PRO SHOP: LATEST EQUIPMENT

TO DELIVER drivers and fairway woods capable of faster ball speeds after a challenge from the world’s best players, Titleist’s Metalwoods R&D team underwent a process of redesigning every aspect of the company’s drivers for increased speed. The new TS2 and TS3 drivers and fairways born out of this process have been dubbed the ‘Titleist Speed (TS) Project’.

“From start to finish, the TS Project was about driving ball speed and unlocking a level of performance that golfers simply couldn’t ignore,” Vice President of Titleist Golf Club Marketing Josh Talge said when introducing the new models. “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.”

Offered in two unique designs to suit a variety of players, both TS driver models have made their way into the bags of many of the game’s top names since first becoming available on Tour at the US Open – including Justin Thomas and Adam Scott – with both models powered by a new ‘Speed Chassis’ built on four key design characteristics.

Weight saved through an ultra-thin titanium crown 20 percent thinner than that of the previous 917 range and a thinner face featuring variable thicknesses for increased forgiveness – which is also the fastest driver face Titleist has ever produced – is optimally positioned to increase the moment of inertia (MOI) of the new models by 12 percent. To complement the faster ball speeds off the face and increased stability for forgiveness, a new aerodynamic head shape reduces drag by as much as 20 percent for more clubhead speed.

Designed to be the more forgiving of the two models, the TS2 allows for 16 loft and lie settings through the use of Titleist’s ‘SureFit’

hosel, but features a fixed centre of gravity (CG) that is precisely placed to launch the ball high with low spin.

Like the TS2, the TS3 incorporates a SureFit hosel as well as the company’s ‘SureFit CG’ that offers golfers the ability to fine tune their CG location for optimal personalised performance in a more traditionally shaped driver that is built for a mid-launch, low spin ball flight.

Also resulting from the Speed Project and comprising similar technologies to the drivers of the same name for increased ball speeds and distance, the TS2 and TS3 fairway woods offer increased forgiveness and an adjustable CG respectively. The TS2 is the “longest, most forgiving Titleist fairway wood ever” according to the company. A Speed Chassis built on the same key principles of a thinner crown, thinner and faster face, as well as optimal weight distribution as the TS drivers, is the major driver of the increased distance and forgiveness of the new models. As is the third generation ‘Active Recoil Channel (ARC)’ that has been refined and made taller than the previous version to further increase consistency and ball speeds across the face. And, unlike the TS series drivers, is still required due to the fairway woods being struck lower on the face when played from the ground. “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,” Talge said. “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.”

A range of four aftermarket shafts are offered as standard in the drivers and fairway woods, including Mitsubishi Chemical Kuro Kage Black Dual Core, Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei AV Series Blue, Project X Hzrdus Smoke Black and Even Flow T1100 White, with a large number of other shafts also available. SRP: $779 (drivers); $459 (fairways). Contact: For more information on the TS series woods and to find your nearest Titleist fitting day or trial event, visit www.titleist.com.au or call 1800 660 535.