Every fall, golfers everywhere wait with bated breath for the newest club announcements — it’s become something of a ritual to replace your clubs with the newest model to get those extra 10 or 12 yards the manufacturer promises. Unlike most of the big names in golf, Titleist doesn’t make it a point to release a new set of clubs every year, so when they do drop a fresh series, it’s noteworthy. The 915s are out, but is it really worth upgrading your Titleist 913H hybrid in the wake of this news?
What’s New in the 915s?
The 915H hybrids do feature some new, flashy tech, including a more flexible face due to their latest feature: the Active Recoil Channel. It seems that a lot of golf club companies have been going this direction. The difference between the ARC and the slots in the soles of other golf clubs is that it’s not an all or nothing situation. The slot doesn’t go all the way through the height of the club head; instead, it only provides flexibility to the lower half of the clubface.
I can hear you asking “Why in the name of green grass would anybody want to do that?” Titleist has found that most players tend to hit hybrids low on the face off the deck, so by increasing the flexibility in just that area, the club adds speed while reducing spin, giving an average player plenty of what it takes to get their ball up off the fairway.
Leaving the upper portion of the club head with less flex was really an interesting move. Although no one’s addressing why or how this is supposed to help, it’s likely meant to force most the flexing pocket’s energy into a smaller sweet spot with much more intense results. After all, no one has ever accused Titleist of creating super game improvement clubs, so putting spring exactly where their target group of golfers hit their balls only makes sense.
Should you upgrade your Titleist 913H hybrid?
The big question — to trade or not to trade — that’s a more difficult issue. The Titleist 913H hybrid is a really great club in its own right, and if you’re doing well with it both off the deck and off the tee, there’s no real reason to upgrade. The ARC is going to help some players, there’s no question, but it’s not a fix-all solution for every player. The 915s are already getting a lot of traction on the Pro Tour, but only time will tell us if the players who took the free upgrade are going to outplay those who didn’t.
In the meantime, shopping for Certified Pre-Owned Titleist clubs at 3balls.com makes a lot of sense. After all, you’ll save a bundle on clubs you’ll absolutely love and if a 915H is in your future, you can always trade in your 913s for credit toward your upgrade.