TaylorMade always make great irons, especially in the game improvement category. The way they produce the irons is to create loads of spin and launch so they have to de-loft the irons. This creates huge distance without sacrificing the ability to hit the ball high and stop the ball on the greens.
TaylorMade’s Qi10 irons promise to revolutionize the game-improvement category with claims of being the “straightest distance irons you can play.”
My First Thoughts and Findings
Having tested the TaylorMade Qi10 irons, I can tell you they are really good. The irons offer an incredible feel at impact, very close to a forged club with a satisfying thud noise. Despite delivering ball speeds and distance comparable to the Stealth irons, they excel in forgiveness, providing consistent results even on off-center strikes. Overall, my experience with the Qi10 irons left me thoroughly impressed with their blend of feel, distance, and forgiveness. Are they much different to the Stealth Irons? In my opinion no. That’s not to say the irons are bad, I just think the Stealth irons are extremely good. If you hold the two irons side by side, there is not much to differentiate them, other than the name.
Detailed Review
Looks:
Despite initial concerns about their appearance, the Qi10 irons present a sleek and confidence-inspiring design at address. Having said that, the Qi10 irons are noticeably thicker (just by a little bit) than the Stealth irons, this can be off-putting to some. The silver and black colour scheme makes it look classy.
Sound & Feel:
I thought the irons felt great, very close to a forged club. They gave a nice solid thud at impact which was quite satisfying. You could feel the ball shoot off the face.
Control & Forgiveness:
The Qi10 irons deliver exceptional performance, particularly in terms of forgiveness and shot consistency. Despite being game-improvement irons, they offer consistent shot shapes and impressive stopping power on the greens. Off-center strikes stay on target, showing that they are extremely forgiving. I was able to easily shape the ball in any direction I wanted
Value for Money:
With an RRP $999.99 for the steel club option and $1099.99 per graphite, the Qi10 irons are definitely on the pricey side. While there’s not a drastic change from the Stealth irons, they offer some more forgiveness, but that is about it. I would honestly buy the Stealth Irons over these, just purely on price point.
Performance:
These irons are purely great, they offer incredible distance, unbelievable forgiveness, and the ability to shape the ball. This ticks the boxes for every mid-to-high handicap golfer.
Is this something that we have never seen before? No, definitely not. Just talking TaylorMade irons here, the Stealth irons or quite frankly the SIM irons will basically do exactly the same job, but for a much bank friendlier price tag.
Something to note, and I am 99.99% sure this is the case. Because these clubs are not for me (I swing far too fast and have a steep angle of attack), I did on some miss hits the spin was extremely low and the ball just died out of the air. Just be careful if you have a swing speed over 80/82mph. You might want to get the iron with some more loft on them.
What’s New?
Qi10 irons feature an Integrated Design System, a comprehensive suite of technologies aimed at optimizing the performance of each individual iron head. This system, driven by organic face geometries, Cap Back Design™, and the Speed Pocket™, ensures ideal gapping, great ball speeds, and consistently straighter shots throughout the set. Additionally, the irons are engineered with Cap Back™ Design, a construction that blends the benefits of a hollow-body iron with those of a traditional cavity back, optimizing mass properties and reducing unwanted vibrations. The FLTD CG™ strategically positions the center of gravity lowest in the long irons and progressively shifts higher throughout the set, enhancing launch and playability in long irons while increasing control in the scoring clubs.
The Pros & Cons of the Qi10 Irons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Exceptional forgiveness | Very expensive |
| Sleek design | Not much better than previous models |
| Impressive distance gains | Not ideal for fast swing speed players |
| Reduced right miss bias | |
| Great feel and sound at impact |
Our Rating
Distance: 9.6/100
Feel & Control: 9.5/100
Accuracy: 9.7/100
Forgiveness: 9.6/100
Total: 9.6/100
Who Is the Club For:
The Qi10 irons cater to golfers seeking game-improvement irons with enhanced distance and forgiveness. They’re particularly suitable for players looking to minimize the right miss bias and achieve consistent shot shapes.
To Wrap It Up
Overall, the TaylorMade Qi10 irons are really good irons, did they wow me? No. They do offer a blend of forgiveness, distance, and control, which is great for mid to high-handicap golfers. While they come at a premium price, if you are in the market and want the latest and greatest you won’t go wrong here. If you are on a budget I would consider the previous generation Stealth irons.
