Standing on the tee box with a driver you trust can make a world of difference. The new TaylorMade Qi4D driver might just deliver that trust to help golfers thrive off the tee.
Forgiveness used to mean compromise. Bigger heads, slower looks, and performance that only really showed up when you missed the middle. That is no longer the case.
TaylorMade have built a driver that looks to make driving the ball easier, but without sacrificing speed, feel or it’s good looks. A maximum forgiveness driver that doesn’t feel like one.
Have they achieved this? Check out our full review below to find out…
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NCG Summary
NCG SUMMARY
The TaylorMade Qi4D Max does exactly what a Max driver should do, and then some. It’s exceptionally forgiving, easy to launch, as well as being remarkably consistent across the face.
Yet, somehow, it avoids the oversized, overly draw-biased look that can put a lot of golfers off from this category of driver. Ball speed retention is excellent and it offers a reassuring, predictable ball flight. If keeping more drives in play is your priority, this is one of the strongest Max drivers TaylorMade has produced.
PROS
- Extremely forgiving
- Plenty of ball speed, even on mishits
- High launch
CONS
- None
First Impressions
It’s clear that at address, the Qi4D Max is unmistakably a forgiveness-focused driver. Although, it is not as bulky as you may expect from a maximum forgiveness driver and TaylorMade deserves credit for how well they’ve handled the shaping.
The head is, as you would expect, elongated and stretched back from the face, yet it doesn’t scream draw-bias or game-improvement in the way some Max drivers have and do.
I think dark carbon crown is a great inclusion. It gives the driver a premium, stealthy look. Additionally, for me at least, the subtle colouring around the edges of the driver head add a sense of speed without being distracting.
If a maximum forgiveness driver is on your radar then you are probably looking for something that is a bit more confidence-inspiring at address. This certainly is that.
The profile is reassuringly large, and for many golfers that alone will be a huge confidence boost on the tee. Importantly, it sits nicely square and doesn’t appear overly close the face.
NCG Verdict
The main aspect of performance that is worth noting is of course how forgiving it is. TaylorMade has positioned the bulk of the mass low and deep in the head, and, I have to say, the result is exceptional stability through impact.
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Even strikes that drift away from the centre of the face, the Qi4D Max retains ball speed remarkably well.
The majority of golfers who will use the driver are likely to strike their fair share of mishit drives. From my experiences, my mishits were low on the face or towards the heel and they still produced playable launch and carry numbers.
The drop-off in performance was only marginal compared to centred strikes. That is what I was hoping to see, plenty of consistency, predictability and fewer big misses.
Despite being the most forgiving model in the Qi4D lineup, my ball speeds still remained strong throughout testing.
My more pure strikes produced numbers that were more than competitive with other drivers in this category. In fact, even when contact wasn’t perfect, speed stayed impressively high.
Launch is on the higher side, which is no surprise given the head design and weight positioning. But don’t mistake this for a lack of playability, it actually offers a controlled launch rather than a ballooning one.
Spin numbers were consistent shot-to-shot, which is a big plus for golfers who struggle with unpredictable ball flights off the tee.
Carry distances were strong and repeatable, and while this driver isn’t designed to chase absolute low-spin bombs, it offers plenty of distance combined with far more forgiveness than a traditional players driver head.
Final Thoughts
All in all, TaylorMade has produced a genuinely impressive and forgiving driver in the Qi4D Max. It delivers exactly what it promises; high forgiveness, a stable ball flight and dependable performance, in a premium and confidence-inspiring look.
TaylorMade Qi4D Max Driver Review: The Details
Available: Now
RRP: $649.99 / £549.00
Lofts:
RH – 9°, 10.5° and 12°
LH – 9°, 10.5° and 12°
More information: TaylorMade website
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