New Level Golf - 902 Forged

[mcc0819]

In the market for new irons and I'm going into this process as brand agnostic as I can be.  Im a 3 hdcp with a driver SS 114-117 and 7 iron 95 mph.  I went to club champion and hit about seven different heads with a variety of shafts.  After about 30 mins it was clear that the New Level 902 forged, Miura TC 201, and Titleist T100s were the top performers.  After tinkering a bit with shafts with each head it came down to the New Level 902 forged and Miura TC-201 with DG TI X100 shafts at d4.  Feel wise it was very, very similar bu  Miura felt more solid which I liked a bit more.  At address I absolutely loved both the same.  The New Level had an interesting shape progression.  Rounder in the short irons and the longer irons appears more square which I didn't mind at all.  Launch conditions were at optimal levels. 

 

The cost to build the Miura to those specs would have been $2500.  The New Level cost is roughly at $850 including bbandfco ferrules (with a 10% off coupon).  Considering they performed almost identically for me, it was a no brainer.  I've read a few reviews and every one has spoken very highly about their experience with New Level customer service and their irons.  Now I know it doesn't quite have the mystique and elegance of Miura but I don't really care tbh. 

 

Anyone have any experience with the 902 forged recently?  On another site, it was runner up as best of its class. 

[etrichards]

I absolutely love mine.   I came from a set of baby blades as I realized that, while I hit a ton of great shots with 7-P, 6 iron and below were becoming a problem.  Flirted with the Z785 and Adams XTD forged, which were good clubs, but am so happy I settled with the 902's.   For me, I seem to hit more greens with Cavity Backs, but more close shots/make more birdies with blades.  With the 902's Im still hitting the ball close along with the increase in GIR.  Absolutely love the long irons as well (really wish they made  a 3 iron).  

 

Not the longest iron Ive ever hit, but plenty long enough - with excellent feel, control and consistency. Dont think I'll be changing until age catches up and I need softer shafts.  

 

Love the tri-weight wedges as well!  

[dmeeksDC]

I will echo the poster above. Played a ton of irons. Liked several. These are just a great fit. The 902 Forged are very playable and I also find them highly accurate — I have definitely hit more shots closer to the hole with them — and they’re also sneaky long. The way they are milled helps a lot with a nice trajectory and I don’t lose a lot of distance on thin hits. The feel is excellent. Blade length is just right. It’s a top iron that can be had for a sizeable savings. 
 

My build was perfect. I play them at the old standard (37.75 5 iron) in DG 120 s300 soft-stepped once (I fit stiff, I just like the soft-step feel) and they have made me no longer miss the TM p770s I liked so much (the original forged version). 

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

I’m nowhere near your SS or hcp, but I‘m waiting impatiently for my annual bonus (due end of November) and will order these, probably in 5-PW with DG 120 X100‘s. Planning on having them bent a little weak from 7-PW.
The reviews are unequivocally great, they look freaking fantastic and I have a weakness for small manufacturers‘ products. Only gripe: no gap wedge. Even when bent weak 1*, a 46* PW leaves quite the gap for me. 

Why I need new irons: I play either a combo set of Mizzy MP-15/33 that I absolutely adore, but is becoming a little too much work on my bad swing days, or Maltby DBM Forged, which look great and feel pretty good, but launch and spin high and tend to dig a little for me. 
And I simply want shiny new irons as a belated birthday gift to myself (turned 40 this summer).

 

I’m really hoping they’ll work for me, I’m in Switzerland and cannot test them. My other dream irons are Mizzy MMC‘s, but they are out of my budget. 
 

Please report back once you have a couple rounds under the belt with them. 

[mcc0819]

Great feedback guys.  My current gamers are the Cobra King Forged CB.  I love them...when I’m on.  When my ball striking is on point they are incredible irons.  Like most golfers, I hit the mid or late summer slump and couldn’t find the center to save my life.  I got so sick of losing tons of ball speed from an off center hit.  I needed forgiveness.  During my fitting, the 902s showed minimal ball speed loss on mishits averaging just 2-3 mph less while my cobras showed 5-7 mph less.  Though that seems incremental, that is basically the difference between a 10ft vs. 30ft putt or being on the green vs. being just off the green. 
 

