Properly, this ought to be the final of it. With the 2025 TaylorMade Qi35 touchdown on the USGA conforming checklist, we’ve seen all the things the massive boys can be offering-up come January (or in a single case, later this week).
The entries on the USGA checklist recommend that TaylorMade will launch 3 driver fashions and that these 3 fashions will mirror what TaylorMade gave us with Qi10, although there are some notable adjustments.
Qi35 (the plain one)
Satirically, the least notable of TaylorMade’s three new drivers is the one that ought to match the very best proportion of golfers.
For the usual Qi35, essentially the most noticeable replace right here is the inclusion of a entrance weight port containing what the USGA reveals as a 3g weight.
Sadly, the USGA doesn’t give us a rear view of the membership, however provided that 3g isn’t a very important chunk of mass, it’s completely doable, if unlikely, that the Qi35 will provide a front-to-back weighting system.
Possibly it’s only for swing weighting, however I’m optimistic we’ll discover a heavier chunk of mass mounted within the rear that may be swapped for trajectory management functions, which might be a fairly candy improve.
Qi35 MAX (the forgiving one)
We will safely assume that the MAX will once more be TaylorMade’s highest MOI driver and that MOI will once more push past the ten,000 barrier.
That’s evidenced by a sole marking that reads 10kg-cm².
At this level, it appears like we’re one launch cycle from full formulation being stamped onto golf equipment … at the least when mentioned golf equipment aren’t solid or don’t include tungsten.
I digress.
It’s beginning to really feel like 10K is right here to remain and whereas I’ll proceed to remind you that not everybody must be chasing most MOI, I suppose it’s significant that as golfers come to phrases with the truth that the times of huge distance positive factors are behind us, forgiveness tales are beginning to resonate.
I simply want they had been extra centered round the correct amount of forgiveness as a substitute of completely maximizing what’s, in a way, an arbitrary quantity.
Qi35 LS (the low spinning one)
Lastly, TaylorMade will once more provide an LS (low spin) model of its flagship driver. The evolutionary observe for the brand new LS is that TaylorMade has moved away from a full SLDing weight observe within the entrance in favor of two discrete areas.
Just like the adjustments Callaway seems to have made with Elyte, the two-weight system eliminates the necessity for all the construction essential to assist the sliding weight system.
Once more, I’d wager most golfers are shifting weight to 1 aspect or the opposite, so it’s in all probability price compromising slightly little bit of becoming capabilities to liberate some weight for different functions.
My Qi35 Questions
Goes all in on grey an excellent thought? – The opposite photographs we’ve seen of the Qi35 collection recommend TaylorMade goes all in with a grey paint scheme. I don’t hate it myself, however it’s not misplaced on me that the market has historically most popular black crowns on its drivers.
It’s true that TaylorMade has succeeded prior to now with each white and grey (SIM), however with its infinity crown design, it’s going to be fascinating to see if golfers will love the clear look or really feel prefer it’s just a bit too clear (and grey).
Is spin underneath management within the MAX? – I believed the Qi10 MAX was a little bit of a miss in that TaylorMade didn’t do the most effective job of addressing a number of the pitfalls of utmost MOI. Particularly, the Qi10 MAX was one of many highest-spinning, if not the highest-spinning driver available on the market final yr.
And whereas, positive, there are gamers who want spin, it was a battle to get Qi10 MAX beneath 3000 RPM for nearly anybody.
My feeling is that if TaylorMade hopes to compete on efficiency within the 10K house, Qi35 must be considerably higher than its predecessor.
So we’re sticking with carbon faces then? – admittedly, that’s extra of a remark than a query, however after three generations of Carbon, I questioned if TaylorMade, regardless of assurances on the contrary, would take into consideration shifting away from Carbon.
Not this yr.
With the USGA notes indicating CARBON on all three faces, it appears to be like like TaylorMade is sticking with the fabric for an additional cycle.
Is {that a} mistake? (I suppose that’s my query.)
The chatter is that not each tour participant loves it. That’s undoubtedly true on the client stage.
Market response coupled with persistent, although bettering, breakage and delamination points, and I believed possibly it will be time for TaylorMade to stroll away.
Not taking place … at the least not proper now.
Our carbon-faced journey continues for an additional season.
What’s the 35 for? –Final yr, the ten in Qi10 meant 10,000 MOI (even for the fashions that didn’t provide it). I feel we will safely assume the Qi35 doesn’t provide 35,000 MOI, so what’s with the 35? Early phrase on the road was the brand new drivers had been referred to as NOVA, so possibly that was a code title or a intelligent little bit of misdirection. Regardless, I’m positive there’s a narrative right here.
How a lot will Qi35 value? – As I famous with my final USGA piece, we’re in an fascinating place proper now. Titleist has pushed its costs to $650, and whereas we will discuss whether or not or not that’s justified, worth is incessantly conflated with high quality, so I’m unsure the most important rivals are going to be comfy with the $50 distinction.
There’s additionally little doubt that the potential for heavy tariffs weighs closely on everybody and my thought is that the optics could be higher elevating costs now than making an attempt to take care of value will increase mid-cycle.
Frankly, I don’t know what it can appear like when the mud settles, however $600 is absolutely the flooring, and $650 is probably going the ceiling.
Extra to come back
Anticipate the TaylorMade Qi35 drivers to be formally launched in early January. Extra particulars coming quickly.
The put up TaylorMade Qi35 Drivers on Coming Quickly and I Have Some Questions appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
