Titleist T Series Irons - 2023 Forum Review

[GolfSpy_BEN]

As mentioned in an earlier post, the 8, 7, & 4 felt pretty good today. So I am sharing my favorite shots from each club:

   

 

A couple weeks in, and these irons are still a pleasure to hit

[Jim Shaw]

7 hours ago, Ben Joest said:

I got out to the range at lunch for the mid-test club yardage gapping. A few caveats are worth mentioning: This is 6 shots with each club rather than 5. The Insight Report requires 6 for the club to show up on it. I have used the 6 I hit with each club and left the outliers intact.

Dispersion started to widen from the 8 iron on.

There are some head scratchers between the PW>9i>8i and between the 7i>6i. Although, looking at the average ball speeds may explain some of it.  For today, the 8,7,&4 felt the best. The 9 felt fine and the dispersion was tight, but the distance was just a little short of the target. The 6 was just off, but nothing to get overly concerned about. The shot shape today was reliable, which I have come to expect with these irons, though Rapsodo says today’s shape was primarily a fade. Visual evidence would suggest that some of what it interpreted as a fade could easily be counted as straight as well.

Didn’t draw the ball as much today, but my natural swing seems to cycle between a draw and a fade, and something subconsciously starts correcting itself if I start overcooking the ball in one direction or the other. Like my body has its own swing equilibrium. 

are these carry distances or total distances?

[GolfSpy_BEN]

2 minutes ago, Jim Shaw said:

are these carry distances or total distances?

They are the average carry distances for 6 shots with each club.

[Jim Shaw]

1 minute ago, Ben Joest said:

They are the average carry distances for 6 shots with each club.

thanks

[bens197]

12 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Also toe strikes for the win! 

 

How did you fare on the off center hits?

[GolfSpy_APH]

13 minutes ago, bens197 said:

How did you fare on the off center hits?

Honestly good, very impressed. The feel is there to know where you hit it and there is normal height loss which in turn means less distance, but Line is normally still solid.

[GolfSpy_BEN]

Question/prompt for my fellow testers and those that follow this thread. While hitting balls yesterday on the range, I started thinking about the following: If you have one swing with each club in the set, without hitting a series of shots to get the average, what are the results? Do they more or less match your club gap yardage chart or are there significant outliers? Much like on the course, during a round, if you reach for that club, will it respond according to your expectations or will there be surprises? Next time I’m at the range, I’m going to try this one shot challenge to see how it shakes out. If y’all get a chance, do the same and post your results. 

[ajlacombe]

2 hours ago, Ben Joest said:

Question/prompt for my fellow testers and those that follow this thread. While hitting balls yesterday on the range, I started thinking about the following: If you have one swing with each club in the set, without hitting a series of shots to get the average, what are the results? Do they more or less match your club gap yardage chart or are there significant outliers? Much like on the course, during a round, if you reach for that club, will it respond according to your expectations or will there be surprises? Next time I’m at the range, I’m going to try this one shot challenge to see how it shakes out. If y’all get a chance, do the same and post your results. 

Oh man - this is the pandora's box question  

I would say that if you hit the same quality of shot with each club the carry distance would be close to what you expect (as long as the specs of your clubs is what you think it should be - clubs are often out of spec and you have no clue).

The reason you want to hit a series of shots is to make sure you catch a good one, and/or make sure your get a representation of your swing with each club.  One shot is a crap shoot.  I have a GC Quad and mess with this stuff all the time.

For on the course I use Arccos and that is a big thing you get with it is "on course" numbers for the your clubs.  I will watch my club distances and at times it has pointed to issues with loft or lie of clubs.  I look at my miss locations and will adjust lie to try and help with that.

I just ordered the T150 irons on Sunday and will have to be patient waiting for them to arrive  

It looks like the T series irons are forged?  I am asking about the hosels so I know I can bend them with confidence.  I had AP3s and they were case and an SOB to try and change the loft/lie.

Edited September 19, 2023 by ajlacombe

[bens197]

4 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Honestly good, very impressed. The feel is there to know where you hit it and there is normal height loss which in turn means less distance, but Line is normally still solid.

I only ask because I have noticed the same.  For a blade style iron, the 100 gives me a LOT of slack on misses.  

[bens197]

2 hours ago, Ben Joest said:

Question/prompt for my fellow testers and those that follow this thread. While hitting balls yesterday on the range, I started thinking about the following: If you have one swing with each club in the set, without hitting a series of shots to get the average, what are the results? Do they more or less match your club gap yardage chart or are there significant outliers? Much like on the course, during a round, if you reach for that club, will it respond according to your expectations or will there be surprises? Next time I’m at the range, I’m going to try this one shot challenge to see how it shakes out. If y’all get a chance, do the same and post your results. 

