Titleist releases the spin-killing TS4 driver

Gear: Titleist TS4 driver
Price: $499 with Project X EvenFlow T1100 White 65 or other stock shafts
Specs: 430-cubic-centimeter titanium head with an adjustable hosel
Available: Late June

The Goal
The new Titleist TS4 driver was designed to significantly reduce spin off the tee and encourage a lower launch angle without sacrificing speed or stability.

The Skinny
When Titleist released the TS2 and TS3 drivers last summer, the company believed those two clubs could deliver more distance and forgiveness to the vast majority of golfers.

However, golfers who swing hard and generate a lot of spin off the tee might require even more spin reduction than the TS3 delivers. For that small group of players, an ultra-low-spin driver was needed, and Titleist is offering it in the form of the TS4.

The TS4 is smaller than Titleist’s other new drivers, but it maintains a classic pear shape at address. (Titleist)

Making its PGA Tour debut this week at the Valero Texas Open, the TS4 has a smaller head at 430cc than the 460cc TS2 and TS3, but it shares many of the same speed-enhancing features.

The 8-1-1 cast-titanium crown is just 0.4 millimeters thick to save weight, and the use of a variable-thickness face saves even more weight while expanding the sweet spot over a larger portion of the hitting area.

The TS4’s crown and sole smoothly slope back for better aerodynamics. (Titleist)

At address, the TS4 has a classic pear shape, while the slope of the crown and the curved sides make it more aerodynamic so golfers can get more speed on the downswing.

The main difference, aside from the smaller size, is the TS4 driver has a weight in the sole behind the leading edge. This weight shifts the center of gravity more forward, which helps lower spin and decrease the launch angle. The company said the TS4 generates about 300 rpm less spin than the TS3, and while Titleist concedes this more-forward center of gravity decreases the TS4’s stability on off-center hits, by lowering the overall spin Titleist believes that mis-hits will not be punished excessively.

The TS4 will be available in 8.5-, 9.5- and 10.5-degree versions. The 16-position SureFit adjustable hosel allows players and fitters to independently change the loft and lie angle of the club.