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Titleist say their new TS2 and TS3 driver are their fastest and longest yet. Equipment editor James Savage has been testing them to find out if the claim stacks up
Our Titleist TS drivers review took place largely at Woburn but was followed by launch monitor and on-course testing at Leeds Golf Centre, Moor Allerton and Hillsborough.
Titleist TS drivers review: First impressions
We saw a raft of Titleist staff players putting these in the bag ahead of the US Open.
Rather than two super-adjustable models of driver and fairway like we had with the 917 range, there’s a simpler ‘grip it and rip it’ T2 line and a T3 for fine-tuning.
Both drivers are the same size in a 460cc head.
We’ve gone back to the black crown which gives these woods more of a traditional feel and we’ve got an exciting line-up of new shafts.
There’s a slightly different shape with the TS2 having more weight pulled back.
Rather than offering different options of one shaft make and model we’ve got a real variety now which should suit a wider range of players.
It’s an interesting move from Titleist as they look to prove they can go as long as anything else on the market.
Titleist TS drivers review: The technology
So what have Titleist done in their bid for faster and longer drivers?
Well, they have really stripped these drivers back to ensure everything was being done to make them their fastest yet.
And there are four key areas.
An ultra-thin titanium crown has allowed weight to be repositioned for ideal launch. There’s a lighter and more flexible face which is so thin the score lines have to be lasered rather than etched on.
A new streamlined shape enhances the aerodynamics and reduces drag by up to 20 per cent. And the optimised weight redistribution has resulted in the lowest centre of gravity ever in a Titleist driver for higher launch and lower spin.
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They say the MOI (resistance to twisting on impact) is up to 12 percent higher than 917, creating a powerful combination of speed and stability.
The TS3 should be just as fast as the TS2 but has the SureFit CG moveable weight to fine-tune shot shapes and account for common strike patterns or misses.
So that’s the lowdown on the new Titleist TS drivers, but how did they perform? See the results and James’s verdict on the next page…
Titleist TS drivers review: The results
[skylab_video id=”150966″]TS2 and TS3 drivers review[/skylab_video]
Let’s start with my fitting which took place at Woburn with Titleist product specialist James Robinson.
Seeing as my misses, strike patterns and shot shapes were quite irregular we went with the T2 driver.
We tested the TS3 but didn’t feel like we needed to move the weight to compensate for a common miss or dial in a particular shape.
We settled on the new Project X Smoke shaft which was promoting a strong, low-spinning flight.
Without looking at the Trackman numbers, I could tell the ball speed and distance was really good. It just felt and sounded really quick off the face.
The launch monitor numbers backed this up. After I was properly loose and warm, we hit some shots with my current Ping G400 Max driver and the TaylorMade M4.
The TS2 was just edging ahead of them for ball speed and distance. I left feeling very excited.
I have now played a few rounds with the Titleist TS2 driver and the jury is still out as to whether it is going to replace my Ping G400 Max.
I feel like the TS2 is giving me a bit more distance and a more penetrating ball flight.
But I know from using it a lot this year that the Ping G400 Max is super-forgiving and reliable.
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When I’m swinging it well, I fell like the TS2 is going to help me fulfil my potential off the tee. The G400 Max seems to allow me to have a bit of an off day and still get away with it.
So has the Titleist Speed (TS) Project been successful? Well, I’ve never seen the brand so confident about performance.
Previously, they would have shied away from direct comparisons with competitor products as their strength was in the custom-fitting process.
They haven’t lost that fitting ethos but when you pick up a TS driver, it’s super-fast and long from the first hit and will only get better once fully dialled in.
Titleist TS drivers details
Available: Fittings from September 6, in-store September 28
Lofts: 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°, 11.5° (TS2 only)
Shafts: Kuro Kage Black Dual Core 50 (High launch and moderate spin),
