Titleist has launched the GT280 – the newest addition to its GT metalwood family.
The mini driver, designed for distance and control off the tee as well as playability from turf, brings together technology from Titleist’s GT driver and fairway lineups to deliver versatile performance at the top end of the bag.
Engineered to be longer and more forgiving than a fairway metal, and easier to control and more workable than a driver, the GT280 (SRP £459) gives players a unique set of performance characteristics compared to previous Titleist metalwoods.
“GT280 is a completely new offering that was born from golfer feedback,” said Josh Talge, Titleist’s vice president of golf club marketing. “We heard from more and more players who were looking for a club that gapped between their driver and three-wood. For some, this club is for tee shots only while others need to be able to hit this club off the turf. GT280 is designed to perform exceptionally under both conditions, and it will be a really valuable addition to our metalwood line-up.”
“The design process for GT280 began with a request from J.J. [Van Wezenbeeck, Titleist’s senior director of club promotions], and when we brought out our first mini driver prototype last year, we quickly saw that it fit a performance need for both tour players and amateurs.” said Tom Bennett, principal product manager for Titleist metalwood R&D. “Whether GT280 is going to have a permanent spot in a player’s bag and replace their strongest-lofted fairway, or if it’s more of a situational 15th club, there’s a lot of interest in another go-to distance club that performs how GT280 does.”
GT280 features a Seamless Thermoform Crown, made from the same Proprietary Matrix Polymer (PMP) that comprises the crowns of GT drivers. The design delivers significant weight savings while maintaining sound and feel.
The mini driver also has forward/aft weighting adjustability like that found in the GT4 driver, giving fitters and golfers two distinct centre of gravity settings to choose from. A heavier (11g) flat weight comes stock in the aft position, with a lighter (3g) flat weight positioned forward. Flipping the weighting setup will lower launch and spin for players seeking a more penetrating flight.
GT280 also has a forged L-Cup face design to maximise performance on strikes low on the face, and its profile features a lower leading edge to improve playability from the turf.
The model is named for its 280cc head volume, which sits between the head volumes of GT drivers and GT fairway metals. GT280 has 13 degrees of loft, and its stock shaft length – 43.5ins – is two inches shorter than the stock GT driver shaft length.
