What We Tried
Titleist T350 Irons. The largest iron within the new Titleist T-Collection lineup.
Your Titleist T350 Tester
Tony Covey. MyGolfSpy Editorial Director and mediocre iron participant who, regardless of himself, will not be a fan of huge irons.
Yeah. This isn’t a match made in Heaven.
The Requisite Background
For a very long time, I used to be a high-flight, high-spin participant with each membership within the bag. Envious of these in a position to flight the ball with a piercing trajectory, I labored to carry my ball flight down.
Someplace alongside the way in which, I over-corrected … apparently.
Thus far, a lot of our dialog across the T-Collection lineup has centered on really feel. I’ll contact on that however my main concern performs immediately into Titleist’s 3D (Distance Management, Descent, Dispersion) becoming strategy. Particularly, in my case, descent angle.
See, the way in which it really works is that earlier than one thing (a golf ball, for instance) can come down, it should go up. In my case, it wasn’t going up fairly excessive sufficient. I used to be maxing out at round 85 toes.
My fitter (Joey) wished to see that quantity nearer to 100. Larger flight ought to present steeper descent so we got down to discover a mixture of head and shaft that will get me there.
As you’ve not doubt already pieced collectively, I ended up within the T350 (with my typical Nippon Modus 120 X shaft).
A pair fast factors.
First, regardless of the strongest lofts within the lineup, with the identical shaft, I hit the T350 greater than the opposite 3 T-Series fashions.
Second, do not forget that inventory lofts are simply a place to begin. Ultimately, we landed on one diploma weak (two levels flat). Nonetheless sturdy however not as sturdy.
In regards to the Titleist T350
I’ll spare you the total refresh on the expertise that powers the T350. When you’re new to T-Collection, we cover all of it here. The abbreviated model is that the T350 is the most important, most game-improvementy of the present T-Collection lineup.
It’s a hollow-body design that packs the only with tungsten to provide greater ball flight with loads of ball pace coming by the use of Titleist’s MAX IMPACT expertise.
Mentioned one other manner, it’s an upsized tackle the T200 for golfers who want extra assist than the remainder of the T-Collection lineup presents.
Preliminary Impressions
I’m going to degree with you. When you laid the 4 T-Series models in entrance of me, the T350 could be the final one I’d select and my assumption was I’d find yourself in T150s or T200s. T350 was out of the query.
Did I point out I don’t like massive irons?
That mentioned, so far as massive irons go, the T350 isn’t all that unhealthy. The offset isn’t big and it’s moderately effectively hidden. The topline, although thick, has some camber to it, making it seem thinner. There’s no hiding the blade size nevertheless it’s hardly probably the most egregious in the marketplace.
I’ve seen manner worse.
All of that mentioned, if membership becoming was nearly selecting what you want greatest, there wouldn’t be a lot level. The target of becoming is to enhance on-course outcomes … or no less than it ought to be.
With that in thoughts, after I undergo a becoming, I attempt to let the fitter do his factor and never let my emotions get in the way in which an excessive amount of. Whereas I’d really feel like there’s no likelihood I’ll be pleased with a T350, I’ll hold it to myself and let issues play out.
Let the person do his job.
Because of this, I’ve ended up in some stuff I wouldn’t essentially have chosen for myself, most not too long ago, a shorter-shafted putter with an unfamiliar form. Hold your minds open, individuals.
It’s not misplaced on me {that a} perk of this job is the liberty to defer to the fitter’s advice with out worry of remorse. If I don’t like it, there’s at all times one thing else.
Full disclosure: Although I used to be seeing extra consistency and considerably greater ball flight throughout my becoming, I nonetheless didn’t love the concept of T350s and was all however satisfied they wouldn’t keep within the bag.
I’d play a few courtesy rounds to reaffirm my disklike of bigger irons and that will be the tip of it.
Subsequent.
Titleist T350 Efficiency
As soon as house, I took the T350s into the hitting bay to see how they examine to my players. I’ve nothing however good issues to say concerning the PXG 0311 GEN5 Ts which were in my bag since my becoming.
I like the look (they’re not massive), love the texture and the outcomes have been typically good. Frankly, I cherished them after I bought them and I nonetheless do nevertheless it’s true that with the lengthy irons specifically, the flight is a bit low.
