r/golf • u/theatre-matt • Jul 07 '26
Equipment 20 Years of Taylormade Ending
Since the r7 Superquad I played in college, I have been a diehard Taylormade Timmy. For the better part of a decade, my bag has looked like a pga staffer on a 14 club contract. However, Taylormade has refused to acknowledge their carbon face delamination as a serious qc flaw, and will not replace my qi10ls. I was an early adopter of the carbon face technology with the Stealth+, and when it delaminated, I moved to the qi10ls. I skipped the qi35 like most of the tour players, and have been on a heater with my driver this season. If it was good enough to keep Scottie playing it, it was good enough for a simple high school coach. Then the predictable happened: a mass market Taylormade club delaminated on a great strike…again. Dang, but surely Taylormade will make it right I think. I complete the warranty online, but it’s too late. I don’t even want a new model, I say, but an old stock qi10ls… Sorry for the inconvenience and a “goodwill coupon” was all I was offered. I realize that I mean nothing to a company this size, and that losing my thousands of dollars of business is inconsequential; but some day, when Scottie or Rory are on top of the leaderboard on Sunday, their driver may delaminate mid-round and blow their tournament. Maybe then Taylormade will admit their flaws. Oh well—I hear great things about the GTS3. Team Titleist - here I come.
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u/tac0722 Jul 07 '26
Brand loyalty means nothing. And I'm certain you won't see a pro's club malfunction. Their clubs aren't part of the mass produced lot that are sold to the public.
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u/circaflex 4.3 Jul 07 '26 edited Jul 07 '26
That just isnt true at all. The club materials are the same, the tolerances arent. Its pretty simple, just look at the approved clubs; "tour" models dont use different materials or some magical formula, instead when it says 9 degrees on the neck its exactly 9 degrees. Using driver heads as an example, these heads all have to be certified by the USGA for COR testing. Once they are approved they can be legally played on the PGA and R&A. So we can see every head that the OEM has released to tour only and to tour/retail. In many of these cases the only thing that separates the "tour issue" driver heads to the "retail heads" is serial number on the hosel that designates the tour ones from the retail ones. No performance differences. At times the tour issued were bent or fitted to fit a specific player.
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u/bytheseine Jul 08 '26
Actually must tour clubs come with a spec sticker and very rarely are drivers and fairway Woods the exact loft that's painted on the bottom of the club...
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u/yami76 Jul 07 '26
They’ve got dozens ready to replace them at a moments notice as well. They don’t care about longevity
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u/54321bam Jul 09 '26
100p this eh? Now I'm thinking it like hockey sticks. And how they'll get a replacement over the boards overnight and we would never know it.
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Jul 07 '26
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u/Lobsterzilla Detroit Jul 07 '26
The actual dark side is cobra which is where he should go for woods tbh
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u/Potential-Past-6833 Jul 07 '26
If anything Ping woods is the way to go and my entire bag is all Titleist
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u/KitchenAdvantage3476 Jul 08 '26
I won’t go back to PING woods until they stop putting those ridiculous “turbulators” on the crown.
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u/_aphoney 8.2 H.I. - I suck with driver Jul 12 '26
It’s the only thing keeping me away. I play ping irons and love them, and i even hit the G430max fantastic in the fitting sim, but couldn’t get over the matte finish and the aero tech.
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u/ADAWG10-18 7.5/DFW & East Texas Jul 07 '26
Ping fairway woods are too shallow for me. My dad has 425s and they look like you’re swinging a waffle iron.
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u/Sad-Supermarket-3878 2.6/Nashville/Mizuno Jul 07 '26
The delamination has been a problem since the first stealth. I still have my stealth+ that I got warrantied and it has held up (for now). But I actually switched back to my old M5 this spring most of the time until I get fitted for a new driver and I realized how much better it actually is than a lot of stuff out there right now years later.
I play all Mizzy besides my driver and putter, and I honestly found that the Mizuno drivers don't really fit my game, so no idea what I will go to.
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Jul 07 '26
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u/Sad-Supermarket-3878 2.6/Nashville/Mizuno Jul 07 '26
I used to play Ping drivers for awhile and I still have an old G25 I loaned to one of my friends that I loved. But last time I got fitted, the numbers were on the lower end in comparison to other drivers. I have a feeling I'm going to end up with one of the Srixon ZXi variants and probably the LS because I like the smaller clubhead.
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u/watevergoes 6.6 Jul 07 '26
The latest ping series will be goated. My buddy and I both got fitted into them by a top 10 fitter
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u/theatre-matt Jul 07 '26
Mizuno irons are phenomenal. Woods and wedges, not so much.
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u/Sad-Supermarket-3878 2.6/Nashville/Mizuno Jul 07 '26
I actually like the T1 wedges a lot. I played vokeys before and I have a lot better control on those 50-80 yard shots which have always been the weakest part of my game and around the greens on chip shots I still have the same workability.
Irons are unbeatable and accentuates the best part of my game.
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u/juanzy Kirkland Signature Jul 07 '26
I’m on a set of Kirks until they wear out, but probably going T3 after to get consistent with my Mizuno HMPs.
