Published July 17, 2008 on September 15, 2018

Titleist Introduces New TS Drivers and Fairways – Born from the Titleist Speed Project 

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TS Drivers Deliver Faster Ball Speed with Higher Launch, Lower Spin and Increased MOI for Explosive Distance

 

A two-year mission to design greater speed into every detail of driver technology has led to the introduction of the new Titleist TS drivers, available in golf shops since September 28. This mission – the “Titleist Speed Project,” as it was referenced internally by the Titleist Metalwoods R&D team – began with a challenge from the game’s best players to make Titleist drivers as fast as possible. What followed was a relentless pursuit to solicit speed from every micron and milligram of the driver head, culminating with the development of two new driver models – TS2 and TS3 – engineered to deliver faster ball speed with higher launch, lower spin and increased MOI for more distance and game-changing forgiveness.

At the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, the first week that TS (“Titleist Speed”) drivers were available for competition, it became immediately clear that the new TS2 and TS3 models had passed the test. Seventeen players put TS drivers in play – including Justin Thomas, who unleashed a career-long 422-yard drive in Round 1 – an unprecedented shift for the week of a major championship. Three starts later, Thomas earned his first World Golf Championships title with a four-shot victory at Firestone, crediting the performance gains of his TS3 9.5º driver.

TITLEIST SPEED CHASSIS: The future of “Titleist Speed” is driven by the creation of the new Titleist Speed Chassis, comprising four key innovations:

· Ultra-Thin Titanium Crown. The thinnest cast titanium crown in the game (20 percent thinner than 917 drivers) allows weight to be shifted lower and deeper.

· Thinner, Faster Face. The fastest face Titleist has ever made – a refined Radial VFT (variable face thickness) that reduces weight by up to six grams – delivers faster ball speeds and increased forgiveness. The TS face is so thin that the score lines must be lasered on (instead of etched into the face like prior generations).

· New Streamlined Shape. Enhanced aerodynamic shaping reduces drag by up to 20 percent, allowing golfers to swing faster, increasing clubhead speed for more distance.

· Optimized Weight Distribution. Refined crown and variable face thicknesses create the lowest CG ever in a Titleist driver for higher launch and lower spin. The resulting MOI is up to 12 percent higher than 917, creating a powerful combination of speed and stability.

“From start to finish, the TS Project was about driving ball speed and unlocking a level of performance that golfers simply couldn’t ignore,” said Josh Talge, Vice President, Titleist Golf Club Marketing. “In order to do that, we knew we had to look at things differently. We challenged ourselves to deconstruct the driver and then literally build it back up, piece by piece, to be faster, longer and better in every way possible. R&D had been exploring some unique constructions early on that were really compelling in theory, but they simply couldn’t beat the performance of our all-titanium Speed Chassis. We know performance is the story that golfers care about. From the ball speed and distance gains we’re seeing both on tour and with amateur golfers, it’s clear that TS metals deliver a new level of Titleist Speed.”

TWO WAYS TO SPEED: TS drivers bring more speed to golfers through two distinct designs. The new TS2 lets golfers swing aggressively with maximum forgiveness across the face, while TS3 offers speed-tuned distance with dynamic forgiveness through SureFit CG. Both models feature Titleist’s patented SureFit hosel with 16 independent loft and lie settings to create a more consistent and optimized ball flight through precision fitting.

TS2 DRIVERS – Straight Speed

• Explosive distance across the face and maximum forgiveness
• Adjustable Swingweight, Fixed CG Location
• High Launch, Low Spin
• Modern Shape, 460cc
• Available in 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°, 11.5° lofts

TS3 DRIVERS – Specialised Speed

• Speed-tuned distance and dynamic forgiveness.
• Adjustable Swingweight & SureFit CG
• Mid Launch, Low Spin
• Traditional Shape, 460cc
• Available in 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5° lofts

 

PREMIUM STOCK SHAFTS: The TS drivers stock shaft lineup features four new aftermarket models – KURO KAGE Black Dual Core 50 (High launch and moderate spin), TENSEI AV Series Blue 55 (Mid launch and spin), HZRDUS Smoke Black 60 (Low/mid launch and spin) and Even Flow T1100 White 65 (Low launch and spin) – developed by the game’s top shaft manufacturers using insights from Titleist’s industry-best motion capture and consumer testing. Each of these shafts will be making their market debut with TS drivers.

Moderate swing speed players will benefit from Mitsubishi’s new Straight Flight Weighting (SFW) technology, which promotes straight flight in lightweight driver shaft options (KURO KAGE Black Dual Core 50 and TENSEI AV Series Blue 55).

In addition, Titleist offers an industry-leading number of custom shaft choices.

INSTANT TOUR ADOPTION: Since the debut of TS drivers at the U.S. Open, more than 100 players around the world have switched to new TS2 and TS3 models, including Justin Thomas (TS3 9.5º), Adam Scott (TS3 10.5º), Bill Haas (TS2 9.5º), Jimmy Walker (TS3 8.5º), Brian Harman (TS2 9.5º), Cameron Smith (TS2 9.5º), Rafa Cabrera Bello (TS3 9.5º), Webb Simpson (TS3 10.5º), Byeong-Hun An (TS3 9.5º), Charley Hoffman (TS3 9.5º), Peter Uihlein (TS3 9.5º), Chesson Hadley (TS2 10.5º) and Ian Poulter (TS3 9.5º).

