TaylorMade are coming off the back of a very successful 2025, with three men’s major victories and a very popular range of woods in the Qi35. There was one slight issue – the two best players in the world, Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, weren’t using the driver.
Heading into 2026, TaylorMade will be trying to address this, as well as building on the success of the previous Qi ranges, with the all new Qi4D.
You may have already seen a sneak peek of the driver on Tour at the end of 2025, as they went straight into the bags of Rory, Scheffler and Tommy Fleetwood. The fact that three of the best players in the world have already switched to the new driver, particularly considering last year’s difficulties, is a great way to start.
Let’s take a closer look…
What’s It All About?
TaylorMade’s new Qi4D range gets its name from the fact that four different dimensions have gone into their development. These are the Face, Shaft, Head and Fitting.
Whilst every golfer is looking for more speed, TaylorMade know that every golfer’s swing is different. The challenge is finding something that can offer benefits to everyone.
TaylorMade Qi4D Drivers
The Qi4D are said to be TaylorMade’s fastest, most fittable drivers ever.
Starting off with the face, you do of course get carbon. The brand say that this is lighter and more efficient than titanium, whilst it has been made more durable than previous generations – so hopefully no more faces popping out after a couple of months!
The big change to the face this time around is a re-engineered roll radius. This actually came about after engineers worked with Collin Morikawa, who mentioned his preference for the face design of a previous SIM driver.
The face shape has since been tweaked, to try and deliver more consistent spin across different points of the face. This essentially means that shots struck lower on the face will spin less, and those higher on the face will spin a bit more, keeping them closer to centre strikes.
In terms of the head, probably the first thing that you’ll notice is the updated colour scheme. The Qi35 struggled with some Tour players partly because of the look – this has now been rectified with a new satin metallic bronze finish.
Efforts have also been made to improve aerodynamics through computer simulations, helping to encourage more ball speed.
The ‘modern address shape’ offers a slightly smaller head shape than the Qi35, for better aero benefits without sacrificing on forgiveness. Each head in the range is shaped and optimised to provide a balance of speed and stability
Perhaps the biggest story this year is the new focus on shafts, as TaylorMade have actually been involved in developing their own this time around.
After analysing more than 11 million driver shots, they have come up with a new REAX shaft lineup that categorises golfers in to three swing types – high rotation, mid rotation and low rotation.
This basically indicates how golfers deliver the clubface at impact, and makes it quicker and easier to determine which is the right shaft type. Whilst around 60% of golfers are expected to fit into the mid-rotation category, having three different categories makes the process more efficient and more precise.
Finally, the fitting process has been simplified by the introduction of the fitting markers placed directly into the face of the new drivers. First started in the Qi35 range, it means there’s no need for stickers on the face when using a launch monitor – making results as accurate as possible.
There are four different heads in the lineup:
- Qi4D – the core head in the range, this features a quad weighting system with four moveable weights to optimise speed, forgiveness, launch and ball flight.
- Qi4D LS – the fastest, lowest-spinning head in the lineup. Computer simulations have been used to help shape the head, making it aerodynamically optimised for faster head speed. There are two different weights, helping to dial in flight and spin.
- Qi4D Max – a more forgiving option featuring an aluminium collar, which saves weight to allow for more adjustability and higher MOI. This is TaylorMade’s first Max driver with moveable weights, allowing golfers to tailor flight and spin.
- Qi4D Max Lite – features the same design and performance technologies as the Max model, but in an ultralight package for golfers looking to maximise clubhead speed. The head, shaft and grip are the lightest in the Qi4D family.
Available from 29th January, the Qi4D drivers are priced at£549 each, with the Launch Monitor Enabled drivers priced at £579.
TaylorMade Qi4D Fairways
TaylorMade describe themselves as having the most dominant fairways on Tour, and every men’s major winner in 2025 had a TaylorMade fairway in play.
As a result, there are no sweeping changes this time around. Instead we are just going to see refinements aimed at improving playability and versatility.
The new Qi4D Fairways use existing technologies like the Speed Pocket, reducing spin and maintaining ball speed on low-face strikes. The Twist Face uses face curvature to improve dispersion on mis-hits.
There are four heads in the range, using a multi-material construction. The Qi4D Tour has a titanium face and body, carbon fibre crown, and 65g tungsten mass pad for a combination of speed, forgivness and playability.
The Qi4D and Qi4D Max have steel faces and bodies, and carbon fibre crowns.
The fairways feature TaylorMade’s TAS weights, to allow golfers to dial in their spin and shot shape. This year, the loft sleeve will be included in more heads than before, offering an extra level of adjustability.
- Qi4D Fairway Wood – a tour-inspired shape to keep tighter ball speeds across the face, but at address it still provides enough confidence. This time around the fairway sits a little flatter and more open, said to offer a blend of distance, control and versatility.
- Qi4D Tour Fairway Wood – features a smaller 170cc head and includes a titanium construction as well as carbon, saving weight which can then be redirected in the right areas.
- Qi4D Max and Max Lite Fairway Wood – with 200cc heads these are the most forgiving in the range. Engineers have pushed weight to the perimeter of the head, helping with stability and consistency. The Max Lite is the ultralight option, with the lightest heads, shaft and grip.
Available from 29th January, the Qi4D, Qi4D Max and Qi4D Max Lite will be priced at £319, with the Qi4D priced at £379.
TaylorMade Qi4D Rescue
Like the fairway woods, the hybrids use a multi-material construction. They feature optimised CG locations, existing technologies like the Speed Pocket and Twist Face, REAX shafts and scope for adjustability.
They also use a progressive top line, similar to that used in the P-Series and new Qi Max irons. In the standard Qi4D the topline is thinner, and it’s thicker in the Qi4D Max and Max Lite.
- Qi4D Rescue – designed to create a perfect balance of distance, forgiveness, versatility and control.
- Qi4D Max – ideal for golfers looking for more forgiveness and high launch, with a larger head size adding more confidence at address.
- Qi4D Max Lite – the lightest head, shaft and grip options in the family, for golfers looking to maximise clubhead speed.
Available from 29th January, the Qi4D Rescues will be priced at £269.
Verdict
I was lucky enough to see and test the Qi4D range late last year at TaylorMade’s Kingdom at their HQ in Carslbad.
First things first, I think the updated looks are a big plus point. I have actually used the Qi35 for the last 12 months, and so I’ve got used to it, but I can really see why the silver finish was a little garish for some people – especially the headcover!
The new metallic bronze and navy finish on the Qi4D is a real improvement. It adds a really premium yet modern feel, and the Qi4D LS in particular is one of the best looking drivers I’ve seen. TaylorMade obviously struggled to get some of their players into the Qi35 last year, but I don’t think they will see the same issues this time around.
During my fitting I saw first-hand how the new shaft fitting system works, and I was really impressed. As someone who fits into the mid-rotation category I was fitted for the REAX blue, but I also tested the other options and it was great to really see how each shaft did perform differently for me.
The driver itself feels fantastic and I already saw some benefits from the updated roll radius. I can’t wait to get it out it on the launch monitor again and see how the numbers stack up, but I’ve got a feeling it could be a very successful 2026 for TaylorMade.
