Sub 70 Irons Review 2023 – Are They Any Good?

Sub 70 Irons Review 2023 – Are They Any Good?

Among the smaller direct-to-consumer golf manufacturers, Sub 70 is probably the best known and most established.

The company makes a wide variety of clubs but their irons are likely their most popular.

For me, their irons sit somewhere between PXG and higher-end Callaway irons. They have that same premium bent with excellent looks. But it’s important to practice discernment if you are thinking about buying Sub 70 irons because, quite frankly, there are a ton of them.

And they are not all made for the same handicap. In the following review, we will be taking a look at a small handful of the most popular Sub 70 iron models to see if they are any good and who, if anyone, they would be good for.

A Brief History of Sub 70

The Sub 70 Golf Company was founded by a man named Jason Hiland. Jason is a lifelong golfer and wanted to create a golf club manufacturing company that was as close to the consumer as possible – mimicking the experience he had as a child in his hometown where you actually knew the person making your golf club.

Stateside, Sub 70 is based in Sycamore, Illinois. But there is a UK branch as well. Richard Hemming is in charge of the UK branch and runs Sub 70 as a family-owned business.

A lot of people who have tried Sub 70 irons fawn over them because they are meticulously forged and milled. Their forged iron offerings rival the quality of more expensive forged irons from Titleist and other huge companies.

Sub 70 sells directly to consumers which means they can cut out retail markup and sell their clubs for much cheaper than larger companies.

Sub 70 749 Irons Review

Selling Points:

• Cambered sole
• Cavity back design
• 450 Carpenter Steel construction

The Sub 70 749 irons can be viewed as one of their entry-level irons. They aren’t forged. Instead they are cast from 450 carpenter steel. So while they don’t have a particularly soft feel, they are incredibly solid and durable.

I found that the Sub 70 749 irons were also very consistent. Slight toe and heel side mis-hits were producing the same spin rates and ball speeds as face-center strikes. The face seems to resist warping very well.

The Sub 70 749 irons also launch high with ease. The cavity undercut places the CG nice and low which produces steep launch and descent angles. They aren’t the longest irons in Sub 70’s catalog; but they are still impressive game improvement irons.

Who Are They for?

The Sub 70 749 irons would be a great choice for 18-25 handicappers who struggle to get the ball in the air.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Tight dispersion for GI irons
• Consistent across the face
• Very durable

Cons:

• Not forged

Overall Score: 97/100

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Sub 70 699 Irons Review

Selling Points:

• Hollow body design
• CNC milled face
• TPE inserts

The Sub 70 699 irons were built for distance; but they have a much nicer profile and look behind the ball than most distance irons. The blade length of the 6-iron is only 81.3mm so these are by no means shovels. They have a clean muscle back design and a moderate top line.

At address, they look gorgeous. But there is a beast underneath the beauty. The hollow body design works in conjunction with a CNC milled carpenter steel face. The milling makes the face extra thin while the high strength carpenter steel keeps it stable.

I was getting really good distance which surprised me considering these are muscle back blades. With the 7-iron, I was averaging a carry distance of 156.4 yards. You do have to be pretty accurate with your swing path but once you fall into a groove with these irons, you will be crushing the ball.

Who Are They for?

The Sub 70 699 irons are for mid handicappers who want to be able to play their 7-iron like a 6-iron (and so on) in terms of distance.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Looks beautiful
• Great distance
• Consistent face

Cons:

• Poor turf interaction

Overall Score: 97/100

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Sub 70 799 Irons Review

Selling Points:

• Perimeter weighting
• Wide sole
• Carpenter Steel construction

The Sub 70 799’s are quite possibly the ugliest irons the company produces. They have an odd hourglass-shaped cavity and tremendously wide soles. But what the Sub 70 799 irons lack in looks, they make up for in forgiveness.

I would consider these super game improvement irons. They have a very chunky look at address, a massive sweet spot and wide soles that will get you out of any tough lie. The sport a hollow body design with thermoplastic urethane inserts and cast 455 carpenter steel faces.

