Historically, which I think means for the first three iterations, the Titleist 1 driver was the easy one. While that remains true with the GT1 driver, Titleist wants golfers to understand that there’s a little more to the story. This GT1 offers increased versatility which has the potential to significantly expand the pool of players that can only fit into one.
More on that in a bit, but, first, let’s look at the design elements that distinguish and connect the GT1 to the rest of the GT family of drivers.
GT1 title design
The standard construction of the Titleist GT1 driver features lighter components. This part of the story has not changed. The stock head weights are lighter, as are the stock axles and stock cap.
Fully assembled, the GT1 weighs approximately 50 grams less than a men’s build with Titleist’s other GT models.
In terms of styling, the GT1 features the longest front-to-back profile within the GT lineup. It’s why, instead of the traditional pear shapes of the GT 2-4, Titleist describes the GT1 as a more modern profile.
While the larger footprint may make some feel more confident on the ball, it creates some aerodynamic challenges. With that, Titleist engineers worked to reshape the crown and sole adding more curvature to help the driver move faster through the air.
While the aerodynamic improvements disproportionately benefit top players, Titleist believes that even players who swing in the low 80s will benefit from the improved shape.
Even if you don’t move particularly fast, Titleist says there’s still something for you. The lighter weight also works to increase speed for many players.
The rest of the GT1 design story is in step with the rest of the GT driver group.
With the GT1, you’re getting Titleist’s proprietary seamless PMP composite crown. In addition to offering major weight savings and clean looks, the polymer-infused material goes a long way toward creating a sound and feel that meets the expectations of headline drivers.
Like other GT drivers, the GT1 offers a VFT speed ring that has been optimized for the GT1. This is it speed from the face part of the story.
While Titleist engineers rely heavily on PGA Tour players for feedback, the 1 has traditionally been an outlier because it doesn’t interfere too much with Tour play. There’s every expectation that Titleist will have a GT1 in play at the Masters, but most of the feedback comes from fit accounts.
The usual request was to increase the launch without increasing the torque. With that out of the way, let’s dig a little deeper into the GT1’s intended player.
Who is the Titleist GT1 for?
We always have to paint in broad strokes for this sort of thing and our standard advice is to fit yourself properly for your next driver and you should. Having said that, there are three types of players that are most likely to get into GT1.
Slower swingers
While the GT1 has evolved, it hasn’t relinquished its place in the Titleist lineup as the best option for players looking to regain lost club speed.
Through its first two iterations, Titleist’s Model 1 wasn’t too far off a Japanese spec driver. It was lighter, had a longer shaft, launched higher and also rolled more.
All of this is still true with the GT1 (at least it could be). In its stock configuration, the GT1 is built to a flat nine grams. A 40 gram Fujikura Air Speeder shaft is first on the stock shaft list. A Golf Pride 360 ​​lte TV completes the offer.
That’s how we get to that 50 gram reduction I mentioned.
So the GT1 may still be ideal for a golfer who needs higher launch and more club speed.
Spin-challenged golfers
As the 1 has evolved along with the TS and now GT lineups, Titleist has come to believe that it may have pigeon-holed the 1 and thereby narrowed its audience too much.
With the GT1, Titleist is highlighting how the GT1’s customization capabilities can help it reach a wider segment of players.
The plan is to do a better job of promoting the GT1 in a standard weight build. This starts by increasing the flat weight measurement by six grams. Add a standard weight shaft and grip and you have what amounts to an almost entirely different driver built for an entirely different type of player.
Built with standard weight, the GT1 is for the golfer who can achieve more distance through higher spin.
You won’t see anyone making claims along the lines of “our highest-spinning driver,” but the fact is that every lineup has one, golfers buy them, and there are actually some players who will benefit from the increase. of rotation rates. .
Case in point: Phillip Bishop, who runs our Most Wanted Testing program. Phil is blessed with an extremely positive angle of attack. Depending on the measuring device, he hits the ball eight to 10 degrees up. With this, he struggles to generate spin.
To throw out a baseball analogy, Phillip is Tim Wakefield to my Dwight Gooden.
On our recent visit to TPI for the launch of the GT1, I was confirmed to be one GT3 boy. Phill … yes, there is a strong case to make for the GT1 despite its 100 mph swing speed.
He is not one moderate (slow) swing speed guy, but he’s a GT1 guy. You can be one too.
With six grams of extra weight in the rear, Titleist says launch angles typically increase by about half a degree and spin climbs by about 100 rpm. For the target player, this is a good thing.
It’s also worth noting that when built to the standard weight, the GT1 has the deepest center of gravity of any Titleist driver and, with that, the highest MIA.
While Titleist isn’t planning on jumping on the 10K train anytime soon, if MOI is a point of emphasis for you, the GT1 will get you the highest number in the Titleist lineup.
Golfers Seeking Draw Bias*
Let me be clear: Titleist doesn’t offer anything to rival the more biased models on the market, but it does consider the GT1 its most traction-friendly driver.
Unlike true traction-biased drivers, the GT1 lacks a heel-biased center of gravity. That said, there are some design elements that can work to promote a draw (or minimize a draw) for players who need a little help.
With the SureFit hose in the A1 position, the GT1 has the most neutral face angle of any GT model. It also has a deeper center of gravity, which can help golfers square the club leading up to impact. Finally, in the standard barrel position, it has the straightest lie angle of any Titleist driver.
Again, the point isn’t to suggest that the Titleist GT1 is as aggressively traction-biased as the drivers we think are the best for that category, but the design can work to create traction-friendly conditions without moving the CG away from center of the face and sacrificing ball speed for it.
Final thoughts
I hope this goes without saying, but the GT1 is not intended to replace anything in the existing GT lineup. His goal is to complete a lineup that now includes four drivers with four unique center of gravity positions and, ultimately, enough variation in performance to suit almost any golfer.
Specifications, price, availability
The Titleist GT1 driver is available in nine, 10 and 12 degrees. Featured shafts include Fujikura Air Speeder Next Gen – 40g (R, S, X), 35g (R3 for Women, Jr./Youth), Project X Denali Red – 50g (5.0, 5.5, 6.0) and Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue – 55 g (R, S).
Retail price is $649. Pre-sale begins February 2nd, with full availability starting February 21st.
For more information, visit Titleist.com.
Save on TSR1
While there’s a lot of love for the new GT1, we’d be remiss not to let you know that TSR1 marked down to $449.99 while supplies last.
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