New Titleist 917 driver: shot at the 2016 Quicken Loans National

[Thug Hunter]

This thread went a bit off.

 

Brutal....please get back to the 917....

 

What else is there to say about the 917? Has anyone here hit it yet?.......Nope! Next question. When is it going to be released? late Oct. early Nov. Any other questions? Silence with a few comments along the lines of, "that looks awesome", "can't wait to buy it" or "Titleist drivers lack distance" blah blah blah.

[warfelg]

Rather than worrying about the "made for" shaft debate, I would rather have the opportunity to hit a slew of demo clubs and when I find the one that I hit best at the demo, I would like to be able to buy that same club right then and there. Shafts and heads are like fingerprints, not one is identical as the other. Whether it's a "made for" or not, every same make/model shaft feels different. As long as the club I hit works, I don't care if it's a bulk shaft or tour issue/limited edition.

 

That's another big issue. Say you're demoing a 9.5 degree head and shaft and it is absolutely perfect for you, well all driver heads have a manufacturing tolerance of around +/- 0.5 degrees, so you could be hitting one that is actually 10 degrees with a shaft that launches slightly higher than stated and then receive one that is 9 degrees and a shaft that launches slightly lower than stated when you place your order. You've demoed a club that gives you perfect launch conditions but when you buy the driver you get one launching 2-3 degrees lower and drastically alters the performance of the club that you were expecting to get.

 

I think you misunderstood what I said. Your theory is the exact reason why I said I would like to be able to buy the exact club a demoed. Exact meaning the same exact one I swung and I walk away from the demo with that same exact club.

 

So basically you want demo days to be a traveling tour van?

 

Its hard enough for most of us to transport every loft driver head in all the varieties, along with fairway heads, hybrid heads, iron heads, wedges, stock shafts, upcharge shafts, exotic shafts, bags, banners, tents, tables. Then on top of that it's usually one of each. Back to back days at times, and I've known some guys to do two in one day. So if they sell one that they have in the demo kit there's no way to get a replacement fast enough.

 

Now if you test out the shops demo, love the demo, and want to buy the demo off of them that's another thing.

 

Yeah basically what I'm talking about is when I signed up for a Titleist Thursday. I hit the D2 and D3 with multiple shafts, lofts, settings and ultimately ended up with what I have identified in my signature. I waited for prices to drop, knowing the 917 was coming soon, ordered the custom setup through Golfsmith and while I have no complaints at all about the club I got, there's no way it's the same as what I hit at the Titleist Thursday fitting. If I could've bought the setup I hit at the Titleist Thursday fitting, I would have.

 

I see what you're saying in stocking enough heads, shafts, etc., but in reality, the Titleist Thursdays are the perfect scenario for this. Fitter keeps a truck full of heads and shafts, you find a combo you hit well on Trackman. Give them their money on the spot and walk away with your club. Forget the 1-2 week turnaround. These events are only on Thursdays and they only have a dozen or so fittings during those Thursdays. I don't think it'd be too difficult to stock that kind of demand, especially considering that not everyone will pull the trigger that day.

 

This exact situation has happened to me at two demo days at Golfsmith's headquarters. One was at a Accuflex tent (Accuflex Creation was a highly demanded shaft 10 or so years ago). I offered full retail price for the club I hit, but ended up being turned down and had to buy the shaft from the vendor, wait for the shaft to arrive and take it to a club builder. The second time was when I was doing a shaft fitting at UST's headquarters in Dallas. Same thing, same result.

 

I know what Titleist Thursdays are and it's the exact same thing you get with a demo day. Just they usually do appointments to work with guys (and gals) one at a time. They don't get enough of each head to do what you are asking for. They would have to stock so many of every head.

 

Let's just, for instance, say that he can do 6 fittings in a night. That means 6 of every shaft they offer. 6 of every loft and head. And the equipment to build the club you want.

 

What you are really asking for is those high end fittings, usually done at the club makers facilities, where they perfectly fit you to a club using everything they can and sell you the exact one you hit.

 

For a demo guy to do that and carry the stock needed in order to do that...it's nearly impossible.

[Bartin]

I saw a video with Marc crossfeid

Testing out multiple shafts from x stiff, stiff and ladies regular graphite with numbers on trac man almost the same all across

I love tinkering with equipment and a 8-10 handicap.. Any opinions on high end shafts really improving my game

Seems like I won't get an improvement unless I'm getting all out of shafts..

Opinions pls...

 

Shaft flex is different than the shaft bend profile which will affect launch and spin which different shaft brands and lines within the brands offer. Flex is mainly about feel and dispersion assuming equal bend profiles. I think you actually hit it a bit farther with a softer flex than a stiffer flex but at the cost of control. The L/R/S/X of Shaft A won't offer too much of a difference between them performance wise but the X of Shaft A and the X of Shaft B can have huge differences in performances.

