This 12 months we’ve already seen Callaway, TaylorMade and PXG all launch a brand new mini driver as producers look to supply golfers extra choices off each the tee and fairway.
Now we’ve Titleist coming into the market with their GT280 providing.
The 280 refers back to the cc head quantity – a driver historically is 460cc whereas a fairway wooden will vary from 150-190 so this sits someplace within the center and does the job of each golf equipment.
Loft sensible the GT280 is 13˚ and the inventory shaft size is 43.5 inches which is 2 inches shorter than the inventory GT driver shaft size.
Why have Titleist launched a mini driver?This got here through suggestions from golfers, each professionals and amateurs, who have been on the lookout for a membership that sits between their driver and 3-wood.
“The design course of for GT280 started with a request from J.J. [Van Wezenbeeck, Titleist’s Senior Director of Club Promotions], and after we introduced out our first mini driver prototype final 12 months, we rapidly noticed that it match a efficiency want for each tour gamers and amateurs,” mentioned Tom Bennett, Principal Product Supervisor for Titleist Metalwood R&D.
“Whether or not GT280 goes to have a everlasting spot in a participant’s bag and substitute their strongest-lofted fairway, or if it’s extra of a situational ‘fifteenth membership,’ there’s a whole lot of curiosity in one other go-to distance membership that performs how GT280 does,” explains Titleist’s Tom Bennett.
“The design objectives for GT280 have been multi-faceted. GT280 wanted to have distinctive distance and velocity off the tee, it wanted to carry out from the turf, and it wanted to supply adjustability for becoming functions. That’s a protracted record of calls for, however we approached the problem by constructing off each our GT driver and fairway platforms.”
How has it been designed?The GT280 has one thing known as a solid L-Cup face which consists of a brand new insert that wraps across the backside of the clubface. The face is deeper than the green wooden so Titleist have designed the membership to assist with pictures off the underside of the membership. So, if you do strike it low on the face, there received’t be any extreme spin and the sound/really feel will likely be nearly as good as it’s from the center of the clubface.
The vanguard additionally sits low to the bottom and also you’ll discover that the only curvature from heel to toe has been softened to supply extra forgiveness.
“We took the vanguard of a typical driver and actually dropped it nearer to the turf,” mentioned Bennett. “That’s been one of many first issues gamers have observed once they set it down at deal with. It appears extra inviting to hit off the turf than a membership with its face depth sometimes would.”
How does the adjustability work?Much like the GT4 driver, Titleist’s most aggressive spin-reducing driver, the GT280 has ahead and again centre of gravity adjustability. A heavier, 11-gram flat weight comes within the again (aft) place whereas a lighter, 3-gram flat weight is positioned ahead. When you have been to modify them round you may decrease the launch and spin for that extra penetrating flight.
“What we noticed with our tour gamers, some have been solely on the lookout for efficiency off the tee – this is sort of a second driver to them. Different ones have been actually fascinated about efficiency off the turf. So having these two CG choices to regulate goes to be very worthwhile in each tour and newbie fittings relying on participant wants,” added Bennett.
How does it sound?All the pieces a few Titleist metalwood is pretty spectacular and this consists of the sound and really feel. The GT280 has the identical Seamless Thermoform Crown that options on the GT drivers. That is constructed from the identical Proprietary Matrix Polymer (PMP), which works to protect Titleist’s signature sound and really feel, and helps the engineers to save lots of weight and place the centre of gravity to supply extra velocity, stability and the proper launch.
The GT280 is offered for becoming and pre-sale and it will likely be in UK and Eire golf retailers starting Friday 18th April.
SRP: £459
READ MORE: The PGA Tour star who has made his personal mini driver – and the way you are able to do the identical
