2020 Official Member Review: Titleist TSi Drivers

[GolfSpy MPR]

By common consensus, the Titleist TS series of drivers were a major success. Titleist is looking to build off that with their latest series of drivers, the TSi.

We need some Forum members to let us know how the newest release of Titleist drivers perform, not just on Tour, but in the hands of golfers like us. Handling the testing this time will be:

• @TSauer | Review
• @HeathS16 | Review
• @hartrick11 | Review
• @dlow206 | Review
• @alfriday101 | Review
• @Rickp | Review
• @Golfspy_CG2 | Review

[TSauer]

Titleist TSi3 – Official MGS Forum Review by TSauer

Intro

Good afternoon, hope y’all are staying safe and having a great holiday season!

Let me kick this off by introducing myself, I am Tyler. I am a tall southpaw golfer from Missouri who started golfing about 5 or so years ago and have managed to get my handicap down to around 10, hoping to break into the single digits in the coming year. I live in a small town of 1,500 with a member owned course, and I am there about every day when the weather cooperates.

 

Here is a shot from my drone of my local course: Pine Ridge GC

 

I am slowly but surely starting to piece together each part of my golf game, and the driver is the one club I struggled with the most... but it is finally coming around. I have adopted the motto slow is smooth, smooth is fast into my swing and it has really helped. My driver swing speed usually clocks in around 100-105 with a total distance between 250-260. Sometimes it is a little more, sometimes a lot less. It all depends on how the golf gods treat me that day. For me, I just like to hit the fairway. I will take accuracy over distance any day of the week and that is my main goal when I am on the tee box with driver in hand. To get to that fairway, I like to play a small fade. I have never been able to hit a consistent draw and when I try, I end up with the hooks, so I gave up and just play what comes naturally to me. Now that I have become more comfortable with the driver, I’ve been able to shoot lower scores and not be intimidated by those par 5’s and longer par 4’s where the driver is needed… because let’s be honest, I’m always pulling out the driver every chance I get. I recently just switched drivers from the G400 Max (which I loved) to the TSI’s new contender, a Callaway Mavrik. I hit the Mavrik well, so this bout will be a good one. I’m looking for something that will reward me even when my swing isn’t the best and the middle of the club face isn’t getting it’s money worth.

 

First Impressions

Let’s really unwrap this review…

My first thought of the TSi3 is… classic*. No turbulators. No wild colors. No matte finish. No carbon fiber. Just a gloss black with a TSi logo for alignment. It is different for me, but I do not mind it. Every driver I have ever owned has had one of the previously mentioned attributes, so this is a change for me. When I think of Titleist as a whole, the word classy comes to mind, and I think that’s just how they wanted to keep the looks of this line.

 

As for the bottom of the club, I am loving it. They kept everything very simple and very sleek. You get a nice combo of gloss black, matte black, and a chrome strip that puts the cherry on top. We also have the addition of the new SureFit GC technology which allows the players to adjust the weight into five different positions to fine tune their ball flight. You can move the weight from Neutral to Toe 1 and Toe 2, as well as Heel 1 and Heel 2. Combine this with the SureFit neck adjustability and you have more than a handful of combinations you can create to dial in your club. I always strayed away from these types of drivers, as I felt the more tinkering I did the worst off I would be… but I am very interested this year and curious to see what kind of combo I end up with. 

 

 

If you noticed earlier when I mentioned classic there was an asterisk at the end. I put that there because the only thing that isn’t traditional is the face. My first thought when seeing it was Cobra and it reminded me of their CNC milled face they now have on their drivers. However, Titlelist is using an ATI 425 aerospace titanium and it has never been used before by Titleist or any other brand for that matter. This is supposed to increase ball speed across the face no matter the point of contact. I feel like this is something we hear every year from manufacturers… new face tech, few more yards, more forgiving. Will it live up to its expectations? I am really hoping so. I do not know about you but hitting the center of the face every shot is something I’ve only ever dreamt of. If this new face material means I’m going to be a long way from the tee box and still in the fairway on mishits… then we are going to become best friends.

 

 

I went with the Tour AD IZ 6 – S shaft, as it was closest to what I currently game and offered what I needed for my game; something to keep the ball out of the wind and produce more penetrating shots. The shaft itself has a very stealthy look to it with the white/orange accents alongside the matte black finish. This is a mid-launching shaft and will hopefully assist me with getting those lower ball flights and better roll out.

Ready for another fun fact? Aside from Vokey wedges, this is the first piece of Titleist equipment that I have had in my bag, and I have some high expectations. For those of you who read through some of the chatter that has been going on in the review thread, you may have saw that I was unfortunately not able to get fit and I based my current setup off a previous fitting/setup. I figured I would assume the role of the average golfer who buys direct from the shelf. There are a couple of things I am looking for in this driver, the first being forgiveness. I fully expect their new face technology to deliver good shots even though the center was not struck. I am also expecting a lower, more penetrating ball flight compared to that of the Mavrik/G400 Max. If the result is not those two things combined, then the driver will be passed on.

One perk about living in a small town is that the golf course is rarely ever crowded and most evenings I have the entire course to myself. This is a huge plus because most of my testing will be done on course, as I do not have access to any high-end launch monitors or anything of the such. The testing will consist of a combination of full rounds, putting it head-to-head against the Mavrik with two balls off the tee, one for each. Besides that, I will be hitting the range and making adjustments with the SureFit to dial in the head and shaft until I reach a ball flight I am happy with.

Like I said, this is the first piece of Titleist gear I have hit and here’s to hoping they live up to their name.

 

Grading

This is where the showdown begins.....

Looks – 6/10

I thought I would be more of a fan of the classic black look than what I am. I’m not saying it’s bad, but everyone has their own taste and style, and for me I like a little bit of pizazz… something to make it pop a little more and standout. I don’t need bright, bold colors, but maybe some sort of carbon finish similar to the Mavrik would have been a little more appealing to me. I do enjoy the classic head shape and easy alignment aid, I felt as there weren’t a lot of distractions going on when looking down at the club.

Sound & Feels – 10/10

 

 

For me, this is one of the best sounding drivers I have hit. The YouTube clip above says it all. A very soothing ping sound that I just replayed about 20 times when linking that video. It SOUNDS SO GOOD! When it comes to feel, I can say this… you’ll know when you hit the center because the ball launches like a rocket and it feels oh so great! There were a few times it felt as if I didn’t even hit a ball, it was so smooth. When it come to mishits, it doesn’t feel quite as good but in my case I could not really tell until I looked at the face and realized I was that far off from center.

