Tommy Armour 986 Tour vs Tommy Armour 845s Silver Scot
Side-by-side factory specifications. Differing values are highlighted.
Specification comparison
| Club | 986 Tour loft | 845s Silver Scot loft | 986 Tour lie | 845s Silver Scot lie | 986 Tour length | 845s Silver Scot length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | 16 | — | 56.5 | — | 39.5 |
| 2 | — | 18 | — | 57.5 | — | 39 |
| 3 | 23 | 21 | 58.5 | 58.5 | 38.5 | 38.5 |
| 4 | 26 | 24.5 | 59.5 | 59.5 | 38 | 38 |
| 5 | 29 | 28 | 60 | 60 | 37.5 | 37.5 |
| 6 | 33 | 32 | 61 | 61 | 37 | 37 |
| 7 | 37 | 36 | 61.5 | 61.5 | 36.5 | 36.5 |
| 8 | 41 | 40 | 62 | 62 | 36 | 36 |
| 9 | 45 | 44 | 62.5 | 62.5 | 35.5 | 35.5 |
| PW | 49 | 48 | 63 | 63 | 35.5 | 35.5 |
| W3 | — | 52 | — | 63 | — | 35.5 |
| SW | — | 56 | — | 63 | — | 35.5 |
| W4 | — | 60 | — | 63 | — | 35.5 |
Highlighted cells differ between the two sets. Lofts and lies are factory standard.
Lofts compared
- 986 Tour
- 845s Silver Scot
What the differences mean
At the 7-iron, the 986 Tour is 37° and the 845s Silver Scot is 36°, a 1° gap. Each degree of loft is worth roughly 3 to 4 yards of carry at the same swing speed, so the 845s Silver Scot should carry roughly 3 to 4 yards further with that club, on a slightly lower, shallower flight than the 986 Tour. Across the 8 clubs both sets share, the 845s Silver Scot averages 1.2° stronger, with the largest gap at the 3-iron (23° vs 21°). The pitching wedges are 49° and 48°; the stronger one leaves a 2° jump to a 50° gap wedge, which matters when planning wedge gapping.
The sets are built differently: the 986 Tour runs 3-iron to PW (8 clubs), the 845s Silver Scot 1-iron to W4 (13 clubs).
The 986 Tour is a blade iron and the 845s Silver Scot a game improvement iron, so they sit 3 steps apart on the forgiveness scale. The 845s Silver Scot is the more forgiving design, with a wider sole, more offset and more perimeter weighting for roughly 10 to 25 handicaps. The 986 Tour trades some of that for a more compact head, thinner topline and more control over flight and shape, which suits low single-digit handicaps who strike the ball consistently.
The 986 Tour is listed as forged one-piece blade and the 845s Silver Scot as investment cast. Forging, as in the 986 Tour, is generally credited with a softer feel; casting, as in the 845s Silver Scot, allows more complex cavity and weighting shapes, which is why it dominates forgiving irons. The 986 Tour's muscle-back shape keeps mass directly behind the strike for feedback and control, where a cavity spreads it to the perimeter for forgiveness.
The 845s Silver Scot came out 1 year after the 986 Tour, but it is a different line rather than a direct replacement, so the two were designed for different golfers as well as different seasons.
Which should you choose?
The 845s Silver Scot is the stronger-lofted set — up to 2° stronger than the 986 Tour on matching clubs. Expect longer carry per numbered iron but a flatter descent angle; gapping at the wedge end is where that shows up.
Both charts are reproduced in full on their own pages: Tommy Armour 986 Tour specs and Tommy Armour 845s Silver Scot specs.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Tommy Armour 986 Tour stronger lofted than the 845s Silver Scot?
No. The 845s Silver Scot is the stronger-lofted set: its 7-iron is 36° against 37° for the Tommy Armour 986 Tour, 1° stronger and worth roughly 3 to 4 yards of extra carry.
What is the loft difference between the Tommy Armour 986 Tour and 845s Silver Scot?
At the 7-iron the difference is 1° (37° vs 36°). The largest gap on a shared club is 2° at the 3-iron, and all 8 shared clubs differ.
Which is better for higher handicap golfers, the Tommy Armour 986 Tour or the 845s Silver Scot?
The 845s Silver Scot. As a game improvement iron it is the more forgiving design, suited to roughly 10 to 25 handicaps. The Tommy Armour 986 Tour is a blade iron, better suited to low single-digit handicaps who strike the ball consistently.
Do the Tommy Armour 986 Tour and 845s Silver Scot have the same lie and length?
At the 7-iron, yes: both are 61.5° lie and 36.5 inches long.
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