The Ultimate Titleist 917 Driver Fitting at TPI Oceanside (Launch Monitor Data Added Pg. 4)

[J13]

@bryanw- your fitting is the way to go and shaft makes a huge difference. One thing Titleist does the best is shaft offerings and fitting carts in shops. TM usually has a weak stock offering so try some quality shafts in any head that interests you and see how it shakes out. The fitters will make sure you get the best of both worlds in terms of distance and dispersion.

[bryanwmilburn]

@bryanw- your fitting is the way to go and shaft makes a huge difference. One thing Titleist does the best is shaft offerings and fitting carts in shops. TM usually has a weak stock offering so try some quality shafts in any head that interests you and see how it shakes out. The fitters will make sure you get the best of both worlds in terms of distance and dispersion.

 

Thanks for the input. I'll report back here with my findings!

[brushie]

Two rounds with my newly purchased M2 and 2 different shafts and for me it isn't anything revolutionary vs my Titleist driver. Some nice hits but on average about the same. One more shaft to try and still waiting for the 917 to arrive to do a head to head.

[J13]

2nd round with 917, much better than first, definitely longer than 915. Within M2 distance, could put the 917 in play easily, not sure if off center is still as good as M2, M2 is more forgiving still. Feels like I have to work a little harder and hit it slightly better to get M2 distances, but it's out there with it.

 

You need that replacement head asap your starting to hallucinate :tongue:

[Pure745]

2nd round with 917, much better than first, definitely longer than 915. Within M2 distance, could put the 917 in play easily, not sure if off center is still as good as M2, M2 is more forgiving still. Feels like I have to work a little harder and hit it slightly better to get M2 distances, but it's out there with it.

 

You need that replacement head asap your starting to hallucinate :tongue:

 

deleted my post, meant to post in WITB :) It's longer than I thought. Can't lie.

[billownm1]

I just don't get the claim that Titleist is behind with distance. For some reason, Titleist drivers just work for me. I tried the m1, M2, and Callaway 816 Alpha and the 917 D2 beat them all out on distance, and was light years ahead on accuracy and forgiveness. All trackman confirmed with optimized shafts for each club. I guess it varies but man the 915 was great for me, and the 917 was way better for me as a result of being properly fit for the first time. I cannot wait to get it in.

 

I am the exact same way Brian. I tested the new 917D2 vs the M1 and M2 on Trackman. Trackman verified that the 917 flew longer and straighter for me.

 

Glad to know I'm not the only WRXer who get's better performance with a Titleist than a TM haha

[CallawayLefty]

I just don't get the claim that Titleist is behind with distance. For some reason, Titleist drivers just work for me. I tried the m1, M2, and Callaway 816 Alpha and the 917 D2 beat them all out on distance, and was light years ahead on accuracy and forgiveness. All trackman confirmed with optimized shafts for each club. I guess it varies but man the 915 was great for me, and the 917 was way better for me as a result of being properly fit for the first time. I cannot wait to get it in.

 

I am the exact same way Brian. I tested the new 917D2 vs the M1 and M2 on Trackman. Trackman verified that the 917 flew longer and straighter for me.

 

Glad to know I'm not the only WRXer who get's better performance with a Titleist than a TM haha

 

I'm hitting my 917 as long as my former M1. And it's a far better driver from a consistency standpoint.

[J13]

I just don't get the claim that Titleist is behind with distance. For some reason, Titleist drivers just work for me. I tried the m1, M2, and Callaway 816 Alpha and the 917 D2 beat them all out on distance, and was light years ahead on accuracy and forgiveness. All trackman confirmed with optimized shafts for each club. I guess it varies but man the 915 was great for me, and the 917 was way better for me as a result of being properly fit for the first time. I cannot wait to get it in.

 

I am the exact same way Brian. I tested the new 917D2 vs the M1 and M2 on Trackman. Trackman verified that the 917 flew longer and straighter for me.

 

Glad to know I'm not the only WRXer who get's better performance with a Titleist than a TM haha

 

So why do you think Titleist only allowed players with previous versions of their product come to the TPI fitting trip? What other OEM has put that restriction on a trip?

[scratchswinger]

I just don't get the claim that Titleist is behind with distance. For some reason, Titleist drivers just work for me. I tried the m1, M2, and Callaway 816 Alpha and the 917 D2 beat them all out on distance, and was light years ahead on accuracy and forgiveness. All trackman confirmed with optimized shafts for each club. I guess it varies but man the 915 was great for me, and the 917 was way better for me as a result of being properly fit for the first time. I cannot wait to get it in.