[warfelg]

I heard the guys at quicken hit it couple of times, it's definitely a different sound than the 915. If the 915's are more of a metallic tangy sound, the 917 is a 'thwack' a lot like the 975s and 983s which I loved. I'm really looking forward to comparing the numbers on this vs the M1/M2 when the time comes.

 

I got to hear it too. Sounds good. The grey is a little too reflective (IMO), so I would hope they find a way to make the crown more "dull". But the ball left the clubface nicely.

[warfelg]

Very interested to see what the stock shaft options are for the 917's.

 

I think that Diamana would still be the shaft options. Titleist has basically been in bed with them for a while when it comes to the stock shaft option. With the Red, White, Blue they get all the options they need with one OEM.

[dwboston]

Still no one who can confirm if a 915 SureFit will go in to the 917??

Yes it does, pro's were simply pulling their existing shafts out of 915 and installing in 917

 

Isn't this what WE want to do? Buy the head and swap the shaft. I have been fitted to my current (expensive real deal) shaft and just would like the head.

 

However, they will require me to buy the entire club and then sell the made for shaft on ebay for ~$35 dollars. I hate this about the OEM's marking practices. If the shafts are real deal like they say (which obviously they are not), why don't they sell the heads and shafts separately? I'm so annoyed I just answered my own question before I asked it! :rofl:

 

Most likely it is due to contractual obligations with the shaft manufacturer. Stock shafts these days are real deal and you get a pretty good deal on them when you buy a new driver but they can only offer a good deal like that when they guarantee the production of a certain number due to economies of scale.

 

Interesting that this issue arises within this thread. I have long been of the view that the next frontier in equipment marketing will be for the big OEM's to move toward component sales. They'll do it, if the market demands it. I suspect a company like Callaway might start it. Others would have to follow.

 

Callaway did do this at one point with one of the FT drivers (back in 2007 or 2008 I think) - they sold the head and shafts separately. I remember seeing the driver heads in retail packaging up on the shelf in the golf shop I used to go to in downtown Boston. But the pricing was completely out of whack for each piece, so it didn't take off.

[Cameron Circle T]

Yea, it was the i-mix program if I recall correctly.

 

I think what we have to remember is that most ppl don't buy new clubs all that often and don't spend money for super expensive shafts that they want to keep swapping. So while it may work great for our community, I don't see it taking off that well - not too many avg. joes are going to want to walk in and just buy a head.

[dwboston]

Yea, it was the i-mix program if I recall correctly.

 

I think what we have to remember is that most ppl don't buy new clubs all that often and don't spend money for super expensive shafts that they want to keep swapping. So while it may work great for our community, I don't see it taking off that well - not too many avg. joes are going to want to walk in and just buy a head.

 

I-Mix - that was it. Thanks!

[gcp07]

do we have a release date yet?

[warfelg21]

do we have a release date yet?

 

I would guess late sept-late oct like all other Titleist releases. In time for the SW season and the holidays.

[Bob57]

do we have a release date yet?

 

Drivers early November as usual. Maybe the fairways at the same time now that the hybrids have moved to the iron product cycle time. In the past it was Drivers in November and hybrids and fairways in February..

[oneaugusta]

Hard to speculate on release date on this offering, Titleist is doing some unusual thing as of late, don't be surprised by something different.......

[Chris92009]

do we have a release date yet?

 

Drivers early November as usual. Maybe the fairways at the same time now that the hybrids have moved to the iron product cycle time. In the past it was Drivers in November and hybrids and fairways in February..

 

Hybrids are now on the iron cycle, so it will just be Driver and Fairway Metals this fall. Release will be in Nov officially but you will be able to find demo's in October most likely at prominent Titleist Fitters.

[joker21]

So with the stock shafts, we always seem to get diamana in 909, 910, 913, 915.

But in the 909 we also got the aldila voodoo

910 - project x

913 - aldila phenom and tour green

915 - aldila rogue and most recently seemed to be getting speeders (816 hybrids have speeders as well)

 

What will the other shaft option be? To me the speeder seems to be hot shaft right now.

[KrazyTrain18]

So with the stock shafts, we always seem to get diamana in 909, 910, 913, 915.

But in the 909 we also got the aldila voodoo

910 - project x

913 - aldila phenom and tour green

915 - aldila rogue and most recently seemed to be getting speeders (816 hybrids have speeders as well)

 

What will the other shaft option be? To me the speeder seems to be hot shaft right now.

