TaylorMade Qi10 Drivers - 2024 Forum Member Review

[Josh Parker]

On 2/12/2024 at 3:06 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. 
 

Link to my fitting post:

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/62804-testers-announced-taylormade-qi10-drivers/?do=findComment&comment=1017665

Link to my unboxing:

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/62804-taylormade-qi10-drivers-2024-forum-member-review/?do=findComment&comment=1022464

 

Taylor Made QI-10 LS – Official MGS Forum Review by GolfSpy_BEN

 

First Impressions (20 out of 20)

At first blush, this driver exudes class and a simple elegance that I find very appealing. Taylor Made knocked the design out of the park with this one. Gone is the garish red face, replaced by a dark blue that, at a glance could be mistaken for almost black. One of the things I never liked about the Stealth lines was, at address, I noticed that face and I found that distracting during the task at hand. Also, gone is the strip of differing material just above the face, and in it's place a glossy one piece crown that absolutely sparkles to the eye. 

Aesthetics (10 out of 10) 

The QI-10 has a timeless look about it and hearkens back to design elements of drivers of yore. It reminds me a little of what Titleist tries to convey with their offerings from a design perspective and I, for one, am here for it. The perfect driver, to me, is one I barely notice when I am swinging. The shape of QI-10 LS is akin to a classic shaped driver and puts off a vibe, best described as, fast. Looking at the club, at address, the mind races with possibility. This clubs subtly suggests, "The ball will go far, just give it a swing, find out." I get the sensation that there is a beast lurking beneath the tranquil facade, a feeling similar to a Ferrari or a Porsche. Standing still, they just look fast. 

The Numbers (10 out of 10)

A refresher of where the Paradym TD stood in a practice session prior to the commencement of this test

And here is a month’s worth of accumulated sessions with the QI-10 LS:

The thing that stands out to me, is the numbers are depressingly similar. A glass half full type will point out that it is a sign of consistency that there isn’t a great increase or sharp drop-off between the 2 clubs. That’s great and all, but my mediocre average driving numbers are what prompted me to volunteer for this test to begin with. That everything stayed more or less the same, means I can’t/won’t penalize the QI-10, but I admit I had hoped for something more. One aspect to all of this, is the Kai Li shaft proved to be a dud for me, which prompted me to come out of pocket on an upgrade shaft.

There is some hope moving forward that as I acclimate towards the new shaft/head combo, that the averages will naturally rise up to the level I am seeking. Plus, as we move into the summer months and prime golf season, the warmer temps will aid and abet a faster swing and more favorable playing conditions. 

On-Course (17 out of 20)

Because of the abbreviated testing window, the QI-10 LS was basically given one round to make the bag. An argument can be made for either side, whether this is fair or unfair to the product. On the one hand, I can acknowledge that to truly make this decision a number of rounds need to be played and a large body of evidence must be weighed and measured to make a truly informed decision. Yet on the other hand, if the product doesn’t crack and require 3 weeks to be replaced, then those rounds and the larger sample size happen and this is all an academic argument. Such is life. 

For the QI-10 LS’s audition, I booked and played a round at my home course; Majestic Springs. We had a 9:34 am tee time on a Sunday morning that was forecast to be partly sunny and more importantly, dry. Upon arriving at the course, we were informed of a 45 minute frost delay that had pushed back the tee times, so we were now going off the back at 10:15 am. The back nine is on a higher elevation and is more open to the sun and wind, so this is SOP, any time there is a frost delay. It was approx. 45 degrees when we started with an a cold, intermittent wind. Through the round, the wind died down and it warmed up to 65 degrees. Here is an unvarnished recap of the driving holes:

Hole 10

For my first tee shot, it went straight but was woefully short. I caught it high center of the face and the ball went nowhere. Not the start I was looking for, and it led to a bogey.

Hole 11

More of the same for the par 5 11th, except this one went 20 yards shorter. The irony of me hitting my second shot 80 yards further is particularly delicious, given if I wasn’t testing a driver this is the point in the round where I would pull the ripcord on using the driver and hit 3 woods off the tee for the rest of the day. Given that wasn’t an option, I recovered nicely on this hole for a par

Hole 12

Another 181 yard bomb, but this one sliced weakly off to the right, and if it was mid summer would have been lost to the heather. Fortunately, the heather is clear cut at the end of the season, so the ball was easily found and played forward toward another bogey. 

