(Image credit: Howard Boylan)
TaylorMade Stealth Iron
A stunning game-improvement iron that offers unparalleled accuracy
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Reasons to buy
+ Incredibly accurate Noticeably longer than outgoing SIM2 Max Lively but pleasant sound and feel
Reasons to avoid
- Considerably low spin limits stopping power
The Stealth iron become the single game-improvement iron option in 2022, which simplifies the range nicely for golfers that want even more distance and forgiveness than what is on offer in the P790 model.
While the enclosed cavity concept continues, the Cap Back design has evolved to where the mid section of the toe has been completely removed to lower the CG of the iron, assisting with both ball speed and launch.
TaylorMade has made across-the-board improvements in Stealth as its game-improvement offering for 2022 over the SIM2 irons. Golfers should notice the extra forgiveness at play while being drawn in by the premium, elegant look on the shelf. The low spin might be a concern but should be able to be managed via a custom fitting. We love the accuracy and distance this club provides, which should help mid and high handicappers find more greens.
- Read our full TaylorMade Stealth iron review
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Ping G425 Irons
A powerful and forgiving iron suited to a broad handicap range
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Reasons to buy
+ Classy, neutral styling Arccos sensors embedded into the grip
Reasons to avoid
- Not as long as others in this guide
Ping irons that don the ‘G’ moniker are known for being a forgiving distance iron that is well built and stylish. We think the Ping G425 offers an altogether more premium look than the G410 model. The overall size of the blade is slightly smaller than the G410 too, creating a slightly more compact look at address, but the shape has pretty much stayed the same.
Off the face, the G425 feels fast, making a nice loud sound without being too clicky. It is very stable off the face too, with toe and heel strikes maintaining a strong line through the air. The strong descent angle through most of the set also means it’s nice and easy to control these irons when approaching greens.
Arccos sensors are now embedded in the grips throughout the G425 family and the premium shot tracking technology is another way these irons can directly improve your game. By resisting changing the lofts for even more distance, Ping has evolved the G425 into a forgiving, controllable and classy looking iron suited to a wide-range of golfers.
- Read our full Ping G425 Irons review
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Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Iron
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Reasons to buy
+ Appealing looks all round A fast but controlled feel Excellent stopping power More forgiving through the turf
Reasons to avoid
- Limited gains over prior model
A playable and forgiving iron that delivers excellent distance on long shots, the JPX923 Hot Metal Iron that is perfect iron for any mid-handicapper looking to add more yards to their game. And coming in at $157.50 (£135) per club, you'll be getting a bargain for the performance on offer here.Having recently taken these clubs for a spin ourselves, we were very impressed with the feel these clubs offer. They don't have that explosive metal-wood feel you'd often get from game improvement irons (opens in new tab) but what they do have is a dense, forged-like feel that is great for anyone looking to progress their game to a more powerful set of clubs.
Aesthetically, they look very similar to the JPX923, but deliver a sleek look thanks to their 4335 Nickel Chromoly, which is a stronger material that allows a thinner face. Plus, we also enjoyed the interaction with the turf that these irons provided, with there being more resistance compared to the JPX923. The changes in the sole make it noticeably more user friendly, with the iron cutting much shallower divots helping you cleanly hit through each shot.
- Read our full Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Iron Review (opens in new tab)
(Image credit: Howard Boylan)
Callaway Rogue ST Max OS Iron
Exceptionally stable with ample offset to correct a slice
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Reasons to buy
+ Powerful distance Offers gentle draw bias
Reasons to avoid
- Not especially refined visually
The Rogue ST Max OS irons are slightly larger than the Rogue ST Max iron and offers higher launch, wider soles and enhanced offset in a very forgiving design for mid-to-high handicap golfers. They also come in a Lite version for seniors and lady golfers with a graphite shaft to help maximize swing speed, making them one of the best Callaway irons this year.
The lofts aren’t quite as strong as on the Rogue ST Max, which is an unusual quirk within the Rogue ST iron range but if you are looking for a blend of high levels of distance and forgiveness in a confidence-inspiring package, then the Rogue ST Max OS iron is well worth trying this year.
- Read our full Callaway Rogue ST Max OS iron review
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Titleist 2021 T300 Irons
Explosive and consistent, exactly what an inconsistent golfer looks for
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Reasons to buy
+ Hot feel and high ball speeds Classic look
Reasons to avoid
- Slow swingers may not see benefit of distance and carry gains
The Titleist T300 iron is a game improvement club that offers a good combination of forgiveness and feel. Max impact technology remains and has been improved aesthetically because Titleist has taken the extra tungsten weighting and hidden it. This technology allows the face to be thinner, thereby improving launch, speed and feel.
