titleist 1979 80 tour model

The greatest Titleist irons of all time

Since the introduction of our ongoing “greatest of all time” series, Titleist irons have been one of the most requested lists to tackle. Even though, at one point, Titleist was basically known for being “just a golf ball company,” it uprooted that notion decades ago and has since produced some of the most notable irons of all time. From one-piece forged blades to some of the most technology-packed irons on the market, Titleist continues to be a leader in irons across player categories.

This is our list of the greatest Titleist irons of all time.

Original Titleist AP2 – Released 2008

The very first AP2 iron was one of the most hyped Titleist irons ever—full stop. Titleist engineers called the multi-material design “a total process breakthrough for constructing an iron,” saying, “never has a back piece with that kind of function or complicated geometry been welded to a forged body.” The back piece was a tungsten nickel box that placed more mass low in the head to boost forgiveness and launch in a compact head. This use of multi-materials is commonplace now, but in 2008 it was not.

When the AP2 originally arrived on the scene in 2008, it took Titleist’s already solid reputation for producing great irons and sent it through the stratosphere. The entire 2008 Titleist AP series, including the AP1, reintroduced Titleist as an iron company to many golfers who overlooked them because of their reputation for being a company that strictly catered to single-digit handicaps.

It’s not that the previous-generation Titleist irons totally stunk either. The 755 and 775CB were still nice clubs (just ask Steve Stricker—he used them for over a decade), but in reality, they lacked the technology other companies at the time were beginning to introduce to the market for both forgiveness and feel. The AP2 entirely changed Titleist’s reputation and single-handedly created a completely new category of iron: players technology.

Titleist AC 108 – Released 1972

We kicked this list offer with an iron that featured tungsten. Now, we’re going to go back to the Titleist roots to talk about the AC 108—one of the first irons to offer tungsten perimeter weighting on the heel and toe. But, before we talk more about this specific club, let’s go deeper…

Titleist clubs history

The first Acushnet irons debuted in 1970 and were known as the Finalist Forged irons. They were introduced to the market just one year after Acushnet (Titleist) purchased Golfcraft in 1969 to get into the space. If you are not familiar with the Golfcraft Company, it produced top-of-the-line forged clubs under a number of brands dating back to the 1940s.

In fact, in 1966, three years before Acushnet purchased it, the Wall Street Journal called Golfcraft the largest golf club manufacturing company in the world. Beyond its own brands, it sold blank heads to some other manufacturers to do final finishing and shaping. If you have read other articles in this series, you might remember that back in 1961, a man named Karsten Solheim bought some blank Golfcraft heads and milled the backs out to produces the very first cavity back iron: the Ping Ballnamic ’69 (reference:  Greatest Ben Hogan Irons of all Time) . The purchase of Golfcraft made Acushnet an instant player in the category to complement its already strong position in the ball market.

The AC 108, although small by today’s standards, offered a lot of playability for golfers looking for an alternative to traditional forged blades. One final fun fact about the AC 108, the branded Tungsten toe weights from the iron were used in the first prototype Scotty Cameron putters that had tungsten weighting.

Titleist DCI 962 – Released 1993

The Titleist DCI (Direct Central Impact) line first came out in 1993 with the black and gold models, denoted by a colored triangle in the cavity. The DCI line was a way to introduce more golfers to Titleist irons by offering a classic shape with the added forgiveness of a cast cavity back. It also allowed them to be offered at a different price point compared to the forged blades of the time. The DCI 962 is highly regarded as the pinnacle (no golf ball pun intended) of the DCI line, thanks to its clean look from address and its C-shaped sole profile.

But the other reason the 962’s are on this “great irons” list is there was a second model, the 962B, which offered the same sole but in a smaller blade profile, hence the “B” designation. It was the second DCI “B” iron, but it is by far the most well know and still sought after. The 962B’s were David Duval’s go-to irons while with Titleist and helped him shoot 59 at the Bob Hope. The 962B is also regarded as one of the greatest small cast cavity back irons ever made, thanks to its shape and sole design.

Titleist 600 Series blades – Released 2003

For any club to win on the PGA tour 17 years after its initial release, you know there must be something special about it. The Titleist 680 was part of the legendary original 600 series from Titleist that included the 660, 670, and 690, which was also offered in a forged cavity back, the 690CB. This heritage is part of the reason Titleist decided to name the newest forged blades and cavity back irons the 620 MB and CB and give a tip of the hat to some of the best it ever made.

While modern blades look to offer flowing CG’s and added forgiveness (a relative term for any blade design), the 680s are an uncompromising set of “ you better hit this pure ” forged blades. It’s one of the reasons—beyond the old school higher heel look—Web Simpson used them up until 2017 and Adam Scott continues to use them on the PGA Tour today ( Adam Scott 2020 WITB) . The 680s have been such a mainstay in Mr. Scott’s bag, Titleist did something almost unheard of: produced a limited production run in 2018, releasing 400 sets for sale to the general public—while also keeping an undisclosed number of sets for Adam to use into the foreseeable future.

