TaylorMade Qi35 Designer Series: The Audacity Of Hope (And Gold)

We’ve talked about this sort of factor earlier than. As we transfer deeper into golf season (and particularly into 12 months Two of any driver’s lifecycle), manufacturers begin pulling out all of the stops to hook the golfer who someway resisted their preliminary allure offensive.

In latest weeks we’ve seen limited-edition drivers, a parade of limited-edition golf balls, even a limited-edition Chipotle-themed headcover that makes you query each your life decisions and the state of recent advertising.

Bizarre doesn’t start to cowl it.

What I’m driving at is that this: In the event you haven’t purchased a Qi35 driver but, TaylorMade hopes this newest run of designer sequence choices will lastly separate you out of your cash. And, boy, they introduced some … decisions.

Designer Collection Gold and Platinum

This newest TaylorMade Qi35 Designer Collection drop brings two distinct colorways that beg the query “are you completely positive about this?”

Whereas the Gold and Platinum technically are separate choices, I’m lumping them collectively as a result of they each signify the identical basic query: “What if we simply … went for it?”

Let’s begin with some context from TaylorMade’s design workforce.

“The cool factor about Designer Collection is that we will solely do that in restricted portions and that enables us to do one thing outdoors the norm. Whether or not it’s how paints and pigments are sourced, how they’re utilized, or drawing inspiration from totally different locations like aeronautics or the auto trade, it’s a continuing studying and evolution course of.” – Robert Nunez, Principal Designer of Product Creation

Once I first learn “gold and platinum” within the press launch, I assumed we have been speaking about tasteful accents—perhaps some refined highlights right here and there, nothing too flashy.

I used to be fallacious. So very fallacious.

Accessible within the core Qi35 and Qi35 Max, TaylorMade’s Gold and Platinum choices signify a full dedication to what can solely be described as “most visible affect.” Once they stated “Gold”, they meant gold—your entire clubhead (minus the face and accent textual content) is gold. Not gold-ish. Not gold-inspired. Gold.

Similar goes for “Platinum” which is to say the entire rattling factor is silver and pleased with it.

It’s a daring technique, Cotton.

On one hand, I’m genuinely impressed. Every colorway represents an unrepentantly audacious design selection that refuses to apologize for itself. There’s one thing refreshing about an organization that claims, “You realize what? Let’s make a gold driver and see what occurs.”

Alternatively … Wow! These items are going to be seen from the house station. I’m not fully positive how the golf world goes to react when somebody reveals as much as the primary tee with what seems to be like a trophy as an alternative of a driver.

The Verdict

I have to know what you consider these.

Launched earlier this yr, the primary Designer Collection choice (Gloss Black) was mainly Aaron Choose going through a batting-practice fastball—straightforward cash, assured crowd-pleaser, destined for fulfillment.

Gold and Platinum?

That’s a distinct dialog fully. I suppose it’s simpler to be daring if you’re solely making restricted portions however somebody goes to need to be the primary individual to drag one in all these out of their bag at their residence course. That takes a particular type of confidence.

Or an entire lack of self-awareness. The jury’s nonetheless out.