GOLD
GOLD
SILVER
OVERALL RATING ★★★★★ PERFORMANCE ★★★★★ INNOVATION ★★★★ ½ LOOK • SOUND • FEEL ★★★★★
OVERALL RATING ★★★★★ PERFORMANCE ★★★★★ INNOVATION ★★★★ ½ LOOK • SOUND • FEEL ★★★★★
OVERALL RATING ★★★★ PERFORMANCE ★★★★ INNOVATION ★★★★ LOOK • SOUND • FEEL ★★★★
TITLEIST T100 R27 000 WHY WE LIKE IT ‘Everything looks right. What I hear and see syncs up nicely. These are forgiving and responsive.’ – PLUS-2-HANDICAP
‘Feels explosive off the face. Has nice feedback on centre strikes. Cuts through the turf nicely.’ – 0-HANDICAP
‘If I swing harder, it goes higher and further without ballooning. Great distance control.’ – 0-HANDICAP
TITLEIST
COBRA KING CB Price TBA
T150 R27 000
WHY WE LIKE IT The secret sauce that makes this players iron pack plenty of power is not just stronger lofts than the Titleist T100. A channel behind the face adds the kind of extra zip that is sure to excite better recreational players. Sacrificing feel and forgiveness, however, was not an option: The use of dense tungsten and a slightly thicker topline and sole bolster stability. Also, the lower portion of the face is a shade thicker than the T100 to enhance feel.
WHY WE LIKE IT To improve on feel, Cobra had its carbon-steel heads undergo a five-step forging process (in which the force is increased with each hit). This led to a clubhead with better grain alignment that achieves the type of soft, crisp feel better players seek. Although clearly a club designed for single-figure players, the weight placed in the toe area provides the kind of stability that allows slight mis-hits to still have distance to carry that front bunker instead of landing in it.
A proven performer has little need to make drastic changes. This does not mean the latest T100 hasn’t undergone any improvements. The dual-cavity design uses super dense D18 tungsten, allowing for precise CG placement in each iron without sacrificing the premium forged feel and pleasing shape the T100 is known for. Engineers worked with tour pros and the grind experts in its wedge department to smooth and soften the trail edge of the sole to allow the club to move faster through the turf.
The relationship between a player and a new set of irons can be lukewarm at first. Same for pulling your clubs out for the first time in months. They might not feel quite right at the start. My advice is to get to know each other better by hitting punch shots for a while when you practice. Grab a 7- or 8-iron and set up over a ball with 70 percent of your weight on your lead leg and the ball centred in your stance. Your chin and the grip should be leaning slightly closer to the target than the ball (above, left). From this position, make a half- swing going back, feeling like your wrists stay firm (no hinge). Then pivot in the through-swing around your lead leg until your arms are extended and parallel to the ground (above, right). This swing is mostly about pivoting around that leg with quiet hands and arms – like a bigger chip shot with more energy. Focus on compressing the ball and getting the low point of the swing after impact. Get used to that, and you’re off to a good start to better ball-striking with your shiny new clubs – with Ron Kaspriske Erika Larkin is one of Golf Digest’s 50 Best Teachers in America. She is director of instruction at the Club at Creighton Farms in Virginia NEW IRONS? HIT SOME PUNCHES TO GET A FEEL FOR THEM BY ERIKA LARKIN
• The five-step forging fosters more consistency. • Grooves are milled to precise geometry near the USGA limit. • KBS Tour $-Taper shaft is stock offering. • 7-iron: 34 degrees; PW: 46 degrees
• Variable bounce sole assists with turf interaction. • Lofts are 2 degrees stronger than T100 for more distance. • Works as a blended set with T100 short irons. • 7-iron: 32 degrees; PW: 44 degrees
• CNC face-milling process leads to more consistent contact. • Fully forged dual-cavity construction produces a solid feel. • Stock shaft is lighter in long irons, heavier in short irons. • 7-iron: 34 degrees; PW: 46 degrees
BALL FLIGHT
BALL FLIGHT
BALL FLIGHT
Lower
Higher
Lower
Higher
Lower
Higher
SENSORY
SENSORY
SENSORY
Softer
Firmer
Softer
Firmer
Softer
Firmer
PLAYABILITY
PLAYABILITY
PLAYABILITY
Workable
Forgiving
Workable
Forgiving
Workable
Forgiving
TOP 5 BEST SOUND/FEEL, PLAYERS IRONS, LOW-HANDICAPS
TOP 5 HIGHEST FLYING, PLAYERS IRONS, LOW-HANDICAPS
TOP 5 BEST SOUND/FEEL, PLAYERS IRONS, MIDDLE-HANDICAPS
71 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 72
HOTLIST 2024
HOTLIST 2024
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