The lineage of the 600 series dates back to the original 1979 Tour Models and the name stuck around until 1997. Like all clubs, the Tour Models went through a number of changes throughout their run as player preferences changed. From straight muscles to curved dual muscle pads, most of the changes were to the soles and address profiles. Two of the most well-known models are the “Square Toe” and “Box Blade.”

731 PM Limited LH set – Released 2002

Every list needs to have one odd standout, and for Titleist, it has to be the 731PM irons. The 731PM irons are unique for a number of reasons

• They were designed with Phil Mickelson to be his personal set and were, from all accounts, originally intended to remain a prototype.
• They were Titleist’s very first designated combo set. There was no mixing and matching to build your own. This set transitioned club to club from full cavity to high muscle blade.
• They were cast. Even though the set had blades into the shorter clubs, the set was cast and not forged—making them the only cast set of blades Titleist ever made.

Photo: Dave Martin

Phil used these irons to win his first major in 2004. Last but not least, this is probably the only completely unique retail set that was only ever available in left-handed—for the first time ever, it was right-handed golfers that were left out in the cold.

Titleist C16 – Released 2016

The Titleist C16 irons were released in an under-the-radar secret handshake way in late 2016. No marketing, no tour validation process, just a simple “hey look what we have” arrangement, and it was off to the races. The going rate for a set of irons was $3,000, and there was good reason for it—they had every possible technology packed inside.

To even get the opportunity to test the C16 series, which also included a $1,000 plus driver, you had to sign up and take part in a fitting at either TPI in Oceanside or one of the few Titleist fitting locations offering the iron. It was Titleist’s first attempt to break into the ultra-exclusive, spare-no-expense concept car-style golf club market—and it was a huge success.

Here’s the part that made the C16’s so unique in the market and for Titleist. Generally, Titleist clubs go through an extensive tour validation process to make sure they are ready for the consumer, but in the case of the C16 irons, the development process was conducted behind closed doors and the validation was conducted by Titleist fitters working with consumers willing to participate in the experience.

It was a large scale experiment to both collect data and offer the most technology-forward clubs ever produced to golfer willing to participate. In total, there were around 2,000 sets of the C16’s ever produced, and it’s not often they are spotted in the wild—although the driver was most notably sighted at the 2018 Masters when the quietly famous marker, Jeff Knox, was spotted with one.

The “C” in C16 was for Concept, since the entire line was a limited run. However, it was only a few years later when Titleist once again put everything on the table and introduced the CNCPT (Concept) series 01 and 02 models to the mass market.

Here’s how they are described

“To put it simply, we’ve never seen the ball come off the face of an iron faster. Engineered to produce higher launch, greater distance and the most generous impact possible, with high density tungsten making up nearly 50% of the total head weight in the lower lofts.:

The CNCPT Series are the supercars of the Titleist iron lineup, and unlike the original C16, they are offered in both a more forgiving shape and also in traditional blade-like profile—except with all the same technology jammed inside. I’m not saying the CNCPT series would have never existed without the original C16s, but they were the seedling that formed the root of this family tree.

Titleist 712U – Released 2012/TMB MOTO Released 2016

As mentioned previously, Titleist for a long time had a reputation of only making clubs that appealed to lower handicap golfers—something that is very much a misconception.

Engineers had the original DCI, they offered the AP1, and then in 2012, they went a step further by introducing their very first (for full retail release) hollow driving iron in the 712U—the original being the tour only 503i . The 712U was available from 2-4 iron with a 5-iron available to tour players.

It wasn’t long after the 716 T-MB’s came to market as part of the Titleist MOTO (Made Only To Order) Program, and even though they were hard to get, they were still very much a successful iron. This eventually leads to the full release 718 T-MB, and, if you connect the dots, you can see the lineage into the T400 iron—even though they are targeted to a very different group of golfer.

If it wasn’t for the 712U and the 716 T-MB, where would hollow Titleist irons be today?

Titleist T-Series 2019 – The new baseline?

The most recently released irons, the  Titleist T-Series, marks an evolution in the Titleist iron lineup along with a complete rebranding of the Titleist “players technology line.”

The T100 and T100-S are smaller than any previous AP2 iron, while still offering greater stability than any previous iron. The T200 and T300 have been built with the new Max Impact technology to boost ball speeds off a thinner face while still maintaining the signature Titleist feel. Finally, T400 irons have incorporated technology from a number of other Titleist products, including the U500 and CNCPT series, to build the ultimate Titleist distance iron that sacrifices nothing.

