kai'Li Blue 60

[As a writer, I prefer the pen & pad even with my terrible handwriting]

We spoke in depth about where my game is currently sitting, and where I would be looking to improve with the Qi10 Max realistically. I am not chasing a certain carry distance 'Per se,' but a few extra yards will always be a welcome sight. I informed him that the factor deciding my overall view of the club is its ability to keep on the fairway with increased consistency. We did come to a couple of solid variables to achieve, that being 14° of launch and between 1800-2200 rpm spin rate. After taking 5 swings with my 7 iron, he noted that I had a slower swing speed and suggested the shafts with regular flex. We first tried the Ventus Blue TR 5. Well, the regular... regularly felt like a pool noodle when in full swing and so it was immediately clear that it was not the right fit for me. 

[Somehow, I connected]

We went through each option, minus the Aldila Rogue Silver 60 and the Mitsubishi Kai'Li Blue, as they were out of stock at this location.

Aldila Rogue Silver 110 - 70: Swinging the club was more comfortable for me, but I attribute this to the flex of the shaft. The shaft was a little dense for my liking so although we did see decent numbers after a few swings, I could not see myself confidently approaching the tee box with it in tow.
Fujikura Speeder Nx TCS 50 - Stiff: We were on the right track, the shaft felt ok when swinging. There was still not something quite right as I was launching them pretty high on the trackman, one of which the trackman was unable to fully pick up. The consistency was not there for me either as the ball would simply launch and float where it may.
Mitsubishi Diamana T+ - 60: The Diamana T+ was easily the heaviest of the shafts and my swing speeds dropped by 0.8mph on average. Overall, this was not going to work for my swing.

We couldn't quite get a pulse on which shaft would pair well for me. After a minute or so, the fitter remembered that the Fujikura Ventus Blue TR 5 shaft we had tried was in regular flex, and we had not yet tried the stiff flex. He loaded it up and when paired with the 10.5° head, I took 5 swings and... 2 out of the 5 were hit nearly dead on and the other 3 were hit from the heel area. Out of those 5 swings, only one had failed to make the fairway. It did slice instantly so I might attribute this to human error. But, we could finally breathe a sigh of relief. We had found the shaft! 

[Heel miss, but no miss]

I stuck around for a short while afterward as my fitter was an open book of knowledge and even gave me suggestions for courses in the area that I should check out. Now, as for this Golf Galaxy and the Sim area, I hope they tidy up a bit in the future. That will be a story for another day. 

TL:DR - I ended up choosing the following options:
Head: 10.5
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 5 (S)
Grip: GolfPride Z-Grip Blk/Blue 52g w/ two extra wraps
Added Weights: None

[I promise in here somewhere there was a method to this madness!]

 

And now, we wait...

 

Edited February 19 by Michael.Sandoval33

[Wheelieb]

4 hours ago, GolfSpy_BEN said:

Granted, forgiveness isn’t the LS’s selling point, but the strikes I had toward the toe weren’t punitive, as the distance loss wasn’t too severe.

I don’t typically miss on the heel side, so I couldn’t say on that miss, but I would presume the results to be similar.

when I have the club in hand for testing, I will grab some powder spray and see what I can create in terms of misses and comparative distance 

We are gonna see you with strikes like Tiger when Taylormade told them to miss the center. 

[IndyBonzo]

Hey all!  Answering the question from @Michael.Sandoval33 I will be gaming the Maxfli Tour X, and may try others in sims.  You should try the TourX Michael!  Of course, also range balls will be used, and we all know how much those vary   

 

I will have a fitting post up tomorrow.  

[Michael.Sandoval33]

41 minutes ago, IndyBonzo said:

Hey all!  Answering the question from @Michael.Sandoval33 I will be gaming the Maxfli Tour X, and may try others in sims.  You should try the TourX Michael!  Of course, also range balls will be used, and we all know how much those vary   

 

I will have a fitting post up tomorrow.  

Yeah I definitely will, I hear nothing but great things about them. Excited to read about your fitting!

[GolfSpy_APH]

Orders have been processed and we hope for the drivers to be with the testers early next week!

[IndyBonzo]

Qi10 Fitting Update

One of the best things about where I call home is proximity to the Indianapolis PGA Tour Superstore.  I'm in there too much, probably, but they have great products and great people.  Larry DeSmet previously performed a successful Studio iron fitting there for me.  He is the man.  Highly recommend.  So, off to see Larry I went for my TaylorMade Qi10 driver fitting.

(Indianapolis PGA Tour Superstore)

I loosened up in the TaylorMade bay by hitting some irons and then driver with Trackman, before moving over to the Studio.

