In this comparison guide, I will share my results using the TaylorMade Qi35 vs Qi10 drivers to determine whether the new golf driver is worth the upgrade.
TaylorMade has been releasing a new golf driver each year, and I wanted to see if they have made any real improvements.
Comment at the bottom of the post, and let me know what you think!
What is the TaylorMade Qi10?
The TaylorMade Qi10 is TaylorMade’s 2024 model, replacing the Stealth lineup. It is a high-performance driver designed to deliver forgiveness and explosive distance.
The Qi10 features a sleek, modern design with a confidence-inspiring head shape. It’s built with an infinity carbon crown and a re-engineered face that focuses on maximizing ball speed across the entire surface.
TaylorMade integrated its proven Twist Face technology to help correct mishits, keeping your drives straighter. The club also features advanced weight distribution and a lower balance point for optimal launch conditions, making getting the ball high with minimal spin easier.
Many TaylorMade staffers switched to this driver as soon as it came out, and there is a good reason for that. It’s a forgiving driver that’s all about blending power with forgiveness, perfect for those looking to up their game off the tee.
How to Buy
The TaylorMade Qi10 driver lineup can be purchased from the official TaylorMade website here.
What is the TaylorMade Qi35?
The TaylorMade Qi35 Driver is the latest offering from TaylorMade, which this year featured four different heads on its driver models. It is the fourth generation of carbon-faced drivers released by TaylorMade and came out on January 7th, 2025.
The Qi35 is a premium driver designed for golfers seeking precision, distance, and forgiveness in one sleek package. It feels slightly more refined and advanced than the Qi10, with subtle design tweaks emphasizing control. The standout feature is its advanced face technology, engineered to maximize ball speed for more distance while maintaining a consistent flight pattern.
The Qi35’s new chromium carbon crown and strategically positioned sliding weight offer enhanced stability during the swing. One key difference is its slightly more adjustable design, with adjustable weighting giving you more control over launch angle and spin.
TaylorMade has also fine-tuned the sound and feel, making the impact incredibly satisfying.
How to Buy
The TaylorMade Qi35 driver lineup can be purchased from the official TaylorMade website here.
TaylorMade Qi35 Models: Four Different Driver Models
When the Qi10 lineup of drivers was released, it came with three different models: The Qi10, Qi10 LS, and Qi10 MAX. The TaylorMade Qi35 Driver lineup features four heads, with an added Max Lite model available. The Qi35 Max Lite is designed with a women’s spec, catering to female golfers seeking lighter equipment to enhance their clubhead speed. Below are the four models:
Qi35 Driver
The TaylorMade Qi35 driver is the core model offered by TaylorMade. This time, it takes on the same shape as the Qi35 Max, which increases the length of the head front-to-back by eight millimeters, helping save and reposition some weight throughout.
The standout feature of the TaylorMade Qi35 driver is its adjustability. It comes stock with two three gram weights: 13 grams in the back and 3 grams in the front. These moveable weights can also be flipped to your liking.
Perfect for lower-to mid-handicap players, the Qi35 delivers a great blend of power and precision. It is ideal for those wanting to shape shots while still benefiting from forgiveness on slight mishits.
Qi35 LS
The TaylorMade Qi35 LS (Low Spin) driver is designed for golfers seeking maximum control, lower spin rates, and a penetrating ball flight. Compared to the original model, the Qi35 LS features a tour-inspired, compact head shape, which helps to promote workability around the golf course.
The key difference with the LS model is its low-spin design, achieved through a more forward CG projection and a slightly deeper face. This setup reduces backspin, helping produce a more piercing trajectory with added roll-out.
This model is better suited for faster-swinging, skilled golfers who prioritize control and lower spin over forgiveness.
Qi35 Max
The TaylorMade Qi35 Max driver is built for golfers, prioritize maximum forgiveness and distance. Holding the Qi35 Max, you’ll notice its much larger clubhead designed to boost stability and promote straighter drives. It’s for players who want help keeping the ball in play, especially on off-center hits.
The standout feature of the Qi35 Max is its ultra-forgiving design, with a rear-weighted construction that shifts the center of gravity further back. This design increases MOI (Moment of Inertia), reducing twisting on mishits and making it easier to launch the ball high with minimal effort.
The Qi35 Max driver is the most forgiving model, making it more suitable for mid-to-higher handicap golfers seeking straighter, longer drivers off the tee.
Qi35 Max Lite
The TaylorMade Qi35 Max Lite driver is designed for golfers seeking maximum forgiveness with an ultra-lightweight build. Holding the Qi35 Max Lite, you first notice how incredibly light it feels, being 35 grams lighter, making it easier to generate faster clubhead speed with less effort.