Looking forward to getting these irons in and I will update with a review and tons of pics. Because of their new found popularity, builds are taking 21 days to process now. Blah. But I hope they’re worth the wait!

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

I saw that, too, they seem to get a lot of orders lately!

 

Are you planning to go 4-PW? I’m almost sure 5-PW is better for my 19 hcp swing and will either get a New Level 1031 4i (there’s a couple on the bay for really cheap now), or go 4 hybrid. 
For the gap wedge, I‘m torn between rounding out my T20 setup with a 50* (I have a 56* and 60*), or try their M-Type wedge. They’re getting great reviews as well. 

[conorgolf22]

I could not be happier with my 902s.  They outperformed my Mizuno 919 Forged.  And, you will not find anyone better to work with than Eric, the owner of New Level.

[mcc0819]

1 hour ago, LukeDonaldsTiger said:

I saw that, too, they seem to get a lot of orders lately!

 

Are you planning to go 4-PW? I’m almost sure 5-PW is better for my 19 hcp swing and will either get a New Level 1031 4i (there’s a couple on the bay for really cheap now), or go 4 hybrid. 
For the gap wedge, I‘m torn between rounding out my T20 setup with a 50* (I have a 56* and 60*), or try their M-Type wedge. They’re getting great reviews as well. 

Yes I went with a 4-pw set up.  I was even tempted to combo with the 623 in the short irons but I like consistency throughout the set. 
 

I also have t20 wedges and they’ll stay in.  I have 50-54-59 wedge set up. 

[dmeeksDC]

10 hours ago, mcc0819 said:

Great feedback guys.  My current gamers are the Cobra King Forged CB.  I love them...when I’m on.  When my ball striking is on point they are incredible irons.  Like most golfers, I hit the mid or late summer slump and couldn’t find the center to save my life.  I got so sick of losing tons of ball speed from an off center hit.  I needed forgiveness.  During my fitting, the 902s showed minimal ball speed loss on mishits averaging just 2-3 mph less while my cobras showed 5-7 mph less.  Though that seems incremental, that is basically the difference between a 10ft vs. 30ft putt or being on the green vs. being just off the green. 

You know, this also has happened to me several times. I’ve hit some thin shots, in the center but low on the face, that flew low with a ton of spin, but they still got there. These 902s will let you get away with that shot. 

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

That’s very reassuring! I need help and can finally admit it. However, just like with women, looks are important to me, and these irons are gorgeous. 

By the way, I was looking for a comparison club to understand the level of forgiveness and performance. Found this in another forum, where someone quoted New Level CEO Eric Burch:

 

When I asked what they would compare to, Eric's response was: "Like an AP2, Srixon 585, and older TM 300 forged rolled into one." 

[jomatty]

My best friend just tasked me with getting him new clubs (he doesn’t much care about clubs and knows I have a bit of an addiction).  He is a rank beginner so needed something with forgiveness.  The modb-1’s came in yesterday and they look fantastic!  Too chunky for me to play but perfect for someone who needs a lot of forgiveness.
 

 I would not have considered one of these small  DTC companies in the past but when it is time for me to get new irons I’ll be looking hard at something like that he 902’s. They just seem like a lot of value and similar quality of the big companies.  It really makes me wonder how much technology differences there really is between a company like Taylormade or callaway and these small guys.  I know that sub-70, and I’d assume NL, does not do any in house engineering.  They rely (I know this for sub70 but am assuming it for NL) in the engineers in China at the club manufacturing plants to do R&D and make their designs with input of what they are looking for.  I would assume that these clubs are made in the same factories that make clubs for larger companies (I don’t actually know this) and it makes me wonder how much secret tech there really is when speaking about irons (drivers seem to offer the potential for a little more actual difference based on tech).

