Golf irons through the years

Golf is a very old game, and over recent years, the technology found in golf clubs has changed dramatically.

Centuries ago, golf clubs were carved out of wood, and by the mid-18th century, golfers of the time had access to the first iron clubs. Wooden hickory clubs became the norm for the sport right up until the early 20th century, when steel shafts revolutionized the game.

Can you imagine how difficult it must have been to play with crudely carved hickory clubs? How thrilling it must have felt to pull off just the right shot with one?

What about the world’s best golfers of the time? Do you think playing golf to such a level with comparably worse equipment than we have today would make them more talented than our modern players?

We’ve had an awful lot of technological advances in the past 50 years. Modern research and development as well as the convenience of established supply chains means we have a mass production of new and improved golf clubs with each year that passes.

Titleist makes fantastic golf irons, and today we’re going to take a trip down memory lane. We’ll be looking at some staple now decades old Titleist irons and comparing them to this year’s release.

Millennial Aesthetics

You may or may not have been playing golf back in the early 00s, and if you were, this wonderful golf iron from Titleist might be bringing back some memories.

The head on the DCI 822 OS features a deep cavity back with lots of surrounding perimeter weighting. The club’s name is stenciled on the back of the head, and the thatched metal patterning surrounding it is reminiscent of the grille on a powerful car.

This club was a real marvel when it was released in 2001. The rounder, more pear-shaped clubhead is an example of how the golf iron as a piece of equipment has transitioned away from the square iron heads that were a staple of the early-to-mid 20th century.

The golf irons we have today don’t only perform better than those of decades-gone, they look better, and help us feel more confident when we’re lining up our approach shots.

Recent Tech

Let’s go back to a few years ago, the 716 AP2 that was released in 2015 is the perfect marriage of performance and aesthetics.

This club made use of a high-density tungsten that positioned the center of gravity lover in the head and gave you more speed at impact. The mix of silver chrome and black paneling looks very sleek and don’t blame you if this iron caught your eye back in the day.

Titleist gave this club plenty of oomph, and if you were playing with it a decade ago, you would have been no doubt taking advantage of the club’s performance-enhancing technologies.

This iron had a wide sole for excellent turf contact, and a low center of gravity that helped pop the ball up in the air to give you plenty of height when you’re hitting into the green. These forgiving clubs were an excellent example of the kind of tech and shape it takes to make a superb distance iron.

Modern Tech

The golf irons of 2023 are pushing the known limits of how far you can hit a golf ball with this type of club. Not only do they give you tremendous distance, they’re also designed to give you lots of forgiveness and are a lot of fun to play with.

One of Titleist’s latest iron releases, the T200, is the cutting edge of golf iron technology. The iron will have you making buttery-smooth strikes thanks to the smooth trailing edge on the sole.

This golf club is simply beautiful to look at. It features a solid, confident shape that’s great to look at when it’s both resting in your bag and when it’s in your hands. Titleist have reengineered the chassis to be stiffer to give you even more positive feel.

The forged face will provide you with an excellent performance time and again, and the placement of D18 tungsten weighting results in a prime center of gravity placement.

Titleist are the best in the game when it comes to making golf clubs, and their T-Series range includes a club with every kind of golfer in mind. From the Tour-featured T100 to the confidence-inspiring T350, these irons will no doubt put a smile on your face.

In the pro shop, we’ll be able to tell you all the ins-and-outs of modern golf clubs in detail so you’ll know exactly how your clubs work. If your current set is looking a little weathered, why not consider getting yourself an upgrade? When you come in for a club fitting we’ll take a look at how you play and give you a recommendation of what kind of golf iron would be most appropriate for you.