Five New Irons To Maximize Distance

By Mike Stachura

October 25, 2016

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Photo By: Photos by Victor Prado

ABSOLUTE POWER

The key to distance, even in an iron, is to make the ball go fast. Thin faces bend or flex at impact so the ball flies faster, higher and with less spin. However, the kind of distance you want is consistent distance, not just the isolated shot that goes farther. Some irons improve mis-hits because of an oversize shape that offers a larger area of the face that flexes. Others boost distance marginally on your best hits but maintain a compact size for shaping shots. How do you decide which is right for you? First, make sure the irons you're comparing have the same loft. Not all 7-irons do, for example. That's why data from a launch monitor is so important. It'll show you how the maximum height or landing angles differ, and it'll show the distance range of all your shots. Second, you want an iron that produces the tightest range from your longest to shortest hits and as close to the longest average distance as possible. That's consistency and distance. Here are five new models that might give you both.

Photo By: Photos by Victor Prado

CALLAWAY BIG BERTHA OS

The face wraps around the perimeter so it flexes more, but the light, cage-like frame focuses that flexing lower, where impact happens most often.
PRICE: $1,100Clubs listed in alphabetical order

COBRA KING OS

It's larger than its 1990s namesake and has the fastest face of any iron in Cobra's history. The hollow body has tungsten to boost forgiveness in the middle and long irons.
PRICE: $1,000

HONMA TW737P

Want forgiveness and control? The deep-pocket cavity stabilizes those mis-hits, and a thicker section behind the center of the face provides feel.
PRICE: $1,040

MIZUNO JPX-900 FORGED

The boron-infused forged carbon steel not only flexes to create extra ball speed, it's also light so that about four quarters' worth of weight is redistributed to the corners for extra stability.
PRICE: $1,200

PXG 0311XF

Slightly larger than PXG's 0311, the thin face insert—thinner than a pair of credit cards—is supported by a forged frame filled with a rubber-like material.
PRICE: $2,800

Zurich Classic of New Orleans

Five New Irons To Maximize Distance

Shop This Look

ABSOLUTE POWER

CALLAWAY BIG BERTHA OS

COBRA KING OS

HONMA TW737P

MIZUNO JPX-900 FORGED

PXG 0311XF

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