Hole 13

Better contact on this one, as it went 213, but still a slice. Aggravation was starting to creep in with another bogey and I was now +3 through 4 holes. Why do I play this silly game again?

Hole 14

Blessedly a par 3, which I chipped in from the fringe for par after a short tee shot and duffed first chip. 

Hole 15

The number 2 handicap hole on this course, and one i usually fair well on. Drive was 209, but in the fairway. On this swing, I saw a glimmer of hope as it felt like I caught it well but the wind knocked in down a bit. Add another par and keep it moving.

Hole 16

This short par 4 is one that fits my eye well and I usually love driving the ball from the elevated tee box. I’ve had some really great drives on this hole, but this wasn’t one of them. 184 yard slice that had me contemplating walking off the course, however a par is a par.

Hole 17

To this point, the par 3’s were arriving when I needed them most. A workmanlike par took us to 18.

Hole 18

A 226 yard drive that wasn’t pretty but it was effective and I parred this hole to finish the first nine in 3 over 39. Bring on the front nine.

Hole 1

This tee shot encompasses what I hoped this driver could be for me. 260 yards, down the middle, leaving me a short pitch in. It is more than coincidental that as we started the front nine, the temperature had risen into the 60’s and there was a subtle whisp of warm breeze, making for agreeable playing conditions. Another par.

Hole 2

It is important to note that this is my nemesis hole. My usual play is a 6 iron off the tee, followed by a 7 iron into a narrow green. I don’t typically take Driver on this hole because with the 240 yards forced carry any mishit drives end up in the creek that divides the fairway. But given that this is a testing round, I pulled driver and produced a high draw that carried 245 yards, hopped once and stopped. It was a new experience leaving myself a gap wedge in. Of course, I bogeyed the hole, as I was still in shock at the drive. 

Hole 3

Unlike the first nine, this par 3 had awful timing, as it broke the driving groove I spent the previous 2 holes cultivating. A par, so I can’t be too disappointed.

Hole 4

This elevated tee box and fairly wide fairway invites players to come out of their shoes. I tried to, and damn near missed the ball, resulting in a 192 slice into the clear cut heather that made me mad. Golf is a fickle mistress, at best.

Hole 5

Par 3’s were now back in my good graces, following that awful drive and the resulting par was satisfying.

Hole 6

Not a great drive, but also not a bad drive. Given that it stopped 1 ft before the pond on this hole, it may have been my luckiest drive of the day, and the par train kept a rolling.

Hole 7

The last of the par 3’s and with it, my last bogey as well. Flubbed a nine iron because I was trying to get cute with a tucked right pin that was located on the upper tier of the green. Lesson learned, we live to fight another day.

Hole 8

220 yards of I don’t know what the hell happened on this par 5, coupled with an downhill/sidehill lie for my second and thank the golf gods, that they allowed me to walk away from this hole with a par.

Hole 9

207 yard high spinny right ball was a fitting end to this topsy-turvy driving round. A lovely 7 iron to the center of the green allowed for a 2 putt par and a +5, 76. It is a testament to the other parts of my game that this lackluster display of golf ball driving didn’t completely send this round off the rails. 

A final postmortem of this round reveals a couple of profound truths. I need to commit more time in practice to my driver swing and there isn’t likely a place in my bag, for this level of inconsistency and frustration.

The Good, the bad, the InBetween (10 out of 20)

The Good: When my swing was grooving, this driver produced great drives and left me hungry for more. The head cover is of a premium quality and really well done. 

The Bad: The advertised stock shaft for the LS was on back-order and required a last second switch, in order to keep to the testing schedule. I have deducted 3 points for this. The head cracked on a normal swing, in what can only be surmised as a freak occurrence and yet the whole ordeal lost me 3 weeks of valuable testing time, so for that I am deducting another 7 points. 

The InBetween: The further we get into this season, I will be keenly watching for other cases of the club malfunctioning, because I am genuinely curious if what happened to me was a one-off or a part of a larger pattern of quality concerns for Taylor Made. Going back to the original SIM, there have been cases of faulty heads, so it bears monitoring.

