Equipment

TaylorMade introduces new Qi Max and Qi HL irons

Published

5 months ago

Jan 8, 2026

TaylorMade has today announced the launch of its Qi Max and Qi Max HL irons which will be available for preorder at TaylorMadeGolf.com on January 8, and at retail outlets January.

“Golfers in the game improvement category today are demanding more from their irons than just distance and forgiveness; they want irons that sound, feel and look great as well. That’s why we’ve designed both Qi Max and Qi Max HL irons to be the most complete game improvement irons we’ve ever made. From individual face optimization to revolutionary internal structures, Qi Max and Qi MaxHL irons check all the boxes in the game improvement category.” – Matt Bovee, Director of Product Category, Wedges and Irons

Change In Face Flex

Per TaylorMade, through extensive testing, engineers were able to deduce that the faces in most game improvement irons flex more on the toe at impact than anywhere else on the face. The result is unwanted fade bias that sees golfers losing too many shots to the right (for right-handed players).

To counteract this tendency, the faces in Qi Max and Qi Max HL irons are designed to flex in unison and reduce cut spin for shots that stay online.

Qi Max HL Iron

Sound Stabilization Bar

TaylorMade engineers designed Qi Max and Qi Max HL irons to be optimized for sound and feel.

What they found was that the top of the face and the top line are the most prone to undesirable sound because these are the areas of the head with the most flexion at impact. By incorporating a sound stabilization bar that connects the back bar to the top line, the top line now becomes more stable in design to produce a more solid feel.

Additionally, the sound stabilization bar allows for the expanded use of Echo Damping System material higher up in the face which reduces vibration, in design to produce a better sound.

Qi Max Irons

Compared to previous generations, Qi Max irons feature a more compact profile. Specifically, both the top line and blade width are thinner, and there’s less offset as the head blends seamlessly into the hosel.

Qi Max irons also employ FLTD CG (also found in P790 and P770 irons), which positions the CG lowest in the long irons, enabling high launch and stopping power coming into the green, and progressively higher in the shorter irons for optimized flight and distance control.

In addition, in the 4-through 8-irons, the Speed Pocket is designed to help protect ball speed on shots struck low on the face.

Specs

Qi Max HL Irons

The Qi Max HL irons feature a slightly larger overall profile that’s designed to maximize forgiveness and carry distance.

While stronger lofts are beneficial for golfers looking to maximize distance, they can actually work against those with slower swing speeds, as they can limit launch and make it difficult to hold the green. That’s why Qi Max HL irons employ lofts that are three degrees weaker than those of Qi Max.

Coupled with ultra-lightweight heads, shafts, and grips, golfers with slower swing speeds are able to maximize both clubhead speed and launch in a bid to allow golfers to obtain maximum carry distance and stopping ability.

Just like Qi Max irons, Qi Max HL irons employ Speed Pockets in 5-through 8-irons.

Specs

Pricing

Seven-piece sets with steel shafts: $1,099.99
Seven-piece set with graphite shafts for $1,199.99

Equipment

Slab city on the Korn Ferry Tour — Lead Tape Report

Published

6 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Andrew Von Lossow

This week, we have our Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, on the ground at the OccuNet Classic at Tascosa Golf Club in Amarillo, Texas, for the 14th event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season. With that, we see some great things in the Lead Tape Report as we roll into Amarillo.

Joel Thelen

Monday Qualifier, Joel Thelen is in the field this week. He has played on the Korn Ferry Tour for a full season in 2023, and he is back in action this week. A couple of clubs caught my eye this week in his bag.

First off: His trusted Titleist 816 H2 hybrid. This club came out in October of 2015, and it still remains strong in the bag. Also, take a look at this Odyssey White Hot OG 7, putting a capital S in the 7S model. This custom neck has some impressive lean for an arm-lock-style putter. The bottom of the putter is covered in tape for optimal weighting.

Mitchell Meissner

Taking a look at Mitchell Meissner’s bag this week, we have some great lead tape coverage. Top to bottom working from fairway metals, irons, and wedges. We can see on the short irons and wedges that there is tape at the base of the grip, adding a little counterbalance. Along with that, some tape on the short irons and wedges as well. Moving to his putter, he rolls the Odyssey 7 Bird putter. Meissner putts left-handed and strikes the ball right-handed.

Whats in the Bag

Bud Cauley WITB 2026 (June)

Published

6 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Will Schube

Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.

Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X

3-wood: Titleist GTS3 (15 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 70 TX

7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 80 TX

Irons: Titleist U505 (3), Titleist 620 MB (4-9)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 8 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putters: Scotty Cameron Tour Prototype, Scotty Cameron GOLO 6.3 Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

See more in-hand photos of Bud Cauley’s clubs here.

Equipment

Name every set of irons you’ve owned – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

6 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Will Schube

In our forums, one user has offered up a prompt for the true sickos, inviting fellow forum members to share every set of irons they’ve ever owned. As to be expected, this is a lengthy forum topic.

@Lamosteve began:

Can you name every set of irons you’ve owned? Here’s mine

Spalding Dots
Spalding Eclipse
Ram Lazer FX
Lynx Parallax
Mizuno EZ Comp
Ben Hogans
Cleveland CG Red
Taylor Made R9s
PING i20
PING iE1
Taylor Made M6

Our members in the forum have been offering up their own collections. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

macedan: “Started with a hand-me-down Golden Bear set from my brother when I was in high school, never really played more than once a year or got into the game until about summer of 2017. First purchased a set of Cleveland CG4’s (I actually really miss this set sometimes, soft & not terribly large for a GI iron), moved into Nike Vapor Fly’s by the end of the year. Those lasted until spring of 18 when I decided I wanted new, so I traded them in for TM Rbladez. Honestly, although I liked the Rbladez, poor decision on my part, I think this was really about the only time so far that after a week or two I was kicking myself for not staying with what I had. Rbladez stayed with me until late last summer when I switched to P790’s and (knock on wood) I am hoping this will be my longest lasting set.”
JimmyC59: “MacGregor Jack Nicklaus Triple Crown. Palmer The Standard. Still play these.”
jgrzask: “Tommy Armour 845u
Mizuno MP-32
Mizuno MP-33 (2 sets)
Bridgestone J33cb – still own
Srixon i-302 (2 sets) – still own
Tourstage X-Blades – still own
Mizuno Hot Metal – still own
Nike Forged Blades – still own
Titleist 714 AP1 – still own
Cobra Forged SS – still own”

Entire Thread: “Name every set of irons you’ve owned.”