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Lightweight, high launch, high spin Titleist TS1 driver rounds out the TS family

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The TS series has been a game changer for Titleist.

In a very short period of time, Titleist has gone from a company that self-admittedly struggled to keep up in the metal woods segment over the last few years, to a leader. This season alone, Titleist has won the driver count at tour events multiple times, which is something that would have been almost unheard of only a few years ago.

Why now?

Because TS stands for Titleist Speed, and they really mean it!

On the heels of the recent Titleist TS4 launch (a driver designed for the extreme spin control end of the driver fitting bell curve for players with speed), Titleist is now looking to help players who are looking for additional launch and speed with the new TS1. Specifically designed for golfers with moderate clubhead speeds (think 90mph or less) the engineers at Titleist have pulled out all the stops to help these players gain speed, launch, and more specifically distance off the tee.

Speaking to pulling things out, the first thing Titleist designers did was go to the drawing board (that’s probably an antiquated term, let me try again ) went to the CAD files and began looking at ways to decrease the total weight of the club — from head to grip nothing was overlooked. With the average TS2 coming in at roughly 320g total club weight with a standard grip, the new TS1 tips the scales at an ultralight 275g, thanks to pushing the limits of design technology and components.

Titleist TS1 head

  • The head of the TS1 is 8 grams less overall vs. TS2, and there is the ability to go even lighter by either custom ordering it or using the optional SureFIT weight kit later on. The weight is also positioned as far back as possible in the head to maximize forgiveness.
  • Speaking to forgiveness – even with the lighter mass of the club head, there is NO loss in MOI performance thanks to that rear positioned weight along with maximizing the head shape.
  • It’s slightly draw biased. Not by much, but compared to the other models in the TS line up this is a bit of a departure from the norm for Titleist. But the good news for those concerned, about using a draw biased driver – you still have the adjustable SureFit hosel to dial in ball flight. Something no other driver in the ultra light category offers.

Shafts

  • There are two stock shaft offerings for the TS1 to help continue the goal of driving down the total weight. The first option being the Fubuki MV (stands for Maximum Velocity) and the Fujikura AIR Speeder.
  • The Fubuki comes in at 45g and is available in stiff, regular, and A-Flex. A ladies flex is also available and comes in at an even lighter 39g.
  • The Fujikura AIR Speeder is 40g and available in stiff, regular, and R2 (a nice way to say A flex). Ladies flex comes in at a shocking 39g (PLEASE DON’T LEAN ON YOUR DRIVER WHILE WAITING ON THE TEE!)

Grip

Although you can choose any grip available through Titleist Custom options, the stock grip is the Tour Velvet 360 Super Lightweight, which specs out at 32g for the men’s grip and a 26g in women’s. To put that into perspective, a men’s standard grip averages around 50g — Titleist really is cutting weight everywhere.

Now to the specs & availability…

Internal testing shows that the TS1 spins on average 200 RPM more than the TS2, which helps improve carry distance. Most people think that lower spin helps with gaining distance but thanks to modern low spinning multi-layer golf balls, many players in the moderate swing speed range actually struggle to keep enough spin on the ball. This is why when you see some mishits they appear to just “fall from the sky.”

Since the goal of the TS1 project was to maximize distance, the shaft length has been extended another .25″ from the new Titleist standard to 45.75.” After a lot of testing, it was determined that for many players the point of diminishing return on distance gains came at that length…but like anything else, this can be customized.

The TS1 will be available in three lofts: 9.5, 10.5, and 12.5 degrees. (And 10.5 degrees for lefties)

Fitting tools will start to hit shops on June 20, and stock will arrive at retail locations starting on June 27 (same timeline as TS4). Pricing is also in line with the rest of the TS drivers: $499.

Ryan Barath is a club-fitter & master club builder with more than 17 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. He is the former Build Shop Manager & Social Media Coordinator for Modern Golf. He now works independently from his home shop and is a member of advisory panels to a select number of golf equipment manufacturers. You can find Ryan on Twitter and Instagram where he's always willing to chat golf, and share his passion for club building, course architecture and wedge grinding.

16 Comments

16 Comments

  1. s

    Jun 8, 2019 at 11:20 am

    Now we know the technology pretty much settled on placing weights on the center line. Back for more forgiveness/stability, front for lower spin / better feel, somewhere in the middle, or both. Then why would anyone want to get a $$$ non-adjustable driver?

  2. Bill Wells

    Jun 6, 2019 at 5:01 pm

    Wish I knew about this before I bought TS2, of course that probably was the game plan.

  3. jubilee_links

    Jun 5, 2019 at 5:54 pm

    TM superfast with a shorter shaft length

  4. CrashTestDummy

    Jun 5, 2019 at 8:19 am

    I like that they are trending towards making drivers lighter because as iron shafts get lighter, drivers can feel very heavy in relation to your set which can really affect performance. The one issue is that the lightweight shafts are way too high in torque for many players. Perhaps the 8 grams out of the head is enough to still use a lower torque shaft and still make it feel quite light. Definitely would like to try one.

  5. TheTruth

    Jun 4, 2019 at 5:47 pm

    XXIO is already dominating this category.

    • JThunder

      Jun 4, 2019 at 11:19 pm

      So the suggestion is that if one manufacturer is “dominating” a certain “category”, then no one else should try?

      I guess that’s where Wal-Mart / Amazon Capitalism gets us – people demanding fewer choices and only the #1 seller counts for anything.

      Well done, world.

