Titleist Introduces New 716 T-MB Utility Irons

Technically Advanced Utility Irons Deliver Tour-Proven Combination of High Launch, Long Carry Distance and Forgiveness in a Muscle Back Frame

(FAIRHAVEN, Mass.) – New Titleist 716 T-MB utility irons are precisely engineered using an extreme amount of high density tungsten to deliver an unprecedented combination of high launch, long carry distance and forgiveness in a sleek, muscle back frame.

“T-MB’s are the most playable, most forgiving utility irons in the game. They will change the way players look at this type of club from a driving iron to a true utility club that can be integrated into the long end of a players’ set to improve distance gapping and shot stopping,” said Chris McGinley, Vice President, Titleist Golf Club Marketing. “T-MB is loaded with technology. That’s what ‘T’ in T-MB represents. Our R&D team has given players more launch, carry distance and forgiveness where they need it most at the long end of the set, all with an incredible, lively feel.”

“The design and technology of T-MB was so compelling that we did not stop at the long irons,” McGinley said. “We’re also offering a full set of T-MB irons through our MOTO (Made Only To Order) program, for golfers that want this type of performance throughout the set.”

T-MB features a high-tech muscle back frame with a thin, fast, unsupported face that increases speed and launch for more distance. Extreme high density tungsten weighting inside the body is used to drive the center of gravity (CG) low and deep, allowing for stronger lofts. The result is high launch, low spin and high speed for increased carry distance. T-MB’s construction allows for maximum use of high density tungsten – an average of 80 grams per head, the most of any Titleist iron – providing a powerful combination of high launch and forgiveness with a playable trajectory.

“T-MB provides the most deceptively shocking performance result versus what you see,” said Dan Stone, Vice President, Titleist Golf Club R&D. “You’re looking down at a muscle back blade, then you hit it and realize how much performance it offers. The ball jumps off the face and launches high but just keeps carrying downrange. Our 712U models have been the most played utility iron on the PGA Tour for more than two years now. The first week we brought this out on tour, many of our players switched to T-MB immediately.”

T-MB 2-5 irons will be available in stores beginning Oct. 23. On the same date, the entire T-MB set (2-W) can be custom ordered through Titleist MOTO.

NEW 716 T-MB TECHNOLOGY: New T-MB irons provide the game’s most playable and forgiving utility iron performance through a sophisticated, high-tech construction:

• A thin, 431 stainless steel body with a high-strength Thin Fast Face allows the face to flex more at impact, increasing launch and speed for more distance. The thin body design also creates discretionary weight for redistribution to more optimal areas of the club head.

• Extreme High Density Tungsten weighting within the muscle back frame concentrates the discretionary weight to produce a Low and Deep CG for higher launch, lower spin and increased carry distance. The improved launch allows for 1º stronger lofts (as compared to 712U), which increase speed for even more distance.

• A forgiving High-MOI Design – with an average of more than 80 grams of tungsten per head – drives higher ball speeds across the face for more consistent distance on off-center hits, without the loss of workability or shot control at the T-MB’s tour-preferred blade lengths (same as Titleist AP2). T-MB, with high density tungsten weights precisely placed in the heel and toe, has nearly 7 percent higher MOI than 712U.

“T-MB’s construction allows us to use an extraordinary amount of high density tungsten. With an average of 80 grams per head, it’s nearly one-third of the total mass,” said Marni Ines, Director, Titleist Iron Development. “What that tungsten helps us achieve is high launch, high speed, stability and forgiveness – the type of performance that is highly desirable but rarely attained in a long iron.”

T-MB irons, in robot testing versus 712U, registered on average 2 mph higher ball speed and up to 200 rpm less backspin, with a similar launch angle at 1º stronger loft. The result was an average carry distance of four additional yards.

“While four more yards on average at the long end of the set is a pretty good number,” Ines said, “anecdotally we are seeing players launch T-MB higher and carry it farther than we predicted.”

SOLID FEEL: New T-MB irons have a fast, lively and solid feel at impact from their tour-validated, high MOI design. The high MOI helps resist twisting of the club in the player’s hands for stability and a solid feel.

T-MB also features a pre-worn leading edge that reduces digging at the point of turf entry, with a trailing edge chamfer that produces a fast, smooth release from the turf.

FULL SET AVAILABLE THROUGH MOTO: A full set of 716 T-MB irons (2-P) will be offered through the new Titleist MOTO program. MOTO products include metals and irons with specialized performance characteristics that make them the optimal fit for a limited group of golfers.

“Not long after we brought out 712U models, we had guys on tour asking us things like, ‘Why don’t you make more of them? Why don’t you make the rest of the set,’ ” Ines said. “And MOTO gave us the opportunity to experiment and see what we could do. Through our testing we quickly found golfers who prefer the performance of T-MB all the way through the bag.”

Golfers can try and get fit for T-MB and other Titleist MOTO products at 110 U.S. locations within the Titleist Fitting Network, plus more than 3,000 fitting events held annually around the country. MOTO products can be ordered through any authorized Titleist retailer. More information is available at Titleist.com.

ON TOUR: Adam Scott is among a growing number of players that have put T-MB irons in play since the tour seeding and validation process began. Scott put a T-MB 2-iron in play the first week it was available to him at the World Golf Championships event at Firestone. Jimmy Walker and Bill Haas also put new T-MB utilities immediately in the bag, while Tim Clark and Ben Crane are using full sets of T-MB irons.

WHAT PLAYERS ARE SAYING…

Adam Scott: “The way I see the T-MB iron is really the future of the game. Technology is involved in everything. This is going to be revolutionary in iron sets. We’ve seen it in hybrids replacing long irons. Now we’re going to see hollow muscle backs with perimeter weighting – tungsten, in this case – replacing muscle back irons, cavity back irons, all the way down through the short irons. I think that’s the way forward. It’s going to be about launching it high and controlling the spin, hitting it a long way but a controlled distance, and there are huge benefits to playing golf that way.”

“The T-MB’s have a lively feel but it’s very solid. I think that addition of the tungsten in there certainly gives it that solid feel. It’s extremely forgiving and certainly coming from an MB to hitting a T-MB you get that extra forgiveness but it is lively and you certainly know you’ve hit a T-MB when you have... It’s an all-positive message coming off that club.”

Jimmy Walker: “T-MB has a fast, aggressive flight to it with a nice, straight trajectory. It really feels like it kind of jumps off the club. A cool look to it, too.”

HIGH PERFORMANCE STOCK SHAFT: Titleist is the exclusive launch partner of the 716 T-MB’s stock shaft, the True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT. Featuring new, tour-proven innovative ascending mass technology, the True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT produces lighter long iron shafts for launch and speed and heavier short iron shafts for control.

PRICE AND AVAILABILITY: Titleist T-MB irons are available in golf shops, and through MOTO, beginning Oct. 23.

• Steel: MAP $199 per club ($1,599/set of 8) | MSRP $225 per club
• Graphite: MAP $225 per club ($1,799/set of 8) | MSRP $250 per club.

ON THE WEB: www.titleist.com

YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/11FYFavqOas