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Today, I’ll be reviewing the TaylorMade Qi4D LS driver.
The Qi4D LS is the fastest and lowest-spinning model in the Qi4D family of drivers. It’s designed for faster swingers and better players to optimize their ball flight off the tee for maximum performance.
The driver features a new ultra-aerodynamic design developed with computational fluid dynamics and Tour feedback. It also benefits from an improved roll radius and new shaft fitting process.
How does the Qi4D LS driver actually perform when put to the test? How does it compare to the Qi35 LS? 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?
Because of the newness of this release, reviews of the Qi4D LS driver are limited.
However, the critic and user feedback that is out there right now is generally very positive. The driver currently has a 4.5/5 (100% recommended) user rating on the TaylorMade store.
What People Like
- incredible ball speed and clubhead speed
- generally gives an edge in distance over the Qi35 LS
- improved feel and sound from the Qi35 LS
- clean pear-shaped look at address
What People Don’t Like
- an intimidating driver for less-skilled players
The Features
The features and tech of the Qi4D LS driver are similar to the core Qi4D model and include:
- Improved Roll Radius: a tighter roll radius reduces spin variation across the face by over 30% on average. Spin is now more consistent at different vertical contact points on the face.
- New Shaft Fitting Process: special Mitsubishi REAX stock shafts (developed using Mitsubishi Chemical’s world-class expertise, production processes, and materials) are offered with the Qi4D LS driver based on the type of swing rotation you have.
- 60x Carbon Twist Face: 60 layers of carbon sheets are strategically arranged to maximize energy transfer and ball speeds in all regions of the face. This tech also improves directional forgiveness when contact is made towards the heel and toe.
- Thru-Slot Speed Pocket: this flexible pocket, redesigned for the Qi4D, reduces spin and increases sole flexibility, leading to increased ball speed and forgiveness low on the face.
- Multimaterial Construction: allows weight to be placed in strategic areas to maximize overall performance.
- Infinity Carbon Crown: this special carbon crown design extends virtually all the way to the top line to cover nearly all of the top of the driver, enabling weight savings that are redistributed to increase MOI.
The main differentiating factors with the Qi4D LS are:
- a head shape, developed with the help of computational fluid dynamics and input from Tour players, that is designed for maximum aerodynamics and clubhead speed. This includes a traditional shape conducive to workability.
- two Trajectory Adjustment System (TAS) weights (15g and 4g) that allow you to either double down on low spin or add some stability and increase launch.
Stock Info
The Qi4D LS driver is available in 8°, 9°, and 10.5° 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 Qi4D LS is also available in an LME (Launch Monitor Enabled) variant. It’s the same as the regular Qi4D LS but has reflective fitting markers embedded into the carbon face. The Qi4D LS LME is designed for official TaylorMade fittings that use the GCQuad launch monitor, eliminating the need to manually place stickers on the face.
The stock graphite shafts (based on rotational profiles as outlined above) are the Mitsubishi REAX 60 High Rotation Red, Mitsubishi REAX 60 Mid Rotation Blue, and Mitsubishi REAX 60 Low Rotation White. The stock grip is the Golf Pride ZGRIP Plus2.
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 Qi4D LS driver. Click or zoom to enlarge.
The Performance
In the sections that follow, I’ll talk about my experience with the Qi4D LS driver. Let’s jump right in.
Distance
Supposedly, the LS model of the Qi4D is where many players should see the largest gains in distance over last year’s Qi35.
During my field test, there was a clear gain, but it was not larger than its sister models and the gain was somewhat smaller than I was anticipating. Gains were about 0.5 mph in clubhead speed, 0.8 mph in ball speed, and 3-5 additional yards of carry.
Like its predecessor, I was getting the best distance with the heavier weight back. I expect that many will see more substantial speed/distance gains than I did depending on their shot type.
Forgiveness
The Qi4D LS is quite forgiving as far as low-spin drivers go. I would even say it’s marginally more forgiving than the Qi35 LS.
