Price
$157 per iron
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Why We Like It
- 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
what our testers said
handicap
- all
- low
- mid
- high
Jack
35, Handicap 1
2 years testing
A nice blend of distance and height, it feels like both dials are in the right spot. Distance and direction both held strong on off-center hits. There weren't any "squirellies." It can cut through the turf making difficult lies feel easier. If you're an 18 handicap trying to get to low double digits, this will take you there.
BK
41, Handicap 1
9 years testing
To me, these are very loud, even pure shots. Performance wise, it's very high launching and quite forgiving on misses. Super easy to get in the air. At address, it's big so it inspires confidence. The topline is the appropriate size. Not heavy looking.
Sándor J.
36, Handicap 9
2 years testing
A good-looking club that performed well and was easy to hit. It gives you good distance, great ball flight and made a nice transition from ball to grass..
Jason
48, Handicap 0
10+ years testing
It was super easy to hit. They look quite big at address length-wise, but not like a shovel like some other game-improvement irons do. The insert in the face seems to really help the ball get in the air.
Matt
52, Handicap 11
3 years testing
It was easy to get the club on plane and go get the ball. Distance and accuracy were exceptional. I actually gained distance and hit almost everything straight.
SEE ALL (30)
Jack
35, Handicap 1
2 years testing
A nice blend of distance and height, it feels like both dials are in the right spot. Distance and direction both held strong on off-center hits. There weren't any "squirellies." It can cut through the turf making difficult lies feel easier. If you're an 18 handicap trying to get to low double digits, this will take you there.
BK
41, Handicap 1
9 years testing
To me, these are very loud, even pure shots. Performance wise, it's very high launching and quite forgiving on misses. Super easy to get in the air. At address, it's big so it inspires confidence. The topline is the appropriate size. Not heavy looking.
Sándor J.
36, Handicap 9
2 years testing
A good-looking club that performed well and was easy to hit. It gives you good distance, great ball flight and made a nice transition from ball to grass..
Jason
48, Handicap 0
10+ years testing
It was super easy to hit. They look quite big at address length-wise, but not like a shovel like some other game-improvement irons do. The insert in the face seems to really help the ball get in the air.
Matt
52, Handicap 11
3 years testing
It was easy to get the club on plane and go get the ball. Distance and accuracy were exceptional. I actually gained distance and hit almost everything straight.
Ryan
46, Handicap 14
2 years testing
A classic-looking club that produced a medium ball flight. Produces straight shots, but I had a hard time finding the sweet spot.
Thomas
60, Handicap 7
10+ years testing
It's a good club if you like long, straight, forgiving and good turf interaction. It was doing everything exceptionally well. The sweet spot seemed huge.
Paul
63, Handicap 4
10+ years testing
I like how the head and offset helps get the ball up. It launched slightly higher than others, which is helpful.
Alex
40, Handicap 11
6 years testing
The blue theme is not my favorite but the shape of them is nice. They are really forgiving. It feels like you're hitting a trampoline when you hit the face. Fun to hit. You'll like chasing that feeling of the sweet spot, which you get often with these. Long, but not crazy long.
Sean
53, Handicap 6
8 years testing
It was very easy to hit and jumps off the face. You can work these things and the distance is crazy.
John
55, Handicap 11
1 year testing
These had a great sound that made the mis-hits feel like they were striped. Also, it has a really sharp look but nothing overly fancy. I was able to control my natural ball flight and had consistent dispersion with each club.
Scott
37, Handicap 14
9 years testing
It felt so good, even on the harder to hit long irons. You got plenty of carry across the face and it felt buttery soft through impact. Super effortless height, too. I like how it was easy through the turf and you felt the compression at impact.
Robert
28, Handicap 2
1 year testing
There is a noticeably larger clubhead, especially with the shorter irons. Same with the offset. But performance, you can easily feel the ball coming off the face with a nice muted sound. Not a lot of off line shot. One concern: a high spin rate, especially with the longer clubs.
Ricky
46, Handicap +3
10+ years testing
As a low handicapper, I would play this. They allow you to hit all the shots you want to hit but have the forgiveness and distance you want. Consistent distances, too. Pin-high stuff. And you can crank it up.
Skylar
26, Handicap 7
2 years testing
The look was nice—it was angular and clean. And a smooth club—even mis-hits were in the same landing zone. It was pretty forgiving. The weight balance was good. The head is so small, it helped me frame it. The sound was a short whoosh, which I liked.
It's a super easy club to hit. You could hit this club straight all day long.