 

I am the exact same way Brian. I tested the new 917D2 vs the M1 and M2 on Trackman. Trackman verified that the 917 flew longer and straighter for me.

 

Glad to know I'm not the only WRXer who get's better performance with a Titleist than a TM haha

 

So why do you think Titleist only allowed players with previous versions of their product come to the TPI fitting trip? What other OEM has put that restriction on a trip?

 

Because their technology is three years behind and they knew their ball speed was lacking?

 

[Mudguard]

Head weights of the 915 and 917 D2.

They are exactly the same with their respective weights in.

 

915 D2 by Chazz Michael Michaels

 

917 D2 by Chazz Michael Michaels

[KPH808]

I just don't get the claim that Titleist is behind with distance. For some reason, Titleist drivers just work for me. I tried the m1, M2, and Callaway 816 Alpha and the 917 D2 beat them all out on distance, and was light years ahead on accuracy and forgiveness. All trackman confirmed with optimized shafts for each club. I guess it varies but man the 915 was great for me, and the 917 was way better for me as a result of being properly fit for the first time. I cannot wait to get it in.

 

I am the exact same way Brian. I tested the new 917D2 vs the M1 and M2 on Trackman. Trackman verified that the 917 flew longer and straighter for me.

 

Glad to know I'm not the only WRXer who get's better performance with a Titleist than a TM haha

 

So why do you think Titleist only allowed players with previous versions of their product come to the TPI fitting trip? What other OEM has put that restriction on a trip?

 

Because they are trying to prove that the new current model is better than the previous model. Isn't that what all manufacturers try to do?

 

Otherwise they would have chosen those with anything in the bag. They are trying to prove that the current 917 line is an improvement over the 915 which it is. It feels better, looks better, sounds better, and it has more ball speed vs the 915 line. That's the bottom line, it is an improvement and that's all they are trying to get across.

 

We can continue to argue that so and so is better on mis hits or is further overall yada yada but vs my 915 D4, it's much better.

 

Honestly I can't say much more until I've received my driver and am able to do some on course testing but from what I saw down at TPI, it's an improvement over my 915 D4.

[J13]

I just don't get the claim that Titleist is behind with distance. For some reason, Titleist drivers just work for me. I tried the m1, M2, and Callaway 816 Alpha and the 917 D2 beat them all out on distance, and was light years ahead on accuracy and forgiveness. All trackman confirmed with optimized shafts for each club. I guess it varies but man the 915 was great for me, and the 917 was way better for me as a result of being properly fit for the first time. I cannot wait to get it in.

 

I am the exact same way Brian. I tested the new 917D2 vs the M1 and M2 on Trackman. Trackman verified that the 917 flew longer and straighter for me.

 

Glad to know I'm not the only WRXer who get's better performance with a Titleist than a TM haha

 

So why do you think Titleist only allowed players with previous versions of their product come to the TPI fitting trip? What other OEM has put that restriction on a trip?

 

Because they are trying to prove that the new current model is better than the previous model. Isn't that what all manufacturers try to do?

 

Otherwise they would have chosen those with anything in the bag. They are trying to prove that the current 917 line is an improvement over the 915 which it is. It feels better, looks better, sounds better, and it has more ball speed vs the 915 line. That's the bottom line, it is an improvement and that's all they are trying to get across.

 

We can continue to argue that so and so is better on mis hits or is further overall yada yada but vs my 915 D4, it's much better.

 

Honestly I can't say much more until I've received my driver and am able to do some on course testing but from what I saw down at TPI, it's an improvement over my 915 D4.

 

I get that but how can you not want to expand your base with those who don't already play your product? Isn't that the point of marketing and a trip like this? I hope you get your driver brotha.

[scratchswinger]

They also only invited local people that could drive themselves..... They obviously have deep enough pockets and the facilities to do a trip like Callawrx but they are just cut from a different cloth than the old TM and Callaway in regards to marketing and how they use social media. I can assure you that the fitters and people at TPI 100% believe that their product is on par with anything else, and their is no way these people had the forethought of "we can't invite M1 owners because our product is inferior and the 5,000 people that read the Golfwrx article won't buy our driver".

 

They are just not interested in stroking a handful of possible new customers to sell a few drivers. All these companies have budgets for marketing and their obviously isn't a large portion set aside for WRX in Titleist's. They choose to spend their money in other ways outside of WRX and trying to have higher ball speeds than "BirdiePete1984" current M1 does not interest them. Besides this outing (I would not go as far to call it a trip) I can think of only a few times that Titleist has even participated at any level on WRX. I remember before the 915 came out I had hit it 4-5 months before pictures or info was released and their was a ton of misinformation spreading on WRX about the club, I was amazaed that they never asked WRX to correct the information or never once posted for themselves. In their eyes this is a very small piece of the pie and their is other lower hanging fruit.

