MacGregor MT-86 Irons Review

MacGregor MT-86 Irons

When you ask the majority of golfers which brands make the best equipment in the industry, you’ll undoubtedly hear names like TaylorMade, Callaway, Titleist, Cobra, Ping, etc. But those are all brands that really took off and left everyone behind in the “post-Persimmon” era. If you ask golfers “who made the best clubs in the game throughout history?”, you’ll start hearing names like Golden Ram, Wilson, Hogan, and the big one – MacGregor. As the game continued to evolve, MacGregor and others became glimmers of what they once stood for and a distant beloved memory of a golden era for the game. However, with the introduction of the MacGregor MT-86 irons, new ownership aims reinvent the legendary brand with a set of irons inspired by some of the greatest clubs of all time.

The MacGregor MT-86 irons have a profile reminiscent of the sleek M85 and VIP blades made famous by the likes of Tommy Armour and Jack Nicklaus, but possess modern design elements to be more in tune with the demands of modern golfers. There are currently two options for the MT-86 irons – the Pro and oversized OS models. This review will speak to my experience with the MT-86 Pro irons.

The Looks

I’m sure it comes as no surprise that I just so happen to have a handful of vintage MacGregor iron sets in the DRH archives. While I can’t sit here and tell you that the new MT-86 irons have the same sharp edges of an RDX2 or M75, the head is still compact with a clean and timeless shape. The intent of the MacGregor MT-86 irons is to fit a wider range of players so there are certainly technology implementations that likely prevent a super squared-off toe from the mid-1900s. But from address, the MT-86 Pros are clean with minimal offset and a slim topline for a hollow-body iron (more on that later).

A massive appeal of the MacGregor MT-86 irons is clearly the nostalgic aesthetics. The timeless MacGregor Tourney “MT” logo and the signature “bat wing” (I’m not sure if anyone else actually calls it that) weight pad look right at home in today’s market, but will clearly resonate with classic club enthusiasts.

How Does it Feel?

This is normally the portion of the review where I explain how all hollow-body irons have a similar feel. Seeing as the MacGregor MT-86 irons are foam polymer-injected head, I went into this review assuming they’d have that similar hollow-body feel and hardly feel like any of the vintage Tourney blades in my archives. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised with the MT-86 Pro’s feel. Rather than have that “spongy and springy” feel at impact, the face is firm and responsive. Now, I won’t try and tell you they feel like the purest most buttery forged blade you’ve ever hit either. However, feedback is very precise in your hands giving you perfect information as to where you just struck the face. The impact response is very clean and solid with plenty of power.

I can understand where fans of the original MacGregor blades from back in the day may disagree here, but I believe the MT-86 Pro’s turf interaction is much more enjoyable. The rounded sole glides really cleanly through the turf while still allowing you to manipulate the club head for different shots. A clean shot is crisp and whispy through impact. If you go a little heavy, the sole will thump a bit rather than dig so you can still produce a decent shot. I would imagine the larger sole of the MT-86 OS might be a bit “thumpier” and more controlled through the turf.

I should also point out the available shaft options in this section of the review. MacGregor is offering the MT-86 Pro in either a steel KBS Tour or a graphite UST Mamiyra Recoil. I tested with the KBS Tour and it was a smooth, somewhat soft, shaft which gave the club a lot of life. Should you prefer a different shaft than either stock option, both MT-86 models are also sold as “heads only” as well.

How Does it Sound?

Sound also typically has an accompanying signature tone to it with foam-filled hollow-body irons. Much like the feel, the foam-filled MacGregor MT-86 irons had a pleasantly unexpected tone at impact. It’s not quite that firm “tick” of a pure forged iron, but it’s firm and has a solid “snap” to it at impact. Honestly, I was genuinely impressed and very pleased with it. As you deviate from the moderately generous sweet spot, the tone firms up quite a bit like you would normally expect from a blade.

On-Course Performance

There will of course be variation in performance depending on which MacGregor MT-86 model you choose. The MT-86 Pro is designed for a better ball striker, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a little help built into the club. By adding some tungsten weighting in the toe of the club, the sweet spot becomes larger. This weighting also helps lower the center of gravity (CG) in the club head. A lower CG makes it easier to launch the ball in the air and carrying for easier distance. Last but not least, this weight placement also increases the MOI. That means the club is more balanced and shots deviating from the center of the face are less punishing.

The “Pro” profile also lends itself to strong shot shaping and flighting. I felt comfortable with hitting a full suite of shots all around the course with consistency. While I won’t tell you I found the MT-86 Pro to be reminiscent of a true muscle back blade, it plays far closer to a blade than a player’s distance iron. At least that’s my opinion!

Final Thoughts – MacGregor MT-86 Irons

Whether you’re a history buff golfer that loves the vibes of golden era MacGregor irons, or you’re a player looking for a good deal on a really clean set of clubs, the MacGregor MT-86 irons certainly fit the bill. Though the MT-86 irons really hit a lot of nostalgic notes, they’re still a genuinely solid iron for the modern golfer. And honestly, they’re just a lot of fun!

Don’t forget, the MT-86 irons are available to purchase as “heads only”. So if the stock KBS or UST Mamiya shaft options, which are both really solid stock offerings, aren’t for you, you can buy just the heads and build the MT-86 with the perfect shaft for your game.