Save your dodgeball jokes—we’ve been making them practically each time Titleist mentions “3D” of their iron fashions—however TaylorMade is upping the ante with Qi4D drivers.
What are “4Ds”? Who is aware of… possibly it simply implies that with the 2026 driver design, TaylorMade engineers are taking part in four-dimensional chess.
What we do know is restricted to the knowledge discovered within the USGA images and descriptions—that’s to say, not a lot.
Aesthetics
Given the truth that the USGA solely publishes black and white images and solely exhibits the only real, there’s not an entire lot we will say in regards to the industrial design facets of the brand new fashions.
In my view (for no matter that’s value), TaylorMade killed it with the Chromium Carbon design of this yr’s Qi35.
The images recommend TaylorMade has backed off a bit with the Qi4D collection. There’s no seen carbon weave on the only real, and the refined design cues (inexperienced accents) that hinted at relative CG places seem like gone as effectively.
Drivers must look completely different from one yr to the following, and whereas I’m positive these will look good in dwelling colour, I do surprise if TaylorMade dialed it again somewhat an excessive amount of.
Three fashions
The USGA (and R&A) listing contains three fashions. Nothing shocking right here, as TaylorMade is continuous on with the acquainted lineup. Persevering with on are the Qi4D LS, Qi4D (which TaylorMade refers to because the “Core” mannequin), and the Qi4D Max.
Lacking—a minimum of for now—is a Qi4D Lite mannequin. That, in fact, assumes TaylorMade is planning a one-for-one improve throughout your complete lineup. It’s speculative, however I’d level out that light-weight fashions (not used on Tour) typically don’t hit the conforming listing till simply earlier than launch.
TaylorMade Qi4D LS
The primary notable change with the Qi4D lineup is that TaylorMade has swapped the LS’s three-weight system for a simplified front-to-back, two-weight system.
Whether or not that’s to maintain flight completely impartial or there’s some baked-in inner bias stays to be seen. Regardless, TaylorMade’s story will seemingly embrace some bits about sustaining becoming choices whereas decreasing complexity.
TaylorMade Qi4D (Core)
What TaylorMade took away from the LS, they put into the Core mannequin (form of). Whereas it’s simple to miss within the photos (I suppose there are hints if you happen to stare lengthy sufficient), TaylorMade’s core mannequin will leverage a three-weight system that provides an R7-style dual-weight port to the rear of the Qi4D.
On one hand, I’d argue that putting two weights that shut collectively will seemingly solely have minimal impression. However, I’d let you know that I swapped weights round on my R7 Quad Mini Driver, and no matter what physics may say, it flies precisely how I would like it to—and that’s actually all that issues.
At a minimal, it ought to give fitters all the mandatory levers to dial in trajectory in TaylorMade’s driver for the plenty (2026 version).
Qi4D Max
The Qi4D Max is fascinating for what’s lacking within the USGA’s descriptions of the markings. There isn’t any express callout of 10,000 MOI, or 10K, or anything to recommend that the Qi4D Max achieves the top of forgiveness.
That’s to not say it doesn’t, however given the trade’s compulsion to indicate each little bit of minutia it may well presumably match on a clubhead, the shortage of an MOI callout is nearly conspicuous in its absence.
Has TaylorMade dialed again forgiveness? Have we already been conditioned to suppose that “Max” equals 10K, and so some producers don’t suppose it must be talked about anymore?
I assume we’ll discover out.
The USGA description means that the Qi4D Max will characteristic a two-weight system not in contrast to the one discovered on the LS mannequin.
Carbon face continues
To say that TaylorMade’s Carbon Face is polarizing is an understatement. Really, I’m unsure that’s an affordable evaluation. Whereas I don’t recall anybody ever telling me they find it irresistible, quite a few readers have pointed to it as the rationale why they received’t take into account buying a TaylorMade driver.
Be that as it could, the USGA’s descriptions recommend TaylorMade is sticking with the know-how for one more cycle. In equity, the corporate has systematically improved its bonding high quality, so points with indifferent faces are principally within the rearview mirror.
That stated, it’s arduous to level to any quantifiable efficiency profit past the burden financial savings and the MOI enhance that may come from it. Nonetheless, everybody who needs one has a 10K driver in the marketplace, so that you clearly don’t want carbon faces to get there.
I’d additionally argue that TaylorMade’s pursuit of MOI has price them some efficiency in different areas.
That’s all a roundabout approach of claiming that I’m hard-pressed to argue that the pursuit of carbon has led to any significant efficiency benefit.
How a lot will TaylorMade Qi4D drivers price?
Whereas pricing info has not been shared, I feel you’ll be able to most likely count on a value hike on just about the whole lot that comes out in 2026. Aside from a one-off enhance right here or there, costs held regular all through 2025, and that meant that just about everybody ate the added prices of tariffs.
It’s unconfirmed, however I used to be informed that one giant model swallowed $50 million in added prices. With a lot of the trade being comprised of publicly-traded corporations, that’s not going to occur once more this yr.
Costs are going to go up. It’s solely a matter of by how a lot.
We’re most likely not going to see $700, however that’s additionally most likely going to be the results of some very advantageous hair-splitting within the distinction with out a distinction between $699.99 and $700 on the nostril.
Finest guess… $649 for Core, Max, and ultimately Lite. $699.99 for LS. However once more, that’s only a guess, so please don’t take it as gospel.
Have your say
We’ll have extra data quickly. Till then, what do you consider what you see right here? Are you excited in regards to the TaylorMade Qi4D lineup?
The put up TaylorMade Qi4D Drivers: Delicate Tweaks or Signficant Overhaul? appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