(TaylorMade Fitting Bay - Qi10 Sign Coming Soon?)

The Studio contains a dazzling array of shafts, heads, etc. - all the variations.  Kid in a candy store . . . The best part was checking out all the Qi10 options.

(A portion of the Qi10 Head Selections - )

I have experimented a lot with driver shafts, and went in expecting to need a low spinning, stiff shaft to pair with a 9* head.  My preplanned test list included:

• Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 5
• MCA Diamana T+ 60
• MCA Tensei AV LTD Black 65
• KBS TD 60
• MCA Kai'Li Red 60 (to test higher launch/spin)
• MCA Kai'Li White 60

Larry had me hit some shots with my gamer to get a baseline.  And this is where I must make a confession:  I tense up in fittings.  They are useful to me, but I try too hard and tend not to hit the ball as well as I would on the course or when practicing alone. Today was one of those days.  I think I strangled several grips and had the blisters to show for it.  But we got the job done.

(A sampling)

We started with a 10.5* head, and quickly moved into the 9* as expected.  Swingspeed was between XS and S.  Stiff shafts performed better.  After narrowing it down to the Diamana and Kai'Li White, we hit several more and alternated somewhat before settling on the Kai'Li White 60S.  No surprise, as I have been fitted into the Kai'Li White XS before.  The Kai'Li White stiff shaft checks all my boxes:  low torque, low spin, low launch, stable, but with good feedback (not boardy).  Mitsubishi says it has the white profile but with a "blue feel" and I have to agree.

(Just some of the available shafts for fittings)

This is where we landed all in, all specs:

• Loft: 9*
• Shaft:  MCA Kai'Li White 60
• Flex:  Stiff
• Tipping Adjustment:  None/Standard
• Length Adjustment:  -1"
• Weight:  TSS Black Weight #13 (12.7g)
• Grip:  GolfPride Z-Grip w/ 4 extra wraps

I was not able to garner a performance impression of the Qi10 worth publishing due to my less than stellar ball striking.  It was the archer, not the arrow; I did not hit my gamer well either in the fitting.  So, more detailed analysis and impressions forthcoming. 

But I can tell you that the Qi10 standard driver head is attractive and looks great behind the ball.  Also, kudos to TaylorMade for providing a large and varied selection of stock and custom shafts to choose from.

More detailed analysis starts arriving very soon.  

Edited February 20 by IndyBonzo

[fixyurdivot]

On 2/18/2024 at 4:15 PM, Michael.Sandoval33 said:

A quick question for all of my fellow testers here. What ball(s) are you using for the test? Currently, I am gaming the Odin X and I am curious to see, if any, varying results based on our selections.

No driver test will be considered truly complete without launching these... just saying 

[TJ Hall]

30 minutes ago, IndyBonzo said:

Qi10 Fitting Update

One of the best things about where I call home is proximity to the Indianapolis PGA Tour Superstore.  I'm in there too much, probably, but they have great products and great people.  Larry DeSmet previously performed a successful Studio iron fitting there for me.  He is the man.  Highly recommend.  So, off to see Larry I went for my TaylorMade Qi10 driver fitting.

(Indianapolis PGA Tour Superstore)

I loosened up in the TaylorMade bay by hitting some irons and then driver with Trackman, before moving over to the Studio.

(TaylorMade Fitting Bay - Qi10 Sign Coming Soon?)

The Studio contains a dazzling array of shafts, heads, etc. - all the variations.  Kid in a candy store . . . The best part was checking out all the Qi10 options.

(A portion of the Qi10 Head Selections - )

I have experimented a lot with driver shafts, and went in expecting to need a low spinning, stiff shaft to pair with a 9* head.  My preplanned test list included:

• Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 5
• MCA Diamana T+ 60
• MCA Tensei AV LTD Black 65
• KBS TD 60
• MCA Kai'Li Red 60 (to test higher launch/spin)
• MCA Kai'Li White 60

Larry had me hit some shots with my gamer to get a baseline.  And this is where I must make a confession:  I tense up in fittings.  They are useful to me, but I try too hard and tend not to hit the ball as well as I would on the course or when practicing alone. Today was one of those days.  I think I strangled several grips and had the blisters to show for it.  But we got the job done.

(A sampling)

We started with a 10.5* head, and quickly moved into the 9* as expected.  Swingspeed was between XS and S.  Stiff shafts performed better.  After narrowing it down to the Diamana and Kai'Li White, we hit several more and alternated somewhat before settling on the Kai'Li White 60S.  No surprise, as I have been fitted into the Kai'Li White XS before.  The Kai'Li White staff checks all my boxes:  low torque, low spin, low launch, stable, but with good feedback (not boardy).  Mitsubishi says it has the white profile but with a "blue feel" and I have to agree.

