A different take on a familiar shape

The new Titleist GT1 hybrid is being marketed as more than just a club for golfers who want more height this year. They say it’s truly for the whole market and, believe us, there’s no hyperbole there

Whenever Titleist releases the ‘1’ series, whether it is TSi1, TSR1, or, now, with the Titleist GT1 hybrid, there are certain expectations put on the club that can hinder whether the majority of the golfing public will even consider the models. But considering the outstanding performance from the Titleist GT1 hybrid in our best hybrids test, this could (and should) be the year that this entry gets taken more seriously.

Typically, we’d look to the GT1 for forgiveness, spin, increased offset, and height, something that often suits the slower swing speed or higher-handicap golfer, with this performance normally coming alongside a drop in key desirables for the rest of the market: namely, power and distance.

So is the Titleist GT1 hybrid from the same script as before, or has the company learnt from previous instalments and the desires of the rest of the market to create a different kind of ‘1’ series than the one we all imagine?

Looks, sound, and feedback – 5/5

I don’t know if it’s just because I’m getting older, or if using high-lofted fairway woods recently has affected my perception, but I adore the look of the GT1 hybrid. It sits somewhere in-between a 5- or 7-wood shape and the classic hybrid looks that you know.

Having something with a wider body from front to rear makes me feel like I’m not going to have a problem in launching the golf ball higher, while the minimalist Titleist finish stops the head from looking overwhelming in contrast to some of the bolder head designs of 2025.

From a feedback standpoint, there’s a clean sound from strikes hit across the face. It’s a more muted feel, or at least a sound that doesn’t ring for long, giving me the feeling of a precise shot instead of indiscriminate artillery. It’s almost like Titleist have installed a silencer internally.

It doesn’t stop you from picking up on mishit strikes, but it’s almost like I’m less concerned by them – something I was interested to see if it would be reflected in the performance as much as the sound.

Distance and Spin – 4.5/5

To put my cards on the table, the reason this category isn’t five stars is because there is just a little too much spin being generated for my golf game. While Titleist have lowered the CG (Center of Gravity) position deeper into the head than before, because I launch the ball high any kind of spin just makes the flight rise slightly beyond what I would want.

However, I still think that for the majority of golfers this will sit really well inside that bracket, and I would also say that I’ve had limited time to experiment with shaft changes so I do think there is a setting that can fit this club into my bag in the future!

The other side of this section, the distance, I have no such qualms with. There’s ball speed in spades here, you’re not going to be sacrificing anything by choosing the Titleist GT1, as may have been the case with those predecessor models.

If there hadn’t been the extra spin that I found, this could easily have been keeping up with my TaylorMade SIM Max 5-wood for carry distance, with only a 2-3 mph lower ball speed. When also factoring the spin, I’ve seen the GT1 come down at 10-12 yards less than my fairway wood so while it wasn’t a direct replacement (in this setting), there’s certainly a place for a club like this when attacking fast greens from distance over a 3- or 4-iron.

Forgiveness and Control – 5/5

While the spin has limited some distance for me, it’s also been more than helpful in steering shots in the direction I want them to go in while also providing stability in the wind.

In particular, I’ve really enjoyed seeing how the Titleist GT1 hybrid reacts to low-face strikes. You’re always going to see some additional spin from the deflection’s gear effect at work, but, again, that deeper CG balances the club in a way that maintains enough spin for a better flight with the golf ball where the launch isn’t available without causing overspin and losing even more yardage on top of the lowered ball speed from the miss.

This hybrid works best for me in a slightly heavier, weight-to-the-front setup, to try and keep the loft down by driving the face forward. Switching the front and back positions around though, Titleist give you the option to increase the launch and spin for those who either produce quite flat numbers or the slower swing speed golfer.

For me, this was to the sound of 400-500 rpm, which is not an insignificant amount, and something most golfers will benefit from the tune-ability of.

Technology and Components – 5/5

I’ve mentioned it twice now, so I think we need to talk more about the moveable weight settings. Titleist refer to it as Dual Performance Control, which is a fancy way of them saying you can use these weights to change launch characteristics without having to resort to loft changes. There’s a variety of weight options available within a fitting for the Titleist GT1 hybrid but finding the right balance for your golf game isn’t difficult with the right fitter – and you shouldn’t look past the GT2 and GT3 hybrids as possibly a better fit for your game.

Working alongside the weight system, Titleist still offers the full 16-position SureFit loft and lie sleeve like with all their metalwoods. What’s unique in the GT1 hybrid is that it’s offered in both a .335” (fairway) or a .370” (hybrid) adaptor size, allowing the club to be built with a fairway shaft for the golfer that wants a longer club for more speed or to replace a fairway wood directly.

The Titleist GT1 hybrid is also the company’s lightest model in the rescue club category this year, which is one of the reasons for the deeper CG they’ve been able to produce, like with the GT1 driver and fairways. This is built to promote higher launch and lower spin, and it’s one of the reasons you’ll see the GT1 in the hands of a huge range of players this generation.

Final Verdict – 5/5

The GT1 is coming in strong for my favourite hybrid of the year, which is not small task considering I wouldn’t normally choose to play a rescue over a long iron in most situations.

I think a large part of the reason I’ve felt more comfortable using this one is the size. It’s very reminiscent of Callaway’s UW club, in that it sits somewhere in-between a fairway wood and a classic hybrid. Where UW was very much built for the faster, ‘better’ player, the GT1 is a universal club that can be adapted for a variety of the setups and performance. There’s clear potential in this club for any golfer in the world, whether tour pro, weekend warrior, senior, or newbie, and it makes Titleist’s GT1 into one of the most exciting clubs we’ve seen in 2025.

RRP: £299.00 / $329.99

Lofts: 20º / 23° / 26° / 29º (RH/LH)

Weights: 11g Aft / 5g Forward (+6g to -6g Available)

Head Size: 138cc / 138cc / 133cc / 133cc

Lie: 57.5º / 58º / 58.5º / 59º

Standard Shaft Length: 40.5" / 40" / 39.5" / 39"

Stock Shaft Options: Fujikura Air Speeder Next Gen 50g / Fujikura Air Speeder Next Gen 40g (Ladies, Juniors)

Stock Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 Lite