Forget about the flashy paint job or funny
name. Novelty just isn't part of Titleist's DNA.
But performance definitely is, and if you're
interested in more speed and distance, you
should definitely hit the Titleist 913 before
upgrading your gear. These drivers demand to
be, excuse the pun, test driven.
The new 913 D2 and D3 drivers, plus
fairways and hybrids, have been winning
everywhere, including a little tournament called
The Masters.
On the outside, the two new drivers look
similar to the company's popular 910 models.
The glossy jet black finish and aiming triangle
on the crown of the 913 drivers is consistent
with the 910 series. Titleist has employed the
same naming convention (referring to the
shape and size of the two different pear
shaped heads, D3 is 445cc and D2 is 460cc)
and the same custom-tunable SureFit hosel.
So if you're a current player of 910 series
drivers and have the "perfect" shaft, you could
theoretically utilize that while putting the shaft
that comes with the new driver in your old
head or keeping it for backup.
Most players, I suspect, will want to be
fitted
by Titleist FittingWorks, either by visiting a
local professional or hooking up with one of
their Tour Vans when it's in your area. If the
clubs are the same shape and color and are
named so similarly, what have Titleist
engineers been working on for the past two
years?
TITLEIST'S FASTEST FACE, EVER.
I had a chance to sit down with Chris
McGinley, VP of Marketing, Titleist Golf Clubs,
and learned that it's what's under the hood
that counts. And while the USGA has imposed
a number of hard-and-fast limits on golf clubs
(460 cc head size and a maximum "COR" of the
club face), the development of better drivers,
fairways, and hybrids will never stop.
The forged club face of the 913 has been
fine-tuned to improve the club's performance.
McGinley told me it's Titleist's fastest face
ever. He went on to explain the noticeable
speed (and distance) improvement it offers on
off-center hits.
"The center of the face on our 910 series
already provided the maximum COR allowed by
the USGA," explained McGinley. "What our
engineers have been able to do with the 913 is
expand the area that provides that maximum
by 11 percent."
Eleven percent is no insignificant number.
A
map of various impact locations on the face
showing increased ball speeds from off center
hits matches well with Tour player feedback
about increased distance on these "near miss"
drives. You'll love it as much as they do -- an
extra five or ten yards can mean going for the
green on a par five, or hitting a shorter iron
into a par four.
IMPROVED DISTANCE AND CONSISTENT
LAUNCH CONDITIONS ACROSS THE TWO
MODELS
The 913 series face is slightly lighter than
the
910, and the weight has been redistributed to
the bottom of the club. But where the 910's
removable weight screwed down into the head,
the 913 comes with a flat weight that lowers
the center of gravity. (That's a good thing, if
you like higher speed and less spin, which
equate to more distance.)
Not only do you get better distance across
the
two models, the 460cc D2 head now has the
same launch conditions as the D3, with a slight
draw bias being the only subtle difference. You
will see both models in play on the PGA Tour,
and you should experiment with both to find
the best model for you.
Beyond the two different heads, Titleist
913
drivers offer multiple shaft, loft, and weight
choices plus the precise launch tuning that the
SureFit hosel provides. Loft and lie can be
tuned independently.
SOUND AND FEEL
Titleist engineers also tune for acoustics,
an
important part of a club's feedback. The
company has never made a "clanky" sounding
driver, but this one sounds and feels like a
small explosion off the face. (Check out the short "sound test" video here to
listen for yourself.)
Again, it's something you'll want to
experience
for yourself this November.
FINAL NOTE - TITLEIST 913 vs. OTHER
DRIVERS
There are a number of things to consider
when
buying a driver, and the purpose of this review
isn't to say which one is better for you. Before
doing any testing of your own, here are a few
things you should be aware of:
- Standard lengths - some competitive
products come in standard lengths as long as
46 inches -- the Titleist 913 standard is 45
inches, as is the average driver length on the
PGA Tour.
- Actual vs. advertised loft - again, the
measured loft is different than what the
bottom of the club says. Titleist loft on a 9.5
driver is 10 degrees, where some competitors'
lofts measure as much as 1.5 degrees more
than what is stamped on the bottom.
FOLLOW UP
You might also be interested to read our
amateurgolf.com Titleist 913 fairways
and hybrids review.
To purchase a Titleist 913 driver, fairway,
hybrid, or other product from online retailer
Worldwide Golf Shops, home of the 90 day
performance guarantee, use the link below:
Worldwide Golf Shops>