Titleist GTS3 Driver vs. Titleist GT3 Driver Comparative Review

Is the new Titleist GTS3 driver better than the previous model GT3?  Yes… and No.

Here’s an in-depth breakdown of the two drivers going head to head.

As always, the same shaft was used comparing both drivers( in this case the Graphite Design AD DI 6S), the driver lofts and settings were also the same, and the same ball was used.

(On Near Center Hits)

▪️GTS3 0.3 mph more ball speed than GT3

▪️GTS3 1.5° higher launch than GT3

▪️GTS3 28 rpm lower spin than GT3

▪️GTS3 6.4 more carry yards than GT3

▪️GTS3 0.8 more total yards than GT3

(On Toe Misses)

▪️GT3 0.2 mph more ball speed than GTS3

▪️GTS3 0.1° higher launch than GT3

▪️GT3 164 rpm lower spin than GTS3

▪️GT3 1.1 more carry yards than GTS3

▪️GT3 5.2 more total yards than GTS3

(On High Misses)

▪️GTS3 2.0 mph more ball speed than GT3

▪️GT3 0.7° higher launch than GTS3

▪️GT3 58 rpm lower spin than GTS3

▪️GT3 0.8 more carry yards than GTS3

▪️GT3 2.1 more total yards than GTS3

Impressions on Near Center Hits

A lot to unwrap here. First, sound and feel between GT3 and GTS3 is pretty much identical. There’s a slight difference in shape between the two heads and GTS3 did have me swinging up to 1 mph faster on average (which might account for slightly faster ball speed on center hits). GTS3 had a clear advantage over GT3 in carry yards but just a marginal advantage in total yards.

Dispersion was about 5 yards tighter (closer) to center on both left and right misses with GT3. However downrange dispersion was tighter with GTS3 by about 5 yards as well. My fitter said most players experience more spin with GTS3 than GT3 so my slightly lower GTS3 spin isn’t typical, but on misses GTS3 did in fact spin more.

Impressions on Toe Misses

This is where it got even more interesting. GT3 maintained distance better than GTS3 with greater total distance of 5+ yards. And GT3 also had tighter downrange dispersion by about 5 yards. So dispersion advantages flipped from GTS3 better on center strikes but GT3 better on toe misses.

However GTS3 took away the really bad right misses (almost 10 yards closer to center than GT3). GTS3 is definitely a more stable head than GT3 and doesn’t twist open as much on toe misses. And again the role reversal is interesting with GT3 having tighter left-right dispersion on center hits but GTS3 bringing the right miss in tighter on toe strikes.

Impressions on High Misses

Similarly to toe misses GT3 retained total distance better than GTS3 (but by only a few yards). And again here GTS3 also took the bad right miss away better (but this time by only about 3 yards).

GTS3 also had tighter downrange dispersion by about 5 yards on high misses (like it did on center hits) versus GT3 having tighter downrange dispersion on toe misses.

Conclusion

The most prominent advantage of GTS3 over GT3 is the higher launch on good strikes. I was getting almost 15 feet higher peak heights with GTS3. And for players who don’t have very fast swing speeds this will translate to more carry distance.

When we talk forgiveness however GTS3 and GT3 each do certain things better than the other. On good strikes GTS3 had tighter downrange dispersion, but GT3 had better left-right dispersion. So choosing one over the other really depends on what’s more important to you.

On toe and high misses GTS3 is more stable than GT3 and takes the right side away more, but GT3 still retains downrange total yards better on these misses. So again it’s a choice (between the two) of what’s more important to you.