TaylorMade Golf Gear, Actually Tested
Distance-first engineering, and the biggest sweet spot they've made
TaylorMade has spent two decades selling speed, and the Qi35 generation is the first time the headline is stability instead. The Qi35 Max carries the largest sweet spot the company has ever put in a driver, and in our testing it posted the best off-center ball speed retention we measured this year — which matters far more to a weekend golfer's scorecard than another half-mph of theoretical ball speed.
Our coverage of the brand runs from that driver through the Stealth-era irons to the TP5x at the premium end of the ball wall, and a consistent pattern emerges: TaylorMade gear rewards commitment. The engineering is real, the pricing is flagship, and the value question is usually whether you'll gain enough over last year's model — or a rival $100 cheaper — to justify it. In the Qi35's case, our review says exactly where that line sits.
For inconsistent strikers, slice-fighters, and anyone whose misses scatter across the face, this is one of the two brands we point to first. For golfers who already find the center, the marginal gains shrink fast — and we say that in the review too.
From our bag: The Qi35 Max is the driver in our own bag, and the Stealth HD irons fill the middle of it — both bought, tested, and kept.
TaylorMade Reviews — Rated After Real Rounds
| Product | Our Rating | Price | Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| TaylorMade Qi35 Max | ★ 4.3/5 | ~$599 | Read the review → |
TaylorMade Head-to-Head Comparisons
Where TaylorMade Ranks in Our Buying Guides
- TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD — Max Distance in 5 Best Golf Drivers Under $300
- TaylorMade SIM Max (prev gen) — Best Overall in Best Budget Golf Drivers Under $200
- TaylorMade Qi — Distance + feel in Best Game Improvement Irons — Most Forgiving Options Tested
- TaylorMade RBZ Speed Lite — Best for Growth in Best Golf Clubs for Beginners (Full Sets Tested)
- TaylorMade Spider Tour — Best Mallet in Best Golf Putters — Blade, Mallet & Mid-Mallet
- TaylorMade Stealth — Best value in Best Hybrid Golf Clubs — Replace Your Long Irons
- TaylorMade Team TM — Best Value in Best Junior Golf Clubs — Getting Your Kid Started the Right Way
- TaylorMade Hi-Toe 3 — Versatility in Best Wedges for Beginners — Simple Buying Guide
- TaylorMade Qi35 Max (85-100 mph) — Most amateurs in Driver Loft Guide — What Loft Should Your Driver Be?
- TaylorMade Noodle — Beginners in Golf Ball Compression Chart — Match Your Swing Speed
- TaylorMade Soft Response — Under 85 mph in Golf Ball Compression Chart — Match Your Swing Speed
- TaylorMade Tour Response — 88-100 mph in Golf Ball Compression Chart — Match Your Swing Speed
- TaylorMade TP5 — 95-110 mph in Golf Ball Compression Chart — Match Your Swing Speed
- TaylorMade TP5x — 100+ mph in Golf Ball Compression Chart — Match Your Swing Speed
- Regular — TaylorMade Qi Irons — Most golfers in Golf Shaft Flex Guide — How to Choose the Right Flex for Your Swing
- TM Qi Irons (Club Length) — Strike consistency in Iron Fitting Guide for Beginners — Before Your First Fitting
- TaylorMade Qi35 Max — Most Distance in Most Forgiving Drivers for Weekend Golfers
TaylorMade Questions, Answered Straight
Is the Qi35 worth $599 over the $499 Callaway Ai Smoke Max?
That $100 gap is the whole decision. Our testing puts them in the same forgiveness tier — the Qi35 Max wins on sweet-spot size and toe-strike speed retention, the Callaway wins on price. If you're paying full retail and the budget is real, the Callaway is the value answer. If you're a TaylorMade-ecosystem player or find the Qi35 on sale, it's the best driver the brand has made.
Who should skip the Qi35?
Straight from our review: shot-shapers who want workability over forgiveness, budget-first buyers who'd be equally served $100 cheaper, and low-handicap players already fitted into low-spin heads. The Max design exists to rescue imperfect contact — if your contact is already good, buy the fitting, not the head.