Titleist TS3 Driver Review: A Driver Without Weakness

Prior to this season it had been awhile since I last played a Titleist driver.  In fact, the last Titleist driver I truly raved about was my 913 D2 (which I still own).  But this year Titleist went all in ball speed and distance, and I can tell you unequivocally, the TS3 is a driver without weakness. 

 

Titleist has always designed some of the straightest drivers in the industry.  Dispersion and forgiveness has always been near the top as well.  And I found the TS3 to actually be more forgiving and easier to hit than the previous 917 D2 driver, which was a pleasant surprise.  But it's the TS3's distance that really drew me in, hook, line, and sinker. 

Whether you're looking for distance or accuracy as a primary strong point in your driver, the TS3 delivers on both.  I've been showing you the TS3 and talking with you about it's incredible performance for awhile now on twitter and Instagram, going back to October even near it's launch.  And Titleist reached new levels of awesome with the TS3.  Not only compared to their own drivers, but to any driver on the market today. 

 

 

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One of the biggest surprises about the @Titleist TS driver is how much distance it’s going to deliver even for slower non Tour swing speeds. _____ And If you’re like me and losing some mph as you get older, the TS is a sweet chariot of youth! 😎 #TSProject _____ #titleist #TitleistTS3 #titleistdriver titleistprov1 ##pgatour #titleistgolf #golfer #golf #golfers #golfing #golfshot #golfdriver #golfswing #golfaddict #golfaddicts #lovegolf #golflife #golfreview #golfreviews #golfislife #golfirons #golfclubs #golfequipment #golfball #golfswagger #golfgear #golfballs #golfcourse #golfcoursephotos #teetime

A post shared by Pete Pappas (@pgapappas) on Oct 30, 2018 at 12:33pm PDT

Even with the new technology in the TS3, the first things I noticed were how Titleist seemed to go back to its roots a bit.  The TS3 is a traditional shape driver, with a traditional black color.  And it's their best sounding driver since (you guessed it), the 913.  By comparison, the TS2 is a higher spinning, higher launching driver for slower swing speeds.  But one of the biggest surprises is how much distance the TS3 delivers even for slower, non Tour speeds. 

 

 

You have multiple shaft options to choose from, and all of them are premium shafts.  I chose the Mistubishi Tensei AV Blue because I saw the best results with it.  And as a very practical addition to this shaft, Titlist and Mitsubishi added a little extra weight under the grip, called Straight Flight Weighting (SFW) which I found enhanced the stability of the shaft (compared to the Tensei AV Blue without this technology). 

 

 

The TS3 crown and face are the lightest and thinnest Titleist has ever designed.  And that translates to some significant speed and distance gains.  If you're losing some distance as you get older, the TS3 is a sweet chariot of youth.  The SureFit CG adjustable sole weight also makes a return this year (but not on the TS2) if want to fine tune spin, maximize forgiveness, or give yourself a draw or fade bias.  And the SureFit hosel gives you up to 16 different loft and lie combinations. 

 

 

 

As you might expect, with a taller face the TS3 is a low-spin profile driver.  However, because of a head shape that has a lower CG and more aerodynamic design (steeper camber from the face to the crown and corresponding steeper arch to the top to the back), this driver also delivers a higher launch and increased forgiveness to give you those longer, straighter drives. 

 

 

 

I've hit the TS3 in cool and hot temperatures, under clear skies and rainy ones, and on multiple courses.  And the more I hit it, the more I salivated about its performance.  I've never felt more comfortable in the tee box with any other Titleist driver. 

 

 

 

 

It removes all inhibitions and lets you really go after tight-lined fairways, sharp doglegs, and any kind of intimidating risk-reward drives you might encounter.  I'm not saying you're going to start hitting every fairway, but you might start to believe you will.  And when you get those wide open fairways?  Seriously, just unload on them because the TS3 is going to produce some of the longest drives you've ever hit. 

PROS: 

Amplifies distance in a big way for most swing speeds. 
One of the most forgiving low-spin drivers on the market 
Significant carry gains over any previous Titleist driver 

CONS: 
If you're looking for maximum forgiveness, the TS2 is a better option 
Your buddies might start hitting from the forward tees to keep up with you 

 

 

 

As always, if you have any questions about the TS3 driver or anything else, feel free to shoot me an email or DM on twitter or Instagram.