 

I play ping i500’s so the modb-1’s are the same sort of hollow body iron, although with a much thicker top line, sole and overall size (more g700).  I’m looking forward to going out and hitting them side by side and trying to determine if there really is much to be gained going with the almost double priced mainstream brands clubs.  With something like the 902’s vs Miura , where tech is not a major factor, I’m not at all surprised the difference is minimal.  The fit and finish on the modb-1’s is amazing and looks great so it will be interesting to see if in a “techier” iron the differences are still minimal.

[Nessism]

Those 902's look like fine heads.  My only comment is to suggest regular DG shafts not the Ti version which are a money grab (+ 15%.)  

[mcc0819]

1 hour ago, Nessism said:

Those 902's look like fine heads.  My only comment is to suggest regular DG shafts not the Ti version which are a money grab (+ 15%.)  

Yeah I get what your saying but for me I NEED consistency from club to club.  Since the Ti version is weight sorted I know I there is consistency within the set.  Also with the high quality build at New Level I know that, along with the shafts, I’m getting the exact specs I need. 
 

For many golfers, especially recreational golfers, I would say just get regular x100s.  But for myself, like I explained above, it just gives me peace of mind. 

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

Just ordered a mint 1031 4i head from ebay for a song. Actually, shipping to Switzerland cost the same amount as the head 🙄

Will put an S300 shaft in it for now, playing X100’s in my other irons, so this will help with the launch. 
Looking forward to this experiment. Hope I hit it well, so when I get the 902 5-PW I’ll have a matching 4 iron. 
Coming from Maltby DBM and Mizuno MP-15 4 irons, this will hopefully be much more forgiving. 

[martinvan09]

On 11/6/2020 at 9:34 AM, mcc0819 said:

Great feedback guys.  My current gamers are the Cobra King Forged CB.  I love them...when I’m on.  When my ball striking is on point they are incredible irons.  Like most golfers, I hit the mid or late summer slump and couldn’t find the center to save my life.  I got so sick of losing tons of ball speed from an off center hit.  I needed forgiveness.  During my fitting, the 902s showed minimal ball speed loss on mishits averaging just 2-3 mph less while my cobras showed 5-7 mph less.  Though that seems incremental, that is basically the difference between a 10ft vs. 30ft putt or being on the green vs. being just off the green. 
 

Looking forward to getting these irons in and I will update with a review and tons of pics. Because of their new found popularity, builds are taking 21 days to process now. Blah. But I hope they’re worth the wait!

I’ve been playing the king cb/mb combo set for 2 seasons now and am in the exact same boat. The misses are punished immensely, which isn’t surprising considering the type of iron they are. Another issue I have is the excessive amount of spin I tend to generate with them which causes even more distance loss. I found that the 902 upped ball speed and knocked down spin a bit but still look fantastic 

[mcc0819]

3 hours ago, martinvan09 said:

I’ve been playing the king cb/mb combo set for 2 seasons now and am in the exact same boat. The misses are punished immensely, which isn’t surprising considering the type of iron they are. Another issue I have is the excessive amount of spin I tend to generate with them which causes even more distance loss. I found that the 902 upped ball speed and knocked down spin a bit but still look fantastic 

Great to hear!! Yes i also had issues with excessive spin early on this past season.  It got to the point where I had to switch balls to lower spin. I did see it in my fitting that spin was lowered vs my cobras and actually launched lower which is exciting for me.

[RH82]

Is the offset an issue w/ the 902's? I read that this model has the least amount of offset but per the specs it still seems like quite a lot compared to what I'm used to.

Edited November 9, 2020 by RH82

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

2020 just got more cruel. I've been waiting impatiently for my annual bonus to pull the trigger on these, and now this has happened:

Aaaargh! At least, late December is somewhat soon...

Edited November 17, 2020 by LukeDonaldsTiger
spelling

[RH82]

6 hours ago, LukeDonaldsTiger said:

2020 just got more cruel. I've been waiting impatiently for my annual bonus to pull the trigger on these, and now this has happened:

Aaaargh! At least, late December is somewhat soon...

Not what I wanted to hear. I was just about to pull the trigger on a set.

