TaylorMade Qi10 Fairway Wood Review

TaylorMade Qi10 Fairway Wood: Key Features

• Thru Slot Sped Pocket: boosts speed on low face shot
• V Steel sole: improves turf interaction and versatility
• Internal mass pads: designed for balanced performance, weight has been split between low-forward and low-back to produce a hot trajectory with ample forgiveness
• Infinity Crown: provides a clean, uninterrupted view at address while simultaneously optimising performance

The TaylorMade Qi10 family of fairway woods features three models: the Qi10, Qi10 Max and Qi10 Tour. Each model is designed for a specific set of golfers, but today, in this review, we are going to be focusing on the Qi10, which will likely be the most used model on Tour and amongst amateurs. 

Each member of the Qi10 family has a uniquely optimised face design focused on maximising ball speed across the face for each individual loft. 

This innovation was created using iterative computer simulations to determine the shape and thickness of each area to maximise the COR area around where golfers typically impact the ball.

TaylorMade has also used tried and tested technology like the Thru Slot Speed pocket and V Steel sole in order to improve versatility, turf interaction and boost speed on low face shots. 

The introduction of internal mass pads is also designed to balance the head, with weight being split between low and forward and low-back in order to produce a piercing trajectory with added forgiveness. 

To see how all this tech would perform on the course, we took the Qi10 out to sunny Spain for some on-course testing before analysing the data at Custom Golf Works in Woking. 

Let's get into it.

Player Level

TaylorMade Qi10 Fairway Wood: Looks and Feel

Sat behind the ball, the new Qi10 fairway woods look absolutely stunning. The full black gloss finish looks very premium, and the muted Qi10 branding at the back is so subtle you barely even notice it. 

The carbon underlay is also very subtle, and you could easily miss it at first glance, but look a little closer, and it brings the whole design together beautifully.

The head shape and overall design are very classical, which is a big change from previous models, including the Stealth and Stealth 2. Personally, we are big fans of the new look, and we think it will also appeal to a much wider audience. 

From address, the only new addition we weren't 100% on board with was the inclusion of a new contrasting strip at the top of the face. The strip is consistent across the full family of woods and hybrids but is much more visible on the higher lofted clubs. 

If we were being picky, we would have done away with this additional detail, but overall, the club looks fantastic sat behind the ball.

Flip the club over, and the sole has been kept relatively simple. The Qi10 branding introduces flashes of colour, and some nice angular panels are also featured to add texture, but overall, the design is fairly safe in a good way. It's not always necessary to have a super busy sole, and the Qi10 is solid without being spectacular. 

The sensation we experienced at impact was very smooth, and time and time again, we found the head remaining very stable throughout the entire swing. 

There is an appropriate amount of feedback felt from poor strikes, but nothing we would consider to be unpleasant. 

The solid feel is partnered nicely with a satisfying crack at impact, which really emphasises the ping off the face that you experience. 

All things considered, the Qi10 provides a gratifying hitting experience both visually and physically. 

TaylorMade Qi10: Performance and Forgiveness

The Qi10 fairway wood is marketed as somewhat of an all-rounder in terms of performance, and as you can see from the table above, it produced excellent numbers across the board in terms of spin, speed and distance. 

What you can't see in the table above, however, is how forgiving this wood is, and that's where it really excelled. 

So good was the forgiveness on offer, in fact, that we are happy to crown the Qi10 as the most forgiving flagship fairway wood on the market in 2024. 

When testing the Qi10 on the course, two things really stuck out to us. Firstly, just how easy it was to launch from the fairway. A three-wood from the fairway is arguably one of the toughest shots in golf and one that a lot of amateur golfers struggle with (ourselves included). 

There were obviously some shots that didn't go exactly to plan when hitting this club, but across the board, we found it very easy to launch the ball with excellent speed and accuracy. 

No amateur is going to find the middle of the clubface every time, but thankfully, this wood does a fantastic job of staying stable through impact, reducing a loss in distance, while also managing to retain a good start line.

The second thing that stuck out to us was how well it interacted with the turf. The head sits fairly flush to the ground, which is a position we prefer, and through impact, that flushness, combined with the V Steel sole, allows the club to glide through the turf without digging in. 

All in all, we were really impressed by the Qi10 fairway wood. It provides outstanding levels of forgiveness, excellent distance and great versatility, making it one of the standout models in 2024. 

Should you buy the TaylorMade Qi10 Fairway Wood?

The Qi10 is a fantastic all-around fairway wood that we believe will be well-suited to a comprehensive range of golfers. If you are looking to upgrade your options at the top end of the bag, then this model is well worth your consideration. 

With updated aesthetics, outstanding levels of forgiveness and ample distance on offer, the Qi10 is without a doubt one of the best offerings on the market in 2024. 

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