Titleist 913 D3 Driver Review – Compact Playability

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Titleist 913 D3 Driver - 3 Perspectives

Here I will be reviewing the Titleist 913D3 driver, the better-player brother in the Titleist 913 line of drivers.

At the time of its debut, it was considered Titleist’s most playable and forgiving driver along with the game-improvement 913D2. It was also touted to have more mis-hit forgiveness over the older 910D3.

Is the 913D3 worthy of being called an upgrade to the 910D3?  In what areas is it lacking?

Read on to find out what you need to know about the driver to make an informed purchase.

Note: Unless otherwise stated, stock shafts and stock grips are used when evaluating this club. In most cases, the golf clubs reviewed on Golfstead are acquired temporarily for testing purposes and are not purchased. The review that follows is based on the personal experience and research of the author. Because everyone’s swing and body are different, results with a particular club may differ from person to person.


What are the reviews like?

Like the 913D2, the 913D3 driver has received glowing ratings since its release.

It has a near-perfect 4.9/5 average rating on Global Golf, and has been given top ratings by most critics and professionals.

What People Like

  • compact look
  • excellent tour-level playability/workability (while still managing to offer very good forgiveness)
  • extensive adjustability
  • solid feel
  • affordable price point

What People Don’t Like

Although distance results are consistent and very decent, it’s not quite as long as some people would like it to be; still, though, countless golfers have reported distance gains over their previous drivers.

Also, some players find the trajectory and spin rate to be a bit too low for their taste.


Overview & Features

The 913D3 driver features a 445cc classic pear-shaped titanium head (discussed more below).

It has a high-speed forged insert in the clubface which delivers more ball speed (and hence distance) over a larger area of the face.

The center of gravity (CG) has been lowered to a more optimal position, and a rear SureFit Tour weight has been added to both reduce spin and optimize the launch angle for more distance.

SureFit Tour Hosel Technology

The 913D3 also has an adjustable hosel with SureFit Tour hosel technology, which allows the golfer to dial in their launch flight.

With the SureFit Tour hosel, you can adjust the loft and lie to one of four positions each (4 x 4 = 16 total configurations); the adjustments can be made in increments of 0.75° over a range of 2.25°.

913D2 Comparison

Compared with its brother, the 913D2, the 913D3 has a slightly smaller head (445cc as opposed to 460cc) and delivers a slightly lower trajectory with less spin.

It also offers a little less mis-hit forgiveness due to a smaller moment of inertia (MOI).

The 913D3 driver is available in 5 standard lofts, one standard lie and one standard length. See the specifications of the 913D3 below:

  • Stock grip: Titleist Tour Velvet 360
  • Stock shafts: Mitsubishi Diamana +Plus White 72 (low launch), Aldila RIP Alpha 60 (lower-mid launch), Aldila RIP Phenom 70 (low-mid launch), Mitsubishi Diamana +Plus Blue 62 (mid launch)
  • Standard lofts: 7.5° (RH only), 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°
  • Standard lie: 58.5°
  • Standard length: 45″

How does the driver perform?

Distance

Like most adjustable drivers, you can take advantage of the adjustability in order to optimize your ball flight and distance.

In the case of the 913D3, you can change the loft, lie and weight of the clubhead (through the removable pentagon-shaped weight) to your liking. Be sure to adjust your alignment to compensate for any face angle changes.

Distance results with the 913D3 are very consistent and respectable, although it’s not necessarily the longest driver out there.

It retains a good amount of ball speed and distance on off-center hits — arguably not as much as the 913D2 (due to a slightly lower MOI) but still more than the 910D3 and good for a modern driver.

Forgiveness

The forgiveness of the drivers in the Titleist 913 line remains among the best in the market.

Forgiveness has generally been improved since the 910D3. The face insert results in ball speed increases of about 2 mph near the toe (about 4-6 more yards) and around 1% near the heel.

Directional dispersion is good, and it can be argued that it’s even tighter than the 913D2 because of the lower spin. You should expect slight to moderate mis-hits to not deviate much from the intended target line.

Skilled players should see very few to no wild shots out on the course.

Note that the face angle adjustments can help suppress slices or hooks to an extent.

Playability/Trajectory

One of the key differences between the 913D3 and 913D2 is the location of the center of gravity.

The CG is positioned closer to the face in the head of the 913D3; this results in better workability (shot shaping), a slightly lower ball flight with less spin, and a straight flight bias as opposed to a slight draw bias in the 913D2.

More skilled golfers should be able to control and shape shots with relative ease.


What about look, sound & feel?

The Look

The compact 445cc pear-shaped titanium head of the 913D3 has a rich black finish complimented with some white and red accents.

The sole and the clubhead overall sports a sharp and traditional design that’s not too busy (a Titleist logo surrounded by the driver model and standard loft), and the crown has a nondistracting and effective aid to help with alignment.

It’s a classy look that many people will love.

To get a higher-resolution look at the 913D3, click on the composite image at the top of the page.

The Sound & Feel

The 913D3 feels pure, stable and balanced through the swing, even with a lighter shaft.

It produces an explosive, crisp sound (not too loud or soft) at impact that most people would say is an improvement over the previous 910 driver.

Mis-hits feel quite solid and produce minimal vibrations.

It’s still by and large the classic Titleist sound/feel combo that people have come to know and love from the company.

Note that the rear pentagon-shaped weight can be removed and replaced to change the weight of the clubhead, and you can do so (weight kits purchased separately) if you don’t like the feel of the current weight.


Where should you buy this driver online?

Years later, it can be difficult to find the 913 D3 driver in new condition.

Regardless, you can find some fantastic deals from trustworthy and reputable sellers on eBay, but just be aware of their policies. If you look through the search results, you can find plenty of listings for both new and used drivers.

eBay is great because you’re completely protected by their Money Back Guarantee.

Alternatively, Global Golf still has some of these drivers in stock. You’d best grab some before they’re gone. Check and see what coupon codes they’re running here.


Conclusion

Pros

  • workability is among the best on the market
  • compact 445cc look is preferred by many
  • look/sound/feel is top notch
  • doesn’t do anything poorly
  • price point is affordable

Cons

  • the driver isn’t the absolute longest out there nor is it the most forgiving
  • some people might prefer a larger head that’s more confidence-inspiring
  • low spin rate and trajectory won’t suit some golfers who hit it too low

In the past, Titleist recommended a thorough fitting in order to unlock the full potential of the Titleist 913D3 driver, but this might not be possible now considering the age of the driver.

Even without a fitting, you can still be successful, especially if you properly take advantage of the built-in adjustability.

The added workability, more compact head and lower ball flight of the 913D3 makes it a great driver for more skilled golfers, but anyone — low, mid or high handicap — can do really well with it.

It certainly doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses, and it’s enough of an improvement over the previous 910D3 to hold its own as a proper successor.


If you have any thoughts or opinions about the Titleist 913D3 driver, be sure to leave a comment below!

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2 Comments

  1. MS April 2, 2016
    • Paul April 2, 2016

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