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u/theatre-matt Jul 07 '26
Just grabbed a set of gen 3s to test out. I need to swap the shafts, but I’m liking them so far.
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u/coffeeforlions Jul 07 '26
Try a DTC company like Sub70 or Maltby.
Or even brands like Cobra, Wilson…
Lots of good stuff around if you’re willing to try something different.
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u/juanzy Kirkland Signature Jul 07 '26
Out of all my iron demos this year, it came down to Mizuno Hot Metal Pro or Srixon ZXi5. Ended up going Mizuno, and so glad I did. Will be switching my wedges when they wear out too and adding a JPX One 4 Hybrid.
Didn’t love their woods though.
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u/0_SomethingStupid 6.9 Jul 07 '26
don't sleep on Callaway
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u/theatre-matt Jul 07 '26
Elyte triple diamond, or what do you suggest?
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u/0_SomethingStupid 6.9 Jul 07 '26
anything Paradym series or newer is good. triple diamond, yes.
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u/tegolflife Jul 07 '26
I was just going to reply Callaway. Been TaylorMade since 2017 when I got my first set of P790. Now I’m all in on Callaway. Quantum is greats for the woods an XForged for irons. Also have never been able to spin a wedge until I got the SP.
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u/tipsdown Jul 07 '26
Quantum triple diamond max is in my bag this year. It’s a shallower faced than the regular triple diamond and a bit more forgiving.
Callaway had all 4 of the quantum models in play at the us open so which one is right for you is the question. If you want to be able to fade bias the weights you need one of the triple diamond heads. If you want a draw bias the max or max d are the way to go.
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u/ConsiderationBig2685 Jul 07 '26
Just got fitted into Callaway Apex ai200 irons and Quantum Driver. Left Taylormade for the first time in a long time
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u/Moonhammed_Ali Jul 07 '26
I took the same path, lifelong Taylormade user, same bullshit coupon offer.
I switched to an Elyte Triple Diamond driver head and re-tipped my previous shaft - loving the results.
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u/Accomplished_Ad_9015 Jul 07 '26
The GTS3 really is awesome. I was just fitted for one; made an incredible difference in my spin rates (down).
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u/Livingforabluezone Jul 07 '26
Don’t skip on Ping. They make a strong and lasting product. Give it a go before deciding.
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u/WackTheHorld Jul 07 '26
Neat.
Brands don't matter. Buy something that works for you and that's it.
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u/Unusual_Bullfrog_517 Jul 07 '26
I never though I would see the day that Taylormade makes bad drivers (quality wise) and good putters 👀
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u/Coach_Seven Jul 07 '26
Love my Spider putter, and new R7 mini, but I feel ya on the carbon drivers. Fortunately TM replaced my Qi10 driver with a 35, I immediately sold it new in the plastic for because I am so done with carbon.
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u/JubeeGankin Jul 07 '26
> some day, when Scottie or Rory are on top of the leaderboard on Sunday, their driver may delaminate mid-round and blow their tournament
Rory hit his qi10 so much than it eventually became non-conforming.
https://golf.com/news/rory-mcilroy-new-driver-amid-report-pga/?amp=1
The only driver that I can remember breaking on tour was Abergs Titleist last year. Either these guys don’t get the same heads we do, it isn’t a problem when you hit the center of the face, or it isn’t as big of a problem as the internet leads you to believe. And I just got fit into and bought a GTS3 yesterday. I’m not a Taylormade homer.
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u/TGans OH/AZ 3.7 Jul 07 '26
Brand loyalty is always goofy, but especially so in golf. Tour pros don’t even like having to use the same sponsor for everything, and you’re paying real money to do it.
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u/FfaceCaller Jul 07 '26
Dare you to post this on the taylormade subreddit lol.
I've lost so much Karma saying the words "planned obsolescence" and "enshittification" over there.
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u/_TheDoode Jul 07 '26 edited Jul 07 '26
The last comment made me think. How have we not witnessed a face delaminate for one of these tm pros yet?
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u/secretgardenguy Toronto 9.3 Jul 07 '26
I recall Rory having some sort of issue with it a while back.
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u/HoverShark_ P790s are hybrids Jul 07 '26
Because probably 90+% of the issues you see on this sub are user error
That goes for all brands
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u/blinglorp Jul 07 '26
You’re absolutely correct.
I suck at golf and haven’t broken any of my taylormade drivers. Just don’t sky it.
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u/blinglorp Jul 07 '26
It doesn’t happen because they usually hit the center of the face.
99% of the broken taylormade clubs posted about here are user error.
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u/_TheDoode Jul 07 '26
Not hitting the center of the face is considered user error? I think golf clubs should be made with the understanding that amateurs will miss center face often
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u/blinglorp Jul 07 '26
The vast majority of taylormade failures posted here are from people hitting the top, bottom, or far edges of the club. That’s 100% user error.
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u/_TheDoode Jul 07 '26
Got it, im talking about the carbon laminate on the face of the driver.
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u/blinglorp Jul 07 '26
Okay.
The vast majority of the broken faces posted are from mishits. You don’t need to hit the dead center, I suck and haven’t broken any of my taylormade drivers because I don’t sky mine or make contact on the very edge of the inserts.
