TaylorMade Qi Max Review

TaylorMade has owned the distance half of this category for years and lost the feel half every time. The Qi Max is the first attempt that closes the gap. A bar behind the face stabilizes the sound on strikes high off the face, where the previous Qi irons turned harsh, and the ECHO damping takes the sting out of everything else. It is still cast and still not a forging, but it is the closest the company has come, and next to a Callaway or a Ping it no longer loses the argument.

The face is thickened toward the toe rather than uniformly, which cuts the sidespin that turns a toe strike into a pull, and the Speed Pocket in the sole keeps ball speed on shots struck low. Center of gravity moves through the set, deepest in the long irons for launch and forward in the short irons for control. The seven iron sits at 28 degrees, strong even for this class, so compare carry numbers with care. An HL model runs three degrees weaker throughout for slower swings.

The complaint is cosmetic. There is a lot going on in the cavity and it looks busy beside a Srixon or a Titleist. One thousand and ninety nine dollars for seven in steel is fair for what it does.