Sub 70 639 MB, 639 CB and 699 iron Review

Published: 23 March 2022 Last updated: 06 March 2023

At a glance
TG Rating 4 out of 5
Owner Rating Not yet rated
Pros
- Extremely keenly priced (whole sets start from £420).
- We've heard very good things about the Sub 70 customer service record.
- At average speeds performance data is likely to be very similar to major brand irons.
Cons
- Only available direct online - Sub 70 are happy to help you decide which model and shaft best suits you on the telephone.
- Sub 70 iron lofts are quite traditional. Above average speed should not expect their very fastest ball speeds and longest carry distances.
- You will need to make a trip to the Sub 70 HQ (near Hereford, UK) for a dynamic fitting.
RRP £420.00

What we say...

Thanks to being sold direct to consumers online, Sub 70 irons are some of the best value for money models available. Here’s how to choose which best suits you.

There’s plenty of room in the golf industry for brands who choose to sell equipment for less than half the cost of the market leaders like Callaway, TaylorMade, Ping and Titleist. The concept of selling for significantly less than the big boys, on the surface at least, won’t though sound too enticing to budding entrepreneurs and business leaders, especially those who have a decent understanding about making money and big business strategy.

But, as Sub 70 have learnt, by not sponsoring tour players, spending nothing on advertising and trading only direct with consumers online (rather than giving middle-men retailers half their profit) it’s perfectly possible to create some of the best value for money golf equipment available, whilst also competing against the very best golf irons in terms of performance.

Sub 70 have quietly established themselves in the US as the go to online brand for golfers who love great customer service, but also want top performing equipment for a fraction of the cost of major brands. They’re now ready, with a brand-new state of the art fitting studio (outside of Hereford) and ecommerce shop (at www.sub70europe.com), to show the UK that it’s possible to play and enjoy the game without spending a fortune on golf equipment. Here’s the story of the brands 2022 irons.

What you need to know about Sub 70 the brand

Family run businesses aren’t too uncommon in golf. Ping are family owned and operated as are Bettinardi, and Lynx, and Sub 70 in the UK at least operate on a similar structure.

Ex-PGA Professional Richard Hemming owns rights to the Sub 70 brand in the UK and Europe, and his son runs the brands top of the range fitting studio (using a top of the range Foresight GC Quad launch monitor), whilst his wife looks after the books.

Hemming doesn’t own rights to the Sub 70 name in America but the two companies on each side of the Atlantic have agreed to team up to sell the same club range across both continents. It’s an idea that keeps tooling costs to a minimum and ensures the brand has a consistent product line across the globe.

Meet the Sub 70 iron models

Sub 70 649 MB Tour iron

RRP: from £420 Category: Muscleback Blade Forgiveness rating: 1 Handicap range: 4 and below Construction: Forged DT-4 steel 7-iron loft: 34° Topline width: 4mm (6-iron) Blade length: 76mm (6-iron)

It’s no secret only 10% of tour players earn their living playing blades, but if you’re looking to attract the eye of decent players no legit iron line-up would be complete without offering a sleek and desirable muscleback.

Sub 70 say they developed the CNC Milled back 649 MB over two years with some serious input from tour players. Thanks to removing weight from four ports behind the impact zone and redistributing that mass further towards the toe (in the form of a tungsten stud), it’s possible to restrict the face from rotating through impact, and help eliminate the left miss.

See the 649 Tour as an anti-left blade, that will allow the strongest players to swing hard and generate a baby fade that falls just right of their target line and you really won’t go too far wrong.

The 649 like all blades is only for the very best ball strikers. Compared to previous models there’s a fraction more sole width (1mm), the feature helps prevent digging and aids steeper attack angle players, it also means shots launch and fly a fraction higher from what is a very low offset iron.

Sub 70 639 MB iron

RRP: from £420 Category: Muscleback Blade Forgiveness rating: 1 Handicap range: 4 and below Construction: Forged DT-4 steel 7-iron loft: 32° Topline width: 4.6mm (6-iron) Blade length: 73.7mm (6-iron)

Most golfers who use blades do so because they want the ability to manipulate and shape shots around the golf course and onto their target. If that’s you, and you insist that blades are the best fit for your game the 639 MB will be right up your street. The 639 MB has a traditional shape with moderate face size, and a CNC Milled back gives a modern crisp appearance in any players bag.

