Titleist 915 D2 Driver Vs Titleist 915 D3 Driver – Which is Better?
Over the decades, Titleist has gotten a reputation as a somewhat elitist club manufacturer.
What we mean is that most people think that the company makes their best clubs for low handicap players.
But we have kept a close eye on Titleist over the years and we know that they have been inching their way into the game improvement club space.
Case in point: the Titleist 915 D2 driver. Yes, this driver is over seven years old but it is still indicative of Titleist’s efforts to make their clubs more accessible.
On the other hand, you have the Titleist 915 D3 which is more in line with what people think of when they think of a Titleist club.
Both drivers have very similar features which led us to wonder, which is the better driver overall?
Whether you want a classic Titleist driver or one that is better equipped to help you finally break 75, read on to learn about the important differences between the Titleist 915 D2 and Titleist 915 D3 drivers.
Titleist 915 D2 Driver Overview
“To our surprise, the Titleist 915 D2 driver was yielding mid launch angles.”
This is surprising because the Titleist 915 D2 is supposed to be the more forgiving, higher-launching cousin of the Titleist 915 D3.
The Titleist 915 D2 has a 460cc head and an adjustable loft sleeve with 16 unique loft/lie settings. On the standard loft/lie setting, the Titleist 915 D2 sits square behind the ball and looks really inviting.
It has an oversized pear shape and a white arrow alignment marker. The spin rates stayed in the 2500 RPM range which was to be expected.
But the pairing of moderate spin with moderate launch was a little much for our testers to adjust to. For the most part, we weren’t getting optimal trajectory for the spin rates.
We landed soft, but came up shorter than usual due to the lower launch. The lack of rollout also hurt total distance a bit.
However, we did find that the Titleist 915 D2 was very easy to hit. Most of us fell into a groove with this driver after just a couple of swings.
The Titleist 915 D2 features variable face thickness (thicker in the middle and thinner out on the perimeter of the face) so it was forgiving as well.
Mis-hits weren’t losing a ton of ball speed even as they picked up a bit more spin.
Our average carry distance after three swings was 239.6 yards and our off-line divergence stayed under 14 yards.
Titleist 915 D3 Driver Overview
“Based on the launch we were getting from the Titleist 915 D2, we were expecting the smaller D3 driver to launch much lower.”
That wasn’t the case. While overall launch angles were low, the Titleist 915 D3 produced only slightly lower launch than the D2.
This was a workable space to be in though. The mid/low launch was much more in tune with the low spin rates we were getting from this driver (no higher than 2100 RPM).
So both our carry and overall distance were improved with the Titleist 915 D3.
Our average carry after three swings with the Titleist 915 D3 was 242.4 yards and our total distance average was a whopping 267.2 yards. The rollout really made a difference.
The Titleist 915 D3 has a 440cc head volume so it is significantly more compact than the Titleist 915 D2.
And while the head size won’t do anything for forgiveness, it did allow us to work the ball left or right at will.
The Titleist 915 D3 also features variable face thickness and the Active Recoil Channel (improves flex on low-face shots) so there is at least some forgiveness.
In fact, some of our high handicap testers were getting similar carry distance with the Titleist 915 D3 as some of our low handicap testers.
Overall, the Titleist 915 D3 is a really good mixture of game improvement and player’s performance elements.
Titleist 915 D2 Driver in 20 Words or Less
“The 915 D2 is a great driver to land soft on the green on par 5’s and long par 4’s.”
Titleist 915 D3 in 20 Words or Less
“The Titleist 915 D3 will appeal to many players thanks to a blend of GI and performance aspects.”
Titleist 915 D2 – First Impressions
“The Titleist 915 D2 looks like your classic GI driver.”
But it doesn’t perform the same.
Overall, we found the moderate/low spin and moderate launch combo to be a bit of a challenge; but it could just be the way we swing the driver.
What is for certain though is the fact that the Titleist 915 D2 is a very comfortable, easy to swing driver.
Titleist 915 D3 – First Impressions
“Our first impression of this driver was that it was loud.’
It instantly reminded us of how loud Titleist drivers used to be. When you hit face center, your ears are assaulted with a loud, almost wooden smack.
Still, this will surely appeal to some players who like to command attention at the range.
Titleist 915 D2 Selling Points
- Adjustable hosel
- Active Recoil Channel
- Many premium shaft options
- Variable face thickness
Titleist 915 D3 Selling Points
- Great overall distance
- Active Recoil Channel
- Variable face thickness
- Deep face profile
Who is the Titleist 915 D2 for?
The Titleist 915 D2 driver may be good for players in the 17-24 handicap range.
It is inherently forgiving so it could be very effective for players who use the entire driver face.
Distance: 95/100
Feel & Control: 94/100
Accuracy: 94/100