Best Golf Irons: The Definitive Guide

Are you trying to take your golf game to the next level? If so, you may be looking for the best golf irons for 2017.

There’s a few things to consider before making your purchase and I’ll show you what’s most important – you’ll see me top picks for the year too.

Ready?

How To Pick The Perfect Irons 

When you buy a new set of clubs, make sure to think about the following:

• Your own skill level
• What flex is right for you
• Price range

When considering your irons you need to know your skill level. There are 3 different types of irons and they are:

• Player’s Irons: These are for skilled golfers and hit the ball the farthest when struck right
• Game Improvement Irons: These are for intermediate golfers. They’re fairly forgiving – this means shots will still be straight even if they’re not hit squarely.
• Super Game Improvement Irons: This is for high handicap golfers and people new to the game. They are the most forgiving and will prevent bad shots.

Next, you need to think about your swing speed and the flex of the shaft. Flex is how much the shaft bends when swinging; the faster you swing the stiffer, or higher flex, you’ll want.

Lastly, you should know your price range. Irons can get expensive and can easily cost over $1000. If you are a skilled golfer, or want to become more skilled, you’ll need to spend extra. You don’t necessarily need to spend $1000 but you’ll likely spend at least $500 or $600. Entry level golfers can spend less.

There are irons for every type of golfer on this list – advanced, intermediates and beginners. Price ranges vary to fit everyone’s budget too. Let’s take a look at them now.

TaylorMade M2 Irons/Hybrid Set *Top Choice*

Company: TaylorMade

Price: $$$$$

Rating: 5/5

The Taylormade M2’s are perfect for any high performing and skilled golfers – or anyone trying to reach that level. This set comes with both irons and hybrids. This allows you to crush the ball and get the exact shot you want on every hole. The hybrids (4 and 5) have some awesome features including:

• Speed Pocket technology for an enormous sweet spot that extends distance and increases accuracy
• Fluted Hosel improves responsiveness and feel of the clubs
• Low center of gravity helps you get the ball in the air easily

The irons have a lot going for them too. I personally like that they come with:

• Tm Speed Grip that is ultra comfortable to hold
• Inverted Cone Technology adds yards to every shot
• Very forgiving and limits bad shots

These aren’t cheap, however, and will cost around $799. If you’re an entry level golfer or still learning the basics, you won’t need this set of clubs. But if you’ve been playing for a while and want to take your game to the next level, you should strongly consider the M2’s. They’re a perfect balance of performance, durability and feel.

Take A Closer Look At the TaylorMade M2 Iron/Hybrid Set

Cobra King F7 Iron Set

Company: Cobra

Price: $$$$$

Rating: 4.9/5

The Cobra King F7 line of clubs are excellent for seasoned players looking to shave a few strokes this golf season. I personally love the F7 driver and F7 fairway wood too (sold separately). The iron’s have a lot of options in terms of flex and other features; every golfer can get what they want. Beginners can choose a regular flex, older players can choose a senior flex, and advanced golfers can choose a stiff flex. This set also has:

• PWRSHELL Face technology that increases ball speed
• An ultra forgiving and large sweet spot will save you from off center and badly hit shots
• The latest technologies in each iron to give you the best shots possible

The F7’s include a 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 iron as well as pitching wedge and sand wedge. These certainly aren’t the most expensive clubs on the list but they aren’t the cheapest either – they’ll cost around $649. This product is an excellent value and one you’ll be happy to play with.

Take A Closer Look At The Cobra King F7

Cobra King Forged One Iron Set

Company: Cobra

Price: $$$$$

Rating: 5/5

The Cobra King Forged One’s aren’t for beginners – you should know golf and be pretty skilled if you plan on purchasing these. I really like that the Forged One’s are single length because that makes it much easier to swing each club – it really minimizes what you have to think about. Some other nice features include:

• 5 step forging process that improves feel and responsiveness
• Low center of gravity for ultimate forgiveness
• Designed for maximum distance and accuracy on all your shots

This set comes with a 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 iron and pitching wedge. There’s another reason these clubs aren’t for beginners and that’s the price; This equipment will cost around $1,000. Newcomers won’t be able to comprehend paying this much for golf gear. Only experienced golfers recognize the value of having superior irons and would be willing to pay over $1000. If you’re the latter you should definitely think about purchasing.

Take A Closer Look At The Cobra King Forged Ones

Adams Speedline Iron Set

Company: Adams Golf

Price: $$

Rating: 4.6/5

The Adams Speedline is an affordable set of irons and one that best suits beginners, intermediates and anyone not very serious about golf. They aren’t bad clubs, they just won’t give skilled players what they’re looking for in the performance department. Entry level golfers will love the:

• Deep center of gravity that helps get the ball in air easily
• Flexible shaft increases swing speed
• Forgiving face minimizes the effects of bad contact

You can find this set for under $250. If you’re looking to learn this difficult sport without breaking the bank, this is the product for you – I wish I had clubs like this when I first started out.