Only time will truly tell if the newest T-Series will be included on this list, but based on consumer feedback, sales to date, and the technology packed inside, these irons are well on their way.

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Ryan Barath is a club-fitter & master club builder with more than 17 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. He is the former Build Shop Manager & Social Media Coordinator for Modern Golf. He now works independently from his home shop and is a member of advisory panels to a select number of golf equipment manufacturers. You can find Ryan on Twitter and Instagram where he's always willing to chat golf, and share his passion for club building, course architecture and wedge grinding.

20 Comments

Christian Roberts

Jun 25, 2022 at 8:35 am

I am fortunate enough to have a set of Tour Square toe irons and 962DCi which I play with to this day and they are fantastic irons. I’m currently in the process of full restoration of the Tour models and hope to play those again soon. They were my Grandfathers and Fathers before me they will eventually be my Grandsons blades when he is old enough.

Mar 23, 2021 at 8:23 am

You forgot the 841s.

Mikel Jorden

May 4, 2020 at 10:43 pm

Wow!! I’ll take a set of those Box Blades, standard length, 2′ degrees flat, Royal Sand Wrap grips with reminder and 2 1/12 wraps PLEASE!!

May 4, 2020 at 2:02 pm

Titleist 716CB. Awesome feel combined with tungsten made it as forgiving as earlier AP2 irons.

William Davis

May 4, 2020 at 1:44 pm

Seems as tho’ Titleist have never made a poor iron. One day I would like to see an article on all the duds produced by the big brands.

May 4, 2020 at 1:43 pm

I’m still gaming the ZB Blades 6-PW, love them

May 4, 2020 at 1:39 pm

Have really enjoyed these lists but this one left a lot to be desired…

The 762’s can’t be forgotten

As someone mentioned already the 735 CM’s were pure

The CNCPT series isn’t something that 99% will ever try so why add them to the all-time list?

May 4, 2020 at 12:45 pm

My first set of irons was a set of AC108s as hand me downs on the 1997.

Bill Rutledge

May 4, 2020 at 12:20 pm

Agree with the AC-108s as well as all your selections. The same-generation Pro-100s were really nice, too. Smaller blade, less offset, but some ‘help’ on off-center hits. Enjoyed the article.

dwayne bretzky

May 4, 2020 at 11:12 am

every titleist iron is the best iron ever.

Bladehunter

May 4, 2020 at 10:37 am

Totally missed the opportunity to include the “ custom grind “ MOTO program for the tour model and 681 blades. Left out the Miura forged T limited blade set , and last but not least the entire DCI line is glossed over in favor of picturing the 962 thrice. It’s the gold over size and the actual DCI- B that put titleist on everyone’s radar.

And since the comments were turned off for the tiger iron post I’ll have to say it here. Why did you miss the fact that there are 3 sets of tiger titleist irons pictured ? One T. One with no T and one with Tw-p3 ( practice set early edition ) pictured. The T irons didn’t come until last. It would be better to open up the comments than to miss obvious things that the pics depict. And you never know when someone can chime in with actual experience. Since I own a set of the “ blank “ 681s as pictured IN tigers bag. The no T version. Several titleist staffers had these. Matt jones , Steve Stricker , and jay haas to name 3. And most people have never seen a set. Sure “ nobody cares “ but if that’s true why print the article ?

May 4, 2020 at 9:55 am

Forged 735 CM

May 4, 2020 at 12:34 pm

I use the 735 stainless version and like them. It would have been fun to try the 731s had they ever made a right-handed version (you lucky lefties!). Titleist shows that the lofts on the 731s are 2* stronger than the 735s, so that would have created a bit more of a loft gap – at least on paper – with my SW. The 731s also look to be a more rounded shape and from the pics I’ve seen, they appear to have a more pronounced slope from toe – hosel. I always thought the 6 & 7 irons are really neat-looking with that scooped area in the muscle. Wonder what kind of steel they were cast from?

May 4, 2020 at 1:00 pm

These were great! I mixed them with a set of 660 blades, but the 735 felt so much better. Thanks for reminding us.

Steve Finley

Jan 31, 2021 at 12:21 am

Can’t really do this list without them.

May 4, 2020 at 9:30 am

Titleist Golf 1979-80 TOUR MODEL

May 4, 2020 at 9:29 am

May 4, 2020 at 9:26 am

i believe mizuno mp-19 late 90’s were first lefty only irons

curt j benjamins

May 4, 2020 at 9:38 pm

I had a set of the tP 9’s directly from the mizuno rep when I worked at the course in Washington.

Great sticks with old school lofts, felt like butter

May 4, 2020 at 7:42 am

I loved the look of the AC-108s and always wanted a set. However, as most clubs of the time they were not available left-handed. It’s better now, but there are still gaps.