(Just some of the available shafts for fittings)

This is where we landed all in, all specs:

• Loft: 9*
• Shaft:  MCA Kai'Li White 60
• Flex:  Stiff
• Tipping Adjustment:  None/Standard
• Length Adjustment:  -1"
• Weight:  TSS Black Weight #13 (12.7g)
• Grip:  GolfPride Z-Grip w/ 4 extra wraps

I was not able to garner a performance impression of the Qi10 worth publishing due to my less than stellar ball striking.  It was the archer, not the arrow; I did not hit my gamer well either in the fitting.  So, more detailed analysis and impressions forthcoming. 

But I can tell you that the Qi10 standard driver head is attractive and looks great behind the ball.  Also, kudos to TaylorMade for providing a large and varied selection of stock and custom shafts to choose from.

More detailed analysis starts arriving very soon.  

Nice feedback…drooling over the seemingly endless options available for the fitting!

[StrokerAce]

That loft sleeve... WHOA!

[dlm]

Nice, good luck testers!  I'm sure it will impress.

[Michael.Sandoval33]

1 hour ago, IndyBonzo said:

Qi10 Fitting Update

One of the best things about where I call home is proximity to the Indianapolis PGA Tour Superstore.  I'm in there too much, probably, but they have great products and great people.  Larry DeSmet previously performed a successful Studio iron fitting there for me.  He is the man.  Highly recommend.  So, off to see Larry I went for my TaylorMade Qi10 driver fitting.

(Indianapolis PGA Tour Superstore)

I loosened up in the TaylorMade bay by hitting some irons and then driver with Trackman, before moving over to the Studio.

(TaylorMade Fitting Bay - Qi10 Sign Coming Soon?)

The Studio contains a dazzling array of shafts, heads, etc. - all the variations.  Kid in a candy store . . . The best part was checking out all the Qi10 options.

(A portion of the Qi10 Head Selections - )

I have experimented a lot with driver shafts, and went in expecting to need a low spinning, stiff shaft to pair with a 9* head.  My preplanned test list included:

• Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 5
• MCA Diamana T+ 60
• MCA Tensei AV LTD Black 65
• KBS TD 60
• MCA Kai'Li Red 60 (to test higher launch/spin)
• MCA Kai'Li White 60

Larry had me hit some shots with my gamer to get a baseline.  And this is where I must make a confession:  I tense up in fittings.  They are useful to me, but I try too hard and tend not to hit the ball as well as I would on the course or when practicing alone. Today was one of those days.  I think I strangled several grips and had the blisters to show for it.  But we got the job done.

(A sampling)

We started with a 10.5* head, and quickly moved into the 9* as expected.  Swingspeed was between XS and S.  Stiff shafts performed better.  After narrowing it down to the Diamana and Kai'Li White, we hit several more and alternated somewhat before settling on the Kai'Li White 60S.  No surprise, as I have been fitted into the Kai'Li White XS before.  The Kai'Li White staff checks all my boxes:  low torque, low spin, low launch, stable, but with good feedback (not boardy).  Mitsubishi says it has the white profile but with a "blue feel" and I have to agree.

(Just some of the available shafts for fittings)

This is where we landed all in, all specs:

• Loft: 9*
• Shaft:  MCA Kai'Li White 60
• Flex:  Stiff
• Tipping Adjustment:  None/Standard
• Length Adjustment:  -1"
• Weight:  TSS Black Weight #13 (12.7g)
• Grip:  GolfPride Z-Grip w/ 4 extra wraps

I was not able to garner a performance impression of the Qi10 worth publishing due to my less than stellar ball striking.  It was the archer, not the arrow; I did not hit my gamer well either in the fitting.  So, more detailed analysis and impressions forthcoming. 

But I can tell you that the Qi10 standard driver head is attractive and looks great behind the ball.  Also, kudos to TaylorMade for providing a large and varied selection of stock and custom shafts to choose from.

More detailed analysis starts arriving very soon.  

Sounds like you found the fit for you, even if your ball striking was "less than stellar." Can't wait to see you fling some rockets when you're all warmed up and ready to go.