Good question Ben.  

I personally choose a yardage that suits the pin distance more than 50% of the time.  If it's a sucker over a pond I am aiming center of green but if it's a forward pin, most often I am selecting a club for a distance that will get me to the front 1/3 of the green rather than the center.  

Does that work for anyone else?

[GolfSpy_BEN]

1 minute ago, bens197 said:

Good question Ben.  

I personally choose a yardage that suits the pin distance more than 50% of the time.  If it's a sucker over a pond I am aiming center of green but if it's a forward pin, most often I am selecting a club for a distance that will get me to the front 1/3 of the green rather than the center.  

Does that work for anyone else?

Yes. I use a similar approach. Where I may differ slightly, is that with a few exceptions, most yardages beyond 150 and I am aiming center of green and taking my chances with the putter. The most notable exception being if a tiered green is in play, in that case I will aim for the appropriate tier.

[chisag]

52 minutes ago, bens197 said:

Good question Ben.  

I personally choose a yardage that suits the pin distance more than 50% of the time.  If it's a sucker over a pond I am aiming center of green but if it's a forward pin, most often I am selecting a club for a distance that will get me to the front 1/3 of the green rather than the center.  

Does that work for anyone else?

 

... The thing is the results of taking an average shot count for any given iron will give you a range for a specific player. So Bens may have an average of 150 yds with the majority of your shots but some 145ish and some 155ish. That allows you to select a club given the circumstance which may take the 145 into account with trouble short, but given a front or even middle pin with no trouble short you can rely on your average 150 distance and it you hit it 145 it is still a good result.

... While another players 150 average may be more inconsistent and 135ish to 155ish possible. For those players taking more club should always be the play because they will come up short more than their ideal strike of 150.

... Only hitting one shot with each iron should give you a snap shot of what is possible on any given swing so results could be interesting and enlightening, but basically a little irrelevant because a really well struck 8 iron may go 150 and a really poorly struck 7 iron may also go 150. 

[GolfSpy_BEN]

3 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

... The thing is the results of taking an average shot count for any given iron will give you a range for a specific player. So Bens may have an average of 150 yds with the majority of your shots but some 145ish and some 155ish. That allows you to select a club given the circumstance which may take the 145 into account with trouble short, but given a front or even middle pin with no trouble short you can rely on your average 150 distance and it you hit it 145 it is still a good result.

... While another players 150 average may be more inconsistent and 135ish to 155ish possible. For those players taking more club should always be the play because they will come up short more than their ideal strike of 150.

... Only hitting one shot with each iron should give you a snap shot of what is possible on any given swing so results could be interesting and enlightening, but basically a little irrelevant because a really well struck 8 iron may go 150 and a really poorly struck 7 iron may also go 150. 

Sam, I agree. The line of thought behind the premise of the question, was given one shot with each iron, do those shots fall within the statistical average or not. It isn’t a practical test, per se but rather a snapshot of one moment and whether, under a little manufactured pressure, the golfer and their clubs can deliver under said pressure. 

[chisag]

11 minutes ago, Ben Joest said:

Sam, I agree. The line of thought behind the premise of the question, was given one shot with each iron, do those shots fall within the statistical average or not. It isn’t a practical test, per se but rather a snapshot of one moment and whether, under a little manufactured pressure, the golfer and their clubs can deliver under said pressure. 

 

... I think it is a cool little drill and as I said probably enlightening for most. 

[bens197]

Went to my local range today which has TopTracer. First swing was decent…

 

More to follow…

[bens197]

Ok I have a half hour before the big kid gets off the bus. This video about sums up my experience.

Three different swings. 3 very similar results.

Tight dispersion and a very controlled ball flight. 

I am confused with the distances and how accurate TopTracer truly is on a windy day like today.

I see it more as a novelty however I believe this does validate what I’m saying about dispersion for my several weeks. 

[GolfSpy_BEN]

3 minutes ago, bens197 said:

Ok I have a half hour before the big kid gets off the bus. This video about sums up my experience.

Three different swings. 3 very similar results.

Tight dispersion and a very controlled ball flight. 

I am confused with the distances and how accurate TopTracer truly is on a windy day like today.

I see it more as a novelty however I believe this does validate what I’m saying about dispersion for my several weeks. 

