50 Words or Less
The Titleist TSR1 hybrid features a lightweight design for golfers with moderate swing speeds. High launching with excellent ball speeds. Classy, appealing look.
Introduction
Those that read my review of the TSR2 hybrid [you can find it HERE] will recall that club went into my bag after an extensive fitting session with Titleist. What I didn’t tell you then was that Master Fitter Bill Forbes also had me hit the TSR1 hybrid as part of his evaluation. I’ll get into the reasons the TSR2 hybrid won out in the Performance section below, but know this – the Titleist TSR1 hybrid is really good and deserves your full attention.
Looks
In the address position, the Titleist TSR1 hybrid has a large, fairway wood presence. Slightly toe-centric, the round gloss black crown adorned with a simple “TSR” alignment aid looks clean and classy. Easily visible with the 23° loft, the off-white paint-filled grooves really pop against the dark face.
Flipping the club over, the clean look of the TSR1 hybrid continues. The highlight of the sole is a simple, yet artistic, silver sliver down the center. The red ring of the weight screw adds visual interest and ties together the red utilized for highlighting the “1” on the heel, the “R” on the cover, and the trim on the cover’s “Titleist” tab. I appreciate well executed aesthetic details, and no one does those better than Titleist.
Check out the smaller, Tour-preferred Titleist TSR3 hybrid HERE
Sound & Feel
While I found the sound volume of the TSR2 hybrid around a 4, the Titleist TSR1 hybrid is a boisterous 7. Not a head turning, “What was that?” but definitely one of the louder hybrids I’ve tested this year. The TSR1 hybrid produced a metallic “ting” that was consistent with reasonable contact.
My first field note on feel was “explosive,” but I soon came to the realization that the energetic sound was impacting my sensory interpretation. As I truly focused on my hands, the feel was relegated to more of a solid pop. And much like the consistency to my ears, there was limited feedback to my hands. “Confidence-inspiring” is used by Titleist in regards to the TSR1 hybrid’s size and shape, but that phrase is equally descriptive of the sound and feel.
Performance
Like the “1” models across the Titleist woods family, the TSR1 hybrid is focused on lightweight design for golfers with moderate swing speeds. Reducing weight in the head, shaft, and grip would be adequate for a straightforward approach, but Titleist engineers know there’s more to the speed equation. By using a slightly longer shaft with a higher balance point, Titleist was able to add additional weight in the head without increasing swing weight. The result is a balanced feel with increased inertia. What that means for me and you is faster clubhead speeds.
During my testing I did see a mph or two bump in clubhead speed with the TSR1 hybrid compared to the TSR2. Ball speed also increased, and I picked up about 2 yards of carry. Launch and trajectory were both high. So why didn’t the TSR1 become my gamer? Dispersion. Distances were fairly consistent, but left and right dispersion with the TSR1 hybrid were a little wide.
Bill explained to me that the dispersion was a result of the MCA MMT Speedmesh shaft being a bit too light for my swing. As a golfer in his advancing 50s, that was actually nice to hear. Even though I fit the “moderate” swing speed categorization, my results served as a good example of the need to actually hit clubs. And the importance of working with a fitting expert. It could have been easy to conclude my side dispersion was just a result of swing inconsistencies since all the other performance data was excellent – and super consistent.
Conclusion
It’s also worth pointing out that it’s not just aging golfers who have moderate swing speeds – many youth, recreational, and female golfers can benefit from the lightweight design of the Titleist TSR1 hybrid. It’s also comforting to remember that Titleist is not just focused on Tour players, but actively addressing the needs of the full spectrum of golfers. The design of the TSR1 hybrid made launching the ball easy and delivered more speed – resulting in added distance. Add in classy, high end looks, and the TSR1 hybrid makes for an attractive option for golfers with moderate swing speeds.
Visit Titleist HERE
Titleist TSR1 Hybrid Price & Specs
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8 Comments
Great review Matt ! I’m looking at Titleist for a bit of a bag makeover. Being correctly fit is the name of the game. I had a less than stellar Club Champion fitting in the spring and hesitant to go back although my wife had a really good fitting with same fitter last summer.
so what grips at what weight are on the club to help with swing weight?
Titleist lists all the specs, including grips, on their website. There’s a link provided at the bottom the review.
– Meeks
Great review! I generally don’t get along with lighter clubs, but I sort of like the large hybrid/small fairway wood look. Sort of a Super Hybrid. I wonder how this club would perform with more weight in the head and a heavier (possibly shorter) shaft?
After fitting I immediately bought the 20* and 23* hybrids. The gapping is perfect and I gained about 1/2 club with each. This is significant since I’ll soon turn 81 and thought it was time to end my 70+ years of playing.
I commend Titleist for committing to clubs for people like me.
Just ordered a 26 degree Tsr1. MMT R2. Shaft. My fitter says this will be my 4/5 iron replacement. I have a 21 degree H1 818 in the bag so the new club should nestle in there nicely
So it didn’t come to the mind of Master Fitter Bill Forbes to make you try TSR1 hybrid with same shaft that he fitted you the TSR2 hybrid. Just saying that trying to hit a club with tens of grams too of a lightweight shaft maybe makes it not so accurate. And you had the correct shaft right there.
But then again, I’m no Master Fitter…
Thanks for the comment Ant. We always conduct our reviews with stock offerings. And the TSR1 has only the one shaft.
– Meeks