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In this review, I’ll be taking a comprehensive look at the TaylorMade Qi10 Max driver.
With the Qi10 Max, TaylorMade is boasting an unprecedented “10K inertia”, meaning a moment of inertia (MOI) of 10,000. This marks TaylorMade’s most forgiving driver ever, and it’s paired with their signature Carbon Twist Face and new Infinity Carbon Crown.
How does the Qi10 Max driver actually perform when put to the test? How does it compare to the previous generation Stealth 2? Who is it best suited for? Is it worth putting in the bag?
Here’s what will be covered in the review:
Read on to learn what you need to know to make an informed purchase.
Note: Unless otherwise stated, stock shafts and stock grips are used when evaluating this club. In most cases, the golf clubs reviewed on Golfstead are acquired temporarily for testing purposes and are not purchased. The review that follows is based on the personal experience and research of the author. Because everyone’s swing and body are different, results with a particular club may differ from person to person.
What are the reviews like?
The Qi10 Max driver won a gold medal on the 2024 Golf Digest Hot List and enjoys an average customer score of 4.8/5 (100% recommended) on the TaylorMade store.
What People Like
- incredibly forgiving
- easy launch
- surprisingly wide appeal
- long given the MOI
- confidence-inspiring head shape
What People Don’t Like
- some would like more distance
- blue face and accents won’t appeal to everyone
The Features
10K Inertia
Moment of inertia (MOI) refers to the ability of a driver to resist twisting or rotation on off-center contact. The higher the MOI, the more stable and forgiving the driver is.
In the Qi10 Max driver, TaylorMade has managed to achieve an MOI of 10000g/cm² which is extremely high in the industry.
They did this through a combination of cutting-edge tech that will be described below, and a very elongated head shape from front to back that allows a concentration of mass to be placed farther back in the head.
60X Carbon Twist Face
The 60X Carbon Twist Face, originally featured in the Stealth family, makes a return for the Qi10. It’s comprised of 60 layers of carbon sheets strategically arranged to maximize energy transfer and ball speeds in all regions.
The Carbon Twist Face is substantially lighter than an equivalent titanium face. The third generation version of this face has an improved support structure that is designed to flex more, thus delivering even better mis-hit performance than previous generations.
Infinity Carbon Crown
This crown is completely unique to the Qi10 Max driver.
Unlike the Stealth 2, the carbon portion of the crown extends virtually all the way to the top line, covering about 97% of the top of the driver. This enables weight savings that are redistributed to increase MOI.
In addition, a new high-contrast alignment line just below the transition point between the face and crown works with the alignment logo to make setting up square easier than ever.
Thru-Slot Speed Pocket
The Thru-Slot Speed Pocket has been a staple in TaylorMade drivers for many years, and it returns for the Qi10.
This pocket increases sole flexibility, leading to higher ball speeds and forgiveness low on the face.
Stock Info
The Qi10 Max driver is available in 9°, 10.5°, and 12° standard lofts at 460CC.
Included is a 4° loft sleeve that allows you to adjust loft, lie and face angle. There are 12 possible sleeve variations that can increase or decrease the loft and lie angle by ±2°, and the face angle by ±4°.
The stock graphite shafts are the Fujikura Speeder NX TCS (40, 50) and Mitsubishi Diamana T+60. The stock grips are the Golf Pride ZGRIP Plus2 and Lamkin ST Soft Ladies.
If you’re interested, full information on the driver, shafts, grips, their specs, and any custom options can be found here.
Below are the specs of the Qi10 Max driver. Click or zoom to enlarge.
The Performance
Distance
The length of the Qi10 Max driver is predictably less than the standard Qi10, but I was a little surprised at how much less during my field test.
Not only is the launch higher (around 1° on average) and spin higher (400-500 RPMs), but I also find that I get 1-2 mph less clubhead speed with the Qi10 Max. My guess is that this is due to how backweighted the driver is.
