During the last 10-plus years, TaylorMade’s fairway woods have been the most-played on the PGA Tour and with the launch of the brand new Qi4D fairways and hybrids, I’d be shocked if 2026 doesn’t yield comparable outcomes.
I level this out for 2 causes. Nicely, truly two and a half.
First, this doesn’t occur until you make a rattling tremendous fairway wooden. And, second, as we’ve seen much less direct funding from manufacturers “shopping for” gear counts, you attain this stage of dominance solely when gamers who aren’t paid to play your gear belief it sufficient to place it of their bag.
The “half” cause is that typically what makes a chunk of apparatus engaging to tour gamers additionally advantages aggressive amateurs and leisure golfers.
So, the design crucial turns into “make it higher, however don’t change something.” In observe, this turns into “preserve every little thing that golfers need and alter solely what they’ll’t see or explicitly request.”
Qi4D Fairways – What’s the aggressive benefit?
TaylorMade’s confirmed recipe of measurement, form and efficiency hinges totally on the aggressive benefit of its proprietary Pace Pocket expertise.
Sure, a lot of you’re already muttering, “Don’t different manufacturers have mainly the identical factor?”
Related? Positive. However not precisely the identical.
The fundamental precept of any “face-slot” expertise is to influence how the only real and face behave, significantly on off-center and low-face hits. Nobody is wanting to surrender center-face efficiency however that’s not likely the place the battle is received with fairway woods (and, to a lesser diploma, hybrids).
Mainly, what TaylorMade’s Pace Pocket permits for is to make a fairway wooden with a deeper face that performs equally to at least one with a shallow face. Typically talking, a deeper face is advantageous for tee pictures and a shallower face is preferable for pictures off tighter lies and from the green. TaylorMade contends that, absent its IP-protected slot-face tech, competitor merchandise are possible higher fitted to one situation greater than one other.
With Qi4D, it’s a “have your cake and eat it, too” state of affairs the place there’s loads of versatility with none apparent compromise.
Qi4D Fairways – Three fashions
Two of the three Qi4D fairway fashions (Core and Max) work off an identical building, leveraging a light-weight carbon crown, stainless-steel physique and C300 face with inverted-cone topology.
The titanium-faced Qi4D Tour is constructed for max adjustability with a decrease CG projection (greater launch). All fashions maintain over the infinity crown with lots of the SKUs that includes the adjustable (+/- 2°) loft sleeve. Why each firm doesn’t provide some stage loft/lie adjustability in no less than each customary or core mannequin SKU baffles me. Then once more, when you’re trying to reduce prices, going with a bonded hosel is an inexpensive place to avoid wasting a couple of dollars.
Qi4D CORE
At 185cc, the Qi4D core mannequin affords a reasonable footprint and, once more, given its reputation, the theme of this model is delicate refinements. In case you look carefully, you may discover extra tucked heel and toe protrusions. Now that I’ve you contemplating protrusions, I’ll additionally word that the face sits a bit extra open at deal with and the usual lie angle is 1.2 levels flatter than the Qi35 core mannequin.
Qi4D MAX/MAX Lite
Each the Qi4D MAX and MAX Lite are all-in on most forgiveness and excessive launch. The bigger 200cc footprint permits for extra mass across the perimeter which is sweet for reinforcing MOI and stability on off-center strikes. The MAX Lite model is, because the identify suggests, a much less weighty model of the Qi4D MAX. Merely, the MAX Lite makes use of lighter parts (head, shaft, grip) to cut back weight to assist maximize clubhead pace.
Qi4D TOUR
In comparison with Qi35, the Tour mannequin (175cc) has seen essentially the most important design enhancements. The massive sliding sole weight (aka “the storage) is gone in favor of 65 grams of concentrated tungsten that sits instantly behind the titanium face.
Why, you may ask? Nicely, the light-weight carbon crown and titanium face release a large quantity of discretionary weight. Within the Stealth 2 Plus, Qi10 Tour and Qi35 Tour, the pondering was to take the load financial savings and make investments it primarily in a heavy-ass sliding weight to control CG (and thus trajectory and spin). However as a result of moveable weights require extra construction, elements and items, the native CG was at all times a bit greater than desired.
So, to get the CG projection as little as potential and generate greater launch with fractionally extra spin, the sliding weight and “storage” housing needed to go. Nonetheless, this gave TaylorMade house for 3 movable TAS weights (one 15-gram weight and two four-gram weights) to reasonable shot-shape bias.
Qi4D Hybrids
This story goes to sound remarkably just like what you simply learn relating to the Qi4D fairways. Substitute “rescue” for “fairway” and it is best to have the gist of it. With the Qi4D hybrids, the recipe requires a light-weight carbon crown, 450 stainless-steel physique, Twist Face bulge and roll and an adjustable loft sleeve in each SKU.
Past that, the first distinction between the Qi4D fairways and hybrids is the absence of a devoted “tour” rescue membership. That stated, the core Qi4D rescue has a barely thinner topline, giving it an aesthetic that may extra possible enchantment to raised gamers searching for a sleeker, extra tour-inspired, long-iron alternative.
The core Qi4D rescue options an eight-gram TAS weight and total impartial flight bias. If you need extra forgiveness and better launch, the Qi4D MAX, with a bigger footprint and deeper CG, will probably be a more sensible choice. As with the fairways, the Qi4D MAX Lite options comparable efficiency because the Max, albeit with lighter parts.
A bit about shafts
The driving force shaft becoming protocols counting on totally on closure price don’t have precisely the identical software in fairway woods and hybrids. Sooner or later, they may be extra relevant. Nonetheless, golfers do weird issues when the ball is on the bottom. Some golfers improve closure price whereas others see it drop with little or no knowledge to counsel any constant sample.
My $0.05
TaylorMade fairways stand on their very own benefit and have for fairly a while. When TaylorMade went all in on carbon driver faces, starting with Stealth, every era (Stealth, Stealth2, Qi10, Qi35) confronted loads of criticism, some self-inflicted. But the green woods remained widespread on tour and at retail.
Now, there’s cause to consider that with Qi4D launch, TaylorMade has a metalwood franchise the place drivers, fairways, and hybrids are all on stable footing. Moreover, ought to the drivers maintain up their finish of the discount, it may very well be a large 12 months for the model that’s largely been synonymous with class dominance.
Pricing and availability
Qi4D fairway woods and hybrids can be found for preorder now and at retail places on Jan. 29.
Qi4D fairway woods will promote for $379. The Qi4D Tour fairway will promote for $449.99.
All Qi4D hybrids can be found to shoppers for $299.99.
All TaylorMade Qi35 and Qi10 fairways and hybrids are discounted up $70 off whereas provides final.
For added data on specs, inventory choices, and availability, go to taylormadegolf.com.
The submit I May Put The New TaylorMade Qi4D Fairways And Hybrids Straight In The Bag appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
