Equipment
Spotted: Titleist 917 Drivers
Titleist is unveiling its new 917 drivers to PGA Tour players this week at the Quicken Loans National at Congressional Country Club, where we expect several golfers to put the new drivers in play.
Titleist 917D2
Titleist 917D3
As in previous launches, Titleist is testing two new models with Tour players: the 917D2 and the 917D3. Like Titleist’s 915 drivers, 917 models have an Active Recoil Channel, a slot behind the driver face that boosts ball speed and lowers spin. What’s new is adjustable weight technology, which is labeled “SureFit CG” on the photos.
SureFit CG debuted on Titleist’s $1000 Titleist’s C17 Concept Driver, and offered golfers three adjustable weight settings (neutral, draw and fade) through the use of two differently weighted bars that were positioned on the rear portion of the driver head. Because only 1,500 of the drivers were made, however, C17 models were not made available to Tour players. That makes the 917 drivers the first drivers with adjustable weights Titleist has released on the PGA Tour.
As with previous launches, expect the 917 drivers to be released to the general public in the fall. In related news, Acushnet, the parent brand of Titleist, announced that it has filed with the SEC for a proposed IPO.
Related: See more photos, and what GolfWRX Members are saying about the 917 driver in our forum.
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Whats in the Bag
Chesson Hadley WITB 2024 (March)
- Chesson Hadley what’s in the bag accurate as of the Texas Children’s Houston Open. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 70 TX
3-wood: Titleist TSR2+ (14.5 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
Irons: Titleist T200 (3), Titleist 620 CB (4, 5), Titleist 620 MB (6-PW)
Shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 105 X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG 2-Ball
Grip: Odyssey
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Check out more in-hand photos Chesson Hadley’s clubs here.
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Whats in the Bag
Gary Woodland WITB 2024 (March)
Driver: Cobra Darkspeed X (8 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TZ5 70 M5
- The white circle that appears at the top of the face a removable sticker that’s used for launch monitor tracking, and Woodland removes it for competition!
3-wood: Cobra Darkspeed X (14 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TZ5 GW100 Prototype
7-wood: Cobra LTDx LS prototype (20 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TZ5 GW100 Prototype
Irons: Wilson Staff (18 degrees), Cobra King MB (4-PW)
Shafts: KBS Tour C-Taper Limited X
Wedges: Cobra SB (48), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-08F, 56-14F), Cobra King (60)
Shafts: KBS Tour C-Taper Limited X (48 degrees), KBS Tour V-Ten 125
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour 3.0P
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
See more in-hand photos of Gary Woodland’s WITB in the forums.
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Equipment
Q&A: Martin Trainer on his Bobby Grace “Greg Chalmers” putter, 6.5-degree driver, and “butter knife” 2-iron
As unbiasedly as I can put it, Martin Trainer has one of the coolest club setups in professional golf. (At some point soon, I’ll put together a top-10 list of “coolest club setups on Tour,” but I know that Trainer will be in the top-10)
What a lineup. He plays a 6.5-degree Wilson prototype driver, a 13-degree Wilson prototype 3-wood, a true blade Wilson Staff Model 2-iron, and a Bobby Grace “Greg Chalmers Commemorative” putter!
View this post on Instagram
I mean, look at this 2-iron from address…
To quote the great author R.L. Stine: “Goosebumps.”
On Wednesday at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open, I caught up with Trainer to learn more about his bag setup.
Here’s what he had to say:
You have the Internet going crazy over your bag setup, and your putter. Where’d you pick the Bobby Grace-Greg Chalmers putter up? How long have you had it?
MT: This was from when Bobby Grace came to my course in California: Cal Club. And for whatever reason, they just started having them in the shop. So then I took my buddy’s, started using it, and made, like, a million putts in a row, which is how every putter story begins, I guess.
And then, I bought a couple of my own, used it for years, got to the Tour with it, won on Tour with it (the 2019 Puerto Rico Open). Then, about a year later, started using another putter, did that for a couple years, but now it’s back in the bag.
When did it come back in the bag?
MT: December of this past year. So a few months ago.
What year would you say was the first time you threw that in the bag, or, like, when you bought it?
MT: God…Probably, 2016, maybe? 2018?
Do you remember how much you paid for it?
MT: I don’t know, actually. Maybe $100-150 bucks or something. I think that’s the only golf club I’ve bought between high school and now. Well, two, since I bought two of them.
The driver is interesting, too. What went into the prototyping process?
MT: That was a version of the current driver, but it was the prototype that they first came out with for Tour guys to try. And for whatever reason, I just never switched out to the new one.
It’s just 6.5 degrees, right?
MT: Yeah. Very low loft, yeah.
What kind of ball speed do you have with that these days?
MT: Like high 170’s.
Yeah, that’ll work. And then a 2-iron blade? We’re seeing fewer and fewer of those out here.
MT: Yeah. The butter knife.
Very cool thing to have in the bag. Have you done any testing with driving irons?
MT: Yeah, I used to have a thicker one, but it was a little offset, and I never hit it that well. And then finally, I started messing around with the butter knife. And I remember the first time I looked down at it, I was terrified. And then I ended up getting used to it, putting it in play, and it’s been in place since. It’s a pretty good club for me.
