New Level Appreciation Thread

[dmeeksDC]

5 hours ago, Yzmerf said:

I thought I read you were getting the MC. In any case how’s the heel height? That’s what I didn’t like about the short irons 902 pd

I’ll have to take a closer look. I think I’d like to hit the MC after trying these! The TC are very much like the 623CB in shape. Definitely more of a squat shape versus an angled, higher toe look. They remind me a bit of Epon (300 series) irons, only the New Levels have less offset. I’d have to put them next to the 623CB to see any differences. 
 

I played great with them. Hit a lot of greens and they stop dead. No adjustment period needed as I am familiar with how their irons play, the lofts are just right and I can play just about anything 8-P. They are just what I expected. Not difficult to hit, feel great, sound sweet, and I swear I am a more accurate with irons like these that have a more compact heel to toe measurement. Look from address is very important to me and these check that box. I may need to flatten the lies 1 degree. Not high bounce either, they move right through the turf. Played in very soft conditions today.

 

i like all types of golf clubs and enjoy them but there’s nothing like impact with a pure forged golf iron. These are very playable, not just a better players iron. Slightly smaller and sleeker than a ZX7 but not scary small. I’d say mid-handicappers who are decent ball strikers would have no problem with these. They’re smooth. 

[ChrisATL]

10 hours ago, dmeeksDC said:

Here they are. Look very nice. I only have hit the 8 iron but the feel was the same as always — excellent. Kevin

Kraft, who has a very solid golf swing, also hit them and liked them a lot. Also commented on the great feel. 
 

From address I cannot see any difference vs the 623CB. Certainly aimed at the same player. if I had the 623CB I would doubt a change would do much but if I was in the market for a CB I think these New Levels have a lot going for them. 
 

They look clean and snazzy. Here are some pics of the 480TC 8 iron with a Srixon ZX7 8 iron. Similar sizes. The 480 is slightly shorter heel to toe, has a softened top point of the toe vs the ZX7 and less bounce. And there is a nice relieved leading edge on the 480TC. ZX7 is 2 degrees stronger in loft stock but the NL is a soft forging so easy to adjust lofts. I’ll be putting the 8-P in the bag for a round today. 
 

480TC and Srixon ZX7 8 irons

These are absolutely stunning - thanks for sharing!

[Jmccas]

15 hours ago, dmeeksDC said:

I’ll have to take a closer look. I think I’d like to hit the MC after trying these! The TC are very much like the 623CB in shape. Definitely more of a squat shape versus an angled, higher toe look. They remind me a bit of Epon (300 series) irons, only the New Levels have less offset. I’d have to put them next to the 623CB to see any differences. 
 

I played great with them. Hit a lot of greens and they stop dead. No adjustment period needed as I am familiar with how their irons play, the lofts are just right and I can play just about anything 8-P. They are just what I expected. Not difficult to hit, feel great, sound sweet, and I swear I am a more accurate with irons like these that have a more compact heel to toe measurement. Look from address is very important to me and these check that box. I may need to flatten the lies 1 degree. Not high bounce either, they move right through the turf. Played in very soft conditions today.

 

i like all types of golf clubs and enjoy them but there’s nothing like impact with a pure forged golf iron. These are very playable, not just a better players iron. Slightly smaller and sleeker than a ZX7 but not scary small. I’d say mid-handicappers who are decent ball strikers would have no problem with these. They’re smooth. 

Good feedback. I owned the 623CB and they were some of the easiest irons to hit. They were on the larger side from what I recall but I was coming from an MP4. Everybody that hit the 623CB said it very forgiving for its size. 
 

I got rid of them due to the shaft not working for me. I was going to order another set but then NL went crazy with their prices. 

[pjc]

I really like the looks of pretty much all the New Level irons that have been released to date, including the new one's.  To me, they have always reminded me of Bridgestone/Tourstage irons, almost to the point that that is their goal which is not a bad thing one single bit!

[golowgolf801]

New Level are the best feeling irons I’ve hit. Currently play 623-CB but probably going to pull the trigger on new 480-TC.

[golowgolf801]

On 1/21/2024 at 5:31 PM, dmeeksDC said:

I ordered a half-set, the 480TC in 8-P with C Taper Lite stiff. Since these are pretty typical lofts, I’ve got other 5-7 irons I can pair them with no problem. I enjoy pure forged short irons, they’re a lot of fun to fire at greens. Asked for D-1 swing weight. I’ll post some pics once they arrive. 

