TaylorMade fairway woods – Syndication Server

TaylorMade Qi10, Qi10 Max, Qi10 Tour fairway woods

TaylorMade’s Qi10 fairway woods offer a blend of distance, forgiveness and spin.

Gear: TaylorMade Qi10, Qi10 Max, Qi10 Tour fairway woods
Price: $349 each for the Qi10 or Qi10 Max with Fujikura Speeder NX TCS shaft, Fujikura Ventus Blue TR shaft or Mitsubishi Tensei AV Limited Blue shaft and Golf Pride Z-Grip grip. $449 for the Qi10 Tour.
Specs: Carbon fiber crown with V-shaped sole plate, Speed Pocket and stainless steel face (Qi10, Qi10 Max); carbon fiber crown, titanium face, moveable weight and adjustable hosel (Qi10 Tour).
Available: Feb. 2 for the Qi10, Qi10 Max; Feb. 16 for the Qi10 Tour, but available for pre-order NOW

Who They’re For: Golfers who want to maximize forgiveness and distance off the tee and from the fairway (Qi10, Qi10 Max), or low-handicap golfers who want adjustability, more distance off the tee and a more-compact shape (Qi10 Tour).

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The Skinny: The standard Qi10 has been made to blend forgiveness and distance in an all-around fairway wood, while the Max version has a higher moment of inertia to make it extremely forgiving and easy to launch high into the air. The Qi10 Tour blends a titanium face with a sliding weight and adjustable hosel, making it the club low-handicap players can fine-tune easily.

The Deep Dive: TaylorMade has been a significant force in the fairway wood category since 2012, when the release of RocketBallz ushered in the era of nuclear-powered fairway woods that deliver driver-like distance. Since that time, the Carlsbad, California-based company has continued to refine shapes, work with new materials and design clubs that are as capable of splitting tight fairways off the tee as they are attacking long par 5s from the turf.

Golfers tend to be finicky when it comes to fairway woods, so one club can’t be perfect for every player. With the Qi10 fairway wood family, TaylorMade offers three very different clubs that share some key technologies.

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Since 2015, TaylorMade fairway woods have had a distinctive look, combining a carbon fiber crown with a stainless steel piece that joins the crown and face. In some clubs, such as the M4, M6 and SIM fairway woods, that area was even white to create a contrast and help golfers improve their alignment. But in the Qi 10 fairway woods, that ledge area is gone. Now the carbon fiber crown, which is larger, extends to the seam where it meets the hitting area. TaylorMade refers to it as an Infinity Crown, and it not only creates a more-premium look in the address position, it also reduces weight in the top of the club.

To help golfers align shots more easily, TaylorMade added a subtle white line on the top portion of the hitting area, as it did in company’s previous Stealth 2 fairway woods.

TaylorMade Qi10 Max fairway wood — All the Qi10 fairway woods, including the Max, have Twist Face to help golfers hit straighter shots. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

All the Qi10 fairway woods also feature Twist Face, the company’s design feature that peels back the high-toe area and low-heel areas of the face to help golfers hit straighter shots. There is also a Speed Pocket slot designed in the sole, directly behind the leading edge, that helps improve performance on thin shots and allows the lower portion of the hitting area to flex more efficiently. The Qi10 and Qi10 Max also feature a V-Steel sole design that lifts the heel and toe areas on the bottom of the club to reduce turf interaction and help golfers maintain speed through the hitting zone.

The standard Qi10 is available in lofts of 15, 18, 21 and 24 degrees. It is slightly shorter from front to back than the Qi10 Max, which is offered in 16-, 19- and 22-degree versions. Sharp-eyed golfers might see that, and they will also see that the Qi10 Max has a lower profile, but inside the Qi10 and Qi10 Max is where the most significant differences can be found.

