Team Titleist event at TPI (Bucket List Experience)

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By JDobkin

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  1. JDobkin

    JDobkin
    Los Angeles

    Long post to recap a great day... This Tuesday I was fortunate to be able to attend a special Team Titleist event down at TPI and the production facility down in Oceanside CA. The email invite went out for a driver fitting and honestly I didn't need a new driver. My TSR3 is perfection. But I have always wanted to see TPI and I was very curious about getting to peak behind the curtain. Usually my schedule doesn't coincide with Team Titleist events but chance was on my side this time.

    The morning started with a tour of the production facility and as someone who likes to know how things are made this was eye opening. All of the team members who guided as through the various stages of production were very welcoming and extremely informative. I have never been inside a company where the level of pride and enjoyment in what they do is so palpable. One of my biggest takeaways was how many hands touch every single Titleist club. I had always assumed that the off the rack clubs were assembled by machines and then just packaged together. Thats not the case. Off the rack box sets get the same level of precision and care as each custom order. Same goes for metal woods and putters. It's crazy how many quality checks are done in the process to ensure every single club meats the highest of high standards thats Titleist operates with. A big thank you to Jason, Price and Doug who let us get a peak backstage to see how the magic is made.

    Next stop for the day was TPI for our fitting day. Soon as you drive onto the grounds it's like stepping foot into golf heaven. Every blade of grass is perfect. The facility designed for the best of the best. It's like stepping into a MLB stadium and suiting up next to all of the pros. Jaw dropping really.

    I don't know what it's like to be a tour pro, but man did they make me feel just as special upon arrival. Custom bad tags applied to each of our sets, full facility tour followed by a lovely lunch on the second floor open air patio with stunning views of the entire facility.

    Stephanie and Tom from the product design team came upstairs to meet everyone and explain all the new teach that went into the new GT lineup. I've seen them on all of the YouTube channels so it was very cool to get a one on one with these people so integral to the design of the clubs we play and love.

    First up for me was driver fitting. And to say I was nervous would be an understatement. Just being out there in that space feels surreal. I explained to my fitter Travis that I honestly didnt want or need a new driver, and when he asked if I could improve one thing about my setup what would it be? For me I simply asked to move the floor closer to the ceiling on carry distance. He liked the challenge and it was game on.

    We baselined my TSR3 and I hit the variety of shots that I see on the course. Low/mid flighted draw and high heely cut. These shots are not intentional, just a by product of bad swing mechanics. I have a premium Diamana shaft in my current setup and Travis said he didn't hate that setup for me but wanted to try a few things. We jumped around with several heads, trying my best not to take a peak at what he was swapping me into. I didn't think it was possible, but every head has improved sound and feel compared to the TSR.

    I hit some great shots with every head swap, but the big takeaway with Travis was I was hitting everything in a window that was too low and leaving yardage on the table. We landed on a GT2 head at 9° D2 sleeve setting (same as my TSR3) with a Tensei 1k Blue 65S.

    We moved the floor UP 16 yards and the ceiling UP 15 yards. Thats way more extra yardage than I expected and it was achieved by higher ball speeds across the face and VERY tight spin numbers. I have no idea how my heel strike didnt ballon well over 3k with the GT2 and still retain extra ball speed.

    We went through the rest of the metal woods just to experiment and I think a 7 wood might be in my future. There is no hard sell here. Simply working with a fitter who showed me that my hybrid is great but comes in very low and a 7 wood would essentially give me a little more yardage with higher height to help shrink the gaps we just created with the new driver.

    Then it was a physical assessment with Kayleigh to see what my body is doing right and wrong. I had some suspicion my lower body wasn't moving properly anymore and that was causing some over the top and extension issues. Sure enough I have some hip mobility limitations that is causing my back and torso to compensate. This is also why I have a sore mid back after a round. It wasn't an end of the world diagnosis, the opposite really. She helped provide me with some steps to help with the lower body movements and get my swing back into form.

    To wrap up the day I spent some time with Aaron for a wedge fitting/assesment. We went through the bag and when Aaron asked me what shot am I missing that I would like I explained that I dont have a shot in that releases. Everything checked up very hard. He reviewed my setup and gave me several different grinds to try and he decided that my current setup was actually perfect ( I did the online wedge fitting and was very honest with my data points) So Aaron said listen, your gear is perfect but maybe there are a few shots we could work on adding to me bag. And we literally just played around for 30 minutes and I added 3 different shot styles into my arsenal using gear I already own.

    I cant speak highly enough about this whole experience. This was a bucket list experience for me without question. A huge THANK YOU to everything I met at Titleist. I don't know any company on the planet that gives its customers and fans this type of experience.

    And of course I'll include pics of all the swag. It was quite a haul.

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  2. Chuck Z

    Chuck Z
    Mt Pleasant, SC

    Military
    Sounds like you had a great TPI experience. Convinced me to go see my fitters when healthy enough to hit balls again. Currently playing TSi3 w/ Fujikura Tour Speeder. The TS and TSRs could not match it in overall performance at the fittings. Good info. Thanks.
  3. Guy W

    Guy W
    Statesville, NC

    What I wouldn't give for that kind of invitation. Congrats and thanks for the excellent write up.
  4. An experience I’m sure you’ll never forget.
  5. James Young

    James Young
    Costa Mesa, CA

    You got the FULL treatment - so cool!! Excellent recap, time to have more fun on the course.

    Keep enjoying the journey.
  6. Dale V

    Dale V
    Surprise AZ

    Excellent! I have been fortunate enough to be invited to a few of those while I was living down the road in Escondido. Hope I have not been forgotten out here in Arizona as it’s not too far of a drive to occasionally make the trip back to Oceanside.
  7. Don O

    Don O
    Madison, WI

    If the DALE returns to SD County, it won’t be too far for me. The normal date should be close to the hybrids/GT-1 release. That would be a time to TPI for a set of GT fittings.
  8. Military
    I am hoping to get a full bag fitting in March in conjunction with coming to San Diego to play in the Dale and visit some Marine friends
  9. That would be awesome to attend for sure!
  10. I love TT, such a great Logo & group of gentlemen. People may argue equipment, but nobody worth talking to can argue that Titleist/Acushnet/ Scotty Cameron/ Team Titleist ate the classiest names in the game!
  11. Thanks for the write up. Good luck with the GT2.

    My GT set is currently MIA between Carlsbad and Colorado as Fedex has dropped the ball...rather, clubs.

    I visited TPI a few years ago; worked with Joey S. = great visit from driving into the facility to exiting.

    Believe I was the first divot the morning of the visit...memorable experience.



  12. EddietheKarp

    EddietheKarp
    Pennsylvania

    That is an amazing experience JDobkin! Everything from the top to the bottom was ultra premium!
    On a personal note, I’m so very happy for you and not jealous at all!!
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  13. Dang, what a great experience. I would give anything to get an opportunity like that. Just another example of how TT is in a class by themselves. And that swag is an incredible score. The ball marker, towel, water bottle and koozie are incredible. I’m super jealous.
  14. Todd T

    Todd T
    San Diego, CA

    Military
    Always a great day at TPIU... Its Christmas for adult!
  15. greg p

    greg p
    Chicago 'burbs, IL

    Definitely bucket list. Thanks for the info and...making the rest of us jealous.
  16. Awesome review! What a great experience the TPI is!!

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