It was high time that Titleist sorted out their iron order. I could never understand the structure of the AP Series. AP1 was their game improvement iron, followed by the AP2, which was aimed to please the better player who sought a minimal offset and smaller head. Although it was not a blade it was a huge hit with the players on Tour.
Titleist realised that they were missing a gap in the market. They didn’t have a model that sat between the AP1 and AP2 so they launched the AP3.
They came up with the marketing calculation of, “One plus two equals three.” It was a clever way of introducing the AP3 but the range just didn’t flow and the AP3 merely appeared to be a tag-on, even though it was the iron that appealed to the wider range of player – plus the fact that it has long been the best-selling Titleist iron in the Middle East.
Now Titleist has readdressed the situation with the T Series. The T100 replaces the AP2; the T200 comes in for the AP3 and the T300 replaces the AP1.
So now that the range is sequenced correctly, what we really need to find out is how the new models compare with their predecessors.
T100
What the brand says:
A true players’ iron, T100 offers confidence-inspiring looks and Tour-quality performance with the signature Titleist feel. A new fully-forged cavity construction is balanced by co-forged, dual-density tungsten for precise distance control with exceptional stability.
What we found:
It’s not much different to the AP2 in terms of looks and performance. This club is aimed at the better player, with a consistent strike pattern, and favours feel over distance.
It’s slightly more forgiving than the MB and CB irons in the range, but you can understand why this is the preferred iron with the Titleist staff players. Regardless of ability, a little forgiveness is always welcomed no matter how good you are.
T100 summary:
The feel is the best out of the T Series range but the yardage drop between a solid strike and a slight miss hit is by far the greatest.
T100 TRACKMAN NUMBERS
T200
What the brand says:
It delivers powerfully playable distance with a tour-inspired look and feel. Maximum Impact technology spreads maximum speed and distance control evenly across T200’s thin, forged L-face – with high launch and stopping power to convert near misses into near-perfect strokes.
What we found:
Having played the AP3 for more than 8 months, the T200 was the club I was most interested in. We know that the AP3 is long, due to its low centre of gravity and strong lofts, so it came as no surprise that the T200 evolved this characteristic even further. On our test of the T200, it carried seven yards longer with the same shaft and loft. This was achieved with a new thinner, faster forged SUP-10 L-Face Insert and 90g of high-density tungsten, placed in the heel and toe to lower the centre of gravity even further. This means the T200 spun on average 700rpm less than the AP3 but achieved a landing angle of 47.4 degrees – identical to that of the higher lofted T100 and one-and-a-half degrees higher than the AP3.
T200 summary:
I was blown away with the performance but was more impressed with how the forged face improved the acoustics and feel. Yet this was the only real negative of the AP3.
T200 TRACKMAN NUMBERS
T300
What the brand says:
The T300 offers the most forgiving player’s experience possible, with a modern shape that rewards the player with faster ball speeds and preferred feel. Maximum Impact technology extends maximum speed across an extremely forgiving mid-sized face, powering a fast cavity-back design that delivers the best combination of high launch, long distance and forgiveness.control with exceptional stability.
What we found:
The outgoing AP1 was a little too bulky, even for a ‘game improvement iron’ but the T300 has been on a diet. It’s still a bit on the chunky side but has all the right curves in all the right places. This club was designed and built with two purposes: PERFORMANCE plus FORGIVENESS and it delivers both in ambundance. The only issue I encountered was that players might struggle with their gapping as it’s probably too long in the short irons. The seven-iron averaged 198.1 yards and carried 185.2 yards. I didn’t manage to test the wedge but it would be around the 160 yards mark, so gapping from 110 to 160 will be the challenge.
T300 summary:
For players who are getting too much performance, it might be worth playing a mix T200 and T300 bag to balance the yardage gaps. A T300 4-6 iron and T200 7-wedge is a combo worth considering. The added spin and landing angles of the T200 will also assist you in holding greens with your approach shots.
T300 TRACKMAN NUMBERS
T SERIES OVERALL REVIEW
The T200 will be the base model which all the combo sets will include. Whether you are looking to add more firepower to a T100 mix or adjust the gapping with the T300, the new range has something for everyone.
