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In this review, I’ll be taking a look at the 2021 model of the Titleist T100S iron.
Titleist first came out with the T100S in 2020 and it was meant to be a Tour-level iron with the best in precision and workability. The objective is still the same with the second-generation T100S, but with stronger lofts and a little more distance potential than the T100.
The 2021 T100S iron is the go-to option for aspiring golfers and professionals that want a players iron with an edge in distance. But how does it actually perform out on the course? How does it compare to the T100?
I’ll try to answer these questions and more in this review. Here’s what I’ll be covering:
- Ratings
- Features & Technologies
- Performance
- Look, Sound & Feel
- Where To Buy These Irons Online
- Conclusion
Read on to find out what you need to know to make an informed purchase.
Note: Unless otherwise stated, stock shafts and stock grips are used when evaluating this club. In most cases, the golf clubs reviewed on Golfstead are acquired temporarily for testing purposes and are not purchased. The review that follows is based on the personal experience and research of the author. Because everyone’s swing and body are different, results with a particular club may differ from person to person.
What are the reviews like?
The 2021 T100S is a more popular choice of iron compared to the T100, which is likely due to the appealing distance advantage.
It enjoys very high ratings from consumers and professional critics, who praise the fact that the iron gives you more distance without sacrificing feel or workability. It currently has an average aggregate customer rating of 5/5 stars.
The T100S irons are played by many pros on Tour including Robert Streb, Brandon Wu, and Nick Hardy.
What People Like
- delivers excellent distance with plenty of launch
- no less controllable than the T100
- responsive feedback yet forgiveness is decent
- can appeal to higher handicaps as well
What People Don’t Like
- prohibitively expensive
What are the features?
The 2021 T100S iron is largely the same as the T100, but there are some key differences.
In particular, the lofts of the T100S irons are stronger by two degrees, but they haven’t just been cranked in a vice. They have been designed with the stronger loft in mind.
The center of gravity has been shifted and the face has been made more explosive to ensure you get a high launch and landing angle along with the increased distance.
Muscle Channel
One of the main differentiating factors of the T100S, this channel reinforces the club face from the back, increasing ball speeds and increasing launch.
It also enables weight savings that are used to shift the CG lower, further increasing launch and enhancing MOI for a little added forgiveness.
Tungsten Weighting
The 2021 T10S0 iron uses a denser D18 tungsten, which is put through a 2000°F brazing process used in aerospace construction.
This tungsten is used in the 3-7 irons. It is calibrated in the same way as it is with the T100 irons, allowing for the elimination of weld points and extremely precise CG placement.
Continuous Cradle Construction
A seamless impact surface and more uniform leading edge are created by a continuous cradle construction as part of the new T100S face.
Stock Info
The 2021 T100S iron is available from the 3-iron through the 48° wedge. The stock set is 4-PW. Individual irons are, of course, available for purchase.
The stock steel shaft is the Project X LZ (low-mid launch), and the stock graphite shaft is the Mitsubishi TENSEI AV White AM2 (low-mid launch). Other shaft options are:
- True Temper AMT Tour White (low launch)
- True Temper AMT Black (mid-high launch)
- True Temper AMT Red (mid-high launch)
- Project X (low launch)
- Mitsubishi TENSEI AV Blue AM2 (mid-high launch)
- Mitsubishi TENSEI AV Red AM2 (high launch)
The stock grip is the Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360.
Below are the specs of the Titleist T-Series irons. Click or zoom to enlarge.
How do the irons perform?
Distance/Distance Control
A great way to describe the 2021 T100S iron is that it takes away a little of the distance control of the T100 and adds a little more distance in exchange.
You can expect to get 1-3 mph more ball speed with the T100S over the T100. But because the CG and spin rates are lower as well, this means that it’s just a little more challenging to control your distance for any given iron in the set.
Overall, the 2021 T100S irons have great stopping power, and they even appear to be a little longer than the T200 irons.
Forgiveness
When it comes to today’s modern golf iron technology, more distance across the face usually translates to more forgiveness. This is certainly the case with the 2021 T100S irons.
At times during my testing session, it even felt like the T100S irons had a game-improvement level of forgiveness. I think this reflects the overall shift that Titleist is making to better forgiveness, even in their Tour models.
The 2021 T100S iron feel impressively stable at impact, and mis-hits don’t deviate too far off line. You’ll still miss a green when you hit a bad shot, but it’s nothing like what you would experience with a pure muscle back.
Playability
Despite the fact that the Project X LZ stock steel shaft facilitates a lower launch, I was still getting a healthy mid launch with the long irons — very similar to the T100 in terms of ball flight, but with a little more rounded parabolic trajectory.
The 2021 T100S irons generate about 400-600 rpm less spin than the T100. Sure, the launch is the same, but what the lower spin does it take away a little bit of workability. The difference, however, is negligible for all but the best players in the world.
Because of the lower spin, lower CG and higher launch, many players will opt to put the longer T100S irons (maybe 3-6) in the bag and use the standard T100 for the 7-9 irons and wedges.
What about look, sound & feel?
The Look
The 2021 T100S irons look practically identical to the T100, sans the stronger lofts and Muscle Channel tucked in the back cavity.
This includes a beautiful brushed chrome finish, thin top line, and very minimal offset. I could also visually spot no difference in blade length and face length compared to the T100.
The back design also looks just like the T100, with the addition of a red “s” after the “T100”, of course! This is certainly one of the best-looking players irons I’ve tested in many years.
The Sound & Feel
The 2021 T100S irons have a strong “forged-like” feel at impact that is muted and soft. It’s very similar to the feel of the original T100, with turf interaction that is sharp, clean and smooth.
The one noticeable difference that stands out to me is the fact that the ball feels quicker off the face. This comes down to Titleist wanting the T100S to have a face that feels thinner and produces more ball speed.
Another thing to note is that while feedback is very responsive, as it should be with a Tour iron, it’s just a touch less clear in mis-hit areas compared to the T100. However, it’s a very inconsequential difference that I don’t think would have any impact of a golfer’s ability to diagnose their bad shots.
Where should you buy the 2021 T100S irons online?
If you’re at the level where a Tour iron like the 2021 T100S would be suitable for you, getting a fitting is strongly recommended. You can order custom T100S irons and find out more about scheduling a fitting here.
Otherwise, if you know what configuration to get, you should check out Global Golf. They can accommodate custom requests and offer performance guarantees and a club trade-in program (UTry) to help you minimize the financial hit.
New iron models don’t stay new for long, and eventually the option for custom orders will disappear. At that point, you’ll have to look at off-the-rack T100S irons or even used sets.
Another excellent destination for both new and used irons is eBay. You can usually get irons there for prices that can’t be beat anywhere else.
Conclusion
The Titleist 2021 T100S iron has pretty much everything going for it.
Used successfully by many Tour players as well as low, mid and even higher handicaps, it provides the same accuracy, premium Tour-like feel, and clean looks as the T100, but with a little extra boost of distance and forgiveness.
If you had to choose between the T100 and T100S, I suggest going with the T100S unless you have a handicap of zero or better where the very slight difference in distance control, spin, stopping power and feedback matter to you. Just be prepared to drop four figures on a set — these beauties are expensive.
Are you interested in the 2021 T100S irons? Have you played them? What’s your experience? Tell us in the comments below.
