What you need to know: Automotive giant McLaren enters the golf-equipment fray with a pair of irons, the better players Series 1 and players-distance Series 3 models.
Both employ a metal-injection-molding process that allows the company to dial in the material to the geometry instead of forcing the geometry to fit the material. A weight-saving mesh design is also used on both irons. “We’re trying to be an authentic golf equipment manufacturer,” said JP Harrington, head of design for irons and wedges for McLaren Golf. “People will test our products and decide for themselves how comparable they are from both performance and brand appeal.”
Price/Availability: The two irons are priced at the same $375 per club. Availability is limited to select fitters in North America, South Korea and Europe as well as direct at mclarengolf.com beginning April 30.
3 Cool Things
1. A modern players iron
The Series 1 is a blade iron with a twist—starting with the material. Using a metal-injection-molding process allowed the company to use a custom carbon steel. “We customized our own materials and found a material that sounded great, felt great, and gave us the performance we were looking for,” said Harrington. “This wasn’t overnight. This has taken two to three years of conversation and about 18 months of development. Metal-injection molding allows us to deliver the exact design the engineers intended, without losing it to grinding or hand finishing.”
Visibly noticeable is the mesh on back of the iron. Far from simply looking cool, the mesh saves weight that can be placed elsewhere while providing structural integrity. “From the outside it looks like a classic muscleback, but internally there’s technology you don’t typically see in this category,” said Harrington. Included in that is each head has its own internal tungsten weight (ranging from 16 to 24 grams) and center of gravity, tailored specifically to that club. Additionally, the damping silicone refines the frequency and feel without compromising stability.
2. A little more help
Although the Series 3 lives in the players‑distance space, the priorities here are a clean appearance and tight dispersion. As with the Series 1, the mesh allows for a thin face and saved weight. A key difference, however, is a carbon-fiber bonnet that houses a tungsten weight (ranging from 10 to 17 grams) that sits directly behind the center of gravity. There are also tungsten toe weights (3 to 16 grams) that help achieve an optimal CG position.
“That weight stack lets us fine‑tune head weight tolerances and offer multiple fitting packages without changing performance characteristics,” said Harrington. “The cambered sole with a heel cut resists digging and regulates turf contact, especially for players who get a little steep. Nothing is in the club unless it serves a real technical and performance purpose.”
3. Coming to a tour stop soon
McLaren is starting off its tour staff with a trio of recognizable names—former U.S. Women’s Open champ Michelle Wie West, Ryder Cup stalwart Ian Poulter and, perhaps most importantly, former U.S. Open champ and Olympic Gold medalist Justin Rose, who has won 27 titles worldwide. Rose has been involved with McLaren for nearly two years, testing prototypes and providing feedback. He has the irons in the bag this week at Doral.
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