 

Basic Characteristics – 18/20

 I have really been enjoying the flight I have been getting with this club and setup. Lots of mid/lower launching trajectories and piercing flights… something that I’m not used to seeing but have always been searching for. I’ve been able to control that fade that I like and have adjusted the SureFit to H2 to keep things that way. As far as distance goes, I am getting about the same distance as I was with the Mavrik, except mishits with the TSi perform a lot better and still end up being pretty good shots that I am happy with. My Mavrik mishits weren’t terrible, but I can tell that the TSi just edged it and performed a hair better in that area. I’m loving all of the customization, it makes it easy to dial it in and get the club to work for you. I will say the 16-way hosel does get a little confusing when you’re looking at their chart, but it gets easier to comprehend the more you look at it.

 

 

 

On-Course / LM Performance – 27/30

I can sum up this category in just a couple of words… it performs. I was finding myself hitting more and more fairways and leaving myself in great positions for those next shots to the green. Like I mentioned before, I had very high expectations of Titleist and they met and exceeded every one of them. It’s definitely made stepping on the tee box a little less intimidating. I enjoy how easy it is to adjust the weight on the club and they should definitely continue that tradition on models to come. The one thing that I can’t decide on if I like or not is the SureFit hosel adjustments. There are so many different routes you can go when adjusting this that it can get confusing if you were to just grab one off the shelf without getting fitted. I personally enjoy the simpler hosels that allow you to change just the loft by a degree in both directions.

 

Miscellaneous – 7/10

I don’t have much to say here, but I did have to knock some points for not receiving any hosel adjust tool in the box. I know that most of those tools are the same, but it would have been nice to have one from the manufacturer in the box, this is the first time I’ve ever received a club like this without one. I tried to reach out to Titleist through several means but was never able to reach anyone.

 

Play it or Trade it? – 18/20

Short and sweet? The Mavrik is already out of the bag for me. Now, I’m not saying this will cure all of your ailments, but for me it was a big enough difference between the two to justify the TSi taking the Mavriks place. Would I go out and spend $550 on a brand new driver? Personally, I would not. I have a hard time justifying that much money on a single club. Then again, that all depends on your financial situation and whether or not your significant other will kick you out of the house after seeing another long, brown box on the porch.

 

Conclusion

So this is it. Did the Titleist TSi3 live up to the hype and live up to the Titleist name of everything I thought it would be? Absolutely. Aside from the simple, plain look of the head, I really enjoy what Titleist has done with this new lineup. I would love if they added a little more spice to the look, but to each their own. I find the club really fun to hit, even when not hit well… which is sometimes more often than not. I can see this club living in my number one slot for a few years to come. I will also be eyeballing other Titleist gear in the many months to come!

 

Final Score – 86/100

 

[HeathS16]

Titleist TSi3 Driver- Official MGS Forum Review by HeathS16-

Introduction-  

 

First of all, I would like to thank Titleist and MyGolfSpy for this amazing opportunity. While this is not my first test for MGS, this is my first driver test so here is a video of my swing:

 

 

My typical ball flight is a slight draw and I tend to launch the ball at a mid/high trajectory. The main miss is a low, nasty little duck-hook that just sneaks up and bites me 2-3 times per round.  

 

 

Due to that miss my driving is BY FAR my worst statistical category, I find myself having to hit multiple recovery shots every round that put a lot of pressure on other aspects of my game. To help combat my driving issues I took the plunge in 2019 and got fit for my current gamer, a Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero. With it my average carry is between 255-265 with a swing speed hovering between 110-112. Here are the club distances before putting the TSi3 in my bag: 

 

 

However, my accuracy is so bad that the distance makes no impact, which is something I mentioned earlier in this thread as being my number 1 goal; hit more fairways and find my ball more often. I am hoping that by increasing my accuracy I can be more aggressive off of the tee instead of playing defense.  

 

First Impressions- 

 

As a minimalist I LOVE the simple look of the TSi3.  Titleist is synonymous with premium and this glossy finish on the top of the club looks great.  Combine that with the classic shape and you have a pretty good looking golf club.  I was worried that the TSi3’s smaller profile would mess with my confidence, this was not the case.

 

 In the driver category I had the preconception that Titleist was a bit of a niche company.  They historically made drivers for “better players” and with my struggles I felt I didn’t really fit into that category. The TS line that came out in 2018 kind of broke the myth that Titleist drivers couldn’t run with the big boys when it came to distance and speed. Here is what Titleist says the TSi3 improves on from the TS3 from two years ago. 

 

• ATI 425 Aerospace Titanium clubface- Improve performance on mis-hits
• Improved aerodynamics- the “speed” part of TSi 
• SureFit CG track with 5 positions to help increase MOI 

 

Probably the most underrated thing about this whole experience was the Titleist Thursday event that I attended to get fit for the driver. You find the recap here in this thread: 

 

 

Here are the specs that we landed on as well as how they compare to the gamer: 

 

 

I cannot stress enough how good the fitting experience was. The fitting also helped me decide what metrics to judge the TSi 3 with:  

1. Maintain ball speed and distance
2. Hit more fairways
3. Have positive strokes gained driving average. 

 

 

Here is how I decided to tackle the testing:

1. Play at least 4-5 rounds with the driver to test on-course performance
2. At least 1-2 range sessions to get familiar
3. 1 Launch monitor session to validate on course data  

Looks- (9/10)

 

I have to say, Titleist nailed it in the looks department.  The TSi3 is beautiful, sleek and classy.  I love the glossy finish on the top with the shortened back end, it just seems to roll up into an awesome address position: 

 

From the simple alignment TSi logo to the cool graphics, technology and a sleek finish it’s an A+ here. A classic touch with modern appeal. 

 

How does the TSi 3 compare to the gamer?In short, I am way more a fan of the color scheme with the TSi 3 than I am with the Epic Flash. IMO the TSi3 is one of the better looking drivers out there. 

 

The only reason I deducted a point is that this glossy finish does tend to show skymarks and smudges easily. I had one bad swing and created an idiot mark towards the toe. I was lucky in that mine was able to be wiped off but if someone were to really get into one on a pop up it might ruin the topline. 

