Equipment

Titleist T100-S irons: Calibrated for distance

Published

4 years ago

Jan 16, 2020

Ryan Barath

The best way to describe the new T100-S irons from Titleist is: More speed, stronger flight, same package.

In the late summer of 2019, Titleist released the completely re-engineered T-Series irons that included the T100, T200, and T300. The T200 and T300 both offer new Max Impact face technology to increase ball speed and launch, while the T100’s greatest performance feature is extremely high MOI in shrunken down player-preferred look—it quickly made the T100’s the number one iron model on the PGA Tour.

T100 (top), T100-S (bottom)

Every bit of technology is the same, from the thinner, more responsive face, co-forged dual-density tungsten, to the shape and sole design. The goal was not to reinvent the wheel—just refine it. Similar to the way a Porsche offers a turbo S, but in the case of T100, everything is exactly the same under the hood.

In-hand photos of/discussion about the T100-S irons in the forums.

This popularity caused the Titleist iron design team to take a second look at fitting requests, and consult with their large network of TPI fitters to find out if they could do even more to help in fitting players’ wants and needs.

One of the biggest requests was to make the lofts slightly stronger on the T100’s to put them closer inline with the specs of the T200 & T300 for a number of reasons:

For players that have grown up with strong lofted irons and lower spinning multi-layer balls, they wanted to see a stronger flight. The issue with just bending them strong is reducing the bounce and increasing offset.

T100-S (left), T100 (right)

With the popularity and performance of the entire T-Series, it lead to a spike in combo sets being built along with some needed loft tweaking to dial in ball speed numbers between the three models. Rather than increasing loft on the longer irons and producing higher spin, the new T100-S allows the shorter irons to maintain stronger lofts without excess bending.

“As we were launching the new T-Series, we met a lot of golfers who were really excited about T100 but had become accustomed to playing stronger-lofted iron sets. It would have been really easy to just take T100’s and bend them stronger for those players. But by doing that you start to sacrifice the incredible feel and turf interaction … So our engineers went back and redesigned each individual iron to give these players the stronger lofts and distance they’re looking for, while preserving the performance of that pure forged shape and sole.” – Josh Talge, Vice President, Titleist Golf Club Marketing.

New T100-S Specs Vs Standard T100

Stock Shafts and Availability, and Price

T100-S stock shaft is the True Temper Projext X LZ, but just like all Titleist products they offer an expansive number of custom shaft choices, many at no up-charge. The price is $1,399 for an eight-piece set which works out to $175 per club.

They will be available in golf shops worldwide beginning March 27, with fittings beginning March 12.

In-hand photos of/discussion about the T100-S irons in the forums.

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Ryan Barath

Ryan Barath is a club-fitter & master club builder with more than 17 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. He is the former Build Shop Manager & Social Media Coordinator for Modern Golf. He now works independently from his home shop and is a member of advisory panels to a select number of golf equipment manufacturers. You can find Ryan on Twitter and Instagram where he's always willing to chat golf, and share his passion for club building, course architecture and wedge grinding.

20 Comments

Rob

Sep 4, 2020 at 2:53 pm

How about this, let’s shaft the original t100 one club different, So we can put the 9 iron head in a PW shaft. We’ll just call it a PW and That will net 4 degrees stronger.

Bam…..we’ve got the new t100SS model

Reply Report comment
Nate

Jan 17, 2020 at 7:19 pm

Can’t wait to bend these 2 degrees strong.

Reply Report comment
Moosejaw McWilligher

Jan 17, 2020 at 7:13 pm

I hate when companies offer more options.
I hate when new products come out on a regular basis.
I hate marketing and believe it to be all lies and money-grabbing.
I do not believe in technology or improvements over time, unless they are “completely new”.

I am a rabid defender of capitalism and believe corporations should be free to do whatever they want.
Words like “socialism” and “regulation” make me so scared they give me bowel disorders.

I am not in the least bit a hypocrite.

Reply Report comment
Tom

Jan 17, 2020 at 6:56 am

So is the bounce still decreased? The article touched on this but it never said bounce and turf interaction are the same as the regular T100.

