TaylorMade Qi10 MAX Driver Review
Are you in the market for a driver this golf season and struggle to hit center-face more times than not?
In this article, I will give my honest TaylorMade Qi10 MAX Driver review after getting the chance to hit a bunch of balls off what TaylorMade claims to be its most forgiving driver they have ever made (so far!).
I will dive into the different features and truly see, from an amateur golfer’s perspective, if the Qi10 MAX driver lives up to the forgiving hype and can help you as much as Colin Morikawa.
TaylorMade Qi10 MAX Driver Review in Short
The Qi10 MAX driver undoubtedly lives up to TaylorMade's claims of forgiveness and distance. Swinging it felt remarkable, with the feel and sound of contact captivating your senses and compelling you to hit more balls.
I understand if this sounds like hyperbole, but that also means you haven’t hit the Qi10 MAX yet.
Pros and Cons of the TaylorMade Qi10 MAX Driver
Pros
Fantastic ball speed and distance.
Amazing forgiveness.
Premium sound.
Beautiful classy design.
Incredibly fun driver to swing.
Cons
Absolutely nothing.
TaylorMade Qi10 MAX Driver Performance
Specs of the Qi10 MAX driver I tested: 9.0 Loft, Standard Lie, Standard Length, Regular Flex, Fujikura Speeder NX TCS 50 Graphite shaft.
I tested it indoors on Trackman and hit 63 drives.
I used Pro V1 RCT (Radar Capture Technology) golf balls to get accurate data. Here is the data from my testing session:
Avg Carry Yards | Avg Total Yards | Avg Swing Speed (mph) | Avg Ball Speed (mph) | Avg Smash Factor |
224.74 | 256.01 | 98.16 | 143.63 | 1.46 |
Appearance: A+
Like everything, taste is in the eye of the beholder, but I am a big fan of the look of the Qi10 driver line.
The Qi10 MAX is very well designed, with a longer front-to-back head shape than the main Qi10; the MAX has an elevated premium look.
As noted in my Qi10 Driver Review, the updated TaylorMade named “Infinity Carbon Crown” covers 97% of the total crown area on all the Qi10 drivers. The design is beautiful, and I find it completes the crown at a premium level over the Stealth 2 line.
The blue carbon face is very appealing, and they went in the opposite direction of the Stealth 2 red. Even though I liked that face, the blue steps up the classy level.
Finally, the back of the Qi10 MAX has a weight so subtly designed into the head that you barely notice it is there. Aside from the nice touch on the carbon crown covering all the way to the edge, this weight is my favorite part of the design.
It is very elegantly placed, unlike the Stealth 2, where the weight was large and in your face.
Sound: A
Similar to the Qi10, the sound on the Qi10 MAX is fantastic. My contact was squared up more consistently when hitting the Qi10 MAX, and the solid crack off the carbon face was enjoyable.
Combined with the distance results I got, the sound was music to my ears.
Forgiveness/Feel: A+
The feel of the Qi10 MAX was incredible. It brought me back to the original Stealth 2 because of the similar electric feel I was getting off the face. The Qi10 MAX felt like an extension of my arm, and how different it felt compared to the regular Qi10 driver shocked me.
Since I hit this after the main Qi10, the forgiveness was expected to be good, but on the Qi10 MAX, it is everything TaylorMade claims it to be. I was getting a fantastic result unless I left the face wide open or too closed.
The Speed Pocket design was felt in action. There were a few swings that I knew I hit out of the bottom of the face, and my result was still great, around 250 yards. Just the feeling of the club itself, the contact still felt incredibly solid and powerful.
My swing was more in tune when testing the Qi10 MAX vs Qi10.
However, the forgiveness was very noticeable. My numbers also reflect that.
Distance: A+
The ball flew off the blue carbon face of the Qi10 MAX. It surpassed my feeling with the Stealth 2 line (sorry, old friend). It was electric. I had a few ball speeds that touched 150 MPH, which is just something I don’t do.
As a result, I was generating incredible distance out of the Qi10 MAX. My longest drive was 275.5 yards, and my average carry yards just under 225 and average total yards of 256 after hitting 63 balls are some of the best numbers of any driver I have hit to date.
I was also taking some relatively casual swings on purpose to see what happens for amateurs with slightly slower swing speeds, and the distance was not being sacrificed at all. On more casual swing speeds of about 93 and 94 mph, I still got 234 and 246 yards out of the Qi10 MAX. This is very promising for older golfers, or those who have slower swing speeds, thanks to the ball speed generated.