The gentle offset means this player will appeal to a wide spectrum players seeking forgiveness and distance but from an iron that isn’t obviously geared towards higher handicappers. In testing we found it produced a noticeable jump in distance compared to the Titleist T200 and the dispersion was excellent too. Additionally they are very easy to hit.
This is a great option for improving players seeking a little more distance and consistency – A distance machine with a classic look, and one of the best game improvement irons out there just now.
- Read our full Titleist T300 Irons review
(Image credit: Howard Boylan)
Cobra King LTDx Iron
A distance-orientated, smart iron for the high handicapper
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Reasons to buy
+ Long and consistently so Very user friendly for golfers that utilise a lot of the face area
Reasons to avoid
- Flat ball flight and low spin limits stopping power
The design of the LTDx looks similarly complex. In fact, it has a floating steel bar completely separate from the body and face suspended in a lightweight polymer to get the centre of gravity right behind the preferred striking area. This is said to encourage the face to flex more while also aiding the feel and sound.
Down at address, you’ll notice the cut out section from the topline we saw in Radspeed has gone, which will please the traditionalists. It certainly looks inviting to hit although the rear of the sole is visible in the playing position from 7-iron and down, which we’d rather not see. This is likely a product of the fact the lofts have got even stronger here - the 7-iron is 26.5°.
For golfers that want to hit longer, straighter iron shots, the LTDx from Cobra delivers. The number on the bottom of irons has never meant so little, with lofts here getting even stronger to produce a penetrating flight, which could limit playability for those golfers that struggle to launch the ball. Comes with Arccos Smart Sensors and is available in One Length.
- Read our full Cobra King LTDx iron review
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PXG 0211 DC Irons
An excellent value offering given the distance and forged-like feel
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Reasons to buy
+ Forged like soft feel Consistent distances
Reasons to avoid
- Flat ball flight limits stopping power
This iron is built around the DualCor (DC) system that comprises two types os polymer inside the hollow head. The inner core polymer provides energy return while the outer core high COR polymer provides increased structural stability to support the thin steel face.
The standard 7-iron loft is 28°, so clearly this is a distance-orientated iron but through custom it can be built two degrees stronger or weaker. Our testing told us that this is a cast game improvement iron that sounds and somewhat feels like a forged club. The ball flat is quite low but the spin is high, which creates a balance of distance, a strong trajectory and stopping power that golfers of all abilities look for but especially the higher handicapper.
- Read our full PXG 0211 DC iron review
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Cleveland Launcher XL Irons
Easy-to-hit irons for inconsistent golfers on a budget
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Reasons to buy
+ Easy to launch Explosive feel off the face
Reasons to avoid
- Counterbalanced feel won't be for everyone
The Launcher XL Irons is said to be an ideal iron set for players seeking forgiveness and accuracy in one complete iron set. They feature hollow body long irons for distance and forgiveness, while cavity back short irons focus on precision when attacking the pin.
MainFrame technology faces are optimized with Artificial Intelligence to guarantee shots all over the face maintain distance and precision, while Action Mass CB, with a counterbalance weight in the grip end, helps players get on the correct swing plane while increasing head speed for distance. They also deliver a 15 per cent increase in MOI over the previous generation, providing more forgiveness and more shots that find their desired target.
To improve turf interaction, a V-Shaped Sole helps all players maintain speed and power through the ground for a cleaner strike, while loft specific grooves help pull the best performance out of every club.
- Read our full Cleveland Launcher XL iron review
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Srixon ZX4 Irons
The most user-friendly iron in the Srixon family
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Reasons to buy
+ Confidence-inspiring looks Consistently long carries
Reasons to avoid
- Not as hot off the face as others
The ZX4 is Srixon's iron built for distance, whereas the ZX5 and ZX7 models are for more control and feel. In terms of how it provides more distance, MainFrame technology is a variable thickness pattern milled into the backside of each face, and it helps increase ball speed. More distance is the logical result of that.
The irons also help in terms of strike too with the Tour V.T. Sole which assists the iron in moving through turf rather than dig down into it. In testing we really felt the irons helped save poor strikes and offered more consistency as a result.
Of course there is also a fully hollow construction too which helps players hit shots further regardless of where they hit it across the face.
- Read our full Srixon ZX4 Iron review
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Wilson Staff D9 Irons
Excellent value for money given the explosive performance
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Reasons to buy
+ Supreme distance with good ball flight Aesthetically appealing and competitively priced
Reasons to avoid
- Not as workable as other Wilson irons
The Wilson Staff D9 irons offer a clean, classic look with top distance performance in a competitively priced package. There have been some significant improvements made to the D9 and the most noticeable is the reduction of the Power Holes from three layers to two on the longer irons. This has produced a cleaner look from the sole and produces the most efficient design in terms of the length they provide.