The result is total distance of around 15-20 yards less than the standard Qi10. This is more than I was expecting, and it’s not a marked improvement over the Stealth 2 HD either.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is where the Qi10 Max really shines. It’s by far the most forgiving driver in the Qi10 family, with an MOI of 10000 which contrasts with the approximate MOI of 8500 in the standard Qi10.
The Qi10 Max is also categorically more forgiving than the previous generation Stealth 2 HD. Ball flights are remarkably consistent, and I found that ball speeds didn’t differ all that much between mis-hits and center strikes during my test.
Traditionally, even a slight deviation from the center of the face results in a significant loss of ball speed and distance. In the case of the Qi10 Max, the difference is minimal. Faced with a generous fairway, you’d need to make a pretty poor swing to miss the short grass.
Playability
Trajectories with the Qi10 Max driver are relatively high with a higher apex height than the standard Qi10. During my field test, the driver seemed to have a slight draw bias, but not as much as the Stealth 2 HD.
The spin is higher than I’d prefer, but I can see slower swingers who have trouble getting their tee shots up in the air do well with the Qi10 Max. Interestingly enough, even the best players in the world can successfully game this model, as we’ve seen with Tour pros like Collin Morikawa.
Like the Stealth 2 HD and standard Qi10, the Qi10 Max lacks a sliding sole weight, although it does have an adjustable hosel. Workability is limited, but not terrible.
With the Qi10 Max, TaylorMade strived to increase the MOI to unprecedented levels while maintaining distance, which has always been a challenge from an engineering standpoint. I would say they’ve largely achieved this goal, as its distance is comparable to the Stealth 2 HD while being noticeably more forgiving.
The Look
The first thing that stands out about the Qi10 Max driver is that, while the face is shallower, the head is very elongated from front to back compared to the standard Qi10. It’s not as pronounced as something like the PING G430 MAX, but the amount of mass pushed back certainly indicates how forgiving this driver is.
You can tell that more of the driver’s mass is closer to the heel compared to the standard Qi10 which suggests a draw bias, even though TaylorMade doesn’t mention a draw bias in the marketing.
Like its sister models, the Qi10 Max has a distinctive blue/black colour scheme with some yellow and white accents thrown in. The club sets up clean and square at address, inspires plenty of confidence behind the ball, and features a new high-contrast alignment line to make setting up square easier than ever.
The Sound & Feel
The Qi10 Max driver feels very similar to the standard Qi10: balanced, solid, and responsive. The sound can be described as a fairly loud and sharp “snap” at impact and is relatively consistent across the face.
What stood out to me about the Qi10 Max is how stable it feels in mis-hit regions. Sometimes, depending on the severity of the miss, the feel is almost indistinguishable from a sweet spot strike.
This is a double-edged sword — mis-hits feel relatively pleasant, but this means feedback is not as distinct and it can be difficult to diagnose your misses. As a matter of fact, I found the usefulness of the feedback to be one of the biggest weaknesses of this driver.
Where To Buy This Driver Online
You can order a Qi10 Max driver with your choice of loft and shaft on TaylorMade’s official store, or you can optionally do full customization through their Custom Shop.
Another option is PGA TOUR Superstore. They offer performance guarantees, club fittings, club trade-ins, and other programs designed to make the buying experience as smooth as possible.
You can also buy the Qi10 Max driver from Global Golf and Amazon.
Don’t forget about eBay, where you can often find unbeatable deals on new and used golf equipment.
Final Thoughts
TaylorMade’s Qi10 Max driver is undoubtedly one of the most forgiving drivers on the market. Whether or not it’s the most forgiving is hard to say at this point. MOI plays the biggest role, but there are some other elements that make up the full forgiveness picture.
However, while TaylorMade has increased the MOI of the Qi10 Max to a level higher than any of their previous drivers, it still puts out a respectable amount of distance. There’s also plenty of launch and it’s easy to get the ball up in the air, although the flight may be too high for some players with fast swing speeds.
Anyone could see success with the Qi10 Max, but I recommend it most for mid and high handicappers who just want better performance out of their mis-hits.
Are you interested in the Qi10 Max driver? Have you played it? What’s your experience? Tell us about it in the comments below.
