New Level 480-TC Irons Review

The New Level 480-TC Irons are forged players cavity-back irons that launch high, forgive a lot and still give you control. I played them for five rounds and made a whole bunch of birdies. A weight port set low behind the sweet spot gets the ball up, and weight spread around the edges keeps it on line.

I also tested them on the range and in the IGR Office on the Carl’s Place DIY simulator, with numbers from a FlightScope Mevo+ Pro. I paired mine with Dynamic Gold S300 shafts.

High launch from the weight port

The cavity weight is the focal point of these irons. Your eye goes right to it, and it really is the engine. The adjustable weight port sits just below the sweet spot, which creates a low center of gravity (CG, the head’s balance point) and helps launch. That focused weight makes them easy to hit for a forged players iron.

The Dynamic Gold S300 shafts I used keep the high launch to a fairly flat flight. If you need more height, you could choose a higher-launching shaft, and a lower-launching shaft will give you a quicker launch and a flatter flight downrange.

Forgiveness, looks and feel

Forgiveness is the secret to good golf, even when we want our clubs to look like butter knives. The deep perimeter weighting helps the ball go up and straight. The big sole and the weight port drive the launch, and the mass spread around the edges keeps the ball from wandering off its line.

These are players cavity-back irons. They look sleek and compact at address, with plenty of forgiveness for a low to mid handicap golfer. The feel is soft too, because the forged head has its weight placed right under the sweet spot.

Control and shot shaping

High launch and high forgiveness come with control, meaning you can make the ball do what you want within those limits. You can work it toward the pin, fight the wind or bend it around a tree, but it will still launch fairly high and won’t curve too much. A massive cut or slinger probably won’t be as extreme as you hoped, which is a plus when you’re trying to keep the ball in play.

Small, controllable movement is ideal, and that is what these irons offer. I could attack pins without worrying about overcooking it off the green.

Results on the course

The irons gave me a ton of scoring opportunities. I hit more greens in regulation and had shorter first putts, and I had a stretch with a whole bunch of birdies. The long irons are easy to hit because they launch high. The mid irons balance launch and control, so they were as easy to hit as they were good for scoring. The short irons and pitching wedge were all about control, and shots stuck where they landed.

I found the spin fairly high, which keeps the ball close to where it lands and helps control and scoring chances. My 8-iron numbers show it: the ball ran out less than a yard after landing, with a tight dispersion.

Should you buy it?

Yes, if you are a low to mid handicapper who wants forged feel with high launch, forgiveness and control. The New Level 480-TC Irons blend all three in a good-looking, soft-feeling iron that you can order with numerous shaft options. New Level sells direct to golfers.

Skip them if you want a lower flight. For lower launch and even more control, look at New Level’s 480-MC, and for even more forgiveness, the 480-DB. Our best golf irons guide and our Takomo Iron 301 review cover other forged options.