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    Golf Digest Logo Hot List

    Best Players Distance Irons: Look / Sound / Feel

    January 21, 2025

    The best clubs in each category of the Hot List reflect excellence across an array of criteria. In Players Distance irons, the models boasting the sweetest combination of Look/Sound/Feel deliver power in an eye-pleasing minimalist package. Here is how 32 player-testers evaluated clubs in this category based on the criterion of Look/Sound/Feel, with each achieving a minimum of 4.5 stars.

    Mizuno JPX925 Forged
    $200 per iron | Golf Galaxy
    4.5
    GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE
    Hot List Gold
    $200 per iron
    A new hollow-body design allows for a thin, forged 4120 chromoly-steel face for added spring at impact in the 4- through 7-iron. A revamped variable-thickness face in the 4- through 8-iron expands the sweet spot from previous iterations of this model. Less weight in the toe makes it easier to draw the ball. The company’s “triple-cut sole” features a beveled leading and trailing edge, promoting crisp, dollar-bill-like divots. A metal bar in the back cavity and a rigid topline contribute to a syrupy feel. Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps. SPECS: 7-iron: 30 degrees; PW: 43 degrees
    Titleist T200
    $200 per iron | Golf Galaxy
    5.0
    GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE
    Hot List Gold
    $200 per iron
    The dual-tapered L-face insert (in which the face wraps around the sole) improves deflection and helps shots maintain a tight dispersion. The use of tungsten weights allowed for precise center-of-gravity placement to promote a high launch in the low irons and control in the scoring clubs. A polymer-backed structure is closer to the face for a soft feel. The sole’s variable bounce makes the T200 play smoother through the turf thanks to a chamfered trailing edge. A sleek shape, shorter blade length, thin topline and same minimal offset as the T100 enable seamless set blending. Top 5 in Performance, middle- and high-handicaps. SPECS: 7-iron: 30.5 degrees; PW: 43 degrees
    Callaway Apex Ai200
    $200 per iron | Golf Galaxy
    5.0
    GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE
    Hot List Gold
    $200 per iron
    A forged hollow-body clubhead is married to a forged high-strength 455-stainless-steel face that wraps around the top and sole to create impressive face flex through the 8-iron. The “Ai Smart Face” uses the power of AI to analyze regular golfer swing data to deliver tight dispersion along with added yards. A cool feature of the Ai200 is the strategically positioned metal-injected molding weights that ensure the ideal center of gravity to create the proper launch. Twelve grams have been taken out of the hosel area, which allows the center of gravity to be close to the center of the face. Tungsten encased in urethane with microscopic air bubbles assists feel and positions the center of gravity low in the long and middle irons. The Ai200 features a smaller profile compared to the Apex 21. Top 5 in Forgiveness, all handicap groups. SPECS: 7-iron: 30 degrees; PW: 43 degrees
    Callaway Apex Ti Fusion
    $300 per iron | Golf Galaxy
    5.0
    GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE
    Hot List Gold
    $300 per iron
    A proprietary brazing process was used to join the stainless-steel body with the titanium face—an industry first. The strong and thin titanium face gives ball speed a boost. The forged steel body features urethane microspheres inside the head to provide a feel typically found in single-piece forged irons. The diamond-like coating finish is more durable than PVD and produces an eye-catching aesthetic and reduces glare. The gunmetal True Temper Dynamic Gold steel shaft completes the all-black look. Top 5 in Performance, low- and high-handicaps. SPECS: 7-iron: 30.5 degrees; PW: 43 degrees
    Mizuno JPX925 Hot Metal Pro
    $150 per iron | Golf Galaxy
    5.0
    GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE
    Hot List Gold
    $150 per iron
    A multi-material clubhead (a first for the JPX line) features a thin chromoly-steel cupface for improved ball speed and tungsten weighting for precise center-of-gravity placement. A smaller, more controllable iron with less offset and a thinner topline than other JPX925 models. The sole features a beveled leading edge, high bounce and trailing-edge grind to make entering and exiting the turf easier. Less weight in the toe helps position the center of gravity—a desirable trait for better players who tend to strike the ball in that location. The topline is also part of the face forging. Along with internal ribs, this helps deliver a pleasing sound. Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps. SPECS: 7-iron: 28 degrees; PW: 42 degrees
    Mizuno Mizuno Pro 245
    $200 per iron | Golf Galaxy
    4.5
    GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE
    Hot List Gold
    $200 per iron
    This hollow-body iron's face and neck are grain-flow forged from 4135 chromoly-steel through the 8-iron. Internal tungsten weighting through the 7-iron is 46.4 grams as opposed to 30 grams in last year’s version. This provides more stability on off-center hits. A new method of laser welding suspends the tungsten in the head, allowing the face to flex more on shots struck low. The copper underlay assists in delivering a smooth feel. For those not comfortable hitting long irons, the company’s Pro Fli-Hi hybrid offers a viable alternative. This model has a more compact blade length and thinner topline than last year’s Mizuno Pro 241. Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps. SPECS: 7-iron: 30 degrees; PW: 43 degrees
    Ping i530
    $205 per iron | Golf Galaxy
    4.5
    GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE
    Hot List Gold
    $205 per iron
    A blade-style, hollow structure and a high-strength maraging-steel face allow for significant bending of the face at impact for extra distance and a higher launch. An arcing sole cascade helps with the flexing to ensure maximum height that delivers enough stopping power (despite the strong lofts) to hold greens. Four grams of EVA polymer improve feel and sound without hindering face flexing. The face and grooves are designed with tighter spacing and a geometry that results in an average of four extra grooves on each iron to improve spin. A “Hydropearl 2.0” chrome finish combines with the grooves to ensure lower launch angles with high spin rates on the short irons for greater control. Top 5 in Performance, middle- and high-handicaps. SPECS: 7-iron: 29 degrees; PW: 42 degrees
    Srixon ZXi5
    $186 per iron | Golf Galaxy
    4.5
    GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE
    Hot List Gold
    $186 per iron
    A condensed forging process allows for a localized hardening of the steel from the high toe and along the topline to optimize durability and feel. The face features a variable-thickness pattern of internal grooves and channels, bolstering ball speed. Use of a heat treatment makes the face softer and provides durability. The 3- through 7-iron have wider grooves to enhance spin across a larger area of the face, and the short irons feature grooves that are deeper and closer together to maximize spin on short-iron impacts. Srixon’s venerable V-sole design uses a combination of sole width, notches and bounce to promote a smooth glide through the grass. Top 5 in Performance, middle-handicaps. SPECS: 7-iron: 31 degrees; PW: 44 degrees
    TaylorMade P·790
    $200 per iron | Golf Galaxy
    5.0
    GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE
    Hot List Gold
    $200 per iron
    The face on the long irons is made of a high-strength forged 4340M Chromoly steel alloy and wraps around the sole in an L-shape to create a more effective trampoline effect. A cut-through slot in the sole enhances flex for shots struck low on the face. Tungsten (30 to 40 grams) is positioned horizontally and low on the long irons to provide a better launch. On the middle irons, a chunkier piece rests vertically closer to the toe to improve stability on off-center strikes. The key to getting the weighting right is how the back wall of each iron uses alternating thick and thin sections, almost like latticework. The short irons (8-iron through gap wedge) eschew tungsten so that the center of gravity progresses higher with each successive loft to prevent shots from ballooning. By injecting the heads with a lightweight urethane foam, the thin face can still flex while unwanted sounds and vibrations are controlled. Top 5 in Performance, low- and middle-handicaps. SPECS: 7-iron: 30 degrees; PW: 44 degrees