 Play it or Trade it? (19 out of 20)

For this test, I am treating this question as literal. The simple answer is trade it and so I did. @IndyBonzoand I have traded heads, so that he can see if he likes the LS and I will do the same with the core head. It is entirely possible with enough time and persistence, I could grow to love the QI-10 LS but I frankly don’t have the patience to find out. And because hope springs eternal, bring on the core head and let’s see what this baby can do. I deducted a point for the cost of shipping the head to my fellow tester. 

After receiving the core head, I took it up to the golf ranch. Persistent rain kept me off the turf range, so I don't have any Rapsodo data to share just yet, but I liked what I was seeing from a shape perspective. More straight balls and fades, less high spinny slice balls. So there is still hope that a QI-10 driver makes the bag this season, just not the one I thought it would be. Lastly, it is my earnest hope that the LS is everything @IndyBonzohopes it will be and more. May he find the happiness that resides within it.

Conclusion

The QI-10 LS is a good driver. My personal feeling is that this line of drivers is an upgrade over the two generations of Stealth. Early on in the testing period, there were moments of brilliance and promise before a series of unfortunate events tainted my testing experience, but based on the evidence put forth by the testers and shadow testers alike, this is a line of drivers that works really well for a cross section of skill ranges. As evidenced by @Michael.Sandoval33breaking 100 numerous times with the Max and @chisag declaring his standard model,  the holy grail. 

High praise indeed. 

Final Score (86 out of 100)

Great review and will be following along on what makes the bag this year. 

[Michael.Sandoval33]

Great review @GolfSpy_BEN you definitely had quite the interesting testing experience to say the least (I appreciate the quick shout-out)

Also...

I hope the swap goes well for you and @IndyBonzo!

[TJ Hall]

22 minutes ago, GolfSpy_BEN said:

My final review is up in my placeholder post. Check it out…or not. Either way thanks to Taylor Made and The MyGolfSpy Forum for this opportunity to try something new

Always appreciated, never taken for granted. 

Lastly, stay tuned for dispatches from the latest path I’ve chosen to travel. 

Nice review @GolfSpy_BEN…sorry to hear about the challenges with the club.  Hoping the standard head works out for you.  Looking forward to seeing more feedback as you get more rounds in with it! 

[William P]

Great review @GolfSpy_BEN! You experienced quite a challenge to get this one completed. Looking forward to hearing about your new direction.

[chisag]

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

The QI-10 LS is a good driver. My personal feeling is that this line of drivers is an upgrade over the two generations of Stealth. Early on in the testing period, there were moments of brilliance and promise before a series of unfortunate events tainted my testing experience, but based on the evidence put forth by the testers and shadow testers alike, this is a line of drivers that works really well for a cross section of skill ranges. As evidenced by @Michael.Sandoval33breaking 100 numerous times with the Max and @chisag declaring his standard model,  the holy grail. 

 

... My hope amigo is we meet in the middle. I won't sugar coat it because I really, really disliked the Qi10 Max. Shorter and very crooked compared to my Stealth2 HD. I gave it a full 5 rounds and disliked it just as much on my last swing as I did with my first swing. It really wanted to go left for me and that never changed. I hit several pretty big slices (something I next to never do) because I was over compensating. Admittedly I did not like the look at address and found the huge spaceship shaped head quite distracting and that's never good.

... Using the 90 day playability guarantee I exchanged it for the standard Qi10 and fully expected to end up selling it and going back to my S2 HD. To be fair I loved the look at address and the ball flight was very neutral from the very first drive. Hmmmmm maybe I won't have to sell it. It just kept getting better and I won't rehash the performance because as you said I found my Holy Grail. 

... It should be clear that all three of these drivers are quite different. My hope is you find the same success I did coming from the other end of the spectrum. Max was too game improvement for me and it sounds like the LS was too penal for you. I took forward to hearing how the Standard head works for you and if IndyBonzo finds improvement with the LS. 

... And to be fair to the Max @Michael.Sandoval33 and @Hook DeLoft seem to be doing really well with their drivers and Nelly Korda has won her last 3 tournaments in a row using the Qi10 Max. It seems there is a driver for everyone in the Qi10 line up, so be sure and demo all 3 of them before making any decisions. 

