New Titleist 917 drivers set the standard for complete performance off the tee, providing maximum distance and forgiveness with precise adjustability to benefit dedicated golfers at every level of the game.
Titleist 917D2 and 917D3 models, engineered with proprietary Active Recoil Channel 2.0 and SureFit CG technology, are the result of an uncompromising “complete performance” design strategy employed by Titleist Golf Club R&D to develop the industry’s most comprehensive and efficient driver designs – ones that have earned immediate acceptance and validation by many of the world’s best players, including Adam Scott, Bill Haas and Jimmy Walker, who trusted a 917D2 8.5º model to his first major title at the PGA Championship.
“When we talk to golfers about driver performance, distance and forgiveness are always paramount. But they aren’t the only attributes that players look for in a driver. They also want a repeatable trajectory, a shot shape they can count on for better accuracy. And they need it to look, sound and feel great,” said Dan Stone, Vice President, Titleist Golf Club R&D. “The meticulous nature of our R&D process guarantees that any new innovation ultimately complements the overall package, and we’re confident that 917 delivers on golfers’ each and every requirement. There may be other adjustable drivers in the market, but none are able to maximize the total driving performance for golfers of all abilities like 917.”
Available Oct. 21 in golf shops worldwide, Titleist 917 drivers deliver increased ball speed for more distance with superior forgiveness, industry-leading adjustability with optimized trajectory control, and tour-inspired sound and feel through the following key technologies:
• Active Recoil Channel (ARC) 2.0, a long, wide, deep sole channel, actively flexes and recoils at impact to launch the ball off the face with higher speed and lower spin for more distance. Refined thickness areas throughout the channel, including thinner heel and toe regions, produce greater face flexibility for a more consistent deflection that reduces spin and increases speed across the face.
• Radial Speed Face 2.0, a high-speed forged face insert, is tuned with ARC 2.0 to promote greater off-center ball speed for more overall distance.
• A precise High-MOI Design, with a low and deep center of gravity location, delivers stability and forgiveness by preserving off-center ball speed for more distance, more often.
• Titleist’s industry-leading SureFit Hosel and new SureFit CG weight system deliver the ultimate in precision fitting for every player.
– The proprietary 16-setting SureFit Hosel allows golfers to set loft and lie independently to optimize ball flight for improved shot control and maximum distance.
– New SureFit CG provides precise adjustability through a highly efficient interchangeable weight system, optimizing spin and launch conditions for a more consistent trajectory and tighter shot dispersion. The unique orientation of SureFit CG, positioned at an angle deep on the sole, enables the center of gravity to be moved from Neutral to a back, heel position (Draw) or forward, toe position (Fade). Each SureFit CG position affects dynamic face closure and gear-effect sidespin, enabling golfers to enhance their preferred ball flight and shot shape through more consistent impact and spin. The streamlined design of SureFit CG – which provides significant weight savings versus competitive “track” systems – allows the CG to be manipulated while preserving 917’s high-MOI properties for distance with forgiveness. SureFit CG also provides the flexibility for headweight adjustability (+/- 4 grams).
– 917’s adjustable technologies offer the type of customization previously available only on the Titleist Tour Van. A Titleist authorized fitter will utilize the SureFit Hosel and SureFit CG, coupled with interchangeable shafts, to determine a player’s optimal setup so they are playing a 917 driver that is fit precisely to their swing.
• Two models (917D2 and 917D3) provide distinct performance choices, particularly in spin and trajectory, for greater fitting flexibility and precise flight and shot shape optimization.
– 917D2 provides distance and forgiveness in a large 460cc full pear profile. 917D2 offers more forgiveness and produces a higher peak trajectory with 250rpm more spin versus 917D3. (Available in 8.5º, 9.5º, 10.5º and 12º lofts.)
– 917D3 provides distance with workability in a traditional, tour-inspired 440cc pear profile. 917D3 offers more workability and 250rpm less spin versus 917D2. (Available in 8.5º, 9.5º, and 10.5º lofts.)
