Price
$225 per iron
Honma TW777 PCB Max
Price
$225 per iron
1 / 3
2 / 3
matt martian photography
3 / 3
Why We Like It
- An L-face that wraps around the sole on the 5-through 8-irons is made from a high-strength steel to maximize ball speed. A less-springy steel in used for the scoring clubs to emphasize control.
- A variable-thickness structure behind the impact area ramps up the speed on shots struck in that area.
- The body is forged from soft S25C steel to maintain a pleasing sound and feel throughout the set.
- The set starts at the 5-iron, an appeal to many middle-handicappers.
- The lightweight shaft is an excellent option for those with slower swing speeds.
- SPECS: 7-iron: 28 degrees; PW: 41 degrees
what our testers said
handicap
- all
- low
- mid
- high
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List panelists observed a club that inspires confidence at address with a clean, modern look—matte topline, wide/rounded sole and forgiving turf interaction—producing tight dispersion, mid-to-mid-high trajectories and easy shot-shaping on flush strikes. Center hits felt hot and energetic with good ball speed; several testers praised its face forgiveness and prompt launch. One clear downside: the sweet spot is small and can be hard to find.
Summaries generated from tester comments with the assistance of AI.
COMMENT SUMMARY
Summaries generated from tester comments with the assistance of AI.
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List panelists observed a clean, modern iron with a thin, matte-topped profile that frames well at address and feels fast through the ball. It produced tight dispersion, a consistent mid-to-high trajectory, and plenty of shot-shaping ability; many praised its surprising forgiveness and solid pop on flushes. One caveat: distance can be inconsistent.
Summaries generated from tester comments with the assistance of AI.
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List panelists observed a confidence-inspiring, quick, rounded sole with excellent turf interaction and standout forgiveness. The wide, clean-looking sole invited aggressive swings; center strikes felt smooth, hot and launched well, often producing higher-than-expected height and a crisp, energetic ball-face response. Distance wasn’t always maximized but trajectory was usable and easy to get airborne. One noted the sweet spot can be hard to find—mis-hits are loud and can cause big sidespin.
Summaries generated from tester comments with the assistance of AI.
Andrew
40, Handicap 8
1 year testing
Really clean, modern, powerful look. The distance is below average. Can't move the ball as easy as I hoped.
Sean
54, Handicap 6
9 years testing
It played really well once I got adjusted to the face. It looks closed down, especially in the pitching wedge. But after I made the necessary adjustments, the ball speeds and the distances were great.
Gary
38, Handicap 13
10+ years testing
When you hit it in the sweet spot, impact was more subdued and quiet. Good shots were rewarded, but otherwise it didn't offer enough help for my needs. It didn't correct my weaknesses. Not the highest launch and trajectory with the longer clubs.
Wayne
61, Handicap 7
3 years testing
It has a little bit heavier head than some others, but that does give you the feeling that maybe you can slide it through the turf better. A little bit louder at impact, but solid with some pop. Forgiving across the face.
Anand
43, Handicap 6
10+ years testing
Too inconsistent for me. It delivers a not-so-high, piercing ball flight on good shots, and good distance. The ball jumps off the face. But I hit a few bad shots where the ball barely went anywhere. So if I had to carry a hazard somewhere on the course, I'm going to be scared that I'm going to dump it in the water.
SEE ALL (24)
Andrew
40, Handicap 8
1 year testing
Really clean, modern, powerful look. The distance is below average. Can't move the ball as easy as I hoped.
Sean
54, Handicap 6
9 years testing
It played really well once I got adjusted to the face. It looks closed down, especially in the pitching wedge. But after I made the necessary adjustments, the ball speeds and the distances were great.
Gary
38, Handicap 13
10+ years testing
When you hit it in the sweet spot, impact was more subdued and quiet. Good shots were rewarded, but otherwise it didn't offer enough help for my needs. It didn't correct my weaknesses. Not the highest launch and trajectory with the longer clubs.
Wayne
61, Handicap 7
3 years testing
It has a little bit heavier head than some others, but that does give you the feeling that maybe you can slide it through the turf better. A little bit louder at impact, but solid with some pop. Forgiving across the face.
