What to make of new TaylorMade, Ping drivers on USGA conforming list

It may only be November, but 2026 gear from major OEMs is likely to hit the bags of top pros around the world this week.

On Monday, (presumably) new 2026 drivers from TaylorMade and Ping hit the USGA’s conforming list, giving us a first look of what to expect for next year’s new golf clubs.

As usual, both companies are playing things close to the vest in terms of details of the new products, but the timing of the release of new gear on the conforming list, the last step before a new product can go into play, is conspicuous given this week’s PGA Tour stop in Mexico and DP World Tour event in Abu Dhabi.

Keep reading below for what we make of the new TaylorMade and Ping drivers on the USGA conforming list.

TaylorMade Qi4D drivers

TaylorMade appears to be sticking with its “Quest for Inertia” Qi branding for the successor to the Qi35 family with the new Qi4D family of drivers. Based on the conforming list additions on Monday, we know of three models: Qi4D core, Qi4D LS and Qi4D Max.

Last year, TaylorMade also had a Qi35 Max Fast and women’s models. Those models could still be coming, but since those products aren’t likely to be used by any Tour pros, there’s no need to get them on the conforming list before the retail launch. More on this in a moment though.

While all we have to go off of are the black and white images in the database, we can learn a couple of things from each model.

TaylorMade Qi4D core: The biggest thing we see with the core model is the addition of two sole-weight ports in the image posted and two back-weight ports listed in the USGA submission.

It seems apparent that for the first time since the R7 driver series in the late 2000s, TaylorMade is going with a quad weighting system in its core model driver. This was obviously teased with this past year’s R7 Quad Mini Driver, but it’s sure to give fitters some huge levers to adjust ball flight. It also, for the first time, makes TaylorMade’s core model more adjustable than the LS head.

The other notable thing is that there appears to be a departure from the max forgiveness shape adopted by the Qi35 core model.

The Qi4D appears to have a much more pear-shaped profile than its predecessor, something that is sure to appeal to better players. The giveaway is the much more pointed back section and sweeping toe area.

Lofts on the conforming list are: 8, 9, 10.5 and 12. There was also a left-handed model.

TaylorMade Qi4D LS: After going with a three-point weighting system in the Qi35 LS, the Qi4D LS has just front and back adjustable weights, something fairly common among low-spin drivers on the market. The shape looks very similar to the Qi35 LS, which was one of the lower-spinning drivers on the market last season.

Lofts on the conforming list are: 8, 9, and 10.5.

TaylorMade Qi4D Max: The Max model looks once again to be the high-forgiveness model in the lineup, retaining the large profile shape from its predecessor. One omission, however, is there is no longer any reference to “10k” MOI on the sole as there was in both the Qi10 Max and Qi35 Max. Does that mean TaylorMade is no longer marketing their high-forgiveness driver as 10k MOI?

Part of the reason why is that, for the first time in a TaylorMade Max driver, the Qi4D Max has two adjustable weight ports for forward and aft CG adjustment like the LS model. Ultra-high MOI drivers have previously not had movable weights because a change in CG could actually boost the MOI above the legal limits.

Lofts on the conforming list are: 9, 10.5 and 12.

TaylorMade Qi35 Custom Driver

$599.99 from Fairway Jockey

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Ping G440 K driver

Ping typically operates on a two-year lifecycle for their metal woods, so the popular G440 lineup is here to stay in 2026. But we’re likely to get a replacement for the G430 Max 10k driver and it seems likely that is the new G440 K driver that showed up on the conforming list.

Again, note that this driver makes no mention of “10K” in any of the graphics on the club, similar to the TaylorMade model.

For the first time for Ping as well, the model in this ultra-high MOI category also has a movable weight, this one a rear draw-fade bias adjustment backweight similar to the other models in the G440 family.

Lofts on the conforming list are: 7.5, 9, 10.5 and 12 in both right- and left-handed.

PING G430 Max 10K Custom Driver

The G430 MAX 10K is PING’s straightest and highest MOI driver to date, eclipsing the 10,000 g-cm2 combined moment of inertia threshold first surpassed by the G400 MAX five years earlier. FIXED BACK WEIGHT The fixed back weight allows for the record-setting MOI as it drives mass down and back to increase forgiveness and optimize the center of gravity position. LARGER HEAD PROFILE PING’s biggest head profile to date maximizes the USGA-allowable heel-toe and front-back dimensions while staying within the 460cc volume limit. This eye-pleasing shape helps square the golfer to the target and inspires the confidence to hit longer, straighter tee shots.

$599.99 from Fairway Jockey

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What does the timing tell us?

It’s early November and if history serves, these drivers aren’t getting announced to the general public until at least January. For Ping, this is a whole month before their G440 drivers went on the conforming list last fall, before their mid-January release.

Basically, that gives us two reasons why these drivers could be hitting the conforming list this week.

No. 1, we might see new gear on the market before Jan. 1.

No. 2, and by far the more likely option, a Tour pro really likes what they have in testing the new drivers and they want to put it in play. Tiger Woods famously pushed for the TaylorMade Stealth+ driver to be added to the conforming list in late 2021 so he could use it in that year’s Father/Son Championship.

For TaylorMade, a couple of its up-and-coming staff pros, like Michael Thorbjornsen or Jacob Bridgeman, are teeing it up at the World Wide Technology Championship in Mexico. But perhaps more notably, Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood are set to compete in the first leg of the DP World Tour Playoffs in Abu Dhabi. Might we see one of those stars put a Qi4D in play this week?

Likewise, non-Ping staffer, but noted Ping G430 Max 10K user Ben Griffin is set to tee it up in Mexico.

There’s no guarantee of anything, but gearheads should pay extra close attention to happenings around the world this week for a look at 2026 equipment.

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