Our review of the TaylorMade Qi35 Hybrid finds the club ready for anyone's golf game

The TaylorMade Qi35 Hybrid is a rescue wood that you really shouldn’t be passing up on. With forgiveness, adjustability, and a variety of lofts, weights, and shafts, this hybrid is going for the 2025 crown

There’s a tendency to overlook the hybrids whenever a new woods family comes out. They generally don’t get the fanfare you see with new drivers, for instance. With the release of the TaylorMade Qi35 hybrid, the brand is taking a good product from the previous generation, and treating it with the same care and attention that you’ll see in the Qi35 drivers and fairway woods to make one of the best hybrids of the new year.

That means both simplifying the options to produce an easier time for the consumer to understand what they may suit, as well as going deeper with what the golfer has available to them within the tighter range of heads.

For the Qi35 core hybrid, that means there are some impressive new features on offer, not just a cosmetic update.

Looks/Feel – 5/5

Immediately when putting the hybrid down I loved the finish. As I said in my review of the Qi35 core driver and fairway wood, TaylorMade has done a lot to really make sure these clubs look the part to go with the technology on offer.

There’s the chromium carbon finish to the crown, with the satin coating helping to both make the silver coloring ‘pop’ and also stop it from being distracting when you’re addressing the ball.

When the company first said they were dropping the Tour model from the hybrid line-up, I admit I was disappointed. I don’t normally play a hybrid because the shape doesn’t suit my eye, but the Tour was one of the few models that appealed to me.

The TaylorMade Qi35 Hybrid does a lot to make sure the golfer who does prefer that more compact head won’t be too upset, by adding black rings around the rear edges of the crown. These don’t look significant upon close-up inspection, but they really do make a difference once you set the club into address.

This is a hybrid that should appeal to a massive range of golfers, from scratch players to new starters in the game – and that’s not something you can say very often!

Technology – 5/5

As someone who’s been in and around more than a few fittings in my lifetime, having options in depth has always been more important to me than just merely having a wide range.

Different golfers don’t swing the same way, so having a club that only does one thing seems contrary to what we already know. TaylorMade has used that same thought process in the development of the Qi35 hybrids and given this model a wealth of options.

From a material perspective, you have the chromium carbon fiber and aluminum – all of which you can find in more detail with our Qi35 family guide – but the new weighting system coupled with the loft sleeve addition is what really takes the cake.

The two working together, loft sleeve offering up to 3º of adjustability (1.5º either way) and TSS weights being customizable to suit your delivery, offer a near-unparalleled choice of options for the golfer and their custom fitter.

This depth means you can open or close the face, re-weight the club, and change shafts without changing balance, creating options for every level of player.

The TaylorMade Qi35 hybrid will also be offered in #2-5 heads, meaning the loft variation now goes from 15.5º to 26.5º, providing a huge amount of setup creativity.

Finally, CG has been moved lower down into the head to provide easier launch conditions across a variety of lies, whether fairway, rough, or sand.

Performance – 5/5

When I play, you’ll typically find me using long irons over anything else (with the occasional fairway wood if I really need the height). It’s not because I think I’m above using the rescue wood options, but purely because they touch the stratosphere with the launch that I naturally create, so reviewing them normally comes with a pinch of salt.

The TaylorMade Qi35 Hybrid, however, has surprised me with how easy it is to flight the ball with. If there is a fault with hybrids, they tend to be one-dimensional, always wanting to climb up into the air. The Qi35 has an interestingly flat trajectory, one that gets up in the air quickly but then sits in a window for a longer time instead of continuing to rise.

I tried out two of the lofts in the model, the #3 and the #5, to see what differences we could make by playing with settings.

If I’m honest, the #5 was hilarious to play with just to see the ball go that high in the air, but with the loft sleeve turned fully down, it also wasn’t turning over like I would expect hybrids to do for me. It really did show how much you can manipulate the setups of the Qi35, which I don’t think I would’ve believed on paper.

Moving into the #3 hybrid, as this is something far more likely for me to actually use, it’s been another great showing for the Qi35 that I struggle to fault.

I wanted something that I could keep lower for the most part but could still go higher if I ever needed it. We changed the weight to 5g heavier and switched out the shaft with something stronger, keeping the loft the same as before.

After we agreed on the spec, I spent time on the range just hitting shots to see what the Qi35 could do and it’s the closest I’ve come to agreeing to a hybrid going into my bag. The ball is still easy to launch, but it’s a flight that’s moving forward instead of up. It still doesn’t feel as comfortable as hitting a 3-iron for me, but that’s just my preference for how irons cut into the ground, whereas the hybrids resist more.

Overall – 5/5

As I say, this has been the closest I’ve come to using a hybrid since my early playing days, and I do truly believe it comes down to the fitting technology on offer from TaylorMade.

Credit where credit is due, they’ve taken a good but limited product in the Qi10 Rescue, and turned it into a dream hybrid, one that can complement all types of golfers’ games.

If you’re a lover of hybrids already, the Qi35 is absolutely worth trying out to see if its easier-to-get-airborne CG can improve over what you’ve currently got.

And if you’re someone who has historically disliked or not got on with the rescue woods in the past, this might be the best time to start testing.

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: £269.00 / $299.99

Lofts: 2-17º (RH Only), 3-19° / 4-22° / 5-25º (RH/LH)

Head Size: 106cc / 106cc / 106cc / 106cc

Lie: 55-60º / 56.5-60.5º / 57-61º / 57.5-61.5º

Standard Shaft Length: 41.25" / 40.75" / 40.25" / 39.75"

Stock Shaft Options: Fujikura Ventus Blue HB 70g / 60g / 50g

Stock Grip: Golf Pride Z-Grip Black/Silver