Titleist go “Concept” with the C16

Titleist go "Concept" with the C16

Car manufacturers “concept” cars are big draws at motor shows, they showcase how cars of the future might look like, and help convince us the consumer they’re makers are leaders of innovation. The “concept” idea though has never really spread to golf before, well that is until now.

Titleist have just appointed a new R+D team who’ve been specifically tasked with challenging the frontiers of golf club technology and performance. Their remit is to showcase innovative technologies, ultra-premium materials, advanced construction methods and cosmetic treatments to provide golfers a glimpse into the future, as Titleist say some of the “Concept” technology may transition into next generation Titleist clubs.

Now don’t get too excited, the new C16’s are super premium and they’ll only be available in very limited numbers through a very select group of outlets in the USA. But this is their story.

The C16 Driver say Titleist delivers more distance and forgiveness than any previous Titleist driver.  There’s a new SP700 Cup Face to maximise face flex, new ultra thin ATI-425 titanium crown and an ultra-lightweight Ti 811 body which frees up more discretionary weight for engineers to incorporate a movable CG. The SureFit CG cartridge means golfers can move the CG from neutral to either the toe or heel to dial in a particular shot shape and increase forgiveness. There’s also a SureFit grip which Titleist say places weight under the grip which can promote a fade or draw to increase accuracy and control. Heads will be available in 9deg and 10.5deg lofts and come with a $999 price tag which is nearly £700 a pop!

To complement the driver there’s also a set of C16 irons. Titleist say thanks to their ultra-premium materials and state-of-the-art technologies they’re the highest, longest and most forgiving iron they’ve ever created. A forged K301 cup face in the 4-7 irons delivers maximum ball speeds and carry distance, while the 8-PW boast of 1RK95 steel face inserts to create an ultra thin face for maximum distance. Extreme tungsten weighting around the perimeter of the hollow-body head maximises forgiveness and delivers a high launching trajectory. As you’d expect the C16 come equipped with top of the range shafts.  The choice is either a limited edition Mitsubishi Kuro Kage graphite shaft or premium Nippon N.S. Pro 880 with Ascending Mass technology. Expect to pay $2699 (nearly £1900) for a 8 piece set of steel shafted irons or $2999 (nearly £2100) for graphite.

Don’t expect to see the C16’s in the UK as they are a US only launch, for more information visit www.titleist.com