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Pre-Owned Titleist Golf Tour Model 1979-1980 Irons (9 Iron Set)

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VINTAGE Titleist Tour Model 1979-80 Single 9 Iron Dynamic Steel Stiff

• Gender: Men
• Dexterity: Right-Handed
• Model: Tour Model 1979-80
• Lie: Standard
• Condition: 6.5

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Items that are on sale can have trades or store credit accepted up to 20% off the original sales price.

• Brand : Titleist
• Club : Clubs
• Club_no : 9
• Club Type : Single Iron
• Condition : 6.5
• Dexterity : Right-Handed
• Flex : Stiff
• Gender : Men
• Grip : Golf Pride 50th Anniversary Half Cord
• Grip Size : Standard
• Length : 36"
• Lie : Standard
• Material : Steel
• Shaft Model : True Temper Dynamic

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10-New: Item has never been played! Some very slight shop wear might be present, unless otherwise stated, but shows absolutely no play wear. 9-Excellent: Item has been played a handful of times, but shows no wear to the painted finish, and still retains some of the “new look”. 8-Very Good: Item has been played for multiple seasons, but has been well cared for. There may be light cosmetic imperfections. 7-Good: Item has been played for several seasons, and has been heavily used, but not abused. There will be some sky marks and significant wear to the painted finish. 6-Fair: Item has been heavily used and shows signs of abuse. Performance will not be effected.

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• Hickory, Persimmon and Classic Clubs

Help Me Identify The Best Titleist Tour Model Irons Ever

By EmperorPenguin October 25, 2016 in Hickory, Persimmon and Classic Clubs

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Emperorpenguin.

I remember this particular model Titleist Tour Model iron as a very solid iron. I bought the 6 iron one day in a used barrel for $5 and it had a great feel to it. I heard from a friend that they were the 1996 model, but for now let me refer to them as the '96 model.They felt a little more solid than my Golden Rams, maybe because the heads felt a bit heavier and the muscle was a much larger than my Rams? I have done a little shopping of Titleist Tour Model irons and found many renditions of the club, with some of them absolutely hideous in design (i.e., some had flanges, some were bullet backs, some had smaller muscles, some had straight-back muscles versus arched muscles). I remember checking out some older Titlest Tour Model irons which had flanges and they felt horrible. They were certainly not as solid as the ones pictured below (the '96 model?). Is this particular model the best of the series? I think they are, but my experience with Titleist Tour Model is very limited. Can somebody please identify exactly which year(s) this model was produced, and if anyone thinks a particular model is just as good if not better, please post those pictures as well.

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rex235 2 posts

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southplains 2 posts

EKELLY 1 post

Oct 25 2016

May 18 2017

Oct 27 2016

Can't help you much. Titleist made so few LH Tour Models during this period.

The Golf Club ID and Price Guide by Golf Works should narrow the years of your search.

Steve Elkington was successful Titleist staffer in the mid-90s, but I'd put the Titleist Forged Iron series used by Tiger near the top of the list.

Dude, I'm your guy. But i can't pick a winner. I played Wilson Staff in high school, MacGregor in college, Hogans right out of college, Maxfli Australian Blades a few years, Titleist TM (won some $$ with those babies), Mizuno's for 5-6 years, Back to Titleist, back to Mizuno, back to Titleist, in the MB's now.......Every one of them were great.......BUT, I've played a few rounds with the new Srixon's, and the Bridgestone's.......Loved them both..........And the FINAL vote is?........Can't decide.......If you look at All-Time records, I'm pretty sure the Staff still has the most Major wins.......But, I could be wrong.......As far as Titleist, gotta be the 714 MB's........SWEET!!!.......

These look like the Tour Model that Titleist put out from '91-96

Attaching a link to Titleist web page. Look through the various years....I can't see anything else close to this.

I personally had a set of the 1981 Tour Models, and loved them....wish that I still had them, because the metal in them is just something that you can't seem to get in the states anymore.

Hope this helps!

http://www.titleist.com/previous-models?page=6

southplains

I've played most of the Tour models at one time or another and my vote goes to the 1984 Tour Model 841.

I have three sets of them and always looking for the matching woods and X100 shafts. Sweet blades.

If you're lucky, you can find them with Neumann Calf leather grips.

The TT Gold shafts may have Sensicore vibration dampening inserts. That may or may not be

a good thing for purist players, but they sure feel good at impact.

Trying to post an image, but you will find them at the Titleist link previously posted.

http://acushnet.scen...?wid=800&qlt=95

Just noticed a set of 2-P S300 on ebay with auction starting at $100 and BIT $199.

That's a bit pricey since PGA tradein value is only $25 and the pw grooves are worn.