Where I notice this, in particular, is when it comes to directional forgiveness — mis-hits seem to keep a bit closer to the intended line. Ball speed retention across the face is good.
In my experience, with the 15g weight in the back, forgiveness is almost as good as the default-weighted core Qi4D.
Playability/Trajectory
TaylorMade classifies the Qi4D LS as having a mid launch and ultra-low spin. My testing is mostly consistent with this, but it’s not the lowest spin I’ve ever seen, even with the 15g weight forward.
The potential for very low spin is there, for sure. I was actually getting slightly higher spin than the Qi35 LS by about 50-110 RPMs, though it’s still well inside low-spin territory.
My launch numbers were also higher than the Qi35 LS by about 0.9° on average. For me, the launch was a bit too similar to the core model, so I would have liked it to be lower.
The lack of heel and toe weight ports means you can’t add draw or fade bias via sole adjustability alone, unlike the Qi35 LS. I actually don’t mind this change at all, because the core Qi4D model has toe/heel ports, and most skilled players who game the LS model will be able to shape their shots anyway.
The Look
At address, the Qi4D LS driver looks almost identical to the previous-generation Qi35 LS in terms of its compact, more traditional, more pear-shaped footprint. This is what you would expect as something meant to appeal to better players, including tour pros.
On the other hand, TaylorMade has simplified the sole geometry compared to the Qi35 LS. Edges have been softened and the design is flatter — the inertia generator has been tucked in to improve aerodynamics.
These differences aside, the Qi4D LS has the same overall aesthetic theme as the core Qi4D: matte and dark grey-dominant with a cool blue back and a couple of small orange accents. It’s a colour scheme that should not be too polarizing among players.
The look is very clean overall, and the ball appears to set up square at address. Unlike the draw and fade weight ports on the sole of the Qi35 LS, there is now one port in the middle, in addition to the one at the very back.
The Sound & Feel
The Qi4D LS driver produces a powerful, responsive feel at impact that is slightly firmer than the core and Max models. Compared to its predecessor, I find the feel to have a little more softness and depth to it.
I consider TaylorMade drivers to be some of the most responsive drivers on the market, and this model is no exception.
The sound at impact is a crisp “thwack” that isn’t quite as sharp as the Qi35 LS. The sound/feel experience when you make center contact is just incredible — you really couldn’t ask for much better.
The Qi4D LS, unsurprisingly, produces clear mis-hit feedback that allows players to hone in on where they went wrong. But there’s a level of consistency and forgiveness to the feel, and the effect of this is that the driver tends to inform you rather than punish your hands and your ears.
Where To Buy This Driver Online
You can order a Qi4D LS driver with your choice of loft and shaft, or optionally do a full customization, on TaylorMade’s official store. Get the LME variant here.
Another option is Global Golf. They offer a 90-Day Performance Guarantee, club trade-ins, and other incentives designed to enhance the buying experience.
You can also buy the Qi4D LS driver from PGA TOUR Superstore, Amazon, or Golf Galaxy.
Don’t forget about eBay, where you can often find unbeatable deals on new and used golf equipment.
Final Thoughts
From an objective standpoint, you could definitely argue that TaylorMade’s Qi4D LS driver matches or outclasses the performance of its predecessor. It’s faster and longer, and there’s even a touch of extra forgiveness thrown in for good measure.
Having said this, the Qi4D LS wasn’t quite hitting the spot for me; I was a bit underwhelmed by the distance, and the launch and trajectory weren’t what I wanted. This speaks to the fact that the driver is not for everyone, and you need a certain kind of swing to unlock its full potential.
Golfers with handicaps in the single digits or better, or faster swingers in general who benefit from low spin, should definitely give the Qi4D LS a try. In the right hands, it can be a phenomenal addition to the bag.
Are you interested in the Qi4D LS driver? Have you played it? What’s your experience? Tell us about it in the comments below.