Anand
43, Handicap 6
10+ years testing
Too inconsistent for me. It delivers a not-so-high, piercing ball flight on good shots, and good distance. The ball jumps off the face. But I hit a few bad shots where the ball barely went anywhere. So if I had to carry a hazard somewhere on the course, I'm going to be scared that I'm going to dump it in the water.
Aaron
45, Handicap 16
1 year testing
This was a very stiff-feeling iron. I found the sweet spot to be a little hard to find and the trajectory to be lower than normal, too. Mis-hits were very loud and definitely noticeable.
Alejandra
27, Handicap 6
5 years testing
Without feeling heavy, it felt very stiff. Aerodynamically, it just doesn't work well throughout the swing. Decent height without being the highest, but inconsistent distance.
Paul
64, Handicap 6
10+ years testing
I loved the aesthetics of the club itself. It had a little thinner topline, and I didn't really see a whole lot of perimeter weighting. It set up beautifully behind the ball. It was fast, too.
Shane
37, Handicap 12
6 years testing
I had a tendency to catch a lot of shots on the toe or low on the face, which caused the ball to take a real aggressive right-hand turn. It dug like a mole, too, and was hit and miss in terms of distance.
Peter
58, Handicap 8
10+ years testing
Very large profile, especially the depth of the face. It's pretty big. But while you think you're going to get a lot of help, it's pretty harsh on the hands unless you hit it directly in the center of the face. When you flush it, the distance is good, just not as much as you'd expect with such a large hitting surface.
Timothy
46, Handicap 17
1 year testing
Forgiveness is the standout feature here. I got more height than I expected, and the ball reached its apex quickly. It was easy to hit in the air every time.
Chris
60, Handicap 8
1 year testing
It's a good-looking club that performs adequately in terms of forgiveness, but if you're looking to gain distance, it's probably not for you. The ball just doesn't feel hot coming off the face, like some other irons.
Matt
53, Handicap 11
4 years testing
Unpleasant, clanky sound on impact. Performance was just average. My ball flight was too low to hold most greens, and the consistency just wasn't there.
Daniel
34, Handicap 11
6 years testing
Thin, very aggressive profile. Not very forgiving. You can really feel the lack of substance off the face on mis-hits. The sweet spot felt very targeted, very small.
Thomas
61, Handicap 7
10+ years testing
I just loved the forgiveness of this club. I wasn't seeing a whole bunch of technology behind it at address to get excited, but they were off-the-charts forgiving. I mean, I didn't hit a single bad shot with them. There was not a spot on the face I hit that didn't result in a good shot.
Todd
62, Handicap 13
1 year testing
I found myself eager to hit this club. It has a really wide sole that looks super clean and inviting. When I delivered a solid strike on the ball, it rocketed off the face. I hit a few three-quarter wedge shots that sailed past the target because the ball-face interaction was so energetic.
Wei
55, Handicap 14
10+ years testing
I really like the quickness and roundness of the sole. It inspires a lot of confidence, which is not misplaced. Very forgiving turf interaction.
Skylar
27, Handicap 7
3 years testing
It has a very small sweet spot, and no matter where you hit it on the face, it's super-firm feeling. Nothing is soft or mushy. In terms of forgiveness, it was much better directionally than it was with distance.
Ryan
47, Handicap 12
3 years testing
I like the overall look of this club. It has a long, tall face, which I don't love but could get used to. Even with the big face, I found it hard to find the center. When I did, the ball didn't appear to have much energy. It didn't launch very high and just kind of fell out of the sky.
Matt
28, Handicap 7
2 years testing
The firmness is very obvious when hitting the ball. No matter where you hit it on the face, it stings your hands, which is not fun. On a windy day, I would never be able to hit these.
Jamie
52, Handicap 7
3 years testing
Great ball flight. It was a mid-high trajectory every time, and I was able to move it left and right with very few adjustments at setup.
Scott
38, Handicap 16
10+ years testing
I wasn't getting maximum distance with these, but center strikes felt really smooth through the ball, and the face felt hot. Launch was right where you wanted it to be.
Jin
30, Handicap 10
2 years testing
I found the dispersion to be pretty tight on these. Even on mis-hits, the ball would fly maybe five yards less than normal, and just a few yards off-line. The matte finish extends halfway up the topline, which makes it appear a little thinner at address.