[CFreddie]

2 hours ago, IndyBonzo said:

Qi10 Fitting Update

One of the best things about where I call home is proximity to the Indianapolis PGA Tour Superstore.  I'm in there too much, probably, but they have great products and great people.  Larry DeSmet previously performed a successful Studio iron fitting there for me.  He is the man.  Highly recommend.  So, off to see Larry I went for my TaylorMade Qi10 driver fitting.

(Indianapolis PGA Tour Superstore)

I loosened up in the TaylorMade bay by hitting some irons and then driver with Trackman, before moving over to the Studio.

(TaylorMade Fitting Bay - Qi10 Sign Coming Soon?)

The Studio contains a dazzling array of shafts, heads, etc. - all the variations.  Kid in a candy store . . . The best part was checking out all the Qi10 options.

(A portion of the Qi10 Head Selections - )

I have experimented a lot with driver shafts, and went in expecting to need a low spinning, stiff shaft to pair with a 9* head.  My preplanned test list included:

• Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 5
• MCA Diamana T+ 60
• MCA Tensei AV LTD Black 65
• KBS TD 60
• MCA Kai'Li Red 60 (to test higher launch/spin)
• MCA Kai'Li White 60

Larry had me hit some shots with my gamer to get a baseline.  And this is where I must make a confession:  I tense up in fittings.  They are useful to me, but I try too hard and tend not to hit the ball as well as I would on the course or when practicing alone. Today was one of those days.  I think I strangled several grips and had the blisters to show for it.  But we got the job done.

(A sampling)

We started with a 10.5* head, and quickly moved into the 9* as expected.  Swingspeed was between XS and S.  Stiff shafts performed better.  After narrowing it down to the Diamana and Kai'Li White, we hit several more and alternated somewhat before settling on the Kai'Li White 60S.  No surprise, as I have been fitted into the Kai'Li White XS before.  The Kai'Li White staff checks all my boxes:  low torque, low spin, low launch, stable, but with good feedback (not boardy).  Mitsubishi says it has the white profile but with a "blue feel" and I have to agree.

(Just some of the available shafts for fittings)

This is where we landed all in, all specs:

• Loft: 9*
• Shaft:  MCA Kai'Li White 60
• Flex:  Stiff
• Tipping Adjustment:  None/Standard
• Length Adjustment:  -1"
• Weight:  TSS Black Weight #13 (12.7g)
• Grip:  GolfPride Z-Grip w/ 4 extra wraps

I was not able to garner a performance impression of the Qi10 worth publishing due to my less than stellar ball striking.  It was the archer, not the arrow; I did not hit my gamer well either in the fitting.  So, more detailed analysis and impressions forthcoming. 

But I can tell you that the Qi10 standard driver head is attractive and looks great behind the ball.  Also, kudos to TaylorMade for providing a large and varied selection of stock and custom shafts to choose from.

More detailed analysis starts arriving very soon.  

Great write-up @IndyBonzo - I'm close-ish to a PGASS, which is INCREDIBLY dangerous.  Almost everytime I walk in there, I'm walking out with something.  The worst section is the used putter rack...I just can't help myself 

[KC Golf]

1 hour ago, StrokerAce said:

That loft sleeve... WHOA!

You may want to try to put these various options on a roulette wheel and spin it to see what to try first!

[jbern]

Finally caught up on intros and all the other updates! Great intros everyone! Sounds like it's going to be a fun group of testers with various skill levels and forms of humor! 

As far as the fittings go, @IndyBonzo, how did you end up with a 1" shorter than standard shaft? Did they talk about shaft length in your fittings @GolfSpy_BEN& @Michael.Sandoval33? I'm curious because, at the last in-person fitting I had, the fitter basically said "you're average height, take the standard length." 

Did anyone try a different head than the one you signed up for as part of the test? I know pros like Morikawa and Nelly Korda use the Max so it seems like the ideal head might not be a traditional fit.

[IndyBonzo]

1 minute ago, jbern said:

As far as the fittings go, @IndyBonzo, how did you end up with a 1" shorter than standard shaft? 

Did anyone try a different head than the one you signed up for as part of the test? 

Great questions @jbern.

In my case, I have played driver at 44 - 45" for several years.  I find that it greatly increases my accuracy.  Every time I try a full length shaft, I end up going back for that reason.

I did not take the opportunity to hit other heads in the fitting.  I hope to sometime soon!

[Michael.Sandoval33]

8 minutes ago, jbern said:

Finally caught up on intros and all the other updates! Great intros everyone! Sounds like it's going to be a fun group of testers with various skill levels and forms of humor! 

As far as the fittings go, @IndyBonzo, how did you end up with a 1" shorter than standard shaft? Did they talk about shaft length in your fittings @GolfSpy_BEN& @Michael.Sandoval33? I'm curious because, at the last in-person fitting I had, the fitter basically said "you're average height, take the standard length." 