Indoors
The PXG’s aren’t a typical Tour iron (they’re not brief by any means) so, for probably the most half, I anticipated efficiency variations to be small. That’s very true contemplating we’re evaluating fitted irons to fitted irons with precise lofts withinone diploma of one another.
Measured with a Foresight GCQuad, I bought a bit extra pace (about 1.5 mph) with the T350 and about three yards extra whole distance.
With respect to max top – the factor we centered on within the becoming – the T350s flew about seven toes greater, although probably the most noticeable variations have been on the ball that begins left, the place the T350s retain a bit extra top.
On Course
That is the half the place you would possibly count on me to inform you that the Titleist T350 are the very best irons ever and that I’ve shaved 10 strokes off my rating.
Let’s set some sensible expectations.
I stay and die by the motive force. My house course is tight (white stakes on each gap, generally each side). Enchancment by the use of a greater iron play is measured in 10ths of strokes gained, although there are occasions when the good thing about transferring to the T350 is inarguable.
There are the plain issues. I’m hitting the ball greater. I’m hitting it farther than the indoor information instructed I might. And, whereas I’ll be the primary to inform you that prioritizing iron distance is a idiot’s folly, if you will get it with out sacrificing efficiency in different areas, I say go for it.
No ragrets.
Little issues stand out as effectively. There’s a toe shot (my candy spot) on No. 8. I’ve hit the identical shot 50 occasions over time and I’m telling you there’s no likelihood it clears the bunker … besides it did.
As an alternative of one of many scariest photographs on the course (agency, almost sand-less bunker with OB lengthy), I’m on the perimeter. A two-putt birdie as a substitute of … effectively, we will’t ensure,however a pocket eight isn’t out of the query.
My 5-iron flies noticeably greater, too.
I nonetheless have the occasional left miss however the massive (flawed aspect of the white stakes) left miss is just about gone. That one in all probability comes right down to the physics of the longer blade size holding the face from closing down after I get a little bit fast with the fingers.
All of that mentioned, I’m not going to inform you I’m firing at each pin and sticking it tight each time. Positive, I hit some actually good photographs however I did that with my different irons. The actual distinction is that with the T350s I get away with a little bit bit extra and that offers me an opportunity to salvage one thing on the times after I’m sideways with my woods.
Lengthy story brief. One final spherical with the T350s led to at least one extra and when the times bought shorter and the leaves began to fall, the Titleist T350 irons have been nonetheless within the bag.
T350 Really feel
Really feel is an enormous a part of the Titleist story for the T-Collection so I’d be remiss to not no less than contact on it. So far as really feel goes, the T350 is a noticeable step up from the prior-gen T300. I had an opportunity to hit them aspect by aspect in my becoming and should you’re a T300 man, I’m prepared to wager you’ll discover the advance instantly.
Regardless of the very best efforts of engineering groups, I’m not satisfied you’ll be able to ever replicate forged-iron really feel with a hollow-body design however the T350 feels good for what it’s – and sure higher than most in its class.
It’s not as pleasingly comfortable as a T100 or T150 and, if I’m being fully sincere, I favor the texture of my GEN5s,however I don’t have any actual complaints.
I do know after I completely flush one. I do know after I miss, too, however that miss feels a hell of quite a bit higher than it does with the prior-gen stuff.
The Takeaway
The Titleist T350 is among the extra stunning items of apparatus I’ve encountered during the last couple of seasons. It’s not stunning {that a} Titleist iron would carry out effectively. It’s that the benefits could be sufficient for me to recover from my dislike of bigger irons.
I nonetheless don’t like massive irons nevertheless it’s arduous to argue with greater flight, extra forgiveness and extra distance. Granted, that final one is a bonus however, once more, I by no means anticipated to maintain them within the bag.
Because the season involves an finish right here in New York State, the plan is to work on my recreation over the winter: weight coaching, Stack Programs, loads of reps on the simulator, perhaps even a lesson or two.
Perhaps I’ll get to the purpose the place the T350s are greater than what I would like from a forgiveness standpoint (along with being greater than I sometimes favor to have a look at). It’s additionally true that every new season brings with it new gear temptations however I’ve established a brand new bar. As long as I can stay rational as a substitute of emotional about what goes into the bag, the T350s would possibly simply kick round for one more season.
Retail worth for Titlesit T350 irons is $1,399.
For extra data, go to Titleist.com.
