Titleist 716 T-MB Irons Review

It’s finally time,  our review of the 2015 Titleist 716 T-MB Irons.  This one caught us by surprise at the Japan Golf Fair and just a few days before the event leaked spec sheets were floating around the web,  we scrambled jet lagged the day of the show waking up at 1am to prepare the product listings and placeholders in the newsletters for an iron we had never seen in the flesh,  somehow we knew this would be big,  and it was.. it is.

After hitting just a #7 iron in the swing cage  I knew it was special and while it looks like a blade it doesn’t perform like one, not even close.  This thing whatever it was is different and after a weeks worth of play It’s time we spill the beans on what could be one of the most awesome irons of 2015.  Follow the Jump to Read on you do not want to miss this!

Today was my 2nd round with the new Titleist T-MB,  I also enlisted the help of a couple of my pals to share to provide feedback,  one a Titleist staffer golf instructor who was floored to see these as he prides himself about knowing all things Titleist he hadn’t the slightest clue these had been released.  At first I handed him the #2 iron on the range and he said ya he already has the “U” in his bag so then I handed him the 8 iron and said 716 buddy.  You should have seen the look on his face,  it was disbelief that this release could sneak past him.  Welcome to the world of JDM.

Let’s get the specs out of the way,  these are Stainless Steel not forged so bend at your own risk.  I suggest ordering custom from TSG as Titleist Japan is willing to bend loft/lie 2* for us.  The new 716 T-MB features a unique design utilizing a hollow body and within a composite tungsten material behind the toe and heel section to produce a low center of gravity and mucho forgiveness,  it’s thin face structure increases ball velocity making not only the most forgiving muscle back iron in golf but also the longest distance MB ever produced.  Sounds too hypey!  but I confirm longest MB i’ve ever hit but can we really consider this a true MB?  I say yes.

Below the #2, 7, and PW sole profiles,  the charcoal PVD finished tungsten thingy looks much better in the real than in photographs btw.

JDM enthusiasts know the Titleist VG3 very well and while holding these at address you can totally see the two are related in not only minimal offset but also similarities in shape,  roundness of the top line and it’s extra added heft.  Hit them and you fully know the two are most likely designed by the same person or team.  This is a blade for people who normally wouldn’t play an MB,  hit it all over the face,  go ahead it’s soft mostly everywhere and long.  I wasn’t kidding when I said longest blade,  let’s toss most forgiving in there as well.  Titleist has combined strong lofts with a low center of gravity which is like mixing low trajectory with high launch to create penetrating mid traj bullets.  And don’t forget it’s hollow on the inside AND Stainless steel,  it should feel like s**t then right?  not at all,  this thing is spongy soft metal again sharing some of it’s DNA with the same impact sensation as the VG3 CB.

Below the address pics of T-MB #2, 7, and PW…

The #2 isn’t all that pretty but the #7 and #PW are gorgeous! And I tell you what, the #2 iron is extremely hittable,  now days we don’t get to enjoy many #2 irons and especially any that are this forgiving and easy to hit.  Titleist has gotta release these to the rest of the world!  I’m hitting these with S200’s they could feel so much better with a different shaft but still these are just blowing my mind with how they look,  feel, and perform.  Distance is 1.5 – 2 clubs longer than the traditionally lofted butter knives I usually play,  the #2 iron is 17* btw!!  PW = 45* trajectory is very penetrating, but still easy ups.

Most MBs have near 0 bounce all the way through,  these are 0 in the #2 and #3 but then increase in bounce thru the PW so my takeaway from this would be it’s better in average to softer conditions, better for the slider,  and great from the rough and in my testing that was all confirmed,  I come in pretty steep and still these did the job for me but I could imagine them being a touch bouncy in hard pan conditions.

Again all beautiful shapes,  nothing to quibble about here it’s curvey,  got a nice amount of real estate these truly are mini driving irons all the way through hence why it’s based on the 712U driving irons.

Ok so what am I forgetting in this review?  different shafts yup I gotta yank the S200’s these are tried and tested but still no fun so I’d like to see some distance enhancing shafts in these perhaps MCI 100’s in stiff for me or the Modus3 125 if accuracy is the goal  whatever the case the Titleist T-MB 716 Stainless Steel Irons are legit and what I consider  a big advancement in muscle back design,  if you like a minimal appearance, distance forgiveness, and nice feel do consider.  The only segment I could see not liking these are people who play a lot of hard pan or like flatter and narrow soled short irons or those who feel comfort in familiarity of that pure MB impact as these are different compared to just about every MB i’ve hit in almost every way but in a very very good way.  Available Here:  Click Here!  Enjoy the rest of the pics and thanks for reading!