This model features a larger, confidence-boosting clubhead with rear-weighted construction to promote high launch and straighter drives. The lightweight design enhances speed and helps reduce fatigue during longer rounds.
The Qi35 Max Lite is perfect for newer players, seniors, or anyone wanting a lightweight, user-friendly driver that delivers distance and consistency off the tee.
Key Similarities Between the TaylorMade Qi35 vs Qi10
The TaylorMade Qi35 vs Qi10 drivers share several core features designed to enhance performance and forgiveness:
Carbon Fiber Crown: Both models use a lightweight carbon fiber crown to optimize weight distribution for improved stability and faster swing speeds.
Forgiveness-Focused Design: Each driver emphasizes forgiveness with a high MOI (Moment of Inertia) to reduce twisting on mishits and keep drives straighter.
Twist Face Technology: Both clubs incorporate TaylorMade’s Twist Face technology, which helps correct off-center hits for improved accuracy.
Optimized Face Technology: The clubfaces are engineered to deliver faster ball speeds and consistent distance across the entire hitting surface.
Premium Materials: Both feature high-quality, multi-material construction for durability and performance.
Key Differences Between the TaylorMade Qi35 vs Qi10:
Target Audience: The Qi10 is designed for maximum forgiveness, ideal for mid-to-high handicappers, while the Qi35 is geared toward lower to mid-handicap players seeking more control and workability.
Looks: The Qi10 featured a rounded head for extra stability, with a nice deep blue color that changed from the red color in the Stealth line. The Qi35 features a significantly more rounded head and a light-grey carbon head.
Adjustability: The Qi35 offers more adjustability, including a sliding weight track and loft sleeve for fine-tuning launch, spin, and shot shape, while the Qi10 has a more simplified design with limited adjustability.
Feel: The feel of the face from the Qi35 driver and the Qi10 was very noticeable. The sound was high-pitched and felt firmer off the face than the Qi10 model.
New Model: TaylorMade introduced a Max Lite model this year, featuring the looks of the Max model but 35 grams lighter. This model is perfect for seniors or slower-swing players looking for more performance. The Qi35 lineup also includes a fairway wood, designed to offer optimized launch conditions and weight adjustments for enhanced workability.
Comparing the Qi35 vs Qi10 drivers from TaylorMade, I was surprised to see how many differences their were. I thought the Qi10 drivers were too much for beginners and this year’s upgrade looks like it is about catering to more experienced golfers.
What I Like About the TaylorMade Qi35 Better
The one thing that surprised me about the new driver was the adjustable pinpoint weights and the impact of changing these around on the golf ball’s performance. The Qi10 doesn’t have the same adjustability as the Qi35 driver does.
Switching the heavier weight to the front of the driver completely changes how you hit the ball. The ball has less spin, but the distance goes way up. I can see why tour players moved to the Qi35 driver right when it came out, and I recommend that anyone in the market for a new driver go through the fitting process.
I also like the overall sound and feel of the Qi35 better than the Qi10. TaylorMade has always had a great-sounding driver, but the Qi35 produced a higher-pitched sound on impact, which I enjoyed. It also felt firmer hitting the golf ball off the center of the club face.
What I Like About the TaylorMade Qi10 Better
The one thing that I, along with many other golfers, would like about the Qi10 is the simplicity of the driver. The Qi10 driver is great in its own right, backed by the fact that so many TaylorMade golfers switched to it instantaneously from its release.
Although it doesn’t feature the adjustability of the Qi35, it features a large, rounded head that maximizes forgiveness and distance off the tee. It is also a great-looking driver.
Plus, with the release of the Qi35 driver, the price of the Qi10 is sure to drop, which is great for budget-conscious golfers.
Is the TaylorMade Qi35 Worth the Upgrade?
The TaylorMade Qi35 Driver could be worth the upgrade over the Qi10 if you’re a golfer seeking more control and customization in your game and are not worried about the price of new drivers.
Like I talked about above, the Qi35 offers increased adjustability with features like a sliding weight track and loft sleeve, allowing you to fine-tune your launch conditions, spin, and shot shape. If you’re looking for precision and the ability to shape shots, the Qi35’s compact head and lower-spin design might be a good fit.
However, if you prioritize forgiveness and consistency with minimal adjustments, the Qi10 is still a great choice. It will be significantly cheaper than the Qi35, and depending on your handicap, it will still provide great results on the golf course.
Let me know what you think in the comparison between TaylorMade’s Qi35 vs Qi10 today.
Last update on 2025-01-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