Reply Report comment
- Josh
  
  Jan 20, 2020 at 3:30 pm
  
  Dude, no. They made new molds (how they justified this expense is beyond me) for all the irons to keep the standard bounce at the jacked lofts.
  
  I did notice this when I was looking at the specs to dream up a combo set with T100s in the short irons and noticed the T200 has jacked lofts.
  
  Reply Report comment
L

Jan 16, 2020 at 9:36 pm

They didn’t sell enough of the 100 so they went stronger. Laughable.

Reply Report comment
- Greg
  
  Jan 17, 2020 at 1:48 pm
  
  I know, right? OEMs just jack up the lofts and claim that the new clubs are “the longest ever.” Of course they are- you just turned a wedge into what was an 8 iron in 1995. Where does it end? When you have to be single digit to get a 5 iron off the ground?
  
  Reply Report comment
Robert

Jan 16, 2020 at 5:04 pm

Every swing is different. I think more options during the fitting process is a good thing and it’ll make it easier to blend with the t200’s. Don’t see an issue here.

Reply Report comment
Chuckee Cheese

Jan 16, 2020 at 4:05 pm

Or, you can save bank and buy a solid set of 2017 AP3’s which have the exact same specs as the 2020 Turbo generating Double S T1 hunnerd’s!

Reply Report comment
- jgpl001
  
  Jan 17, 2020 at 12:35 am
  
  But they feel awful…
  
  Reply Report comment
Ping Pong Playa

Jan 16, 2020 at 1:15 pm

Will the nonsense marketing ever end?!! I want the Twin Turbo Super Duper Red SS models due out in 3.5 months! I want a 15 degree 3 iron!! Come on guys, REALLY!!

Reply Report comment
DJ

Jan 16, 2020 at 11:23 am

I like it cause it blends to the T200 irons better. I’ll take the T200 6(27), T100S 7(32) and 8 (bent to 37), T100 9(42). Throw in my TM PW(47), GW(52), and SW(58).

Reply Report comment
Rory

Jan 16, 2020 at 10:27 am

Most people carry a 58/60 wedge, a putter, driver and 3w. That gives you 10 clubs to fill on the gap between the 3w and the wedge. Does it really matter what each club says, or that is fits the gaps????

Reply Report comment
- Acemandrake
  
  Jan 16, 2020 at 4:02 pm
  
  Equipment is trending toward very individualized customization. Types and number of clubs will vary from player to player.
  
  It’s a fun experiment to see which clubs are essential & work best for you.
  
  Reply Report comment
dat

Jan 16, 2020 at 9:56 am

Why not crank them down as low as humanly possible so I can hit my 7 iron 300 yards?

Reply Report comment
JD

Jan 16, 2020 at 9:50 am

This is so dumb. Why do people pay attention to numbers on the head. I can hit my MP-14s just as far and well as this. Who cares if my old 6 iron is a 7 iron today?

Reply Report comment
- the dude
  
  Jan 16, 2020 at 9:17 pm
  
  I agree, but golfers have these “things” called ego’s……..and well ya know. And I’ll bet my nut bag that the cat who drives the porche S…..has the biggest ego of them all…..his PW is 41*
  
  Reply Report comment
joe

Jan 16, 2020 at 9:19 am

SPIN IS YOUR FRIEND. I don’t understand the search for low spin and strange flight.

Reply Report comment
- Alex
  
  Jan 16, 2020 at 1:25 pm
  
  Exactly. Its only not your friend hitting driver longer and into wind. I for one like holding greens on par 3s and 4s.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Test
  
  Sep 4, 2020 at 11:43 am
  
  Spin helps you stop the ball. But there’s a level of over spin that’s unnecessary and actually hurts distance consistency on the green. I don’t want to spin back 9 irons 10 yards, it makes a gap in yardages I can hit to on the green.
  
  Most players do not want 9000+ rpms on a 9 iron, especially at high launch and decent angles.. 8000 will stop dead at over 45% decent, and give you extra carry yards. That’s why people want to optimize spin.
  
  Reply Report comment

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

3 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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