See the Sub 70 639 MB iron as an alternative to the Mizuno Pro 221, Callaway Apex MB, TaylorMade P7MB or Titleist 620 MB and you really won’t go too far wrong.

Verdict: Sub 70 639 MB iron

Sub 70 have taken our test team by storm this year. Their irons across the board are now proven performers for very sensible money, and the brands muscleback blade really didn’t let the side down. The 639 MB isn’t quite as refined a shape and profile as some of the very best blades (the leading edge is a fraction more curved, which the brand will argue increases playability) but for £420 a set they’re seriously good value for money.

A brilliant set to have tucked up your sleeve for when your ball striking hits a purple patch or to encourage accurate ball striking when practising.

How does the Sub 70 639 MB iron compare to other leading muscleback blades in data?

Sub 70 639 CB iron

RRP: from £420 Category: Players’ Iron Forgiveness rating: 2 Handicap range: 8 and below Construction: Forged DT-4 steel 7-iron loft: 32° Topline width: 4.8mm (6-iron) Blade length: 78.7mm (6-iron)

The best of both worlds when it’s comes to forged irons say Sub 70. A simple cavity back gives a degree of forgiveness, but you can also expect the slightly lower and more controllable ball flight that decent players like to see.

A very clean and classically straight top line players’ iron that Sub 70 reckon is workable in both directions. A slightly rounded leading edge improves versatility and turf interaction, expect great feel and sound from the forged DT-4 carbon steel (it’s used in all the brands players’ irons), which is on the softer side of forgeable materials.

See the Sub 70 639 CB iron as an alternative to the Srixon ZX7, Mizuno Pro 223, Titleist T100 and Wilson Staff Model CB and you really won’t go too far wrong.

WATCH: Best 2022 Players’ Iron video

Verdict: Sub 70 639 CB iron

It’s much less common for decent golfers to be looking for extreme value for money at this end of the market, but if you are, Sub 70 absolutely has to be on your radar.

The 639 CB starts from £420 a set (in a satin finish) and they’re really very good. There’s a decent sized cavity back and a forged DT-4 stainless steel head, whilst our test data doesn’t show the model to be fastest or longest (two things that shouldn’t matter within the category) it is really solid and right there alongside TaylorMade (P7MC), Titleist (T100) and Ping (i59) alternatives.

For half the cost of a major brand the 639 CB is very attractive and reliable, Sub 70 will also fit you personally in their state of the art fitting studio at the company HQ in Hereford.

How does the Sub 70 639 CB compare to other leading players’ irons in data?

Sub 70 699 Pro iron

RRP: from £425 Category: Players Distance Iron Forgiveness rating: 2.5 Handicap range: 14 and below Construction: Cast hollow body (455 Carpenter Steel) with injected TPE 7-iron loft: 31° Topline width: 7mm (6-iron) Blade length: 73.7mm (6-iron)

Not too long-ago designing irons that sat right on the fence between the Players’ and Mid-Handicap iron categories wasn’t really a thing. Callaway though changed the market in 2014 when their first Apex iron targeted bringing forgiveness and distance together within a players’ sized iron. With a blade like appearance (primarily a thinner topline and less hosel offset than the Sub 70 699 standard iron) the 699 Pro iron targets this very market today.

Sub 70 say the 699 Pro has the same thin fast face as the standard 699, and the same lofts, but thanks to the reduced hosel offset there’s the opportunity to be more creative with shot shaping along with additional control over your ball flight.

See the Sub 70 699 Pro as an alternative to some of the best players’ distance irons like the TaylorMade P790, Mizuno Pro 225, Ping i525 and PXG 0311 P Gen4, all of which are significantly more expensive and you’ll have an idea of just what Sub 70 bring to the table for cost-sensitive consumers.

Sub 70 699 iron

RRP: from £425 Category: Mid Handicap Iron Forgiveness rating: 3.5 Handicap range: 10 and above Construction: Cast hollow body (455 Carpenter Steel) with injected TPE 7-iron loft: 31° Topline width: 7.6mm (6-iron) Blade length: 81.3mm (6-iron)

Ever since PXG put hollow body irons on the map back in 2015, the golfing world has gone crazy for fast-face, hollow chassis models. The technology has led to TaylorMade creating the massively popular P790, Titleist making the T200 and Ping having two hollow body irons (the i59 and i525) within their ranges, all products that just weren’t part of the family before. The 699 and 699 Pro are Sub 70’s answer to the demand for fast faced, hollow body irons.

