Launched in September 2015, the Titleist 816 H1 hybrid was one of the biggest on the market at the time. This was a surprise addition to the Titleist portfolio, since the company prides itself for being the brand for good players.
Looks
The head color has changed from traditional Titleist black to an iron colored silver. This old-school style may not suit everyone. At address the head looks very similar to 915H with a nice balanced shape that is not too toe heavy.
Sound and Feel
The Titleist 816H1 hybrid feels dull at impact, with no sense of the ball jumping off the face.
The 816H1 follows the trend of hybrids being more head-heavy. The sole weight is slightly closer to the face, so the changed head has increased the moment of inertia (MOI) by 7 percent. There are five stock shafts available from Titleist, so the feel will change substantially depending on your choice.
Performance
The Titleist 816H1 hybrid should be really easy to hit, high launching, and forgiving, but whilst Titleist state that the 816H launches 1° steeper with the same ball speed and spin rates, it is hard to spot any real difference. The forgiveness is average.
What is good with the Titleist 816H1 are the number of loft options: 19°, 21°, 23°, 25°, 27°. Add to this the SureFit options and you can get virtually any loft and face angle combination that you want. There are also five shafts you can get without any additional cost that cover a broad range of weights and profiles. This means that if you choose this club, it can be fitted very precisely.
On the Active Recoil Channel (ARC) Titleist have smoothed the edges so the sole does not so easily get clogged up with dirt. The bevelling has also improved this problem, has not eliminated it completely. The ARC enables the face to flex as the strikes lower on the face create much more ball speed than before.
The SureFit Tour hosel is the best in the market allowing the loft and lie to be varied independently of each other. Irons usually go up in 3° or 4° gaps so the SureFit Tour hosel on the 816H goes up in 1° increments instead of 0.75° so that the five head lofts from 19° to 27° can easily be blended into a set of irons.
The shaft end of the 816H SureFit Tour will still fit into an old 915H head if you want to compare. And Titlelist have brought back the 19° to 21° head lofts.
Cons
The silver/grey look is not appealing, even for those who might like an old-school look. The distance technology is substantial with a flexing sole channel and a thin, high-strength steel face, but the performance is not very forgiving or high launching. With the likes of the Callaway Apex hybrid available at the same time, the 816H1 is unimpressive.
Overview
Overall, the Titleist 816H H1 hybrid gives everything the 915H did with a slightly better set of loft options, both through the set and with the SureFit Tour hosel. The fitting permutations are even more comprehensive. Yet the performance of the club means it is not one of the outstanding hybrids on the current market.
Get Titleist 816H1 Hybrid Now!