In recent years, drivers have been marketed around forgiveness and fairway finding – the Titleist GT Series driver has thankfully gone back to the tactic of speed sells.
I’ve been in this game for a long time, and even I was starting to get drawn in by the spiel. Thankfully, Titleist has snapped me out of the comfort zone of focusing on my driving accuracy percentage, as their latest GT range has got the blood pumping with increased ball speeds, and the thrill of booming drives has returned.
When it comes to distance, Titleist hasn’t been the front runner for a while. The TSi was a huge leap forward, but other manufacturers have had the slight edge in terms of firepower. Though Titleist has never skimped on build quality, their latest GT range continues this tradition. The big question is why the likes of Billy Horschel have put it straight in the bag, and has Titleist finally caught up or overtaken the competition?
Titleist GT Series Review
Recently, I’ve been struggling to comfortably carry 250 yards. When I decided to step up my swing speed, the spin rate climbed, and my ball flight stalled. This meant the GT3 and GT4 would be the only two worth testing. Standing over the GT3, I felt comfortable over the ball, and I could see the loft paired with the classic crown. That look reminded me of the old Titleist 910, but that was where the similarities stopped.
Speed
After just hitting three balls, I could see my ball speed mirrored that of drives I would have been trying to hit out of the screws of current manufacturer heads. The even bigger surprise was that the spin rate was averaging around 2,500 RPM. Carrying 250 yards was not a problem with the GT3, and even the punishing low face strike managed to not only get airborne but came close to the others. Out of 15 drives, I hadn’t managed to get the ball speed to top 158 mph, so it was time to give the GT4 a rip.
The slightly smaller 430cc GT4 head was not intimidating at address, but with more weight located at the face compared to the GT3, I was mindful that in order to get the performance out of this club, I would need to open my shoulders and not try to steer the club through impact. In other words, just tee it high and let it fly!
Crown Jewel Strike
The result was not what I’d expect from a Titleist driver. My ball speed from a 106 mph swing speed average was 161 mph, and the odd ball crept over 163 mph. The carry distance was averaging 263 yards and totalled 284 yards with a spin of 2,000 RPM. The worst out of 15 drives, which came right off the bottom of the club, carried 251 yards and ran out to 277 yards. The crown jewel of a strike cleared 273 yards and stopped just shy of 300 yards!
The Models
Titleist GT2
The GT line’s high launch, low spin driver. Built for players who don’t always find the centre of the clubface and need a higher MOI driver but don’t want to sacrifice ball speed. Featuring a single rear weight, GT2 is longer back to front than TSR2 and more traditionally pear-shaped. Available lofts: 8, 9, 10, 11 degrees (RH and LH).
Titleist GT3
High launch, lower spin (relative to GT2). For players who find the centre of the face more often and seek adjustability in their driver via the Adjustable CG Track, which is positioned closer to the face than in TSR3. Five CG locations can be selected (H2, H1, N, T1, T2). Available lofts: 8, 9, 10, 11 degrees (RH and LH).
Titleist GT4
The GT line’s mid-launch, low-spin offering. Built for players whose spin rates tick above 3,000 RPM, leading to distance loss, GT4 is Titleist’s spin-reducing driver, delivered in a more compact 430cc package. Front and back weight ports allow players to tune spin reduction by choosing the position of the 11-gram and 3-gram weights. Available lofts: 8, 9, 10, 11 degrees (RH and LH).
New Technology
Seamless Thermoform Crown: Breaking with titanium tradition, Titleist leveraged an ultra-light proprietary matrix polymer for the crown of the club to allow for precise mass placement for the unique objectives of each model in the GT line. Tuning PMP materials also allowed engineers to deliver “Titleist sound and feel.” Engineers wrapped the crown to the sole via an “advanced thermoforming process,” which eliminates any visible seam between the materials for a cleaner look in the three-times-lighter-than-titanium crown.
Split Mass Construction: Thanks to the GT’s Seamless Thermoform Crown, engineers were afforded more discretionary weight to position throughout the clubheads of the GT line. They elected to “split” the mass, pushing some toward the front of the club for enhanced ball speed and some toward the rear for greater stability, thanks to increased MOI. Weight positions differ in each of the three models to contribute to the intended aims of each model.
Improved Aerodynamics: Thanks to the above elements, engineers were afforded more flexibility with the aerodynamic designs of the GT line. The crown and sole curvature are engineered to reduce drag and increase clubhead speed.
Speed Ring with VFT: The aim here is to deliver more ball speed off the face on both on- and off-centre strikes. Speed Ring boosts the COR of the centre of the face, while Variable Face Thickness (VFT) produces greater ball speed on off-centre strikes thanks to a thinner face around the perimeter.
New Face Graphics: Drawing on tour player feedback, the new design is intended to help frame the ball squarely at address.
The Verdict
Spending a little more to upgrade the shaft to Tour AD VF-6 X flex was worth every penny, and the GT4 driver is going straight in the bag. To have the confidence to pound drives once more and approach greens with a club or two less has certainly makes this challenging game a little easier. I also managed to test the GT fairway metals, which will be in our October issue, but does the same success story continue? You will just have to wait.
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