After the great success of their new 'Speed Project' models which have been in play since last summer, Titleist are again adding to their lineup with the new TS1 driver.
The ultra-lightweight model offers the same technologies as the rest of the Speed Project lineup, but comes in at just 275 grams in an attempt to give golfers with moderate swing speeds that extra boost off the tee.
Titleist has reconfigured the weighting of the head in order to maximise launch and distance for golfers, keeping a high MOI for extra stability and forgiveness, whilst also retaining all of the usual adjustability thanks to the SureFit Hosel.
Stephanie Luttrell, Director of Metalwoods Devlopment at Titleist R&D, further explained the club's target market:
TS1 is designed for golfers who have a driver swing speed of approximately 85mph and below, and averaging 220 yards or less off the tee. By bringing our TS technology into this extremely lightweight configuration and adding a slight draw bias, we've been able to produce dramatic benefits for this group of players.
What separates TS1 from other competitive lightweight products is that we haven't had to make sacrifices, particularly with MOI and adjustability.
Titleist say that the TS1 has been 'strategically engineered' from clubhead to grip to deliver maximum launch and distance, even at slower swing speeds.
The overall weight is just 275 grams (with stock shaft), which is 45 grams lighter than the TS2, to instantly create faster clubhead speeds. The Fujikura and MCA shafts, which are available as standard, weigh just 40 and 45 grams respectively to deliver high launch with minimal effort.
20 grams has also been saved thanks to a new Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 Lite grip, proving that Titleist really has taken every measure to create a product in line with their Speed Project.
This initiative is based around creating faster ball speed, and the 460cc Speed Chassis features many of the same technologies as in the TS2, TS3 and TS4 models:
- Ultra-thin Titanium Crown - This is the thinnest cast titanium crown on the market, and allows for weight to be redistributed elsewhere to generate optimal performance at slower swing speeds.
- Thinner, faster face - The Radial VFT face is the fastest that Titleist has ever made, and maximises both ball speed and forgiveness. Every face undergoes thorough inspection to ensure that performance is at the maximum legal limit.
Streamlined shape - The crown's aerodynamic design reduces drag, which in turn increases clubhead speed to encourage more distance.
Optimised Weight Distribution - The TS1's centre of gravity (CG) is deep in the head, which helps to generate the launch and spin characteristics required to gain more carry distance. It also maintains high MOI levels for greater forgiveness on off-centre strikes.
- Industry-leading adjustability - Titleist's SureFit Hosel allows for 16 different loft and lie adjustments for fitters to use to ensure that you get the desired ball flight for your game. The SureFit weight also allows for head weight adjustability.
The new Titleist TS1 drivers will be available for fittings from June 28th, and in stores from July 26th, at an RRP of £499. If you are someone who is looking for a little more distance in your game from the tee, and fall into the category of a moderate swing speed player, then the TS1 could be for you.
As always, we recommend that you undergo a fitting session before any purchase so that an expert can look at your golf swing and characteristics, and find both a model and club setup which will best suit your game.
Let us know what your thoughts are on the Titleist Speed Project range below!