Edited April 14 by chisag

[Swood1994]

Great review @GolfSpy_BEN! That was definitely the roller coaster of a test. I hope you and @IndyBonzo have new shared successes with the swap!

[HikingMike]

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

As evidenced by @Michael.Sandoval33breaking 100 numerous times with the Max and @chisag declaring his standard model,  the holy grail. 

High praise indeed. 

Final Score (86 out of 100)

Yesssssss, I love that scene haha

Great review. Thanks for posting all your holes from your round, cool stuff. Nice round! That doesn't look like the easiest course... that narrow par 5 in the trees, yeesh. Fair amount of water too. Hell of a 3 wood shot on another par 5!

I like the launch monitor stats as well. I agree that was a bit of a roller coaster test. It wasn't boring. 

[Jim Shaw]

On 4/12/2024 at 8:28 PM, chisag said:

... I continue to be amazed by the performance of my Qi10. Pretty soon all my longest drives on every hole at my home course will be one by the Qi10. Only 2 left. Three more holes were added to that record today and it might have been the best driving day of my life. The performance is so good it has given me confidence to swing away with max effort while maintaining my balance and tempo.

... #17 is a 265yd slightly uphill par 4 guarded by a big lake with a carry of 250. My normal carry before the Qi10 was in the 225/230 range but a nice little wind at my back I thought I would go for it, something I have never done on this hole. My guess is my carry was 255yds landing just on the putting surface and ending up over the green in the back bunker. Thanks to insanely long drives, I had irons into 3 of the par 5's (5i, 9i, 5i). 

... The Qi10 series may not be as long or as accurate for someone else, but I would most definitely demo one to find out. 

Sounds like the proof is in the pudding for you @chisag...you are as giddy as a schoolgirl... all I can say is I am going to give it a try, if an old fart like you can get this excited it is worth a try for an old fart like me, thanks for sharing your results so eloquently.

[IndyBonzo]

Really a great review @GolfSpy_BEN!  Strong work.  And huge thanks to you, Ben, for trying the swap with me.

I hope for nirvana like @chisag today, as I plan to game the Qi10 LS for the first time, and will post a final review thereafter.

Here’s the initial setup for the LS:

I love this shaft.  The Accra FX 3.0 140 is just a great feeling shaft.  I have used the M0 in the Paradym TD and hit it better than ever.

For the LS, I am using the M2 (Senior) flex, or stiffer than the Ladies flex I used in the Paradym. (Otto-Phlex rules.)  Why?

Because I’m going the shorter shaft route.   44” to try to find center more consistently than I had with the standard Qi10.  At that shorter shaft length, it requires some adjustments to get the swing weight correct.  So …

The gorgeous secret weapon that is lead tape to the rescue.  It’s set at D4 right now, but I may pull one strip to knock it down to D2 or so on the range.

It promises to be a fun and interesting day on the course with the Qi10 LS!

[Michael.Sandoval33]

My final review of the Qi10 Max is up! I hope you all enjoy reading as much as I did testing.

 

[William P]

25 minutes ago, Michael.Sandoval33 said:

My final review of the Qi10 Max is up! I hope you all enjoy reading as much as I did testing.

 

Nice review! It was good to see your confidence grow as you progressed with the use of the Qi10.

[TJ Hall]

51 minutes ago, Michael.Sandoval33 said:

My final review of the Qi10 Max is up! I hope you all enjoy reading as much as I did testing.

 

Nice review…glad to see you were gaining some confidence with the Qi and congrats on lowering the handicap!  Looking forward to seeing more drops as you continue to play with the Qi!

[GolfSpy_BEN]

2 hours ago, Michael.Sandoval33 said:

My final review of the Qi10 Max is up! I hope you all enjoy reading as much as I did testing.

 

Well done, Michael! It is awesome that you were able to shave 6 strokes off of your handicap index. I look forward to following along, as you continue this journey, that is golf. 

[Michael.Sandoval33]

8 minutes ago, GolfSpy_BEN said:

Well done, Michael! It is awesome that you were able to shave 6 strokes off of your handicap index. I look forward to following along, as you continue this journey, that is golf. 

Thanks Ben! I already have a different shaft on the way and I hope to update with more improvements soon. Also can't wait to read everybody else's reviews.