Take A Look At The Adams Speedline Irons

TaylorMade AeroBurner Iron Set

Company: TaylorMade

Price: $$$$

Rating: 4.8/5

The TaylorMade Aeroburner’s are a reasonably priced set of irons (around $400) that are perfect for intermediate golfers. This set includes all the clubs you need like 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 iron and a pitching wedge – everything is very durable and meant to last too. I like that it comes with:

• Optimized lofts which helps you get the ball in the air easily and adds distance to all shots
• COR face design that increases ball speed and responsiveness
• Very forgiving and will keep shots nice and straight

You can choose from different shaft materials and flexes too. This makes it perfect for people of all ages and swing speeds. If you decide on these clubs I know you’ll love the way they feel and perform.

Take A Closer Look At The TaylorMade Aeroburner

Tour Edge Hot Launch 2 Irons/Hybrid Set

Company: Tour Edge

Price: $$$$

Rating: 4.8/5

If you’re looking for an iron/hybrid set without paying an extremely high price, the Tour Edge Hot launch 2’s may be what you need. This piece of equipment will cost around $499 and is best suited for intermediate players. It has some awesome features, including:

• 4 and 5 hybrids that help you crush your second shot
• 455 Hyper Steel construction that adds power to every swing
• Launch angle is made to improve accuracy

Like many of the products on this list you get a lot of options to suit your game. You can get these for right handed or left handed golfers as well as different flexes (3 to be exact). This makes the Hot Launch 2’s one of the most versatile clubs on the market.

Take A Closer Look At the Tour Edge Hot Launch Iron/Hybrids

Nike Vapor Fly Iron Set

Company: Nike

Price: $$$$$

Rating: 4.8/5

Nike recently announced they’re getting out of the golf game and that’s a real shame – they were the clubs and gear Tiger sported for so long (they make really quality golf shoes too). It’s especially a shame when you consider the quality of their Vapor Fly Iron’s. The flex of this set is stiff so it’s best for skilled golfers with fast swings. Also, it has:

• RZN head construction that adds height to your shots
• Hollow cavity construction to increase forgiveness
• Excellent feel and comfortable grip

The price isn’t terrible either at around $599 – not bad when you consider all you’re getting. You’ll love every club!

Wilson D100 Staff Iron Set

Company: Wilson

Price: $$$

Rating: 4.7/5

Wilson is a very underrated company and I own a ton of their gear in many different sports. Their D100 Staff Iron set is best for entry level golfers and features:

• Technology to increase ball height and spin for more distance
• Ultra forgiveness keeps your shots straight even when badly hit
• Steel shaft for extra power

I really like the grip on these clubs too – it gives you a great feel. The D100’s are one of the cheapest sets on this list at around $229.

Take A Closer Look At The Wilson D100 Staff

Callaway Big Bertha OS Iron Set

Company: Callaway

Price: $$$$$

Rating: 5/5

The Big Bertha line of equipment is extremely high quality and one skilled golfers love to play with. The Big Bertha Iron set is expensive and will cost around $1000. Is it worth it? If you’re just learning the game probably not. But if you really want to take your game to the next level it’s definitely worth considering. That’s because it comes with:

• Unlimited options in terms of flex, shaft materials, and different iron configurations
• Weight design increases forgiveness and helps keep your ball straight
• Progressive CG technology improves play-ability

There’s many good golfers who plateau and stop improving; it kind of takes the fun out of the game when this happens. One of the easiest ways to get out of this rut is purchasing a new set of clubs and if you have the money to do so, you should think about purchasing the Big Bertha Irons.

Take A Closer Look At The Big Bertha Irons

Cleveland Black Iron Set

Company: Cleveland

Price: $$$

Rating: 4.7/5

Cleveland makes one of my favorite putters and their Black Iron Set is geared towards the same type of golfer. The price is definitely fair at $229 and I know you’ll like the:

• Lightweight design that makes swinging very easy
• Lower center of gravity that gives height to your shots
• The high reviews on Amazon

I started playing golf with a really cheap and flimsy set of irons – it made learning the game extremely hard and frustrating. If you want to make the process easy you need decent clubs like the Cleveland Black Iron’s.

Take A Closer Look At The Cleveland Black Iron

Callaway Steelhead XR Iron Set

Company: Callaway

Price: $$$$$

Rating: 4.9/5

The Callaway Steelhead XR’s are another set of irons that are perfect for skilled golfers looking to up their game. Like many of the clubs here you get control over important specifications like steel or graphite shaft and a regular, stiff or senior flex. Some other things I like about the XR’s are the:

• Innovative face cup technology that increases ball speed and produces a trampoline like effect on contact
• Low center of gravity to limit the risk of hitting bad shots
• Designed to maximize swing speed

This product isn’t exactly cheap and will cost around $699. The reviews are great and they will perform out on the course. If you have the cash to spend you should definitely consider.

