Equipment
Spotted: Titleist’s new 917F2 and 917F3 fairway woods
We first caught a glimpse of Titleist’s 917 fairway woods when Jimmy Walker posted this video on Instagram. Now, we have in-hand photos of the clubs that were onsite at the 2016 John Deere Classic on Monday.
Titleist has yet to officially comment on the new equipment, but there are a few things we can safely assume from our photos.
- The 917 fairway woods will use Titleist’s new SureFit CG weighting system, which appears similar to the system used in Titleist’s new 917 drivers. They will be the first adjustable-CG fairway woods in Titleist history, and likely offer golfers the ability to control draw and fade bias of the clubs.
- Like the 915 fairway woods, 917 models use an “Active Recoil Channel,” which appears to have been redesigned. The channel helps improve ball speed and forgiveness, while increasing launch angle and lowering spin rate.
- The 917 fairway woods use a new model naming system. Instead of the familiar F and Fd models, 917 fairway woods will be released in F2 and F3 models.
Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks, but for now, enjoy our exclusive photos of the products.
Titleist 917F2
Titleist 917F3
Related: See more photos, and what GolfWRX Members are saying about the new 917 woods in our forum.
- LIKE339
- LEGIT30
- WOW19
- LOL6
- IDHT6
- FLOP7
- OB1
- SHANK25
Whats in the Bag
Kevin Tway WITB 2024 (May)
- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
- LIKE0
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
Equipment
Did Rory McIlroy inspire Shane Lowry’s putter switch?
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.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
- LIKE0
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
View this post on Instagram
OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
- LIKE26
- LEGIT3
- WOW1
- LOL1
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK2
-
19th Hole3 weeks ago
Justin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
-
19th Hole3 weeks ago
‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
-
19th Hole2 weeks ago
LET pro gives detailed financial breakdown of first week on tour…and the net result may shock you
-
19th Hole3 days ago
Report: LIV star turns down PGA Championship invite due to ‘personal commitments’
-
19th Hole1 week ago
Gary Player claims this is what ‘completely ruined’ Tiger Woods’ career
-
Whats in the Bag2 weeks ago
Team McIlowry (Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry) winning WITBs: 2024 Zurich Classic
-
Equipment1 week ago
Golf fans left surprised by LIV’s choice of course for its 2024 individual championship event
-
19th Hole1 week ago
LIV star splits with swing coach after working together for 14 years
Tyler
Sep 2, 2016 at 4:22 pm
Those clubs look great, I’m in the market for a new driver….I’m glad I found this article. Thanks
KK
Aug 25, 2016 at 8:34 pm
Hoping the 919 goes back to black.
Spider
Aug 13, 2016 at 8:43 pm
Nothing they make will ever compel me to take my 1 iron out of my bag. But if I did game a fwy wood this one would be it. Or maybe a tour edge exotics.
KK
Aug 25, 2016 at 8:29 pm
My alignment sticks get more course time than your 1 iron.
AlDoc
Aug 9, 2016 at 11:30 am
You sound like a snob
Matty
Aug 9, 2016 at 11:24 am
This fairway wood makes me wonder why Titleist didn’t move the Active Recoil Channel more forward on the 917 driver, which is basically is a 915 driver with Surefit CG.
golfraven
Aug 9, 2016 at 1:05 am
I am glad they managed to cover the recoil grove since it has been a pain to clean it in the 915 models. Not sure what I should think of the screw but soon you forget about it when you take it out of the bag. Also wondering about the grey ish finish – prefare the darker tone of previous lines (910-915). Hope they come up with smaller head shape in the hybrid line though – the 916 still is too big.
ta
Aug 10, 2016 at 11:29 am
You mean 816. Which is why the 917 are also grey
Uncle Buck
Aug 9, 2016 at 12:50 am
The sole reminds me of an exercise logo from the Jack LaLane European Health Spa days!! I know I know, everybody under the age of 49 is clueless……..Jack who??
COGolfer
Aug 8, 2016 at 10:37 pm
The 915F was enticing enough to consider moving from the 913F. I’m not sure this one has the same draw.
Tanner V.
Aug 8, 2016 at 9:43 pm
Maybe you should get your eyes checked
TMNT
Aug 8, 2016 at 8:00 pm
It’s a TaylorNikeleist.
TWShoot67
Aug 8, 2016 at 5:38 pm
I like the deeper face more rounded sole kind of like my TM R7 HFS. Still playing the R7 HFS, maybe time to upgrade to one of these. Maybe have to give these a good demo.
Adam
Aug 8, 2016 at 5:11 pm
Oh my. That looks like a star of David for the CG adjustment screw..
Boy, the media is going to have a field day with this.
Couldn’t resist..
Mat
Aug 8, 2016 at 4:36 pm
Interesting hot-melt port…
Sam
Aug 8, 2016 at 3:50 pm
These look almost Callaway-ish in the shape, more of a rounded look.
Jwowzer
Aug 8, 2016 at 3:33 pm
Go on…
Forsbrand
Aug 8, 2016 at 3:55 pm
Yes, go on, enlighten us….
Daniel Han
Aug 8, 2016 at 7:47 pm
Too poor to afford PXG?
Menstrual Smizzle
Aug 9, 2016 at 7:29 am
Me too
IHateGolfIsAwesome
Aug 10, 2016 at 8:48 am
What’s an EBT card?
Tiger Woodz
Aug 8, 2016 at 1:47 pm
I like them golf clubs. I like to play that golf from time to time.
Concerned Troll
Aug 8, 2016 at 1:38 pm
It’s actually an old model naming system. I had a 909F3. The D was always confusing. Surprised it hung around as long as it did.
Blake
Aug 8, 2016 at 4:58 pm
The d name is still around for drivers. This is replacing f/fd name system
Simon
Aug 8, 2016 at 9:07 pm
I think what Concerned Troll is referring to are the F and Fd woods in the past. D in the driver line has always stood for “Driver”. However, d in the fairway wood line refers to a deeper face. I agree having the f2 and f3 makes it easier to understand and more consistent with the 917 driver line.
Tommy Lejund
Aug 8, 2016 at 1:23 pm
Love the grey paint job and the adjustable CG option.
G.W
Aug 8, 2016 at 12:44 pm
Very nice,looks like they addressed the issue of cleaning the recoil channel that some had complained about.
Dazza
Aug 8, 2016 at 12:11 pm
They look like they would be hard to keep clean. There is lots of holes and crevices for mud and grass to clog????
dr. abo
Aug 8, 2016 at 12:04 pm
Looks nice. I would bag it