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Golfers and their toys...
For those of us who salivate over new gear, the most exciting time of year is upon us, when black-and-white photos of equipment manufacturers' newest releases begin to populate on the USGA and R&A's vast list of conforming golf equipment and, subsequently, some of those items show up in top pros' bags.
Such was the case at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, where eventual runner-up - but now seven-time Harry Vardon Trophy winner for the tour's top earner - Rory McIlroy was gaming a new driver from TaylorMade.
Like many golf equipment companies, TaylorMade can be relied on to refresh its popular line of drivers each year, seeding the new stuff on tour in the fall to drive buzz for an official launch in January, typically around the time of the industry's annual PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla.
This year's new TaylorMade driver is called Qi4D, marking the third installation in the Carlsbad, Calif.-based company's Qi driver line. TaylorMade moved on from the "Stealth" name after 2023's Stalth 2 driver and transitioned to Qi, with the Qi10 debuting in 2024 and the Qi35 rolling out last year. Going with "4D" rather than "40" signals to me that TaylorMade has a new tech story to tell this year, but is still enthusiastic about the support the Qi generation of drivers has engendered.
As has been their m.o. for a few driver generations now, TaylorMade appears to be rolling out three versions of the Qi4D driver: a main "core" model, a Max model and an LS model. LS stands for "low spin" and is geared towards higher-speed players who need the physics of their driver head - typically a deeper face and more pear-shaped clubhead encouraging a higher center of gravity - to flatten out the trajectory of their tee shots. The Max model, on the other hand, is more geared towards higher-handicap golfers looking for more forgiveness for slight off-center strikes. The Qi35 Max driver boasted a total MOI (moment of inertia, the common measure of driver forgiveness) figure of 10,000.
No release date has been given for the TaylorMade Qi4D driver series, but golfers can safely assume they'll become available in later January or early February of 2026.
4 more intriguing brand-new and rumored new golf clubs for 2026
PING G440K driver
Because PING typically sticks to a two-year release cycle for new drivers, 2026 is technically an in-between year for them, when they will mainly continue to market that G440 series of drivers, rather than a brand-new one. However, a new PING driver model, the G440K, has appeared on the USGA/R&A Conforming List. If it remains true to form, the G440K will be positioned as PING's most forgiving driver ever. One notable update is the presence of a sliding weight at the back of the clubhead, likely meant to help golfers tune their trajectory towards a slight draw- or fade-bias as needed.
PING S259 wedges
The S159 wedges, which PING released in February of 2024, had a simplified exterior look, great build quality, handsome address aesthetics and a wide array of bounce options for golfers. The upcoming S259s seem to be right in line with their predecessors. Wedge technology doesn't tend to progress in leaps and bounds, so I would expect weighting refinement and optimization of bounce options to be main stories here. I have gamed PING S159 wedges since they debuted, and it might just be time to upgrade...
Scotty Cameron OC putters
Zero-torque, low-torque and other alternative-balance putters have swept the equipment space in the last year, intending to compete with the scorching-hot L.A.B. Golf brand and its Lie Angle Balanced putters. Scotty Cameron just became the latest to enter the space with two new models of what it calls OC, or Onset Center putters. Like most others, the shaft of the new Phantom 11R OC and Studio Style Fastback OC models enter the putterhead at the center of gravity, just behind the middle of the clubface. As with other versions of these sorts of putter, the idea is to help golfers keep the putter square to the target throughout the entire stroke. $549.
Srixon ZXiR irons
The Cleveland/Srixon/XXIO troika has carved out several niches among discerning golfers. Cleveland has long been synonymous with well-priced, functional wedges, while XXIO has become the go-to brand for golfers of a certain age who need lightweight but high-performance clubs, especially drivers and fairway woods. Srixon is a little bit more diverse in its popular offerings. Some like its woods (I personally still have its 2016-released Z F65 3 and 5 wood in my bag), while others associate it more with golf balls. Srixon has also become known as a maker of simple but reliable irons, and the new ZXiR line breaks somewhat new ground for the brand as an entrant into the game-improvement category - especially the ZXiR HL (high-launch) set. Mid- and higher handicappers may no longer need to feel left out by Srixon. Priced between $1,100 and $1,200 with stock steel and graphite shafts, the Srixon ZXiR irons will come to market on January 6, 2026, with pre-orders starting December 4.
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