The golf driver market is incredibly competitive.
For years, Callaway and TaylorMade appeared to be the two main rivals battling for driver supremacy on the professional tours and in high-street sales.
Titleist golf drivers weren’t really part of the conversation. Everybody trusted their irons and wedges under the Bob Vokey banner. Titleist did make drivers, of course, but the perception was that they had lost their way from the 975 and 983 era, and the newer models didn’t pack the same performance punch as their rivals.
Titleist needed something different to join the party. In 2018, they did precisely that with the launch of new TS drivers and fairway woods.
Since then, Titleist has never looked back. Subsequent launches of TSI and TSR improved the performance and reputation to where we are today, with Titleist golf drivers racking up eight victories in the 2024 PGA Tour season to lie second behind TaylorMade.
2024 is a big year for Titleist as the all-new GT Series replaces the highly successful TSR range.
Join us as we delve under the crowns of the new Titleist GT Series drivers and fairway woods and uncover the secrets of Titleist’s new offerings and what’s available. To do that, we’ll cover the following topics:
- The GT Series Line Up
- The Technology Powering The GT Series
- Custom Fitting Your GT Series Drivers and Fairway Woods
The GT Series Line Up
The GT Series initially comprises three drivers, which are:
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GT2 - Friendly driver head with high MOI but with added playability and performance to fit a broader spectrum of golfers from tour pro to mid-handicap golfers
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GT3 - Tour-inspired pear-shaped classic head design with a deeper face promoting lower spin and lower launch for players with faster swing speeds
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GT4 - The low-spin bomber’s option. The GT4 has a smaller head (430 cc) designed to promote shot-shaping ability and is aimed at the golfer who covets playability.
Titleist hasn’t announced a GT1 option in the lineup at present. However, if we use previous releases as a barometer, a GT1 could be available later.
Along with the drivers, Titleist is also launching the GT Series fairway woods.
The GT2 fairway wood has a shallower face and a bigger head profile down at the ball than the GT3 model. As with the driver, the GT3 model has a deeper face to help eliminate unwanted spin.
As we move into the technology story, we’ll witness that the Titleist GT series fairway woods shares many elements with the drivers that make this new release so different from previous generations from Titleist.
The Technology Powering The GT Series
When we look at the GT Series, we see a mix of revolution meeting evolution in the key technologies built into the new range.
We can categorise the technology into three key areas:
- Proprietary Matrix Polymer (PMP)
- Enhanced Speed Ring and VFT
- Enhanced Aerodynamics
Proprietary Matrix Polymer (PMP)
The revolution comes in the form of Titleist stepping away from the pure titanium models of the earlier ranges and introducing PMP (Proprietary Matrix Polymer) in the construction of the crown.
PMP is a material more commonly used in aircraft design but has not yet been employed in the construction of golf clubs.
Opting to use PMP gave the added advantage of being extremely lightweight and strong compared to titanium. PMP was found to be three times lighter, helping Titleist’s engineers reposition the saved weight more effectively within the head. For the GT3 and GT4, this means moving mass more towards the face, aiding improved ball speeds, whereas the GT2 has the weight positioned deeper in the back of the head to enhance MOI.
PMP is also used to construct the GT Series fairway woods, which have the same design principle. The saved weight is pushed as far away from the face as possible to increase stability in the GT2 fairway wood. The GT3 fairway wood has the weight positioned closer to the face for lower spin and increased ball speeds.
The GT Series features PMP material on the crown, which is wrapped into the sole using an advanced thermoforming process. This means there is no visible join between the two materials, creating a clean look.
From an aesthetic perspective, Titleist has incorporated the new PMP material into a head that is easily recognised as a classic Titleist design that players of all skill levels have to come to appreciate and trust.
Enhanced Speed Ring and VFT
Titleist’s combination of the technology that improved the performance of the TSR2 and TSR3 models demonstrates the evolutionary element of the new GT Series.
With TSR2, Titleist created a multi-layered face, starting with the outer layer, working inwards, and varying the thickness to improve ball speed performance from heel and toe strikes. TSR3 introduced what Titleist called a “Speed Ring”, which has been updated for the Titleist GT metals series with upgraded titanium to further reinforce and stabilise the perimeter, increasing ball speeds and maximising the COR from centred strikes.
In summary, the combined face technologies help maximise ball speed from a shot struck out the middle of the face with added forgiveness, maintaining high ball speeds and better stability on off-centre hits.
Enhanced Aerodynamics
Extensive wind tunnel testing has created a more streamlined look to the side profile of the GT Series with more aggressive shaping towards the back of the head to allow air to flow more efficiently, helping to increase clubhead speed by reducing drag.
The impact of this restyling helps explain why the GT3's moveable weight port has been moved forward in the sole and positioned closer to the face.
Both the GT2 and GT3 fairway woods feature forged 465 stainless steel. This ultra-thin steel helps deliver fast ball speeds and improve feel. Titleist have also focused on creating better results from shots struck low in the face and have introduced “L-Cup Face” technology, a new insert wrapped around the bottom of the face to keep ball speeds high and reduce excessive spin.
Custom Fitting Your GT Series Drivers and Fairway Woods
Social media has shown Titleist tour players picking up more ball speed with the GT Series than their equivalent TSR gamers. This tells us that the new technology being introduced in the GT Series really does improve performance.
We are truly excited to see how the GT Series drivers and fairway woods perform in golfers’ hands at Nine By Nine Golf.
Titleist has created the GT Series to be optimised through the custom fitting process. The Surefit system continues in the Titleist GT range, allowing us to hone each club further to meet a golfer’s specific requirements.
The GT2 driver and GT3 drivers will likely be the most popular and offer the biggest fitting options, with lofts ranging from eight to eleven degrees.
The GT3 offers a tuneable weight track system to dial in the exact centre of gravity to enhance performance.
Regarding golf shafts, it’s an open book for the GT Series. Through the fitting process, we can enhance distance and shot dispersion by marrying up the correct shaft to your preferred GT Series head, giving you maximum confidence in how the club will perform.
In conclusion, Titleist’s new GT Series drivers and fairway woods substantially improve the game compared to their previous models.
The introduction of PMP gives Titleist a new weapon in the performance stakes: it helps increase ball speed and more strategically position weight within the head. An added bonus is that by employing PMP, Titleist has maintained the classic looks and feel that players from tour level to higher handicap golfers appreciate and trust.
If you are a Titleist fan and looking to upgrade from an earlier model or want something new in the top end of your golf bag, you can book a custom fitting session with one of our highly experienced fitters and try the new Titleist GT Series for yourself.
The Nine by Nine Golf website also features the new GT Series drivers, fairway woods, and the full range of customisable shafts and grips. If you know what you are looking for, you can easily place your order on the Nine by Nine Golf website, and one of our in-house fitters will build your club to your exact specifications.
Please contact us if you have any further questions about the new Titleist GT Series drivers and fairway woods or how custom fitting can benefit your game. We’ll be happy to assist you.