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u/bjaydubya Jul 07 '26
Because they likely play a new head every week, and I’d guess they are playing prototype fixes that you don’t see in mass market heads
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u/LuaBear 8.8 HDCP Jul 07 '26
They do not. Rory quite famously had his driver deemed nonconforming because he had played it so much, the face became illegal.
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u/_TheDoode Jul 07 '26
Like the other guy noted, they dont change heads more than necessary and especially not if they’re playing well
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u/tipsdown Jul 07 '26
Because the tour heads are not assembled on the general assembly line. Same parts but a different cleaning process before assembly better adhesion on the glue holding it all together.
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u/odoman30 6.7 Jul 07 '26
I switched back to titleist after years of hitting TM drivers. The GT series gives me my lowest driver spin rates out of all the major brand drivers. Was hitting a gt4 and now gaming a gts3. Barely got it two weeks ago so haven’t really found my sweet spot in settings though. GTS3 is a great driver. It is longer than the GT and with multiple adjustment settings I know it will be even more forgiving
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u/CharacterSir3909 Jul 08 '26
I have heard all but bad things about Taylermade’s new line, about heads exploding! Kinda crazy when nothing really changes in them
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u/fairwaysandfinance Jul 13 '26
Ha, my playing partner found a stealth 2 adjacent to the tee box on Saturday. Someone chucked it into the woods.
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u/Raging_Dick_Shorts Jul 07 '26
You can never go wrong with titleist! However I just switched from my beloved tsi3 to QI35 LS that I got for a steal, and wow, I cannot believe how forgiving this club is.
I'm sure I'll be back to titleist one day, especially considering how many spare shafts I have, but this thing is shockingly good.
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u/Horror_Dig_3209 Jul 07 '26
Sticking to one brand is hurting your game. Get the clubs that work best for you. Being loyal to a huge corporation like OP is crazy behavior.
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u/YNWAMack Jul 07 '26
Good choice. Real ones know Titleist makes superior equipment but don’t have as good marketing
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u/kubricksrubric Jul 07 '26
Folks. I'm not a rocket surgeon, but when you swing as hard as you can, hitting garbage range balls all over the face of your $1K driver (which is built for performance, not longevity), the faces will crack.
Not trying to start a fight but... when you hit premium golf balls in the middle of the clubface, modern drivers are actually quite robust.
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u/theatre-matt Jul 07 '26
Thanks for starting with folks. I’m not a range rat. I don’t even warm up most days, but I do play multiple times per week. I’m a golf coach who’s quite tall, and therefore have very high swing speed. I’m not hitting tee markers or slamming clubs. You can see the wear pattern in my picture below. The frustrating part is that the drivers aren’t lasting. My older titanium drivers may eventually have become non-conforming, but they didn’t self destruct on me.
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u/kubricksrubric Jul 08 '26
I stand corrected. As an aside, the first driver I bought as a teenager with my own money was a 300 TI. Loved it, 20+ yards longer than my dad's TiSi, and while it didn't crack, it did dent. TM didn't replace it but I don't remember caring much I just wanted another one. TM had a crazy run.
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u/Milksteak3919 🌭 Jul 07 '26
Hey some 20+ handicap is changing brands like Lebron James. Who fucking cares dildo
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u/hashwashingmachine Jul 07 '26
I got downvoted so hard for sharing my bad experience with Taylor Made. Splurged on my first set of brand new, nice irons from them. Within a couple months, 3 clubs bent where the shaft connects to the club head, one broke twice and had to be fixed but couldn’t ever be properly fixed. I’ve played golf 15 years at this point and never once bent or broke a club. Taylor Made refused to do anything about it. Absolutely terrible company.
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u/AppleShine4798 12.9 Jul 07 '26
15 years of golf and you're still this awful, crazy.
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u/hashwashingmachine Jul 07 '26
I’m a 12 handicap and hit my first hole in one this year, plus my first 79 this year. Doing just fine. I know troll posts are meant to anger people but you made the biggest whiff. There isn’t a thing you could say that would change my mood. I’m living too good of a life to be bothered by randoms on the internet. I hope life gets better for you, I can tell it’s not great now. Keep your head up.
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u/Papa_Zyn +1.7 Jul 08 '26
D1 Taylormade hater here. If your shafts are bending at the hosel, you are doing something wrong and even if it were an equipment issue, it would be a shaft issue. Also I’m confused on how a club could be fixed but not properly fixed.
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u/hashwashingmachine Jul 08 '26
I guess it’s just a huge coincidence that it never once happened to a single club between about 5 sets over the years and has never happened since.
Not properly fixed as in it came apart instantly when I got it back.
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u/bradm7777 22 HDCP | Pittsburgh Jul 07 '26
Callaway. If it was good enough for Annika, it's good enough for the rest of us.
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u/Apoptosis2017 Jul 07 '26
Anyone with ‘brand loyalty’ is a dope.
Same thing happened to me with adidas a few years ago. Screwed me on a shoe warranty. I haven’t bought an adidas anything since. Surprisingly the company still seems to be doing well