Take A Closer Look At The Callaway Steelhead XR

Mizuno JPX 900 Iron Set

Company: Mizuno

Price: $$$$$

Rating: 4.9/5

Like Wilson, Mizuno is another underrated company that makes excellent equipment in many sports. Their JPX-900’s are one of the best and most expensive irons on this list  -they’ll cost over $1100. There’s a lot of people that’ll never pay that or just can’t pay that for clubs, which I understand. However, some can and happily will if it improves their game. If that sounds like you, you may like that it comes with a:

• Carbon steel design which gives you a soft and forgiving feel
• PowerFrame improves stability and let’s you smack the ball around the course
• Very comfortable and responsive grip

The JPX-900’s include 3 through 9 irons and a pitching wedge too. If you really want to play with the best of the best this year, consider these clubs.

Take A Closer Look At The Mizuno JPX-900’s

Adams Idea Combo Iron/Hybrid Set

Company: Adams Golf

Price: $$$

Rating: 4.7/5

Here we have another affordable Adams golf set and the Idea Combo includes irons and hybrids – this makes it an excellent value at $259. Although you can purchase these in a stiff flex (perfect for advanced players), I would only buy them if you’re a beginner or an intermediate. Some top features include:

• Very large sweet spot which creates a spring like effect when contact is made
• New technology in hybrids makes them easy to hit
• Lightweight design that increases swing speed

A lot of people love the Idea Combo’s. You’ll have a hard time finding a better set for the price, that’s for sure.

Take A Closer Look At The Adams Idea Combo Iron/Hybrids

Callaway Apex Iron Set

Company: Callaway

Price: $$$$$

Rating: 5/5

The Callaway Apex Iron’s are one of the most expensive items on this list at around $1100. You get what you pay for and in this case you’re paying for an exceptional golf experience. The Apex’s come in different flexes and shaft materials, as well as:

• Carbon steel construction that really softens the feel of these clubs
• 360 technology increases ball speed
• Very durable and responsive

It all really comes down to the price. You can either afford the Apex’s or not. If you can click below to take a closer look at them.

Take A Closer Look At The Callaway Apex

Cobra Fly-Z Iron/Hybrid Set *Top Value*

Company: Cobra

Price: $$$$

Rating: 4.8/5

The Cobra Fly-Z’s are a cost effective iron/hybrid set that’s perfect for all golfers. Included is 2-3 hybrid, 3-4 hybrid, 5 to 9 irons and a pitching wedge. The best part? You can pick these up for around $409. Pretty amazing when you consider all you’re getting, including:

• Back loaded center of gravity to help launch the ball and keep it in air
• MyFly 8 Smartpad so you can pick the perfect loft for every shot
• Speed Channel technology that adds yards and distance to every shot

In my opinion the Fly-Z’s are the best value on the list – they blend cost and performance well. If you decide to buy this golf set I know you’ll be very satisfied.

Take A Closer Look At The Cobra Fly-Z Iron/Hybrids

TaylorMade RSI Iron set

Company: TaylorMade

Price: $$$$

Rating: 4.8/5

You’ve seen a few TaylorMade products so far and the RSI’s are one of the more reasonably priced ones (around $469). They’re another set of irons that can be used by anybody – there’s multiple flex options to choose from to ensure that. Beginners, intermediates and advanced golfers will like that they come with:

• Face slot technology adds yards to every one of your shots
• Thin face and Inverted Cone Technology increase swing and ball speed
• Steel shaft gives extra power

I know a lot of people that swear by these irons and have dramatically improved their games from playing with them. If you struggle with accuracy and distance, you should consider the RSI’s.

Take A Closer Look At The TaylorMade RSI Irons

Adams Blue Iron Set

Company: Adams Golf

Price: $$$

Rating: 4.8/5

Here we have another inexpensive iron set from Adam’s Golf. The Blue’s are excellent for anyone learning this difficult sport and come with some awesome features, like:

• Low center of gravity that creates more spin (this allows for more distance and is key for beginners)
• Velocity Slot Technology increases ball speed
• Large sweet spot eliminates bad shots

This game can be very, very frustrating – especially in the beginning. I’ve been there and done that. If you decide to take on the challenge and growing pains of golf, have a nice pair of clubs, like these, to help you out.

Take A Closer Look At The Adam’s Blue Irons

Callaway Strata Complete Set

Company: Callaway

Price: $$$S

Rating: 4.8/5

Last on the list is a complete golf set from Callaway – it comes with a putter, irons, drivers, hybrids and wedges. If you’re a beginner or intermediate you need to strongly consider this package. You won’t be able to get all that’s included (and the quality) for a cheaper price. It comes with a:

• Lightweight driver with a massive head for good contact every time
• Stainless steel irons that are lightweight
• Very forgiving to help keep your shots straight

The Strata’s are the clubs my dad uses and he loves them. More importantly he plays well with them!

Take A Closer Look At The Callaway Strata Complete Set

Hit The Links With Quality Irons This Year

Golf is a beautiful sport.. when things are going well. When they’re not? That’s a different story. I learned long ago the equipment you play with makes a big difference and you need irons that are going to perform. No matter your skill level, budget or age there’s a set here that will work perfectly for you. I guarantee it!

If you have any questions about what you’ve read, make sure to comment below and I’ll respond as fast as possible. You can let friends and family see by sharing on social media too.

Are you ready to smack the ball around this year?