Probably not leather grips, since that isn't mentioned in the listing.

However, they don't show up very often. It will be interesting to see if any bids

or if it gets re-listed at a lower starting point.

Ping G430 HL 10.5*

Wilson Staff Dyna Power 5 wood Ping 410 7 wood XXIO 10 5 Hybrid, Tour Exotics 6 Hybrid Wilson Staff DynaPower forged 7-GW

Wilson Staff 56*

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Bettinardi BB0 TRI DASS Skull and Bones 2023 33" 

Like Edberg's forehand, my swing is held together with a paperclip and a rubber band.  

• 4 weeks later...

The set pictured is of the 1991-96 Tour Models and they are one of the best along with the 1987 Box Blade Tour Model (very hard to find) and as mentioned already the 1984 841 Tour Models. In 1990, Titleist was transitioning from the 1986-89 Tour Models (Bullet Back) and made a few sets (about 6 months) of the 1991-96 Tour Models like the ones you have posted, but they had the diamonds next to the grooves like the 1986-89 model. These sets are extremely rare. I had a used set of them a few years back and sold them to a former WRX member in Australia for a small fortune. If you can get your hands on a set of the Box Blades or 841's they are sweet blades as well.

Those streamlined Titleist muscle-backs (entire lower half of blade) were sort of game-improvement

designs, compared to the earlier McGregor diamond shape muscles concentrated

into the middle of the face, which, in turn, were game-improvement designs compared

to 40's designs just adding weight along the bottom of the blades. I guess the even older

designs were the "true blades" with no added weight to the bottom or back.

That would be a radical "new" re-design - a real player's blade with modern metals and shafts.

Listen up, Titleist - lose the fancy back cavities and find a new market with a real blade.

• 5 months later...

I am interested in the Box Blade irons. The heads look compact, very square and no offset, which I like. However, I wonder how they compare to the '96 model Tour Models as specified in the original post. I am looking at the Titleist website and see that no 1 iron is available, so if I buy a set of the Box Blades I will have to put in either a 4 wood or a middle wedge to make up for it. For those of you who had both the Box Blade and the '96 Tour Model irons, which one feels better? Perhaps it may be a case of splitting hairs, but I always remember how the solid the '96 Tour Models feel. If the Box Blade feels even more solid, I might buy a set of them.

Original 690MB (no dot) are worth looking at too,super quality irons.

Titleist was pretty much RH ONLY when it came to their forged irons in the '80s-'90s. Their equipment rep at the time said it was by Design.

They made very few LH models- (Model 90s) but AC-108s? "Box Blades"? Check the RH Only box on those.

It was printed then Titleist staffer Steve Elkington had irons ground a size larger (the 2 iron was a 3 iron size stamped "2" on down...)

Russ Cochran wore a Titleist hat when he won the Senior British Open, but am not even sure Titleist made forged irons for him, or whether Phil Mickelson's LH 731 PM irons were.

Titleist's first LH forged irons were quite similar to early First Flight NALG irons.

No, the translation between the RH and LH forged models at one point was simple-RH Only. Check those RH 841 Tour Models...

Titleist had RH Persimmon woods subcontracted to Joe Powell. LH Models? Good Luck.

Those LH Titleist forged irons you speak about were quite a few years after someone asked Titleist about LH equipment.

See Brian Harmans win today, and flashback to his USGA Junior win. Didn't Harman have a "Titleist" hat on then?

• 2 weeks later...

I have two sets of the 96's 3-pw X100, 2-pw smoke finish X100. I picked up a set of the Box Blades 2-pw, these need some restoration as most of the ferrules are separated from the hosels, Tour Flex shafts match up to DG S300 perfectly. X100's ss 1x going into them, will try to preserve the ferrules, but have Black/copper/black/copper ferrules in the shop. Two sets of 712's, one with Tour Issue X100's, one with Project X 7.0 shafts that are either going with the heads or being replaced with DG Tour shaft (X7 on butt stamps) may need to ss 1 or 2 x's. 670's, 680's, 681's not T stamp, enough about my Titleist blade irons, have others too but this is a Titleist based thread.

• 2 years later...

Jamesbondings

Hi seayhorse,

The set you are referring to, I am pretty sure I have a set. Any idea how I get these looked at and appraised? I am struggling to get any great info on them on the Internet.

I need a new set of irons and if this could fund/part fund it that would be great.

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About the games, the american boycott.

The Olympics were disrupted by another, even larger boycott, this one led by U.S. President Jimmy Carter, part of a package of actions to protest the December 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Carter engaged in extensive arm-twisting to gain support from other nations.