[RolandofGilead]

I can't recommend these irons highly enough - a true steal and perfect fit for my game. I am a 4 index and upgraded from an old set of Titleist 735.CM irons. With two kids under two years of age and my golf time unlikely to increase, I decided to go full CB throughout the bag and settled on the NL902's over comparable Sub70 (silver medal) and Ben Hogan (bronze) irons. The NL902's felt more pure and just rock solid - lovers of forged irons will get what they expect from these sticks. It's a bummer that the lead time is so long now. I want to support the company so here are some of my experiences so far. I'll keep an eye on this thread and respond to any questions and feedback.

On 11/6/2020 at 12:06 AM, LukeDonaldsTiger said:

Planning on having them bent a little weak from 7-PW.
The reviews are unequivocally great, they look freaking fantastic and I have a weakness for small manufacturers‘ products. Only gripe: no gap wedge. Even when bent weak 1*, a 46* PW leaves quite the gap for me. 

I play this set with PW = 46, 7i = 34, 4i = 24 and it has worked out great. I still have a bit of a gap between PW and GW, but I like the NL902 short irons so much that I may bend the PW another degree weak and cover the gap by dialing in the 9i. They feel that good.

 

On 11/6/2020 at 6:14 PM, dmeeksDC said:

You know, this also has happened to me several times. I’ve hit some thin shots, in the center but low on the face, that flew low with a ton of spin, but they still got there. These 902s will let you get away with that shot. 

This is my experience as well. Thin mis-hits travel very well. Reasonable fat shots only lose about 10 yards, which used to be 20-30 for me in my old set. 

On 11/9/2020 at 6:55 AM, RH82 said:

Is the offset an issue w/ the 902's? I read that this model has the least amount of offset but per the specs it still seems like quite a lot compared to what I'm used to.

It's there, but it isn't very noticeable to my eye. The PW and 9i have a more square toe than the rest of the set and I actually like this look. Blade lengths are decently compact. Here are some close-ups:

 

PW (2.8 mm / 0.11")

 

8 iron (3.0 mm / 0.12")

 

5 iron (3.2 mm / 0.13")

 

[mcc0819]

Wow great stuff there above me.  I FINALLY got my shipping confirmation and should have it by end of the week or early next week.  Got BBandFCo. custom ferrules on it as well.  I can't tell you how excited I am.  I'll be posting and reviewing on here so stay tuned..

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

2 hours ago, RolandofGilead said:

I can't recommend these irons highly enough - a true steal and perfect fit for my game. I am a 4 index and upgraded from an old set of Titleist 735.CM irons. With two kids under two years of age and my golf time unlikely to increase, I decided to go full CB throughout the bag and settled on the NL902's over comparable Sub70 (silver medal) and Ben Hogan (bronze) irons. The NL902's felt more pure and just rock solid - lovers of forged irons will get what they expect from these sticks. It's a bummer that the lead time is so long now. I want to support the company so here are some of my experiences so far. I'll keep an eye on this thread and respond to any questions and feedback.

I play this set with PW = 46, 7i = 34, 4i = 24 and it has worked out great. I still have a bit of a gap between PW and GW, but I like the NL902 short irons so much that I may bend the PW another degree weak and cover the gap by dialing in the 9i. They feel that good.

 

This is my experience as well. Thin mis-hits travel very well. Reasonable fat shots only lose about 10 yards, which used to be 20-30 for me in my old set. 

It's there, but it isn't very noticeable to my eye. The PW and 9i have a more square toe than the rest of the set and I actually like this look. Blade lengths are decently compact. Here are some close-ups:

 

PW (2.8 mm / 0.11")

 

8 iron (3.0 mm / 0.12")

 

5 iron (3.2 mm / 0.13")

 

Thanks! They look very, very nice. I’m not as allergic to offset as others, so they look perfect to me. 
 

Concerning the loft gapping, 5* is too much ON PAPER, and I’m still debating if I should go stock and dial them in- they’re forged and I can have them bent easily. But I’ll probably go 34* 7i and 46* PW like you, as I like my current distances and lofts (same).

