TaylorMade Qi4D Drivers: Tour Pro Setups, Design & Qi35 Comparison

Tour Pro Debut & Performance

• 🚀 Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood debuted TaylorMade's new Qi4D drivers at the HSBC Championship, with Fleetwood finishing runner-up and McIlroy tied third.
• ⚠️ Rory previously experienced a "roller coaster" with the Qi35 driver, often reverting to his Qi10 model, even with a tour-only "dot" variant.

Rory McIlroy's Qi4D Core Setup

• ⚙️ Rory is gaming the Qi4D Core model, which appears more compact front-to-back than the Qi35 Core.
• 🎯 His setup includes a 9-degree head set two clicks lower (to 8 degrees), an OG Ventus Black 6X shaft, and a quad-weight port system.
• ⚖️ Rory's specific weight configuration features two 11g weights at the back and a 4g weight at the front heel, primarily for fine-tuning launch and spin.

Tommy Fleetwood's Qi4D LS Setup

• 🏌️‍♂️ Tommy Fleetwood shifted to the Qi4D LS head from his previous Qi35 core dot model.
• 🔧 His driver is a 9-degree head set to 9.5 degrees in an upright position, paired with a Ventus TR Blue 6X shaft.
• ⚖️ Tommy's weight setup includes a 7g weight at the back and a 15g weight at the front, used to achieve his desired face angle and flight window.

Qi4D Design & Weight System Innovations

• ✨ The Qi4D Core model features a more traditional, compact shape, a darker, matted dark gray crown, and a carbon face (Rory's appears silvery).
• 🎨 The sole maintains a carbon weave finish with subtle copper undertones and accents, contributing to a premium look.
• ⚖️ The Core model introduces a quad-weight port system, while the LS model simplifies to two weights (front/back), and the Max model adds a front weight for fine-tuning.

Impact on TaylorMade's Carbon Era

• 📈 TaylorMade's carbon wood era has faced mixed reviews and challenges with tour player adoption, with some reverting to older models.
• ✅ The strong debut performance of the Qi4D drivers by both Rory and Tommy suggests TaylorMade's latest design "has hit the mark", potentially ending Rory's driver setup struggles.