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In this review, I’ll be taking a look at the TaylorMade Qi35 Max fairway wood.
The Qi35 Max benefits from the same tech as the standard model but features a larger, more confidence-inspiring shape with a shallower face. This high-MOI profile promotes more forgiveness and an easy launch for higher handicappers.
How does the Qi35 Max fairway wood actually perform when put to the test? How does it compare to the standard Qi35? 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 indicated, stock shafts and stock grips are used when evaluating clubs and the 3W is evaluated in the case of fairway woods. 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 Qi35 Max fairway wood won a gold medal on the Golf Digest 2025 Hot List and has received high praise from critics. Consumer reviews are phenomenal, with a 5/5 (100% recommended) rating on the official TaylorMade store.
What People Like
- super easy to hit
- really nice aesthetic
- very confidence-inspiring
- easy launch
- wonderful feel and sound
What People Don’t Like
- shallow face lacks some speed and distance
The Features
The Qi35 Max fairway wood benefits from the same features and tech as the standard Qi35, namely:
- Multimaterial Construction: the fairway wood is made of carbon, steel, aluminum, and lightweight chromium for consistent performance in any situation.
- 4° Loft Sleeve: allows golfers to dial in their ball flight, with 12 possible sleeve variations that can increase or decrease the loft and lie angle by ±2°, and the face angle by ±4°.
- Infinity Carbon Crown: extends virtually all the way to the top line to cover nearly the entire top of the fairway wood, enabling weight savings that are redistributed to increase MOI.
- Thru-Slot Speed Pocket: a pocket that increases sole flexibility, leading to increased ball speed and forgiveness low on the face.
- Carbon Twist Face: 60 layers of carbon sheets are strategically arranged to maximize energy transfer and ball speeds in all regions of the face.
Where the Qi35 Max differs is in its size, shape, and weighting:
- a larger footprint (200cc) with more elongation from front to back
- a CG that is located located deeper in the head for higher launch, higher MOI, and more forgiveness
- a slightly shallower face for easier contact off the deck
- a back weight port on the sole instead of a front weight port
Stock Info
The Qi35 Max fairway wood is available in 3W, 5W, 7W and 9W at lofts 15.5°, 18.5°, 21.5° and 24.5°, respectively.
The stock graphite shaft is the Fujikura Air Speeder, and the stock grip is the Golf Pride ZGRIP. Custom options are available.
If you’re interested, full information on the fairway wood, shafts, grips and their specs can be found here.
Below are the specs of the Qi35 Max fairway wood. Click or zoom to enlarge.
The Performance
In the sections that follow, I’ll talk about my experience with the Qi35 Max fairway wood. Let’s jump right in.
Distance
My field test paints a predictable picture: compared to the standard Qi35, the Qi35 Max produces slightly less ball speed (by around 1-2 mph on average) and higher spin (around 200 RPMs on average). There were no surprises in this regard.
In my case, I was seeing about seven yards less carry and 10-12 yards less total distance after accounting for rollout, but your results may vary.
Forgiveness
The Qi35 Max is, unsurprisingly, more forgiving than the standard model. It’s certainly a very forgiving fairway wood: very stable through impact, with loss of ball speed on moderate mis-hits being around 5-10 mph which is minimal.
Dispersions are relatively tight as well. Your less-than-optimal swings can be bailed out to a large extent, resulting in more fairways and more greens hit.
Playability/Trajectory
The Qi35 Max fairway wood tends to produce a mid-high launch with mid-high spin, although my testing showed that the increase in launch angle compared to the Qi35 was very marginal at less than one degree.
Spin is noticeably higher by around 250-350 RPMs, and there is an inherent but slight draw bias.
This club is very easy to launch, particularly with the 5W and above but also with the 3W, so it should be very playable for most high handicappers. However, those with slow swing speeds might want to consider the Qi35 Max Lite.
While the shallow face of the Qi35 Max makes hitting off the deck a breeze, players who are less skilled may struggle to make consistent contact off the tee.
The inherent workability of the club is limited, but like the standard Qi35, the 4° loft sleeve can be used to change the loft and flight bias (draw or fade).
The Look
The Qi35 Max fairway wood has a 200cc head size, which is larger than the standard model and in fact the largest in the Qi35 family along with the Qi35 Max Lite. This really helps to inspire confidence when set up behind the ball.
The oversized, stretched-back profile is less pear-shaped than the standard Qi35, with a shallow face that enables excellent playability from off the deck.
The relatively clean, visually pleasing sole aesthetic has a mostly monochrome colour scheme with a couple of light green accents.
As with its sister models, the Qi35 Max fairway boasts a chromium carbon fiber theme. The carbon texture is clearly visible on the crown, while the crown’s alignment logo works with a high-contrast alignment line to make setting up square easier than ever.
The Sound & Feel
The Qi35 Max has a responsive, muted feel at impact that is a little less solid than the standard model.
The sound at impact is a crisp, somewhat sharp “snap”. Despite the modest amount of sharpness to the sound, you can tell there are forces at work that are dampening the acoustics.
I was surprised to find, in my case, that the mis-hit feedback was almost as informative as the standard Qi35. It’s not what I was expecting from the GI model in the Qi35 family, but it’s a fantastic discovery given the level of forgiveness.
Where To Buy This Fairway Wood Online
You can order a Qi35 Max fairway wood with your choice of loft and shaft, or optionally do a full customization, on TaylorMade’s official store.
Another option is Global Golf. They offer a performance guarantee, a try-before-you-buy program (UTry), club trade-ins, and other incentives designed to enhance the buying experience.
You can also buy the Qi35 Max fairway wood from PGA TOUR Superstore and Amazon.
Don’t forget about eBay, where you can often find unbeatable deals on new and used golf equipment.
Final Thoughts
Delivering everything you would expect from a game-improvement fairway wood, the TaylorMade Qi35 Max sacrifices a bit of speed off the face compared to the standard model in exchange for more forgiveness and an easier launch.
A large, stretched profile at address inspires confidence, and a built-in draw bias takes the edge off slices. I suggest trying the Qi35 Max if your handicap is in the upper teens or north of 20 and you’re looking for as much help as possible when hitting off the deck.
Are you interested in the Qi35 Max fairway wood? Have you played it? What’s your experience? Tell us about it in the comments below.