Inside the Qi10, TaylorMade added an internal 15-gram weight in the back and a 42-gram weight behind the face to improve stability while significantly increasing ball speed. The Qi10 Max has a 42-gram internal weight in the back and a 15-gram weight in the front, so it is more stable on mis-hits, generates more spin and should produce a higher launch for most golfers. In fact, the Qi10 Max has the highest moment of inertia of any fairway wood TaylorMade has made.

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TaylorMade Qi10 Tour fairway woods — The TaylorMade Qi10 Tour fairway wood (David Dusek/Golfweek)

For more-accomplished golfers and players who want to maximize adjustability, TaylorMade is offering the Qi10 Tour. The head is smaller (170 cubic centimeters) than the Qi10 (190 cubic centimeters) and the Qi10 Max (200 cubic centimeters), but it does have an Infinity carbon fiber crown like those clubs, plus Twist Face and a Speed Pocket in the sole. However, the Qi10 Tour has three significant features the other clubs lack.

First, the Qi10 Tour, which will only be offered in 15- and 18-degree versions, has a titanium face like a driver, so designers could make it thinner and lighter without sacrificing durability.

The titanium face and carbon fiber crown combination allowed engineers to give the Qi10 Tour a 50-gram sliding weight, enabling players and fitters to shift the center of gravity forward to reduce spin, increase ball speed and produce a lower launch angle. Moving the weight back increases spin and should produce a higher ball flight with more forgiveness.

Finally, the Qi10 Tour also has an adjustable hosel that allows the stated loft to be increased or decreased by as many as 2 degrees.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop TM Qi10 fairway wood” link=”https://globalgolfcreator.pxf.io/AWM3Kj”]

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop TM Qi10 Max fairway wood” link=”https://globalgolfcreator.pxf.io/GmdVDV”]

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop TM Qi10 Tour fairway wood” link=”https://globalgolfcreator.pxf.io/eKZERr”]

Below are more close-up images of the Qi10 fairway woods:

TaylorMade Stealth 2, Stealth 2 Plus, Stealth 2 HD fairway woods

TaylorMade’s new fairway woods have updated faces and carbon fiber crowns.

Gear: TaylorMade Stealth 2, Stealth 2 Plus, Stealth 2 HD fairway woods
Price: $349 (Stealth 2, Stealth 2 HD) with Fujikura Ventus TR Red shaft or Fujikura Speeder NX Red shaft and Golf Pride Z-Grip grips. $429 (Stealth 2 Plus) with Mitsubishi Kai’li Red shaft.
Specs: Carbon fiber crown with variable-thickness face and stainless steel design for the Stealth 2 and Stealth 2 HD; carbon fiber crown with titanium body and face plus as adjustable hosel for the Stealth 2 Plus. Lofts: 15, 16.5, 18, 21, 24 degrees for Stealth 2; 16, 19, 22 degrees for Stealth 2 HD; 15, 18 degrees for Stealth 2 Plus
Available: Feb. 17, but available for pre-order now

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Who They’re For: Golfers who want more forgiveness without sacrificing ball speed or distance.

The Skinny: By making the carbon fiber face even lighter and adding a carbon fiber sole, TaylorMade made the sweet spot in the three Stealth 2 drivers larger while significantly increasing the moment of inertia for enhanced stability.

The Deep Dive: Starting with the Rocketballz fairway woods in 2012, TaylorMade helped usher in a fairway woods revolution, delivering greater distance and ball speeds. With the first SIM fairway woods in 2020, the company hit upon a formula that proved popular with elite golfers and recreational players too – titanium fairway woods with carbon fiber crowns that also had heavy sole plates.

For 2023, TaylorMade has three Stealth 2 fairway woods: a titanium offering and two stainless steel clubs made to boost distance off the tee and from the turf.

[afflinkbutton text=”TaylorMade Stealth 2 Series Fairway Woods – From $349.99″ link=”https://pga-tour-superstore.pxf.io/WDbVeZ”]

TaylorMade Stealth woods and irons

Get to know TaylorMade’s new Stealth family.

