One young man who is thrilled about adding the new Titleist 917 range into his bag, despite being on fire recently with his 915s, is Dubai-born Rayhan Thomas. The 16 year old Titleist Ambassador created history last month when he became the first amateur to win on the MENA Tour at the Dubai Creek Open. Here, the burgeoning star delivers his verdict on the latest addition to the Titleist family. The new Titleist 917 drivers set the standard for complete performance off the tee, providing maximum distance and forgiveness with precise customisation to benefit golfers at every level of the game.
WWG: What drivers and woods have you been using Rayhan?
Rayhan Thomas: I used to have the 915 D3 and Diamana 60g X Flex but I can’t wait to get these new 917s into the bag.
WWG: What was your first impression with the new 917 fitting you did?
Rayhan Thomas: The 917 D3 really surprised me because my 915s weren’t broken and I never thought I would find a club that could match them. However Titleist found a way to improve the performance even more.
Aesthetically the 917s look better than their predecessors with the greyish tint on the beasty-looking head. The sound the clubs made is what astounded me the most. You could feel and hear the power immediately at impact. The flight is far more penetrating with the new 917s that produces more distance with less spin so that is brilliant.
WWG: How much further were you hitting it with the new 917 D3?
Rayhan Thomas: I gained seven yards carry from the 915 to the 917 and I lost around 500 RPM of spin with this new driver, too. This will help me improve in windy conditions. The 917 F3 (3-wood) travelled nine yards of carry further than my treasured 915, which has been my favourite club in the bag for a while. I was so con dent with my previous 3-wood and thought I would nd it almost impossible to replace it but my opinion has changed after testing out this phenomenal 917 F3.
WWG: There is far more adjustability with the 917 SureFit CG and Hosel, is that something that can help progress your game further?
Rayhan Thomas: Yes, the CG weights give you the option to alter your shots to counter the fade or the draw or to add these elements into your game. It gives you versatility when you are out there on the course so it’s a great addition.
WWG: When will you be adding the 917s into your bag?
Rayhan Thomas: As soon as I can! They’re out on October 21 so that’s when I’ll officially upgrade to the 917s.
