Equipment
Spotted: New Titleist “TS2” and “TS3” drivers at the 2018 U.S. Open
Titleist first went to market with its 917D2 and 917D3 drivers on October 21, 2016. Now, on Monday of the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, the company has announced its new TS2 and TS3 drivers — and we have in-hand photos of them here.
According to Titleist, the company is starting its “rigorous validation process.” Essentially, that means Tour players will begin testing, playing and providing feedback to Titleist on the new drivers and what tweaks need to be made before the company brings them to retail.
Of course, Jimmy Walker had already been spotted testing a Titleist TS3, but that was before Titleist made its big U.S. Open announcement. There had also been rumors swirling in our forums about the new driver for months.
Check out more photos of the drivers below, and see what GolfWRX Members are saying in our forums.
Titleist TS2 driver
See more photos of the TS2 driver here.
Titleist TS3 driver
See more photos of the TS3 driver here.
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
On Monday at the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, Block had a full set of TaylorMade “Proto” irons in the bag.
Block is the first player of many on the PGA TOUR to bag a set of the mysterious “Proto” irons. Rory McIlroy first switched into a “Proto” 4-iron at the Valero Texas Open, and Collin Morikawa followed suit at the 2024 RBC Heritage. Block isn’t using just the 4-iron, though, he’s using a full set to go along with a TaylorMade Stealth UDI driving iron.
Speaking with GolfWRX.com on Monday at the PGA Championship, Block revealed the full backstory.
“I hit a couple super “Proto” irons when I was at the Kingdom (TaylorMade’s fitting facility in Southern California) a couple months ago, and it was a 9-iron that didn’t have any badges or anything on it,” Block said. “I had no idea what it was … It was very similar to what I was using back then, you know, my old MCs, and very similar from the top. I hit it and absolutely loved it. For me to even think about switching irons from the last 11-12 years is crazy.
“I got this set about two weeks ago, and I’m working my way into them. I hit them more solid; it comes off the face more solid. Much higher. I think they’re still slightly too upright for me, so they’re being bent a degree flatter, because they’re going a little too high for me and drawing a little too much. When that starts to happen, I start to drop the club under and compensate too much, so I’m getting them flattened slightly, and I’m going to test them on the range again, and hopefully have them in play on Thursday…
“They go further, and they go higher … that combination is kind of a no-brainer. If I can take a 5-iron from 204 rather than a 4-iron, it’s good on me. It’s going to help me out for sure, especially at a major with the pin locations. Having that height coming in, that descent angle is going to be huge.”
With such new irons in the bag, after using the same irons for over a decade, surely you’d think there will be a bit of a learning curve. Block, however, is finding immediate comfort with the new “Proto” irons.
Head over to PGATour.com for the full article.
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It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since Rory McIlroy outlasted Phil Mickelson at the 2014 PGA Championship. It’s even harder to believe McIlroy hasn’t hoisted a major trophy since his 2014 victory at Valhalla.
After a slow start to his final round, McIlroy tallied an eagle and two birdies on the back nine and his fourth major championship. Take a look at the clubs he played a decade ago in Kentucky.
Driver: Nike VR_S Covert 2.0 Tour (8.5 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Mitsubishi Kuro Kage XTS 70X
3-wood: Nike VR_S Covert 2.0 Tour (15 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Rombax Pro 95 X
5-wood: Nike VR_S Covert 2.0 Tour (19 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Rombax Pro 95 X
Irons: Nike VR Pro Blade (4-9) Buy here.
Shaft: Project X 7.0
Wedges: Nike VR Forged (46, 52, 56, 60 degrees) Buy here.
Shafts: Project X 6.5
Putter: Nike Method 006 Buy here.
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Ball: Nike RZN Black
Check out more in-hand photos of Rory McIlroy’s clubs from 2014 here.
WITB Time Machine is presented by 2nd Swing Golf. 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
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- Tiger Woods WITB accurate as of the PGA Championship. In-hand photos from 2024 Genesis Open. Check out more photos of Tiger at Valhalla here.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 LS (10.5 degrees @9.75)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (15 degrees @13.5)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 X
5-wood: TaylorMade M3 (19 degrees @18.25)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX
- Check out more in-hand photos of Tiger Woods’ WITB in the forums.
- Check out more photos of Tiger at Valhalla here.
Irons: 2023 TaylorMade P770 (3), TaylorMade P7TW (4-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 Raw (56-12TW, 60-TW11)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
- Check out more in-hand photos of Tiger Woods’ WITB in the forums.
- Check out more photos of Tiger at Valhalla here.
Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS prototype
Grip: Ping PP58 Blackout
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B X (2024)
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord 58R
- Check out more in-hand photos of Tiger Woods’ WITB in the forums.
- Check out more photos of Tiger at Valhalla here.
More Tiger Woods WITBs
- Tiger Woods WITB 2024 (February)
- Tiger Woods WITB 2023 (November)
- Tiger Woods WITB 2023 (February)
- Tiger Woods WITB 2022 (December) (new in-hand photos)
- Tiger Woods WITB 2022 (July)
- Tiger Woods WITB at the 2022 PGA Championship (with a new 2-iron!)
