Titleist technology vs other manufacturers

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By Kirk S

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  1. Kirk S

    Kirk S
    Boiling Springs, PA

    I went to a fitting for another manufacturer this past weekend to see what they had to offer (not impressed by the way). When told that I played a Titleist driver, they indicated that Titleist drivers produced some of the most spin of any of the major manufacturers. I was encouraged by that manufacturer to loft up and reduce my spin while increasing carry. I was fitted for my current driver by Titleist which is 8.5* loft. The other manufacturer recommended an 11.5* loft and possibly 12.5*. Shafts were similar in weight, flex, kick, etc. I'm a little confused....is there a difference in golf club technology or are there different ways to achieve high launch/low spin that we are all seeking? I'm sure that Titleist isn't that far behind the competition or perhaps there has been a revolution in club design. Any insight would be appreciated.
  2. James T

    James T
    Liberty, NC

    It all has to do with where the CG is in the head. The further forward the CG the lower the spin and launch angle. The further back the CG is the higher the launch and spin are but the MOI is higher. Titleist is not behind!! The other manufacturer that you are talking about is actually using older tech and ideas to get more distance. 

  3. Chris M

    Chris M
    Carlsbad, CA

    Team Titleist Staff

    Kirk, thanks for your post.  The key to driver fitting is to find the right launch and spin combination based on your ball speed.  And lofting up is not the right solution for all golfers.  For some golfers, a lower loft helps to control spin and trajectory, maintain ball speed and therefore maximize distance.  That is why we offer two different driver heads in multiple lofts both with adjustable hosel technology that lets you (or your fitter) fine tune the loft and lie combination as needed to optimize launch conditions and to produce longer drives.

    In terms of club design and fitting methods there are different ideas in the market about how to provide golfers with the best driver for their game. Our philosophy is to provide a high performance, balanced design that delivers maximum ball speed across the face with the ability to adjust launch and spin, all in a package that looks, sounds and feels great.  Titleist drivers achieve maximum ball speed through the face design and by maintaining a high MOI (moment-of-inertia).  MOI provides stability which means higher ball speeds on off-center hits.  And with our balanced design philosophy we do not sacrifice speed or stability in the singular pursuit of a certain characteristic (like low spin).

  4. Steve N

    Steve N
    Sarasota, FL

    Chris,

    I am so glad that you responded to this question.

    Frankly, the marketing barrage of lofting up with forward CG is confusing.

    I have been a long time user of the Titleist driver (907, 909, 910) because the feel, distance, accuracy and sound combination is superior.

    But, I have to admit that I find myself waiting for the 915 to see what Titleist's response is to the forward CG push that is now in vogue, albeit due to heavy marketing.

    I love my 910 and don't have any reason to change. And at 56 I still outdrive most of my friends!

  5. Kirk S

    Kirk S
    Boiling Springs, PA

    Chris, Thanks for your response. That helps to clear up some ideas with me. Your points about higher MOI are excellent. I noticed in the fitting with the other manufacturer that when I hit the ball on the toe I ended up with a ballooning shot that really didn't go anywhere. My 910 gives me excellent forgiveness and distance even when I don't hit it perfect. Since I'm not going to be on tour anytime soon, I need to have performance on off center hits as well. Titleist products give me those benefits as well as superior performance when caught on the screws.
  6. Kirk, while I have not had experience with other manufacturers fitting process recently, I have been to Titleist TPI in Oceanside a few months ago.  I was using a 10.5 Titleist 913 D2 Driver with a ProForce V2 X-Stiff Shaft that is standard length (been playing for about one year).  I am already a low spin player with my driver so we experimented with a 8.5 Titleist 913 D2 Driver with a similar shaft (Fuel X-Stiff) and discovered that my misses (especially to the right) went farther and slightly straighter with the 8.5 compared to the 10.5.  I also gained more roll off my driver hits as you would expect, so basically, the consistency with the 8.5 driver was higher and went farther with misses so overall I gained more confidence by making the switch. 

    On a sidenote, we did this with ProV1x and ProV1 golf balls on the test hole off of a grass tee box farthest to the south at the facility.  Wind was calm and the temperature was 65-70 degrees...thus I was fortunate to do this testing under ideal conditions for my purposes to draw appropriate conclusions in order to make the change and spend the extra money.

    I wanted to share this with you since I have always been under the impression that lower lofts create additional spin that is harmful on miss hits however as you can see by my experience while I could have gone either direction that lower loft was actually a better option for my game. 

    Good Luck in your search for the best clubs!

     

  7. Don O

    Don O
    Madison, WI

    I'm not rebutting or affirming Chris's information, just thinking about what it means to increase loft.

    First is fad.  If every new wrinkle from some companies increases distance - why aren't I driving 300 yards instead of 225?  If you release enough new equipment every year, some is bound to stick.  But then again, I invest like Warren Buffet and not as a day trader.

    It appears that moving the center of gravity forward and up is requiring more loft to achieve the same launch.  I don't know if that is good or bad, or if it reduces spin more than a lower CG.  I haven't tried the Loft Up product, but in a similar change, I did try a fat lady, and she didn't sing - we stopped before getting to that point.  It was going to take a lot of work to improve on my 913 D2.

    In my case, I was getting too much spin on a 910, even dropping the loft on the adjustment.  Using a lower spin shaft and moving up in loft - with a D2, solved my problem.  Getting a fitter besides myself worked best.  There may be golfers that do better with loft up than with more traditional fare, but many more will buy without real benefit.

    In the end, it's about getting the numbers right, and how does the club perform on mishits.  I'm pleased with the results with the D2, so I can pass on the siren's song to get something more flashy.  If the technology is good, then it will still be there in 3 years. With major design changes every 6-12 months, I'm leery about running out for the latest fad.  The basic physics are the same - best distance comes from square face at impact, ball speed, and ultimate launch angle with ball characteristics.  That's why the average 90 mph golfer isn't getting longer with each release and average scores aren't getting better.

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