Ryan
50, Handicap 10
8 years testing
Very inconsistent across the board in terms of both distance and forgiveness. I couldn't hang my hat on one or the other. On direct hits, sometimes it went far, sometimes it didn't. Sometimes it stayed on line on mis-hits, and sometimes it didn't.
Gary
38, Handicap 13
10+ years testing
When you hit it in the sweet spot, impact was more subdued and quiet. Good shots were rewarded, but otherwise it didn't offer enough help for my needs. It didn't correct my weaknesses. Not the highest launch and trajectory with the longer clubs.
Aaron
45, Handicap 16
1 year testing
This was a very stiff-feeling iron. I found the sweet spot to be a little hard to find and the trajectory to be lower than normal, too. Mis-hits were very loud and definitely noticeable.
Shane
37, Handicap 12
6 years testing
I had a tendency to catch a lot of shots on the toe or low on the face, which caused the ball to take a real aggressive right-hand turn. It dug like a mole, too, and was hit and miss in terms of distance.
Timothy
46, Handicap 17
1 year testing
Forgiveness is the standout feature here. I got more height than I expected, and the ball reached its apex quickly. It was easy to hit in the air every time.
Matt
53, Handicap 11
4 years testing
Unpleasant, clanky sound on impact. Performance was just average. My ball flight was too low to hold most greens, and the consistency just wasn't there.
Daniel
34, Handicap 11
6 years testing
Thin, very aggressive profile. Not very forgiving. You can really feel the lack of substance off the face on mis-hits. The sweet spot felt very targeted, very small.
Todd
62, Handicap 13
1 year testing
I found myself eager to hit this club. It has a really wide sole that looks super clean and inviting. When I delivered a solid strike on the ball, it rocketed off the face. I hit a few three-quarter wedge shots that sailed past the target because the ball-face interaction was so energetic.
Wei
55, Handicap 14
10+ years testing
I really like the quickness and roundness of the sole. It inspires a lot of confidence, which is not misplaced. Very forgiving turf interaction.
Ryan
47, Handicap 12
3 years testing
I like the overall look of this club. It has a long, tall face, which I don't love but could get used to. Even with the big face, I found it hard to find the center. When I did, the ball didn't appear to have much energy. It didn't launch very high and just kind of fell out of the sky.
Scott
38, Handicap 16
10+ years testing
I wasn't getting maximum distance with these, but center strikes felt really smooth through the ball, and the face felt hot. Launch was right where you wanted it to be.
Jin
30, Handicap 10
2 years testing
I found the dispersion to be pretty tight on these. Even on mis-hits, the ball would fly maybe five yards less than normal, and just a few yards off-line. The matte finish extends halfway up the topline, which makes it appear a little thinner at address.
Ryan
50, Handicap 10
8 years testing
Very inconsistent across the board in terms of both distance and forgiveness. I couldn't hang my hat on one or the other. On direct hits, sometimes it went far, sometimes it didn't. Sometimes it stayed on line on mis-hits, and sometimes it didn't.
Andrew
40, Handicap 8
1 year testing
Really clean, modern, powerful look. The distance is below average. Can't move the ball as easy as I hoped.
Sean
54, Handicap 6
9 years testing
It played really well once I got adjusted to the face. It looks closed down, especially in the pitching wedge. But after I made the necessary adjustments, the ball speeds and the distances were great.
Wayne
61, Handicap 7
3 years testing
It has a little bit heavier head than some others, but that does give you the feeling that maybe you can slide it through the turf better. A little bit louder at impact, but solid with some pop. Forgiving across the face.
Anand
43, Handicap 6
10+ years testing
Too inconsistent for me. It delivers a not-so-high, piercing ball flight on good shots, and good distance. The ball jumps off the face. But I hit a few bad shots where the ball barely went anywhere. So if I had to carry a hazard somewhere on the course, I'm going to be scared that I'm going to dump it in the water.
Alejandra
27, Handicap 6
5 years testing
Without feeling heavy, it felt very stiff. Aerodynamically, it just doesn't work well throughout the swing. Decent height without being the highest, but inconsistent distance.
Paul
64, Handicap 6
10+ years testing
I loved the aesthetics of the club itself. It had a little thinner topline, and I didn't really see a whole lot of perimeter weighting. It set up beautifully behind the ball. It was fast, too.
