When Titleist officially announced the new T-Series irons, it was met with a deluge of excitement and anticipation from golfers of all skillsets as it is a line that seemingly has something for everyone. However, somewhat lost among the streamlining of the lineup with the T150 is that the T100 remains the most played iron on Tour for all brands, not just Titleist. So, it was only natural for us to take a much closer look at the 2023 T100 irons to see up close and personal if they are poised to continue their dominance.
Quick Take
An absolutely stunning design that is sure to continue the dominance of Titleist in iron play, and more than lives up to the “Modern Tour Iron” moniker that the company markets it as. The cleanest look yet from the T100 disguises a surprising level of performance enhancement with a next level commitment to proper CG placement. You won’t get the bells and whistles that other models in the T-Series possess, but you will get one of the most precise yet playable irons in this category.
2023 Titleist T100 Irons
While no one here is saying that the T100 irons are the best iron in the T-Series lineup for the largest number of golfers, what can be said is that they are the truest definition of being precision instruments of turf destruction. You see, these are players cavity back irons through and through.
For the most part, the biggest changes in the T-Series lineup went on around the T100’s with the decision to move from the S version and instead introduce the T150 which is ever so slightly larger in terms of sole and topline. Here with the T100 however, it is visually exactly what you expect. At setup these are compact irons with a super thin topline and practically no offset. While the size into the set PW isn’t all that daunting, when you work into the 4-Iron it will certainly test your nerve at setup with that razor like look.
With so little change in the physical setup of the irons, there is visual change that stands out with the overall aesthetic though. The 2021 T100 was clean, but very tech-y looking overall. Here, the 2023 T100 is ultra clean and harkens back to some of the classic Titleist CB’s in a big way. With sleek satin and a clean cavity transition, they aren’t pretending to be anything other than what they are, clean player driven irons where the Titleist script ties a nice bow on it all.
The previous season, I was actually a T100S player, so the opportunity to review the new T100 was exciting for a couple of reasons. First, the subtle changes they’ve made this time around combined with the implementation of new CNC milling as well as the application of D18 Tungsten brazed by a 2,000 degree aerospace process is intriguing. Secondly, and more personally, the move to a more traditionally lofted shot makers design like the T100 was something that had become necessary for my wants and needs in my own game.
Overall, I put the T100 irons through their paces in a lot of golf. Ranging from travel golf to competition golf, the rounds are plentiful at this point. Of course, the data many of you are curious about was also captured via Foresight and you will see it for the 5, 7, and 9 irons in the next few images.
Before talking outright performance, the sound discussion is worth having. The previously mentioned D18 Tungsten and new CNC Milling techniques were implemented to help shift the CG and to make a “more solid” feedback from the last version. For me, this proved true as to my ear. I felt that the sound (feel) is certainly more solid and has less click than the previous T100. That was a big reason I went with the T100S last time as the channel in the longer clubs improved the feel from the 2021 T100 significantly to me. Here, the 2023 T100 is still a classic Titleist sound/feel, but it is much less sharp overall creating a “softer” sensation that many should enjoy.
In terms of down and dirty performance talk, these are fantastic irons for those that understand what they are and intend to be. What I mean by that is that throughout my testing I was greeted with a ton of workability, as well as being able to flight every single club throughout the set, something that is not a necessity or need for many golfers but is pivotal to a design like these. Part of that for me came from the new sole re-design as the beveling of that back edge, even on a thin sole like the T100, proved to amplify my ability to get in and out of the turf more efficiently than I saw with the T100S last time around.
Additionally, as you will see throughout the data, these spin just like you would expect a more traditionally lofted players iron with CG placement like the T100 have. In the grand scheme of things, you need to remember that the spin is what allows for the predictability and workability that puts the T100 into the bags of the best ball-strikers in the world. Within that, I also saw really good peak heights even with the standard True Temper AMT White that isn’t the best fit for me. Again, things I would expect from an iron like this.
What was unexpected throughout testing was the carry distances I saw through the set. Not only were they closer to the T100S than I ever expected them to be, but the distance also came easy and without any need to overswing. Truly, this won’t be the case for the majority of golfers, but the T100 isn’t aimed at that group, they are a refined tool specifically designed for the needs of better ball-strikers who benefit from the traditional specs within a “Modern Tour Iron”.
That last part is also critical when it comes to discussing the forgiveness factor in the T100 as it is nuanced to what kind of ball-striker is using them. Someone coming from a more players distance style of iron will almost certainly notice a drop off, however, if you are coming from another players cavity style iron then there is more playability present. For me, I found them more forgiving than I did the 2021 versions, specifically to the toe side of things as well as on heavier strikes.
The Details
If you enjoyed the previous iteration of the T100 irons, then the 2023 should be on your short list to give a go. While the changes may not be as revolutionary as some might hope for, it is clear that Titleist has taken the most popular iron on Tour and made it better. The T100 irons come standard with the True Temper AMT White (steel) or Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei White AM2 (graphite) paired with Titleist’s new proprietary Universal 360 grip. The irons are priced at $1,399 (steel) or $1,499 (graphite) for 7-piece setups and are available at retailers worldwide right now.