    • JThunder

      Jun 4, 2019 at 11:23 pm

      Also, the XXIO is $150 more, has a glued hosel – so no shaft swapping, no adjustability. And the stiff shaft plays to an “R” and there is no XS option.

  6. HackerDad31

    Jun 4, 2019 at 3:48 pm

    Remember when everyone used to lose their minds when TM or Callaway released more than 2 drivers in a year? Me too.

  7. Eck42

    Jun 4, 2019 at 12:48 pm

    I think this might be exactly what I’m wishing for. I admit I am not a 300yd hitter and some extra yards would really help. I am looking forward to trying the TS1.

    • B

      Jun 4, 2019 at 2:07 pm

      What’s wrong with the Epic Star? You can pick up a nice used on for less than this price, and it’s a better driver

  8. Thomas A

    Jun 4, 2019 at 12:34 pm

    How very Wilson D300 of them.

  9. jonsnow

    Jun 4, 2019 at 10:12 am

    Very interested to see how this driver fares. My swingspeed is in the mid 90s now & all the emphasis from manufacturers seems to be on the higher swingspeed player. Nice to see somebody trying to put out a driver for the slower swingspeed guys.

    • B

      Jun 4, 2019 at 2:06 pm

      Epic Star? Honma Beres?

      • Robin

        Jun 4, 2019 at 3:18 pm

        The Epic Star is still $700 new and good luck finding a place to demo a Honma in the U.S.

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BK’s Breakdowns: Cameron Young’s winning WITB, 2025 Wyndham Championship

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Cameron Young’s WITB from his win at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. Cameron is a Titleist staff player but his bag is definitely filled with some unique clubs. Here are the clubs he used to secure his first PGA Tour win!

Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX

3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX

Hybrid: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus HB Black VeloCore+ 10 X

Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F @57), WedgeWorks (60-K* @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7

Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5 Tour Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Prototype

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Whats in the Bag

Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)

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Driver: Titleist GT3 (10 degrees, C2 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX

3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X

7-wood: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X

Irons: Titleist T150 (4, 5), Titleist T100 (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F, 56-08M @57, 60-04T @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Fastback 1.5 Tour Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Yellow

Check out more in-hand photos Malnati’s clubs here.

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Equipment

GolfWRX Members Choice presented by 2nd Swing: Best driver of 2025

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We’re proud to once again partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2025! 2nd Swing has more than 150,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here

What is the best driver in 2025? At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. When it comes to the best driver of 2025, we want to know what our forum faithful think.

Since our founding in 2005, the bedrock of GolfWRX.com has been the community of passionate and knowledgeable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.

Below are the results of GolfWRX member voting for the 2025 best driver, along with the vote percentage for each club.

Best driver of 2025: The top 5

5. Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond: 6.02%

Callaway’s pitch: “For golfers looking for a fast, forgiving, yet workable driver, the Elyte Triple Diamond features a tour-inspired shape and is the preferred model by most Callaway tour players.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond here.

4. Ping G440 Max: 6.86%

Ping’s pitch: “The most forgiving G440 model, MAX has a hotter face to generate speed and distance, and a lighter overall system weight with a longer shaft (46″) for faster clubhead speed, higher launch and longer carries. The Free Hosel and Carbonfly Wrap crown save weight to create our lowest CG ever and increase forgiveness while contributing to a more muted, pleasing sound.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 Max here.

3. Ping G440 LST: 9.53%

Ping’s pitch: “LST is an especially good fit for faster swings, offering less spin and more control with a penetrating trajectory. A hotter face, lighter overall system weight and longer shaft (46″) deliver more speed and distance while maintaining tight dispersion.”

@phizzy30: “Not a fan of Ping drivers in general, but 440 LST takes the cake. It’s super forgiving across the face for a low spin head, looks and sounds good and the ability to make it play neutral or slightly fade biased through the hosel settings is very appealing.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 LST here.

2. Titleist GT3: 16.55%

Titleist’s pitch: “The GT3 Driver offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization through adjustable performance. Dial in the CG Track to your frequent contact location to make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping.”

@mrmikeac: “I’ve been Anti-Titleist for years and years and years (outside of Vokey, of course). With that being said, HOLY BEGEEZUS the GT3 driver is an absolute NUCLEAR MONSTER! This thing blew my G430 10K Max out of the water in every single category. Forgiveness is the biggest thing that stands out of me, the 3 model has always been one of the less forgiving models in the past but this GT3 can take bad shot after bad shot and still end up in the fairway, I think a ton of that has to do with the adjustability, it’s actually effective. Feel and sound is perfect, that solid crack is so addicting to hear and when you hit it out the screws this thing can absolutely bomb it. Titleist, I’m sorry for doubting you. You have converted me.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT3 here.

1. Titleist GT2: 22.91%

Titleist’s pitch: “Delivering impressive distance from any impact point, the Titleist GT2 Driver extracts maximum performance through a forgiving design. Get the stability and added confidence of a high-MOI driver without sacrificing speed.”

@DTorres: “The Titleist GT2 has proven to be the best driver of the year. Packaged in a classic profile, GT2 perfectly balances performance and forgiveness while consistently being a high performer across all categories.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT2 here.

Other drivers receiving >2% of the vote

Driver Vote percentage (%)
Cobra DS Adapt Max K 4.85%
Ping G430 Max 10K 3.85%
Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond 3.68%
TaylorMade Qi35 3.51%
Callaway Elyte 3.18%
Cobra DS Adapt X 2.34%
Cobra DS Adapt LS 2.17%
TaylorMade Qi35 LS 2.17%

 

 

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