A two-year mission to design greater speed into every detail of driver technology has led to the introduction of the new Titleist TS drivers and fairway woods, available in Australian and New Zealand golf shops from September 28 with fitting events beginning today at locations nationwide.
This mission – the “Titleist Speed Project”, as it was referenced internally by the Titleist Metalwoods R&D team – began with a challenge from the game’s best players to make Titleist drivers as fast as possible. What followed was a relentless pursuit to solicit speed from every micron and milligram of the driver head, culminating with the development of two new driver models – TS2 and TS3 – engineered to deliver faster ball speed with higher launch, lower spin and increased moment of inertia (MOI) for more distance and game-changing forgiveness.
At the US Open at Shinnecock Hills, the first week that TS (“Titleist Speed”) drivers were available for competition, 17 players put TS drivers in play – including Justin Thomas, who unleashed a career-long 386-metre drive in round one – an unprecedented shift for the week of a Major championship. Three starts later, Thomas earned his first World Golf Championships title with a four-shot victory at Firestone, crediting the performance gains of his TS3 9.5º driver.
The future of “Titleist Speed” is driven by the creation of the new Titleist Speed Chassis, comprising four key innovations:
- Ultra-Thin Titanium Crown: The thinnest cast titanium crown in the game (20 percent thinner than 917 drivers) allows weight to be shifted lower and deeper.
- Thinner, Faster Face: The fastest face Titleist has ever made – a refined Radial VFT (variable face thickness) that reduces weight by up to six grams – delivers faster ball speeds and increased forgiveness. The TS face is so thin that the scorelines must be lasered on (instead of etched into the face like prior generations).
- New Streamlined Shape: Enhanced aerodynamic shaping reduces drag by up to 20 percent, allowing golfers to swing faster, increasing club head speed for more distance.
- Optimised Weight Distribution: Refined crown and variable face thicknesses create the lowest centre of gravity ever in a Titleist driver for higher launch and lower spin. The resulting MOI is up to 12 percent higher than the 917 model, creating a powerful combination of speed and stability.
“From start to finish, the TS Project was about driving ball speed and unlocking a level of performance that golfers simply couldn’t ignore,” said Josh Talge, vice-president of Titleist golf club marketing. “In order to do that, we knew we had to look at things differently. We challenged ourselves to deconstruct the driver and then literally build it back up, piece by piece, to be faster, longer and better in every way possible. R&D had been exploring some unique constructions early on that were really compelling in theory, but they simply couldn’t beat the performance of our all-titanium Speed Chassis. We know performance is the story that golfers care about. From the ball speed and distance gains we’re seeing both on tour and with amateur golfers, it’s clear that TS metals deliver a new level of Titleist Speed.”
Titleist says its TS drivers bring more speed to golfers through two distinct designs. The new TS2 lets golfers swing aggressively with maximum forgiveness across the face, while TS3 offers speed-tuned distance with dynamic forgiveness through SureFit CG. Both models feature Titleist’s patented SureFit hosel with 16 independent loft and lie settings to create a more consistent and optimised ball flight through precision fitting.
The new Titleist TS fairway metals follow suit, having been born from the insights and technical breakthroughs of the Titleist Speed Project and designed to drive faster ball speeds with higher launch, lower spin and increased MOI for more distance and forgiveness.
The new TS2 and TS3 fairways – also vailable in golf shops from September 28 with fitting events beginning today at locations nationwide – provide distinct performance benefits similar to their TS2 and TS3 driver counterparts. Titleist calls its TS2 the longest, most forgiving fairway wood ever, generating explosive speed with forgiveness and accuracy across the face. TS3 delivers speed-tuned performance through Titleist’s adjustable SureFit CG technology with dynamic forgiveness and shot control.
“The Titleist Speed Project taught us how to unlock the speed and distance in every detail of metalwood design. It’s the culmination of all those little things that get you big results,” Talge says. “The new TS2 fairway is unlike any fairway we’ve ever made. It is a high-launching, low-spinning distance machine that is unbelievably forgiving and will change the way many players look at a fairway wood with how easy it is to get up in the air. TS3 is also incredibly fast and forgiving and allows those players who like to work the ball or need more shot control to really dial-in their performance.”
An enhanced Active Recoil Channel (ARC) merges with the Titleist Speed Chassis to launch the ball off the face with higher launch, lower spin and more speed. ARC 3.0 has a taller design than its prior generation, producing even greater face flexibility for a more consistent deflection and increased ball speeds across the face. While the Titleist Speed Chassis obsoleted the need for ARC in TS drivers, it remained a crucial technology for TS fairways due to shots being hit off the turf, low on the face.
Golfers can experience the speed of TS drivers and fairway woods by attending a Titleist fitting day or trial event (including Titleist Thursdays) behind held at locations nationwide. To find and event, or book a free TS metals fitting with a Titleist product specialist, golfers can visit http://www.titleist.com.au/events.
Titleist TS drivers and fairway woods are available in golf shops worldwide beginning September 28. The drivers carry an SRP of $779 in Australia and $849 in New Zealand. The fairway woods are $459 and $519, respectively.
Visit http://www.titleist.com.au for more details.