 

Interestingly, I just assembled a NL 1031 4i head (22*) and it feels great when flushed but pretty harsh on mishits (thin/toe). I really hope the 902s are closer to what I’m used to. 

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

6 minutes ago, mcc0819 said:

Wow great stuff there above me.  I FINALLY got my shipping confirmation and should have it by end of the week or early next week.  Got BBandFCo. custom ferrules on it as well.  I can't tell you how excited I am.  I'll be posting and reviewing on here so stay tuned..

Jealous!! Really hope you like them- yet to hear ANY negative reviews so I’m confident you‘ll be just as thrilled. 
 

Specs you ordered?

[mcc0819]

48 minutes ago, LukeDonaldsTiger said:

Jealous!! Really hope you like them- yet to hear ANY negative reviews so I’m confident you‘ll be just as thrilled. 
 

Specs you ordered?

Everything standard at the moment.  What one brands 1 degree flat might be another’s standard.  So when I get them I have access to a lie board and get them dialed in 🤞🏽I also have an indoor range close to me that uses trackman so I’ll be able to compare numbers with my current gamer. 

[mcc0819]

So they finally came in today and it’s like Xmas morning!  Package was solid and each club had a new level iron cover. After taking the sleeve off of one I was amazed with how much better they look in person. Just gorgeous.  Build quality appears to be spot on. I specifically asked for D4 swingweight and though I haven’t put it on the scale yet, it feels familiar. The BBandF Co ferrules looks sexy on this head.  Well done!!!!

 

Will report back later this evening. I plan to take it to the range and compare it to my current gamers. 

Edited November 23, 2020 by mcc0819

[mcc0819]

just got back from the range.  Here is my feedback from my first range session with the 902s.  I took the PW, 7 and 4 irons to compare with my previous gamers (Cobra King Forged CB)
 

Looks: compared to previous gamers the 902 is definitely a bit bigger. Top line is noticeably thicker but those that know the cobras know that even the CBs look like blades.  A tad bit more offset in the 902s but doesn’t bother me.  Offset is similar to the Srixon 785s. The finish of the brushed metal look is beautiful and the quality of the build appear to be very high level.  Swingweights are exactly D4 throughout the set just as I ordered. I also noticed a unique grind on the sole similar to srixon v sole and pre worn leading edge. 
 

Feel: When struck well, the 902s have a softish and almost heavy feel.  It really feels as if you really compressed the ball.  I compare the feel to Miura’s.  Not as soft but those who have hit Miuras know that heavy and solid feel when flushed.  I really enjoy the feel of them. You’ll definitely know if you mishit.  The feedback is excellent.  Because the swingweight is consistent throughout the set, every swing felt great.  I have it shafted in DG TI x100s and it’s a great combo.

 

Performance: this is where it gets fun. In the PW battle, dispersion was similar with the 902s getting the slight edge.  I was getting a couple more yards with the 902s but that’s expected due to the slightly stronger lofts. It was in the 7 and 4 irons where the improvements over my previous gamers were noticeably better. I took 10 shots with each club and took averages of launch, distance, offline, and ball speeds.  In both the 7 and 4 irons, launch conditions were considerably better than my previous gamers.  Biggest takeaway is the forgiveness and dispersion. Because I didn’t get penalized too heavily on mishits, my dispersion circle was nowhere near as big versus my previous gamers. 
 

conclusion: I’m a believer....so far.  I see why this was ranked highly on another website. Eric at New Level has done an excellent job from build quality, customer service, and overall club performance.  Since it’s the off season I’ll be spending time this winter to get dialed in with my distances.  The ultimate test will be how it performs in big tournaments next summer. But if today is an indicator of how they will perform then I have no worries it will. 
 

I hope to post some pics of the clubs at some point this week!
 

 

 

 

Edited November 24, 2020 by mcc0819

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

I did it...pulled the trigger today. 
902 5-PW, DG 120 X100 shafts, and an M-Type 50* wedge w/S400 TI. 
 

