Titleist’s 2023 T-Series lineup won’t hit retail shelves until later this week, which still gives you time to glean some important insights from our recent robotic testing with Golf Laboratories before taking them for a spin. For our latest round of testing, we had the robot swing at 88 mph with the same attack angle and shaft installed in each 7-iron to determine where the differences existed within the lineup.
Below are our 5 favorite insights from testing.
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She’s a keeper
Titleist’s T200 delivers more consistent spin numbers than the previous version. Jonathan Wall/GOLF
If you’re looking for significant performance benefits between the previous T200 and the version that recently dropped — you won’t find much in the way of more ball speed. With nearly identical numbers, golfers playing the current T200 might wonder where the improvements lie. With this particular version, Titleist spent time shoring up the overall sound and feel at impact, two areas golfers highlighted during the iron’s development.
But there’s another area where the two versions differ — and it’s in the spin department. During robotic testing, the latest T200 saw spin increase by nearly 700 RPMs on geometric center strikes, and roughly 350 RPMs on heel and toe misses, when compared to the previous iteration.
Titleist T200 Custom Irons
The Tour-proven player’s distance iron, with the ideal shape, performance, and dramatically enhanced feel.
With the new T200, distance has never felt so good. Built with a forged face, hollow-body construction and shaped by Tour technologies, it delivers incredible launch and forgiveness in a pure player’s design.
T200 represents a dramatic leap forward in feel. The entire internal construction of this forged-face iron has been reengineered – with a more stable chassis, refined Max Impact Technology and a new dual taper face – to deliver maximum speed with Tour-level feel.
ENHANCED FEEL
Every component of T200 contributes to its solid feel. The reengineered chassis creates a stiffer structure, while allowing the refined Max Impact Technology to fit tighter against the new dual taper forged face. This leads to better feel and performance across the entire surface.
CLEAN AND CONFIDENT SHAPE
For all that has changed, the Tour-inspired shape of T200 remains consistent. Players will still draw confidence from a distance iron that looks clean and has less offset, with an optimal blade length and topline thickness based on player feedback.
EFFORTLESS TURF INTERACTION
Working with Tour Pros as well as the grind experts at Vokey Design, our engineers were able to further improve our Variable Bounce Sole by softening the trail edge to allow the club to flow faster through the turf, even after contact. Developed for T100, it brings a Tour touch to T200.
BETTER TUNGSTEN FOR BETTER SCORING
By utilizing dense D18 tungsten and a 2000º aerospace brazing process, Titleist engineers can eliminate weld points and shift CG more precisely to optimize every club in the set – from fast, high launching long irons to accurate, forgiving short irons.
Low spin is a surefire way to generate more distance, but it can come at a cost when the spin drops to levels that compromise launch and stability. In addition to generating more spin, the deltas between center, toe and heel impact are tighter than in the previous version. Even with irons that are designed for speed and forgiveness, you need consistent spin rates across the face to bring the entire package together.
Based on our data findings, Titleist engineers have made T200 better in areas where golfers need it most.
Product differentiation
Titleist’s T100 iron features the most compact profile in the lineup. Jonathan Wall/GOLF
As you’d expect from an iron lineup boasting four different models, significant launch and spin deltas exist between models. Outside of the T150 and T200 — we’ll get to those in a moment — there’s roughly a 750 RPMs difference in spin between each model and 1 degree of launch.
Many manufacturers in the industry have similar differentiation from one model to the next, but based on our 7-iron data from 2023 ClubTest, there tends to be some overlap in launch with tighter spin rate deltas.
Keeping the deltas noticeably wide should make it easier for golfers to find the ideal iron model and remove any doubt regarding whether they selected the best option for their game. Going this route also guarantees an offering for every skill level/handicap.
Major upgrade
Titleist’s T150 irons produced impressive ball speed numbers during testing. Jonathan Wall/GOLF
It’s fair to say T150 is the biggest upgrade in the T-Series lineup. Golfers who complained there was too big of a performance gap between T100S and T200 will be happy to know the T150 and T200 produced nearly identical numbers on geometric center strikes during testing — but we’ll get to that shortly. Looking strictly at the T150, the addition of more tungsten and a livelier face turned Titleist’s Tour iron into a serious weapon.
Ball speed jumped 1.5 mph on geometric center strikes, and 0.5 mph on heel and toe misses. Launch and spin numbers remained in line with the previous T100S, so golfers are simply getting more distance that falls in with what we saw out of the T200.
Two of a kind
Titleist’s T150 (left) and T200 (right) at address. Jonathan Wall/GOLF
It’s easy to look at the numbers for T150 and T200 and wonder if Titleist made the two models too similar. At the same swing speed and attack angle, the irons generated eerily similar launch, spin and ball speed numbers on center strikes. It’s the one area in the lineup where little differentiation exists, which might not make sense to some golfers.
Why have two irons that do the exact same thing? However, if you go beyond the numbers, the decision to close the gap between T150 and T200 makes sense.
