Forget about the flashy paint job or funny name. Novelty just isn't part of Titleist's DNA. But performance definitely is, and if you're interested in more speed and distance, you should definitely hit the Titleist 913 before upgrading your gear. These drivers demand to be, excuse the pun, test driven.

The new 913 D2 and D3 drivers, plus fairways and hybrids, have been winning everywhere, including a little tournament called The Masters.

On the outside, the two new drivers look similar to the company's popular 910 models. The glossy jet black finish and aiming triangle on the crown of the 913 drivers is consistent with the 910 series. Titleist has employed the same naming convention (referring to the shape and size of the two different pear shaped heads, D3 is 445cc and D2 is 460cc) and the same custom-tunable SureFit hosel. So if you're a current player of 910 series drivers and have the "perfect" shaft, you could theoretically utilize that while putting the shaft that comes with the new driver in your old head or keeping it for backup.

Most players, I suspect, will want to be fitted by Titleist FittingWorks, either by visiting a local professional or hooking up with one of their Tour Vans when it's in your area. If the clubs are the same shape and color and are named so similarly, what have Titleist engineers been working on for the past two years?

TITLEIST'S FASTEST FACE, EVER.

I had a chance to sit down with Chris McGinley, VP of Marketing, Titleist Golf Clubs, and learned that it's what's under the hood that counts. And while the USGA has imposed a number of hard-and-fast limits on golf clubs (460 cc head size and a maximum "COR" of the club face), the development of better drivers, fairways, and hybrids will never stop.

The forged club face of the 913 has been fine-tuned to improve the club's performance. McGinley told me it's Titleist's fastest face ever. He went on to explain the noticeable speed (and distance) improvement it offers on off-center hits.

"The center of the face on our 910 series already provided the maximum COR allowed by the USGA," explained McGinley. "What our engineers have been able to do with the 913 is expand the area that provides that maximum by 11 percent."

Eleven percent is no insignificant number. A map of various impact locations on the face showing increased ball speeds from off center hits matches well with Tour player feedback about increased distance on these "near miss" drives. You'll love it as much as they do -- an extra five or ten yards can mean going for the green on a par five, or hitting a shorter iron into a par four.

IMPROVED DISTANCE AND CONSISTENT LAUNCH CONDITIONS ACROSS THE TWO MODELS

The 913 series face is slightly lighter than the 910, and the weight has been redistributed to the bottom of the club. But where the 910's removable weight screwed down into the head, the 913 comes with a flat weight that lowers the center of gravity. (That's a good thing, if you like higher speed and less spin, which equate to more distance.)

Not only do you get better distance across the two models, the 460cc D2 head now has the same launch conditions as the D3, with a slight draw bias being the only subtle difference. You will see both models in play on the PGA Tour, and you should experiment with both to find the best model for you.

Beyond the two different heads, Titleist 913 drivers offer multiple shaft, loft, and weight choices plus the precise launch tuning that the SureFit hosel provides. Loft and lie can be tuned independently.

SOUND AND FEEL

Titleist engineers also tune for acoustics, an important part of a club's feedback. The company has never made a "clanky" sounding driver, but this one sounds and feels like a small explosion off the face. (Check out the short "sound test" video here to listen for yourself.)

Again, it's something you'll want to experience for yourself this November.

FINAL NOTE - TITLEIST 913 vs. OTHER DRIVERS

There are a number of things to consider when buying a driver, and the purpose of this review isn't to say which one is better for you. Before doing any testing of your own, here are a few things you should be aware of:

• Standard lengths - some competitive products come in standard lengths as long as 46 inches -- the Titleist 913 standard is 45 inches, as is the average driver length on the PGA Tour.
• Actual vs. advertised loft - again, the measured loft is different than what the bottom of the club says. Titleist loft on a 9.5 driver is 10 degrees, where some competitors' lofts measure as much as 1.5 degrees more than what is stamped on the bottom.

FOLLOW UP

You might also be interested to read our amateurgolf.com Titleist 913 fairways and hybrids review.

To purchase a Titleist 913 driver, fairway, hybrid, or other product from online retailer Worldwide Golf Shops, home of the 90 day performance guarantee, use the link below:

Worldwide Golf Shops>