[brushie]

I just don't get the claim that Titleist is behind with distance. For some reason, Titleist drivers just work for me. I tried the m1, M2, and Callaway 816 Alpha and the 917 D2 beat them all out on distance, and was light years ahead on accuracy and forgiveness. All trackman confirmed with optimized shafts for each club. I guess it varies but man the 915 was great for me, and the 917 was way better for me as a result of being properly fit for the first time. I cannot wait to get it in.

 

I am the exact same way Brian. I tested the new 917D2 vs the M1 and M2 on Trackman. Trackman verified that the 917 flew longer and straighter for me.

 

Glad to know I'm not the only WRXer who get's better performance with a Titleist than a TM haha

 

So why do you think Titleist only allowed players with previous versions of their product come to the TPI fitting trip? What other OEM has put that restriction on a trip?

 

Because they are trying to prove that the new current model is better than the previous model. Isn't that what all manufacturers try to do?

 

Otherwise they would have chosen those with anything in the bag. They are trying to prove that the current 917 line is an improvement over the 915 which it is. It feels better, looks better, sounds better, and it has more ball speed vs the 915 line. That's the bottom line, it is an improvement and that's all they are trying to get across.

 

We can continue to argue that so and so is better on mis hits or is further overall yada yada but vs my 915 D4, it's much better.

 

Honestly I can't say much more until I've received my driver and am able to do some on course testing but from what I saw down at TPI, it's an improvement over my 915 D4.

 

I get that but how can you not want to expand your base with those who don't already play your product? Isn't that the point of marketing and a trip like this? I hope you get your driver brotha.

 

The outing was a direct response to the article that Golfwrx had published where it showed no difference between the 915 and 917. So, that was what they wanted to prove. Titleist has never been interested in the whole let me work with a golf website to prove our driver is better. Think about the head to head tests websites have done by asking manufacturers to participate. I always remember them declining to participate. To me this outing was successful for them. It showed the 917 was a driver that was better than the 915. I continue to see in thread thread disbelief that the 917 is better than the M series. So far in my testing what I experienced at TPI is on par or better than what I have seen from the M series. I also don't have to spend a ridiculous amount of money to get a tour head to add hortmelt so I can play the driver at 45" or less and still be a good weight and I don't have to worry about the warranty issues you normally experience with TM (I have never in my life had to send a Titleist product in for warranty). What does a tour head cost? $550? That's just for the head. Shouldn't we be able to feel more comfortable with manufacturing tolerances and build quality and have proper adjustability (head weight) with the retail product? Again, everyone is going to have success with something different and I do see a ton of M series drivers out there, but then again I have always seen a ton of TM drivers in play, both on the tour and my amateurs.

[JStang]

^^^ Bingo! ^^^

[J13]

They also only invited local people that could drive themselves..... They obviously have deep enough pockets and the facilities to do a trip like Callawrx but they are just cut from a different cloth than the old TM and Callaway in regards to marketing and how they use social media. I can assure you that the fitters and people at TPI 100% believe that their product is on par with anything else, and their is no way these people had the forethought of "we can't invite M1 owners because our product is inferior and the 5,000 people that read the Golfwrx article won't buy our driver".

 

They are just not interested in stroking a handful of possible new customers to sell a few drivers. All these companies have budgets for marketing and their obviously isn't a large portion set aside for WRX in Titleist's. They choose to spend their money in other ways outside of WRX and trying to have higher ball speeds than "BirdiePete1984" current M1 does not interest them. Besides this outing (I would not go as far to call it a trip) I can think of only a few times that Titleist has even participated at any level on WRX. I remember before the 915 came out I had hit it 4-5 months before pictures or info was released and their was a ton of misinformation spreading on WRX about the club, I was amazaed that they never asked WRX to correct the information or never once posted for themselves. In their eyes this is a very small piece of the pie and their is other lower hanging fruit.

 

No way. GolfWrx is the center of the golfing universe and you know it :tongue:

 

 

I just hope at this point that Titleist gets the guys their drivers. But I have nothing more to add so to everyone involved I hope the 917 works well for you. Interested to see how the IPO changes over the next 1-2 years and to see their books.

[JStang]

Ok guys, after 18 holes with the 917 D3 the wife will be sleeping in the guest bedroom and the 917 D3 will be the big spoon. This is the first time on course with it and the 917 D2 head will be up for sale. I was somewhat nervous stepping out on the course with the D3 for the first time. I wasn't sure that I would be able to get it in the air as easily as the 917 D2 but I saw no difference at all other than I didn't have the high on the face miss that I had with the D2. The D3 was in the C-3 setting with loft at 10.25 and the weight in the draw position.

