50 Words or Less
The Titleist 917D3 is a good looking driver for the truly above-average player. Very easy to hit crooked.
Introduction
While it’s completely unsuitable for the vast majority of golfers, the Titleist 917D3 is the driver that many will be lusting over for the next season. The smaller head and the billing as “the better players driver” make it the kind of club that golfers want in their bag because of the image it portrays. We put it to the test to see what picking your driver based on ego and image will do to your results.
Looks
While not a true pear shape, the Titleist 917D3 is about as traditional as any driver you’ll see from a major OEM. At 440cc, it looks much smaller at address than the 917D2. The grey sparkle crown and triangle alignment aid make it instantly recognizable as a Titleist.
Sound & Feel
The sound of the 917D3 is almost identical to the 917D2. It’s fairly quiet, very solid, with only a little metallic tone.
These two driver diverge substantially when it comes to feedback. Where the D2 covers up mishits, the D3 gives you a very clear message when you miss the center.
Performance
What stood out most in testing the Titleist 917D3 is how easy it is to hit the ball offline. I make no claims to being a terribly accurate driver, but I have a clear idea of what my dispersion should look like with a modern driver. The 917D3 expanded that field substantially.
On the positive side, the 917D3 is as low spinning as any Titleist driver I can recall. This helps it to keep up with other current drivers in terms of distance, at least on centered shots. When you miss the center, the ball speed and distance dip substantially.
Finally, the SureFit CG adjustment is impactful, but it’s not an adjustment you’ll make easily. This driver comes with two weight cartridges – one neutral and one to promote a fade or draw bias. Assuming you are able to keep track of the spare weight, you’ll need to engage in a small juggling act of unscrewing the cap, removing the weight, replacing it, and then installing the cap again.
Conclusion
My conclusion here is similar to what I said about the 917D2: if you absolutely need to play a Titleist driver, go right ahead, but know that you’re leaving something on the table. In this case, it’s not distance so much as accuracy. For my money, I’ll take one of the many drivers that delivers the same distance or more with far superior forgiveness.
Buy the Titleist 917D3 HERE
Titleist 917D3 Driver Price & Specs
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Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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So how does it compare to the 915D3 in your opinion?
Randy,
I didn’t test them head to head, but from my recollection of the 915D3, they’re fairly similar. The biggest difference is that the 917D3 is lower spin.
Best,
Matt
Will anyone be testing the new Mizuno JPX 900 Fairway wood?
Braden,
Yes, we should have a review up by the end of November.
Best,
Matt
I’ve never been a fan of Titleist Driver Performance. They seem to be mediocre at best, FOR MY SWING. However, the 917 D3 is 1 of 3 exceptions to that rule. I prefer my drivers at about 400 cc’s (Alpha 816 DBD) which doesn’t give me a wide selection. I tried a friend’s M3 460 when it first hit, and I’d never felt a driver that amazing before! Seriously! I had dreams about that driver! But I couldn’t justify $550. I hit the M3 440 and it was even better so when it’s price came down to about $200, I decided to go get fitted and buy it. But, when I got there I had 25 mins to kill so I went to the used bin and tried a few different clubs. Then I came upon a Titleist 917 D3 with an Oban Devotion 6 blue shaft. I hit it and it was freaking Amazing!!! I wouldn’t have given it a 2nd look, had it not been for the Legend of Oban shafts. I kept hearing how great they were but I thought they were all $500+ per shaft. I got this club for $109 + tax. and it’s Amazing for me. The only problem is that I don’t know how much of the performance is the shaft, the clubhead, or both? I’ve no other Titleist Driver head to compare it to.