We’ve written before about the levers equipment manufacturers will pull to keep product lines fresh mid-cycle. They include things like black finishes, limited edition colorways, or, as is the case with the latest offerings from TaylorMade, previously tour-only offerings made available to the masses yearning for something special.
That’s kinda what’s happening here.
As tour-to-retail releases go, this one is relatively innocuous. This isn’t the super low spin, undersized, no MOI, fade-biased, you have no business trying to hit this tour stuff we typically see.
In fact, what’s notably different is that the new options will likely benefit golfers.
Crazy.
While tour only is the selling point, in the case of the new Qi10 driver Qi10 Tour fairway wood offerings, we’re talking about new loft options that, while practical for somebody, are niche enough that a full retail release likely doesn’t make a ton of sense.
That doesn’t mean your game couldn’t benefit from them.
With that, let’s look at the new offerings.
Qi10 8-degree driver
I probably don’t need to explain this, but the new 8-degree option provides an option for golfers who need to drop launch angle and spin rates a bit. Beyond that, nothing fancy. It’s just a Qi10 with less loft.
If fitting considerations aren’t enough, it’s worth mentioning that it’s the driver used by world #1, Scottie Scheffler.
The stock shaft is the Fujikura Ventus TR Blue (with a $600 sticker price, it’s safe bet it’s TaylorMade’s non-VeloCore version).
The stock grip is a Golf Pride Z-Grip.
Custom options are available.
Qi10 Tour 4-Wood
Why a 4-wood?
More than anything else in this new release, the addition of a 4-wood to the Qi10 lineup speaks to trends on Tour and, by extension, the consumer marketplace.
Mini drivers, which, for the sake of this conversation, might be thought of as 2-woods, are growing in popularity. While it’s not universally the case, for many golfers, the Mini is usually a replacement for the 3-wood. With that, the once-standard progression of 3-wood to 5-wood may not make sense.
Once the mini driver (or 2-wood) goes in the bag, a 4-wood becomes the more practical gapping option. That’s certainly the trend on Tour. TaylorMade already offers a 4-wood (technically, it’s a 3HL), but the new Tour 4-wood offers a lower spinning option at 16.5 degrees.
To date, I haven’t found a Mini Driver that I absolutely love, but if the day comes, it’s likely I’ll replace my 5-wood with a 4-wood (though I do love my 5-wood).
Qi10 Tour 6-Wood
Calling this one a 6-wood feels like little more than semantics (and, I suppose, creating a logical progression in how we classify things).
TaylorMade’s Tour 6-Wood has 21 degrees of loft, which is the same as the Qi10 7-Wood that’s been available since launch. You can expect the Tour 6 to fly lower and spin less than the Qi10 7-Wood. I suppose that might be enough to justify calling it a 6-Wood.
Both the TaylorMade Qi10 4-Wood and Qi10 6-Wood are available in custom only (both stock and grip). Upcharges for both may apply depending on your selection.
Retail price is $449.99.
TaylorMade’s Angle
Don’t get me wrong. I’m almost invariably a fan of giving golfers more choices. I love the addition of the 4-wood, the 6-wood is interesting though likely the less popular of the two fairway wood offerings, and the 8-degree driver is fine, and maybe a game-changer if you actually fit into it.
To an extent, motivation doesn’t matter when the offering is solid. This one is.
That said, for TaylorMade, the line extension is about more than just consumer choice. As noted at the start, freshening up the lineup is strategically important, especially given the chatter that Qi10 isn’t exactly blowing the doors off retail.
Add to the equation that by selling the new offerings exclusively on TaylorMade.com, the company isn’t losing margin to traditional retail.
That part has been a significant piece of TaylorMade’s strategy for the last several years, and I expect it will continue because, frankly, it’s just smart business.
The Qi10 8-degree driver, 4-wood, and 6-Wood are available now.
For more information or to order yours, visit TaylorMadeGolf.com.
Have Your Say
Are you likely to purchase any of these new TaylorMade offerings? Let us know in the comment section below.
