| HOT LIST
Hot List: Most forgiving irons
With modern improvements in mass properties and the concept of forgiveness on off-center hits, there’s always a lot of emphasis on what’s happening in the field of drivers. Truly though, we think that developing a forgiveness quotient in irons might have a more practical effect on your scores. If you mis-hit your 7-iron and still carry the lake or a greenside bunker, that might be more meaningful to your score than missing your driver by 15 yards short, left or right. (A recent study showed that next to money won and world ranking, strokes gained: approach was the most important to overall success on the PGA Tour.)
That’s why we think on this year’s Hot List the Performance vector for Forgiveness is a key metric for the irons that resonated the most with our panel of 32 player-testers. Based on their evaluations, we use a five-point scale to rate Forgiveness where “1” is “least forgiving” and “5” is “most forgiving.” “Least” describes significantly penalized mis-hits, well short of the intended target. “Most” implies consistent ball speeds for an array of impact locations across the face.
In addition, our players generally assign higher grades of forgivenes to irons that offer the greatest ease of use. In other words, how consistently is the ball launching and how repeatable are the results on carry and dispersion, overcoming the relative inconsistency of the player. This goes beyond measureable differences of mass properties like center of gravity and moment of inertia (stability on off-center hits). As one of our players put it in describing one of our top irons, “This is the club you want rolling out of the car, straight to the first tee, no range time.”
We have three handicap groups: low, middle and high. While Players irons and Super-Game-Improvement irons are evaluated by subsets of our player panel, all 32 players rate both Players-Distance irons and Game-Improvement irons. We think Forgiveness is especially significant in the Players-Distance and Game-Improvement categories compared to the other two. (In Players, "Forgiveness" isn't a defining characteristic, while in Super-Game-Improvement, high forgiveness is essentially a given, otherwise that iron wouldn't make the list.)
In that light, here are the irons that our players rated on the most forgiving side of the scale under Players-Distance and Game-Improvement. (Note: All irons are listed in their respective sub-categories in alphabetical order.)
PLAYERS-DISTANCE IRONS
Callaway
Apex Ai200
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
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
Mizuno
JPX925 Hot Metal Pro
$150 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
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
Ping
i530
$205 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
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
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
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
Titleist
T200
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
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
GAME-IMPROVEMENT IRONS
Callaway
Apex Ai300
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200 per iron
The Apex Ai300 replaces the Apex DCB and targets golfers who are early in their 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 everyday player impact data in which 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.
Compared to the Apex DCB, the topline is thicker, the sole width wider and the blade length longer.
Top 5 in Performance, all handicaps.
SPECS: 7-iron: 29 degrees, PW: 42 degrees
Callaway
Elyte HL
$143 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$143 per iron
Designed for players with moderate to average swing speeds seeking a higher launch with more carry.
As with the standard Elyte model, a high-strength stainless-steel cupface—in which the sole wraps around part of the sole and topline—provides Formula-1 speed off the face.
The irons feature the RCH S2H2 short hosel that Callaway’s late R&D chief Dick Helmstetter was famous for designing. The shorter hosel saves six grams that were used to lower the center of gravity to achieve higher launch.
The sole design—inspired by tour-player input—is efficient to the point that it can add one mile per hour ball speed, according to Callaway.
The design of the club’s frame enables more use of microspheres to produce the sound of a one-piece iron in a two-piece club.
Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps.
SPECS: 7-iron: 30 degrees, PW: 43 degrees
Cleveland
ZipCore XL
$130 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$130 per iron
This game-improvement set uses two constructions: a hollow body for the 4- through 7-iron and a cavity-back design for the 8-iron through sand wedge.
Golf Digest’s academic panel has seen a lot of interesting technology over the years and isn’t easily impressed. An exception is Cleveland’s ZipCore tech in which a lightweight aluminum silicate compound replaces steel in the hosel to better position the center of gravity.
ZipCore saves nearly 15 grams of weight that is redistributed to reduce ball-speed loss on off-center strikes.
A cool thing about having affiliated companies is that you can borrow their technology. For the face, the ZipCore XL uses Srixon’s face design in the 4- through 7-irons—a system of channels and cavities milled into the backside of the face to maximize flexibility.
The face is not just about creating speed. A proprietary face blast and laser-milled lines create roughness to enhance friction for consistent spin.
SPECS: 7-iron: 29 degrees; PW: 43 degrees
Cobra
DS-Adapt
$143 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$143 per iron
The L-face insert (in which part of the face wraps around the sole) is used on the 4- through 7-irons to boost ball speed. The face has a new leading-edge channel that extends around the face from the sole into the toe area to help with impacts there.
For the first time in a Cobra iron, the interior leading-edge channel has been added to the 8-iron through sand wedge.