Some governments, like those of Great Britain and Australia, supported the boycott, but allowed the athletes to decide for themselves whether to go to Moscow. No such freedom of choice was allowed U.S. athletes, as Carter threatened to revoke the passport of any athlete who tried to travel to the USSR. In the end, 67 nations did not participate, with 45 to 50 of these nations likely being absent because of the U.S.-led boycott. Eighty nations did participate—the lowest number since 1956.

Olympic Firsts

Aleksandr Dityatin of Russia earned medals in every men's gymnastics event to become the first athlete to win eight medals at one Olympic Games. Super-heavyweight Teófilo Stevenson of Cuba became the first boxer to win the same division three times, and Gerd Wessig of East Germany became the first male high jumper to break the world record at the Olympic Games.

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British middle-distance runners Steve Ovett and Sebastian Coe faced each other in a memorable confrontation. In the 800m, Ovett won the gold medal ahead of his compatriot. Six days later, a determined Coe redeemed himself in the 1500m. He took the gold, while Ovett managed only a bronze.

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Apr 24 2017

City Street Guides by f.d. walker: A Street Photography Guide to Moscow, Russia

*A series of guides on shooting Street Photography in cities around the world. Find the best spots to shoot, things to capture, street walks, street tips, safety concerns, and more for cities around the world. I have personally researched, explored and shot Street Photography in every city that I create a guide for. So you can be ready to capture the streets as soon as you step outside with your camera!

At over 12 million people, Moscow is the largest city in Russia and second largest in Europe by population ( Istanbul is #1). An urban, cosmopolitan metropolis with more than enough glitz and glam to cater to the elite, but without losing its fair share of Soviet era roughness around the edges. It can be fast paced, brash, busy, and trendy like other big cities, but it has its blend of West meets Russia atmosphere and beauty that provides plenty of unique interest. The Red Square is as famous as it gets, but there’s so much more to this city, including the most beautiful subway system you’ve ever seen. It would take years to capture all of Moscow, but that means you have an endless amount of areas to discover.

So here’s a Street Photography guide so you can be ready to capture all that Moscow has to offer before you even arrive!

• Patriarch’s Pond
• Old Arbat Street
• Maroseyka Street
• Tverskoy Boulevard

Top 5 Street Spots:

1. red square.

The Red Square is the most famous square in not just Russia, but all of Eastern Europe. The name actually doesn’t come from the color of the bricks or communism, but from the name in Russian, Krásnaya, once meaning “beautiful” before its meaning changed to “red.” This large plaza is what you see on the cover of guide books and magazines for Moscow, with St. Basil’s Cathedral being the center piece next to Lenin’s Mausoleum surrounded by the Kremlin Wall. Of course, the Red Square attracts hordes of tourist due to the main attractions, but all that activity around an interesting atmosphere does provide street photo opportunities. It’s also the central square connecting to the city’s major streets, providing a good starting point to explore outward.

You’ll also find the popular pedestrian only Nikolskaya Street connecting the Red Square to Lubyanka Square. This line of expensive shops includes plenty of activity, while also leading you to another popular square. Filled with history rivaling any city, the Red Square and surrounding areas are the heart and soul of Russia.

2. Patriarch’s Ponds

Patriarch’s Ponds is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Moscow. Despite the name being plural, there’s only one large pond, but it’s worth a visit with your camera. It’s a popular spot for locals and expats to come relax or take a stroll around the pond. You get an interesting mix of young and old too, from young love to “babushkas” feeding pigeons. It’s a very peaceful park atmosphere in one of the nicer areas within the city center, while bringing enough activity for street photography. 

The pond is shallow and in the winter becomes a popular spot for ice-skating too. The area is also well-known for the location in the famous Russian novel, The Master and Margarita. 

3. Old Arbat (Stary Arbat)

Old Arbat is the most famous pedestrian street in Moscow, and dating back to the 15th century, also one of its oldest. Originally, it was an area of trade, but soon became the most prestigious residential area in Moscow. During the 18th century, Arbat started attracting the city’s scholars and artists, including Alexander Pushkin. Cafes lined the streets and impressive homes filled the neighborhood. Since then, New Arbat street was created as a highway in the area, while Old Arbat was paved for a 1km pedestrian only walkway.

Due to the historic buildings, famous artists that lived here, and the bohemian atmosphere, Old Arbat has become a big attraction for tourists today. Now, there’s a mix of cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, street performers, street merchants and other attractions for visitors, and some locals, to come enjoy. It can get really busy here and there’s usually something interesting going on so it’s a good street to come walk with your camera for guaranteed life.

4. Gorky Park

One of the most famous places in Moscow is Gorky Park. The official name is Maxim Gorky’s Central Park of Culture & Leisure, which gives you an idea of what goes on here. When built, it was the first of its kind in the Soviet Union. Divided into two parts, it stretches along Moscow River. One end contains fair rides, foods stands, tennis courts, a sports club, a lake for boat rides, and more. This end brings more active life due to its number of attractions, while the other end is more relaxed, where you’ll find gardens, trees, older buildings, and an outdoor amphitheater.