Wei
55, Handicap 13
9 years testing
I like that the blade length is short. It seems to really set up well to the ball. The brushed-metal look on the topline looks very good. The sound and the feel were soft in a most pleasing way. These were very easy to get up in the air, even in the long irons. There is plenty of forgiveness on your slight mishits and a lot of feedback on what you need to work on. There was modest distance across the entire set.
Molly
37, Handicap 0
4 years testing
I almost feel like these are too forgiving in a way that good swings aren't going where they should. These always draw, which bothers me. The congruency of the look of the clubs throughout the bag is a plus.
RC
63, Handicap 7
2 years testing
The clubhead is a little bigger than I'm used to, but it helps on mis-hits.
Shane
36, Handicap 15
5 years testing
The ease of getting the ball up in the air was noticeable. I got a nice trajectory—driving, but soft and gentle on the way down. The feedback for a good shot was almost like a pat on the back. It was just a smidge above average on distance, but very few off line shots. Super consistent.
Alejandra
26, Handicap 5
4 years testing
The thin profile makes me feel like I can hit the back of the ball and launch it high. It rewarded distance in the short and mid-irons on center strikes. But the long irons are not forgiving enough.
Gary
37, Handicap 13
10+ years testing
The subtle blue look is the right accent, not overdone. Actually, all the tech is subtle, and presented in a comforting way. I felt like this club was ready to go to work and do all the dirty jobs well. Easy to get through the ground. Consistent distance. Penetrating flight but still good height.
Anand
43, Handicap 6
10+ years testing
There's a ton of offset at address and I like seeing a letter or number on the clubface the way they designed it. More people should do it. It's a neat feature. Anyone struggling keeping the ball straight or predominantly missing to the right wants this club. Tons of draw spin, which is why distance was good.
Wayne
60, Handicap 6
2 years testing
I like the fact that it actually has the club number on the tip. Sometimes you have to flip a club over to check what you're using, but not with these. They are really forgiving across the clubface with nice distance. The ball really flew and jumped off the clubface.
Alan
30, Handicap 1
1 year testing
It's challenging to hit for an improvement iron, but you can definitely move it around more than most and the forgiveness is there. It looks like a hybrid between players irons and game-improvement irons. More like a players iron with a hefty insurance policy.
Jin
30, Handicap 13
1 year testing
The iron number on the face—why would I want to look at that while I'm hitting? It does perform as well as I would like, however. Penetrating, yet high flight.
Peter
57, Handicap 7
10+ years testing
First of all, it's sexy looking. With slight offset, it just really makes me feel like I can't miss without the heads being too big. If you're off-center, the dispersion is still pretty good. But you will get feedback. The sound is different based on how close to the center you are. If you hit it anywhere near the center, it's a monster. The ball flies!
Daniel
33, Handicap 12
5 years testing
I like the subtle cavity back, the sharp lines and the blue trim. Looks techy and classy together. It produced a penetrating ball flight, maybe lower than you'd expect but effective nonetheless. There was kind of a subtle pop at impact and sneaky distance.
Jamie
51, Handicap 5
2 years testing
A good hit gives a loud, rewarding sound while providing soft feel. The forgiveness is above average on off-center hits—out toward the toe it seemed to influence the ball to draw back to the intended line.
Ryan
49, Handicap 10
7 years testing
It looks more purposeful than plain. I appreciated the splash of color and the smart use of lines and angles. It made a really crispy sound and had efficient feel at impact. It's easy to use and equally proficient at producing high and lower ball flights.
David
66, Handicap 8
1 year testing
A nice all-around club that looks, feels and performs like a players iron. You get a lot more out of these in terms of sweet-spot size and distance.
Ryan
46, Handicap 14
2 years testing
A classic-looking club that produced a medium ball flight. Produces straight shots, but I had a hard time finding the sweet spot.
Scott
37, Handicap 14
9 years testing
It felt so good, even on the harder to hit long irons. You got plenty of carry across the face and it felt buttery soft through impact. Super effortless height, too. I like how it was easy through the turf and you felt the compression at impact.
Wei
55, Handicap 13
9 years testing
I like that the blade length is short. It seems to really set up well to the ball. The brushed-metal look on the topline looks very good. The sound and the feel were soft in a most pleasing way. These were very easy to get up in the air, even in the long irons. There is plenty of forgiveness on your slight mishits and a lot of feedback on what you need to work on. There was modest distance across the entire set.
Shane
36, Handicap 15
5 years testing
The ease of getting the ball up in the air was noticeable. I got a nice trajectory—driving, but soft and gentle on the way down. The feedback for a good shot was almost like a pat on the back. It was just a smidge above average on distance, but very few off line shots. Super consistent.