Did you get these and can provide any feedback? Haven’t been able to find any reviews to date.

[golowgolf801]

19 hours ago, ChrisATL said:

These are absolutely stunning - thanks for sharing!

Amazing - have you had a chance to hit? How would you say that compare to the 623CB? Is the dispersion any better?

[JAM01]

902-OS irons suddenly remind me of my favorite set, WS FG Tour V2 with KBS tour shafts and Lamkin Crosslines. If that holds, my iron churn days are done. 

[dmeeksDC]

2 hours ago, golowgolf801 said:

Amazing - have you had a chance to hit? How would you say that compare to the 623CB? Is the dispersion any better?

I have played one round with the 8-P and I have hit a small bucket before playing. They made an impressive debut. They are very consistent on distance and have nice forgiveness on low strikes. Clean and nice looking from address. I was hitting them in the middle of the face for the most part and they feel pure. It’s a 1020 steel forged iron, what’s not to like? But they are not at all difficult to hit. 
 

New Level says they are based on the 623CB chassis and they look very similar to me. I would have to see them side by side to note any differences. These have a nice feel at the bottom

of the swing, balanced and smooth. I’ll post updates as I play them more. As I expected, the web site photos do not do them justice. Everyone who has seen them comments on how refined they look. The changeable weight won’t be needed by everyone but many will appreciate them. I liked that I could order them 1/4 inch short of standard with a D1 swing weight and that’s no problem for the builders. 

[golowgolf801]

3 minutes ago, dmeeksDC said:

I have played one round with the 8-P and I have hit a small bucket before playing. They made an impressive debut. They are very consistent on distance and have nice forgiveness on low strikes. Clean and nice looking from address. I was hitting them in the middle of the face for the most part and they feel pure. It’s a 1020 steel forged iron, what’s not to like? But they are not at all difficult to hit. 
 

New Level says they are based on the 623CB chassis and they look very similar to me. I would have to see them side by side to note any differences. These have a nice feel at the bottom

of the swing, balanced and smooth. I’ll post updates as I play them more. As I expected, the web site photos do not do them justice. Everyone who has seen them comments on how refined they look. The changeable weight won’t be needed by everyone but many will appreciate them. I liked that I could order them 1/4 inch short of standard with a D1 swing weight and that’s no problem for the builders. 

Thank you for the feedback. I can’t wait to order my set. I kind of wanna wait until the DB is released as I might want to get that in the five and four iron.

[dmeeksDC]

16 minutes ago, golowgolf801 said:

Thank you for the feedback. I can’t wait to order my set. I kind of wanna wait until the DB is released as I might want to get that in the five and four iron.

That’s why I only ordered 8-P. I can already tell I can handle these in a full set, but I also want to see the DB, possibly for the 5 iron spot only. I go to a hybrid (Callaway Apex) at 23 degrees. 

[Yzmerf]

On 2/4/2024 at 4:30 PM, dmeeksDC said:

That’s why I only ordered 8-P. I can already tell I can handle these in a full set, but I also want to see the DB, possibly for the 5 iron spot only. I go to a hybrid (Callaway Apex) at 23 degrees. 

So how would you rate. The New Levels against the Staff CB forgiveness wise. I have no reason to be looking for something else but you know GOLFWRX….

[dmeeksDC]

9 hours ago, Yzmerf said:

So how would you rate. The New Levels against the Staff CB forgiveness wise. I have no reason to be looking for something else but you know GOLFWRX….

Both are Tour-level irons among the best CBs you will find. I would not expect much difference in forgiveness in the short irons. The New Level is a slightly larger profile so there is the extra forgiveness that comes with a little larger club face. A little more room to miss. The Wilson is more compact looking down from address. But we’re talking small differences there. 
 

The 480-TC with the way they did the perimeter and adjustable weighting, it’s very stable. I have yet to hit the 480TC long irons but as impressed as I am with the 8-P I am going to order the 5-7. I like the beveled sole a lot. Seems to be great from any lie. 

 

[GolfGuy1717]

Is there any other feedback on the 480?  I currently play and love the 623 CB's.  

 

[Eazy Mac]

I actually just ordered a used set of the PF-2 heads 5-pw, got some s300s that ill likely throw in them. I dont need more clubs but the deal was too good to pass up. Anyone gamin these ones? Or can compare it to any other irons?