– In player testing, golfers properly fit for a 917D2 or 917D3 driver experienced an average of 0.5-1 mph additional ball speed and 100-200 rpm lower spin with the new model as compared to 915D2 or 915D3 – for an average of three to five yards more carry distance. With both 917 models, players experienced more consistent speeds and lower spin across the face than their 915 drivers. Players’ SureFit CG position preferences were similarly distributed between Neutral, Draw and Fade.
• Optimized head shapes and structures, designed to produce specific acoustic frequencies, deliver a tour-inspired sound and feel that the world’s best players demand. SureFit CG, by aligning the center of gravity with the impact position, also contributes to a more solid feel. At address, 917’s tour-validated “liquid slate” finish provides added confidence.
917 LAUNCH EVENTS: On Saturday, Sept. 17 (9/17), facilities around the country will host trial and fittings days for new Titleist 917 drivers and fairways. For more information and a list of participating facilities, golfers should visit Titleist.com/917.
“If you purchase a 917 driver off the rack in its neutral settings, you’ll be getting exceptional all-around performance. It’s the best driver we’ve ever made,” said Josh Talge, Vice President, Titleist Golf Club Marketing. “But if you can give us about 30 minutes and 30 swings to get properly fit into 917’s adjustable technologies, you’ll also be getting a driver that is essentially designed for you, a driver that is custom built to get the absolute most out of your golf swing. We’re confident you’ll experience significant performance gains.”
TITLEIST R&D ON NEW 917 TECHNOLOGY: “The Titleist Metalwood team is always examining how we can advocate and bring new technologies to our player base without diminishing our complete performance strategy. SureFit CG, for example, truly is a technology that plays upon that mantra,” said Stephanie Luttrell, Director, Titleist Metalwood Development. “It’s taken more than five years of extensive research and iteration to perfect this system. First, it’s an exceptionally lean structure that allows us to preserve our high-MOI properties for forgiveness. Second, we’re delivering center of gravity movement that is meaningful to the golfer. The way we’ve engineered the SureFit CG differentiates us from the competition, allowing us to moderate and control spin in the draw and fade positions for a more consistent trajectory and shot shape while maintaining our high-MOI properties for maximum ball-speed off center.”
“The combined power of the SureFit hosel and SureFit CG takes us to another level in terms of optimizing spin and maximizing distance potential,” said Dan Stone, Vice President, Titleist Golf Club R&D. “We’ve seen through our extensive player testing that when you determine the appropriate CG for a player, the club squares up and times up more consistently for them. They hit the center of the face more often, they gain club head speed and ball speed, and their shot dispersion tightens significantly. What’s also notable is that because of those results and that feeling of being dialed in, we’re seeing players gain more confidence and swing more aggressively, which creates even more ball speed and more distance.”
917 DRIVERS ON TOUR: Titleist 917 drivers have earned overwhelming validation and success with tour players around the world. More than 150 players have trusted new 917 drivers in competition across the worldwide professional tours since the seeding and validation process began in late June at the PGA Tour’s Quicken Loans National – including Adam Scott (917D2 9.5º), Jimmy Walker (917D2 8.5º), Bill Haas (917D2 9.5º), Byeong Hun An (917D3 8.5º), Justin Thomas (917D3 9.5º), Charley Hoffman (917D2 8.5º), Scott Piercy (917D2 8.5º), Jason Dufner (917D2 10.5º) and Webb Simpson (917D3 10.5º).
Jimmy Walker began testing early 917 prototypes in January at the Titleist Performance Institute in Oceanside, Calif. At his first opportunity, he put his new Titleist 917D2 (8.5º) in play at the World Golf Championships event at Firestone. Less than a month later, Walker won the PGA Championship at Baltusrol for his first major title.
“I put the 917D2 straight into play. It was definitely faster, had a better sound and feel, and I really loved the shape,” Walker said. “Performance-wise, we found a lower sweet spot and I was able to lower my spin rate to exactly where I wanted. The ball flight was also what I liked to see, which is not super high. I can fly the ball on a rope anywhere from 295-310 and then it just rolls out far and straight. I’ve also picked up a lot of confidence hitting it into the wind.”
For more 917 updates from the worldwide professional tours, please click here.