 

I don't think Titleist will have any Fuji shafts as stock options. They've generally tried to have a different stock offerings than their competitors. I'm expecting Mitsubishi Rayon, Aldila & maybe a third OEM but likely just two.

[Bob57]

do we have a release date yet?

 

Drivers early November as usual. Maybe the fairways at the same time now that the hybrids have moved to the iron product cycle time. In the past it was Drivers in November and hybrids and fairways in February..

 

Hybrids are now on the iron cycle, so it will just be Driver and Fairway Metals this fall. Release will be in Nov officially but you will be able to find demo's in October most likely at prominent Titleist Fitters.

 

In many cases like our titleist rep. they have their fitting case by late September and start fitting their local pros at that time. They utilize local fitting facilities. Then in October the fitting facilities have their fitting supplies and start with the public.

[Togatown22]

So with the stock shafts, we always seem to get diamana in 909, 910, 913, 915.

But in the 909 we also got the aldila voodoo

910 - project x

913 - aldila phenom and tour green

915 - aldila rogue and most recently seemed to be getting speeders (816 hybrids have speeders as well)

 

What will the other shaft option be? To me the speeder seems to be hot shaft right now.

 

I don't think Titleist will have any Fuji shafts as stock options. They've generally tried to have a different stock offerings than their competitors. I'm expecting Mitsubishi Rayon, Aldila & maybe a third OEM but likely just two.

 

Do you think Aldila will have anything new to show us or will we be Rogue-ing it again (not that I'd be upset with that) ?

[playa]

I love the gray coming back. I still have a 905S and love looking at it. here is hoping the heads don't look like alien space ships in person.

905 series are the best looking drivers ever made. Don't see any resemblance in these.

[Whiskey_fire]

Anyone catch the coverage today to see if Jordan switched? All I caught was 18 and he was way ahead of Dustin.

[Thug Hunter]

Anyone catch the coverage today to see if Jordan switched? All I caught was 18 and he was way ahead of Dustin.

 

I know for sure he had a 917 headcover, but coverage never showed the actual club.

[DColton]

I work in the industry and I received an email from corporate on the release date

 

It's in October but I forgot the exact day so ill let y'all know on Saturday cause we're closed tomorrow (Canada Day)

[Big Fudge]

I am game looks sweet.

[Scooter321]

Anyone catch the coverage today to see if Jordan switched? All I caught was 18 and he was way ahead of Dustin.

 

He did not switch yet.

[Thug Hunter]

Anyone catch the coverage today to see if Jordan switched? All I caught was 18 and he was way ahead of Dustin.

 

He did not switch yet.

 

You sure about that? I definitely saw a 917 headcover in his bag during yesterday's round.

[Yellow Jacket]

Anyone catch the coverage today to see if Jordan switched? All I caught was 18 and he was way ahead of Dustin.

 

He did not switch yet.

 

You sure about that? I definitely saw a 917 headcover in his bag during yesterday's round.

And players never have a different club than what's under the headcover?

[Thug Hunter]

Anyone catch the coverage today to see if Jordan switched? All I caught was 18 and he was way ahead of Dustin.

 

He did not switch yet.

 

You sure about that? I definitely saw a 917 headcover in his bag during yesterday's round.

And players never have a different club than what's under the headcover?

 

I didn't say or speculate that at all. I was just asking if the person making the comment can say for sure. I have a Titleist hybrid cover on my Xhot hybrid because the Callaway cover sucks! I watched Spieth's round from beginning to end and not once caught a glimpse of his driver to verify whether or not it was a 917 or 915.

 

Edit: just found a pic from yesterday on Getty and he's still gaming the 915

[03SMURF]

After playing the smaller head versions of my last three Titleist drivers (983E, 913D3, 915D3), this may be the one I try to fit into a D2.

[Bdmac79]

After playing the smaller head versions of my last three Titleist drivers (983E, 913D3, 915D3), this may be the one I try to fit into a D2.

 

I'm thinking the same thing. Since the 983K and the 905R, I've gone 909D3, 910D3, 913D3, and 915D3. It's all been about the shape, but a little extra forgiveness couldn't hurt.

[jons1]

just look how many pros play the d2 model. it's just really forgiving and the spin difference is not as much as people think. the quality of the strike and where it is on the face has more impact on the spin than how far the weight is from the face.

[Thug Hunter]

just look how many pros play the d2 model. it's just really forgiving and the spin difference is not as much as people think. the quality of the strike and where it is on the face has more impact on the spin than how far the weight is from the face.

 

For me it's just a matter of never being able to adjust to a 460 sized head. The D3 isn't that big of a difference, but the D2 just looks massive to me.