Titleist introduce 816H hybrid range

By: Golf Shake | Tue 22 Sep 2015

Titleist 816 hybrids

Titleist have announced the launch of a new Hybrid model. The 816 has been engineered to include an Active Recoil Channel™ and Ultra Thin Face technology which help golfers to generate higher ball speeds and low spin, both are important attributes in increasing distance. Additionally a high MOI design creates and an increase of speed across the whole face for more forgiveness on off-centre hits.

“Golfers have long thought of hybrids as ‘rescue clubs’ and not ‘scoring clubs,’ but we intend to change that perception. More golfers than ever are replacing long irons with hybrids and carrying multiple hybrids in their bags because of their performance benefits. Our new 816H models are technically advanced scoring clubs that have better shot stopping ability and can improve yardage gaps at the long end of the set,” said Chris McGinley, Vice President, Titleist Golf Club Marketing. “Instead of thinking about getting out of trouble or just getting the ball close to the green, golfers can now think about hitting the green and stopping the ball closer to the pin more often.”

“Our best club fitters on tour and in the market look at hybrids as a direct extension of the iron set, and fit golfers for hybrids and irons at the same time. For this reason, we’ve made the decision to put Titleist hybrids and irons on the same launch cycle.”

The new 816 hybrid fetures several key benefits when compared to previous models:

816H hybrids provide the most precise fit Titleist has ever offered with two models, loft choices every 2º and a new 1º SureFit Tour hosel for independent adjustment of loft and lie.
816H1 models are high launching hybrids that fly further and land soft. 816H1 has a larger profile that provides confidence, with slightly increased face progression that performs well from the rough.
816H2 hybrids have a more compact shape with a slight offset for iron-like shot control for players who engage the turf more aggressively.

Titleist 816 Hybrid technology

One of the key technologies used by Titleist in the 816 is the the Active Recoil Channel. Essentially this is a long, deep channel, positioned along the sole of the clubhead, close to the leading edge. It results in more distance by flexing at impact to launch the ball with lower spin and higher speed. Titleist pint out that the ARC is particularly effective on hybrids, which are most often hit off the ground with the ball impacting low on the face. Shots hit lower on the face generally produce more spin, which is counteracted by ARC!

Contributing to Titleist's quest for more speed and greater forgiveness is their Ultra Thin Face which works in combination with the Active Recoil Channel to deliver increased ball speed across the entire face The new face is made of high-strength Carpenter steel, and is the thinnest face insert Titleist R&D has ever developed.

A precise High-MOI design with a low centre of gravity (has allowed Titleist to improve MOI across the 816 range with the H1’s MOI improved by 7 percent when compared to the 915H model, while H2 has a similar MOI to the 915. Improved CG locations (slightly deeper, and lower in H2) increase launch up to 1º for more shot stopping control.

“The Active Recoil Channel has revolutionised distance for us across our entire metals line and really pushes us ahead of the pack in the hybrid category,” said Dan Stone, Vice President, Titleist Golf Club R&D. “But distance is still only one part of the equation. Golfers, now more than ever, are relying on their hybrids to hit precise golf shots and help them create more scoring opportunities. Our R&D philosophy of ‘distance and forgiveness’ ensures that we take the entire shot into consideration, not only how far it goes. 816 provides golfers with complete, consistent performance – the distance to consistently reach the green, the trajectory to stop the ball on the green closer to the hole, and the forgiveness that delivers similar results even when the strike is off centre. We haven’t made any sacrifices.”

Filling in the Gaps

Titleist are keen for the 816H hybrid to be seen as part of your set, not simply as a 'rescue' club. So the line offers loft choices every two degrees from 19º to 27º and delivers improved long game yardage gapping. Golfers could carry three hybrids in replacement of long irons.

“For most golfers, long irons become more difficult to hit and produce shorter distances than desired. 816 hybrids extend those distances and really allow us to bridge that gap between the longest iron and the fairway wood,” said Stephanie Luttrell, Director, Titleist metalwood development. “Following extensive research and player testing, it’s our recommendation that the majority of players use 4-degree loft gaps to create appropriate distance gaps. That’s why we offer 2-degree loft increments, which gives us three pairs of hybrids (19º and 23º, 21º and 25º and 23º and 27º) spaced in 4-degree increments. And for the player who truly loves hybrids and prefers them over fairways woods, there is the option to carry three hybrids (19º, 23º and 27º).”

816H1 vs 816H2

The new Titleist 816H hybrid line offers two distinctive shapes with a difference in size. Each providing particular performance benefits relative to a golfer’s swing.

The Titleist 816H1 has a larger, confidence-inspiring profile. It features a face progression for golfers that need enhanced launch and prefer a fairway metal look. The larger H1 head size effectively cuts through the grass giving an enhanced performance from the rough.

The Titleist 816H2 has a smaller, pear profile for launch and trajectory control favoured by golfers looking to shape their shots. The model features a slight offset for more aggressive players that engage the turf. H2 produces 150-300rpm less spin for a flatter flight.

“H1 is our all around hybrid. It has more face progression and behaves like a small fairway metal,” Luttrell said. “We recommend H1 for the player who’s more of a sweeper and a little bit shallower in terms of their turf interaction. And also the player with a more moderate club speed, because H1 does generate more spin than the H2 which will keep the ball in the air longer for more distance.”

“H2 is more of our iron-type hybrid. It has less face progression which visually looks like a slight offset and leads to players attacking it with a more descending iron-type blow,” Luttrell said. “We’ve also made the head slightly larger than the 915Hd by lengthening the face, which provides more confidence in the address position.”

Tour validated

More than 40 players across the worldwide professional tours have switched to new 816H hybrids since the start of the tour seeding and validation process, including Jordan Spieth, who put a new 816H2 21º model in play at the World Golf Championships event at Firestone. Other players that have already switched to 816H models include Robert Streb, Victor Dubuisson, Anders Hansen, Zac Blair and Brendon De Jonge.

Jordan Spieth: “The new 816, with the silver head and black face, is a really cool looking hybrid. It’s really clean, really crisp. When I strike it, it shoots off the face nicely. It goes a little higher than my 915 hybrid, and a little bit further. If you’re going to hit it a little higher and further, ultimately that’s enough to make a golfer really pleased. When you mishit a hybrid, you need it to stay on line, still get up in the air and to still go far enough – and that’s what 816 does.”

Ian Poulter: “I love my hybrids. A lot of guys only use one hybrid, but I transitioned away from a 4 iron into a 4 hybrid a while ago. Based on my early testing I can tell that 816 hybrids are definitely scoring clubs. I get the extra benefit of the higher ball flight, whether it’s from the rough or even if it’s from the fairway. When it lands on the green, I get it to stop a lot quicker than if I was using a 4 iron. If it’s a tuck pin, I’ve still got the beauty of actually landing it tight to the pin and having it stop quickly. Versatility is there as well. I can use it from the fairway, I can use it from the rough. It nicks through the rough nicely. I get the help with the ball picking up nice and quick, and again it stops very quickly from the rough.