 

I must say that the club feels better with the neutral weight. My swing speed is in the 110-113 range (as measured by GC2). I hit 3-4 shots an inch or so toward the heel side that still flew 280-285 which I am more than happy with. I post the below photos not to brag to people I don't know on the internet but to show you this club is LONG. I owned an M1 for about 4 months and an M2 for a month or so and I NEVER, in any conditions (downhill, down wind, etc.) registered a 300 yard drive with either club.

 

The 323 yard drive was on a hole that claims the largest tee to green elevation change in the state of Florida at 94 ft so I obviously got some help from the slope. The 309 drive was on a flat, non wind aided hole that was actually struck a little toe side. Both the D2 and D3 are fantastic clubs and in my last two rounds my handicap has dropped from 9.6 to 8.9. The fairways were running firm tonight but I couldn't be more pleased with this club. For me 917 D3 > TaylorMade M1 and M2 in both distance and accuracy.

 

 

 

[JStang]

Head weights of the 915 and 917 D2.

They are exactly the same with their respective weights in.

 

915 D2 by Chazz Michael Michaels

 

917 D2 by Chazz Michael Michaels

 

Is this with your 10g weight? If so, standard is 12g so with the standard weight it is a little heavier.

[MB Dirtyy]

Got my driver in today! I guess the fairway fitting was just that, no free fairway. All good. I'll order one in my fitted specs. I'll report back after I use it this weekend.

[pitchinwedge]

Congrats! Did they send USPS, Fedex, UPS?

[MB Dirtyy]

Ahh I forgot! But I'll check when I get back to the house. I stepped out just now. Sorry man.

[pitchinwedge]

Have fun at the range with your new driver!

[MB Dirtyy]

I do remember from the invoice that the order was put in on 11/11. So it wasn't a shipping issue.

 

Have fun at the range with your new driver!

Haha I wish! Friday is the earliest I can hit the range. ?

 

I will be putting in 36 this weekend though. Can't wait.

[KPH808]

Just got home about an hour ago and my driver was delivered earlier today. Looks good and they got the swing weight exactly as requested.

 

Looking forward to getting it out on the course and seeing how the on course performance is vs what we saw during the fitting.

[shivasi]

FedEx delivered mine today. Men's Club tomorrow will give it a dry run under a little pressure.

 

Shivasi

[KPH808]

A few pics of my 917 setup.

 

 

[Brooks_Cupcake]

A few pics of my 917 setup.

 

 

 

Can you comment on your ball speed, AOA, and Launch Angle?

[KPH808]

A few pics of my 917 setup.

 

 

 

Can you comment on your ball speed, AOA, and Launch Angle?

 

Ball speeds were between 165-167, launch angle between 10-11 degrees (need to work on this), and AOA was -2 degrees or so (also need to work on this).

 

I need to work on my driver swing where I am hitting up on the ball and creating a positive AOA and higher launch angle.

[drbonesvt]

Just messed with a 917 briefly today track man

 

- looks great at set up

- feel better than 915 and sound better also , but my m1 sounds better than both

- bs where close my TMAG driver , the shafts avail where not a good fit off the cart , ss where not apples to apples , so I'm going to say that was the variability in the 917 not quite as high as my m1 - I think properly fitted they are head to head

- love the flat lie angle

- spin was low!!!!! About 2-3 aoa low 2000's and some sun

[Brooks_Cupcake]

A few pics of my 917 setup.

 

 

 

Can you comment on your ball speed, AOA, and Launch Angle?

 

Ball speeds were between 165-167, launch angle between 10-11 degrees (need to work on this), and AOA was -2 degrees or so (also need to work on this).

 

I need to work on my driver swing where I am hitting up on the ball and creating a positive AOA and higher launch angle.

 

Do you have any experience with the yellow? My BS is about 162, and trying to decide if 6.0 or 6.5 is good for me in the 75....aoa is +2-3, and launch is about 13 with the D+ 70x ltd....

 

A few pics of my 917 setup.

 

 

 

Can you comment on your ball speed, AOA, and Launch Angle?

 

Ball speeds were between 165-167, launch angle between 10-11 degrees (need to work on this), and AOA was -2 degrees or so (also need to work on this).

 

I need to work on my driver swing where I am hitting up on the ball and creating a positive AOA and higher launch angle.

 

Do you have any experience with the yellow? My BS is about 162, and trying to decide if 6.0 or 6.5 is good for me in the 75....aoa is +2-3, and launch is about 13 with the D+ 70x ltd....