Price
$100 per iron
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Why We Like It
- 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.
- Increased bounce on the sole helps prevents digging.
- The lighter face allows for the addition of weight into the toe of the club, providing more mass—and therefore more help—on shots hit in that area.
- SPECS: 7-iron: 29 degrees; PW: 44 degrees
what our testers said
handicap
- all
- low
- mid
- high
Jack
35, Handicap 1
2 years testing
I like the design on the back. It's like when you see an architectural drawing of a golf course. It looks like a classy iron from the top, looking down. It doesn't stand out in a bad way. A pure shot was very good with these.
Ryan
49, Handicap 10
7 years testing
The first word that comes to mind is "whimsical." Each iron is accented with a different bright color and they would be eye-catching on the shelf. That includes the etchings. They appear to be topographically renderings of a golf course. Performance-wise, there was a deft ability to work through the turf. Really high-launching-and-soft-landing flights with plenty of distance.
BK
41, Handicap 1
9 years testing
I almost wish it looked slightly more forgiving, but this is the type of club you can play for a long period of your golf career. It feels softer off the face, the ball melts into it. This would satisfy a broader spectrum of golfers. With that said, a high-handicapper might need a little adjustment period to get use to them.
Jamie
51, Handicap 5
2 years testing
It moves through the turf easily despite a lighter weight. But that lightness helps generate speed and power easily. I was able to vary the trajectory at will. A little longer than some, but the feel was a little on the hollow side.
Sean
53, Handicap 6
8 years testing
The distance I got from them was really good.
SEE ALL (28)
Jack
35, Handicap 1
2 years testing
I like the design on the back. It's like when you see an architectural drawing of a golf course. It looks like a classy iron from the top, looking down. It doesn't stand out in a bad way. A pure shot was very good with these.
Ryan
49, Handicap 10
7 years testing
The first word that comes to mind is "whimsical." Each iron is accented with a different bright color and they would be eye-catching on the shelf. That includes the etchings. They appear to be topographically renderings of a golf course. Performance-wise, there was a deft ability to work through the turf. Really high-launching-and-soft-landing flights with plenty of distance.
BK
41, Handicap 1
9 years testing
I almost wish it looked slightly more forgiving, but this is the type of club you can play for a long period of your golf career. It feels softer off the face, the ball melts into it. This would satisfy a broader spectrum of golfers. With that said, a high-handicapper might need a little adjustment period to get use to them.
Jamie
51, Handicap 5
2 years testing
It moves through the turf easily despite a lighter weight. But that lightness helps generate speed and power easily. I was able to vary the trajectory at will. A little longer than some, but the feel was a little on the hollow side.
Sean
53, Handicap 6
8 years testing
The distance I got from them was really good.
Anand
43, Handicap 6
10+ years testing
I'm all for change and adding a little spice to clubs in terms of looks. Each club having a different color, I kinda like it. It's bold. It's out there. The look translates to performance, as well. I could not miss. It was long, it was straight, it was high, it was beautiful. Forgiving, too. I hit a 7-iron intentionally bad to see if I'd lose distance and direction and only lost a little distance.
RC
63, Handicap 7
2 years testing
It was really responsive. I got strong distance and they are really nice to look at. Surprising club. I was able to do repeat my shot pattern. Very forgiving.
Jason
48, Handicap 0
10+ years testing
They're very knifey-looking for game-improvement irons. Some might like that. I also like how each iron has different colors. It's a little different.
Sándor J.
36, Handicap 9
2 years testing
Buy them, simply buy them. Impressive golf club—look like blades, perform like game improvement. Shots went straight the whole time. If somebody is struggling to get the ball in the air or if you've lost some distance, don't think twice, there is no other club I'd recommend.
Gary
37, Handicap 13
10+ years testing
The color schemes and etchings on the badge are fun and cool. It's a different statement that fits the brand but doesn't get in the way of function. These did several things really well. The trajectory window through the set is medium to medium-high with little dispersion.
