Callaway Quantum Max-D Driver Review: Big forgiveness with a small catch
Callaway's Quantum Max-D provides plenty of speed and forgiveness for players who need it. But is it worth the extra cost and baked-in draw bias?
- Adjustability is a bonus for versatile players
- Provides a more compact profile
- Much more powerful, solid feel compared to the Elyte
- Draw bias might not suit everyone
- Pricier than its main competitors
Callaway Golf sold more golf clubs than any other brand in the U.S in 2025, and drivers like the Elyte range were a key reason why. It was exceptionally fast, very good looking, and came in a huge array of different types, from the ultra-long Triple Diamond models to the uber-forgiving Elyte X.
Big shoes to fill, then. That, however hasn't put Callaway off from making some seriously bold claims with its new Quantum driver range, promising, as the name suggests, a leap forward in speed and distance to rival the best drivers of 2026.
While the low-speed Triple Diamond will likely be the model that truly pushes these boundaries in industry testing, the most forgiving new model in the range, Quantum Max-D, is making some pretty big promises as well, aiming to unlock distance, speed and forgiveness for developing golfers. With that, however, comes an even bigger price tag (a jump of £30 on last year's model, to be exact).
So does the Quantum Max-D produce the exponential jump in distance the name promises? And perhaps most importantly, is it a big enough upgrade over its excellent predecessor to warrant the higher price point? We took it out on course at Quinta do Lago to find out.
Check out our video review below and scroll on to read our detailed thoughts. Let us know what you think of the new Callaway Quantum Max-D Driver in the comments below.
Brand | Callaway |
Release date | January 30, 2026 |
RRP | £599 |
Key Features |
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Looks & features
While they look pretty similar at first glance , there's actually more differentiating the Callaway Quantum Max and Max-D models than you'd think. And despite their names suggesting both are ultra-forgiving, high MOI models, they're actually not.
The Max-D, with its larger head, fixed rear weight and internal heel weighting, provides maximum MOI, forgiveness, and a built-in draw bias.
These differences to approach become immediately clear when you have both drivers in hand. The Max-D fits the bill of what we've come to expect from a max forgiveness driver in recent years, providing plenty of clubhead behind the ball for players who want that added confidence at address.
The two Quantum Max drivers do, however, share a lot of the same new technologies Callaway is introducing across the Quantum range for 2026. The headliner among these is the brand's new Tri-Force face, which layers titanium and Poly Mesh over an internal carbon fibre insert – a combination of materials Callaway says has never been used in a driver before.
This face has been further engineered with the use of Ai to produce more flex and speed at optimum points across the face, delivering blistering ball speeds and far more forgiveness and consistency on off-centre strikes.
Aesthetically, the Quantum had big shoes to fill following on from the gorgeous and quite unique Elyte model, however we feel Callaway have played it perhaps a little safe with the design of their new range. The decision to use red ensures plenty of continuity with their new putter ranges, but there's something in the finish and choice of accents that, to our eye at least, gives off less premium vibes compared to Callaway drivers of years past.
Performance
Callaway made some pretty big claims in the lead-up to unveiling this driver, chief among them being that the Quantum name represents the 'quantum leap' its new face would provide in terms of ball speed and distance. And make no mistake about it: this is a fast club, but it's not quite the game-changer the brand would probably like you to believe it is.
The Max-D delivered consistently fast speeds in our testing and impressive distances, with some of the best numbers we've seen testing a max MOI driver. The new Tri-Force face also provides a much meatier, powerful sensation compared to some of Callaway's softer previous models, which you'll no-doubt like if you prefer a firmer-feeling driver.
There's definitely a clear distinction in forgiveness between the two, particularly if you're a player prone to missing fairways to the right. The Max-D delivered much more consistently straight shots on off-centre hits, correcting heel strikes in particular nicely without risking the feeling of creating an out-of-control leftward bias.
That being said, if you struggle with hooks and pulls as your natural miss, the Max-D won't do you any favours. The added options provided by the OptiFit hosel does provide some degree of adjustability, but we'd have liked an option to pull it towards a more neutral bias if you really wanted.
You'll also likely find a little more speed on less ideal strikes with the Max-D, as we found some poor strikes with the regular Max were liable to tail off by a few miles an hour. However perhaps due to its higher MOI and slightly spinnier nature, the Max-D wasn't quite able to convert ball speed into carry in the manner that the regular Max was.
Should you buy the Callaway Quantum Max-D driver?
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Both of Callaway's new flagship drivers challenge the very upper echelons of distance and speed in the driver category for 2026, and we wouldn't be surprised if external testing revealed the Quantum range, whether in its Max or Triple Diamond form, sat at the very upper end of speed and distance tests once again in 2026.
Is it the 'quantum' leap Callaway are promising? Not exactly, but such a leap is always going to be hard to attain with every manufacturer hitting USGA limits already – especially in the case of Callaway which has the unenviable task of one-upping itself over and over again.
All the same, Callaway have created a super forgiving driver for 2026 in the Quantum Max-D, upping the forgiveness by multiple factors without sacrificing all that much distance, providing an easy-to-hit option that should suit plenty of players.
The price of the two is, perhaps, a bit of an issue, with both Quantum Max models retailing at £599 (£50 more than the TaylorMade Qi4D and a full £120 more than a Cobra's new OPTM). We expect that might cost it a few sales in the showroom when push comes to shove, especially with the Qi4D core model being so much more forgiving (and, in our opinion, better looking) than the Max.
However if you like the looks and can afford the extra outlay, this is still a driver well worth testing.
Georgina was appointed GolfMagic Equipment Editor in November 2025.