Titleist TSR2 Driver Review

Titleist TSR2 Driver Review

Over the last six years, the Titleist driver designers have been on something of a journey. Previous to the original TS model being launched in 2018, the brand was renowned for the performance of its drivers, which were used by an array of top Tour players, but there was an acceptance that, to get the most from them, these products required a detailed fitting. Up against competitor brands, the Titleist 917 drivers struggled to provide golfers with a wow factor from the very first hit of a fitting. 

VIDEO: Watch the TSR drivers in action

This gave birth to the TS line of products - the ‘S’ standing for speed - and a focus on ensuring that Titleist drivers offered tangible distance gains right from the off. Since 2018 we have seen the original TS models, then the TSi drivers and now Titleist has launched the latest iteration, called TSR, which promises further refinements through, among other technologies, better aerodynamics and a new multi-plateau variable thickness face design. 

We wanted to see how far the brand has come in the last six years and find out whether the TSR2 could be considered among the best golf drivers currently on the market. I tested it on the golf course and on a Trackman launch monitor at Kings Golf Studio, using Titleist Pro V1x golf balls up against two older Titleist models - the 917 D2 (launched in 2016) and the original TS2. 

Aesthetics

That this product has been refined as opposed to reborn is clear from when you first set eyes on it. In comparison to the previous generation TSi2, the differences are small - the new model is slightly shorter from front to back and the toe area is a little more rounded. If anything, the TSR2 appears a fraction more compact at address. Make no mistake, it looks superb - it has an aspirational, premium appearance both on the shelf and down behind the ball. It also strikes a neat balance between being big enough to inspire confidence whilst also having that classic, sleek look that so many golfers love about Titleist drivers. 

As for the feel it has a familiar Titleist sound that is powerful but possibly a little louder and higher pitched than models like the TaylorMade Stealth, Cobra LTDx and the Callaway Rogue ST drivers. 

Performance

Before taking a look at the performance data, I should say that the Titleist 917 D2 driver was one of my favourite models from the last few years. I was well fitted for it and really benefited from the added consistency it offered me. Looking at that driver now, with its grey crown and rounded profile (shown above), it does look slightly dated in comparison to TSR2. Below is the launch monitor data from my testing session, which also included the TS2 from 2018. 

As you can see, the work that Titleist has done, both on the aerodynamics and on the design of the face, has boosted the speed on offer. With the TSR2, I was particularly impressed with the 4 and 3mph additional ball speed. For a head that looks so generous in size behind the ball, it is impressively rapid. 

I was quite pleased to see the performance of my old 917 D2 hadn’t fallen away completely but the TSR2 was faster and it was also very consistent. Of all the shots I hit on the launch monitor, only two spun over 3000 rpm and those were the only two shots that failed to reach a total distance of 300 yards.  

Consistency is actually the key point to the performance gain here and for many golfers will make the TSR2 the best Titleist driver. Yes, many golfers will see a jump in speed but with the TSR2 in particular, it was the all round playability of the head that impressed me most (and meant that I veered more towards this than the TSR3 during my fitting). During my on course testing, I struck the ball fairly poorly. This included the drive shown on my Arccos hole map below which came right off the bottom of the club. That this ran out to over 300 yards (admittedly on a fairly firm fairway) was really impressive.

As you would expect from a premium brand that is providing drivers to many of the world’s best golfers, there is a lot to like about the performance of the Titleist TSR2. In particular, it was the combination of user-friendly playability and classic, aspirational looks that really struck me. The TSR2 might come with a promise of extra distance but it is the overall benefit of greater consistency that could make the biggest difference.

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