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An under the radar brand, the Fourteen TC-7 irons are consistent and produce an impressively soft feel. A modern top line and minimal offset make these perfect for the player looking to step up their iron play in 2022.
Introduction
Fourteen Golf has produced some of the best looking irons on the market. They don’t produce drivers or putters because they spend their time perfecting a forging process that is seen throughout their lineup. Even if you aren’t able to hit forged blades, Fourteen has crafted a spectrum of irons and wedges that anyone can play. In this review, we are covering the TC-7 forged players iron to find out who should look to add these to their bag for 2022.
Looks
The Fourteen Golf TC-7 irons are stunning. The forged S25C steel is shaped with squared edges and a rounded toe. Each head is finished with a brushed look on the sole, hosel and toe of the club while the back is plated in a mirrored chrome. The cavity back is more of an imprint which is a plus as there are no pockets for debris to get caught in.
The TC-7 irons set up with minimal offset behind the ball with a slightly thicker top line than a traditional blade. The brushed steel prevents any potential sun reflection that is typically seen with a polished steel. The sole doesn’t have much width, which is typical for a players iron in this category. The leading edge sits flush with the turf, while the shape reminds me of a Mizuno iron.
Sound & Feel
I only needed about 4 swings before falling in love with the sound of the Fourteen TC-7 irons. Any decent contact on the face elicits a low, muted “tick” sound. As with most forged irons, the soft feel can be so addicting when done right. That is what you get here with the TC-7s.
I quickly got comfortable using the TC-7s and was surprised how easy it was to have such consistent feel over so many swings. Bad swings produced a soft vibration through in the hands with a more clicky sound.
When struck well, premium tour balls feel solid off the face. Fourteen does demand a certain quality of swing to unlock this feel, but you won’t need to be perfect.
Performance
Consistency is probably the best word I can use to describe the Fourteen TC-7 irons. I saw consistent distances, spin, and trajectories from the 4 iron down to the wedge. However, these consistent results were only when I made a good swing. Poor strikes were still easily distinguishable from better ones which leads me to forgiveness. Most players looking to game these irons need to know forgiveness in the TC-7 irons is better than a blade, but you’ll still need a decent swing to see consistent results.
The forgiveness can be attributed to the cavity back undercut design. These irons aren’t designed for ultimate forgiveness. They are made for the better player looking for reliable control from their irons.
That control translates right into gapping distances. The Fourteen TC-7 irons are lofted on the slightly stronger side of the players irons category. The pitching wedge starts at 44 degrees and each iron increases by 3-5 degrees from there. The TC-7 produced a mid-high ball flight with a moderate but consistent amount of spin. This combo coupled with a stronger loft actually got me a few extra yards over my current gamer irons which happen to fall into the same category.
I like that Fourteen simplified their iron lineup, making it easy to choose the ideal iron for each player. The TB-5 is their blade with a lot of workability, while the PC-3 is the most forgiving game improvement irons. The TC-7 irons fall right in the middle and combines the control and consistency of a blade with enough forgiveness and distance for those who aren’t quite at an elite level.
Conclusion
There is plenty to like in the Fourteen TC-7 irons. The undercut designed cavity produces forgiveness for those not-so-perfect strikes while the compact iron gives the better player the control they need. Minimal offset, soft forged feel, and beautifully designed, the TC-7 irons are an underrated club that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Visit Fourteen Golf HERE
2022 Fourteen TC-7 Irons Price & Specs
Zack Buechner
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I heard rumor that fourteen has gone out of business or has merged with Proto Concept. Is that true?
John,
I have no knowledge of that one way or the other.
Best,
Matt
Hey John,
Fourteen is certainly still in business and is completely separate from Proto Golf. This response is directly from Fourteen Golf.
Thanks,
Zack
Not sure when Fourteen stopped making drivers and putters, but they certainly did at one point.
Lovely irons and the wedges are immaculately designed too. The numbering on the clubs indicates the difficulty of playing the model, e.g. the TB-5 is 5 out of 10 difficulty and TC-7 is 7. But I actually had better and more consistent results with the TC-7 over TB-5 so don’t let that scare you away.
At 200 USD per club I don’t think I’ll be in the market for any new irons short of a lottery win.
Shows how ridiculous golf club inflation has been given my current irons are forged have true temper shafts and originally had golf pride grips. I got 3-SW for 200 GBP which admittedly was a closeout deal for about 100 GBP off but even so.
Hi, I like these and the Wilson staff CB irons, if you had to choose, which would you say performed better for you? Anything you could say that was obviously different?
I had read both reviews, just wondering head to head what you would pick?
Cheers
When you say elite level, please describe. And I believe the TB-5’s are a bit more forgiving vs the TC-7, correct? Thank you.