[CFreddie]

9 minutes ago, GolfSpy_BEN said:

Well done, Michael! It is awesome that you were able to shave 6 strokes off of your handicap index. I look forward to following along, as you continue this journey, that is golf. 

Echoing @GolfSpy_BEN here - you killed it @Michael.Sandoval33!  

[sirchunksalot]

@Michael.Sandoval33 great review and I'll echo what others have Said here in that it's great to see your confidence grow with the QI-10. The two rounds you broke 100 are just the beginning and I expect to hear good things from you this year. Not to mention, the drop in handicap was impressive! 

[Michael.Sandoval33]

16 minutes ago, sirchunksalot said:

@Michael.Sandoval33 great review and I'll echo what others have Said here in that it's great to see your confidence grow with the QI-10. The two rounds you broke 100 are just the beginning and I expect to hear good things from you this year. Not to mention, the drop in handicap was impressive! 

I was really surprised that my handicap changed that much, but I assume it is due to the course ratings and my previous playing handicap? I am definitely still learning about that information. I am very pleased overall and had a great time while testing and writing. Plenty more on the way!

Thanks again everybody for reading and being great during the testing period. You all made it really fun to test. 

And of course thank you to MGS for the great opportunity! The spies are the best

[Rob Person]

Excellent review!  Driver or not, your going forward with a new confidence,  and learning through the difficult stages will become easier!

[rkj427]

Excellent reviews @GolfSpy_BEN and @Michael.Sandoval33

Michael, glad to hear that your experience with the Q10 Max has both improved your confidence level and improved your scores.

Looking forward to hearing more lower scores as time progresses.

Ben, will be interested in reading how the Q10 standard may suit you better than the LS version, and hope to hear that the LS model improved the findings for @IndyBonzo

Edited April 15 by rkj427

[Jmikecpa]

My final review is up...

Fire away with any questions.

 

Edited April 15 by Jmikecpa
Update

[GolfSpy_BEN]

11 minutes ago, Jmikecpa said:

My final review is up...

Fire away with any questions.

 

Nicely done, Jamie! That was an enjoyable read and I’m thrilled that your experience with the LS has turned out so positively. 

[TJ Hall]

14 minutes ago, Jmikecpa said:

My final review is up...

Fire away with any questions.

 

Nice review @Jmikecpa…glad to see the new driver was working for you!  Looked like you hit some mister drives based on the pictures!

[Jmikecpa]

1 minute ago, GolfSpy_BEN said:

Nicely done, Jamie! That was an enjoyable read and I’m thrilled that your experience with the LS has turned out so positively. 

Thanks and it was change of mindset. I was looking for something different than what I was getting while what I was getting was good. Looking forward to playing this driver when it is not cold, high winds and a wet golf course. 

[Jmikecpa]

2 minutes ago, TJ Hall said:

Nice review @Jmikecpa…glad to see the new driver was working for you!  Looked like you hit some mister drives based on the pictures!

Thanks. I can still really move it…downwind.

[HikingMike]

3 hours ago, Michael.Sandoval33 said:

My final review of the Qi10 Max is up! I hope you all enjoy reading as much as I did testing.

 

Great review! I’m glad you had a good time testing, you found a new reliable fairway finder for your game, and you’re spreading your wings a bit with the different golf courses!  

[rkj427]

26 minutes ago, Jmikecpa said:

My final review is up...

Fire away with any questions.

 

Great review @Jmikecpa.

Question as to how you think the Q10 compares to the TSR3 as far as any workability?

Is the Q10 more fade biased than the standard neutral settings of a TSR3?

Curious, as I use the TSR 3 due to being a left-handed person who plays golf right-handed and doesn't need any help turning it right to left.

[ILMgolfnut]

On 2/12/2024 at 4:07 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! 

*FITTING UPDATE!*

*Why I Signed Up For The Test*

*Unboxing Update*

First Impressions (18 out of 20)

When I was selected to test the Qi10 Max, I had lofty expectations from all of the claims that Taylormade had placed on the levels of forgiveness promised with the 10k MOI. As my first season of golf was already in full gear, I was ready to begin using the club as soon as it arrived at my front door.

