As a refresher, the brand new Titleist T-series irons are the third era of irons constructed on what Titleist labels its 3D philosophy. Some reference to Dodge Ball: A True Underdog Story is sort of compulsory (dip, duck, dive … Should you can dodge a Titleist iron, you may dodge a ball) however, enjoyable apart, Titleist’s 3Ds are Distance (Management), Dispersion and Descent angle.
These first two are carefully associated.
Whereas a lot of its opponents are jacking lofts to squeeze out a number of extra yards, Titleist’s first D is about making the advertising and marketing clear. It’s not Distance, it’s distance management that’s the factor right here.
The thought, if it isn’t apparent sufficient, is to offer golfers the instruments to realize constant distance from shot to shot.
When that works, the second D (Dispersion) nearly takes care of itself, although the pondering inside Titleist is that left and proper is totally on the golfer whereas lengthy and quick is on the fitter.
The ultimate D (Descent) is about ensuring touchdown angles are steep sufficient to create stopping energy on the inexperienced.
The final piece of Titleist’s iron-fitting philosophy, which doesn’t match properly in our 3D story, is Titleist’s method to gapping.
In fittings, the corporate desires to see five-mph gaps between golf equipment and, nearly invariably, there’s a degree at which pace breaks down and the 3Ds are not achievable.
Apparently, it’s the descent angle that sometimes fails first.
Made for Combo Units
I’m guessing that any of us who’ve blended our irons have causes for doing so. In my case, I sometimes want a bit of additional forgiveness within the lengthy finish and like a smaller head on the quick finish.
And, yeah, generally it’s simply enjoyable to have a mixture of stuff.
Via its five-mph philosophy, Titleist has come to consider that combo units are a necessity.
The five-mph factor is the explanation why Justin Thomas carries a T100 as an alternative of MB 4-iron. It’s why Max Homa swapped his MB 5-iron for a T100 and his MB 4-iron for a T100S (and now a T150).
It holds true for amateurs as effectively. On account of our fittings, Chris Nickel dropped a T100 4-iron for a T200 and I swapped a T350 lengthy iron for a TSR2 hybrid.
By the numbers, 80 % of PGA TOUR professionals carry what quantities to a mixture set. It stands to cause that the share of the remainder of us that do this ought to be even increased.
T-Sequence provides an F
Even when it’s new to you, all the above has been true because the first iteration of T-series however, as we roll into new the brand new fashions, Titleist is including an “F.”
For these of you conserving monitor, that’s 3Ds and an F which sounds loads like my ninth-grade report card.
I’m kidding.
It wasn’t that good.
Large image: Titleist feels it was already largely good with efficiency however the brand new era of T-Sequence supplies a chance to tighten issues up a bit.
Earlier than we transfer into specifics of 4 new Titleist T-series fashions, I ought to make clear the brand new F is for “really feel” and it’s a significant level of emphasis and enchancment all through the T-series lineup.
Titleist T100 Irons
Titleist T100 is the most-played iron on the PGA TOUR and, whereas that’s nice for bragging rights, it creates some notably tough challenges relating to making it higher.
Mandates from Titleist’s Tour gamers embody “don’t change the form” and “don’t make it sooner.”
What are we even doing right here?
Given these limitations, it’s no shock that the Titleist T100 stays a completely cast dual-cavity design.
Whereas Titleist (fortunately) didn’t hassle to annotate it anyplace on the clubhead, the decrease heel and toe sections are nonetheless full of dense D18 tungsten. That’s roughly 80 grams’ price, relying on the particular loft we’re speaking about.
Within the up to date T100 design, Titleist was capable of steal a little bit of weight from the assist bar that sits behind the center of the face. As you’d anticipate, the mass was reallocated decrease within the head to create slightly bit increased launch in lengthy irons.
Improved Really feel
Like an excellent little bit of the trade, Titleist is leveraging predictive software program instruments to tune sound and really feel. That’s what led to the reengineering of the assist bar, which accounts for the majority of the sound and really feel enhancements.
Tighter Distance Management
In accordance with Titleist, one other enhancement of the T100 is improved distance management. It’s the results of extra constant spin that was achieved by way of a refined face-milling course of.
As a part of its T-Sequence manufacturing course of, Titleist mills faces completely flat. The earlier course of left deep mill marks that wanted to be polished away. The up to date course of doesn’t go away deep milling marks which eliminates the necessity for that ultimate polish.