How far do you carry that?
MT: Like 235.
A good little wind club, I’m sure.
MTL Yeah, exactly. I can hit it very low. It’s great.
I love it. You have people shook looking at that. Thanks for the time, man.
MT: Absolutely.
To see more photos and discussion of Trainer’s bag, click here.
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Warren Schroer
Aug 21, 2016 at 11:38 am
If the 917 is longer but sounds and feels like the 913 series- than I will give it a try. The 915 just never sounded right to me- more like a TM sound and rarely felt solid like the 913.
kolfpro
Aug 6, 2016 at 3:20 am
Now that was sharp … ouch!
Willard L. Abernathy
Jun 28, 2016 at 7:08 pm
For all the negative comments, if you don’t like it, don’t buy it, problem solved! For those of us who love Titleist, I personally think it looks great and can’t wait to hit it. I currently game the 913 and have tested it against the Ping G30 and G and Taylor Made SLDR, R15 and M1/M2. Great drivers but, love my Titleist the most!
Jon
Aug 7, 2016 at 10:26 am
It really has the shape of the 913 and colour of 905s. Really good looking!
KK
Aug 25, 2016 at 8:43 pm
For all the negative comments about the negative comments, shut up. Problem solved.
Golfmaddness
Jun 24, 2016 at 6:34 pm
I was waiting for the new titleist guess I’ll go buy the M2 now
KK
Jun 24, 2016 at 5:59 pm
The weight adjustment seems really contrived and unsightly. Just do a diagonal slider and call it a day. Or at least a weight bar that doesn’t stick out so much.
setter02
Jun 22, 2016 at 10:26 am
Look how shallow and ugly those things look. From ‘classic pear’ to elongated ewww.
moses
Jun 22, 2016 at 2:39 am
Weights remind me of the R7 drivers. Titleist has caught up to TM from 10 yrs ago.
SNBD
Jun 29, 2016 at 4:12 am
The R7 had 2 movable weights on the heel and toe that adjusted ball flight to either a draw or fade bias, those weights had absolutely nothing to do with CG. This driver uses an adjustable hosel to affect fade and draw and this new surefit weight to adjust CG. Nice attempt at a dig against Titleist, but your comment is so inaccurate, its laughable.
Dave
Aug 30, 2016 at 1:17 pm
The weights do have an affect on draw and fade. Each club comes with a neutral weight and a second weight that depending on which way it is inserted affects fade and draw. There are also more weights available for purchase. Standard is 12G. The others are 8, 10,14 and 16.
LJB
Jun 21, 2016 at 8:29 pm
I think I will kept my current 975D.
Warren Schroer
Jun 21, 2016 at 7:15 pm
Looks bad- I have never liked my 915D2, try as I have- so I’m still hitting my 913D2 right down the middle every time and it keeps up with the others just fine. Long if needed, and straight when you have to have it. I’m convinced that there is not much left that will affect my game at this point- does someone have a better shaft that the Tour AD? I think not-
Eric
Jun 21, 2016 at 4:15 pm
I can’t wait till all the Titleist homer/Nike haters get a load of this! I feel like after the recoil channel in the 915, and the weight pod in the 917, we can safely assume cavity back technology will be there in the 919!
Rob
Jun 22, 2016 at 4:41 pm
Yeah because Cavity Back Technology is still in Nike Drivers…
I don’t see much of a cavity back in their drivers. Ever since they started with it, each season it gets filled in more and more…but yeah Just Do It
Jim
Jun 21, 2016 at 11:36 am
Guess club manufacturers are like our favorite sports team. I love titelist clubs, and hit them better than all others. New clubs every 2 years makes more sense to me than every 6 months as others seem to spit them out, but there again I’m a Titelist guy. We all love golf and our team, so hit what you like and have fun.
chad
Jun 21, 2016 at 10:52 am
love the grey. I’m sure this color will be a big hit with old school titleist fans
Mat
Jun 21, 2016 at 8:52 am
No disrespect, but I think we hit peak-driver with the G30/FlyZ+.
Large smizzle
Jun 21, 2016 at 4:08 am
I’ve tried loads of titleist equipment over the years, and I can’t get any of it to work for me. It makes me feel inadequate. Like I’m not good enough to play with the pros choice.
john
Jun 20, 2016 at 6:34 pm
LOL nawww titleist…. i thought things like slots and movable weights were just gimmicks that don’t work and that’s why titleist don’t have them? sounds to me like titleist thinks they’re far more important than they actually are – you don’t see callaway or tm paying the pgatour to list every player who plays a titleist ball on their leaderboard do you.
Power fade
Jun 20, 2016 at 8:03 pm
Correct. This not only looks gimmicky, but could be mistaken for Admiral Ackbar. “It’s a trap!’
kn
Jun 20, 2016 at 6:26 pm
Price? $500? $600? Priced just right for all those “new” golfers who are going to keep the game alive.