There is not much that can be said negatively about the looks of the Qi10 Max. However, when I unboxed the club, my initial thought was, "It is bigger than I remember it being at the fitting." Even with that being said, the Qi10 is still in the running to win the Beauty Pageant. The carbon blue face carries an understated "Bang" that cannot be missed. 

The Taylormade symbol at the top of the head provides a simple touch, acting as an effective alignment aid that I find easy to look at behind the ball with added confidence.

 The bottom of the head has been compared to various sci-fi spaceships, which is fair. To me, the club is more similar to something straight from the world of Formula One with its sleek and aerodynamic shape and lines along the bottom of the head. 

One thing is for sure after taking the Qi10 out on a few dates, other people are taking notice. Especially when she is out in her fancy dress. 

Aesthetics (9 out of 10)

As mentioned in my first impressions, the Qi10 Max is quite the beast when addressing the driver from the tee as it is the largest model in the Qi10 line. But I am still a big fan of the dark blue face with the black carbon crown while the Taylormade logo used as an alignment aid adds a clean touch. Pairing the head with the Fujikura Ventus Blue 5-S shaft, the Qi10 Max is a sight to behold as the blue & black colorways match perfectly. 

The bottom of the head does have a lot more going on with the silver lines that run across paired with the larger Taylormade and Qi10 Max branding which attracts attention from other players. Still, as it is the bottom of the head, the markings are not a deterrence and I found myself rarely looking at them. 

When connecting with the ball, the driver's sound is very subtle both on flush shots and mishits. While not particularly loud, you do know when you have hit the ball. On the off-chance that you completely miss the carbon face, it does sound and feel like you have hit a rock. This occurred on a couple of occasions but it was expected on such misses. Nothing aesthetically with the Qi10 affected my performance throughout testing as I preferred the overall calmness that the driver provided.

The Numbers (7 out of 10)
When I first started testing the Qi10 Max, the dispersion was not as tight as expected. The larger head was daunting to me and I found that my shots were constantly fading off the tee into what would be considered out of bounds. 

Throughout my continued use and as my comfort with the driver grew, the grouping of my shots vastly improved though the fade never fully went away, even when adjusting the loft sleeve of the driver to both open and close the face. In that same sense, the Qi10 was very forgiving to me as I grew accustomed to knowing no matter where I connected off the face, the ball was either going to launch and stay straight or fade late in its carry and well within the ranges I was seeking. 

The loft setting that I did find myself comfortably adjusted at was 11.5 degrees and paired with the mid-launch/mid-spin design of the Ventus shaft, the trajectory and distances I was seeing were both what I was searching for. 

On-Course (18 out of 20)

Here it is, the most important part of my testing, how does the Qi10 Max perform when it is time to come out and play? Based on the Arccos data that I was able to gather, the driver did exactly what I asked of it. I mentioned in my introduction that I was looking for a fairway finder and that is what the Qi10 Max is. I was able to hit the fairways 71% of the time while missing to the right 26% of the time which was expected based on the driving range stats.

My favorite shot with the Qi10 Max was easily Hole 7 at Recreation Park 9 GC in Long Beach, CA where I was able to clear a large water hazard with confidence I did not have before my testing and that was by far my biggest "This Is It" moment. 

With each use, my confidence continued to build. When I hit the ball from the tee, I knew I would look down the fairway knowing the next shot was going to be in play. The distance was less important to me than some of my fellow, more experienced testers. But knowing that my yardage around the tee averaged around 200 yards, I quickly learned how to continue setting up the rest of my play after my initial tee-off.

Final Performance Comments:
In the end, with the Qi10 Max, I went from constantly playing smaller courses due to my skill level and lack of confidence, to tackling the larger 18-hole par 72 courses. I was able to break the 100 barrier twice (both times shooting 97) which I absolutely would not have accomplished so quickly in my time golfing without the driver.

According to GHIN, I took my initial handicap of 29.5 down to a very respectable 23.3. The fact that I was able to achieve this over the short 6 week testing period is a true testament to the performance I saw from the Qi10 Max. 

The Good, the bad, the in-between (18 out of 20):
The Good: Without question, the looks and on-course performance of the Qi10 Max were very good to me. I enjoyed pulling up to the first tee, pulling the driver out of my bag, and knocking one clean down the fairway (or close to it). One question that was brought up numerous times was concerning the face of the Qi10 and how well it held up compared to the last generation of Taylormade Stealth models. Through all of the testing, the face barely showed any sign of use besides a range ball mark that will be permanently imprinted on the driver and takes nothing away from the performance.

