The FT-3 Tour

[JEFF4i]

Okay, so today I'm playing with my toes on the toilet, and decide to see if my new FT-3 Tour is in the mail. Sure enough.

So I think, what the heck, nice day, if a little cold, and I'm feeling good.

So I go and decide to just start off with a bucket of balls. Irons are good, pulled a little to begin with but made my arms calm down and problemo fixed.

Then I get to my woods, all goods.

So I hit my r7. A little left like the irons, but nothing terrible. I'm happy. Then...then...

The FT-3. Wow. First shot. Wow. Dead where I was aimed, and long. I hit more, again, and again, and again.

So, why does it feel this way? Well, first off, I'm quite impressed with the VS Proto. The 70-Gram Stiff feels strong, but not like you can't get it to keep up. The beautiful thing is I can really force the shaft, without it becoming whippy and sporadic. The color is aesthetically pleasing as well.

The clubhead is great. I had heard bad things about the sound, but I'm rather fond of it. It's not a sound like you've just crushed it, but, like the rest of the club, it sounds solid. Nothing fancy, but nice. I like the look of the crown and the face. From the top the crown has that nice line, but it isn't distracing at all. The face itself lets you know where you've hit the ball, and the size isn't comparable to a Cobra, but it's plenty big. On that note, for some reason beyond myself, the V on the club-face kept getting marked up with balls. Perhaps there was some correlation between that and the beautiful drives.

How was the performance, after all? Great. At the range I was putting them about five yards further than my r7, and in a tighter grouping. Trajectory looks near perfect, if not spot on. What, above and beyond all else, has seemed to tickle my fancy, was the roll. I generally don't accumulate much roll with my drives. Maybe 5-10 yards, but rarely more. To my utter jubilation, I found myself getting 10-20 yards, ever drive. With preferable circumstances, more! Now, I know why this is. The angle of descent on my ball is much better than the r7. I never gave it much notice because the carry was longer than any other driver I've found, but not this time.

So, I took her out on the course. Obviously not an official round given my 15 clubs, but that makes no difference. I only played nine anyway. The first hole is a dog-leg left, 380 par 4. Since I was by my wee self, I played both drivers. My r7 ended up about 85 out, on the right side of the fairway. Deciding to push the envelope, I made a more aggresive play with the FT-3. I was pleased. The result was 70 out (right by the marker) dead center. Hole #2 is another dogleg left Par 4, that measures about 360. To play aggresive, you must play over water. The FT-3 ended up (with the same target) about 4 yards further than my r7, and more near the center.

Now for the bad boy. A Par 5, by no means long measuring about 510, but it's a dog leg left guarded by two sandtraps, and trees. Dare I? I dare. The r7 pleased me with a nice shot that left me about 220 out, but the FT-3. Oh the sweet FT-3. With the help of some concrete on the third bounce, I was 200 Out.

#4 is a par 3. #5 is probably the most testing driving hole on the 9. It has a steep incline of about 40 feet. The hole only measures about 320, but given the incline and the fact that you have about a 15 foot wide landing area, it's terribly difficult if you want to play aggresive without the accuracy. Now, if you can land atop the hill with some gusto, there is a slight down-slope that will give you some roll, feeding into the green. This is where the roll paid off. Both drivers landed about the same area, but given the roll, I ended up with about a 30 yard chip, opposed to a 50 yard shot.

#6 is a par 3. #7 is not drive-able given the conditions. I could normally carry the arroyo, but with about a 10 MPH headwind, and a brand new Nike One Black, I wasn't so inclined.

#8 was what made me smile, possible most of all. If you're a long hitter, you have to be careful on this hole. To the left are trees, but since it's a dog-leg right, you are predisposed to hit into those. To compensate, one might aim more right. Sadly, no can do. There is the arroyo. That's no man lands. You will find your ball, but unless you are savvy hitting out of two foot deep sand, the possibility of ruining your club, and the possibility that your ball will be in a depression, it's not pretty. Normally I take a 3 iron. Today, I felt gutsy. And I was pleased. I ended up in the left rough with the FT-3, but I was more than happy to be there.

Finally, #9. Another par 5. Want to reach in two? It measures only about 530, and is reachable, but you better have brought your big boy briches. The driving area is guarded by two bunkers in the fairway. Not for the faint of heart. Well, I decided to get a little courage from my friend Jose Cuervo. I called him up, and he told me, "JEFF! GO FOR IT! OLE!" So I did. And I ended up about 5 yards past the sand, with a shot into an elevated green, at 220 out.

Dare I say, the r7 has met it's match? I dare. If it wasn't so terribly splendid today, I might not be so inclined to oust my favorite driver. But, the results showed me the light.

Updates will be short to come, I assure you. But from the beginning, this thing has been like a good woman. Pretty, and does her job.

[Sandpiper3]

I can't believe you didn't sing any praises for me!?!?!

Great it's workin out for ya jeff.

[JEFF4i]

Oh, yeah...

THANKS SANDPIPER! He is the one I got it from.

[Rockford35]

Take that friggin' TM out of your signature and get with the program.



R35

[JEFF4i]

It's not going out, but I sure am happy I've got this as bold.

[MCDavis]

Originally Posted by JEFF4i

Okay, so today I'm playing with my toes on the toilet,

1st off...TM FRIGGIN' I!!!! I don't want to know about your nasty, perverted habits!!

2nd...glad to hear it worked so well for you! Frankly, not dissing TM, I hope it continues to play that well for you...it's always nice to buy a club that really, really works!

[Sandpiper3]

Agree MCD. Im not a big TM fan, my irons are nice, but I want over to CG1 black pearls to get rid of the last of the TM.

I had an r7 for awhile, but sold that off to tmag for emotional purposes, Now im completely back to Titleist after selling that cally to jeff.

You gotta move away from the MWT Jeff, im glad i could help start that movement.

[JEFF4i]

Well, if this stays the way it played today, I think I'm good...

[ManchesterGolfer]

The FT3 is a sweet driver for sure but the FT5 is like an FT3 on steroids. give it a whirl and save up your pennies. (The D2 beats them both though)

[chemboy2]

Quite a thorough review, Jeff!

It's always nice when you have the time to take the new club out on the course to get head to head with the current gamer!

I came really close to picking up a FT3 recently as I too liked the sound and feel!

[Sandpiper3]

Well chemboy your lucky, I still have the other one!

[chemboy2]

Originally Posted by Sandpiper3

Well chemboy your lucky, I still have the other one!

Not having one available to me wasn't the reason I didn't pull the trigger, but thanks.

[warbirdlover]

I'm speechless.... But happy for you Jeff!!

[Sandpiper3]

WBL, you can join the FT-3 wave, im still selling

[WildCatGolfer17]

I cant believe Im reading all this... All of a sunnden shifts to Callys and the horrible manufacturing of Titties... so sad.. one day you will all learn TM FTW!

But hey again opinions are like ARSE-Holes. everybody has one. Take what works and try not to be biast, but I think ive hit too many drivers out there, and the burner is a lazer guided deathray... I know people say some others are cannons, but my Burner Tp I got from Tmag is my secret well.. not so secret, but weapon.