Save your dodgeball jokes—we’ve been making them practically each time Titleist mentions “3D” of their iron fashions—however TaylorMade is upping the ante with Qi4D drivers.
What are “4Ds”? Who is aware of… possibly it simply implies that with the 2026 driver design, TaylorMade engineers are enjoying four-dimensional chess.
What we do know is proscribed to the data discovered within the USGA pictures and descriptions—that’s to say, not a lot.
Aesthetics
Given the truth that the USGA solely publishes black and white pictures and solely exhibits the only, there’s not a complete lot we will say in regards to the industrial design facets of the brand new fashions.
For my part (for no matter that’s value), TaylorMade made it a bit extra delicate with the Chromium Carbon design of this 12 months’s Qi35.
The pictures counsel TaylorMade has backed off a bit with the Qi4D collection. There’s solely a barely seen carbon weave on the only, and the delicate design cues (inexperienced accents) that hinted at relative CG areas seem like gone as nicely.
Drivers have to look totally different from one 12 months to the subsequent, and whereas I’m certain these will look good in residing coloration, I do surprise if TaylorMade dialed it again somewhat an excessive amount of.
Three fashions
The USGA (and R&A) listing consists of three fashions. Nothing stunning right here, as TaylorMade is continuous on with the acquainted lineup. Persevering with on are the Qi4D LS, Qi4D (which TaylorMade refers to because the “Core” mannequin), and the Qi4D Max.
Lacking—at the very least for now—is a Qi4D Lite mannequin. That, in fact, assumes TaylorMade is planning a one-for-one improve throughout the complete lineup. It’s speculative, however I’d level out that light-weight fashions (not used on Tour) usually don’t hit the conforming listing till simply earlier than launch.
TaylorMade Qi4D LS
The primary notable change with the Qi4D lineup is that TaylorMade has swapped the LS’s three-weight system for a simplified front-to-back, two-weight system.
Whether or not that’s to maintain flight completely impartial or there’s some baked-in inside bias stays to be seen. Regardless, TaylorMade’s story will seemingly embody some bits about sustaining becoming choices whereas lowering complexity.
TaylorMade Qi4D (Core)
What TaylorMade took away from the LS, they put into the Core mannequin (type of). Whereas it’s simple to miss within the photos (I suppose there are hints when you stare lengthy sufficient), TaylorMade’s core mannequin will leverage a four-weight system that provides an R7 Quad-style weight ports to the entrance and rear of the Qi4D.
On one hand, I’d argue that putting two weights that shut collectively (as they’re within the rear) will seemingly have minimal influence on ball flight. Then again, I’d inform you that I swapped weights round on my R7 Quad Mini Driver, and no matter what physics may say, it flies precisely how I would like it to—and that’s actually all that issues.
At a minimal, it ought to give fitters all the required levers to dial in trajectory in TaylorMade’s driver for the lots (2026 version).
Qi4D Max
The Qi4D Max is fascinating for what’s lacking within the USGA’s descriptions of the markings. There isn’t a specific callout of 10,000 MOI, or 10K, or the rest to counsel that the Qi4D Max achieves the head of forgiveness.
That’s to not say it doesn’t, however given the business’s compulsion to indicate each little bit of minutia it could actually probably match on a clubhead, the dearth of an MOI callout is sort of conspicuous in its absence.
Has TaylorMade dialed again forgiveness? Have we already been conditioned to assume that “Max” equals 10K, and so some producers don’t assume it must be talked about anymore?
I assume we’ll discover out.
The USGA description means that the Qi4D Max will characteristic a two-weight system not in contrast to the one discovered on the LS mannequin.
Carbon face continues
To say that TaylorMade’s Carbon Face is polarizing is an understatement. Really, I’m undecided that’s an affordable evaluation. Whereas I don’t recall anybody ever telling me they like it, quite a few readers have pointed to it as the rationale why they received’t contemplate buying a TaylorMade driver.
Be that as it might, the USGA’s descriptions counsel TaylorMade is sticking with the expertise for one more cycle. In equity, the corporate has systematically improved its bonding high quality, so points with indifferent faces are largely within the rearview mirror.
That stated, it’s exhausting to level to any quantifiable efficiency profit past the load financial savings and the MOI enhance that may come from it. Nonetheless, everybody who desires one has a 10K driver in the marketplace, so that you clearly don’t want carbon faces to get there.
I’d additionally argue that TaylorMade’s pursuit of MOI has price them some efficiency in different areas.
That’s all a roundabout approach of claiming that I’m hard-pressed to argue that the pursuit of carbon has led to any significant efficiency benefit.
How a lot will TaylorMade Qi4D drivers price?
Whereas pricing data has not been shared, I feel you may in all probability count on a value hike on just about every thing that comes out in 2026. Aside from a one-off improve right here or there, costs held regular all through 2025, and that meant that just about everybody ate the added prices of tariffs.
It’s unconfirmed, however I used to be instructed that one giant model swallowed $50 million in added prices. With a lot of the business being comprised of publicly-traded corporations, that’s not going to occur once more this 12 months.
Costs are going to go up. It’s solely a matter of by how a lot.
We’re in all probability not going to see $700, however that’s additionally in all probability going to be the results of some very positive hair-splitting within the distinction with no distinction between $699.99 and $700 on the nostril.
Finest guess… $649 for Core, Max, and finally Lite. $699.99 for LS. However once more, that’s only a guess, so please don’t take it as gospel.
Have your say
We’ll have extra information quickly. Till then, what do you consider what you see right here? Are you excited in regards to the TaylorMade Qi4D lineup?
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