The Bad: The standard length for Taylormade drivers. The shaft is too long for my swing as most of my mishits were connected from the heel which ultimately led to the continued shot fading.

The In-Between: While not the driver's fault, the in-between is 100% my swing which I will be looking to improve sooner rather than later. I cannot blame the hammer for the wielder's lack of experience and skill.

Play it or Trade it? (18 out of 20)
You have made it this far, am I going to play it or trade it? 

Without question, I am going to keep the Qi10 Max in the bag. I chose to keep the driver as stock as possible for testing purposes to give an honest review for newer golfers who might see the Qi10 Max available online and order without looking at any other available options. From here, however, I will be tinkering with different shafts, lengths, and head weights to find the perfect combination to suit my game. 

Conclusion:
The Qi10 Max is a performer that gave me the confidence I was seeking on the course. It did take some time to adjust to the driver as a whole, but when I reached that point, I knew I had found the one for me. If you are looking for a driver that is going to keep you in bounds and in play, the Qi10 Max is an option you should seek to test out for yourself. It may not be the longest out of all of the drivers on the market, or even within the Qi10 line, but there is no doubt it can perform with the best out there. 

Final Score (88 out of 100)

Just a thought, and something to consider for future fittings/purchases: The fitter should have noticed if you were hitting off the heel and made recommendations that could include a shorter shaft. A half inch can make a big difference. My fairway woods and irons are shortened a tad, and I possibly could have benefitted from a half-inch less on the big dog as well, although in two years with the Mizuno in my bag I've learned to adjust a little, or changed my swing, or both.

None of which detracts from the quality of your review. Big thumbs up!

Edited April 15 by ILMgolfnut

[Michael.Sandoval33]

3 minutes ago, ILMgolfnut said:

Just a thought, and something to consider for future fittings/purchases: The fitter should have noticed if you were hitting off the heel and made recommendations that could include a shorter shaft. A half inch can make a big difference. My fairway woods and irons are shortened a tad, and I possibly could have benefitted from a half-inch less on the big dog as well, although in two years with the Mizuno in my bag I've learned to adjust a little, or changed my swing, or both.

None of which detracts from the quality of your review. Big thumbs up!

I was thinking the same thing, but my smash factor was what the fitter brought up a lot and it was at 1.5 frequently so he didn't think anything was off, though the fade was there during the process. It was my first fitting so I don't want to rate his fitting because I really didn't know as much as I even do now 2 months later. 

[William P]

41 minutes ago, Jmikecpa said:

My final review is up...

Fire away with any questions.

 

Nice review @Jmikecpa. Good read and I can relate to the issue on simulator as I find the on course results always tend to be much better than what I see on the sim. Glad to see you were able to "unlock the code" and eventually come to enjoy using the Qi10. 

[Jmikecpa]

1 minute ago, rkj427 said:

Great review @Jmikecpa.

Question as to how you think the Q10 compares to the TSR3 as far as any workability?

Is the Q10 more fade biased than the standard neutral settings of a TSR3?

Curious, as I use the TSR 3 due to being a left-handed person who plays golf right-handed and doesn't need any help turning it right to left.

A bit of a complex answer so bear with me. From a shear workability standpoint of curving the ball right and left it is hands down the TSR3.   I have a drive that I like to hit that is a flat going draw that is next to impossible to hit with the Qi10 LS. I effectively have to smother the ball to do it and with the Qi10 LS that ball is not getting airborne. Now on the plus side that shot with the Qi10 is just essentially a draw which takes some trust for me to hit but can still do it with a change in mindset. 
 

Now from a flight window perspective the Qi10 wins hands down. I now realize that I like have a driver that I have to I elevate rather than a driver that I have to knock down in the wind. Simply just using tee height and ball position allow me to control tee shot height. 
 

The TSR3 to me is a more neutral driver overall and just easier to work the ball left and right but for me harder to hit low. The Qi10 starts with a lower flight with close to 20 feet less of peak height as compare to the TSR3. 
 

For reference I played my TSR3 lofted down .75* and 1* upright with the weight one notch towards the heel.