Golf IQ How TaylorMade flipped the driver script
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Jan 8, 2026 Adrian Rietveld, TaylorMade's senior tour manager, shares insider knowledge on driver development and player fittings. He discusses the brand's stars like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy and why some pros hesitated to adopt new gear. Rietveld reveals how the new QI4D driver achieved notable performance gains through innovative design and carbon technology. Custom face designs for players maximize their preferences, while testing shows significant distance and accuracy improvements. This fascinating conversation sheds light on how top players optimize their equipment.
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Tour Validation As The Product Launch Engine
- TaylorMade treats tour validation as the starting point because pro adoption shapes amateur perception and sales.
- Getting top players into new drivers influences what recreational golfers want to buy.
Scotty Chose Safety Before A Major Win
- Adrian recounts Scotty choosing a safe backup (QI35) at a major because of injury timing and risk aversion.
- Scotty then wins the PGA Championship with the backup, validating the cautious choice.
Performance Gains Drove Rapid Pro Adoption
- TaylorMade iterated from past models and found undeniable, player-specific performance gains with QI4D.
- That research convinced top players to switch because gains were measurable for each player's needs.