Titleist GT drivers already have experts talking about 1 key feature

DUBLIN, Ohio – Billy Horschel sensed something was different. Midway through Monday afternoon's Titleist GT driver testing session, Horschel watched in anticipation as the ball landed on the back of the Muirfield Village Golf Club driving range.

Horschel's polished swing makes it difficult to distinguish between good hits and misses during testing. The feedback is important to determine whether or not adjustments should be made to the group in question. So, again, a startup monitor that spits out instant data.

Lucky for Liam McDougall, Titleist's European director of tourism, Horschel always keeps the feedback flowing.

“That one was down on the face,” Horschel noted. “But it felt like it was coming out of a beautiful window.”

As McDougall checked the launch monitor data on the tablet, he paused and turned to Horschel.

“What do you think the spin rate was on that?” McDougall said.

On the Horschel, low misses tend to increase revs from 2,200 to 2,900 RPMs, resulting in a dip in range in most cases. For someone currently ranked 93rd on Tour in driving distance, every yard counts when trying to clear the fairway under 300 yards. But this particular drive was coming out of Horschel's standard launch window (10-11 degrees) with 2,400 spin. (Horschel's clubhead speed increased from 115 to 116.5 mph and ball speed was noted from 173-174 to 175-178 during driver testing between the TSR3 and GT3.)

In other words, the penalty for low misses was not from the launch monitor.

“When you have a guy like Rory [McIlroy] who is cruising in the high 180s [ball speed]you can carry stuff 300 yards whether you're spinning 2,200 or 2,800 [RPMs],” Horschel told GOLF.com. “That ball still travels 310 yards and more. For someone like me that carries a 295, I can carry stuff at 300 yards, but I have to be able to launch it and have the right spin.

In recent years, device manufacturers have begun to crack the driver code using new materials and processes. In the past, design sacrifices had to be made to produce certain features of launch, twist and forgiveness. Pull one operating lever and the other had to be removed. There were always trade-offs to be made. But that may change.

“Having those tight spin rates allows me to get the same carry distances even if I don't hit them well. “If I miss one that's a little thin, it doesn't turn at 2,800 or 2,900 where it can fly 10 yards short,” Horschel said. “It will still fly the same distance or maybe a few yards shorter if I hit it harder. It gives me confidence that if there is a 300 or 305 seat I want to handle, I don't have to be perfect. I can miss it and I know it will carry on. Once I'm over 175, that gets me to 300-plus carry yards without having to launch 13 degrees with 2,000 spin. I can still launch in my window at 10 or 11 degrees at 2,300 or 2,400. Those extra 2 miles per hour go a long way.”

Titleist's new GT drivers, released at the Tour at the Memorial, appear to be the latest offering to feature tight spin deltas on the face. The intensity of the spin rate on the mishit, compared to the average strike, is when the launch and carry numbers are unchanged. It adds a new layer of forgiveness and ball speed retention when golfers need it most.

Along with Horschel, GOLF.com has seen several testing sessions with GT drivers that have produced similar average swing results in error. Peter Malnati, who has a low miss rate, has gained distance by using the same strong spin delta as Horschel, and increased ball speed.

“If you look [Peter], he swings better when he's down,” JJ Van Wezenbeeck, Titleist's director of player development, told GOLF.com. “He wants the cover to go down and he's a low man who misses a lot. Getting better ball speed on the ground is always important.

“Consistency has always been evident here during testing. Launch, spin and speed are always there, even for those criminals. Getting a quick speed is good for these guys, but when you're playing hard golf courses, that consistency is also a big advantage.”

Although the spin rate deltas seem to have improved significantly from the TSR to the GT, Horschel highlighted another feature that won his approval.

“To me, the feeling is like a persimmon,” Horschel said. “Ping Rapture was one of my favorites – the way it felt, the feel, the look. This Titleist [GT] it's very similar to that. Everyone is different here in how they feel. I want the country to be really strong where the ball stays in the face for a long time. I can feel comfortable with that and it gives me a good idea if I missed or hit it right. I've always been that way.”

With the first test out of the way, Horschel and other potential GT users on the course at Muirfield Village will have to decide if they want to give the driver a chance this week before the US Open. Although the two-year cadence is the same, this is the first time Titleist has released a driver on Tour.

Asked why Titleist chose to go ahead of schedule, Van Wezenbeeck said it was a no-brainer after the feedback they received from the experts who helped develop the final GT product, including Will Zalatoris.

“We've had guys like Will come to us asking if they can check it out,” Van Wezenbeeck said. “If you have something good, you don't want to wait until the fall to get it out here.”

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Jonathan Wall

Golf.com Editor

Jonathan Wall is GOLF Magazine and the Managing Editor of GOLF.com Materials. Before joining the staff at the end of 2018, he spent 6 years assembling PGA Tour equipment. He can be reached at [email protected].