I‘ll report back when they’re here. I’m guessing mid January, as 902 heads are on back order until late December, lead time on custom orders is 14 days, and I’m in Europe. Torture!

 

Meanwhile, I’m curious how you guys are liking them, so keep the posts coming!

[mcc0819]

51 minutes ago, LukeDonaldsTiger said:

I did it...pulled the trigger today. 
902 5-PW, DG 120 X100 shafts, and an M-Type 50* wedge w/S400 TI. 
 

I‘ll report back when they’re here. I’m guessing mid January, as 902 heads are on back order until late December, lead time on custom orders is 14 days, and I’m in Europe. Torture!

 

Meanwhile, I’m curious how you guys are liking them, so keep the posts coming!

Nice! You won’t be disappointed

[dmeeksDC]

On 11/23/2020 at 6:34 PM, mcc0819 said:

just got back from the range.  Here is my feedback from my first range session with the 902s.  I took the PW, 7 and 4 irons to compare with my previous gamers (Cobra King Forged CB)
 

Looks: compared to previous gamers the 902 is definitely a bit bigger. Top line is noticeably thicker but those that know the cobras know that even the CBs look like blades.  A tad bit more offset in the 902s but doesn’t bother me.  Offset is similar to the Srixon 785s. The finish of the brushed metal look is beautiful and the quality of the build appear to be very high level.  Swingweights are exactly D4 throughout the set just as I ordered. I also noticed a unique grind on the sole similar to srixon v sole and pre worn leading edge. 
 

Feel: When struck well, the 902s have a softish and almost heavy feel.  It really feels as if you really compressed the ball.  I compare the feel to Miura’s.  Not as soft but those who have hit Miuras know that heavy and solid feel when flushed.  I really enjoy the feel of them. You’ll definitely know if you mishit.  The feedback is excellent.  Because the swingweight is consistent throughout the set, every swing felt great.  I have it shafted in DG TI x100s and it’s a great combo.

 

Performance: this is where it gets fun. In the PW battle, dispersion was similar with the 902s getting the slight edge.  I was getting a couple more yards with the 902s but that’s expected due to the slightly stronger lofts. It was in the 7 and 4 irons where the improvements over my previous gamers were noticeably better. I took 10 shots with each club and took averages of launch, distance, offline, and ball speeds.  In both the 7 and 4 irons, launch conditions were considerably better than my previous gamers.  Biggest takeaway is the forgiveness and dispersion. Because I didn’t get penalized too heavily on mishits, my dispersion circle was nowhere near as big versus my previous gamers. 
 

conclusion: I’m a believer....so far.  I see why this was ranked highly on another website. Eric at New Level has done an excellent job from build quality, customer service, and overall club performance.  Since it’s the off season I’ll be spending time this winter to get dialed in with my distances.  The ultimate test will be how it performs in big tournaments next summer. But if today is an indicator of how they will perform then I have no worries it will. 
 

I hope to post some pics of the clubs at some point this week!
 

 

 

 

Nice review. Congrats on the new weapons.  I agree with your take. I really like the feel of them. You feel the ball compress — I like that. A pleasant feel, but not mushy. I think the comparison to Miura feel is on point. Dispersion is very good with these sticks. I realize that is all about the player, but with these irons it feels easy to hit where you’re lookin.’ I like to compare irons and these have quickly become the ones I compare others to. 

[Steele47]

On 11/23/2020 at 10:45 AM, mcc0819 said:

So they finally came in today and it’s like Xmas morning!  Package was solid and each club had a new level iron cover. After taking the sleeve off of one I was amazed with how much better they look in person. Just gorgeous.  Build quality appears to be spot on. I specifically asked for D4 swingweight and though I haven’t put it on the scale yet, it feels familiar. The BBandF Co ferrules looks sexy on this head.  Well done!!!!

 

Will report back later this evening. I plan to take it to the range and compare it to my current gamers. 

 

 

Beautiful clubs and apologies since I have not read entire thread but are those ferrules standard or did you have to order them special?   Thanks!