[fixurpitch]

10 hours ago, Eazy Mac said:

I actually just ordered a used set of the PF-2 heads 5-pw, got some s300s that ill likely throw in them. I dont need more clubs but the deal was too good to pass up. Anyone gamin these ones? Or can compare it to any other irons?

I played PF1/PF2 combo before the 902PDs currently in the bag. Side by side, the PF is minimally smaller. You notice it at the heel/hosel. The PF play no easier/harder than the 902PD. PF is an outstanding iron set. It was actually better at handling thin shots than the 902. Hope you enjoy them. 

[Eazy Mac]

28 minutes ago, fixurpitch said:

I played PF1/PF2 combo before the 902PDs currently in the bag. Side by side, the PF is minimally smaller. You notice it at the heel/hosel. The PF play no easier/harder than the 902PD. PF is an outstanding iron set. It was actually better at handling thin shots than the 902. Hope you enjoy them. 

 

Thanks. Yea I've played the MP-54s and J15 CBs in the past, and in looking at previous reviews i guess these are very similar but slightly smaller? Seems like the forgiveness is still there though so not too worried about them.

[ferrispgm]

The MC's look really good, I just worry about spin with the higher lofts.  I liked the PF1's quite a bit since they were lower lofted and spun a little less.  I used to have the 623mb's a few years back but had to get rid of them as they spun way too much and went nowhere for me.  I was literally a full club shorter and backing up 7/8 irons.

[dmeeksDC]

On 2/27/2024 at 2:30 PM, ferrispgm said:

The MC's look really good, I just worry about spin with the higher lofts.  I liked the PF1's quite a bit since they were lower lofted and spun a little less.  I used to have the 623mb's a few years back but had to get rid of them as they spun way too much and went nowhere for me.  I was literally a full club shorter and backing up 7/8 irons.

Those MC’s do look cool. And I am sure they look even better in person than they do in those low-def web site photos. Every single person I have shown the 480-TC to remarks on the clean, elegant looks. They look super in hand.
 

On the spin question, the MC’s are a mid-bounce iron with a beveled leading edge, so if you strengthen the lofts 1 or 2 degrees it is not going to affect playability and it will drop the spin. That’s the great thing about forged irons. i always refer to Howard Jones’ sage advice: Get the head and shaft you like, adjust lofts to dial in flight window and spin. 
 

I am really liking the 480-TC’s in the short 8-P set I have. Nice size that looks great from address and they are easy to hit. Impact is lovely. It’s a legit Tour iron that is very playable. The new revamped wedges look nice too. I like the look of the VS grind (versatile sole.)

[dmeeksDC]

Two things:

 

1. The 480-TC irons are great. Sound so good, very precise and playable. I have more than one set of irons. You know you like an iron when those are the ones you want to play all the time. They perform and are a joy to hit for the sound and feel alone. I just got the 6 and 7 irons delivered this week and now have 6-P with plans to add their new DB head at 5 iron. I am playing well with them, very comfortable. I want to hit the 480-MC just to see what those are like!
 

2. I also picked up two of the new SPN wedges, a 54 and 58 with the VS sole (versatile).  Everyone notices the irons but do not miss these just-released wedges! Big improvement over the previous generation. Way, way better. These do not dig. The sole radius and beveled leading edge are excellent. The grind is better. Trailing edge relief is nicely done. They are forged too — not even Vokeys are forged. Took the new wedges out for a round today and could not be more pleased. Easy to flight down, great spin and can hit any open-faced shot. Versatile grind is as advertised. Worth a look to get a 1020 steel wedge at this price point. Very likely to add the SPN-FF grind at gap wedge. 

[dalillama47]

15 hours ago, dmeeksDC said:

Two things:

 

1. The 480-TC irons are great. Sound so good, very precise and playable. I have more than one set of irons. You know you like an iron when those are the ones you want to play all the time. They perform and are a joy to hit for the sound and feel alone. I just got the 6 and 7 irons delivered this week and now have 6-P with plans to add their new DB head at 5 iron. I am playing well with them, very comfortable. I want to hit the 480-MC just to see what those are like!
 