Eradicating the sharpening step yields extra constant groove geometries.
With that, spin is extra constant and so is distance.
Up to date Variable Bounce Sole
Lastly, Titleist added a variable-bounce sole. Earlier iterations of T-Sequence irons had a blunt trailing edge. With the brand new era of T-Sequence irons, Titleist added a little bit of chamfer which the corporate believes will get by way of turf a bit simpler.
Cosmetically, and that is true for all the new T-Sequence, the target was to maintain the aesthetic clear and constant from one mannequin to the following. The clear traces carry throughout all T-Sequence fashions to permit for seamless mixing.
Titleist T100 Irons – Inventory Specs
The inventory featured shafts for the Titleist T100 are the True Mood AMT Tour White (metal) and the MCA Tensei White AM2 (graphite)
The inventory grip is a brand new Titleist Common 360. You must discover it much like a Tour Velvet or Crossline.
Titleist T150 Irons
The T150 is a alternative for the T100S. Glossing over among the finer factors within the curiosity of simplicity, T100S was largely a stronger-lofted model of T100.
With the brand new T-Sequence, there’s a bit extra between the 2 fashions which is probably why Titleist gave it the plus-50 bump and why it’s billed as The Quicker Tour Iron.
Digging in a bit extra, I wish to begin by declaring that throughout T100, T150 and T200, blade lengths and offset are an identical.
Relative to the T100, the T150 has a barely thicker topline and barely wider sole (head geometry is in any other case the identical). The previous was pushed by AP2 gamers who felt the topline on T100 was a bit too slim. The latter (that wider sole) drives a bit of additional mass low within the membership which helps to offset the center-of-gravity implications of that thicker topline.
Up to date Muscle Channel
The main refinement right here is an replace to the speed-boosting muscle channel that sits behind the T150 face. In comparison with T100S, the muscle channel has been pushed a bit nearer to the face. It’s a change that allowed Titleist to retain the launch and pace traits of the earlier mannequin whereas bettering really feel.
Additional enhancing really feel is a little bit of molded silicone that fills the in any other case hole channel.
Whereas Titleist will get some pace from T150’s stronger lofts, it’s price mentioning that there’s a actual pace contribution from the muscle channel. Examined at equal lofts, the T150 is a bit sooner than the T100.
Titleist T150 Irons – Inventory Specs
The inventory featured shafts for the Titleist T150 are the True Mood Mission X LZ (Metal) and the graphite MCA Tensei White AM2 (Ascending Mass).
The inventory grip is the Titleist Common 360.
Titleist T200 Irons
For me, the T200 has at all times been the black sheep of the T-Sequence iron household. From the seen Max Affect Expertise of the unique to the cosmetics of the prior era, it at all times appeared misplaced subsequent to T100 and what was T100S (now T150).
Worse, maybe, regardless of a blade size and offset that matched the T100, it’s an iron that at all times regarded greater than it was. That’s the alternative of what most higher gamers search for in an iron.
On the most simple stage, the dimensions and form of T200 haven’t modified however Titleist has put a variety of work into making an iron that appears and feels considerably higher.
Talking as a man who wasn’t offered on T200 the primary two occasions round, I feel Titleist bought it proper this time.
Other than fundamental cosmetics, essentially the most vital exterior change is to the topline. I’d wager it was an excellent little bit of the explanation why the earlier mannequin regarded a lot greater than it truly was. With the brand new T200, Titleist has beveled and polished the topline. The result’s an iron that, regardless of an identical dimension, seems fairly a bit smaller than its predecessor.
Beneath the hood, the bar that helps the speed-boosting Max Affect Core has been pushed in the direction of the heel and nearer to the face. The core itself is a bit thinner.
All the above works with the flange that holds the backpiece in place to particularly tune sound frequencies for considerably improved really feel.
As a associated apart, the rear flange contains a collection of ribs and different geometric patterns. The structure is a bit totally different between the lengthy and quick irons within the set and from T200 to T350.
What in regards to the backplate?
Titleist obtained some pushback for utilizing a plastic backplate on the earlier era. If that was an issue for you, what I’m about to say received’t make you are feeling any higher.
The brand new T200 (and T350) nonetheless function plastic backplates. To be clear, the usage of plastic isn’t about slicing prices. Frankly, it might be a extremely odd place to do this.