TOUR-PROVEN SHAFT MATRIX: The 917’s high-performance stock shaft matrix features five new aftermarket options from the three most played driver shaft families on the PGA Tour to fit a wide range of players and swing speeds. Each of these shafts will be making their market debut with 917 drivers.
The stock lineup, each with a stock length of 45 inches, includes the Aldila Rogue M*AX 65 (lower-mid launch); Fujikura Speeder Pro TS 74 (low-mid launch); Mitsubishi Diamana Limited D+ White 70 (low launch), Mitsubishi Diamana Limited S+ Blue 60 (mid launch), and Mitsubishi Diamana Limited M+ Red 50 (high launch).
In addition, Titleist offers an industry-leading number of custom shaft choices.
PRICE AND AVAILABILITY: Titleist 917 drivers are available worldwide beginning Oct. 21 through Titleist authorized golf shops at $499 MAP ($550 MSRP).
Setting the standard for complete performance from both the tee and turf, new Titleist 917 fairways provide more distance and forgiveness with the most precise adjustability available to dedicated golfers of all skill levels.
Titleist 917F2 and 917F3 models, like their 917 driver counterparts, are designed using new patented Active Recoil Channel 2.0 and SureFit CG technology to produce an uncompromising combination of distance, forgiveness and trajectory control with tour-preferred looks, sound and feel.
“The most important attribute in designing a Titleist golf club is absolute performance, it’s at the core of what we do,” said Dan Stone, Vice President, Titleist Golf Club R&D. “We put performance at the top of the pyramid and are constantly driven by the expectation that every new product we launch to the market will be the best we’ve ever made. That’s a tough challenge that can only be conquered by innovations and unique ways of doings things, by taking the time to iterate and test over a longer period of time. But it’s because of that commitment that we are able to develop products like 917 and confidently say that they are the longest, most forgiving, best performing and easiest-to-hit Titleist metalwoods ever.”
Available Oct. 21 in golf shops worldwide, Titleist 917 fairways deliver increased ball speed for more distance with superior forgiveness, industry-leading adjustability with optimized trajectory control, and tour-inspired sound and feel through the following key technologies:
• Active Recoil Channel (ARC) 2.0 actively flexes and recoils at impact to launch the ball off the face with higher speed for more distance. The improved sole channel design, featuring a unique elastomer insert with a hollow core, produces greater face flexibility for a more consistent deflection that increases speed across the face.
• A Variable Thickness Face Insert is tuned with ARC 2.0 to deliver greater off-center ball speed for more overall distance across the face. The high-speed, forged insert is thinner around the perimeter, increasing flexibility for more distance on off-center hits.
• A precise High-MOI Design with a low center of gravity location delivers stability and forgiveness by preserving off-center ball speed for more distance, more often.
• Titleist’s industry-leading SureFit Hosel and new SureFit CG weight system deliver the ultimate in precision fitting for every player.
– The proprietary 16-setting SureFit Hosel allows golfers to set loft and lie independently to optimize ball flight for improved shot control and maximum distance.
– New SureFit CG provides precise adjustability through a highly efficient interchangeable weight system, optimizing spin and launch conditions for a more consistent trajectory and tighter shot dispersion. The unique orientation of SureFit CG, positioned at an angle on the sole, enables the center of gravity to be moved from Neutral to a back, heel position (Draw) or forward, toe position (Fade). Each SureFit CG position affects dynamic face closure and gear-effect sidespin, enabling golfers to enhance their preferred ball flight and shot shape through more consistent impact and spin. The streamlined design of SureFit CG – which provides significant weight savings versus competitive “track” systems – allows the CG to be manipulated while preserving 917’s high-MOI properties for distance with forgiveness. SureFit CG also provides the flexibility for headweight adjustability (+/- 4 grams).
– 917’s adjustable technologies offer the type of customization previously available only on the Titleist Tour Van. A Titleist authorized fitter will utilize SureFit Hosel and SureFit CG, coupled with interchangeable shafts, to determine a player’s optimal setup so they are playing a 917 fairway that is fit precisely to their swing.
• Two models (917F2 and 917F3) provide distinct performance choices, particularly in spin and trajectory, for greater fitting flexibility and precise flight and shot shape optimization.