Cobra engineers used simulated golf-ball impacts to adjust the face pattern and interior leading edge and toe area thicknesses to deliver faster ball speeds.
Steel weighting is concentrated low and back to lower the center of gravity and to maximize the face’s ability to flex.
The medallion insert and a foam filler improve the feel by damping vibrations.
By using a softer 431 stainless steel for the hosel, custom orders can be bent by plus or minus 4 degrees of loft and plus or minus 1 degree of lie angle.
Top 5 in Performance, middle-handicaps.
SPECS: 7-iron: 27 degrees; PW: 42 degrees
Mizuno
JPX925 Hot Metal
$150 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$150 per iron
The new face on the 4- through 8-irons is 30 percent thinner at its thinnest point or a 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.
A variable-thickness sole promotes face flex, especially on shots struck low where most iron impacts occur.
Lofts on the 7-iron through pitching wedge have been adjusted to provide more consistent gapping and upright lie angles to foster slightly more draw bias.
As more consumers are drawn to set wedges for their gap and, sometimes, sand wedges, the JPX925 Hot Metal offers those options.
Top 5 in Performance, all handicaps.
SPECS: 7-iron: 28 degrees; PW: 42 degrees
Ping
G440
$157 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$157 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 length of the 4-, 5-, and 6-irons were extended three-quarters of an inch to help golfers launch those irons higher.
The four-piece molded ABS badge is more flexible than previous G-series iron badges. It expands and contracts to support the thinner face and enhance feel.
The set wedge features the iconic Eye2 shape. The bounce profile, sole design and hosel contours help those less skilled around the greens. Plus it’s just a pretty cool club.
Top 5 in Performance, middle-handicaps.
SPECS: 7-iron: 29 degrees; PW: 42 degrees
PXG
Black Ops
$150 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$150 per iron
Black Ops is a hollow-body, dual-cavity design with a larger profile intended to instill confidence for the game-improvement audience.
The irons have the same thin face and power channel as the 0311 GEN7 line, but the larger face and thicker topline on the Black Ops are designed for the player seeking help getting the ball airborne as opposed to getting it close to the pin.
The hollow body features the company’s XCOR2 polymer filling and a lightweight insert on the outer cavity to save weight that is repositioned to improve forgiveness.
The large head and sole width are intended to inspire confidence at address for golfers who tend to stab at the ball instead of sweeping it.
Top 5 in Forgiveness, low-handicaps.
SPECS: 7-iron: 28 degrees; PW: 42 degrees
TaylorMade
Qi
$143 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$143 per iron
TaylorMade prioritized reducing the chances of a slice with the Qi. A multi-material cap-back that is lighter than the steel it replaces reduces weight in the high toe, making 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.
It has been a staple of TaylorMade irons for over a decade, but to ignore the heat brought by the “Speed Pocket” slot up to the 7-iron would be journalistic malpractice.
Dampers inserted into the 4- through 9-iron have been designed for each iron, with ribbed structures aligning with the contact area to get the impact feel just right.
The shape features a longer blade length to improve forgiveness, and the redefined leading edge is designed to help deliver a consistent strike for a higher launch.
Top 5 in Sound/Feel, middle-handicaps.
SPECS: 7-iron: 28 degrees; PW: 43 degrees
Titleist
T350
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200 per iron
The T350 is the company’s most aggressive approach to forgiveness and ball speed with its larger size and wider sole.
The high-strength, variable-thickness steel face features the same alloy as the T200 as well as the L-shape that overlaps into the sole for extra rebound at impact.
Healthy chunks of super-dense tungsten in the heel and toe foster sumo-wrestler stability on off-center hits.
The hollow design houses the polymer-core structure (previously on the back of the T300), moving it closer to the face for better performance and feel.
When designing a sole, who better to lean on than Bob Vokey and his wedge team at Titleist. Their work inspired the variable-bounce sole used on these irons.
Top 5 in Performance, all handicaps.
SPECS: 7-iron: 29 degrees; PW: 43 degrees
Tour Edge
Exotics E725
$115 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$115 per iron
The extreme low-rearward center of gravity provides an extremely high moment of inertia, which helps maximize speed on off-center strikes.
A one-piece, high-strength steel body with a 360-degree undercut helps lower the center of gravity for a higher launch.
Tour Edge’s diamond-face variable-thickness design features 103 “diamonds” in the face that serve as mini-trampolines to maximize ball speed.
Reduced thickness in the heel and toe areas of the face helps minimize the loss of ball speed on off-center strikes.
Heel and toe relief are provided by using a heavy sole rail that enhances turf interaction to make entering and exiting the ground easier.
Top 5 in Forgiveness, low-handicaps.
SPECS: 7-iron: 27.5 degrees; PW: 42 degrees