Peter
58, Handicap 8
10+ years testing
Very large profile, especially the depth of the face. It's pretty big. But while you think you're going to get a lot of help, it's pretty harsh on the hands unless you hit it directly in the center of the face. When you flush it, the distance is good, just not as much as you'd expect with such a large hitting surface.
Chris
60, Handicap 8
1 year testing
It's a good-looking club that performs adequately in terms of forgiveness, but if you're looking to gain distance, it's probably not for you. The ball just doesn't feel hot coming off the face, like some other irons.
Thomas
61, Handicap 7
10+ years testing
I just loved the forgiveness of this club. I wasn't seeing a whole bunch of technology behind it at address to get excited, but they were off-the-charts forgiving. I mean, I didn't hit a single bad shot with them. There was not a spot on the face I hit that didn't result in a good shot.
Skylar
27, Handicap 7
3 years testing
It has a very small sweet spot, and no matter where you hit it on the face, it's super-firm feeling. Nothing is soft or mushy. In terms of forgiveness, it was much better directionally than it was with distance.
Matt
28, Handicap 7
2 years testing
The firmness is very obvious when hitting the ball. No matter where you hit it on the face, it stings your hands, which is not fun. On a windy day, I would never be able to hit these.
Jamie
52, Handicap 7
3 years testing
Great ball flight. It was a mid-high trajectory every time, and I was able to move it left and right with very few adjustments at setup.
NO REVIEWS
There are no tester reviews here.
Range Results
We tracked 20,000 shots through player testing and then had them analyzed by our team of scientists. These graphics reflect the relative performance our players saw for each club in the category.
A Skeptic’s Guide To New Golf Equipment
Related Clubs
1 / 15
Callaway
Apex Ai300
$207 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$207 per iron
The Apex Ai300 replaces the Apex DCB and targets golfers who are early in their golf journey or are looking to step up from the super-game-improvement category.
The forged 455-steel face was designed with the help of AI analysis of average-golfer impact data. The topology behind the face is different for each iron—thinner and thicker in areas where it needs to be to create maximum consistency.
The tungsten core has urethane with “microspheres”—tiny air bubbles encased in glass—that lowers the center of gravity to help with launch despite slightly strong lofts.
2 / 15
Callaway
Apex Ti Fusion 250
$358 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$358 per iron
Ti Fusion uses multiple materials and manufacturing techniques to place game-improvement consistency in player-preferred shapes.
The 250 targets a wider handicap range with a longer blade length, a thicker topline and a wider sole. The head shape is made for middle-handicappers who struggle with impact consistency and need ball speed retention on mis-hits.
A thin titanium face is brazed to a forged steel body. Combined with the internal urethane microspheres, this construction allows the iron to be fast with a solid feel.
3 / 15
Callaway
Quantum Max
$164 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$164 per iron
A new 360-degree undercut construction creates more deflection thanks to a deeper cupface that extends farther toward the trailing edge of the sole.
A weight bar pushes the center of gravity low and forward without inhibiting flex on the sole flange to maximize speed on shots hit low on the face.
The tri-sole’s leading-edge chamfer is higher off the ground to improve ball speed and launch. It does this by accommodating the typical hands-forward iron address position, reducing leading-edge dig and raising the likely impact location on the face.
4 / 15
Cobra
3DP X
$330 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$330 per iron
By leveraging its 3-D printing capabilities, Cobra has created an iron with game-improvement shape and forgiveness with a forged-iron feel.
Like other Cobra 3-D printed irons, an internal lattice is used to save weight. In this instance, 115 grams of tungsten weighting is repositioned low in the perimeter to increase launch and stability.
The lattice also maintains the rigidity and stiffness required for consistent sound and feel.
5 / 15
Cobra
King
$143 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$143 per iron
The speed in these irons comes from a utility-iron-like design in the 4- through 7-irons. These clubs feature an internal 80-gram free-floating steel catapult weight that drives the center of gravity low to assist launch.
Cobra analyzed thousands of simulated golf-ball impacts to determine the best face-thickness pattern for maximizing speed, launch and spin.
The high-strength-stainless-steel face insert is 2.3 millimeters in the center, providing the kind of fire off the face middle-handicappers desire.