 

Sound and Feel (10/10)- 

Once again the TSi3 performs well here. It has a very pleasant, lively sound to it. Here are some examples.  The second video alternates between the EFSZ and the TSi3 so you have a comparison: 

 

 

I could listen to this driver all day, a loud, high smack! As the ball rifles down range.  The sound stays consistent across the face until you get to the extreme heel or toe.

 

 

 

Basic Characteristics (19/20)- 

 

The TSi3 gets high praise from me here. It flat out performs. The biggest standout from just hitting this thing? The low, penetrating ball flight that just pierces the air as it flies out into space.  Living in Oklahoma, that is a HUGE plus, being able to control trajectory in the wind we often have here.  Example: this drive was into an 15 mph wind and slightly uphill: 

 

I found that the TSi3 is not a difficult club to hit and allowed me to hit a fade and draw without much difficulty. Astonishingly, the TSi3 was starting where I wanted and ended where I wanted a high percentage of the time and was going further than my EFSZ was.  This was a huge boost of confidence as my mind wrapped around the fact that I might actually be able to control my tee shot. On the range, even the mis-hits were going straighter and only losing 10-15 yards. 

 

-1 point for no adjustment tool, I didn’t have mine with me during the first range session so I couldn’t play around with the settings. 

 

On-Course/LM Performance (28/30)-

 

This driver exceeded ALL of my expectations. Seriously, the on course data and even the LM data verifies it. Here is my strokes gained from Arcoss for the last 4 rounds: 

 

As you can see the SG data has me gaining 1.4 shots, which is up over 3 shots compared to my last four rounds with the EFSZ. This advantage is a game-changer for me, I have been able to attack pins with the same or a lower club much more often and have more makeable birdie chances than before. 

Here are a few hall of fame drives with the TSi3 so far: 

               

*Both were with the wind, which was 10-12 mph BUT STILL! I am showing you a 3-putt so you know I'm not lying...348 and still a bogey.... * 

Here is the Driver club distance after the test with the TSi3 (compare with picture from earlier)

 

 

Probably the biggest factor in the on-course performance was the forgiveness of the club.  I was blown away with just how good the mis-hits were turning out to be.  I JUST KEPT FINDING MY BALL. Here is a prime example: 

 

 

These two were identical in strike yet the TSi3 is 20 yards ahead of the EFSZ. On average the TSi3 was at least 5-10 yards longer off of the tee. 

 

 

Even the launch monitor data supports the things I was seeing on the course, lower launch, by almost a full degree, higher ball speed, carry and lower spin. There isn't a huge difference but it certainly supports what I was seeing on the course. 

 

 

 

Final Comments- The TSi3 accomplishes what Titelist says. I was blown away by how well the driver performed. Did it fix all of my problems? No, but I started this test as an 8.1.  I am now down to a 6.9 in just one month.  The only thing that has changed? My driver.  I would love to see Titleist continue to develop this ATI tech they have on the face, it works. 

 

Miscellaneous (7/10)- 

 

The only thing I have to say here is why does such a premium company like Titleist not ship an adjustment tool with an adjustable driver? Might be the only negative of this whole review.  

 

Oh BTW the TSi3 also took on the Tiger Tees!! 

 

 

Play it or Trade it? (20/20)- 

Play it.  It’s in the same category as Taylormade and Callaway in terms of price and performance. As far as who should play the TSi3 I would caution people who struggle to get the ball up in the air.  The low penetrating flight is great for some but won’t maximize carry for those who don’t deliver enough loft. For me, this one will be in the bag for a long time. 

 

 

Conclusion- Titleist has to be considered one of the contenders now. The TSi3 performs just as well as the big guns at Taylormade and Callaway, especially since it booted a Most Wanted Winner out of my bag. While you won’t find a huge distance gain from this club the consistency and forgiveness is astonishing. I started with a few reservations as to whether I would be able to play this club or really any Titleist club and throughout this test I have been impressed with the quality and performance. 

 

Final Score- (93/100)

Edited December 19, 2020 by HeathS16
Posting

[hartrick11]

Intro

My name is Patrick, and I am one lucky SOB!  This is my second review on MGS, following my review of the Bridgestone Tour B XW-1 wedges in early 2019.  I am 33 years old, and I live in San Diego with my wife, 8 month old son, and a nutso 3 year old chocolate lab.

My game is very much jack of all trades, master of none. I am a solid ball striker, good putter, and have good touch around the greens, but am not consistent enough in any of those facets to really threaten to move down to scratch.

My driver sits around 106 mph, but can crank up near 110 if I am messing around at the range, or if I just 3-putted and have room to spray it from the next tee box. Generally ball speed sits in the mid to high 150s, and carry is anywhere from 255-275. My tempo is quick with an aggressive transition. I am trying to play a tight fade and my misses are usually left via a straight pull or a double cross, and I also throw in the occasional snap hook and lean-back block for good measure.

My driving game lately has been particularly inconsistent. I was fitted last year at TrueSpec for a Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero with a Ventus Blue 6x. Rather than pay full freight for a custom build, I found pieces on eBay to put together a similar driver (only difference being a Triple Diamond head). I am now realizing (after the Titleist fitting) that I think the club is too light for me, and really exposes my rhythm/tempo deficiency, which has been a painful realization given that this was the most money I have ever spent on a club!

Goals

With this test I set out to find a driver that I can trust. My length off the tee is plenty for me to score if I can reliably find fairways at a higher rate, so I’m not looking for every last MPH of ball speed, but I do need forgiveness and consistency. While Titleist was the first brand of club I purchased with my own money (681 irons and a 975 driver, off eBay with no fitting or trial ), I have not played Titleist irons or metals for the last 10+ years. I know they make great stuff but I have been lucky enough to have friends in the industry (living right by all the major golf company HQs helps), first at TaylorMade and then at Cobra, which allowed me to try out new gear at great prices (R11, R1, F6+, LTD, F8+ were the driver predecessors to my purchase of the Epic last year).

It’s no secret that Titleist fell behind the other big 5 brands in ball speed over the last few years. Their TS line was the first attempt at catching up, and it seems to have been a success. The TSi line is their second try, and this time they bring some interesting face technology to the party with their ATI 425 Aerospace Titanium. Titleist claims that this face provides multi-dimensional stability, delivering “more speed and a tighter spin range up and down the face”. That bit, if true, is what would appeal most to me because consistent spin on miss hits would mitigate some of my worst misses.

