In the past, the target market for Titleist’s line of “1” line metalwoods is the slower-swinging player who needs lighter swing weights to help increase clubhead speed.
On this week’s episode of GOLF’s Fully Equipped, Titleist Director of Metalwood Product Development Stephanie Luttrell explained just how versatile the GT1 fairway woods can be.
“We’ve now brought CG adjustability and fore-aft in this model,” Luttrell said. “And part of that was necessitated and driven through our conversations with Tour. The feedback loop that we have with our Tour team is pretty integral to our R&D process.”
With adjustable flat weights in each model, not only can fitters add weight to bring the GT1 metals up to a standard weight configuration, but they can also move the heavier weight to the front to lower launch and spin.
Luttrell said when Titleist Director of Player Promotion J.J. Van Wezenbeeck saw the large footprint and shallower face depth of the GT1, he told them he could utilize it for Tour players.
“Versus the [GT2 and GT3 fairway woods], there are players that really seek and obtain great performance because of that face depth,” Luttrell said. “And they’re able to kind of get down after it a little bit more and have ease of launch because of that. So this forward-aft CG adjustability that we’re now bringing into the one allows us to really complement the needs of the Tour as well as the needs of that more moderate speed player that needs dynamic loft and launch and spin.”
It can also fit a player like co-host Kris McCormack.
“I’m just on the struggle bus with trying to find optimum launch and spin windows and for playability and transitioning from longest iron now into fairway wood,” McCormack said. “I’m a player that historically has struggled with a hybrid, but everything that a hybrid is supposed to do is what I need. I just have a tendency to miss them a little bit low left.”
When McCormack was doing a full bag fitting at the Titleist Performance Institute, he was surprised to see a 21-degree GT1 7-wood come out of the drawer for him to test.
“In testing it, I mean, it was the very first shot. And that was the reaction that we heard,” McCormack said. “I hit it and just went, ‘Huh!’ That was exactly what I’m looking for.”
Jack Hirsh is the Associate Equipment Editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.