Equipment
Fusing Classic Irons With Big-Time Tech
The hardest clubs to design in golf? You're looking at them. These irons have the classic compact shape that better players prefer, but with technology for forgiveness (multiple materials) and distance (thin-face inserts) that make them playable for the rest of us. This marriage of old and new technology has caught the attention of the world's best: About nine in 10 players on the PGA Tour use some form of cavity-back or hollow iron for at least part of their iron set. "We're still going to chock it full of as much technology as we can," Mizuno's Chris Voshall says. "But the priority is the package it's in, not just the technology it offers." Here are four new irons that might make us look better than we are.
MIZUNO
MP-18 SC
Mizuno's forging process yields a tight grain structure for optimal feel on these cavity-backs. The slightly larger size and lower center of gravity of the middle and long irons make these a natural to mix and match with Mizuno's MP-18 blades.
PRICE: $1,200
MIURA
CB 2008
On the long and middle irons, the face and neck are forged from carbon steel. A stainless-steel composite piece on the back forms Miura's widest iron sole, keeping the weight low for high launch and smooth turf interaction.
PRICE: $2,040 (set of six)
TAYLORMADE
P790
The hollow construction uses a high-strength steel face that wraps around the sole and is about as thick as a quarter. It's supported by an injected foam that allows the face to flex while controlling sound and feel. A sole slot enhances flexing low on the face.
PRICE: $1,300
TITLEIST
AP3
Three different constructions within the set are designed to optimize your needs. High-strength steel face inserts wrap around the soles of the hollow long and middle irons. High-density tungsten-weights in the heel and toe improve stability.
PRICE: $1,300