Utilizing plastic saves about 10 grams over different supplies which within the membership design world is a critical quantity of weight financial savings.
The underside line is that plastic helps enhance efficiency.
What has modified this time round is that, as an alternative of utilizing an industrial tape, the backplate is affixed to the flange with high-strength adhesive.
I’m unsure how a lot it counts exterior of a convention room however, if you drop a golf ball on the brand new model, the sound is critically higher.
The earlier mannequin seems like plastic. The brand new model rings way more metallic and that ought to come by way of within the really feel.
One ultimate notable change: the 7-iron has been de-lofted by half a level (to 30.5). Titleist feels it has sufficient top to generate correct descent angles and the slight discount in loft helps T200 compete in becoming bay. Nevertheless, I ought to reiterate that simply as with driver, dialing in loft ought to be part of each iron becoming.
Living proof: It’s been a very long time since I used to be fitted into anyone’s inventory lofts.
Titleist T200 Irons – Inventory Specs
The inventory featured shafts for the Titleist T200 are the True Mood AMT Black and the MCA Tensei Blue AM2 (graphite)
The inventory grip is the Titleist Common 360.
The T200 can also be accessible in a Utility Iron construct (2i/3i/4i) by way of Titleist’s {custom} program. Of Titleist’s two utility choices, the T200 has the extra compact profile.
Titleist T350 Irons
Throughout the brand new Titleist T-series lineup, the most important generational change inarguably is within the soar from the earlier T300 to the new T350.
A wholesome little bit of that boils right down to cosmetics, the place the T350, regardless of its bigger dimension, doesn’t look misplaced (largely) alongside the remainder of the T-Sequence lineup.
The replace quantities to a big overhaul that began with an acknowledgment that Titleist had reached the bounds of what T300 might do. Making it higher meant rethinking the design, nearly from the bottom up.
To an extent, it additionally meant simplifying a bit.
Whereas the T300 was distinctly totally different than the remainder of the T-Sequence, conceptually you may consider T350 as an even bigger model of T200. I suppose that’s why Titleist payments it as The Final Sport Enchancment Iron.
From my finish of issues, that makes the story simple to inform.
With T350, you’re getting a taller span, in the end an even bigger blade, however all of the design and technical parts of T200 carry over.
On the surface, you get an iron that appears (roughly) like the remainder of the T-Sequence. On the within, you get a Max Affect Core (and the assist bar) and, for the primary time in a T3-anything, twin (heel/toe) tungsten weights (the earlier fashions had tungsten within the toe solely).
The rib constructions within the rear flange are much like what you’d discover in T200 however they’re designed and optimized particularly for the T350.
And whereas all of that ought to yield higher efficiency, essentially the most vital distinction is in really feel. To say the 350 is an enchancment over the 300 is an understatement.
As we had been dialing in lie angles throughout my becoming, I ended up hitting a T300 and, frankly, I didn’t get pleasure from it. Lifeless … clunky … No matter the appropriate phrase is, it didn’t really feel as mushy or as energetic because the T350. It’s a kind of issues that in isolation chances are you’ll not discover however aspect by aspect there’s a world of distinction.
I think the expertise of shifting from the previous T200 to the brand new T200 is analogous.
Merely put, if you happen to’re intrigued by the T200 however desire a greater footprint or one thing with extra forgiveness, the T350 is the easy reply.
Titleist T350 Irons – Inventory Specs
The inventory featured shafts for the Titleist T350 are the True Mood AMT Purple and the MCA Tensei Purple AM2 (graphite)
The inventory grip is the Titleist Common 360.
Titleist U505 Utility
The bigger of its two utility choices, Titleist describes the U505 as providing hybrid-like efficiency. Consider it as a utility iron for the man who ought to most likely have a hybrid within the bag however doesn’t (as a result of he hates hybrids).
There are a variety of these guys.
With that, slightly additional dimension is anticipated, although Titleist has labored to slim down the U505 only a bit.
What meaning is that relative to the now prior-gen U505 the brand new model has a shorter blade size and a shallower face. Merely put, it’s much less clunky that its predecessor although it’s not like that earlier mannequin was the clunkiest utility in the marketplace.
As with the brand new T-Sequence lineup, Titleist put a better emphasis on U505’s really feel this time round. Just like the irons, an excellent little bit of that comes from a redesigned assist bar and the rib constructions on the again plate.