Fitting

So if you’re reading this you already know that I hit the jackpot by being selected for the test. (yes, we do have to put in actual work to test these things out as the MGS staff often points out, but let’s be honest: there wouldn’t be thousands of people signing up to test these bad boys if it weren’t such a sweet trade off). What you might not know if you haven’t followed this string from the beginning, is that I hit a double jackpot on this test. As a San Diego resident, I live very close to the famed Titleist Performance Institute, and @Golfspy_CG2 was kind enough to reach out to Titleist to see if I could do my fitting there. They graciously agreed, and I was off to the institute for a fitting by the experts into a club that was still only available to the tour at the time. Are you forking kidding me?! Details of the fitting can be found here;

I won’t repeat all of that but suffice to say, my experience was amazing, and I ended up in a stock 45.5” 10* loft TSi3 head and the Graphite Design AD IZ 7X shaft. Settings are B1 (flat), with 4g extra weight in the head, and the sliding weight moved to the toe to slow down the face-closing at impact.

Grading

Looks – 9.5 out of 10 points

This is, in my humble opinion, the best looking driver on the market going back over the last few years. The classic shape evokes the 975, with a clean crown (no turbulators for me, thank you very much), and technology that is hidden rather than prominently shown with high contrast and/or fluorescent colorways. I subtracted .5 points because the face is a little bit loud for my tastes, but you don’t really see that at address.

Sound and Feel – 10 out of 10 points

You could play this sound without knowing what model it is and it might confuse you for a driver that came out 30 years ago. Completely solid, without even a hint of harshness or “tinny” that many drivers over the last couple of years have had. After I hit this, I never wanted to hear an Epic, or a Ping sound again, MGS most wanted award be damned!

Basic Characteristics – 17 out of 20 points

As the newest offering from arguably the most prestigious brand in golf, this club ticks all the boxes, as it should and needs to in order to keep up with the other major brands that keep churning out hits.

-        Trajectory is a bit lower than other drivers I have tried. My fitter echoed those sentiments as well with what he had observed from all of his fittings. This is why I ended up in the 10 degree model.

-        Forgiveness is the best I have experienced in a driver. I think the properly fitted shaft and head weight plays an enormous part in that equation, but it seems like the ATI technologies face does actually provide a measure of forgiveness across the face. I tested the entirety of the face and found that it was not nearly as punishing as my Epic.

-        With the moveable sole weight (TSi3) and the most versatile hosel on the market, you can adjust settings as needed.

-        Ball speed is the only place where I deducted points. Despite my Epic being a year old and a half inch shorter than my TSi, I could not beat its ball speed. When I connect with the Epic, 160-161 mph ball speed is very doable, but I never cracked 158 with the TSi. In my case the extra ~2 mph is absolutely not something that would scare me off as long as the other facets are there, but this could be significant for some and was somewhat surprising since this is the newest model on the market compared to a year old offering.

Performance – 27 out of 30 points

This club has flat out improved my performance off the tee. It performs just about as well on well-struck drives as any offering on the market that I have tried, but more importantly it has improved my dispersion materially by mitigating my worst misses. Shots that are struck low on the face do not get too spinny or lose too much distance, and hooks that hit high and toe-side have enough spin that they don’t dive out of the air.

Averages with the AD-IZ (TSi3) from my fitting, which have carried over to several range sessions and on course performance: 106 club speed, 156 ball speed, 1.5 smash, 11.3 launch, 2100 spin, 80 ft apex, 260 carry 290 total.

Most of all, I am confident with the driver in my hands again. This is one I was particularly happy with; the 16^th hole on Torrey Pines North is an uphill, slight dogleg right par 4 with the Pacific Ocean on the left, and very steep, blocked out rough on the right. I haven’t hit a good drive here in years. On this one, I confidently stepped up, aimed to the left side of the fairway, far enough left that my normal miss would be swimming, and hit a high power fade right down the pipe.

Miscellaneous – 10 out of 10 points

Did I mention Titleist let me get a fitting at the Performance Institute? Also, they allowed us to test the full spectrum of premium shafts, which enabled me to find my new favorite in the AD IZ. Finally, they built and sent my club within mere days, meaning I had the driver in use on the driving range before it was even available in stores. This section should get them more than 10 points, come to think of it.

Miscellaneous anecdote: One of my best buddies has been a big TaylorMade guy for the last few years; single guy, plays like 75 rounds per year, 4 handicap, averages about 10 more yards than me off the tee. He got fitted for a SIM back in August, and then tried out my TSi on the course in November. Within a week he had gone to hit it again, then scheduled a fitting and ordered the TSi, and won’t be going back to the SIM any time soon.

Play it or Trade it – 20 out of 20 points

This is my gamer, period. I was fit by the top experts at Titleist headquarters, and I really feel like they nailed it; the setup is perfect for my game and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Not only that, but I am now on the lookout for a TSI fairway wood and potentially hybrid too (in a few months) if I can sell off some other stuff.

I could not be more grateful for this entire experience. Thank you so much to MGS and Titleist!

FINAL SCORE – 93.5 out of 100 Points

TL:DR

This driver improved my dispersion substantially. You may not set any ball speed records, but it will keep up with anything out there, and the face is more forgiving top to bottom than any other driver I have tried.

[dlow206]

Titleist TSi 2 Review by DLow206 (Derrick)

Introduction

First off, I would like to thank MGS and Titleist for selecting my to review the TSi 2. It's an honor and I hope you enjoy my review and are able taking away meaningful insights.

Allow me to re-introduce myself, my name is DLow, D to L-O-W (ok, sorry took that line from Jay Z). I am 36 years young, an aspiring to be good golfer, and a husband and father on the side. I am also a certified MGS addict and equipment junkie, known for finding crazy deals and hanging out in the CHA thread too much.

I believe my value proposition as a reviewer is that I represent the high-handicappers who have swing flaws but want to elevate their game and work hard at it. Too many of the reviewers on YouTube these days are great golfers who carry the ball 300 + yards and hit the center of the face almost every time. We need to see tests from golfers who swing over the top, who have an overly negative AOA, etc. While I would love not to have any of those issues, I have them for now, and hopefully my review will resonate with those of you who have those same problems.

