Why Nelly Korda Switched to Qi4D Driver
Nelly Korda played the same driver for over two years. In fact, she’s played that same driver head shape for eight years. So, why would she switch from something that helped her win 15 LPGA Tour titles and two major championships?
Simply put, the gains are real with Qi4D driver. In one start in 2026 with Qi4D, Nelly has one win (career win No. 16) after her dominant third round at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Just like we told you when we went deep into Rory McIlroy’s switch to Qi4D, making an equipment change for the best players in the world is not a simple process.
For Nelly, the move into the Qi4D driver was the result of months of testing, trust in performance, and—most importantly—a driver shape that delivered more speed and more control.
From the moment the Qi4D went in the bag, the results spoke for themselves.
“Immediately when I put this thing in the bag I loved it. It’s doing exactly what I want… having it under pressure on the golf course is what’s most important.”Nelly Korda
CONFIDENCE STARTS WITH THE RIGHT SHAPE
For elite players like Nelly, how a driver looks at address isn’t cosmetic—it’s a foundational aspect to getting a new driver into the bag.
"The most important thing is the comfort I have over the ball when I look down at the driver," she said. "After that, it's just if it performs the way I want to."
In the past, a more compact head shape didn’t allow Nelly to turn it over and produce the draw she must see off the tee. But, with the ball speed gains Team TaylorMade athletes had been seeing during testing combined with the advanced adjustability of Qi4D, our tour team felt it was time to re-introduce this driver profile to Nelly.
Within just 20 shots, she made a rather unexpected comment that changed the direction of the entire fitting. She stopped and said, “I actually like this shape better”.
From there, it was game on.
By combining Qi4D’s refined head shape with four moveable weights, TaylorMade’s tour team was able to dial in a setup that allowed Nelly to turn the ball over more easily than ever.
Simply put, as Senior Tour Manager Ryan Ressa said, Qi4D is the easiest TaylorMade driver for Nelly to draw.
The final setup included:
- Heavier back heel weighting
- Upright loft sleeve setting to match her preferred lie angle
- A slightly higher loft setting for optimal launch
The result was a driver that allowed Nelly to swing freely, trust the face, and consistently produce her patented draw.
FASTER BALL SPEED WAS IMMEDIATE – AND SIGNIFICANT
While the shape earned her trust, the ball speed gains sealed the decision.
When Nelly transitioned from her previous gamer into Qi4D, the numbers jumped almost instantly.
During initial testing, the Qi4D delivered a 3 MPH increase in ball speed in just a few swings. Continued testing pushed that even further.
For a player already optimizing every element of her swing, increased ball speed is massive—especially when it comes without sacrificing control.
“Watching her on the range, she was reaching parts of the driving range at her home course she had never seen before. We saw even more of those speed gains on the golf course when she started cranking it up.”Ryan Ressa, Senior Tour Manager
SPEED WITHOUT SACRIFICING CONTROL
One of the biggest fears when chasing speed is loss of stability. With Qi4D, that concern never materialized.
Even while delivering more ball speed, Nelly maintained tight spin windows and predictable launch conditions.
- Optimal spin strikes: 2,400–2,500 RPM
- Mis-hits: 2,600 RPM
That stability allowed her to prioritize feel, shape, and confidence—without worrying about the occasional mis-hit.
“She loves the look and feel and controllability of this thing so much that she’s not even concerned with spin at this point.”Ryan Ressa, Senior Tour Manager
A NEW SHAFT POWERED BY DATA
Qi4D didn’t stop at the clubhead.
During testing, the tour team leaned into TaylorMade’s shaft recommendation system to evaluate potential options. Our R&D team analyzed Nelly’s swing mechanics and delivery numbers and inserted them into the recommender which matched Nelly to Graphite Design’s Tour AD FI 6-S shaft.
The shaft helped maximize speed while preserving the control of the Qi4D head she was fit into.
This data‑driven approach added another layer to the build—proving that Qi4D success isn’t one‑size‑fits‑all, even at the highest level. This is something you can take advantage of during a TaylorMade club fitting.
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