Nelly Korda’s Surprisingly Forgiving Driver: Not Just for Pros—And Why You Should Care

Nelly Korda has been a dominant force on the LPGA Tour. She has had 15 victories since 2017 including an incredible seven wins in 2024 alone. Interestingly, Korda has opted for the TaylorMade Qi10 Max driver— a model specifically designed for added forgiveness. While forgiveness might not seem like a priority for a player of her caliber, Korda’s success with this driver raises an important point. Even the best in the world can benefit from extra consistency and playability off the tee. It’s a choice that might make you rethink what you need in your own setup.

Nelly Korda stats and LPGA Tour data

Before diving deeper into the TaylorMade Qi10 Max and its performance benefits, it’s worth looking at how it performs for Korda. Her average driver distance is just under 270 yards and she hits the fairway 75 percent of the time.

Although she is not ranked as the best driver on the LPGA Tour, you can see how these numbers have translated directly into her scoring average. She is No. 1 on par-4s and second on par-5s.

The Qi10 Max is working for her.

Stat	Value	Rank
Driving Distance (Avg)	269.79 yd	20
Driving Accuracy (Pct)	75.75%	40
Par 4 Scoring Avg	3.96	1
Par 5 Scoring Avg	4.50	2

TaylorMade Qi10 Max

The TaylorMade Qi10 Max driver has an impressive 10,000 MOI (moment of inertia). The Qi10 Max driver redistributes mass for maximum stability and increased energy transfer. It’s designed to enhance forgiveness with a confidence-inspiring look at address.

The 60X Carbon Twist Face helps the Qi10 Max achieve better ball speeds and exceptional performance on off-center strikes. The Qi10 Max proves that forgiveness isn’t just for amateurs. It’s for the pros, too.

Most Wanted Qi10 Max testing

We tested a few TaylorMade drivers in our Best Golf Driver testing of 2024. The TaylorMade Qi10 Max earned a top 10 for accuracy. It’s a good choice for golfers looking to hit more fairways.

We use straight shot percentage and playable shot percentage as the metrics to determine the most accurate drivers.

The Qi10 Max struggled in the distance category. Of the 37 drivers we tested, it was 34th. For forgiveness (or consistency of shot outcomes), it finished just above the middle of the pack. The point is that the Qi10 Max is a fairway finder. It’s a great driver if you are looking to get your tee shot in the fairway more often.

That’s also a statistic that matters to someone like Korda. The TaylorMade Qi10 Max LS was considerably longer. It’s the low-spin model typically geared toward higher swing speed, more accurate players.

Yet, she chooses not to play with it.

Some surprises in 2024 driver testing

If you’re still surprised that Korda plays a “Max” driver, it might be time to rethink how you approach your own equipment. Our 2024 driver testing revealed some eye-opening results that challenge the idea of sticking to a specific driver category based solely on your skill level.

Take our runner-up for best driver of 2024, the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond. This is a model traditionally seen as better suited for low-handicap players. It earned top marks in distance and forgiveness for the average golfer.

The longest driver of the year, the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max D, is a draw-biased model designed to keep the ball in play, yet it’s really long.

These results prove one thing: labels like “Max,” “LS” or “Triple Diamond” shouldn’t dictate your choice. Every golfer’s needs are different and the only way to truly find your perfect fit is through testing and custom fitting. Leave the stereotypes behind and discover what works for you.

Is the Qi10 Max right for you?

If Nelly Korda thinks the Qi10 Max is good enough for her, then it could be a fit for your game. The Qi10 Max is best for golfers who want to keep the ball in the fairway. It’s not the longest model but playing from the fairway is a huge benefit when trying to hit greens in regulation.

A forgiving driver isn’t just for beginners and high handicappers. If a pro like Nelly Korda trusts it, it may be worth testing the Qi10 Max to see how it works for your game.