Starting in early December, there were whisperings on social media that TaylorMade was going to release something very different in 2022. There were blurry photos here and there, but then the company submitted the Stealth driver to the USGA and R&A, who tested them and added them to the Conforming Driver lists, making the Stealth drivers legal for play in official competitions.

Shortly after that, Tiger Woods used a Stealth driver and 3-wood at the PNC Championship, and equipment junkies took notice. The face of the driver was red and the sole plate on the 3-wood looked different.

On Monday, TaylorMade released three Stealth drivers, two Stealth fairway woods, two Stealth Rescue clubs and the Stealth irons.

TaylorMade Stealth fairway woods

The titanium-faced Stealth Plus+ and stainless steel Stealth fairway woods are both designed for distance, forgiveness and stability.

Gear: TaylorMade Stealth Plus+, Stealth fairway woods
Price: $429 (Stealth Plus+ at Carl’s Golfland and Dick’s) with Project X HZRDUS Smoke Red shaft and Lamkin Crossline 360 grip. $329 (Stealth Carl’s Golfland and Dick’s) with Fujikura Ventus Red FW shaft
Specs: Stainless steel bodies with carbon-fiber crowns and V-shaped sole design. Loft offerings: 13.5, 15, 19 degrees for the Stealth Plus+; 15, 16.5, 18, 21 and 24 degrees for the Stealth
Available: Feb. 4

For the past several seasons, TaylorMade’s fairway woods have been popular with pros and recreational golfers because they were designed to provide plenty of ball speed and distance while producing a high launch and steep angle of descent, so shots land and stop more quickly. Recent refinements have included Twist Face starting with the M5 and M6 (from $219.98 at PGA Tour Superstore) in 2019, and starting in 2020 with the SIM fairway woods (from $249.98 at PGA Superstore), an updated V-Sole design.

For 2022, TaylorMade tinkered with the shape and weight distribution in its fairway woods, the Stealth Plus+ Titanium and Stealth, with the goal of increasing stability without sacrificing distance.

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Is Tiger’s 3-wood change in preparation for a November Masters?

Is the five-time Augusta National champ looking for more distance, as potentially cooler air prevents the ball from flying as far as normal?

Tiger Woods made a subtle equipment change this week at Sherwood Country Club before starting his defense of the Zozo Championship, and the swap probably was made with an eye toward the Masters.

Woods had been playing a TaylorMade M5 3-wood since early 2019, but this week that club was replaced with a TaylorMade SIM 3-wood. The club’s stated loft is 15 degrees, and it is fitted with a 70-gram Mitsubishi Diamana D+ TX shaft. However, the actual loft is 14 degrees. The club has a finished length of 42.5 inches with a swing weight of D4. Tiger’s old 3-wood had 15 degrees of loft and was fitted with the same shaft.

While many pros will pull a 5-wood out of the bag and go with a 2-iron or a driving iron when they play on firm courses or in windy conditions, 3-wood changes are rare. Three-woods are notoriously hard for pros to swap out because the clubs pull double duty, hitting the ball to a precise distance from both the the tee and off the fairway. When elite players find a 3-wood that does the job well, they tend to stick with it.

TaylorMade SIM fairway woods (TaylorMade)

Woods’ decision to change into a TaylorMade SIM 3-wood, a club released in January, probably has more to do with getting used to the club in competition before the Masters than needing it at Sherwood Country Club this week.

The Masters starts Nov. 12, and the weather is expected to be colder at Augusta National than is typical for April. According to Titleist, a golf ball will fly 1.5 percent less far on a 50-degree day than it will when the air temperature is 70 degrees because the atmosphere is thicker. It also will fly higher.

According to Joe LaCava, Tiger Woods’ caddie, Woods hits his TaylorMade M5 3-wood about 265 yards in the air. A 1.5 percent decrease in carry distance would drop that to 261, but that assumes Woods maintains the same speed in his swing. In colder weather, most golfers have trouble staying loose and swing slower.

