As a mid-handicapper, you’re usually good at specific aspects of playing golf and struggle with others. Among all the handicaps, the mid-handicap happens to be the most diverse. You possess average swing speed, and the things that work for you may not necessarily work for other mid-handicappers. In this stage, you may need to focus more on your short game. This is where the best golf drivers for mid-handicappers come in handy.
Regardless of your style, you’ll need these drivers to help upgrade your bag of golf clubs and provide you with a better center of gravity & sweet spot that’ll turn your current weaknesses into strengths.
Key Takeaways:
-
When choosing the best golf driver for mid-handicappers, it’s important to consider weight distribution, loft, shaft flex, adjustability, and forgiveness factors. These factors can greatly impact the performance of your driver and, ultimately, your game.
-
As a mid-handicapper, you should look for a driver that balances distance, height, control, and forgiveness. Finding the right balance between these factors can help improve your performance on the course and boost your confidence.
-
Customization options such as adjustability can be greatly beneficial as it allows you to fine-tune your driver according to your individual swing characteristics. Testing different drivers and finding the right combination of features will help improve your game and take it to the next level.
Titleist Drivers and the Speed Project
Prior to this set, the last series of golf drivers that Titleist put out was the 917. Their designers had one goal in mind, to make the newer set of Titleist drivers even faster.
Then out came the Titleist TS2 and TS3 drivers. In case you’re wondering, the TS stands for Titleist Speed Project. With the shaft and clubhead improvements, they’re able to make the drivers’ overall speed faster. In addition, the TS2 and TS3 drivers also offer better ball flight, distance gains, and increased ball speeds. But what sets them apart from the other?
In this article, we’ll go over the details and differences of the TS2 and TS3 drivers. Hopefully, with the information we share here, we can help you decide which one is the right fit, especially if you haven’t tried any of these clubs yet.
Key Features and Benefits
Player Handicap
Apart from always being the players’ option, these Titleist drivers also appeal to mid-handicappers. As a result of their Speed Project, they found a way to deliver added ball speed. This way, average players can benefit from using their clubs too.
In particular, these best golf drivers for mid handicappers provide players the opportunity to include a Titleist in their bag and finally reap the rewards from it.
Adjustability
TS3 drivers come with a highly customizable center of gravity (CG) weight. The aim behind this weight is to allow golfers and even teaching professionals to set up the club in such a way that launch and spin are maximized.
SureFit Weights allows you to modify the club’s swing weight, affecting how faded or draw-biased the club is. The club comes with six different options, which you may change out as you see fit.
Meanwhile, the TS2 also includes an adjustable weight in the club’s back sole area. Even on mishits, this weight distribution will promote faster ball speeds.
The TS2 and TS3 drivers also come with adjustable loft and lie, in addition to the customizable CG Weight.
Titleist developed this approach several years ago, and it simplifies loft and lie adjustments even for the average player. Adjusting the loft and lie can help raise or lower the launch angle, as well as the draw and fade bias.
Titleist drivers come with a fitting chart that’ll aid you in figuring out this whole process. However, you can always use a launch monitor to ensure you’re getting the most speed possible from your Titleist drivers.
Shaft Options
Titleist is popularly known for working with better players. At the same time, they’re also popular for working with the most demanding of the lot. These are the type of players who are after the availability of choices and the ability to upgrade when necessary.
Titleist managed to put together a powerful package of stock shafts for the TS2 and TS3 drivers. They also have a ton of custom shaft options separately sold that you can choose from, usually at an added cost.
The five stock shaft options you can choose from include:
- Mitsubishi KURO KAGE Black Dual Core SFW 50
- Mitsubishi Tensei AV Series Blue SFW 55
- Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 60
- Project X HZRDUS Smoke Yellow 60
- Project X Even Flow T1100 White 65
If you’re unsure which of these stock shafts is best for you, just remember this: If you need to lower your ball flight, choose the heavier shafts. On the other hand, go with a lighter weight shaft if you need to increase the speed of the ball, clubhead, and launch.
Distance
For the longest time, Titleist features some of the lowest dispersion rates out there. Thanks to these drivers and the ability to lower the weight to increase clubhead speed, they are now in the race for having the most distance as well.
While their previous drivers pack too much weight to compete for distance, especially for mid handicappers, it’s a totally different ballgame with the TS2 and TS3 drivers.
Forgiveness
Similar to other Titleist clubs, you can’t expect a lot of forgiveness from these drivers. Instead, you’re getting a club that provides you more feel so that you can shape your shots.
The face on these drivers is small and has less bulge. Therefore, they’re not as forgiving as other available options. However, this characteristic isn’t viewed as negative in TS2 and TS3 drivers. If anything, it’s already expected.
TS2 vs. TS3: Key Differences
The following are the key differences between the Titleist TS2 and TS3 drivers:
- Although both drivers are well-made and similar in construction, the TS2 sports a more modern look, on the other hand, the TS3 opted to maintain a more traditional look.
