Hot List 2009: Super Game Improvement Irons: Golf Digest

ADAMS IDEA TECH A40S

STREET PRICE: $900 (set of eight, graphite)
WEBSITE: adamsgolf.com
LOFTS: 6-iron: 28 degrees, PW: 44 degrees

TECH TALK: Adams has tweaked its set makeup from last year's a3OS by adding a hybrid-like 9-iron, leaving one cavity-back iron (the pitching wedge) instead of two. The Boxer hybrids have a magnesium crown that is 77 percent lighter than stainless steel. The hybrids feature tungsten weights in the heel and toe to improve forgiveness.

PLAYER COMMENTS: (H) "It's not a club you'd fall in love with looking at it on the rack, but you do once you hit it." . . . (M) "The feel is fantastic for this kind of club, and the transition throughout the set seems spot-on."

HOT: When it comes to helping golfers, Adams clearly makes an effort. A maraging-steel face and the pull-face construction on the hybrids give choppers added distance, and Adams doesn't skimp on the shaft (Graphite Design's Tour AD YSQ-HL).

NOT: Wood-like hybrids extending to the 5-iron slot might not suit some players.

CLEVELAND HIBORE XLI

STREET PRICE: $700
WEBSITE: clevelandgolf.com
LOFTS: 6-iron: 30, PW: 45

TECH TALK: Cleveland has stuck to its hollow-construction concept, but it redesigned this hybrid set to include a larger chassis and face area, along with progressive sole widths (thinner as you move toward the short irons).

PLAYER COMMENTS: (H) "I can go home right now as long as I can take these with me. They feel crisp, and I've never been able to hit a hybrid before -- let alone an entire set." ... (M) "You'd never know the clubhead was hollow from the sound. It's sweet!" ... (M) "Much improved over the previous version."

HOT: The number of shaft options for a hacker set is impressive, and the redesign has resulted in a sleeker-looking clubhead that is more palatable at address. Even the short irons don't look offensive -- no small feat in an all-hybrid set.

NOT: The hybrid sand-wedge option is pushing the concept too far. What's next, a hybrid chipper?

COBRA SZ

STREET PRICE: $800
WEBSITE: cobragolf.com
LOFTS: 6-iron: 29, PW: 44

TECH TALK: A shorter hosel lowers the CG, and the hefty offset helps promote a draw. The wide sole -- nearly 20 percent wider than the S9 model -- helps prevent digging into the turf, and it allows the CG to be moved back to improve lift.

PLAYER COMMENTS: (H) "Love the sole. There's no way to chunk it with these." . . . (H) "Effortless. It doesn't feel like I'm hitting the ball, just swinging the club." . . . (M) "A really high flight. It just seems to soar out there." . . . (M) "There's no vibration anywhere when you hit it, even on the thinnest of shots."

HOT: The swings in this player group are widely varied, making custom options critical, and Cobra doesn't disappoint. Among the highlights are the ability to move the lie angle up or down 4 degrees and no restrictions on custom set makeup.

NOT: For a company so successful in hybrids, the lack of them in the standard set is puzzling.