The range closest to the house has Top Tracer Range in their covered bays. From my experience and understanding the system requires periodic calibration. I have used it twice in conjunction with the Rapsodo MLM. The first time they were within a yard or two of one another on almost every shot. The most recent time there was 3-13 yards difference between them so I would guess it was need of re-calibration. I haven’t used it much lately, as it is frustrating to watch an 8 iron carry the 150 pole but Top Tracer says it carried 135 yards with no roll out.  
 

all that being said, when it is calibrated the virtual golf is a fun way to pass time without committing 5 hours to the course

[Shrek74]

22 hours ago, Ben Joest said:

It has been mentioned, especially in the MLM2 Pro thread, but the camera on the 2 and frankly the unit itself, is far superior to the original. There is nothing functionally wrong with my MLM, and yet reading that thread has me seriously considering an upgrade…

I really like the MLM/Pro with that combine feature and the nice gapping setup. But without spin and AoA, I have a hard time considering either. I may end up with the R10 myself.

[bens197]

2 hours ago, Ben Joest said:

The range closest to the house has Top Tracer Range in their covered bays. From my experience and understanding the system requires periodic calibration. I have used it twice in conjunction with the Rapsodo MLM. The first time they were within a yard or two of one another on almost every shot. The most recent time there was 3-13 yards difference between them so I would guess it was need of re-calibration. I haven’t used it much lately, as it is frustrating to watch an 8 iron carry the 150 pole but Top Tracer says it carried 135 yards with no roll out.  
 

all that being said, when it is calibrated the virtual golf is a fun way to pass time without committing 5 hours to the course

That makes more sense….when I went to my driver I started shaking my head.

I was hitting drivers with ball speeds in the 170’s…I’ve never been recorded above 168mph.  Irons felt short and woods were outside my margins.

 

[GolfSpy_BEN]

4 minutes ago, bens197 said:

That makes more sense….when I went to my driver I started shaking my head.

I was hitting drivers with ball speeds in the 170’s…I’ve never been recorded above 168mph.  Irons felt short and woods were outside my margins.

 

For clarity, I’m fine when it overstates and furious when it understates…

[ole gray]

Wow Team you guys are coming up with some cool trackman data! Unfortunately as of now, I don't have a trackman or stat tracker however I did receive my TSR1 6 hybrid today so my set is complete!  I guess it goes to show if I'm willing to spend $300 bucks for a hybrid I must be pretty happy with the results thus far huh? 

Monday I shot 46/44 - 90 which I can blame again on my driver.  I went to the range early this morning and worked with the settings until I had it figured out. I was pushing everything to the right so I set the face closed a tad and started hitting the ball good again.  Good enough to knock 10 shots off that 90 down to a 40/40 - 80. 

One thing I keep forgetting with these T350s is since they were fit for me to calm down a hook I don't need to aim right so much anymore. It's hard to break old habits but it's fun trying! 

Tomorrow I will break 80 again and maybe even bust that Birthday # ! 

[GolfSpy_BEN]

Made it to the range for my one shot challenge with each club and the results are interesting, to say the least.

GW - within range

PW - longer than average

9 - longer than average 

8 - within range

7 - within range

6 - slightly longer than average

5 - within range

4 - within range

Fun little test that has no real bearing on anything beyond providing a snapshot of how I was striking the ball. There may be some benefit to repeating the exercise a few more times before the final review, for comparison sake.

[GolfSpy_BEN]

As this test is nearing the end, it occurred to me that we haven’t done an irons-only round yet. Since the make-up of each of our bags is quite unique, perhaps it would be more accurate to say the “7 clubs you’re testing for Titleist” round. What say you, @bens197 @ole gray @GregB135@Golfspy_CG2 @GolfSpy_APH ? 
 

Also, the invite goes out to all that follow this thread or swing by to see how things are going. The more the merrier! 

[Jim Shaw]

6 minutes ago, Ben Joest said:

As this test is nearing the end, it occurred to me that we haven’t done an irons-only round yet. Since the make-up of each of our bags is quite unique, perhaps it would be more accurate to say the “7 clubs you’re testing for Titleist” round. What say you, @bens197 @ole gray @GregB135@Golfspy_CG2 @GolfSpy_APH ? 
 

Also, the invite goes out to all that follow this thread or swing by to see how things are going. The more the merrier! 

we did this with the Takomo test, it was fun... 

[GolfSpy_APH]

3 hours ago, Ben Joest said:

As this test is nearing the end, it occurred to me that we haven’t done an irons-only round yet. Since the make-up of each of our bags is quite unique, perhaps it would be more accurate to say the “7 clubs you’re testing for Titleist” round. What say you, @bens197 @ole gray @GregB135@Golfspy_CG2 @GolfSpy_APH ? 
 