Did anyone try a different head than the one you signed up for as part of the test? I know pros like Morikawa and Nelly Korda use the Max so it seems like the ideal head might not be a traditional fit.

Great question. I actually did mention that I felt my current driver from the stone ages of 2003 felt rather long to me. And then he explained that drivers in 2024 are actually longer than they were 20 years ago but he did not go into much else regarding the subject. I am curious to see if it was brought up to the other testers though.

Edit: We also did not get into testing the other heads, the fitter felt confident the Max was for the best. We did adjust the lofts in various settings from 9-12. Factoring in 9.5 and 11.5 lofts as well.

Edited February 20 by Michael.Sandoval33

[GolfSpy_BEN]

18 minutes ago, jbern said:

Finally caught up on intros and all the other updates! Great intros everyone! Sounds like it's going to be a fun group of testers with various skill levels and forms of humor! 

As far as the fittings go, @IndyBonzo, how did you end up with a 1" shorter than standard shaft? Did they talk about shaft length in your fittings @GolfSpy_BEN& @Michael.Sandoval33? I'm curious because, at the last in-person fitting I had, the fitter basically said "you're average height, take the standard length." 

Did anyone try a different head than the one you signed up for as part of the test? I know pros like Morikawa and Nelly Korda use the Max so it seems like the ideal head might not be a traditional fit.

Thanks @jbern!

In a more informal way, I tried each of the three heads at a golf shop I frequent, prior to the announcement that this was to be a testing opportunity. With a Tensei Black 6S, he didn’t have the X, the standard and max heads were high spin generators for me. Both produced spin in 4000-4500 rpm range, where as with that particular shaft and the LS head the spin was in the mid 3000’s. So armed with that info, I knew I was in the correct head for my fitting and concentrated specifically on the shaft options available. 
As to length of shaft, it wasn’t discussed during the fitting with Steve, but not necessarily omitted. I would guess that my swing didn’t indicate to him that we needed to explore options other than standard length. But that is a great question, for my next fitting.

[jbern]

1 hour ago, IndyBonzo said:

Great questions @jbern.

In my case, I have played driver at 44 - 45" for several years.  I find that it greatly increases my accuracy.  Every time I try a full length shaft, I end up going back for that reason.

I did not take the opportunity to hit other heads in the fitting.  I hope to sometime soon!

 

1 hour ago, Michael.Sandoval33 said:

Great question. I actually did mention that I felt my current driver from the stone ages of 2003 felt rather long to me. And then he explained that drivers in 2024 are actually longer than they were 20 years ago but he did not go into much else regarding the subject. I am curious to see if it was brought up to the other testers though.

Edit: We also did not get into testing the other heads, the fitter felt confident the Max was for the best. We did adjust the lofts in various settings from 9-12. Factoring in 9.5 and 11.5 lofts as well.

 

57 minutes ago, GolfSpy_BEN said:

Thanks @jbern!

In a more informal way, I tried each of the three heads at a golf shop I frequent, prior to the announcement that this was to be a testing opportunity. With a Tensei Black 6S, he didn’t have the X, the standard and max heads were high spin generators for me. Both produced spin in 4000-4500 rpm range, where as with that particular shaft and the LS head the spin was in the mid 3000’s. So armed with that info, I knew I was in the correct head for my fitting and concentrated specifically on the shaft options available. 
As to length of shaft, it wasn’t discussed during the fitting with Steve, but not necessarily omitted. I would guess that my swing didn’t indicate to him that we needed to explore options other than standard length. But that is a great question, for my next fitting.

Fittings are so unique (and fun). Thanks for sharing and answering my questions!

[HikingMike]

19 hours ago, Michael.Sandoval33 said:

[HikingMike]

19 hours ago, Michael.Sandoval33 said:

[I promise in here somewhere there was a method to this madness!]

Had to be done, haha

[Michael.Sandoval33]

4 minutes ago, HikingMike said:

Had to be done, haha

[buckpillar]

5 hours ago, StrokerAce said:

That loft sleeve... WHOA!

I think you would need someone special to figure out the adjustments... Like....

[ILMgolfnut]

29 minutes ago, buckpillar said:

I think you would need someone special to figure out the adjustments... Like....

The adjustments on my Mizuno ST-X are almost identical, although it has 8 different settings to the 12 for the TM, and I was able to figure them out and adjust my driver myself. (I took it one notch/degree higher loft).

Edited February 20 by ILMgolfnut