- Tiger Woods WITB: 2022 Masters
- Tiger Woods WITB 2021 PNC Championship (new in-hand photos)
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It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since Rory McIlroy outlasted Phil Mickelson at the 2014 PGA Championship. It’s...
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Michael Block what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship. Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 “Dot” (9 degrees @7.5) Shaft:...
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Michael Lee
Jul 15, 2018 at 9:59 pm
spotted *insert random new club*…. new club goes just as far and straight as 5 year old clubs! Manufacturers still want you to buy!!
Kieron
Jul 6, 2018 at 1:02 am
Guess I’ll be sticking with my 910’s for now 🙂
truth
Jun 28, 2018 at 8:27 pm
If this were a JDM release you guys would be posting “SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!!”
Chuck Barkley
Jun 13, 2018 at 3:25 pm
Damn near resembles that Wilson customer trap!
Travis
Jun 12, 2018 at 8:51 am
Boy is this a step in the wrong direction… you know, there used to be a joke where people would say that instead buying new equipment, shouldn’t you spend that money on lessons? Well… the manufacturers are starting to make that really easy by just releasing ugly equipment!
Jeff Martin
Jun 11, 2018 at 5:32 pm
I saw a thread in the junior forum that this was the US Kids Golf Tour Series TS3. Hilarious!!
Joey5Picks
Jun 11, 2018 at 4:11 pm
Wouldn’t $400 be better spent on lessons?
Steve
Jun 11, 2018 at 5:27 pm
More like $500 in the recent trend. Cant afford a new drivers these days
Steve
Jun 11, 2018 at 3:48 pm
Ts2 looks exatly like the Bridgestone J40 driver. Look it up and tell me what you guys think!
W
Jun 11, 2018 at 5:47 pm
U mean R9 Supertri
steve
Jun 11, 2018 at 5:54 pm
no way i looked it up the R9 and its super similar lol
Thomas Horonzy
Jun 11, 2018 at 3:30 pm
You want us to rave looking at a number on the sole? Show me how it look when holding it behind the ball, from the rear, front, and side.
James T
Jun 15, 2018 at 9:21 am
Show me what it does. I don’t care about how it looks.
Kool Aid
Jun 11, 2018 at 3:21 pm
Looks like a component club that was made at Budget Golf in 1997
Bushwood Caddie
Jun 11, 2018 at 12:00 pm
At least the removed the AAA battery!
W
Jun 11, 2018 at 5:46 pm
No, they didn’t, one still has it
Dane
Jun 11, 2018 at 11:09 am
Kind of unfortunate looking clubs
scott
Jun 11, 2018 at 10:22 am
I currentley play the 915 d2 and love it.The biggest change I see & most excited abput is the headcovers????. They finally decided to change them from the horrable ones that they have been using for years and were the biggest P.I.T.A. to put back on.
dat
Jun 11, 2018 at 9:52 am
Looks like a JDM release, but it isn’t. Interesting.
Pullhook
Jun 11, 2018 at 9:21 am
Well I guess it will be another two years before I get a new driver. Pick a line titleist, are you taylormade or the classic titleist I know and prefer. If ugly looks are a mainstay I might as well go to a competitor with better performance.
juststeve
Jun 11, 2018 at 9:08 am
Unlike the rest of these guys I can’t intelligently comment on the product before I hit it
2putttom
Jun 11, 2018 at 11:01 am
roflmao
Jeffrey
Jun 12, 2018 at 4:41 am
Thats why everyone is commenting on the looks, not the performance.
Shawn Mcbride
Jun 11, 2018 at 9:06 am
Looks exactly the same as all their old drivers.
Bingobango
Jun 11, 2018 at 9:05 am
Looks kinda cheap
golfraven
Jun 11, 2018 at 9:01 am
Long awaited pics since I am in the market for the new Titleist driver. Intrigued why the ARC went away and why the TS2 has the traditiona weights from pre 917 models. Eager to test those once they hit my local Titleist fitting center. At this moment I would likely go with the TS3 since this looks like the D3 option
Man
Jun 11, 2018 at 8:45 am
What happened to the ARC? Got chased by TM for patent infringement?
Joe sponcia
Jun 11, 2018 at 8:34 am
Looks like an r9
Jeffrey
Jun 11, 2018 at 8:32 am
No active recoil channel on either? TS2 a rebadged 913 and TS3 a rebadged 913 with 917 weights.
BirdieBouy18
Jun 11, 2018 at 8:26 am
TS2 would be like Ping G400 MAX
HDTVMAN
Jun 11, 2018 at 9:41 am
Sorry but the Ping G400 Series, including the MAX, are the real deal…long and straight. I’m a fitter and have not suggested a Titleist driver for years. They are short on distance and forgiveness. With the exception of the new AP3, the AP1 & 2 irons leave a lot to be desired.
JJVas
Jun 11, 2018 at 11:11 am
If I played a driver on just looks and sound, it would be Titleist every time… but every time I put them against Cally and TM drivers, they come up last… and not by a little. Hopefully these are better.
JB
Jun 11, 2018 at 8:13 am
wow i love it! FS3 looks like jt contains the surefit cg like the 917D (Thomas & Walker my guess would be using the FS3)… while the FS2 is more up the alley of the 915D weight placement and sole appearance (Speith i guess would be using something like the FS2)
Wiger Toods
Jun 11, 2018 at 8:11 am
But why?