- The TS3 driver offers more of a mid-launch compared to the high launch of the TS2.
- TS2 drivers have more weight outside the club and feature a wider body. These characteristics result in more Moment of Inertia (MoI) than the TS3.
- Since it has the larger size of the two, the TS2 is more forgiving than the TS3.
- If you have an aggressive swing, the TS2 might be more fitting due to its fixed weight. Meanwhile, the weight of the T3 is adjustable (thanks to moveable weight technology), with magnetic components that you can easily swap from one location to another.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Driver
When choosing a golf driver as a mid-handicap golfer, there are several factors that you need to take into account. These factors will influence the performance of your driver and, ultimately, your game. Here are five important factors to consider when choosing the best golf driver as a mid-handicap golfer:
Weight Distribution
The weight distribution of a golf driver can significantly affect the trajectory and spin of your shots. Typically, drivers have weight positioned towards the back of the club head, which provides more forgiveness and higher launch. However, if you are a mid handicapper who tends to slice the ball, you may benefit from a driver with weight positioned towards the heel, which promotes a draw bias.
Loft
The loft of a driver is another important factor to consider. Mid handicappers generally benefit from drivers with higher lofts, as this helps to promote a higher launch angle and more carry distance. However, finding the right balance between loft and distance is important, as too much loft can lead to a loss of distance.
Shaft Flex
The shaft flex of a driver can also impact your game. Mid handicappers generally benefit from a driver with a regular flex shaft, as this provides a good balance of control and distance. However, if you have a fast swing speed, you may benefit from a driver with a stiffer shaft, while slower swing speeds may benefit from a more flexible shaft.
Adjustability
Adjustability is a feature that can greatly benefit mid-handicap golfers. With adjustable drivers, you can customize your loft, lie angle, and weight distribution to suit your swing and improve your ball flight. However, it’s important to note that adjustability comes with a higher price tag.
Forgiveness
Finally, forgiveness is a key factor to consider when picking the best drivers for mid handicappers when choosing a driver. Forgiving drivers have larger sweet spots, which means that mishits will still travel a decent distance and stay on line. This can help to boost confidence and improve performance on the course.
Considering these factors will help you choose the best golf driver for your game and improve your performance on the course. It’s important to test different drivers and find the right combination of features that work best for your swing and playing style.
Verdict
The Titleist TS2 Driver is one of the most technologically sophisticated drivers Titleist has developed in recent years. The TS2 distinguishes itself from other drivers on the market with revolutionary design features, such as an ultra-thin face, a thin crown, lower center of gravity, and SureFit weighing technology. The Titleist TS2 cements itself as one of the best drivers for mid handicappers who want to take their golf game to the next level.
The Titleist TS3 Driver is excellent for any player seeking additional length and consistency off the tee. The TS3 combines the very best in modern technology and design with a classic design that is sure to optimize performance for players of all levels, with a head design that is 20% more streamlined than previous models, the thinnest crown on the market, and an ultra-thin face.
TS2 or TS3: Which is better?
When picking which Titleist TS driver to use, there’s really no wrong answer. Both feature design improvements that give you more speed, therefore more distance off the tee. Pick the Titleist TS2 if you’re after a higher-launching fairway finder. If you consider yourself a traditionalist who prefers to shape shots and squeeze every inch of performance out of your driver, the Titleist TS3 is the clear winner.
Frequently-Asked Questions
How do you Pick the Best Golf Driver for Mid-Handicappers?
Picking the best golf driver for mid-handicappers requires consideration of several factors. These factors include weight distribution, loft, shaft flex, adjustability, and forgiveness. Mid handicappers should look for drivers that have a weight distribution that promotes the desired ball flight and helps with shot correction, a loft that balances distance and height, a shaft flex that matches their swing speed, adjustability options to fine-tune the driver to their needs, and forgiveness to help maintain consistency and confidence on the course.
What is a Mid Handicap Golfer?
A mid-handicap golfer is typically defined as an avid golfer who has a handicap index between 10 and 19.9. The handicap index is a numerical representation of a golfer’s playing ability, calculated based on the scores they have posted in previous rounds of golf. A mid-handicap golfer generally has some level of proficiency in the game, but still has room for improvement in certain areas. They may have a consistent swing and solid ball-striking ability but may struggle with consistency on the course or have difficulty with certain shots or golf clubs.
What is the Best Loft for a Mid Handicap Driver?
The best loft for a mid-handicapper driver can vary depending on the player’s swing speed, angle of attack, and ball flight preferences. Generally speaking, mid-handicappers tend to benefit from drivers with lofts ranging from 10 to 12 degrees. This loft range can help to promote a higher launch angle and more carry distance, which can be beneficial for those looking to improve their distance off the tee.
See also: How to Choose the Best Golf Drivers for High Handicappers?
