Titleist 975D Driver
When I was in high school and college, there was one driver that was it. It seemed like all the best players had it and everyone else wanted to have it. A certain dominant professional who was winning at an unheard of rate was also using it at this time. I’m talking about the Titleist 975D driver. Sure, technology in drivers has definitely improved exponentially, but the 975D’s perfect looks, sound, and playability make it beloved by many to this day. Admittedly, the 975D was geared toward better players, but that didn’t stop everyone from wanting to put one in their bag.
A brief background on how I got this actual club as a 7.5º driver would not be my first choice. Being a sucker for vintage clubs, especially from my youth, I was scouring a “golf show” for deals on interesting gear whether for my collection or content when I stumbled upon this beauty. The absurdly low loft and the general cool factor of the club made it a no-brainer for me. I definitely need more loft for my swing, but the good news was that I wasn’t buying it to be my gamer. Take note, the 975D was originally offered in EIGHT different lofts.
The Looks
At this point in time, drivers were still much more compact and pretty well below 400cc. The Titleist 975D driver comes in at a super modest 260cc which is far below drivers of today that are considered compact and come in around 430 or 445cc. While smaller, the 975D’s profile will go down as one of the greatest of the modern era. Its pear shape is as good as it gets with a deep face (for its time). It just frames the ball perfectly and looks powerful behind the ball. The grey/silver finish is clean and a definitive trait. For me, just seeing that grey with that pear shape screams Titleist driver and there was nothing better looking at that point in time. In my opinion, this will always be one of the best looking drivers in the history of the game.
How Does it Feel?
The Titleist 975D driver is a small, compact titanium driver. In fact, the actual full name is “Titleist Titanium 975D”. Titanium is notorious for being a super strong and lightweight metal. For those reasons, it’s been an especially popular material in golf clubs for decades. As such, the 975D has a firm and powerful feel with plenty of precision. The face response is very direct with a fairly minimal sweet spot. You won’t mistake missing the center of the face for a good shot, trust me.
How Does it Sound?
Like the feel, the Titleist 975D driver has a pretty firm and powerful sound. I remember specifically that these drivers just sounded better than anything else at the time. While most metalwoods of this era, especially titanium-faced woods, sound very metallic and were pretty loud, the 975D isn’t. The Titleist 975D has an emphatic “whap” at just the right volume. When you catch one on the center of the face, it’s about as close to perfect as any metal driver was in the late 90s to mid 2000s. I would even argue that Titleist spent quite a few years chasing the 975’s sound as their drivers evolved.
On-Course Performance
| Club Speed | Ball Speed | Launch Angle | Spin | Carry (Yds) | Total (Yds) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 115.2 | 169.3 | 9.8º | 2406 | 272.4 | 301.2 |
One thing that jumped out immediately was how unforgiving the Titleist 975D is. Even the “low-handicap” drivers of today have so much forgiveness built into them, but the 975D is from a different era when better players just wanted workability and speed. Their consistently good swings “were their forgiveness”. If I didn’t hit the ball relatively close to perfect, the resulting shot certainly let me know.
That said, I really forgot how “workable” these old drivers were. The stock shot is certainly low and barely gets off the ground, but it really wasn’t difficult to hit a big high balloon if I wanted to. I can’t say I could do either of it with great control right out of the gate, but the versatility in shots is certainly there. More modern, larger drivers seem more “set in their ways” with their higher MOI and such, which isn’t a bad thing. As versatile as these shot-making drivers were, it was just as easy to lose the ball in a different direction on every swing. “The big miss”.
Final Thoughts – Titleist 975D Driver
While the Titleist 975D driver isn’t making a run at the driver spot in my bag anytime soon, it’s still a super cool club that I’m pumped to have for a “throwback day” on the course. A fun piece of history with this club: the Titleist 975D was the longest tenured driver in Tiger’s bag. He specifically used it in the early 2000s when it’s safe to say his career was doing pretty well. So next time you’re at a garage sale or flea market, keep your eyes peeled for a good deal on one these bad boys for your collection.
Stock Titleist 975D Driver Specs
| Loft | Length | Swing Weight | Head Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5º | 45″ | D4 | 260cc |
| 6.5º | 45″ | D4 | 260cc |
| 7.5º | 45″ | D4 | 260cc |
| 8.5º | 45″ | D4 | 260cc |
| 9.5º | 45″ | D4 | 260cc |
| 10.5º | 45″ | D4 | 260cc |
| 11.5º | 45″ | D4 | 260cc |
| 12.5º | 45″ | D4 | 260cc |
Great review, great to see an icon getting some love. Amazing driver from back in the day. Always loved the 975D, I just didn’t have the game for it. I stuck with my Ping isi titanium. Keep up the amazing reviews.
I’ve been an on-again off-again golfer for 20 years. This driver is still in my bag. Looking forward to getting into the new technology soon, but still loving this one in the meantime.
I remember it so well. First titanium face. The ball just rocketed off the face. We were all just shocked really. The head looked pretty big back then, now it would look almost small. It had that “cat in the hat” driver cover too. Unmistakable. They got “lifted” At munis, . because of that and the $425 price tag. figure in inflation for 28 years ago and your looking at current or more of the $795 deluxe tour model Stealths or Paradimys. But that was the Driver that changed it all.
He Bill,
I be a sucker for the old stuff as well, I’m 63 and still luv it!
I found a 975D 8.5* in mint OEM condition so i grabbed it ($20.00)
I’m told this is the same stick Tiger used…no matter to me.
Dang it’s fun and when compared to my 917D 9.75* ($125.00) ain’t much there.
✌ 🙏
Loved the article, I did not know the history of this driver. I been a once or twice a year golfer for the last four decades and my newest driver was a 1995 big Bertha. I happen on a used Titleist 475D at a local golf club that allows you to try a couple of clubs on their range. I tried a larger newer Titleist with this vintage model. I liked the 475D so much I took it home today. It definitely has a place in my bag .