We’re more than two months into the year now which means most of the major OEMs have released their initial driver launches for 2025.
With more and more people getting fit into new 2025 drivers every day, now seems like a good time to take stalk and which drivers have been the most surprising so far.
That’s exactly the question posed by GOLF’s Fully Equipped co-host Wadeh Maroun to fellow co-host Kris McCormack on this week’s episode.
“There’s so many different categories. I mean, overall surprised me the most— I thought [TaylorMade] Qi10 was a huge improvement over what they had in the Stealth 2 product and then Qi35 is even a bigger step over what they had in Qi10,” McCormack said. “So, if I had to pick one, if I was on the spot, most improved for 2025, I would probably say Qi35”
The TaylorMade Qi35 core driver has a new shape this year, where the overall length of the head was extended 8 mm from back to front, more like the company’s Max model, which boosts the driver’s MOI to 9k. The core model also features front-to-back CG adjustability through two Trajectory Adjustment System (TAS) weight ports.
Like the rest of the Qi35 family, the CG projection of the driver has been lowered to help players get consistent ball speed and spin numbers from more points on the face.
McCormack called out the Qi35 even though he hasn’t found the proper head and shaft combo that works well for him with it.
“I just don’t spin it enough, but I see it work for so many people. And I’m jealous of the fact that I can’t—,” McCormack said as Maroun, who has been playing Qi35 LS lately, points at himself. “And I’m jealous of the fact that I can’t just throw it together and it’s just like, boop, immediately in my bag.”
But that’s not to say the Qi35 is the only model impressing our Fully Equipped hosts.
Jack Hirsh is the Associate Equipment Editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.