When one thinks of Titleist, their ProV1 golf ball is usually at the forefront of most people’s minds. Despite being known for their golf ball, Titleist offers a great selection of golf clubs that includes the 716 Irons and 816 Hybrids and their line of Vokey Design SM6 wedges as well as Scotty Cameron putters.
Recently, Titleist announced the release of their C16 concept driver and irons. Titleist has a keen approach to being a leader in technological club design and to showcase this, the C16 driver and irons have “incorporate innovative new technologies, unique materials, advanced construction methods, and stunning cosmetic treatments” in their designs.
For the first time, Titleist will offer a driver with an adjustable weight system. The SureFit CG Weight changes the club’s centre of gravity and it will be featured on the C16. By changing the driver’s CG from a neutral position to either the heel or toe, the shot shape will be much more consistent and it will also lead to increased forgiveness. As with previous Titleist drivers, the SureFit Hosel can also be found on the C16, which allows for adjustability through 16 independent loft and lie settings.
One of the aforementioned unique material found on the C16 driver is the ultra-thin, ATI-425 Titanium Crown. This is a proprietary high-strength titanium alloy used in the aerospace, defense, industrial and medical fields but in the C16, this material allows for more discretionary mass as well as positioning a low and deep CG in the clubhead to maximize distance with forgiveness.
Another method to maximize distance is ball speed and this is aided by the Active Recoil Channel and SP700 Cup Face. The Active Recoil Channel provides more ball speed and lowers the spin of the golf ball while the SP700 Cup Face is another specialty titanium alloy that reduces the weight of the driver in addition to maximizing face flexibility to deliver more ball speed across the face. Weight will also be placed under the grip using the SureFit Grip. This helps promote a fade or draw, which increases accuracy and control.
Just like the driver, the C16 irons will employ ultra-premium materials and state-of-the-art technologies. The irons will be forged, using multi-material hollow construction to allow optimization of weight placement for maximum distance and forgiveness. In the long irons, an increase in ball speed and distance is aided by K301 Forged, Steel Cup Face while the short irons will feature a HT1770 Steel Insert in order to create an ultra-thin face for more distance.
To create a higher launch and increase forgiveness, the C16 irons has a Thin wall, 17-4 body. What this refers to is the light weight design that creates discretionary mass and is repositioned in tungsten weighting. The end result is a low and deep CG that provides a higher launch with more forgiveness. To enhance even more forgiveness in the irons, High-density Tungsten weighting is used to move mass to the perimeter and deep into the hollow body of the clubs.
Currently, the C16 driver and irons will be available for fitting and trial exclusively through the Titleist Performance Institute in Oceanside, California and the Manchester Lane Test Facility in Acushnet, Massachusetts. They will also be available at Titleist Thursdays events as well as other fitting and demo events.
The C16 driver will be produced in limited quantity and approximately 1,500 of them will be made. They will only be available in RH and in 9.0° and 10.5° lofts. MSRP for the C16 driver is $1,125 USD. For the C16 irons, approximately 1,000 sets will be made. They will also be RH only and irons through 4-W, with MSRP at $375 USD per club in a steel shaft and $415 per club in a graphite shaft, will be available.
Source: Titlest