2. I also picked up two of the new SPN wedges, a 54 and 58 with the VS sole (versatile).  Everyone notices the irons but do not miss these just-released wedges! Big improvement over the previous generation. Way, way better. These do not dig. The sole radius and beveled leading edge are excellent. The grind is better. Trailing edge relief is nicely done. They are forged too — not even Vokeys are forged. Took the new wedges out for a round today and could not be more pleased. Easy to flight down, great spin and can hit any open-faced shot. Versatile grind is as advertised. Worth a look to get a 1020 steel wedge at this price point. Very likely to add the SPN-FF grind at gap wedge. 

@dmeeksDC a little off topic, but curious how these 480-TC's compare to your 0317 T's?

[Super Dave]

I got the 623CB demo 7 iron last fall and loved it.  Finally pulled the trigger to round out the set.  5 iron through PW.  KBS Tour Lite Stiff shaft.

[dmeeksDC]

13 hours ago, dalillama47 said:

@dmeeksDC a little off topic, but curious how these 480-TC's compare to your 0317 T's?

A good question. I’ll take some comparison photos tomorrow and post them with a few notes. 

[Yzmerf]

Anyone here seen the 902 pd side by side with the 623cb? I really have a hard time with the look of the short irons. Just too much meat around the hosel. 

[dekez]

Has anyone tried the GI22?  It's interesting that the DTC companies are the only ones who dont massively jack up the lofts.  Probably because they are not in fitting carts.

[dmeeksDC]

On 3/10/2024 at 10:12 PM, Yzmerf said:

Anyone here seen the 902 pd side by side with the 623cb? I really have a hard time with the look of the short irons. Just too much meat around the hosel. 

Too much meat with the PD or the 623CB?

 

[dmeeksDC]

On 2/27/2024 at 2:30 PM, ferrispgm said:

The MC's look really good, I just worry about spin with the higher lofts.  I liked the PF1's quite a bit since they were lower lofted and spun a little less.  I used to have the 623mb's a few years back but had to get rid of them as they spun way too much and went nowhere for me.  I was literally a full club shorter and backing up 7/8 irons.

I remember your posts on the 623MBs and spin. I’ll tell ya, these 480 irons are very, very nice. I do not find the TC difficult at all. Really liking the leading edge. They’ve had a lot of nice irons but they have made some nice refinements with the new ones. To me of all their CBs, this is as easy to hit as the 902-OS but the 480 series is more compact. The ability to get the club weight just how you want it with the center weight screw is a big plus. I do believe they are slightly more forgiving than the 623-CB. 
 

On those 480MCs, one advantage is they actually have more bounce than the TC. So if you bent the MC 1 or 2 degrees strong, which New Level will do, you’ve got enough bounce to not affect playability. I would think if the 7 iron is playing at 33 degrees instead of 35, that is going to drop spin quite a bit. I’d love to see some feedback on those irons. They look smaller than the TC but not dramatically so. 
 

Also curious to see what the 480-DB is all about and what the lofts are on those. It looks like it is replacing the 902-OS based on it appearing to look like a slightly larger version of the 480-TC. 

[Yzmerf]

1 hour ago, dmeeksDC said:

Too much meat with the PD or the 623CB?

 

PD.  I finally got them ona swingweight scale and turns out they are Nicklaus specs, C9. I’ve got the Catalysts 100cb in there so I guess that’s not really surprising. Try to decide if I actually care. 

[dmeeksDC]

3 minutes ago, Yzmerf said:

PD.  I finally got them ona swingweight scale and turns out they are Nicklaus specs, C9. I’ve got the Catalysts 100cb in there so I guess that’s not really surprising. Try to decide if I actually care. 

You may not. I had that happen recently. Was hitting an old Bridgestone J33CB 8 iron with a Project X Rifle 5.5 flighted. Those are from 2008 and Endo forged, which is why I wanted to hit it. Felt great. I thought, “Man I am hitting this so well” and so we checked the specs. It was 1/2 inch short and the swing weight was C7. I was middling it. Total actual weight seems to be the key for me and the swing weight can vary. 

[Yzmerf]

10 hours ago, dmeeksDC said:

You may not. I had that happen recently. Was hitting an old Bridgestone J33CB 8 iron with a Project X Rifle 5.5 flighted. Those are from 2008 and Endo forged, which is why I wanted to hit it. Felt great. I thought, “Man I am hitting this so well” and so we checked the specs. It was 1/2 inch short and the swing weight was C7. I was middling it. Total actual weight seems to be the key for me and the swing weight can vary. 

Yeah a 5.5 in an endo is going to be the definition of butter.