Titleist T150 Custom Irons
T150 is built on the same fully forged platform as T100 but engineered to be faster and longer. Now with a more confidence-inducing shape and improved forgiveness.
Inspired by the player’s performance and feel of T100 but forged into a more confidence-inducing shape, T150 is a modern Tour iron with dialed-up speed for players seeking a little more distance.
T150 is everything players love about T100, only more. The fully forged feel and precise flighting – in 2-degree stronger lofts – offer outstanding touch and control, while the refined Muscle Channel and updated shape enhance feel, forgiveness and player confidence.
ENHANCED FEEL AND CONSISTENCY
Engineered to provide added speed, the refined Muscle Channel in T150 sits close to the face to create a more solid feel. A new precision CNC face milling process eliminates imperfections in the surface for more precise contact and control, all driving towards more consistent play.
SHAPED TO SUIT THE PLAYER
Based on player feedback, T150 presents an optimized topline that inspires confidence over the ball. The slightly larger shape provides just the right amount of forgiveness, while still maintaining a compact, Tour-inspired look. Everything sets up for winning iron play.
EFFORTLESS TURF INTERACTION
Working with Tour Pros and the grind experts at Vokey Design, our engineers were able to further improve our Variable Bounce Sole by softening the trailing edge to allow the club to flow faster through the turf, even after contact. Developed for T100, it brings a Tour touch to T150.
BETTER TUNGSTEN FOR BETTER PERFORMANCE
By utilizing dense D18 tungsten and a 2000º aerospace brazing process, Titleist engineers can eliminate weld points and be more precise with CG placement. You get outstanding MOI and launch dynamics from a solid, fully forged design.
Arguably the two most popular options in the lineup — they also fit the widest range of handicaps — golfers now have the ability to pick the best option for your game, without having to sacrifice speed or go to a different launch or spin window.
For the golfer who wants a smaller profile and has the ability to work the ball a bit more with consistent impact, the T150 offers attributes a better ball striker might prefer. On the flip side, the T200 has a nearly identical profile address but delivers even more forgiveness for the 7 or 11 handicap who doesn’t necessarily find the center on a regular basis.
Looking at off-speed numbers, the T200 was nearly 3 mph faster on toe strikes and 1.4 mph on heel strikes. Therein lies the biggest difference between T150 and T200 — it comes down to whether you need more ball speed protection in your life.
If there are two models that could easily be paired together to create a combo set, it’s T150 and T200.
Speed demon
Titleist’s T350 is built around a more streamlined profile. Ryan Barath/GOLF
Similar to the new T200, the T350 was a faster and more consistent product during robotic testing. Compared to the T300, the T350 was 1.4 mph faster across the entire face with a ball speed delta of 4 mph — comparing geometric center ball speed to heel and toe ball speed — versus 6 mph with T300. And it’s all done in a sleeker profile.
Taking a page from the T150, launch and spin numbers remained within the noise between T350 and T300 — but ball speed jumped. This is a case where the iron got faster and more consistent on mishits.
Titleist T350 Custom Irons
High, far, and forgiving. T350 is simply the best performing, best looking and best feeling Game Improvement Iron we’ve ever made.
T350 is game improvement reimagined. Built around a new forged face, hollow-body construction and powered by Tour technologies, it delivers maximum launch, distance and forgiveness in a player’s design.
Starting with a new hollow-body construction based on the T200 chassis played on Tour, the T350 maximizes speed and forgiveness through a refined Max Impact Technology, a new dual-taper forged face and dual tungsten weighting. Now any player can benefit from Titleist’s most advanced engineering.
TRUE PLAYER’S CONSTRUCTION
Inspired directly by the T200 distance irons played on Tour, a new multi-material, hollow-body construction transforms the performance of T350. Designed to be larger and more forgiving, it gives you maximum forgiveness with more of a pure player’s feel..
FAST ACROSS THE FACE
A refined and strengthened Max Impact Technology combines with a new dual-taper forged face to produce amazing speed from any point on the hitting surface. Carry distance remains long and consistent, even on off-center strikes, keeping you on the green and out of trouble.
EFFORTLESS TURF INTERACTION
Working with Tour Pros and the grind experts at Vokey Design, our engineers were able to further improve our Variable Bounce Sole by softening the trailing edge to allow the club to flow faster through the turf, even after contact, to make your best shots feel even better.
BETTER TUNGSTEN FOR BETTER RESULTS
By utilizing dense D18 tungsten and a 2000º aerospace brazing process, Titleist engineers can eliminate weld points and be more precise with CG placement. T350 now features the same dual-tungsten weighting as our Tour distance irons, leading to a solid feel with maximum forgiveness.
Jonathan Wall is GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com’s Managing Editor for Equipment. Prior to joining the staff at the end of 2018, he spent 6 years covering equipment for the PGA Tour. He can be reached at jonathan.wall@golf.com.