Megan
39, Handicap 0
1 year testing
The colorful shafts and clubheads are great for people who like bright colors. It gives you happy feelings. The ball seemed to come off the face springy.
David
66, Handicap 8
1 year testing
Unique look with the colors and everything. I really love the wedge. It produced some nice, soft landing shots. These felt very good.
Skylar
26, Handicap 7
2 years testing
Definitely for a younger demographic. Looking down, I couldn't get away from the neon-green shaft. Not my preference. That said, the weight distribution in the clubhead is OK and makes it forgiving. That said, it's not as easy to work shots because of it.
Molly
37, Handicap 0
4 years testing
Who sprinkled fairy dust on these? The colors stand out, but it's a really simple, clean look and the offset isn't distracting at all. It doesn't overspin the ball and there is distance and almost autocorrection in direction. Very forgiving in the turf, the bounce of the club feels automatic.
Ricky
46, Handicap +3
10+ years testing
Overall, a really good club. However, it's a smaller head, which doesn't leave as much room for mis-hits. The ball flight was a middle, piercing trajectory and the ball trampolined off the face. Mis-hits felts OK—not jarring, but just a flick to remind you that you didn't hit the center.
Jin
30, Handicap 13
1 year testing
Impact is a deep, whipping sound, which is satisfying. In terms of accuracy, it produced a tight left-right dispersion. Mis-hits hold their line.
Matt
52, Handicap 11
3 years testing
This is a sports car in a category of station wagons. Looks and feels like a players club. More compact and traditional feel than I'd expect in this category. It has a soft, responsive feel. Directional control was great, but it's just average in distance.
Shane
36, Handicap 15
5 years testing
It was a very spring-loaded feel. Almost like a Jack-in-the-box. Where's all that power coming from? Not the longest, but upper echelon. Power, consistency, forgiveness all in one bundle.
Wei
55, Handicap 13
9 years testing
I find the hint of offset to be comforting. Seeing that puts my mind at ease that I'll be able to turn it over. That translates into actual performance. The sound and feel are crisp and the launch has above-average height with little effort. You would think that the short irons would be the easiest to hit and things would get progressively harder, but in this case, the long irons were effortless.
Paul
63, Handicap 4
10+ years testing
It performed well. It's balanced and nicely weighted. It got through the grass easily. Height was perfect. It was high but you never lost any distance. The feel was impressive, too. Soft all over the face. That's not easy to create.
Daniel
33, Handicap 12
5 years testing
Draws came naturally with this club. They are easy to turn over.
Alex
40, Handicap 11
6 years testing
Nice compact clubhead. Not crazy about the color scheme. It's just not for me. The short and mid-irons are fantastic. You get a parabolic flight.
Wayne
60, Handicap 6
2 years testing
Some people might not like that thicker topline even if it inspired confidence for me.
The design and contours makes it a little more design-focused. Artistic. Not distracting but obviously more elaborate than many others. Overall, it performed well for me.
Robert
28, Handicap 2
1 year testing
Looks similar to a better-player's iron in shape. It moves very well through the turf and you get a pleasant-sounding thud when you hit the ball. In the air, I could work it either way and mis-hits flew a good distance and not too far off line.
Ryan
46, Handicap 14
2 years testing
I don't love the different colors on the back of each club, but a little extra flair never hurt anybody. You can get through the turf with ease, and it's firm and solid off the face. Just really fun to hit.
John
55, Handicap 11
1 year testing
A really nice surprise. The look is interesting and it produces a great ball flight that pierces through the air. The comfort is there with these irons. I was able to control these even when I missed the sweet spot.
Scott
37, Handicap 14
9 years testing
The milling is a cool, subtle touch and the thick topline makes it feel powerful. I couldn't miss. Everything was dead straight. There was a perfect little click of a sound. Smooth through the ball, smooth through the turf—they nailed it. They put a smile on your face after each shot.
