Titleist T-Series Irons – A Custom Fit
How the 3rd gen T-Series can optimise your game.
Words: Ken Lye, Natasha Wong & Hubert Tang
Images: Natasha Wong
Titleist T-Series irons debuted in 2019 and were game-changers. Now generation three refines and reaffirms the brand’s commitment to creating the world’s best irons while providing golfers with optimised performance options from their shortest to longest iron.
The new T-Series models – T100, T150, T200 and T350 – are all forged and deliver unrivalled feel with effortless turf interaction in four tour-inspired shapes, each designed to maximise the three dimensions of iron performance: distance control, dispersion control and descent angle.
Debuting in June 2023 at the PGA TOUR’s Memorial Tournament, T-Series models have been played and tested at the highest level of professional golf. Of the brand ambassadors currently playing on the PGA TOUR, about 80 percent play blended sets of at least two different iron models, demonstrating the importance of custom fitting and set optimisation right through the bag.
The notions that American brands better suit the larger or stronger physique, that Asian brands fit the smaller Asian build, and that women should only play with women-specific golf clubs are common misconceptions that can influence and detract a golfer from objectively finding the answer to the very fundamental question: ‘Do I have the right equipment to optimise my performance on the golf course?’
The truth is that every golfer is unique in terms of physical abilities, differing in swing speed, movement, and tendencies. Hence one size certainly doesn’t fit all. Ideally, the use of precise data and getting our equipment custom-fitted maximises game performance throughout the bag.
With that in mind, Golf Asia headed to the Titleist Singapore National Fitting Centre (Titleist NFC) at the Sentosa Golf Club to get custom-fit for the latest T-Series irons. With state-of-the-art equipment and technology along with a fastidiously precise fitting process, the Titleist NFC conducts fittings from driver through to wedges for social and club golfers of every level of play.
During the fitting session, the Fitting Specialist first noted our current club specifications and discussed where we commonly tended to miss with our existing irons. He then delved into our intended goals – whether it was to hit it straighter, longer or to not miss it left or right of the target. Only then did we hit numerous iron shots with our preferred model of Titleist golf balls.
Marni Ines, Director of Titleist Irons Development, Golf Club R&D, had this to say, “The new T-Series irons raise the bar in terms of total performance. Players are always looking for iron performance to be more consistent. We want players to hit their distance as often as possible, we want players to hit their preferred flight as often as possible, and we want as tight a dispersion pattern as possible. Each new T-Series iron – from T100 all the way to T350 – feels outstanding, and all of them perform better across the board.”
Using the Trackman Launch Monitor, extensive technical swing data such as spin rates, dispersion, smash factor, ball and club speed were collected. After analysis by the Fitting Specialist, he then fit us to the ideal clubhead model and shaft type with adjustments for the right lie angle, length
and swing weight. The fit-and-hit process was repeated until we achieved optimal performance with each club fit. Interestingly, whatever the player, one cannot run away from the science of numbers. Even if one is not hitting well on the day of the fitting, relative improvements will still be accurately picked up.
For both Ken and Natasha, the conclusion was that a blended set rather than a singular T-Series iron model, yielded the best results.
Ken was fitted into a head combination of the T200 for his 4-6 irons and T150 for his 7-PW given his ball flight and swing characteristics. This combination resulted in a tighter dispersion with an average carry distance gain of 2 metres, even though Ken was already well fit from the last club fitting with the 2nd generation T-Series irons a couple of years ago. At the current fitting, while Ken did see a larger increase in average carry distance and ball speed with the T350 head, switching to the T350 was deemed problematic as it would cause serious distance gapping issues throughout his set of clubs.
A blended iron set also produced good results for Natasha. It saw the new U505 utility iron head replace her 4-iron for an easier launch, higher ball flight, and more predictable stopping power on the greens. She benefited from the more forgiving T350 in the 5 and 6 irons and the precision of the T200 in her 7 to PW. Overall, she gained both accuracy and distance with the blended set over her single set 2nd generation T200 irons. Key for Natasha was the ease of launch, and she also liked the sleeker look of the new irons at address.
When compared to the performance of their existing clubs, they saw tangible improvements (see table above). For Natasha, her fitting into the new 3rd generation U505 4-iron yielded a dramatic gain in average carry distance of 6 metres and average ball speed of 4 mph!
Determining the set makeup from driver to fairway woods, hybrids, irons and wedges is a matter of distance gapping, launch and descent, as well as dispersion, and need no longer be based on guesswork. With clear data to back every shot made, conclusive answers for the golfer is only one comprehensive fitting away.
Marketing spiels or misguided clichés might sometimes cloud our decision-making process when it comes to buying new equipment. At the Titleist NFC, the performance potential of the latest Titleist 3rd Generation T-series irons is broken down into precise quantifiable data. With all that science and expertise at your disposal, doesn’t it make logical sense to get custom fit for precise performance?
For Titleist Custom Fitting Appointments, visit titleist.com.sg/singapore-club-fitting.
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