Gorky Park attracts mostly locals so it’s a good spot to capture the non-tourist side of Moscow life. Muscovites come here to escape the city and unwind in a picturesque setting. The park remains alive outside of the warmer months too, especially when the lake turns into the city’s largest outdoor skating rink. I’d recommend taking the metro out here to spend at least half a day exploring the massive park’s life with your camera.

5. Maroseyka Street

Maroseyka Street is a popular area not too far from the Red Square. The long, winding street turns into Pokrovka and is lined with restaurants, cafes, bars and places to stay. It’s actually where I like to stay when I’m in Moscow due to its location and solid street photography opportunities itself. You have Kitay-gorod station near and if you keep walking southwest, you’ll get to the Red Square. But if you walk northwest, as it changes to Pokrovka, you can find a long street of activity for photography with its own interesting atmosphere.

6. Tverskoy Boulevard

Tverskoy Boulevard is the oldest and longest boulevard in Moscow, beginning at the end of Nikitsky Boulevard, and finishing at Pushkin Square, a spot to come for activity itself. The boulevard is made up of two avenues, with pedestrian walkways in-between. You’ll find grass, shrubbery, trees, benches and more walking it’s almost kilometer length. Many people come here to enjoy some relaxation, walk their dog, or just to use it to walk wherever they’re going. Its center location also provides a nice place to walk with your camera near plenty of other spots you’ll want to check out anyway.

Sample Street Walk:

For a full day of Street Photography, covering some of the best spots, you can follow this sample street walk for Moscow:

• Start your morning walking around the Red Square (1), while exploring the surrounding area, including Nikolskaya Street
• Then walk northwest to Patriarch’s Ponds (2) and slowly walk the pond and surrounding area with your camera
• Next, walk east to the Pushkin Monument and stroll down Tverskoy Boulevard (6)
• Once Tverskoy Boulevard (6) ends, it will turn into Nikitsky Boulevard. Follow this down until you get to the start of Old Arbat Street (3), across from Arbatskaya station
• After you’re done walking down Old Arbat Street (3) for more street photography, spend some time checking out Moscow’s beautiful metro stations
• To finish off the day with more street photography, get off the metro near Red Square (1) again, Maroseyka Street (5) or wherever you’re staying for the night.

3 Things I’ll Remember about Shooting in Moscow:

1. museum metro.

The Moscow metro system was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union and today includes 203 stations across 340km of routes. The elaborate system has some of the deepest stations in the world too, with escalators that seem to go on forever. None of this is what makes it so special, though. Many of its stations feel like stepping inside a museum, making it without a doubt the most interesting and beautiful metro system I’ve been in.

When built, Stalin wanted to make the metro stations “palaces for the people” with marble, chandeliers, and grand architecture. The best part is the variety of architecture and styles used, making many of the stations a completely different experience visually. You could easily spend a whole day traveling the stations and there are even tours available for people who wish to do just that. My advice, though, would be just to buy a ticket and hop on and off at different stations, while exploring different lines. The museum-like surrounding mixed with the crowds of characters can make for a great photography experience.

Since there are so many stations, here are some of my favorites to check out:

• Novoslobodskaya
• Mayakovskaya
• Elektrozavodskaya
• Komsomolskaya
• Ploschad Revolyutsii
• Dostoyevskaya
• Prospekt Mira

2. Moscow is Big

It’s no secret that Moscow is a big city, but it can feel even bigger with how spread out much of it is. This is especially true if you compare it to cities outside of Asia. If I compared it to cities in Europe, I’d probably say only Istanbul would warrant more time to really discover the depths of this city. Most only explore around the Red Square and surrounding area, but that is such a small part of the city. Although, that central area does give you plenty to see on its own.

Fortunately, I had a good friend living in the city to show me around, but it opened up my eyes even more to how much there is to discover in Moscow. It’s a big city with a variety of atmosphere that can take you from “east” to “west” and trendy to rugged depending on where you go. I’d imagine you’d have to live here a while to really know the city.

3. Cosmopolitan Mix of East meets West

Modern skyscrapers mixed with amazing architecture, a world-class metro system with museum-like beauty, trendy fashion and chic clubs, Moscow is a rich mix of Russian culture and history in a more western cosmopolitan package. There is a push to keep the Russian culture, while also pushing forward with a modern metropolis the whole world will envy. This comes with an impressive skyline, that continues to grow, and endless modernities, but with soviet nostalgia and atmosphere mixed in for good measure.