Matt
27, Handicap 5
1 year testing
If you like the look of a players iron, this would appeal to you—but it has technology to help, too. And I don't hate the color schemes and designs—you can't see any of it over the ball. You can feel the compression of the ball. There's no resistance from the club. The sound is that pure, flushed, exciting. Exactly how I wanted it to perform. Even steep, chunky shots pierced through the air with minimal loss of distance.
Gary
37, Handicap 13
10+ years testing
The color schemes and etchings on the badge are fun and cool. It's a different statement that fits the brand but doesn't get in the way of function. These did several things really well. The trajectory window through the set is medium to medium-high with little dispersion.
Jin
30, Handicap 13
1 year testing
Impact is a deep, whipping sound, which is satisfying. In terms of accuracy, it produced a tight left-right dispersion. Mis-hits hold their line.
Shane
36, Handicap 15
5 years testing
It was a very spring-loaded feel. Almost like a Jack-in-the-box. Where's all that power coming from? Not the longest, but upper echelon. Power, consistency, forgiveness all in one bundle.
Wei
55, Handicap 13
9 years testing
I find the hint of offset to be comforting. Seeing that puts my mind at ease that I'll be able to turn it over. That translates into actual performance. The sound and feel are crisp and the launch has above-average height with little effort. You would think that the short irons would be the easiest to hit and things would get progressively harder, but in this case, the long irons were effortless.
Daniel
33, Handicap 12
5 years testing
Draws came naturally with this club. They are easy to turn over.
Ryan
46, Handicap 14
2 years testing
I don't love the different colors on the back of each club, but a little extra flair never hurt anybody. You can get through the turf with ease, and it's firm and solid off the face. Just really fun to hit.
Scott
37, Handicap 14
9 years testing
The milling is a cool, subtle touch and the thick topline makes it feel powerful. I couldn't miss. Everything was dead straight. There was a perfect little click of a sound. Smooth through the ball, smooth through the turf—they nailed it. They put a smile on your face after each shot.
Ryan
49, Handicap 10
7 years testing
The first word that comes to mind is "whimsical." Each iron is accented with a different bright color and they would be eye-catching on the shelf. That includes the etchings. They appear to be topographically renderings of a golf course. Performance-wise, there was a deft ability to work through the turf. Really high-launching-and-soft-landing flights with plenty of distance.
Sean
53, Handicap 6
8 years testing
The distance I got from them was really good.
Anand
43, Handicap 6
10+ years testing
I'm all for change and adding a little spice to clubs in terms of looks. Each club having a different color, I kinda like it. It's bold. It's out there. The look translates to performance, as well. I could not miss. It was long, it was straight, it was high, it was beautiful. Forgiving, too. I hit a 7-iron intentionally bad to see if I'd lose distance and direction and only lost a little distance.
RC
63, Handicap 7
2 years testing
It was really responsive. I got strong distance and they are really nice to look at. Surprising club. I was able to do repeat my shot pattern. Very forgiving.
Sándor J.
36, Handicap 9
2 years testing
Buy them, simply buy them. Impressive golf club—look like blades, perform like game improvement. Shots went straight the whole time. If somebody is struggling to get the ball in the air or if you've lost some distance, don't think twice, there is no other club I'd recommend.
David
66, Handicap 8
1 year testing
Unique look with the colors and everything. I really love the wedge. It produced some nice, soft landing shots. These felt very good.
Skylar
26, Handicap 7
2 years testing
Definitely for a younger demographic. Looking down, I couldn't get away from the neon-green shaft. Not my preference. That said, the weight distribution in the clubhead is OK and makes it forgiving. That said, it's not as easy to work shots because of it.
Matt
52, Handicap 11
3 years testing
This is a sports car in a category of station wagons. Looks and feels like a players club. More compact and traditional feel than I'd expect in this category. It has a soft, responsive feel. Directional control was great, but it's just average in distance.