 

A little about my golf game and more specifically about my driver game:

• Currently a high-handicapper – 22, have been playing regularly for about a year or so now
• I had been playing the SIM Max driver with a Ventus Red Velocore. I ended up with the Ventus Red because it sounded like a good idea based on the profile (that’s definitely not how you should pick a shaft)
• My good drives are in the 240 to 250 range, with a few getting out there to 270ish total yards based on Shotscope, when the weather is good
• A typical "good" ballflight for me is small fade with a lower trajectory than I desire. Get good roll-out when the fairways are dry, but that doesn't help me here in the PNW during the rainy season
• Miss these days is a push fade, sometimes push slice, an occasional pull when overcompensating
• My AOA is way too negative, so negative that I get depressed talking about lol

Summary of Fitting (Titleist Thursday)

The full detailed review of my fitting can be found here, so I won’t go through all the details again.

 

Going into the fitting, I thought I needed a high-launching, soft tip shaft, because I perceive I hit the ball too low. After I warmed up, the fitter watched me hit about 10 balls with my SIM Max driver, while capturing data on Trackman. The first shaft that the fitter had me try was the Hzrdus RDX. I was shocked, since that is not one of the “high-launching” shaft options. All of the shafts that the fitter had me try were low-mid launch shafts, because my spin was too high due to negative AOA and factors related to my over the top swing. My best performance was with a shaft that I definitely didn’t expect:

Graphite Design XC-6 S

First Impressions

Man, this thing looks great. I like the modern head shape. Overall, it has just a clean, classy look in my mind.

One of those unique elements of the TSi series is the look and material used in the face. “TSi driver faces are constructed from ATI 425 Aerospace Titanium, a unique material that delivers superior strength, elasticity and durability versus the conventional titanium alloys used in golf. The exceptional ductility of ATI 425 (30 percent higher than 6-4 Titanium) allowed engineers to produce Titleist’s fastest driver face, while maintaining the durability properties required for consistent maximum performance.” While its hard to isolate the performance of the driver based on the material used in the face, it looks cool!

Here are some details on the exact specs of the club for you equipment nerds out there.

At -1”, Titleist automatically built the driver with the plus 4 gram weight

Swingweight was around D3

Overall, after unboxing, I was ready to get this party started.

 

 

Grading

Ready for my grades?

Looks (9/10):

To preface this, I am not picky in terms of looks. With that said, this driver looks clean, love the modern head shape, the shiny black finish, the simple alignment aid, the nice looking sole, it just looks great.

One minor nitpick on the looks is that if you hit one off the crown, the idiot marks definitely show and stand out. Now, hitting the ball off the crown is definitely user error and not the fault of the manufacturer, but other drivers out there do a better job of hiding idiot marks than others. That my reason for deducting one point.

Sound (10/10)

As with looks, I am not too picky with sound, and I am bad at describing sound. Does it sound better than a Nike Sumo 2 5900 square driver that sounds like someone is playing golf with an aluminum bat? No doubt. I do think it sounds great, nothing struck me as sounding weird. You can judge for yourself in this video.

From a feel perspective, I attribute a lot of the feel to the feel of the shaft. I had perceived that a low-mid launch, low-mid spin shaft would feel stout. However, with this GD XC shaft, it feels controlled, but has a good kick. I attribute that good kick feeling to the shaft profile being butt soft, so the kick is more in the butt section of the shafts, vs. having a big kick in the tip.

Basic Characteristics (18/20)

 From a characteristics perspective, I am going to evaluate it using the criteria below

• Trajectory – I perceived the trajectory to be higher than my SIM Max and my Trackman stats confirmed that
   
• Workability – I don’t purposefully try to work the ball one way or the other, so can’t comment on this
   
• Accuracy – At my skill level, I could slice a square driver off the planet. My dispersion with the TSi 2 was more than I would have like it to be, but I do attribute a lot of that to user error. I would say I had less big misses with the TSi 2 than with my SIM Max.
   
• Distance – It was interesting that on Trackman, my overall average distance was higher than the SIM Max, even though the TSi 2 playing length is -0.5” shorter. However, my absolute longest drives overall were with the SIM Max.
   
• Forgiveness – I hit the ball all over the face, up-down-left-right, but bulk of my misses I would say are toe side than heel side. I would say the forgiveness was about equal to my SIM Max in terms of distance loss for not hitting it in the center
   
• Adjustability – This is one of the biggest positives with the Titleist adapter. You can adjust the lie angle independently of the loft. There are 16 different adjustments. For me, when making adjustments, I do have to look at the adjustment chart each time, because its not intuitive what A-1 vs. C-3 is on the adjustments. I wish Titleist could come up with a convention that was more intuitive, but that is a very minor grievance.
   
• What factors were you pleased with – I was very pleased with the overall performance of the driver, especially that I didn’t have as big of misses with the TSi 2. I would say I had less OB shots overall with the TSi 2 vs the SIM Max.

 

On Course / LM Performance (28/30)

Did the TSi 2 turn me into a great golfer? No, but I don’t expect that out of any equipment. I honestly did have my ups and downs during the test period with my swing, and there was a time period where I was hitting all of my clubs shorter than normal while I was working on some things.

On the course, I didn’t hit my longest drives of all time with the TSi 2, but I was able to hit the ball a good distance while having a less chance of the really big miss (off the planet to the right) that I had with my SIM Max. I would say that I did find myself more in the fairway or near the fairway with the TSi 2, so less OB balls and less punching out from behind trees. I would consider this one as a representative good drive with the TSi 2 during the winter season:

As a high-handicapper who has inconsistencies, ups and downs, and is working on swing changes, I think one of the best ways to compare the performance of equipment is to test two clubs side by side, on the same day to eliminate as many variables as possible. That way, you can eliminate some other variables that may impact the performance you are seeing between clubs.

I compared the TSi 2 against the SIM Max on a Trackman on December 12^th. In terms of methodology, I hit 40 plus balls with each and did not eliminate any shots. It was on an outdoor range with range balls, and I believe the results were normalized on the Trackman to account for that.

SIM Max:

	Carry	Total	Club Speed	Smash Fac	Ball Speed	Launch Ang	Height	Spin Rate
SIM Max	207.1	228.2	101.8	1.37	139.4	11.9	74	3719

TSi 2:

	Carry	Total	Club Speed	Smash Fac	Ball Speed	Launch Ang	Height	Spin Rate
TSI2	214.9	234	99.3	1.43	141.7	10.5	77	3903

As you can see, the TSi 2 performed better overall, almost 6 yards more in terms of total distance while the clubhead speed was lower. I attribute that to hitting the ball closer to the center of the face more often with the TSi 2. It is hard to isolate if that was due to equipment or due to the TSi 2 playing length being 0.5 inches shorter.

