Equipment
Spotted: Titleist 718 T-MB Irons
The two photos of what appear be Titleist’s yet-to-be-announced 718 T-MB irons landed in our forum after being posted on Instagram by TourSpecGolf, an online retailer that specializes in Japanese golf equipment. The photos are the first indication that Titleist might release an updated version of its 716 T-MB irons, which were launched in October 2015.
The 716 T-MB irons are a first-of-its-kind set from Titleist, using a three-piece, hollow-body construction that merges a high-strength steel face with an average of 80 grams of tungsten in each cast iron head. We gave the 716 T-MB irons 5 Stars in our review, saying golfers will be “wowed by the distance and forgiveness they get from their stunning, compact design.”
Full sets of the 716 T-MB irons are sold through Titleist’s Made-Only-To-Order (MOTO) program for $1599 per set, with 2-5 irons being sold at retail for $199 (steel) and $229 (graphite). The irons have been used by several PGA Tour players, both as full sets and as long-iron replacements.
The 718 T-MB photos show a look that’s highly similar to the 716 T-MB irons with a few noticeable differences. For one, 718 is engraved on the hosel of the irons. More interestingly, the anodized bronze finish on the sole and back of the irons has been slimmed, giving the irons a more streamlined aesthetic.
Discussion: See what GolfWRX Members are saying about the photos in our forum.
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/18/24): Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made.
From the seller: (@DLong72): “Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made. ?: $1150. ?? 100% milled collectors item from the limited releases commemorating when Ping putters won every major in 1988 (88 putters made). This was the model Seve Ballesteros used to win the 1988 Open Championship. Condition is brand new, never gamed, everything is in the original packaging as it came. Putter features the iconic sound slot.
Specs/ Additional Details
-100% Milled, Aluminum/Bronze Alloy (310g)
-Original Anser Design
-PING PP58 Grip
-Putter is built to standard specs.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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Equipment
Inside Collin Morikawa’s recent golf ball, driver, 3-wood, and “Proto” iron changes
As you probably know by now, Collin Morikawa switched putters after the first round of The Masters, and he ultimately went on to finish T3.
The putter was far from the only change he made last week, however, and his bag is continuing to change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage.
On the range of The Masters, Morikawa worked closely with Adrian Reitveld, TaylorMade’s Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, to find the perfect driver and 3-wood setups.
Morikawa started off 2024 by switching into TaylorMade’s Qi10 Max driver, but since went back to his faithful TaylorMade SIM – yes, the original SIM from 2020. Somehow, some way, it seems Morikawa always ends up back in that driver, which he used to win the 2020 PGA Championship, and the 2021 Open Championship.
At The Masters, however, Rietveld said the duo found the driver head that allowed “zero compromise” on Morikawa’s preferred fade flight and spin. To match his preferences, they landed on a TaylorMade Qi10 LS 9-degree head, and the lie angle is a touch flatter than his former SIM.
“It’s faster than his gamer, and I think what we found is it fits his desired shot shape, with zero compromise” Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the RBC Heritage.
Then, to replace his former SIM rocket 3-wood, Morikawa decided to switch into the TaylorMade Qi10 core model 13.5-degree rocket head, with an adjustable hosel.
“He likes the spin characteristics of that head,” Rietveld said. “Now he’s interesting because with Collin, you can turn up at a tournament, and you look at his 3-wood, and he’s changed the setting. One day there’s more loft on it, one day there’s less loft on it. He’s that type of guy. He’s not scared to use the adjustability of the club.
“And I think he felt our titanium head didn’t spin as low as his original SIM. So we did some work with the other head, just because he liked the feel of it. It was a little high launching, so we fit him into something with less loft. It’s a naughty little piece of equipment.”
In addition to the driver and fairway wood changes, Morikawa also debuted his new “MySymbol” jersey No. 5 TP5x golf ball at The Masters. Morikawa’s choice of symbols is likely tied to his love of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
Not enough changes for you? There’s one more.
On Wednesday at the 2024 RBC Heritage, Morikawa was spotted with a new TaylorMade “Proto” 4-iron in the bag. If you recall, it’s the same model that Rory McIlroy debuted at the 2024 Valero Texas Open.
According to Morikawa, the new Proto 4-iron will replace his old P-770 hollow-bodied 4-iron.
“I used to hit my P-770 on a string, but sometimes the distance would be a little unpredictable,” Morikawa told GolfWRX.com. “This one launches a touch higher, and I feel I can predict the distance better. I know Rory replaced his P-760 with it. I’m liking it so far.”
