Traditionally, which I suppose means for its first three iterations, Titleist’s 1 driver was the sunshine one. Whereas that is still true with the GT1 driver, Titleist desires golfers to know there’s a bit extra to the story. This GT1 affords added versatility which has the potential to considerably develop the pool of gamers who may simply match into one.
Extra on that in a bit however, first, let’s take a look at the design components that differentiate and bind GT1 to the remainder of the GT driver household.
Titleist GT1 design
The usual construct of the Titleist GT1 driver options lighter elements. That a part of the story hasn’t modified. Inventory head weights are lighter as are inventory shafts and the inventory grip.
Totally assembled, the GT1 weighs roughly 50 grams lower than a inventory males’s construct with Titleist’s different GT fashions.
So far as the shaping goes, GT1 options the longest front-to-back profile inside the GT lineup. It’s the rationale why, as a substitute of the standard pear shapes of GTs 2-4, Titleist describes the GT1 as providing a extra fashionable profile.
Whereas the bigger footprint can lead some to really feel extra assured over the ball, it does create some aerodynamic challenges. With that, Titleist engineers labored to reshape the crown and sole including extra curvature to assist make the motive force transfer quicker via the air.
Whereas aerodynamics enhancements disproportionately profit higher gamers, Titleist believes that even golfers who swing within the low 80s will get some profit from the improved form.
Even for those who don’t swing significantly quick, Titleist says there’s nonetheless one thing in it for you. The lighter weight additionally works to extend velocity for a lot of gamers.
The remaining bits of the GT1 design story is in lockstep with the remainder of the GT driver lineup.
With GT1, you’re getting Titleist’s proprietary seamless PMP composite crown. Along with providing key weight financial savings and clear appears to be like, the polymer-infused materials goes a great distance in direction of making a sound and really feel that meet the expectations for Titleist drivers.
Like different GT drivers, GT1 affords a VFT Velocity Ring face that’s been optimized for the GT1. That’s the velocity from the face a part of the story.
Whereas Titleist engineers lean closely on PGA Tour gamers for suggestions, the 1 has historically been an outlier as a result of it doesn’t get a lot in the way in which of Tour play. There’s each expectation that Titleist can have a GT1 in play on the Masters however the majority of suggestions comes from becoming accounts.
The widespread request was to extend launch with out rising spin. With that out of the way in which, let’s dig somewhat deeper into the goal GT1 participant.
Who’s the Titleist GT1 for?
We at all times have to color with broad strokes for this kind of factor and our customary recommendation is to get correctly fitted on your subsequent driver and it is best to. Having mentioned that, there are three kinds of golfers which can be most certainly to fitted into GT1.
Slower swingers
Whereas GT1 has advanced, it hasn’t given up its place within the Titleist lineup as the best choice for golfers trying to regain misplaced clubhead velocity.
By means of its first couple of iterations, Titleist’s 1 mannequin wasn’t far faraway from a Japanese spec driver. It was lighter, had an extended shaft, was higher-launching and it spun extra, too.
All of that’s nonetheless true with GT1 (not less than it may be). In its inventory configuration, GT1 is constructed with a nine-gram flat weight. A 40-gram Fujikura Air Speeder shaft is first on the listing of inventory shafts. A Golf Pleasure TV 360 lLte completes the providing.
That’s how we get to that 50-gram discount I discussed.
So GT1 can nonetheless be splendid for a golfer who wants greater launch and extra clubhead velocity.
Spin-challenged golfers
Because the 1 has advanced alongside the TS and now GT lineups, Titleist has come to imagine that maybe it pigeon-holed the 1 and by extension narrowed its viewers greater than it ought to have.
With GT1, Titleist is emphasizing how the becoming capabilities of GT1 will help it attain an broader phase of golfers.
The plan is to do a greater job of selling GT1 in a standard-weight construct. That begins by rising the mass of the flat weight by six grams. Add in a standard-weight shaft and grip and you’ve got what quantities to an nearly completely totally different driver constructed for a completely totally different sort of participant.
Constructed to plain weight, GT1 is for the golfer who can obtain extra distance via greater spin.
You’re not going to see anyone make claims alongside the traces of “our highest spinning driver” however the truth of the matter is that each lineup has one, golfers purchase them, and there are literally some gamers who will profit from elevated spin charges.
Living proof: Phillip Bishop, who heads up our Most Wished Testing program. Phil is blessed with an especially optimistic assault angle. Relying on the measurement system, he hits eight to 10 levels up on the ball. With that, he struggles to generate spin.
To toss out a baseball analogy, Phillip is Tim Wakefield to my Dwight Gooden.
On our current go to to TPI for the GT1 introduction, I used to be confirmed to be a GT3 man. Phill … yeah, there’s a powerful case to be made for the GT1 regardless of his 100-mph swing velocity.
He’s not a average (sluggish) swing velocity man however he’s a GT1 man. You possibly can be one, too.
With a further six grams of weight within the again, Titleist says launch angles sometimes enhance by about half a level and spin climbs by about 100 rpm. For the goal participant, that’s an excellent factor.
It’s additionally price declaring that when constructed to plain weight, GT1 has the deepest heart of gravity of any Titleist driver and, with that, additionally the best MOI.
Whereas Titleist just isn’t planning to leap on the 10K practice any time quickly, if MOI is a degree of emphasis for you, GT1 will get you the best quantity within the Titleist lineup.
Golfers in search of draw bias*
Let me be clear: Titleist doesn’t supply something to rival probably the most draw-biased designs in the marketplace but it surely does contemplate GT1 to be its most draw-friendly driver.
In contrast to true draw-biased drivers, the GT1 lacks the heel-biased heart of gravity. That mentioned, there are some design components that may work to advertise a draw (or decrease a fade) for golfers in search of somewhat little bit of assist.
With the SureFit hosel within the A1 place, GT1 has probably the most impartial face angle of any GT mannequin. It additionally has the deepest heart of gravity which will help golfers sq. the membership main into affect. Lastly, in the usual hosel place, it has probably the most upright lie angle of any Titleist driver.
Once more, the purpose isn’t to recommend that the Titleist GT1 is as aggressively draw-biased because the drivers we predict are better of breed for that class however the design can work to create draw-friendly circumstances with out shifting the CG away from face heart and sacrificing ball velocity for it.
Closing ideas
I hope this doesn’t should be mentioned however the GT1 isn’t meant to interchange something within the present GT lineup. Its goal is to finish a lineup that now contains 4 drivers with 4 distinctive heart of gravity positions and, finally, sufficient efficiency variation to suit nearly any golfer.
Specs, pricing, availability
The Titleist GT1 driver is on the market in 9, 10 and 12 levels. Featured shafts embody the Fujikura Air Speeder Subsequent Gen – 40g (R, S, X), 35g (Ladies’s R3, Jr./Youth), Undertaking X Denali Purple – 50g (5.0, 5.5, 6.0), and Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue – 55g (R, S).
Retail worth is $649. Pre-sale begins Feb. 2,with full availability beginning Feb. 21.
For extra info, go to Titleist.com.
Save on TSR1
Whereas there’s loads to like concerning the new GT1, we’d be remiss to not let you realize that the TSR1 has been discounted to $449.99 whereas provides final.
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