Can the Taylormade Qi35 fairway wood improve upon the great previous model? We review to find out

The TaylorMade Qi35 fairway wood takes the winning formula that their fairways are becoming known for and enhances it with much-requested additional adjustability

The new TaylorMade Qi35 fairway wood has a tricky job on its hands. Not only have previous generations been high-quality offerings for multiple skill levels, from weekend warriors to tour professionals, but they’ve also been some of the best-looking and best-performing models on the market. With the brand having led the field in player usage at all four Majors this year, as well as seven out of eight PGA Tour Signature events, they’re clearly doing something right.

So can the core fairway wood do what the rest of the family is achieving: improve on an already-loved product for 2025?

We all have a list of benefits we’re looking for from a new fairway wood, and with the three different heads, including the Qi35 Max and the Qi35 Tour fairways as well as this core model, players are now spoilt for choice on what’s available.

But if you’re one of the rare few who need something that fits in between these choices, the TaylorMade Qi35 Fairway Wood has changes for 2025 that may be right up your alley…

Looks/Feel – 4/5

First up is looks, still the most important aspect of design for me. If you aren’t happy looking down at the club in your hands, then you’ve already lost the battle.

The framing of the golf ball is great, I must say. The core head model sits nicely in the middle of a smaller, player-preferred look and a larger modern look that inspires confidence.

Face depth has been slightly lowered, in an effort to bring CG further down in the head, but the club still looks like it ‘covers’ the golf ball properly. I’m still using the OG SIM Max fairways because of how they look like I can hit a little more down on the ball, and I don’t think that feeling has been lost with the core head, even though it is a little friendlier to golfers with shallow swings.

TaylorMade has done a great job with the Chromium Carbon finish that you’ll find across all the Qi35 family, but I particularly love the rings of black at the back of the head. They do a great job of disguising the altered head shape, that slightly squished-down effect of shallowing the face while maintaining the cc profile of the fairway wood. I’m not a big fan of the bigger and bigger modern look that some brands have been moving into, so having a head that offers the benefit of the larger head while giving me a better visual is ticking a lot of my boxes.

Technology – 5/5

We’ve spoken briefly about the profile shape changes while talking about looks, but we should also talk about why that’s been a necessary change.

As we said from the beginning, TaylorMade is looking to squeeze in what improvements they can without altering too much of what’s made them successful in the first place. One of the ways that they’ve found to make the product more efficient is by lowering the skirts (the edges to the sides and read of the head) of the crown to help lower CG (Center of Gravity) in a similar way to the driver technology.

The difference in fairways is that they aren’t trying to put CG lower to dramatically decrease spin; it’s being brought down to help align that mass with the middle of the contact with the golf ball.

Most golfers tend to shallow out with fairway woods so will benefit from CG that sits further down in the face, where they’ll typically strike it. Think about when the last time you took a divot (AFTER striking the ball first) with a fairway wood was, and if you’re struggling to think of it then this may be perfect for you.

To keep the TaylorMade Qi35 fairway wood in line with its driver counterpart, there’s now a solo weight in the front-middle of the sole for custom options. You can go lighter or heavier for feel differences, or if you alter shaft length or balance point, to keep the club’s swing weight correct regardless of how you set it up.

You’ll also notice that the model now features an adjustable loft sleeve. Previously only available on the Tour head, the sleeve gives the option for up to two degrees of loft change, turning a 15º 3-wood to either 13º or 17º, with an Upright Lie setting included too.

This is an important step in giving golfers options when they don’t fit into the traditional setups offered by non-adjustable heads. If you need a lower loft, like a 3-wood, but want a more open face angle, you can take the 5-wood and crank it down to 16º (every degree of loft altered is two degrees of face angle change). Equally, you could take the 3HL at 16.5º and make a more closed 5-wood of it, if you want to avoid misses to the right a little more.

Performance – 5/5

As with the core driver model, TaylorMade Qi35 fairway wood has the company excited and, from taking this metal out onto the course, I can completely understand why.

That lowered frame makes it that much easier to launch the ball in ideal conditions, regardless of your club head speed. For me, I tend to create excess spin with woods so the CG being further down helps bring the spin with it a little, but the real benefit is how it combines with the loft sleeve.

To really kill the spin, I’ll lower the loft to 13º but the CG placement allows me to still launch the golf ball nice and high. This is perfect for being used off the deck in my game, where I’ll employ the fairway wood more than I will from the tee, giving me additional distance while also getting enough stopping power into greens when I need it.

It’s an exceptionally versatile club as well. Shaping is just as easy as it is with the Qi35 Tour model, but there’s extra help in comparison. You can find the toe, heel, and definitely the lower part of the face and still see similar results as a centered strike. You’ll still see some drop-off in power, of course, but it’s not as dramatic as I remember TaylorMade Fairway Woods being in years gone past – certainly versus my SIM Max 3-wood.

Overall – 5/5

I ended up deciding on the Tour model as the one I wanted to play in 2025 (time will tell if that was the right decision) but like with the drivers, I could’ve easily gone with the core model over the lower-spinning option.

It says nothing about the high quality of the head, more just what I prefer to look down at.

With players like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy choosing this model over the Tour, TaylorMade couldn’t afford to make a mistake here. I’m pleased to say that this is another stellar addition to their fairway wood history, and one I’m sure will prove to be their best installment yet. The only question is if this is the right model for you. But, as TaylorMade has emphasized, the ridiculous amount of fitting options means you’ll struggle to walk away with a feeling of anything less than satisfaction and trust in your new weapon.

About the author

Lewis Daff

Lewis joined the Today’s Golfer digital team in 2024, having spent more than a decade in both big-box golf retail and independent stores working as a club fitter and builder.

Experienced with every level of golfer, from beginner to professional, he has achieved Master Fitter and Builder status with most major manufacturers, including Mizuno, Taylormade, and Callaway, helping him to cement both a wide and deep knowledge base, ideal for helping guide golfers towards the correct equipment for them. Lewis specializes in Clubs, Shafts, Training Aids, Launch Monitors and Grips.

In Lewis’ bag is Titleist GT3 Driver (9º) with Fujikura Ventus Black, TaylorMade SIM Max Fairway Woods (15º and 18º), Wilson Staff D9 Forged 3-iron, Srixon ZX7 MKii Irons (4-PW), Titleist SM9 Wedges (52º, 60º), Toulon San Diego Putter, and the Titleist ProV1X Left Dash.

Talk to Lewis about why steel shafts are now dead and graphite is the only way forward, or any other equipment you’d like to debate, via his email, Instagram, or Bluesky.

RRP: £309.00 / $349.99

Lofts: 3-15º / 3HL-16.5° (RH Only) / 5-18° / 7-21° (RH/LH)

Head Size: 185cc / 185cc / 165cc / 165cc

Lie: 57-61º / 57-61º / 57.5-61.5º / 58º

Standard Shaft Length: 43.25" / 43.25" / 42.25" / 41.75"

Stock Shaft Options: Fujikura Ventus Blue 60g / 50g

Stock Grip: Golf Pride Z-Grip Black/Silver