Titleist 917 D2
£450 www.titleist.co.uk
◆ Lofts: 8.5° / 9.5° / 10.5° / 12° ◆ Shafts: Aldila Rogue Max / Fujikura Speeder Pro / Mitsubishi Diamana Red, Blue, White
◆ Adjustable hosel: Yes
◆ Loft change: +1.5°/-0.75°
TECH: Titleist’s first adjustable CG driver. A Surefit weight cartridge can be flipped to allow the CG to be moved from toe to heel and back to forward. An improved Active Recoil Channel in the sole engages more of the head in the flexing process at impact and a new Radial Speed face delivers greater off centre ball speeds.
WE SAY: Titleist have the likes of Justin Thomas averaging over 310 yards on tour with a D2, so there’s no doubt the 917 has pedigree. But the D2 was introduced in 2016, so its tech now feels a bit old hat against the latest models. The 917 is a good-looking, oldfashioned, shiny titanium driver. Simon played one until switching to the G400 midway through last year. There’s no escaping how two testers averaged 10 yards less than their longest drivers. What you do get with Titleist, that you don’t get with every brand, is a first-class fitting service. If you can take the time and effort to get to a proper fitting centre, there’s tons of shaft options to ensure your driver’s optimised for you.
TOP GEAR VERDICT
We wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t highlight how the 917 is coming to the end of its lifespan; come August or September, Titleist will bring a new one out. It means if you pay £450 for a 917 D2 now, it’s likely to be superseded by better tech within a few months. That makes it tough to heartily recommend a D2 now.