Alex
40, Handicap 11
6 years testing
Nice compact clubhead. Not crazy about the color scheme. It's just not for me. The short and mid-irons are fantastic. You get a parabolic flight.
Wayne
60, Handicap 6
2 years testing
Some people might not like that thicker topline even if it inspired confidence for me.
The design and contours makes it a little more design-focused. Artistic. Not distracting but obviously more elaborate than many others. Overall, it performed well for me.
John
55, Handicap 11
1 year testing
A really nice surprise. The look is interesting and it produces a great ball flight that pierces through the air. The comfort is there with these irons. I was able to control these even when I missed the sweet spot.
Jack
35, Handicap 1
2 years testing
I like the design on the back. It's like when you see an architectural drawing of a golf course. It looks like a classy iron from the top, looking down. It doesn't stand out in a bad way. A pure shot was very good with these.
BK
41, Handicap 1
9 years testing
I almost wish it looked slightly more forgiving, but this is the type of club you can play for a long period of your golf career. It feels softer off the face, the ball melts into it. This would satisfy a broader spectrum of golfers. With that said, a high-handicapper might need a little adjustment period to get use to them.
Jamie
51, Handicap 5
2 years testing
It moves through the turf easily despite a lighter weight. But that lightness helps generate speed and power easily. I was able to vary the trajectory at will. A little longer than some, but the feel was a little on the hollow side.
Jason
48, Handicap 0
10+ years testing
They're very knifey-looking for game-improvement irons. Some might like that. I also like how each iron has different colors. It's a little different.
Megan
39, Handicap 0
1 year testing
The colorful shafts and clubheads are great for people who like bright colors. It gives you happy feelings. The ball seemed to come off the face springy.
Molly
37, Handicap 0
4 years testing
Who sprinkled fairy dust on these? The colors stand out, but it's a really simple, clean look and the offset isn't distracting at all. It doesn't overspin the ball and there is distance and almost autocorrection in direction. Very forgiving in the turf, the bounce of the club feels automatic.
Ricky
46, Handicap +3
10+ years testing
Overall, a really good club. However, it's a smaller head, which doesn't leave as much room for mis-hits. The ball flight was a middle, piercing trajectory and the ball trampolined off the face. Mis-hits felts OK—not jarring, but just a flick to remind you that you didn't hit the center.
Paul
63, Handicap 4
10+ years testing
It performed well. It's balanced and nicely weighted. It got through the grass easily. Height was perfect. It was high but you never lost any distance. The feel was impressive, too. Soft all over the face. That's not easy to create.
Robert
28, Handicap 2
1 year testing
Looks similar to a better-player's iron in shape. It moves very well through the turf and you get a pleasant-sounding thud when you hit the ball. In the air, I could work it either way and mis-hits flew a good distance and not too far off line.
Matt
27, Handicap 5
1 year testing
If you like the look of a players iron, this would appeal to you—but it has technology to help, too. And I don't hate the color schemes and designs—you can't see any of it over the ball. You can feel the compression of the ball. There's no resistance from the club. The sound is that pure, flushed, exciting. Exactly how I wanted it to perform. Even steep, chunky shots pierced through the air with minimal loss of distance.
NO REVIEWS
There are no tester reviews here.
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
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Callaway
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$200 per iron
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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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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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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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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
Ping
G440
$157 per iron
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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.
8 / 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.
9 / 16
Srixon
ZXi4
$186 per iron
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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.
10 / 16
TaylorMade
Qi
$143 per iron
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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.
11 / 16
Titleist
T350
$200 per iron
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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.
12 / 16
Cleveland
ZipCore XL
$130 per iron
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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.
13 / 16
Honma
TW767 HX
$210 per iron
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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.
14 / 16
PXG
Black Ops
$150 per iron
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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.
15 / 16
Tour Edge
Exotics E725
$115 per iron
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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.
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.