Dispersion:

You can see less of the big misses with the TSi 2 vs. the SIM Max

Miscellaneous (9/10):

I am going to deduct one point for one very minor grievance that I have. To me, the headcover is a little too tight fitting, can be hard to put on at times.

 

Play it or Trade It (18/20):

 I will for sure be playing it. I have much more confidence with it than with my SIM Max. In 2021, I will likely go for a full OEM-agnostic fitting to try a wider range of drivers and shafts to see if there is anything that fits me better. For now, it is the GAMER.

 

Conclusion:

The TSi 2 is a great driver overall, very forgiving, doesn’t appear to be overly fade or draw biased, and I think it will fit a lot of people. Of course, if you want to maximize your performance without unnecessary experimentation, you should get a high-quality fitting to see what you fit best into. I would recommend for sure that the TSi 2 should be one of the clubs that you test though.

 

Final Score: 92/100

 

[alfriday101]

62 year old, male golfer, high SINGLE digit handicap, seeks NEW DRIVER for long term relationship.  I enjoy long walks in the fairway, wedges and short irons into par 4s, and avoiding trees and the beach as much as possible.  Good looks a plus, but I’m more interested in forgiveness of my many faults.  Only serious candidates need apply.

 

            Buying a new golf club is a bit like dating.  You are attracted to a club based on its internet profile and looks.  You swipe right and take it out a few times to see if you are a match, discover the things you like about it and the areas in which the club is lacking.

 

This is the story of my courtship with the Titleist TSi2, thanks to MGS and Titleist. 

 

            Breaking Up is Hard to Do

 

            The MGS/Titleist TSi testing opportunity came at just the right time as I was contemplating breaking up with my old driver.  I have played the Callaway Big Bertha Fusion for 4 years:  10.5 degrees, Mamiya Recoil 450 ES, F3 (56 grams), which Mamiya characterizes as a mid to high launch shaft.  The Fusion is known has high MOI, very forgiving and stable, without compromising distance. 

 

While the BB Fusion has served me well, I have changed in the last 4 years.  My average score has gone down 14 strokes per round, I’ve lost weight and gained swing speed.  My average drive went up 20 yards and my P-average went up 35 yards.  It was time to tell my Callaway, “It’s not you, it’s me.”

 

Pride and Prejudice?

 

In the fall, I started to research drivers to demo.  I admit to being a bit prejudiced against Titleist clubs.  They are the Mr. Darcy of golf clubs—prideful, status oriented and conceited, not for the average Joe.  Are the TS, and the new TSi a change for Titleist?  

 

The TSi’s on-line profile made a lot of claims:

 

1.      Pure Distance.  Features a deep, lower CG to maximize distance through Speed Optimized MOI design.

2.     New Face.  New Possibilities.  [A] driver face that delivers increased ball speed at every point of contact.

3.     Faster in the Air.  Faster at Impact.  Improved aerodynamics lead to added speed…look square at address, with a shape as satisfying as the sound.

 

Are the claims real, or was I being Catfished? 

 

Come Rain or Come Shine

 

            We first met at a driving range on a cold and foggy day in Iowa near the end of October.  Picture Rick and Ilsa at the end of Casablanca, and you get a feel for the conditions.  While romantic in the movies, it’s not great when you can’t see your shots land because of the fog.  Thank goodness for launch monitors.  By the end of the fitting, I was encouraged.  “Luis, this is  (could be) the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

 

The key takeaways:  1.  Take advantage of Titleist Thursdays for a free fitting.  I ended up with a different shaft from what I would have ordered without the fitting.  2.  The experience was very low stress and there was no pressure to buy.  3.  Setting it up was easy and communication from Titleist was excellent.  Titleist Thursday is a great way to meet cute clubs and see if there is a spark without the pressure of paying for dinner and a movie.  

 

Based on the fitting, I ordered the Tsi2.          

            .  

The TSi2 and I arrived at my Florida house on the same day, November 2.   

 

On to the main review:

 

Looks--The First Time, Ever I Saw Your Face (8 out of 10)

 

For most of my golfing life, looks really didn’t matter.  I was in the If You Want to be Happy for the Rest of Your Life camp.  In the 90’s I played Ping Zing 2 irons.  In the 2000’s I had the Nike Sasquatch Sumo driver, which wasn’t exactly known for its great body or stunning face.  The Fusion is better looking, but still not a lingerie model.  It has a great personality. 

 

The TSi2 is a good looking club.  The club head is a bit elongated, but not as much as my Callaway.  

At the fitting, I checked out the TSi3, which has a more classic look—more rounded, not as long.  But the TSi2 is good looking for a high MOI driver.  I personally like the high gloss finish, which is complimented by the matte shaft.

It sets up nice and square to the ball and target.  When I set up to the ball, I can see the face of the club.  The contrast from the highlighted mid-section of the face helps with consistent set up. 

The club is clean, simple, and dare I say, classic.  There is nothing on the head to distract.  No bright colors or intrusive logos.  It’s a 10 when compared to other high MOI drivers, but only and 8 when compared to all the drivers out there.   

 

Sound and Feel—Hooked on a Feeling (10 out of 10)

 

I love the solid “thwack” from a well hit ball.  To my ear, it’s not tinny or metallic sounding at all, which the Fusion is on mishits.  I mentioned that I once played the Nike Sumo—one of the worst sounding drivers of all time.  On the range, other golfers would turn and stare when I hit balls, some would dive for cover.  After a few minutes, all the other golfers on the range would “move away from me on the Group W. bench.”  Not so with the Titleist.  The sound is duller when you hit on the toe or heel, but it does not cross the line into unpleasant.    

 

It feels solid, even on miss hits.  I can feel where I make contact on the face much more so than with the Fusion and there is less twisting on mishits.  Balls, especially range balls, do leave a bit of residue on the face.  I can match feel to actual strike location.  I played two rounds with the same Pro-V and didn’t notice and extra wear and tear on the ball, however.  

All I can say after hitting the TSi2 is Ooga Chuka, Ooga Ooga.   

 

Basic Characteristics—Getting to Know You (16 out of 20)

 

Our first five dates were on the driving range.  Here, reality didn’t quite live up to the promises. 

