FIRST HIT: Titleist 913F & F-d fairway woods

Seeing new Titleist equipment for the first time is always special, but never more so than when we arrived at their national fitting centre in St Ives recently to find a pile of pristine boxes containing the new 913 fairways.  

Even the fitters had yet to see them – so they were just as excited as we were. The first thing to say about the fairway woods is that the 913 F.d, the deeper-faced model, now has much broader appeal than its predecessor.

Previously, this was a niche product, because only the strongest players could get a flight from it. Now it is a genuine alternative.

“The purpose of the three-wood has evolved,” says Steve Pelisek, Titleist’s general manager.

“It’s now more of a second driver than a fairway wood. Put a ball on a tee and it’s a much different dynamic than off the turf. You want low spin but not so extreme that it is unhittable.”
“The purpose of the three-wood has evolved.” –Steve Pelisek, Titleist’s general manager
To my eye, the F.d is actually easier to use than the F, especially from the tee. The head is much bigger and much deeper. I suspect I’m not alone in thinking that. I didn’t find it hard to use at all – in fact quite the opposite.

As for the F, the head shape and the way it sits are exquisite – but it is very compact, so to me it’s much more of a club for use off a tight fairway lie than a tee.

If you mainly use a fairway wood off the tee, the F.d might have more appeal.

Key facts and figures

SRPs: 913F & F.d £215

913F lofts: 13.5, 15, 17, 19 & 21˚

913F.d lofts: 13.5 & 15˚

• Read about the new Titleist 913H hybrids here
• Read Steve Pelisek on the technical aspects of the Titleist 913F and F.d here