The backplate design additionally contributes to an improved tackle view. Based mostly on suggestions from the Tour, Titleist reshaped the backplate to make much less of the membership seen at tackle. It’s not that Titleist has traded away any efficiency advantages, it’s extra about tucking issues in and hiding as a lot as potential.
It’s like SPANX on your utility iron.
Titleist U505 Efficiency
Enhancements to the U505 are about greater than seems and really feel.
The redesigned chassis pushes the middle of gravity a bit decrease, contributing to increased launch. You additionally get improved off-center efficiency, most notably in the direction of the heel.
In what ought to be a well-recognized story with this launch, the Titleist U505 Utility options an up to date variable bounce sole to assist the membership transfer a bit extra easily by way of the turf.
U505 Utility – Inventory Specs
The inventory featured shaft for the Titleist U505 is the Mission X HZRDUS Black 4G.
Featured Premium upgrades are the Graphite Design Tour AD-DI (85g) and the Tour AD-IZ (95g)
The inventory grip is the Titleist Common 360.
Hey, However What About …?
Should you’ve adopted Titleist at all around the final a number of iron releases, you already know that the standard cadence is to launch the flagship iron (AP, now T-series) alongside a brand new cavity-back and muscle-back. That invariably occurs in late summer season or early fall with the super-ish game-improvement iron (T400) launching the next 12 months.
None of that’s going to occur this time round.
Whereas it’s seemingly there will likely be a T400 (or possibly a T450) in some unspecified time in the future, it’s going to be a very reimagined providing and it’s most likely not coming in early 2024.
Titleist seems to be onboard with a philosophy extra in tune with issues like COBRA’s FMAX or Mizuno’s Scorching Metallic HL lineups.
No matter replaces T400 will nearly definitely be particularly designed for reasonable swing pace golfers who want extra launch and spin.
It’s going to occur nevertheless it’s nonetheless very a lot a piece in progress with no particular timeline.
So far as the CB is anxious, the pondering inside Titleist is that the CB has largely been cannibalized by T100 and with the brand new T100, the corporate predicts there will likely be even fewer gamers clinging to their CBs.
There’s a official problem in defining who a CB is for.
Is it the T100 man on the lookout for a extra basic design that doesn’t carry out fairly as effectively? What’s the necessity and, extra to the purpose, does it have any actual scale?
Each iron within the Titleist lineup has a particular job and presently there aren’t any open assignments {that a} CB might legitimately fill.
That doesn’t imply Titleist is closing the guide on CB fully nevertheless it’s not excessive on the listing of priorities.
A New MB?
So far as the MB goes, it’s sort of attention-grabbing.
On one hand, Titleist believes it might make a greater MB however, in the end, that simply turns into the T100.
In that respect, very like the CB, a brand new MB isn’t obligatory.
With that mentioned, there are nonetheless some guys on Tour who love their MBs. With that, the class has change into an unlikely sandbox for what Titleist calls Mission Really feel.
Take, for instance, Justin Thomas’s one-off absolutely CNC-milled MBs.
As a substitute of attempting to design an MB for the plenty, Titleist has used the class as a chance to experiment with totally different supplies, sole designs, blade lengths and topline widths. Working with and for the very best gamers on the planet, Titleist is starting to know how you can pull and mix a number of design parts to create what quantities to one thing nearer to a one-of-one custom-fitting possibility.
The parallel right here is probably the Vokey wedge lineup.
As you’re seemingly conscious, Vokey provides you many selections for a 56-degree sand wedge with design parts like bounce, grind, topline, and so on., that work for the particular efficiency wants of the person.
Functionally, there’s no cause why the identical can’t and shouldn’t be true within the iron class.
We’re wanting far forward right here nevertheless it’s the sort of factor that might in the end trickle down into shopper choices.
That’s all coming later.
For now, Titleist is providing 4 new T-Sequence choices. The up to date catalog ought to serve a variety of golfers, particularly when correctly fitted, and, I suppose, blended.
Titleist T-Sequence Availability and Pricing
Pre-sale and becoming for Titleist T-Sequence irons begins right this moment. Full retail availability begins Aug. 25.
Retail value for all Titleist T-Sequence irons is $1,399 (metal) and $1,499 (graphite).
For extra info, go to Titleist.com.