This makes them long, forgiving and consistent. I saw nothing but straight, high shots when I tested these irons. Of course, I had to sacrifice my preferred baby draw; but it’s hard to complain about irons that fly so effortlessly straight.

The hollow body design boosts distance as well. I was getting an average of 153.8 yards of carry with the 7-iron in this set. I’m sure I left some yardage on the table because of the higher-than-normal launch; but high handicappers probably won’t complain about that.

Who Are They for?

The Sub 70 799 irons are definitely for 22+ handicappers. In particular, those that often end up in the rough because these babies will help you cut through the cabbage and get back on the fairway with ease.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Ultra forgiving
• Good distance
• Consistent face

Cons:

• Not workable at all

Overall Score: 96/100

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Sub 70 659 Irons Review

Selling Points:

• DT-4 forged
• Multiple finish options
• Multiple design options

The Sub 70 659 irons are forged from DT-4 soft steel. They have a compact blade profile, thin top lines and thin soles. There are a few variations to choose from as well. The Sub 70 659 CB’s are cavity back forged blades. The Sub 70 659 TC’s are tour cavities and the Sub 70 659 MB’s are forged muscle back blades.

You can also choose from raw, black PVD and satin finishes. The Sub 70 659 irons have premium looks and excellent feel. I loved the immediate feedback and the soft feel. In fact, the feel was almost too nice. I found it a bit difficult to feel when I mis-hit on some shots.

But I can imagine that with more time, I would gain a keener sense of where I was making contact. The offset in these irons is almost non-existent so they look really clean behind the ball. They also allow for a high degree of workability – especially around the pin.

The only thing I didn’t like about the Sub 70 659 irons was that spin seemed to be a little inconsistent. And I don’t just mean between mis-hits and pure shots. Between shots where I made contact in the same section of the face, I was seeing variances between 1,000-2,000 RPMs.

Who Are They for?

The Sub 70 659 irons are definitely for single-digit handicappers. More specifically, they would be a good choice for single-digit handicappers who want to be able to affect any shot shape with their short irons. The 8 and 9-iron in this set are the definition of scoring irons.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Exceptionally soft feel
• Excellent workability
• Beautifully designed

Cons:

• Inconsistent spin rates

Overall Score: 97/100

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Sub 70 TAIII Irons Review

Selling Points:

• Developed in conjunction with Tommy Armour III
• Forged construction
• Multiple finish options

Like the Sub 70 659 irons, you can choose from a raw, satin or black PVD finish for the Sub 70 TAIII irons. These are some of the most unique irons that SUb 70 produces. They have a sharp cavity undercut with stark lines. But behind the ball, they still look like clean blades.

The offset is progressive and you notice it in the long irons. You won’t notice it in the short irons unless you’re looking really hard. The forged construction gives them a very pure feel.

The Sub 70 TAIII irons also have tungsten weighting to drop the CG and add a bit of forgiveness to the player’s profile. The sweet spot isn’t huge; but the long irons are more forgiving than your average player’s irons. And I was still able to hit fades, draws, punch shots, flop shots and everything in between.

Who Are They for?

The Sub 70 TAIII irons would be a great choice for any player who wants to be able to hit a variety of shots but still needs their long irons to be manageable.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Visible milling marks
• Excellent launch control
• Smooth feel

Cons:

• Unusual design

Overall Score: 98/100

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Final Thoughts

One thing you’ll notice if you’ve read this far is that most of these irons had really consistent faces.

I attribute that to the quality steel Sub 70 uses. Even in their cast irons, you get ultra-stable carpenter steel.

I really enjoyed testing all of these irons and I can see why people love them now. Sub 70 doesn’t skimp on materials which is a great start if you’re looking to make quality irons. Sub 70 irons are excellent because they offer something effective for every kind of player, they are built from quality materials and they are fun to play. Oh yeah, they’re madly affordable too.