The limited black finish found on Titleist’s recently released Vokey Design Jet Black SM8 wedge was brought to life through feedback from members of Titleist’s tour staff, including two-time Tour winner Cameron Smith. The Aussie is one of a handful of players who employ scoring clubs with the dark finish.
But it doesn’t stop there. Smith — along with fellow Tour winner Lanto Griffin — has a set of T100 irons with the same black finish as well.
“The first time I saw these irons they looked so good I didn’t want to put a scratch on them,” said Smith. “The black finish just looks tighter to me and really fits my eye. It also helps to keep a little bit of the shine off which I really like.”
Unfortunately for the recreational golfer, the iron finish was only available to tour players — until now. The limited release of T100S and T200 means golfers will have options if they want to opt for something other than the standard chrome finish. The black PVD features a high polish look that pops in the sunlight.
“We’ve heard from many golfers asking us to build these all-black editions — the combination of the Black PVD finish with the matte black shaft and matching grip is just stunning,” said Josh Talge, Titleist’s VP of golf ball marketing.
The T100S irons use many of the same technologies and designs found in original T100 irons, but the lofts were strengthened 2 degrees across the board for golfers who need the extra distance. To account for the stronger lofts, the soles, leading edges and center of gravity locations were adjusted accordingly. The changes ensure the ball will fly out of the same launch window, and have the same turf interaction, with added distance.
The T200 irons fit comfortably into the “players distance” category, meaning they provide traditional looks and feel with the addition of even more enhanced ball speed, launch, and overall distance. The 4-7 irons are built around a “Max Distance” design that incorporates a very thin clubface supported by a polymer core, which was developed with help from Titleist’s golf ball R&D department. The polymer material allows the face to flex more at impact and create higher ball speeds without sacrificing sound or feel.
An average of 90 grams of high-density tungsten is positioned in the heel and toe of the mid- and long-irons for a low CG and increased launch angles. Progressive blade lengths, sole widths, and hosel lengths can be found throughout the set for optimized CG positioning.
Titleist’s limited T100S and T200 black irons (4-PW, 48-degree; right-handed only) retail for $1,600 and will be available Aug. 28. Project X’s LZ Onyx is the stock shaft for T100S; True Temper Dynamic Gold Onyx AMT Black is the stock shaft for T200.