6 / 15
Cobra
King Tec-X
$186 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$186 per iron
7 / 15
Mizuno
JPX925 Hot Metal
$165 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$165 per iron
The face on the 4- through 8-irons is a very slim 1.2 millimeters on the low heel and high toe for faster ball speeds.
The cupface—in which part of the face wraps around the topline and sole—enhances ball speed throughout the hitting area.
Tungsten weighting is positioned low in the 4- through 7-irons to mitigate the loss of ball speed on off-center strikes and to help golfers launch the ball higher.
8 / 15
Ping
G440
$170 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$170 per iron
The face is shallower and thinner compared to the G430 for increased ball speed and a more player-preferred look at address.
The size reduction saves four grams per iron that is placed lower and farther back in the head to drop the center of gravity and assist launch.
The shaft lengths of the 4-, 5-, and 6-irons were extended three-quarters of an inch to help golfers launch those irons higher.
9 / 15
PXG
0311 XP GEN8
$230 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$230 per iron
Designed for middle and high-handicappers, the XP is PXG’s longest and most forgiving iron. It features a larger head, wider sole, stronger lofts and maximum offset to provide a comforting visual at address.
An internal polymer enhances the sound and feel, and the ultra-thin maraging-steel face maximizes launch and ball speed.
Split perimeter tungsten weights on the back of each iron increase forgiveness and stabilize off-center strikes.
10 / 15
Srixon
ZXi4
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200 per iron
The hollow body was designed with the help of AI, a process that produces way more potential clubhead iterations than humans are capable of in each timeframe.
Unlike the company’s ZXi5 and ZXi7 irons, the body of the ZXi4 is not forged. Instead, the cast multi-piece iron uses a forged high-strength steel face insert (HT1770) supported by a cast 17-4 stainless-steel body and hosel that is heat treated to allow for bending.
The backside of each iron face is milled in a variable-thickness pattern comprising indentations that provide ball speed and save mass.
11 / 15
Srixon
ZXiR
$157 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$157 per iron
The ZXiR has a wider sole, larger face and is more forgiving than the ZXi4.
The head is made from a proprietary steel alloy called i-alloy that is 10 percent softer and less dense than 431 stainless steel. This results in a better feeling club from a cast construction.
Although the guts of the company’s variable-thickness face remain intact, a new simulation-driven design reduced face mass by 4.5 grams while preserving durability and ball speed.
12 / 15
TaylorMade
Qi Max
$157 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$157 per iron
The multi-material cap-back is lighter than the steel it replaces to reduce weight in the high toe. This makes the club easier to square at impact.
The center of gravity is lower in the long irons for easier launch and higher in the short irons for optimal control, launch and spin.
A rounder sole geometry promotes improved turf interaction, higher impacts closer to the center of the face, and better launch conditions across varied lie angles.
13 / 15
Titleist
T350
$215 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$215 per iron
Compared to the rest of the T-Series models, the T350 has the largest clubhead, the fastest face, and the deepest center of gravity, making it ideal for the player looking for all-out distance and stability.
The steel L-face features variable-thickness patterns to fuel high-launch performance on low strikes and faster ball speeds across the face.
Split high-density tungsten optimizes the center of gravity and boosts launch, stability and consistency throughout the set.
14 / 15
Tour Edge
Exotics Max
$115 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$115 per iron
The 360-degreee undercut cavity helps lower the center of gravity to boost launch while helping the face flex.
The company’s “pyramid face technology” has more than 100 pyramid shapes with a trio of 3-D thicknesses to increase ball speed, particularly on off-center strikes.
The face design also saves weight that is repositioned lower and back to deepen the center of gravity for a higher launch.
15 / 15
Wilson
Dynapower
$143 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$143 per iron
The most common miss by amateur players is on the toe. To combat that in the 4- through 8-irons, Wilson uses a two-piece construction in which the face is welded to the topline and upper part of the toe. This provides a larger area of the face that is unsupported, leading to more ball speed.
The 17-4-stainless-steel face is created from a forged/stamped process. This allows for a stronger and thinner face and maintains high strength and durability.
The iron also features changing thicknesses on 27 points across the face, ranging from 2 millimeters to 2.5 millimeters, to maximize ball speeds.