Also, the invite goes out to all that follow this thread or swing by to see how things are going. The more the merrier! 

I should be able to after matchplay ends. before I am getting limited rounds in so it's much tougher to do.

[ole gray]

8 hours ago, Ben Joest said:

As this test is nearing the end, it occurred to me that we haven’t done an irons-only round yet. Since the make-up of each of our bags is quite unique, perhaps it would be more accurate to say the “7 clubs you’re testing for Titleist” round. What say you, @bens197 @ole gray @GregB135@Golfspy_CG2 @GolfSpy_APH ? 
 

Also, the invite goes out to all that follow this thread or swing by to see how things are going. The more the merrier! 

 

I play three times per week and all my rounds have money involved however I could be up for giving my competitors a little advantage this one time. 

 

I shot 90 on Monday when my driver was determined to put me on the right side of the woods all day long. Pitching out sideways puts a little stress on the old game.  Thanks to the T350s for damage control as the score could have been worse if not for some solid approach shots. 

Tuesday my driver woke up after an early morning range session with a little adjustment to face angle and again solid iron shots with the T350s for an 80. 
 

Yesterday (Wednesday) my putter decided it wanted to stir the pot with 7   3 putts within the first 12 holes!  44 on the front nine and came home with a 39 on the back for an 83.  I hit all the par 3 holes in reg and 3 jacked 3 of them.  Hmmmmm a lot of 3s in that sentence huh? The T350s did their job and the putter was missing in action. 

Folks the T350 irons continue to amaze me with how easy and fun they are to game.  These irons are legit! 

[GolfSpy_KFT]

9 hours ago, Ben Joest said:

As this test is nearing the end, it occurred to me that we haven’t done an irons-only round yet. Since the make-up of each of our bags is quite unique, perhaps it would be more accurate to say the “7 clubs you’re testing for Titleist” round. What say you, @bens197 @ole gray @GregB135@Golfspy_CG2 @GolfSpy_APH ? 
 

Also, the invite goes out to all that follow this thread or swing by to see how things are going. The more the merrier! 

I'm in the same boat as @GolfSpy_APH, once match play ends I should be able to! Not getting many rounds in outside of that right now. Even if I can squeeze in 9 only, I'm up for seeing what the Cobras can do for me again sans woods!

[chisag]

5 hours ago, ole gray said:

I play three times per week and all my rounds have money involved however I could be up for giving my competitors a little advantage this one time. 

 

... Ain't money a funny thing? I have no problem at all giving a couple thousand dollars to Feeding America every year but I won't bet $10 on a round of golf. Or even a quarter a hole. I don't like giving someone else my money and I don't enjoy taking theirs. Yet I'll tip the cart kid that same $10 event though I won't let him touch my clubs for working in 115* heat with a smile on his face. Every now and then I run across someone that just can't seem to play without some money on the line and when I refuse, after a few holes they get desperate and start offering me silly odds and I just have to chuckle while saying I am just not interested. Ain't money a funny thing?

[funkyjudge]

1 minute ago, chisag said:

 

... Ain't money a funny thing? I have no problem at all giving a couple thousand dollars to Feeding America every year but I won't bet $10 on a round of golf. Or even a quarter a hole. I don't like giving someone else my money and I don't enjoy taking theirs. Yet I'll tip the cart kid that same $10 event though I won't let him touch my clubs for working in 115* heat with a smile on his face. Every now and then I run across someone that just can't seem to play without some money on the line and when I refuse, after a few holes they get desperate and start offering me silly odds and I just have to chuckle while saying I am just not interested. Ain't money a funny thing?

Must have driven ol’ Weaselbagger crazy when/if you played golf with him.

[ole gray]

6 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

... Ain't money a funny thing? I have no problem at all giving a couple thousand dollars to Feeding America every year but I won't bet $10 on a round of golf. Or even a quarter a hole. I don't like giving someone else my money and I don't enjoy taking theirs. Yet I'll tip the cart kid that same $10 event though I won't let him touch my clubs for working in 115* heat with a smile on his face. Every now and then I run across someone that just can't seem to play without some money on the line and when I refuse, after a few holes they get desperate and start offering me silly odds and I just have to chuckle while saying I am just not interested. Ain't money a funny thing?

We have individual bets occasionally however it's mostly based on points where it's fair for everybody with a couple of par three close-ups thrown in.  Most you can win is between $15.00 to $30.00 for first place with 2nd & 3rd place an option pending how many players are in for that day.  The good thing is you only have to throw 5 bucks in the pot.