TaylorMade built its reputation on being first: the first metal-headed driver to gain real tour acceptance, the first movable-weight driver, the first multi-material carbon-crown driver. Nearly every era of modern driver technology has a TaylorMade fingerprint on it somewhere.
From the original steel "Pittsburgh Persimmon" driver in 1979 to the current Qi4D lineup, this hub covers every major TaylorMade driver by year and series, with links to our full individual reviews.
| Year | Series | Models | Key Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Original | "Pittsburgh Persimmon" | First metal-headed driver to gain real tour acceptance |
| 1983–97 | Burner | Burner (successive generations) | Long-running game-improvement line, still used as a name today |
| 2002 | R-Series | R500, R510 | Start of the "R-series" naming convention |
| 2004 | R-Series | r7 Quad | Movable Weight Technology: won 24 of 48 tour events that season |
| 2007 | R-Series | R9, R9 460 | Flight Control Technology: adjustable loft/lie/face angle |
| 2012 | RocketBallz | RBZ, RBZ Stage 2 | Speed Pocket debuts |
| 2013 | R-Series | R1 | Closes out the R-series naming |
| 2014 | SLDR | SLDR, SLDR 460 | Sliding weight rail, low-forward CG |
| 2015 | R15 / AeroBurner | R15, AeroBurner | Dual-track adjustability |
| 2016 | M-Series | M1, M2 | First multi-material (titanium + carbon crown/toe) TaylorMade drivers |
| 2018 | M-Series | M3, M4 | Twist Face introduced |
| 2019 | M-Series | M5, M6 | Closes out the M-series |
| 2020 | SIM | SIM, SIM Max | Asymmetric "Shape In Motion" sole |
| 2022 | Stealth | Stealth, Stealth Plus | First carbon-face ("Carbonwood") driver, 60X Carbon Twist Face |
| 2023 | Stealth | Stealth 2, Stealth 2 Plus | Refined Carbonwood construction |
| 2024 | Qi | Qi10, Qi10 Max, Qi10 LS | Widely reviewed as one of TaylorMade's most complete releases |
| 2026 | Qi4D | Qi4D, Qi4D LS, Qi4D Max, Qi4D Max Lite | Current flagship lineup |
The Metal-Wood Pioneer (1979–1997)
1979: The Original TaylorMade Driver
Founder Gary Adams built the first metal-headed driver to gain real acceptance on tour, debuting with Ron Streck's win at the 1981 Houston Open. It looked strange next to persimmon woods at the time; within a decade, metal woods were the entire market.
1983–1997: Burner (Successive Generations)
The Burner name became TaylorMade's long-running game-improvement line, refreshed repeatedly through the 80s and 90s. It's a name TaylorMade still uses today for accessible, forgiveness-first equipment.
The R-Series Begins (2002–2009)
2002: R500 / R510
The start of the "R-series" naming convention that would define TaylorMade drivers for over a decade.
2004: r7 Quad
Movable Weight Technology let players adjust four weight ports around the perimeter of the head, a genuine first for mainstream drivers, and dominant on tour: 24 of 48 events that season were won with an r7 Quad in the bag.
2007: R9 / R9 460
Flight Control Technology brought adjustable loft, lie, and face angle to the R-series, letting fitters dial in launch conditions without swapping heads.
The Distance Race (2012–2015)
2012: RocketBallz (RBZ)
The Speed Pocket debuted here: a slot behind the face that increased flex on low-face strikes, a common recreational mishit. RBZ became a genuine sales phenomenon.
2013: R1 / JetSpeed
R1 closed out the R-series naming convention. JetSpeed followed as a speed-focused sibling line.
2014: SLDR / SLDR 460
A sliding weight rail moved CG lower and further forward than any previous TaylorMade driver, cutting spin for players who needed it.
2015: R15 / AeroBurner
R15 added a second adjustable track for dual-axis CG control. AeroBurner leaned into aerodynamics for faster clubhead speed, including a distinctive compact Mini Driver variant.
The Multi-Material Era (2016–2019)
2016: M1 / M2
TaylorMade's first drivers to combine a titanium body with a carbon composite crown and toe, lighter, and with weight freed up to move exactly where engineers wanted it.
2018: M3 / M4
Twist Face arrived: a face designed with subtle counter-twisted curvature to correct the natural gear-effect miss on high-toe and low-heel strikes.
2019: M5 / M6
The final M-series generation, refining Twist Face and the sliding weight track before the naming convention retired.
Shape In Motion (2020–2021)
2020: SIM / SIM Max
An asymmetric sole design, "Shape In Motion," reduced turf interaction drag through impact while keeping the head's forgiveness profile intact.
300 Mini Driver
A modern revival of TaylorMade's original 300 Series name: a 307cc mini driver blending distance, forgiveness, and control, playable both off the tee and the fairway. Played by Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson.
The Carbonwood Revolution (2022–2023)
2022: Stealth / Stealth Plus
TaylorMade's first fully carbon-faced driver: the 60X Carbon Twist Face was lighter than titanium, letting engineers redistribute mass elsewhere in the head for both speed and forgiveness at once.
2023: Stealth 2 / Stealth 2 Plus
A refinement of the Carbonwood construction, with an updated Asymmetric Inertia Generator and sliding weight track for more forgiveness and workability.
Current Generation (2024–2026) New
2024: Qi10 / Qi10 Max / Qi10 LS
Widely regarded as one of TaylorMade's most complete releases, balancing forgiveness, low spin, and adjustability across a three-model lineup rather than forcing a single-head compromise.
2026: Qi4D / Qi4D LS / Qi4D Max / Qi4D Max Lite
TaylorMade's current flagship lineup, expanding to five models (including a women's Qi4D Max Lite), the widest spread of fitting options TaylorMade has offered in a single generation.
Choosing the Right TaylorMade Driver for Your Game
| Beginner / slower swing speed | Qi10 Max, Stealth 2, SIM Max |
| High handicapper (18+) | Qi4D Max, Qi10 Max: 10.5°, regular flex |
| Mid-handicapper (10–18) | Qi4D, Qi10, Stealth 2 |
| Low handicapper (5–10) | Qi4D LS, Qi10 LS |
| Best pre-owned value | M5, M6, or SIM Max |
TaylorMade vs. the Competition
- TaylorMade Qi4D vs Titleist GTS2 (coming soon)
- TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus vs Titleist TSR3 (coming soon)
- TaylorMade Qi10 LS vs Callaway Quantum Max (coming soon)