– 917F2 provides all-around playability with forgiveness and more distance in a larger profile fairway. 917F2 offers more spin and higher launch versus 917F3 for a higher trajectory. (Available in 13.5º, 15º, 16.5º, 18º and 21º lofts.)
– 917F3 provides versatility with shot control and more distance in a compact profile fairway. 917F3 offers less spin versus 917F2 for a more boring trajectory. (Available in 13.5 and 15º lofts.)
– In player testing, golfers properly fit for a 917F2 or 917F3 fairway experienced an average of 0.3-0.5mph additional ball speed and 0.25-0.5º higher launch with the new model as compared to 915F or Fd – for an average of 3 to 7 yards more carry distance. With both 917 models, players experienced more consistent speeds and higher launch than their 915 fairways. Players’ SureFit CG position preferences were similarly distributed between Neutral, Draw and Fade.
• Optimized head shapes and structures, designed to produce specific acoustic frequencies, deliver a tour-inspired sound and feel that the world’s best players demand. SureFit CG, by aligning the center of gravity with the impact position, also contributes to a more solid feel.
917 LAUNCH EVENTS: On Saturday, Sept. 17 (9/17), facilities around the country will be hosting trial and fittings days for new Titleist 917 drivers and fairways. For more information and a list of participating facilities, golfers should visit Titleist.com/917.
TITLEIST R&D ON NEW 917 TECHNOLOGY: “Traditionally, fairway woods have been some of the most difficult clubs to hit. With 917 fairways, we’re giving players a more playable, easier-to-hit fairway wood with increased speed performance – and that’s a great package,” said Stephanie Luttrell, Director, Titleist Metalwood Development. “Our previous generation 915 models took us to a new level in terms of launch and spin performance with fairway metals, and we knew that we didn’t want to take 917 off the cliff in terms of further lowering spin. We’ve optimized 917 fairway spin through a deeper CG position that drives up our MOI and via our loft setting. What golfers can expect are products that launch higher with the same spin, products that are easier to get up in the air with more speed and more distance potential.”
917 FAIRWAYS ON TOUR: Titleist 917 fairways have earned overwhelming validation and success with tour players around the world. Since the seeding and validation process began at the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic in early August, more than 75 new 917 fairways models have been put into play across the worldwide pro tours.
“I think the new 917 fairway metal is Titleist’s best yet,” said Jimmy Walker, who has new 917F2 15º and 917F2 18º models in the bag. “I played with the 3-wood at home after the PGA Championship and loved it. I then confirmed my numbers on Trackman on the range at Firestone, where I put it in the bag the first chance I got.”
“The 917F is the newest club in my bag and I absolutely love it,” said Justin Thomas of his new 917F3 15º. “I gained significant ball speed and had to go up in loft from 14.25º to 15º. I now carry it from 270-280 and it can roll out to 290-300, depending on conditions. It also has a great feel to it.”
Other players currently gaming new 917 fairways include Scott Piercy (917F2 13.5º), Webb Simpson (917F2 15º) and Geoff Ogilvy (917F2 16.5º, 917F2 21º).
TOUR-PROVEN SHAFT MATRIX: The 917’s high-performance stock shaft matrix features five new aftermarket options from the three most played shaft families on the PGA Tour to fit a wide range of players and swing speeds. Each of these shafts will be making their market debut with 917 fairways.
The stock lineup includes the Aldila Rogue M*AX 75 (lower-mid); Fujikura Speeder Pro TS 84 (low-mid); the Mitsubishi Diamana Limited D+ White 80 (low launch), Mitsubishi Diamana Limited S+ Blue 70 (mid launch), and Mitsubishi Diamana Limited M+ Red 60 (high launch).
In addition, Titleist offers an industry-leading number of custom shaft choices.
PRICE AND AVAILABILITY: Titleist 917 fairways are available worldwide beginning Oct. 21 through Titleist authorized golf shops at $319 MAP ($350 MSRP).
CONTACT: Eric Soderstrom, Manager of Communications (508.979.3028, eric_soderstrom@acushnetgolf.com)