I have made my point. Distance is VERY PRESENT off the face of the Qi10 MAX.
Accuracy: A
The accuracy was really good. There were a few swings where my club face was closed about 7.5 degrees to the swing path, and although I got a hook on those shots, I didn’t think it was as egregious as it deserved to be. The Qi10 MAX saved me.
I lined up my drives and felt that when I took the swing I intended to, I was getting a nice draw and ending up exactly where I wanted to be, in the center fairway or just right center.
Overall Swing Enjoyment: A+
The swing enjoyment was an A+. I had so much fun hitting the Qi10 MAX that I was getting sweaty, just continuing to ramp up my swing speed to see what the club could do.
I was not disappointed; I can’t think of any other addition to hitting the Qi10 MAX that would have made it better.
Value: Is the TaylorMade Qi10 MAX Driver Worth it?
The performance of the Qi10 MAX driver was so impressive that I cannot reiterate enough how much of a blast I had hitting this driver.
In my Qi10 driver review, I commented on expectations and how it’s so hard for manufacturers to continue meeting them. Still, with the Qi10 MAX, TaylorMade coasted into surpassing all those expectations.
The club is phenomenal: looks, sound, distance, forgiveness. I wouldn’t think twice about putting it in my bag; honestly, I might add it to my bag very soon.
I honestly won’t say this TOO often because I generally believe the differences can be marginal with some of the newer $600+ drivers versus previous lines or competitor options for slightly lower prices.
Still, the Qi10 MAX is 100% worth every penny of that $600.
If you add it to your arsenal, you will enjoy every second of hitting this driver and improve your overall numbers. I can’t recommend trying it out enough because I know you will not regret hitting the Qi10 MAX driver.
Qi10 MAX Driver Technology
The same technology is in the TaylorMade Qi10 driver and the Qi10 MAX. The designs look similar, but the Qi10 MAX has a slightly shallower face and a more elongated front-to-back design.
The main tech, including carryover from the Stealth 2 Driver, includes:
Carbon, Carbon, Carbon
The Qi10 MAX is no different from the Qi10; the highlight feature is the “Infinity Carbon Crown,” with 97% of the crown area covered in carbon. It looks incredibly premium.
The Thru-Slot Speed Pocket is also included in the Qi10 MAX, which has been a constant in the TaylorMade driver tech. This tech is charged with preserving ball speed and forgiveness on hits on the lower part of the face.
60X Carbon Twist Face
The third generation of this TaylorMade driver face is engineered to reduce forward weight and maximize energy transfer at contact.
The goal is to give energy off the face for better ball speeds and forgiveness on hits that aren’t center-face.
It’s very well designed, but in navy blue instead of the bright red from the Stealth 2.
FAQ
Who Should Play the TaylorMade Qi10 MAX Driver?
Undoubtedly, any beginner or high handicapper will flourish with the Qi10 MAX.
Mid-handicap golfers like myself would also improve their game by putting this driver in their bag. I loved the results and feel of this driver.
Interestingly enough, manufacturers' “MAX” style models are generally targeted at higher handicap golfers or those who need a large scale of forgiveness. In contrast, low spin models are often the choice of low handicap golfers with faster swing speeds.
With the Qi10 MAX, Colin Morikawa (with a swing speed of around 114 MPH) has added it to his long-game weaponry. That should give anybody wanting to purchase it a big boost of confidence.
Check out my TaylorMade Qi10 Driver vs Qi10 MAX comparison for how I faired with each.
What does Qi10 Stand for?
The Qi stands for “Quest for Inertia,” and the 10 represents 10,000 grams per cm squared of MOI.
How We Test and Our Methodology
Golferperformance.com is a 100% independent publisher aiming to provide tips to improve your golf game and bring more relatable equipment reviews after first-hand club testing.
At Golfer Performance, we personally purchase the products we test, ensuring that our reviews are not influenced by any company or manufacturer. This commitment to independence guarantees the integrity of our opinions and decisions.
After purchasing the products, we conduct hands-on testing in our Trackman studio and/or out on the course to report statistical performance and a first-hand feel for each product.
Jeff K is our resident expert and author. He has 20+ years of experience playing golf and solving swing problems that everyday golfers deal with, bringing his game to mid-handicapper status and shooting scores in the low-to-mid 80s.