See Morikawa’s full WITB from the 2024 RBC Heritage here.
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Equipment
Why Rory McIlroy will likely use the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper at the RBC Heritage
Although we spotted Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper last week during practice rounds at the Masters, he ultimately didn’t decide to use the club in competition.
It seems that will change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage, played at the short-and-tight Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head.
When asked on Wednesday following his morning Pro-Am if he’d be using the new, nostalgic BRNR Copper this week, McIlroy said, “I think so.”
“I like it,” McIlroy told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday regarding the BRNR. “This would be a good week for it.”
View this post on Instagram
According to Adrian Rietveld, the Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, the BRNR Mini Driver can help McIlroy position himself properly off the tee at the tight layout.
Here’s what Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday:
“For someone like Rory, who’s that long at the top end of the bag, and then you put him on a course like Harbour Town, it’s tough off the tee. It’s tight into the greens, and you have to put yourself in position off the tee to have a shot into the green. It kind of reminds me of Valderrama in Spain, where you can be in the fairway and have no shot into the green.
“I’m caddying for Tommy [Fleetwood] this week, so I was walking the course last night and looking at a few things. There’s just such a small margin for error. You can be standing in the fairway at 300 yards and have a shot, but at 320 you don’t. So if you don’t hit a perfect shot, you could be stuck behind a tree. And then if you’re back at 280, it might be a really tough shot into the small greens.
“So for Rory [with the BRNR], it’s a nice course-specific golf club for him. He’s got both shots with it; he can move it right-to-left or left-to-right. And the main thing about this club has been the accuracy and the dispersion with it. I mean, it’s been amazing for Tommy.
“This was the first event Tommy used a BRNR last year, and I remember talking to him about it, and he said he couldn’t wait to play it at Augusta next year. And he just never took it out of the bag because he’s so comfortable with it, and hitting it off the deck.
“So you look at Rory, and you want to have the tools working to your advantage out here, and the driver could hand-cuff him a bit with all of the shots you’d have to manufacture.”
So, although McIlroy might not be making a permanent switch into the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper, he’s likely to switch into it this week.
His version is lofted at 13.5 degrees, and equipped with a Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft.
See more photos of Rory testing the BRNR Mini here
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Duke
Apr 3, 2022 at 6:56 am
You guys sure don’t know much about these amazing irons .the heel and toe is an average of 93.9g of high density tungsten, up from 80g in the 716 T-MB model, to increase the MOI and give the 718 T-MB its forgiveness. That’s what makes them so expensive. Easier to hit these tourlook irons.
Dave R
Feb 8, 2017 at 6:21 pm
Wow another new iron . Who knew
Rich
Feb 8, 2017 at 3:09 am
The first sign of this was when TSG reduced the 716 model to $800USD, not the pics from TSG.
Michael
Feb 7, 2017 at 5:03 am
“…with a few noticeable differences. For one, 718 is engraved on the hosel of the irons….”
hahahahahaha
Jim
Feb 16, 2017 at 9:53 am
Substantial improvement in aerodynamics – no doubt 😉
….I got a kick out of that too
S Hitter
Feb 7, 2017 at 1:28 am
Back to back years of the same excrement colored irons that feel and perform like the color
Beef
Feb 7, 2017 at 4:12 am
Looks black to me?
Beef
Feb 8, 2017 at 6:05 am
Must be the Guinness
Jack
Feb 6, 2017 at 9:27 pm
I didn’t notice this before, but this is basically the same tech (hollow head) has the Parsons irons?
S Hitter
Feb 7, 2017 at 1:26 am
Facetious runt
David Montgomery
Feb 6, 2017 at 8:28 pm
Agreed on the 718 irons line! I cannot wait for them to come out!
Brian
Feb 6, 2017 at 8:18 pm
I’m sure they’ll be overpriced like everything Titleist makes.
LD
Feb 7, 2017 at 6:01 am
Price is listed in the article, and yes they are overpriced.
Scott
Feb 6, 2017 at 8:15 pm
Say what u want. Titleist is just a bunch of Jedis. Period.
S Hitter
Feb 7, 2017 at 1:26 am
Not even close
MetalWood
Feb 7, 2017 at 11:35 am
^^Troll. Loser.
chris
Feb 6, 2017 at 5:47 pm
Looks like the tungsten might have a darker tint? Would be great to see a black or darker grey option in 2018.
golfraven
Feb 6, 2017 at 2:25 pm
Bring on the 718 irons line!