Modern golf equipment, like most products sold at retail, is constrained by factors such as price and manufacturing abilities.

But according to Steve Pelisek, Titleist’s president of golf clubs, the Fairhaven, Mass., company wanted to give its designers a chance to go wild. With no worry about anything except function, what would they make? Dream it up now, worry about how to make it later. From such directives, the Concept Initiative was born.

“The new Concept products are products that were advanced research, and we believe they are breakthroughs that will eventually work their way into our global product line,” Pelisek said. “We wanted to create a way, a platform, between those two steps in time.”

Pelisek was quick to point out that Concept items are not experiments, but clubs that use new materials, processes and technologies. They will not be considered “in-line” products and Pelisek said the Concept products will not change Titleist’s two-year product cycles.

They probably won’t ever be seen in the bag of a PGA Tour player either, and because Concept clubs are going to be sold in such small quantities, they are not going to make a meaningful contribution to Titleist’s bottom line, either.

In reality, the Concept creations can be compared to an automaker’s concept cars: They give an idea of what engineers are dreaming the future might hold.

TITLEIST C16 DRIVER

The 445cc C16 driver will be available in 9- and 10.5-degree versions, and it is made with three different types of titanium. A forged SP700 titanium cup face is laser-welded to a lightweight Ti 811 cast chassis. The cup face design broadens the sweetspot and protects ball speed on off-center hits.                                               

Titleist gave the C16 a ATI-425 titanium crown that is just .35mm thick, significantly thinner and lighter than most crowns. This helps lower the center of gravity. Opting for titanium instead of carbon fiber meant Titleist did not need to create an overlap area or worry about adhesives.

The Titleist C16 Driver

While the 16-position Sure-Fit adjustable hosel system is the same as on the current 915D2 and 915D3 drivers, the C16 features an adjustable SureFit CG weight. It slides into the head diagonally from low-heel area to the high-toe section. The driver comes with two 10-gram weights, one that is balanced with 5 grams on each side to create a neutral setting and one that has 9 grams on one end and 1 gram on the other. Placing the heavy side of the second weight in the toe promotes a fade, and placing the heavy end in the heel encourages a draw. Combined, the C16 offers three CG set-ups.

“We want to have an adjustable weight system that preserved (MOI). That was the key,” said Dan Stone, Titleist’s vice president of research and development for golf clubs. “Regardless of the weight that works best for you, you’re going to have good stability along the way.”

The bottom line is the C16 is the most adjustable driver Titleist has made to date, and it creates more ball speed while maintaining stability. Pelisek said 1,500 of the drives will be made and sold exclusively at the Titleist Performance Institute (Oceanside, Calif.), the Manchester Lane Test Facility (Acushnet, Mass.) and Titleist Fitting Days across the country. Numerous shaft options will be available, and each Concept 16 driver will cost $999. Just 1,500 will be made.