Tom Duckworth
Jun 20, 2016 at 5:17 pm
Titleist knows how to make great equipment they hardly ever put out bad stuff this should be a good driver. I don’t know how many pros would want moveable weights. Should be interesting to see how many move to this one right away. Other than the weight I don’t see a real difference between it and the 915. Is there anything new about the face?
I have had a 983 a 909 and a 910 D3 and they were all great drivers. That being said I have a SLDR right now that works fine.
john
Jun 21, 2016 at 2:21 am
somehow their ball reputation unfairly gets put onto their clubs. their clubs seem like they were designed on toilet tissue in lunch breaks inbetween design next years prov1 cardboard box – they use other brands as their “inspiration” and produce such greats as the speedslot copy and my favourite the scotty cameron odyssey #7.
golfraven
Jun 20, 2016 at 4:37 pm
Strangely the D2 looks more round shape and appears smaller then the D3. Not sure about the weights though, whole design looks more like a TM R7 driver. I am sure it performs and looks the part so may move other one they drop the price on those on ebay after a year.
Brian
Jun 20, 2016 at 2:06 pm
I’m sure this will be another in a long series of over-priced Titleist clubs… Oh, movable weight tech? Welcome to 2006…but I’m sure we’ll get a $500 price tag because it’s Titleist.
Erock
Jun 20, 2016 at 12:50 pm
Interesting color choice. Looks very similar to the gloss gray on the G15, G20, K15 Pings.
Jim
Jun 20, 2016 at 12:49 pm
I got c16 and added 20-30 yards once dialed in. Ordered a 2nd one! Had I know a cheaper version was coming I might have waited but the club is awesome! It’s first time a club actually lived up to the hype.
Chuck
Jun 20, 2016 at 7:04 pm
So Jim, I am presuming that you are not joking. If you are, shame on me.
What is it about new Titleist technology that is giving you that distance boost? What in your opinion (or to the best of your technical knowledge) makes the new Titleist design so good?
Not that it would determine what I do, but what can you tell us about the process of “dialing in” your C16? Did you switch shafts? Change hosel settings? Did you play with another Titleist before the C16?
I honestly don’t get the theory behind Titleist’s new weight thing, versus simple interchangeable weight screws as seen in so many other drivers. I’ve actually begun to wonder whether interchangeable weights is a patented design feature that is off limits to Titleist. Hard to imagine that, but it is all so odd to me.
mP
Jun 22, 2016 at 2:48 am
He was using a persimmon driver at 43 inches.
Adam
Jun 20, 2016 at 11:00 am
isn’t that just a recolored version of the C16 or whatever they called it?
Ti
Jun 20, 2016 at 11:11 am
Yes but the C16 had the more expensive special Titanium face, this one is the normal grade Ti
Brian
Jun 20, 2016 at 2:04 pm
@Ti
That’s the dumbest think I’ve read today.
Colin
Jun 20, 2016 at 3:27 pm
Says the guy that can’t even spell thing correctly
It
Jun 20, 2016 at 3:44 pm
http://www.titleist.com/golf-clubs/drivers/c16
Ti is right. SP Ti is expensive. They’re not putting that on the retail version. Brian is the dumbest
rymail00
Jun 20, 2016 at 10:12 am
It was released today so I’m sure Greg will post some pics. If your on Titleist’s mailing list they sent out a pic this morning.
http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1351002-titleist-917-prototype-released-on-tour-today/
Joshuaplaysgolf
Jun 20, 2016 at 10:04 am
So…they added an adjustable weight, these will probably start around $450-$500 without upgraded shaft. For a weight. Can we all admit this is getting out of hand? You absolutely don’t have to buy a new club just because it comes out, but if all you came up with in your 2 year product cycle was a moveable weight, you should probably make that a 4 year product cycle.
Ian
Jun 20, 2016 at 8:56 am
Hmmm. Looks similar to this guy’s design. http://izulugolf.com/powertube-driver/
Jb
Jun 20, 2016 at 9:23 am
Yeah. That’s all Titleist can do now, these days, to steal ideas. They always have. Like the Pro-V, also stolen, from Japanese balls
Colin
Jun 20, 2016 at 3:30 pm
Yea no one else in the golf industry ever borrows ideas from any other club company. Every club that comes out is totally unique to that company. Keep hating. Maybe this is just smart business, isnt this what every industry does?
john
Jun 21, 2016 at 2:22 am
i love jumping on the titleist hate wagon, but this looks absolutely nothing like that… lol, but now that you’ve brought that to their attention they’ll be sure to sue him for copyright anyway.
Christosterone
Jun 20, 2016 at 8:49 am
Already did….very similar feel to Nike vapor flex…same tech but with a perpendicular aaa battery thingy..
Awesome club…like the vapor is was a bit spinny for me but he only had a few shafts and about 4 guys behind me when he took it out of his titleist bag…
I was more interested in the ’boutique’ c16 head…wow it was awesome..
I am historically not a titleist driver fan but will absolutely give the sure fit another try when I have more time to put less spinny shafts in it…but who knows when the titleist rep will be at PGA superstore again…
-Chris
Jwowzer
Jun 20, 2016 at 7:48 am
Let me know if you need anyone to test these!