Gary
37, Handicap 13
10+ years testing
The subtle blue look is the right accent, not overdone. Actually, all the tech is subtle, and presented in a comforting way. I felt like this club was ready to go to work and do all the dirty jobs well. Easy to get through the ground. Consistent distance. Penetrating flight but still good height.
Jin
30, Handicap 13
1 year testing
The iron number on the face—why would I want to look at that while I'm hitting? It does perform as well as I would like, however. Penetrating, yet high flight.
Daniel
33, Handicap 12
5 years testing
I like the subtle cavity back, the sharp lines and the blue trim. Looks techy and classy together. It produced a penetrating ball flight, maybe lower than you'd expect but effective nonetheless. There was kind of a subtle pop at impact and sneaky distance.
Sándor J.
36, Handicap 9
2 years testing
A good-looking club that performed well and was easy to hit. It gives you good distance, great ball flight and made a nice transition from ball to grass..
Matt
52, Handicap 11
3 years testing
It was easy to get the club on plane and go get the ball. Distance and accuracy were exceptional. I actually gained distance and hit almost everything straight.
Thomas
60, Handicap 7
10+ years testing
It's a good club if you like long, straight, forgiving and good turf interaction. It was doing everything exceptionally well. The sweet spot seemed huge.
Alex
40, Handicap 11
6 years testing
The blue theme is not my favorite but the shape of them is nice. They are really forgiving. It feels like you're hitting a trampoline when you hit the face. Fun to hit. You'll like chasing that feeling of the sweet spot, which you get often with these. Long, but not crazy long.
Sean
53, Handicap 6
8 years testing
It was very easy to hit and jumps off the face. You can work these things and the distance is crazy.
John
55, Handicap 11
1 year testing
These had a great sound that made the mis-hits feel like they were striped. Also, it has a really sharp look but nothing overly fancy. I was able to control my natural ball flight and had consistent dispersion with each club.
Skylar
26, Handicap 7
2 years testing
The look was nice—it was angular and clean. And a smooth club—even mis-hits were in the same landing zone. It was pretty forgiving. The weight balance was good. The head is so small, it helped me frame it. The sound was a short whoosh, which I liked.
It's a super easy club to hit. You could hit this club straight all day long.
RC
63, Handicap 7
2 years testing
The clubhead is a little bigger than I'm used to, but it helps on mis-hits.
Anand
43, Handicap 6
10+ years testing
There's a ton of offset at address and I like seeing a letter or number on the clubface the way they designed it. More people should do it. It's a neat feature. Anyone struggling keeping the ball straight or predominantly missing to the right wants this club. Tons of draw spin, which is why distance was good.
Wayne
60, Handicap 6
2 years testing
I like the fact that it actually has the club number on the tip. Sometimes you have to flip a club over to check what you're using, but not with these. They are really forgiving across the clubface with nice distance. The ball really flew and jumped off the clubface.
Peter
57, Handicap 7
10+ years testing
First of all, it's sexy looking. With slight offset, it just really makes me feel like I can't miss without the heads being too big. If you're off-center, the dispersion is still pretty good. But you will get feedback. The sound is different based on how close to the center you are. If you hit it anywhere near the center, it's a monster. The ball flies!
Ryan
49, Handicap 10
7 years testing
It looks more purposeful than plain. I appreciated the splash of color and the smart use of lines and angles. It made a really crispy sound and had efficient feel at impact. It's easy to use and equally proficient at producing high and lower ball flights.
David
66, Handicap 8
1 year testing
A nice all-around club that looks, feels and performs like a players iron. You get a lot more out of these in terms of sweet-spot size and distance.
Jack
35, Handicap 1
2 years testing
A nice blend of distance and height, it feels like both dials are in the right spot. Distance and direction both held strong on off-center hits. There weren't any "squirellies." It can cut through the turf making difficult lies feel easier. If you're an 18 handicap trying to get to low double digits, this will take you there.
BK
41, Handicap 1
9 years testing
To me, these are very loud, even pure shots. Performance wise, it's very high launching and quite forgiving on misses. Super easy to get in the air. At address, it's big so it inspires confidence. The topline is the appropriate size. Not heavy looking.
Jason
48, Handicap 0
10+ years testing
It was super easy to hit. They look quite big at address length-wise, but not like a shovel like some other game-improvement irons do. The insert in the face seems to really help the ball get in the air.
Paul
63, Handicap 4
10+ years testing
I like how the head and offset helps get the ball up. It launched slightly higher than others, which is helpful.
Robert
28, Handicap 2
1 year testing
There is a noticeably larger clubhead, especially with the shorter irons. Same with the offset. But performance, you can easily feel the ball coming off the face with a nice muted sound. Not a lot of off line shot. One concern: a high spin rate, especially with the longer clubs.