See this model as an alternative to the TaylorMade Stealth, PXG 0311 XP Gen4, Srixon ZX4 and Ping G425 (a cavity back not, not hollow body) and you’ll be thinking along the right lines.

Sub 70 say the model has a wafer thin (1.7mm) carpenter steel face, which has been precision CNC Milled to allow for maximum face flex and ball speed for on and off-centre hits. Inside an injected TPE tunes sound and feel to the levels decent players enjoy, whilst supporting the thin fast face. Think as the 699 combining game improving tech within the chassis of a traditional players’ iron and you’ll be just about right on the money.

WATCH: Best 2022 Mid-Handicap Iron video

Verdict: Sub 70 699 iron

Sub 70 is a name many UK golfers won’t recognise, but they’re a brand who’ve pinged our radar as a producer of excellent value for money equipment, particularly when it comes to irons.

The 699 has a modern cast hollow body which blends a good helping of forgiveness with decent looks and a stunningly attractive price. A 31° 7-iron means the 699 was 2 – 3° weaker than many of the models within our Best Mid-Handicap Iron test this year, so it was always asking a lot to expect the model to compete equally on raw speed and distance.

Our test pro’s 5-yard carry distance gap (with a 7-iron) to our 2^nd longest models would definitely narrow at more average speeds. If you’re looking for an excellent value for money mid handicap iron in 2022 the Sub 70 699 should definitely be on your short list to try, the brand will happily custom fit you at their Hereford HQ too.

How does the Sub 70 699 compare to other leading mid-handicap irons in data?

Sub 70 799 iron

RRP: from £420 Category: High Handicap Iron / Hybrid Iron Forgiveness rating: 5 Handicap range: 28 and below Construction: Cast hollow body (455 Carpenter Steel) with injected TPE 7-iron loft: 30°

With more golfers than ever ready to accept the maximum help they can get their hands on when it comes to forgiveness performance and irons, hybrid iron sales are on a steep upwards trajectory. The 799 is the latest addition to the Sub 70 iron family and its hollow head with injected TPE filling is perfect for both inconsistent golfers who spray shots across the face of their irons and those with below average swing speeds.

The 799’s wide sole helps flight shots higher for more air-time and carry distance at below average speeds, and it’s hybrid iron profile is the most forgiving in the companies line-up. See the model as an alternative to the Cleveland Launcher XL Halo, Wilson Launch Pad or Cobra King T-Rail and you’re thinking along exactly the right lines.

Got a question about the Sub 70 irons? Ask us on Twitter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Today's Golfer Equipment Editor Simon Daddow.

Simon Daddow is the Equipment Editor at todaysgolfer.co.uk

Simon has worked in the golf industry for 30 years. Starting out as trainee professional at Downes Crediton GC where he learned the art of golf club making, before going onto work for Clubhaus Plc and Tony Charles Ltd as a golf club maker, and running Product Development at Benross Golf.

Joining EMAP Active (now Bauer Media) in 2006 as Equipment Editor Simon has worked for Today’s Golfer and Golf World magazines and the Today’s Golfer website.
Simon has played golf for 40 years and plays to a handicap of 10. A lack of club speed means he’s short off the tee, but very handy from 125 yards and in.

Simon uses a Ping G400 SFT driver, PXG 0341 X Gen2 3-Wood, PXG 0341 X Gen2 7-wood, PXG 0317 X Gen2 hybrid, Callaway Rogue X irons (6 – PW), Cleveland CBX2 wedges (52°, 58°), Bettinardi Inovai 6.0 putter and a TaylorMade Tour Response golf ball.

You can contact Simon here.

Product Information

Sub 70 irons

Sub 70 649 MB Tour

RRP: from £420

Category: Muscleback Blade

Forgiveness rating: 1

Handicap range: 4 and below

Construction: Forged DT-4 steel

7-iron loft: 34°

Topline width: 4mm (6-iron)

Blade length: 76mm (6-iron)