Introduction
Fairway woods are the ultimate jack of all trades golf club. Us golfers certainly put them through their paces during a round of golf.
Whether that means using them from the fairway on a long par four, as a second shot into par fives, or as a safety club from the tee. Versatility is the essence of fairway wood, that hasn’t changed.
What has changed is the sheer volume and types of models that are on offer for golfers of all different abilities to choose from. This is a maximum forgiveness model which has a very useful knack of making striking the ball that little bit easier.
Keywords
TaylorMade, forgiveness, high launch, easy to hit
NCG Summary & rating
NCG SUMMARY
What I always find maximum forgiveness clubs should represent is something that thrives on producing consistent numbers and results. That is what the TaylorMade Qi4D Max does. It makes golf’s trickiest club easy to use. No matter where I was on the course, I was always confident with this in my hand.
I do think it is fair to label this more as a club that thrives on being an approach shot maker. One you pull out for a second back into a long par four or a par five.
PROS
- Easy to launch
- High ball flights
- A high level of forgiveness across the entire club face
CONS
- Definitely not the longest fairway wood out there
Key Facts
| Loft | 15°-24° |
| Flex | Regular, stiff and senior |
| Hand | R & L |
| Club | 3-wood-9-wood |
Key benefits and downsides
| Key benefits | Downsides |
|---|---|
| Launch – You will have no trouble getting this airborne off the deck | Distance – It’s not the one to consider if you’re purely looking for a greater carry or overall distance improvement |
| Forgiveness – No matter where you strike the ball off the face, performance is strong | |
| Confidence – You’ll feel a sense of confidence rarely found in a fairway wood |
First Impressions
I use a fairway wood from a variety of different shot locations for different purposes. So I need it to be comfortable to use all around the golf course.
It’s helpful then that TaylorMade offers four distinct fairway wood models within the Qi4D family. The Max is the most forgiving of the lot.
Straight away, the larger footprint and shallow face stand out behind the ball. It looks confidence-inspiring and gives the impression that getting the ball airborne won’t be a problem.
For golfers who have never felt they could fully trusted a fairway wood, the Qi4D Max immediately feels like a friendlier option. I think what stood out to be most during my initial simulator testing and on-course use, is that this is a club built to prioritise ease of use above all else.
Technology
As you’d expect from a TaylorMade metalwood, there’s no shortage of technology or materials with fancy names. But they do all serve a purpose.
Take the Trajectory Adjustment System weight. This allows you, and fitters, to optimise flight, spin and swing weight for your specific swing and more complete performance. There is also an adjustable loft sleeve offers further customisation of loft and lie settings, as well as the angle of the club face.
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Equally, TaylorMade’s Speed Pocket and Twist Face technology both still feature in the design of the Qi4Ds. The form helps to preserve ball speed and reduce excessive spin on strikes low on the face.
The brand’s Twist Face tech includes subtle curvature of the club face that is designed to help strikes from the heel of the club to produce less of those banana slices all us club golfers dread.
Like with many premium fairway woods and drivers, the head is made from carbon. This is a lighter material than titanium and other golf club materials.
Performance
Without meaning to sound pretentious, this is, in day-to-day use, genuinely felt like something of a cheat code.
I have never been a golfer that has connected with fairway woods like others may have. I’ve always been under the belief that they are the hardest club to hit. But this makes those It usually tricky fairway wood shots much easier and more predictable. Those who have also historically struggled with this part of the bag will find this as well.
This is helped by a high flight that inspires confidence from both the fairway and rough. It isn’t a fairway wood that chases outright distance, but it excels at delivering repeatable results.
The average spin rates of 3,800rpm go a long way to explaining these characteristics. It means the club can produce a soft landing and a high launch but not as much roll-out yardage.
I know I have whacked the distances this produces, and it doesn’t compare to lower spinning models, but I do think it is adequate enough for most club golfers. My carry distance averaged 207 yards, with the longest shot reaching 213 yards. Total distance averaged 224 yards.
In a typical set-up, this five wood can become a dependable option for attacking longer approaches.
NCG Final Verdict
The TaylorMade Qi4D Max fairway wood won’t be the right fit for every golfer, which is why a custom fitting remains essential. But for the player it is designed for, it performs its job exceptionally well.
It really is one of the most user-friendly fairway woods currently available. While it sacrifices some distance compared to the brand’s lower-spinning options, it more than compensates with consistency and playability.
For golfers who want a fairway wood they can trust from a variety of lies and confidently launch into greens, this is an outstanding option.
Price information
RRP: £319.00 / $379.00
More info: Clubhouse Golf website / TaylorMade website USA
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