 

“Improved aerodynamics lead to improved speed.”  Yeah, not so much.  I hit hundreds of balls on the launch monitor comparing my old club to the Titleist.  Averaging them all together, I saw less than 1 MPH of clubhead speed.  

 

“Pure Distance.”  Again, not so much.  Drivers are maxed out on center hits.  My best drives were indistinguishable.  No driver is going past 1.49 smash factor.  Sorry.  

 

So the Titleist failed to live up to it’s profile on two if it’s central claims.  How about the last?

 

“A driver face that delivers increased ball speed at every point of contact.”  Okay.  Now we’re getting somewhere.  The Fusion is high MOI.  The Titleist is better. Ball speeds jumped on less than perfect hits.  High on the face, low on the face, it didn’t matter too much.  As long as contact was in the central (textured) part of the face, ball speed was excellent.  On severe toe and heel shots, speed dropped, but not as much as with the Callaway.  

 

I deducted points because the club didn’t live up to two of its profile claims.    

On Course—Fun, Fun, Fun and I’m a Believer (28 out of 30)

 

I hadn’t kicked the Titleist out of bed for eating crackers, so it was time to introduce it to the real world.  On course performance is excellent.  I played multiple rounds hitting both drivers off the tee to compare performance.  What I found on the range held true on the course. 

 

My good shots were about the same, but slight miss hits were better and big miss-hits were much better.  I found more fairways and first cuts.  Dispersion was better.  Also, the Titleist is a bit more workable.  On my Florida course, I have three par 4s that call for less than a driver off the tee if hitting straight, but allow for driver hit with a draw.  The Titleist gave me the confidence to hit a draw and I gained substantial distance on those holes as a result. 

 

The launch characteristics of the Titleist and Callaway were similar, but the Titleist was straighter and longer over all.  Head to head in a best ball situation, I ended up playing more shots from the Titleist.      

 

Miscellaneous--Happy Together (8 out of 10) 

 

I knocked two points off here, albeit, I might be a bit picky.  The crown of the club does show “idiot marks” when sky balls are hit.  They don’t buff out like on a matte head.  And I do wonder about how the club will hold up looks-wise long term.  After two months, the club is showing a bit of wear, more so than I expected.  But it was rode hard and put up wet. 

Play it or Trade It—When I’m 64 (18 out of 20)

 

The Titleist is in the bag.  I plan to play it—hopefully long term.  I took two points off here simply because the TSi2 head is not adjustable.  It might be nice to tweak it a bit over time.

 

Will I still love it "when I’m 64?"  I’ll let you know in 15 months.  

 

Total Score—88 out of 100.

 

Summary

 

The Titleist TSi2 is a good looking, great sounding and solid driver.  It is very forgiving, more so than the super high MOI Fusion.  My over all distance is better and dispersion has improved.   

 

Getting fit at Titleist Thursday was a great experience and highly recommended.  

The TSi2 changed my perception of the Titleist brand.  They do make clubs for mere mortals.  

 

Do I recommend you buy one?  No.  Do I recommend you try one?  Yes.  If you want forgiveness without losing distance, add it to your demo list.  

 

This 64 year old, high single digit handicapper with a mid 90s MPH swing speed, found a match in the TSi2.

 

Edited December 22, 2020 by alfriday101

[Rickp]

[placeholder]

[dlow206]

I have so much to say right now, but where do I start. What I do know is that I have my Titleist Thursday fitting tomorrow and I am really excited. I really need to get dialed into the right shaft rather that self-fitting myself based on "ideas" I come up with.

[xOldBenKenobiX]

This will be a great review topic, I am excited about it and still a bit jealous of the testers here.

[Lacassem]

 yessssssssss, is papa getting a new TSI head to go with the hulk shaft?! This thread will be the determining factor! Good luck all

[Getoffmylawn]

Following, closely.  The new face material is intriguing; Titleist is normally not an OEM I'd associate with overblown performance statements that its products can't back up.  If these live up to the hype you testers are in for a treat.

[hartrick11]

 @Golfspy_CG2 and the fine folks at Titleist have set me up to get fitted here tomorrow...I am officially the luckiest SOB on this site! MUCH more to come very soon...

[dlow206]

Ok, so I am always full of thoughts (ADHD), so I need to have a starting point, the current state of my game, particularly off the tee.

So that I don't end up writing a TLDR length overview, going to limit myself to bullets on this one.

Current State of my Driver:

• I am not a good golfer yet overall (22 handicap), but relative to my handicap, I would say Driver is one of my stronger areas
• Currently play the SIM Max driver with a Ventus Red Velocore. I ended up with the Ventus Red because it sounded like a good idea based on the profile
• My good drives are in the 240 to 250 range, with a few getting out there to 270ish total yards based on Shotscope
• A typical "good" ballflight for me is small fade with a lower trajectory than I desire. Get good roll-out when the fairways are dry, but that doesn't help me here in the PNW during the rainy season
• Miss these days is a push fade, sometimes push slice. Its a better miss than my old snap hook, but i want to try to get rid of the push slices
• Based on marks on the face, my miss is more towards the toe side. You would think gear effect would potentially cause hooks, but still push fade/slice

What Am I looking for from the TSI:

• Reduction in push slices. Of course I will continue to have a miss, but I need to reduce the off the planet push slices. I can live with a push fade miss.
• Maintain at least the same distance as the SIM Max, but more distance would be great
• I haven't been on Trackman in a while, but historically my spin is too low and my launch angle is too low, and based on ballflight, I believe those continue to be true. If so, would like to increase both of those into acceptable ranges
• Have confidence that I can swing hard. I like to swing hard, i want to be confident that I can go at it with the TSi
• To feel confident that I have been fitted for the right shaft. Confidence is a big thing in my mind, and to know that I went through a fitting of trying different shafts to find the right fit will give me a confidence boost. No more "idea" based shaft selecting for me

[dlow206]

29 minutes ago, hartrick11 said:

 @Golfspy_CG2 and the fine folks at Titleist have set me up to get fitted here tomorrow...I am officially the luckiest SOB on this site! MUCH more to come very soon...

That is going to be awesome. If it weren't for COVID, I would definitely be down for a day trip to Oceanside.

[Getoffmylawn]

32 minutes ago, hartrick11 said:

 @Golfspy_CG2 and the fine folks at Titleist have set me up to get fitted here tomorrow...I am officially the luckiest SOB on this site! MUCH more to come very soon...