While the sole is visible on this iron up to the 7-iron, this isn’t too off putting and it ultimately offers good forgiveness through the turf. The D9 also has an incredibly lightweight feel, ideal for those with a moderate to slow swing speed as it is easy to swing this club fast. This lightweight aspect contributes to a high launch, which we found surprising considering the strong loft on the 7-iron.
The D in D9 stands for distance and this club certainly delivers on that front too. When we tested the 7-iron we were finding it carried consistently over the 190 yard mark which was a considerable distance more than the other game-improvement, distance irons launched this year. Competitively priced and clearly the longest club on the market in 2021, the D9 is as close to the perfect game improvement iron as you can find.
- Read our full Wilson Staff D9 Irons review
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Honma T//World GS Irons
Legendary craftsmanship with modern day performance
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Reasons to buy
+ Powerful feel with soft sound Great forgiveness on low face impacts
Reasons to avoid
- Premium price
The Honma T//World GS irons are all about gaining speed across the face to create more distance with less effort. They certainly provide that and with decent forgiveness too, they are an ideal iron for the golfer looking for as much help as possible in improving their game.
Both the men's and women's irons feature L-Cup structured faced which enlarge the sweet spot area. Furthermore, the variable ribs on the inside of the clubface reduce weight, improve ball speed and maintain spin control. Overall, we like the blend of power and forgiveness with a soft sound in a relatively compact package.
- Read our full Honma T//World GS iron review
How we test for the best game improvement irons
All golf irons, and golf gear, goes through a thorough and comprehensive testing process at Golf Monthly. Before testing, the Golf Monthly team will usually attend product launches and meet with the manufacturer’s R&D experts to understand the new technology. Usually, when it comes to hitting the clubs, we use an indoor simulator at Foresight Sports so we can hit in a controlled environment using premium balls and a launch monitor.
We then look to test the clubs outside and this usually takes place at West Hill (opens in new tab) because of the awesome practice facilities available. When it comes to actual reviews, we should say that no company can buy a good review because our testers tell it how they see it.
How to choose the best game improvement irons
This is the first question you need to ask yourself when looking for the best game improvement irons. Importantly there are some important variables to consider within that too.
What level are you?
Game improvement irons tend to have larger heads, more offset and are designed to help players who struggle with strike and distance.
They tend to have large cavities and different pieces of technology to help in this regard. As such if you are a player who values greater feel and workability then we recommend looking elsewhere - at the best golf blade irons (opens in new tab) or best compact mid-handicap irons (opens in new tab) for example. Whereas if you think you need as much help as possible then the game improvement category is for you.
Feel/sound
This is a subjective factor but how a club feels in your hands is important. Do you want it to feel really powerful off the face, or retain some level of workability and control? Additionally how do you like your irons to sound at impact? Clicky or more muted? The best way of finding out what you like and what suits your game is testing them out for yourself or getting a thorough custom-fitting, both of which we would always recommend.
Looks
How do you want your irons to look? As we are sure you agree, many of the models above look very different from one another not only in the bag but at address and on the rack. Therefore this factor is all about finding a model you like the look of, and has a look that gives you confidence.
Price
This is also an important factor to consider. Most of the models above come in at different price points so there will be a model for everyone. Before finally pulling the trigger on your purchase, be aware of how much you can or want to spend, and adjust accordingly.
FAQs
What is the best game improvement iron?
This is a subjective question - if you go for a fitting for any of the irons we've featured in this guide then you're sure to unlock extra performance over what is currently in your bag. But if pushed to pick our favourites based on the testing we've done so far, our top four game improvement irons would be the Titleist T300, TaylorMade Stealth, Mizuno JPX921 Hot Metal Pro and Ping G425.
What handicap are game improvement irons for?
Usually game improvement irons are traditionally suited to players with mid-to-high handicaps although some professionals have occasionally put game improvement irons in the bag at the longer-iron end of the bag. They tend to suit players who need help with distance and forgiveness, and as such they are not best suited for players who want more feel and workability.
They are also designed to give players confidence which explains why they tend to have larger heads compared to the best golf blade irons, or the best compact mid-handicap irons.
What are considered game improvement irons?
Game improvement irons are a type of iron built around helping golfers hit the ball further, higher and straighter. As such they are one of the most forgiving iron categories in golf because they traditionally suit players who need help with those factors. They are called game improvement because they are aimed at golfers who are early into their golfing journey and are looking to improve quickly through technology as well as technique.
Do game improvement irons go further?
Typically yes, game improvement irons do go further than other types of iron because they have been designed to do so through stronger lofts and larger more powerful heads that transfer more energy back into the ball at impact for more speed. There are also many technologies built into the head to help players launch the ball higher and keep it flying straighter, regardless of where on the club face it strikes it.
We hope you enjoyed this guide on the best game improvement irons and for more iron buying advice check out the Golf Monthly website or guides like the