Mixed in with this grand western cosmopolitan atmosphere, is a strong national pride in Russia. This includes their famous leader, Vladimir Putin. Maybe no other place will you see a country’s leader more often. All over, from the pricey tourist shops to the underground walkway stalls, you’ll find goods with Putin’s likeness covering them. From t-shirts to magnets to Matryoshka dolls. There’s a strong national pride that can be seen around the city, which also extends to their leader. Moscow is many things. It’s East meets West, modernizations meets Soviet era, and a whole lot more.

What To Do For a Street Photography Break?:

Eat at a stolovaya.

Stolovayas are Russian cafeterias that became popular in the Soviet days. You grab a tray and walk down the line of freshly prepared local dishes, and select whatever you want from the chefs. They’re usually inexpensive and a much better value than restaurants, while giving you the opportunity to try from a wide selection of everyday Russian food. They’re also very tasty. I always include some borsch on my tray and go from there. The places themselves are all over Moscow and usually come with Soviet-era aesthetics to complete the experience.

Street Safety Score: 7

*As always, no place is completely safe! So when I talk about safety, I’m speaking in general comparison to other places. Always take precaution, be smart, observe your surroundings and trust your instincts anywhere you go!

Being the 2nd largest city in Europe with over 12 million people, you’re going to have your dangerous areas, but for the most part, it feels safe walking around. Russia is statistically higher in crime compared to most of Europe, but this generally doesn’t apply to tourists and visitors. Around the Red Square and surrounding city center, you should feel completely safe walking around. Pick pocketing can happen, but no more than other touristic places. I always explore Moscow freely without coming across too much to worry about. It’s a spread out city, though, so of course it matters where you are. Just use basic street smarts, know where you are and Moscow shouldn’t give you a problem. 

People’s Reaction Score: 7

Moscow is fast paced, big city life, which usually means people aren’t too concerned with you, or your camera. I don’t find people notice or pay much attention to me when I’m out taking photos in Moscow. For the most part, people just go about their day. You shouldn’t get too many looks or concern. But it can depend on the area you are in. The more you stick out, the more you might get noticed with suspicions. I’ve never had any problems in Moscow, or Russia, but just be careful who you’re taking a photo of if you get out of the city center. Other than that, it’s about average for reactions. 

Street Tips:

Learn the alphabet .

Much of Moscow, including the metro system, doesn’t use english. The Russian alphabet uses letters from the Cyrillic script, which if you aren’t familiar with it and don’t know the sounds, can be hard to decipher the words. This is most important for street names and metro stops when trying to get around. It can save confusion and make it easier getting around if you learn the basic alphabet. At the very least then, you can sound out the words to see which are similar in the english conversion, which can help matching them to maps. When out shooting street photography, getting around is as important as anything. So save yourself some time and frustration by learning the Russian Alphabet.

Use the metro

While Saint-Petersburg feels very walkable for a city its size, Moscow can feel very spread out, even for its bigger size. Outside of the Red Square area, you can have plenty of walking before getting anywhere very interesting, so you’ll need to take the metro a lot if you really want to explore the city. Maps are deceiving here too, it will always be further than it looks.

Another reason it’s less walkable than Saint-Petersburg is its completely different set-up. Moscow’s streets are mostly contstructed in rings with narrow, winding streets in-between. This is common with medieval city cities that used to be confined by walls, but you usually don’t have it in a city this massive. Saint-Petersburg has a more grid-like pattern that also uses the canals to help you know your way around. When it comes to navigating on foot in Moscow, it can be more difficult, so bring a map and take the metro when needed. It’s why Moscow’s metro carries more passengers per day than the London and Paris subways combined.

Explore other areas if you have time

Moscow is really big. While most people stay around the Red Square within the Boulevard Ring, there’s so much more to the city. I covered some other spots outside of this circle, but if you really want to see the city, you’ll need time. If you do have time, some other areas I’d check out first are Zamoskvarechye, along some of the south and western Moscow.

Inspiration:

For some more inspiration, you can look through the Street Photography of Moscow photographer Artem Zhitenev  and check out 33 of my photos taken in Moscow .

Conclusion:

Moscow’s name brings a certain mystique, but once you’re there it might bring a different atmosphere than you expect. It’s big and sprawling, but beautiful in many ways. It can feel like a European capital on a grand scale, but you can definitely find its Russian side in there.

The urban sprawl of Moscow can be intimidating, but give it enough time and you’ll be rewarded with plenty to discover. All with the world’s best metro system to take you around.

I hope this guide can help you start to experience some of what Moscow contains. So grab your camera and capture all that Moscow has to offer for Street Photography!

If you still have any questions about shooting in Moscow, feel free to comment below or email me!

(I want to make these guides as valuable as possible for all of you so add any ideas on improvements, including addition requests, in the comment section!)

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