Awesome; try to take a few pics and share the experience, this is an incredible opportunity in and of itself, never mind the club!

[hartrick11]

23 minutes ago, hartrick11 said:

 @Golfspy_CG2 and the fine folks at Titleist have set me up to get fitted here tomorrow...I am officially the luckiest SOB on this site! MUCH more to come very soon...

An initial background on my game, specifically re: the driver.

• I am currently a 5.1 handicap. I have a pretty quick tempo, aggressive transition, and when I was last fitted was in the 106-108 mph swing speed range with the driver. 
• Historically the driver was always the best part of my game, with 275 yd tight draws *when my timing was right*. 
• My timing started getting bad and I decided to work on a swing change to get rid of my early extension & flipping issues about 2 years ago. It's been an adventure but my handicap is now as low as it has ever been and I feel much more confident... with 13 of the clubs in my bag. The exception is, the driver has been legitimately awful during that time and is now the worst part of my game. WTF!
• I got fitted a little over a year ago with Truespec. The prescription from that was Epic Flash SZ with the Ventus Blue 6x, at something like $1000 all-in. I didn't want to fork over that much, and figured I'd find it on ebay for cheaper. So I bought a raw Ventus, and found an Epic Flash SZ (3 diamond) head thinking they were a bit fade-biased so could only help my issues, which have historically been lefts. At under $700 all-in, I was feeling pretty smart with my decision...
• I'm not sure if it was my continued swing evolution, the difference between the standard Epic Flash SZ and the 3 diamond head, or a combination of both, but I have never been comfortable with this driver in my hand. It's also the most I have ever spent on one club so I haven't wanted to give up on it.
• I am generally trying to play a fade these days but have plenty of double crosses and will pepper in a few fades that turn into full blown slices as well. Not great Bob! 

I am really hoping the TSi can help me get back to feeling comfortable with the driver in my hands. If this fitting & process doesn't work I may need to permanently remove driver from the bag because it probably means I am a lost cause!

[TSauer]

2 hours ago, Getoffmylawn said:

Following, closely.  The new face material is intriguing; Titleist is normally not an OEM I'd associate with overblown performance statements that its products can't back up.  If these live up to the hype you testers are in for a treat.

Apparently the new face material they're using has been used on the Mars rover... that alone is exciting! 

[dlow206]

1 hour ago, hartrick11 said:

An initial background on my game, specifically re: the driver.

• I am currently a 5.1 handicap. I have a pretty quick tempo, aggressive transition, and when I was last fitted was in the 106-108 mph swing speed range with the driver. 
• Historically the driver was always the best part of my game, with 275 yd tight draws *when my timing was right*. 
• My timing started getting bad and I decided to work on a swing change to get rid of my early extension & flipping issues about 2 years ago. It's been an adventure but my handicap is now as low as it has ever been and I feel much more confident... with 13 of the clubs in my bag. The exception is, the driver has been legitimately awful during that time and is now the worst part of my game. WTF!
• I got fitted a little over a year ago with Truespec. The prescription from that was Epic Flash SZ with the Ventus Blue 6x, at something like $1000 all-in. I didn't want to fork over that much, and figured I'd find it on ebay for cheaper. So I bought a raw Ventus, and found an Epic Flash SZ (3 diamond) head thinking they were a bit fade-biased so could only help my issues, which have historically been lefts. At under $700 all-in, I was feeling pretty smart with my decision...
• I'm not sure if it was my continued swing evolution, the difference between the standard Epic Flash SZ and the 3 diamond head, or a combination of both, but I have never been comfortable with this driver in my hand. It's also the most I have ever spent on one club so I haven't wanted to give up on it.
• I am generally trying to play a fade these days but have plenty of double crosses and will pepper in a few fades that turn into full blown slices as well. Not great Bob! 

I am really hoping the TSi can help me get back to feeling comfortable with the driver in my hands. If this fitting & process doesn't work I may need to permanently remove driver from the bag because it probably means I am a lost cause!

Never a lost cause, you will get it figured out. That Ventus is pretty tip stiff, plus the triple diamond fade bias could be leading to the unexpected slices.

[Golfspy_CG2]

1 hour ago, hartrick11 said:

An initial background on my game, specifically re: the driver.

• I am currently a 5.1 handicap. I have a pretty quick tempo, aggressive transition, and when I was last fitted was in the 106-108 mph swing speed range with the driver. 
• Historically the driver was always the best part of my game, with 275 yd tight draws *when my timing was right*. 
• My timing started getting bad and I decided to work on a swing change to get rid of my early extension & flipping issues about 2 years ago. It's been an adventure but my handicap is now as low as it has ever been and I feel much more confident... with 13 of the clubs in my bag. The exception is, the driver has been legitimately awful during that time and is now the worst part of my game. WTF!
• I got fitted a little over a year ago with Truespec. The prescription from that was Epic Flash SZ with the Ventus Blue 6x, at something like $1000 all-in. I didn't want to fork over that much, and figured I'd find it on ebay for cheaper. So I bought a raw Ventus, and found an Epic Flash SZ (3 diamond) head thinking they were a bit fade-biased so could only help my issues, which have historically been lefts. At under $700 all-in, I was feeling pretty smart with my decision...
• I'm not sure if it was my continued swing evolution, the difference between the standard Epic Flash SZ and the 3 diamond head, or a combination of both, but I have never been comfortable with this driver in my hand. It's also the most I have ever spent on one club so I haven't wanted to give up on it.
• I am generally trying to play a fade these days but have plenty of double crosses and will pepper in a few fades that turn into full blown slices as well. Not great Bob! 

I am really hoping the TSi can help me get back to feeling comfortable with the driver in my hands. If this fitting & process doesn't work I may need to permanently remove driver from the bag because it probably means I am a lost cause!

This is great, I'm even more excited now that your fitting is there.  I don't know who you'll work with, but I've been through a fitting and witnessed a few others there, and they all are great and will get you dialed in for sure. 

[dlow206]

Throwing out something here for fun. Anyone want to guess what shaft that I am fitted into tomorrow during the fitting (shaft, flex, weight), based on the info I provided about my game? I will give away a small prize for who ever guesses the right (or closest) shaft.

You can assume the shafts will be from this list: https://www.titleist.com/golf-clubs/golf-drivers/tsi2