915 H

AFTER receiving a fitting for the Titleist 915 D3 driver and Titleist 915 F fairway wood alongside Titleist fitting and sales rep Ben Welch at Silvermere Golf Club, it was onto the Titleist 915 H hybrid.

Like both 915 drivers and 915 fairways, the 915 H features the brand new ARC (Active Recoil Channel) on the sole, but this time around, in a less forward position than the fairway wood to maintain spin for control.

ARC is all about promoting lower spin and more speed. With this Active Recoil Channel in place, Titleist is able to achieve more consistent spin and speed across the face. It's deep, long and forward positioned to maximise effectiveness.

In essence, ARC allows the crown and sole to flex together. When this happens, Titleist says you maximise the energy transfer.

Exclusive Interview: Titleist product manager talks 915

In terms of appearance, the new 915 H consists of a more pleasing 'subtle pear' profile than the former 913 H. For me, it looks much more balanced at address than the previous squarer shape of two years ago. Regards sound and feel, there's tremendous feedback on offer and my usual Diamana S+ Blue fitted shaft was once again doing the business. For me, a very controllable and stable shaft that fits for me right through the line of Titleist metalwoods.

Like the 913 range, the 915H comes in a variety of lofts where the CG moves back to keep a consistent trajectory. There are only four lofts now as the 17- and 19-degree models have been merged into a single 18-degree model with the same 40.5 inch shaft that the 19-degree 913 H used to have.

Sticking in my usual Diamana S+ Blue shaft in a 21-degree loft, Ben kept me in the standard A-1 Sure Fit setting as results were pleasing without even needing to touch the wrench.

Hitting ten balls off the deck, I received a total carry of 206 yards and 229 yards distance. Comparing this to my data with the 913 H, I received a total carry of 198 yards and 225 yards distance. So eight additional yards of carry and that's more than pleasing.

Launch angle remained similar at 13.3 as opposed to 13.2, but spin was down some 300 RPM and ball speed was up 8mph - in part down to the new ARC technology but also the new high strength Carpenter Steel face, which is Titleist's thinnest ever at 2.1mm constant thickness vs. 913 at 2.3mm.

Verdict

I enjoyed above average distance, improved accuracy and decent forgiveness on off-centre hits.

The 915 H is probably ideal for the better ball striker but it proved much more forgiving than the previous 913 H. With ten strikes during my fitting, I generated an averaged carry of 206 yards, distance of 229 yards, and offline distance of just a couple of yards.

Although I didn't need to change the Sure Fit setting on this occasion to get the best result, I'd certainly recommend getting yourself custom fit with the 915 family to find the correct loft and lie combinations, as well as ideal shaft specification.

A slight niggle, like with the fairway wood, is that you will pick up a bit of grass and debris in the channel as it isn't a slot and has therefore not been covered.

One of the top performers out there in the hybrid market, however. It’s versatile, long and pin-seeking straight. Very easy to hit and get airborne, particularly with the 21-degree I was trusting in my fitting. Workability is equally simple. Sits at the top-end for price at £205 (available November 14) but it's at the top-end of just about everything when it comes to performance, looks and feel.

Full Titleist 915 coverage

Review: Titleist 915 D2 and Titleist D3 drivers
Review: Titleist 915 F fairway woods
First Look: Titleist 915 family
915 Exclusive Interview: Titleist's Richard Temple
Tour pro reaction: Titleist 915 drivers review
Watch: Active Recoil Channel
Watch: Radial Speed Face
Watch: High MOI design