In June, Michael Kim (TS2 10.5º) became the first player to post a victory with the new Titleist TS driver, winning the John Deere Classic by a record eight shots. For the tournament, Kim averaged five yards more off the tee (294.8) and was nearly 30 percentage points (82.14%) higher in Driving Accuracy compared to his 2017-18 season averages.

 

New TS2 and TS3 Fairways – Drive Faster Speeds for More Distance and Game-Changing Forgiveness

The new Titleist TS fairway metals, born from the insights and technical breakthroughs of the Titleist Speed Project, are designed to drive faster ball speeds with higher launch, lower spin and increased MOI for more distance and game-changing forgiveness.

The new TS2 and TS3 fairways – available in golf shops since 28 September provide distinct performance benefits similar to their TS2 and TS3 driver counterparts. TS2 is the longest, most forgiving Titleist fairway wood ever, generating explosive speed with forgiveness and accuracy across the face. TS3 delivers speed-tuned performance through Titleist’s adjustable SureFit CG technology with dynamic forgiveness and shot control.

“The Titleist Speed Project taught us how to unlock the speed and distance in every detail of metalwood design. It’s the culmination of all those little things that get you big results,”said Josh Talge, Vice President, Titleist Golf Club Marketing. “The new TS2 fairway is unlike any fairway we’ve ever made. It is a high-launching, low-spinning distance machine that is unbelievably forgiving and will change the way many players look at a fairway wood with how easy it is to get up in the air. TS3 is also incredibly fast and forgiving and allows those players who like to work the ball or need more shot control to really dial-in their performance.”

TITLEIST SPEED CHASSIS: The future of “Titleist Speed” is driven by several key innovations that combine to form the new Titleist Speed Chassis:

· Ultra-Thin Crown. Reduction in crown thickness – 27 percent thinner than the prior generation 917 fairways – allows weight to be shifted lower and deeper.

· Thinner, Faster Face. Refined VFT (variable face thickness) delivers faster ball speeds and increased forgiveness.

· Optimized Weight Distribution. Refined crown and face thicknesses create a lower CG for higher launch and lower spin. The resulting MOI is up to 11 percent higher than 917, creating a powerful combination of speed and stability.

IMPROVED ARC 3.0: An enhanced Active Recoil Channel (ARC) merges with the Titleist Speed Chassis to launch the ball off the face with higher launch, lower spin, and more speed. ARC 3.0 has a taller design than its prior generation, producing even greater face flexibility for a more consistent deflection and increased ball speeds across the face. While the Titleist Speed Chassis obsoleted the need for ARC in TS drivers, it remained a crucial technology for TS fairways due to shots being hit off the turf, low on the face.

TWO WAYS TO SPEED: TS fairways bring more speed to golfers through two distinct designs. Similar to TS drivers, TS2 fairways lets golfers swing aggressively with maximum forgiveness across the face, and TS3 offer an adjustable sweet spot for speed-tuned performance. Both models feature Titleist’s patented SureFit hosel with 16 independent loft and lie settings to create a more consistent and optimized ball flight through precision fitting.

TS2 FAIRWAYS – Straight Speed

– Forgiveness and accuracy across the face, with explosive speed.
– Adjustable Swingweight, Fixed CG Location
– Taller ARC 3.0
– High Launch, Mid Spin
– Modern Shape, 175cc
– Available lofts: 13.5°, 15°, 16.5°, 18°,
21° (RH Only)

TS3 FAIRWAYS – Specialised Speed

– Dynamic forgiveness and shot control, delivering speed-tuned performance.
– Adjustable Swingweight & SureFit CG
– Taller ARC 3.0
– Mid Launch, Low Spin
– Traditional Shape, 175cc
– Available lofts: 13.5°, 15°, 16.5°, 18° lofts (LH 15°, 16.5° )

 

PREMIUM STOCK SHAFTS: The TS fairways stock shaft lineup features four new aftermarket models – KURO KAGE Black Dual Core 55 (High launch, moderate spin), TENSEI AV Series Blue 65 (Mid launch and spin), HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 (Low/mid launch and spin) and Even Flow T1100 White 75 (Low launch and spin) – developed by the game’s top shaft manufacturers using insights from Titleist’s industry-best motion capture and consumer testing. Each of these shafts will be making their market debut with TS fairways.

In addition, Titleist offers an industry-leading number of custom shaft choices.

INSTANT TOUR ADOPTION: More than 75 players around the world have switched to new TS2 and TS3 fairways since they debuted at the PGA Tour’s Quicken Loans National – including Justin Thomas, who earned his first World Golf Championship title at Firestone with a TS3 9.5º driver and TS3 15º fairway in the bag. Jordan Spieth (TS2 15º), Bill Haas(TS2 15º, 18º), Brian Harman (TS2 13.5º, 18º), Jimmy Walker (TS3 13.5º), Cameron Smith (TS2 15º), Peter Uihlein (TS2 15º) and Chesson Hadley (TS3 16.5º) have also put new TS fairways in play.