The TaylorMade SIM fairway woods have titanium faces, like a driver, so they are lighter and flex more efficiently for increased ball speed. They also have a heavy soleplate that lowers the center of gravity and creates a higher launch angle. Combine all that with a loft that is 1-degree stronger, and in colder weather,Tiger may not lose any distance with his new 3-wood at Augusta National in November.

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TaylorMade SIM, SIM Max, SIM Max D fairway woods

The SIM fairway woods combine titanium, carbon fiber and steel for improved distance and more stability off the tee and from the fairway.

Gear: TaylorMade SIM, SIM Max, SIM Max D fairway woods
Price: SIM: $399.99 with Mitsubishi Diamana FW Limited shaft and Golf Pride Tour Z grip. SIM Max and SIM Max D: $299.99 with Fujikura Ventus Blue or UST Mamiya Helium shaft
Specs: Titanium body and face with carbon-fiber crown and an adjustable hosel. 14, 15 and 19 degrees (SIM); 14, 15, 18, 21 and 24 degrees (SIM Max); 16, 19 and 22 degrees (SIM Max D)
Available: Feb. 7

TaylorMade’s 2019 M5 fairway wood was unique because it boasted a titanium face and a 65-gram moveable weight in the sole that allowed golfers and fitters to create a draw or a fade bias. Tiger Woods put one in his bag, as did Jon Rahm and Matthew Wolff. But the company’s stainless steel M6 hit the ball a little farther, which made it appealing to many players.

For 2020, TaylorMade created a new club that takes advantage of titanium more effectively, the new SIM fairway woods.

The SIM fairway wood has a lightweight carbon-fiber crown and a titanium chassis, which means the top portion of the club and the frame are significantly lighter than a traditional stainless-steel fairway wood. The saved weight was repositioned in the bottom of the club in the form of an 80-gram sole plate. The result is the center of gravity is significantly lower than last season’s M5, so shots begin with a higher launch.

The sole also has a new shape, sort of. TaylorMade has brought back the V Steel sole design in the SIM fairway woods, harkening back to popular fairway woods from the early 2000s. It has more of a rounded leading edge with the heel and toe areas elevated, so turf interaction is reduced and golfers can better maintain speed as the club impacts the ball.

A stronger titanium face

A Speed Pocket slot also was designed into the sole behind the leading edge to allow the hitting area to flex more effectively on low-struck shots. It is covered by polymer, so grass, water and debris do not get into the head.

To turn that speed into distance, TaylorMade designed the SIM fairway woods with a face made from a Zatech titanium, a stronger alloy than the titanium normally used in golf clubs. Because it is stronger, the face could be made thinner to flex more efficiently at impact for increased ball speed.

Twist Face design

To help golfers hit straighter shots, the SIM fairway woods utilize a Twist Face design, as with TaylorMade’s drivers. The high-toe and low-heel areas of the hitting surface were peeled back to compensate for the most common misses and reduce the severity of hooks and slices.

Finally, each SIM fairway wood has an adjustable hosel that allows players and fitters to increase or decrease the loft by as many as 2 degrees, so creating a club that hits to a specific distance should be easier.

TaylorMade SIM Max fairway woods. (TaylorMade)

For golfers who want even more forgiveness and stability, TaylorMade is offering the SIM Max fairway woods. They also have a carbon-fiber crown, Twist Face, Speed Pocket, adjustable hosel and V Steel sole design, but the face is made using C300 stainless steel instead of titanium.

TaylorMade SIM Max D fairway woods. (TaylorMade)

Also available are the SIM Max D fairway woods, which are slightly larger than the SIM and the SIM Max. Like the other SIM fairways, it has a carbon-fiber crown, Twist Face, Speed Pocket, adjustable hosel and V Steel sole design, but an internal weight creates more of a draw bias for golfers who fight a slice.