Is the Titleist 983k Driver Still Good? Is It Legal And Forgiving For High Handicappers?

Is the Titleist 983k Driver Still Good? Is It Legal And Forgiving For High Handicappers?

“The Titleist 983k driver came out in 2003 and golfers like Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott have used it to great success on the Tour.”

So the natural inclination of most casual golfers is to think that the Titleist 983k will also be good for them. We’re all guilty of it.

We’re sitting on the couch on Sunday watching the PGA Tour and seeing our favorite golfers bomb the ball 270+ yards from the tee.

We see that and say, “whatever he’s driving with is what I need.” But we aren’t pros. And with golf gear, you have to be really careful about what you buy.

The right driver for a pro is very seldom the right driver for an amateur. So today we will be taking a close look at the Titleist 983k driver to determine if it is suitable for high handicappers.

Is the Titleist 983k Driver Legal?

First things first, the Titleist 983k driver is perfectly legal for official tournament play.

The driver head volume is 365cc so it falls well within the legal limit for driver size.

Is the Titleist 983k Driver Still Good?

“The Titleist 983k driver features a full titanium construction which imparts a clean, crisp feel at impact.”

I really liked the sound and feel of this driver right away. The ball launches off the face like a rocket and when you hit the sweet spot, it gives off a very satisfying, metallic “crack!”

In fact, it might actually be a bit too loud but that may be a bonus to you if you like to draw attention at the range.

But perhaps most importantly, the Titleist 983k has a 365cc head volume with a compact pear shape.

Behind the ball, it looks really nice and despite the relatively small size, it somehow induces confidence. Maybe it’s the symmetrical shaping or the deep face profile.

In any case, I found myself waggling the Titleist 983k like I wanted to knock the ball out of the park – as opposed to being intimidated by the head size.

The Titleist 983k also has heel-biased weighting. This will do a couple important things.

For one thing, it will cause the heel to rotate slower which produces a closed face at impact. Secondly, it will promote a draw.

So if you are having trouble missing to the right, the Titleist 983k is the kind of driver that can help.

The titanium construction of the Titleist 983k driver also increases the head’s resistance to twisting.

When you miss the sweet spot, the Titleist 983k still feels stable and more importantly, your ball still ends up in a playable lie.

Overall, I would say that despite being 20 years-old, the Titleist 983k is still a good driver for the right kind of player.

Is the Titleist 983k Forgiving for High Handicappers?

“I would expect that a lot of high handicappers will struggle with the 365cc head.”

While the Titleist 983k driver will do a lot to cover up your mis-hits, when you miss towards the toe, people will notice.

I liked the fact that the Titleist 983k driver was very easy to turn over though. For high handicappers, this will make it easier to affect a straight shot or a slight draw.

But that’s assuming that  you hit face-center. The sweet spot just isn’t very big on this driver. When it came out, it was intended for better players and I would say that is still true in 2023.

While the heel weighting will be especially beneficial for high handicappers who tend to miss to the right, I would say that mid handicappers would get better use from this driver.

Titleist 983k Vs Titleist TSR2

“The TSR2 has an adjustable hosel and a weight that  has been placed low and forward in the head.”

The TSR2 is a much more modern type of Titleist driver. And you can really see the difference when it comes to distance.

The Titleist TSR2 played an average of 9.9 yards longer for me than the Titleist 983k.

It was also more forgiving. It has a 460cc head and a variable thickness face.

I found that my mis-hits with the Titleist TSR2 were flying almost as straight and far as my pure strikes.