Callaway have built a reputation for bringing fresh ideas, new innovations and a boat load of buzzword-laden technology to the golf gear market, year on year. For this, you can only applaud them.
They clearly have a genuine obsession with consistently moving the needle, to make the game that little bit easier for all (as well as making a load of cash, of course).
This year is no different, Callaway return with a new driver line-up to kick off 2026 – the Callaway Quantum driver family is their latest bid in the ongoing pursuit of perfection.
The new line-up brings with it an all-new name, Quantum, seeing a departure from last year’s Elyte. A new name usually means there’s a load of new tech to warrant this shift, in this case Callaway are introducing an industry-first Tri-Force face, more on that shortly…
2026 sees a whopping five drivers in the line-up instead of the four we’ve come to expect: Max, Max D, Triple Diamond, Max Fast (not available in the UK&I) and a new Triple Diamond Max model.
In this review I’ll be taking an in-depth look at the most popular, the Callaway Quantum Max Driver.
Who Is It Aimed At?
Different manufacturers use the term ‘Max’ in different ways, making it confusing at times for amateurs to compare like-for-like models. For Callaway ‘Max’ means the standard model – the most versatile model in the range. The stalwart. The workhorse. The best-selling.
If you’re a golfer that likes to see a large footprint down by the ball, a square clubface without draw or fade bias and a good blend of forgiveness and ball speed, the Max is most likely the driver you should be focusing on. Better players will gravitate to the lower spinning Triple Diamond, whereas higher handicappers, or more specifically golfers who struggle with a slice, should look at the Max D.
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The Tech
As I mentioned earlier, with a new driver line-up, comes a whole host of new technologies promising greater distance and more accuracy through faster balls peeds and greater forgiveness.
This year get used to Callaway shouting from the rooftops about their new Tri-Force face. This is essentially made up of three layers of different material: high-strength titanium, poly-mesh and carbon fibre – a combination that Callaway claims has never been brought together in a driver face before.
This seems straightforward on paper but the boffins at Callaway are pretty excited about it, and rightly so, it’s an impressive design feat.
Like most walks of life in 2026, Callaway’s use of AI isn’t going away. In fact they are using it just as much as ever, as seen in the AI-optimised face design. Said to deliver consistent performance across the entire face, thanks to smarter face flex that now works with the 3-layer face optimising speed, spin, launch, and accuracy based on real-life strike locations.
The 10g weight system at the back of the head has been refined with a more compact design, meaning golfers can adjust for a neutral or draw setup based on your tendencies or requirements off the tee.
The head shape itself has been “redesigned for players who want fast ball speed, mid to low spin, and reliable consistency” – 99% of golfers then? With a neutral CG and confidence-inspiring look at address, it’s the most versatile driver for a wide range of skill levels.
As per usual, the OptiFit hosel features to gives golfers and fitters independent loft and lie adjustability with eight total configurations to fine-tune launch angle and shot shape. Personally, I think Callaway’s adjustable hosel is one of the best in the business – simple to understand and very effective.
Callaway Quantum Max Driver Review
Looks
Callaway haven’t made a bad looking driver for years in my opinion, down by the ball that is, they sit brilliantly at address and suit my eye, inspiring confidence yet still looking pretty mean. Since the original Epic in 2017, they’ve always had this balance – the Quantum Max is no different.
Callaway have moved to a glossy carbon finish compared to last year’s all matte Elyte (which I really liked), there’s still a matte top line and ‘Quantum’ written subtly in the heel. Again, it looks modern, techy, fast and premium.
However, in terms of overall looks and shelf appeal, Callaway can sometimes fall behind. Elyte, Paradym, Mavrik, and Epic Speed all feature polarising sole-aesthetics often featuring loud, bright colours that in my opinion can cheapen the overall head design and put off some golfing purists.
The Quantum does away with any loud colours and instead features a design that reminds me a little of last year’s TaylorMade Qi35, for this I think Callaway have done a really nice job. The sole is clean with only two small flashes of red to draw attention to the Tri-Force and tungsten weighting. It’s by no means the best-looking driver I’ve ever seen, but it will sell well – nobody’s going to hate it.
Having said that, the Max model is probably the least impressive looking driver of the five. The light grey panels on the sole almost serve to take soften the driver, but not a in a good way.
The Triple Diamond and Triple Diamond Max drivers are just much better-looking heads in terms of shelf appeal. I think Callaway may have missed a trick by not adopting this across all models. Time will tell…
Feel
I really liked the feel of the Quantum driver. I found it to be loud when comparing it directly with last year’s Elyte, but a don’t think that’s too much of a bad thing, the sound wasn’t off putting.
As with all modern Callaway drivers, I found the face to feel fast – that was no real surprise. The surprise was how forgiving it felt. Fast and forgiving? Not a bad combo at all.
Performance
I tested this driver thoroughly indoors at Clubhouse Golf, comparing it to last year’s Elyte and the Triple Diamond model, using Titleist Pro V1 balls and Foresight GC Quad. I have to say I was impressed.
I didn’t have my best day swing-wise but found that the Quantum Max still produced some great numbers. With ball speed I was averaging 154mph which isn’t bad considering the number of off-centre hits during testing. A couple of the better struck shots saw that creep up to 156.2 which is a number I’d be more than happy with.
I was pleasantly surprised by how low spinning this driver was too; to say it’s the third lowest spinning model in the range, with an average of 2094 and a handful of shots dropping below the 2000rpm mark. I was consistently seeing good carry and total yardage even when I’d not struck it out of the screws.
These factors equated to an average carry of 259 yards and 285 total, which again are numbers that we’re screaming crazy distance, but they are impressive. Where I was most impressed was the dispersion of the Quantum Max, I found the head really stable and friendly. There were several shots where I thought the result was going to be far worse than the numbers suggested.
Pleasingly when compared to last year’s Elyte driver, I was also seeing a slight increase in ball speed of just under 2mph, which resulted in just under 2 yards more yards carry distance. I’ve tested the Elyte a few times and do like it driver a lot, so that’s a good showing for Quantum.
Callaway Quantum Max Driver Verdict
The Quantum Max is a great performing all-rounder that I’m sure will not only perform well in the market for Callaway, but also well for plenty of weekend warriors out there too. It’s good looking, feels great, super-forgiving, low-spinning, fast and has a simple story tech story behind it, that I’m sure golfers will buy into.
I can’t help but be a little frustrated by one main area: the Triple Diamond head just looks better in my opinion. It’s so much more lean, faster and premium with the matte crown and darker carbon sole design.
The Quantum Max has an RRP of £599 (£50 cheaper than the Triple Diamond at £649) and will probably retail at around £579, which is a hell of a lot of money to spend in the current economic climate.
I think there’s a lot of improvements from Quantum to Elyte like slightly more ball speed and the refined weighting system which looked a little unfinished with Elyte but, I’m not sure there’s enough to warrant the huge price-tag we’ve come to expect from Callaway.
I’ll end on this… I hit one shot during testing with a carry of 270 yards and a total of 294, which are numbers I see once in a blue moon with driver, and they put a smile on my face. I know it’s only one shot, but as the old adage goes, it only takes one shot to keep you coming back for more.
Would I Use It?
After a custom-fitting session, I’m sure I could get more out of it in terms of consistent balls peed and distance, but the testing for this review certainly wasn’t a bad starting point. It could go in the bag all day long.
