Irons · Facts checked Sep 2026
Is the TaylorMade Qi Max worth replacing your Qi?
TaylorMade Qi TaylorMade Qi Max
Keep
Keep your Qi.
Nothing the brands publish gives the Qi Max something your Qi can't do.
Loft by loft, at a glance Fact
same loft (±0.5°) within 2° nothing within 2° in the other set · stronger lofts to the left
What actually changes Fact
- Pitching wedge loft
- 43° vs 42.5° The Qi Max is 0.5° stronger.
Club-by-club loft table Fact
10 clubs
Each club in your set next to the Qi Max club with the closest published loft.
| Your club | Your loft | Closest Qi Max club | Qi Max loft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-iron | 18.5° | 4-iron | 18.5° |
| 5-iron | 21° | 5-iron | 21° |
| 6-iron | 24° | 6-iron | 24° |
| 7-iron | 28° | 7-iron | 28° |
| 8-iron | 32° | 8-iron | 32.5° |
| 9-iron | 37° | 9-iron | 37° |
| PW | 43° | PW | 42.5° |
| AW | 48° | AW | 48° |
| SW | 54° | SW | 54° |
| LW | 59° | LW | 58° |
within 0.5° more than 2° apart no club at that loft
All specifications Fact
15 specs
| Spec | TaylorMade Qi (yours) | TaylorMade Qi Max |
|---|---|---|
| Launch priceLaunch price of the brand's stock set, not today's price. | Not available | $1,099.99 ↗ |
| 7-iron loft | 28° ↗ | 28° ↗ |
| 7-iron length | 37.25" ↗ | 37.25" ↗ |
| Pitching wedge loft | 43° ↗ | 42.5° ↗ |
| Clubs available | 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, PW, AW, SW, LW ↗ | 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, PW, AW, SW, LW ↗ |
| Spec | TaylorMade Qi | TaylorMade Qi Max |
|---|---|---|
| Model year | 2024 | 2026 |
| Sold as the brand's current set | No | Yes |
| Clubs in the stock set | Not available | 7 ↗ |
| Hands | Right-handed and Left-handed ↗ | Right-handed and Left-handed ↗ |
| Construction | Not available | Not available |
| Hollow body | Not available | Not available |
| Tungsten weighting | Not available | Not available |
| 7-iron offset | Not available | 3.9 mm ↗ |
| Stock steel shaft | KBS Max 85 MT ↗ | KBS Max 85 MT ↗ |
| Stock graphite shaft | Not available | REAX by KBS ↗ |
Checked Sep 20, 2026 (Qi) and Sep 20, 2026 (Qi Max) on each brand's own pages. ↗ opens the official source. A newer model year is never a reason on its own.
What the brands claim Manufacturer claim
4 claims
TaylorMade Qi
- TaylorMade sells the Qi as a straight-distance iron, with face geometry set club by club. ↗
- It combines Cap Back Design and Speed Pocket to chase speed across the face. ↗
TaylorMade Qi Max
- TaylorMade claims the face flexes evenly at impact to cut side spin. ↗
- A sound stabilizing bar and more ECHO material are meant to reduce vibration. ↗
The brands' words, summarised. Not tested by us, and they never change a verdict.
Our take Our assessment (based on published specs)
2 min read
Loft for loft, these are the same set. The 4 through the lob wedge match to the half degree except the pitching wedge, where the Qi Max is half a degree weaker (42.5° against 43°). Both are 37.25" at the 7-iron, both go 4-iron to lob wedge, both come right and left handed.
TaylorMade doesn't publish the construction of either set, so we can't tell you on facts whether the heads changed inside. What it does publish is the stock shaft: KBS Max 85 MT steel on both, with the graphite option listed as REAX by KBS on the Qi Max. The Qi Max stock set launched at $1,099.99; TaylorMade no longer states the Qi's launch price, so that cell says not available.
The claims are where the difference lives, and claims don't move a verdict here.
Our read: keep the Qi. Two years of marketing separate these two, and the published spec sheet separates them by half a degree on one wedge. If your Qi irons fit you — length, lie, shaft — there is nothing in the Qi Max that your set can't already do.
Quick answers
4 questions
Should I replace my TaylorMade Qi with the TaylorMade Qi Max?
Keep the TaylorMade Qi. Matched by loft, the TaylorMade Qi Max doesn't give you a club, a hand or a shaft you can't already get.
Is the TaylorMade Qi Max 7-iron stronger than the TaylorMade Qi 7-iron?
TaylorMade Qi: 28°. TaylorMade Qi Max: 28°. By loft, the club closest to your 7-iron in the new set is the 7 (28°).
What about the pitching wedges?
TaylorMade Qi PW: 43°. TaylorMade Qi Max PW: 42.5°. A stronger pitching wedge usually means you need another wedge to fill the gap below it.
What did each set cost new?
The brand doesn't publish a launch price for the TaylorMade Qi. The TaylorMade Qi Max stock set launched at $1,099.99. These are launch prices for the brand's stock set, not what either sells for today.
Last updated 2026-09-21. The rules behind this verdict: How we rate. A verdict is not a fitting.