FAIRHAVEN, Mass. -- Titleist takes titanium driver performance to the next level with the introduction of the new Titleist Titanium 983 driver series.

Building upon the high performance, player-based success of the legendary Titleist Titanium 975 family, the new, tour-proven 983K and 983E models are a successful blend of technology, engineering, and craftsmanship. The result is two distinctly different drivers with common attributes of superior launch performance and optimum ball flight.

"True to its mission of providing superior high performance golf clubs, the introduction of the new 983K and 983E drivers enables Titleist to provide the serious golfer with a more optimal launch condition and ball flight experience," said Chris McGinley, Vice President, Titleist Golf Club Marketing Worldwide.

"The new 983 driver design optimizes current material and construction technology, while retaining the highly preferred Titleist 'true pear' profile. Great looks and high performance sounds simple, but no one is doing it better than Titleist."

Titleist Titanium 983 Design And Development

Utilizing state-of-the-art Computer Aided Design (CAD), Titleist engineers created an optimal weight distribution and Center of Gravity (CG) location in the new Titleist Titanium 983 drivers by carefully managing face and wall thickness gram by gram.

A two-piece "face pull" construction allows for a thin beta titanium face insert plate to be supported by an even thinner titanium face frame. A revolutionary plasma face welding process provides for a cleaner, higher quality weld that utilizes less weight and therefore improves overall weight distribution.

The face insert has been inset more from the crown, side and sole walls, allowing the entire face structure to perform more efficiently. These design and construction improvements optimize face performance and provide for higher ball speed and maximum allowable Coefficient of Restitution (COR) across a larger area of the face.

Titleist 983 drivers also retain a thru-bore shaft design and internal thru-bore tube that creates a longer shaft insertion depth for feel and stability. Both the 983K and 983E feature the highly accepted Titleist true pear profile, with traditional crown curvature, traditional face roll and bulge, and right amount of face progression. The result is a continuous, balanced and proportionate overall shape that makes 983 drivers a modern classic.

"Titleist Titanium 983 drivers meet and exceed the performance and aesthetic expectations of many of the world's best players, like Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Davis Love III" said McGinley. "The new 983K and 983E drivers allow all serious and aspirational golfers alike the opportunity to maximize their driving distance and accuracy by choosing a driver that optimizes their launch angle, spin rate and ball speed. The 983 drivers continue the Titleist tradition of high performance while maintaining classic styling and sweet, solid feel."

Titleist Titanium 983K

The Titleist Titanium 983K features a head volume of 365cc and is targeted at all serious golfers (from tour player to aspiring golfer) seeking a moderate spin driver with optimum playability.

The 983K is slightly longer heel-to-toe and deeper from front-to-back than its 983E counterpart. The larger head size produces a moderate to higher initial launch angle.

The larger head size and deeper CG create a high moment of inertia (MOI) for playability.

The overall result is a driver with an ideal initial trajectory and high but flat downrange ball flight for longer distance, with increased playability and forgiveness.

Titleist Titanium 983E

The Titleist Titanium 983E is a 350cc driver with a deep face and more compact profile than its 983K counterpart. It is designed for stronger or higher ball speed players seeking reduced spin for optimum performance and playability.

The smaller, deeper head and its shallower front-to-back size produces less dynamic loft for a flatter initial launch angle and downrange trajectory than the 983K.

Increased sole plate thickness moves the CG forward and down in the 983E, increasing the vertical gear effect which, in turn, reduces spin.

Shaft, Loft & Grip Options

The Titleist Titanium 983 drivers feature standard tour-proven shafts including the mid-weight, stiff-tipped Titleist Speeder by Fujikura (77g); high performance lightweight, stiff-tipped Titleist Prolite by Grafalloy (65g); and the lightweight, medium-tipped Graphite Design YS-6 (64g). The new, proprietary Titleist 4560 (60g) ultralight shaft is also available as a standard option in the 983K.

Standard lofts in the 983K include 7.5, 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 and 11.5 degrees for right-handed golfers and 7.5, 8.5, 9.5 and 10.5 degrees in left hand. Lofts in the 983E include 7.5, 8.5, 9.5 and 10.5 degrees in right hand and 8.5, 9.5 and 10.5 degrees in left hand.

The standard grip for all shafts is the Titleist Victory Velvet Full Cord Round with chrome paint fill. Additional Titleist shaft and grip options are available through Titleist Custom.

Aesthetics

The look of the new 983 drivers is purely sophisticated, continuing the Titleist Titanium heritage that began in 1997 with the now legendary 975D.

The 983 drivers are modern classics, featuring a new dark gray paint and Titleist fulcrum on the crown. There are fewer scorelines in the impact area for face strength, while new bolder sole graphics include a larger Titleist logo and dashed diamond bar pattern.

The recognizable sole scallops have been modernized to include a new multi-level design with textured paint.

Pricing And Availability

Titleist 983 drivers carry a suggested retail price of $500 and commence shipping to golf shops on April 1, 2003.

For more information regarding the Titleist driver family, shaft matrices, performance comparisons and player testimonials, please visit the new Titleist Titanium 983 microsite at www.titleist.com/983drivers that debuts March 1.