Ricky
46, Handicap +3
10+ years testing
As a low handicapper, I would play this. They allow you to hit all the shots you want to hit but have the forgiveness and distance you want. Consistent distances, too. Pin-high stuff. And you can crank it up.
Molly
37, Handicap 0
4 years testing
I almost feel like these are too forgiving in a way that good swings aren't going where they should. These always draw, which bothers me. The congruency of the look of the clubs throughout the bag is a plus.
Alejandra
26, Handicap 5
4 years testing
The thin profile makes me feel like I can hit the back of the ball and launch it high. It rewarded distance in the short and mid-irons on center strikes. But the long irons are not forgiving enough.
Alan
30, Handicap 1
1 year testing
It's challenging to hit for an improvement iron, but you can definitely move it around more than most and the forgiveness is there. It looks like a hybrid between players irons and game-improvement irons. More like a players iron with a hefty insurance policy.
Jamie
51, Handicap 5
2 years testing
A good hit gives a loud, rewarding sound while providing soft feel. The forgiveness is above average on off-center hits—out toward the toe it seemed to influence the ball to draw back to the intended line.
NO REVIEWS
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Range Results
We tracked 27,000 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.
Surviving The Hot List: Celebrity Intern
Featured In
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1 / 16
Callaway
Apex Ai300
$200 per iron
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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.
2 / 16
Callaway
Elyte
$150 per iron
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Hot List Gold
$150 per iron
The hollow-body construction features a variable-thickness cupface designed with the help of AI analysis of thousands of golfer swings.
The special high-strength stainless steel is thinner than traditional stainless steels, resulting in a fast-flexing face.
Select areas of the clubhead have been stiffened, primarily the topline, to allow the cupface to transfer energy to the ball more efficiently.
3 / 16
Callaway
Elyte HL
$143 per iron
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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.
4 / 16
Cobra
DS-Adapt
$143 per iron
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$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.
5 / 16
Cobra
King Tec-X
$186 per iron
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6 / 16
Mizuno
JPX925 Hot Metal
$150 per iron
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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.
7 / 16
PXG
0311 XP GEN7
$230 per iron
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GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$230 per iron
Compared to the P model, the XP targets middle- to high-handicaps who don’t mind looking at a little heftier clubhead with more aggressive offset and stronger lofts in exchange for extra distance and forgiveness.
At its thinnest, the maraging-steel face is just .05 of an inch thick, helping the face to flex. An internal channel in the back delivers even more spring and potential distance.
An internal polymer supports the face and delivers a pleasing sound and feel.
8 / 16
Srixon
ZXi4
$186 per iron
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$186 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 a given 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 to provide ball speed while saving mass.
9 / 16
TaylorMade
Qi
$143 per iron
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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.
10 / 16
Titleist
T350
$200 per iron
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Golf Galaxy
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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.
11 / 16
Cleveland
ZipCore XL
$130 per iron
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GD SCORE
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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.
12 / 16
Honma
TW767 HX
$210 per iron
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GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$210 per iron
This hollow iron disguises itself as a large muscle-back with plenty of speed thanks to a thin maraging-steel face.
Honma positioned the 5.5-gram weight screw on the back of the clubhead to improve sound and feel.
Weight screws and 16 grams of internal tungsten mass help minimize spin and the loss of carry distance on common misses golfers make with their 5- through 9-irons.
13 / 16
PXG
Black Ops
$150 per iron
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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.
14 / 16
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.
15 / 16
Vice
VGI02
$100 per iron
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Hot List Silver
$100 per iron
The VGI02 features lighter head weights than most irons. Vice believes lighter heads are easier for everyday players to control and swing faster for more ball speed.
Vice also says that data from years of fitting reveals that a lighter club is easier to square at impact, reducing the likelihood of a slice.
The irons are two-piece with a springlike steel for the face to increase ball speed.
16 / 16
Wilson
Dynapower
$128 per iron
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Hot List Silver
$128 per iron
The most common miss by amateur players is on the toe. To combat that in the Dynapower 4- through 8-irons, Wilson uses a two-piece construction in which the face is welded on around the topline and the upper part of the toe area. This provides a larger area of the face that is unsupported, which leads to more ball speed.
The face is made from 17-4 stainless steel, like the body of the iron, but is created from a forged/stamped process. This manufacturing approach allows for a stronger and thinner face and maintains high strength and durability.
The iron also has changing thicknesses on 27 points on the face, ranging from 2 millimeters to 2.5 millimeters for zippy ball speeds.