Titleist TS3 Driver Review – Is it Good for High Handicappers & Forgiving?

“With the advent of the TS line of drivers, Titleist finally did away with the perception that their drivers were only for highly-skilled players.”

No driver in the TS line exemplifies that paradigm shift better than the Titleist TS3.

At this point, we have tested every driver in the TS line and we can safely say that the Titleist TS3 offers the best mixture of forgiveness and player’s performance of any other TS driver. That’s not to say that the Titleist TS3 is the most forgiving or the best for low handicap players. But it lies somewhere in the middle of those two ends of the spectrum. Of course, the following review will focus on the aspects of the Titleist TS3 through the purview of high handicap players. Let’s take a look!

The Titleist TS Driver Family

“Since we’ve already tantalized you with talk of an even more forgiving TS driver, we might as well spill the beans here.”

For players looking for max forgiveness and control in the TS line, look no further than the Titleist TS2. The Titleist TS2 may have the same head volume as the Titleist TS3 (460cc) at address, the TS2 somehow looks larger. The shape of the head is more elongated (longer from front to back) in the TS2 so it looks very inviting and assuring to high handicappers behind the ball.

Is it Good for High Handicappers?

“The Titleist TS3 has a 460cc head volume and behind the ball, it has an attractive, rounded shape that is indicative of a classic wood.”

That’s the long way of saying that it looks forgiving. The Titleist TS3 provides high handicappers a large, thin face to work with. During our testing, we were really impressed with the ball speed and strong flight this driver was producing. It didn’t take a super-strong swing speed to unlock a high-launching, low spinning ball.

And high launch and low spin are optimal if you want to maximize distance off the tee. Plus, the Titleist TS3 features a moveable CG weight that can produce a neutral, draw or fade bias. So for high handicappers looking to kill a slice or hook, the Titleist TS3 is definitely a viable option.

Most high handicappers who can typically find the sweet spot on a 460cc driver will love the Titleist TS3 because it will likely increase their carry distance. Overall, it is a good driver for high handicappers – especially because of the adjustable weight. One thing we feel we must mention though is that severe mis-hits were picking up significant sidespin and losing significant distance.

Is it Forgiving?

“So much of the face plays fast because it has been milled to be very thin.”

As we alluded to in the last section, severe mis-hits are punished. But keep in mind, these mis-hits were damn-near shanks. Either that or extreme high-toe misses. In every other section of the face, the Titleist TS3 will reward you with fast ball speeds. The 460cc head looks assuring at address and the Titleist TS3 is congenial for players who tend to use the entirety of the face.

The Titleist TS3 doesn’t have the deepest face profile so you also have to be careful about hitting the ball ridiculously thin. But these are extreme scenarios that only pure beginners will have to worry about.

Difference Between the Titleist TS3 and the TSR3 Drivers

“The main difference between the Titleist TS3 and TSR3 drivers is that the TSR3 has a sliding weight track and an upgraded aerospace-grade titanium face.”

Instead of 3 positions, you get 5 CG positions with the TSR3 driver. However, in testing these drivers side-by-side, we found that the TSR3 was less forgiving. The sweet spot on the TSR3 seems narrower than on the Titleist TS3. Still, the TSR3 is a highly versatile driver and most players will likely be able to get it up to the forgiveness level of the Titleist TS3 if they spend enough time tinkering with the SureFit hosel and the sliding weight.

Available Shafts

• Mitsubishi Kurokage Black Dual Core SFW 50
• Mitsubishi Tensei Blue SFW 55
• Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 60
• Project X HZRDUS Smoke Yellow 60
• Project X Evenflow T1100 White 65

Is the Titleist TS3 Driver Worth it?

“Absolutely. In fact, it’s a worthwhile driver for both high and mid handicappers.”

The Titleist TS3 offers sleek looks, excellent sound/feel and adjustability that will appeal to a wide variety of players.