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120
Hours Researched
9,199
Shots Hit
17
Products Considered
36.1 million
Readers
OUR JOB IS YOUR GAME
Are you playing the right irons for your game?
Unfortunately, for most of us, the answer is “no.” The right irons for every golfer combine precision, distance, and forgiveness – all while maintaining a pleasant appearance at address.
So, how do you choose? If you don’t hit the center of the clubface nearly every time, chances are you need some help from your clubs. That’s where game improvement irons come in. These are designed to offer more forgiveness across the clubface, and even give you a little bit of the extra distance you’ve always wanted (or used to have).
This year we levered our Testing Facility in Yorktown, VA and put 17 of the top game-improvement models to the test. With over 9,000 shots hit, this is the most comprehensive and independent iron test in the world. Â
If you’re in the market for irons in 2018, this test is for you.
DEFINING THE GAME IMPROVEMENTÂ CATEGORY
What characteristics define a game-improvement iron?
These types of clubs typically have a larger profile, some depth inside the cavity, and stronger-than-traditional lofts throughout the set.
While these aren’t your most workable clubs, what they will offer is some forgiveness for those inevitable off-center strikes, and that little bit of extra distance you might need to get it to that back pin placement.
The handicap level for these types of irons varies from scratch golfers, all the way into the high-teens. Game-improvement irons know no limits when it comes to the skill level of golfers gaming them. Some tour pros will often replace long irons with these easier-to-hit clubs.
REFINED ANALYTICS
Each year we strive to bring you the most accurate data possible to help you make the right purchasing decisions. As with years in the past, we’ve worked to improve our analytics, tightening our outlier detection system and tweaking our calculations. We’re still utilizing strokes gained, but have added another piece to the puzzle – statistical significance.
All testing was conducted inside our fully independent test facility located in Virginia. All testers used Bridgestone Tour B-RX golf balls for consistency and to reduce test variables. All ball data was collected using the world’s most trusted launch monitor, Foresight Sports GCQuad. All head data was captured using the Foresight’s HMT.
- SHOTS HIT: 9,199
- DATA POINTS: 662,328
- TIME:Â 120 hours
- TESTERS: 20
- HANDICAP RANGE:Â +2 – 15
- AGE RANGE: 25 – 83
- DRIVER SWING SPEED RANGE:Â 80 mph – 120 mph
- IRONS TESTED:Â Three irons, a short, middle, and long iron from each set
Data. Aggregated. Normalized. Delivered.
RESULTS AND RANKINGS
For all MyGolfSpy Most Wanted Testing, we yield to only one boss – the launch monitor. There is no panel of judges, no round-table discussions and certainly no voting. As with all Most Wanted tests, we collected the standard set of launch monitor metrics (ball speed, launch angle, spin rates, distance, offline, etc.).
Our Most Wanted winner is the club that finished in the statistically significant top group (based on Strokes Gained) for the highest percentage of our testers. To simplify things a bit, we call the final order TRUERank; a metric that includes the order of finish (rank), along with the percentage of golfers for whom each club was shown to be in the top group.
For more information, view our How We Test page.
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2018 Best Game Improvement Irons
Srixon Z585
Most Wanted Game Improvement Iron
|
Short Iron Rank
|
1st |
|
Mid Iron Rank
|
4th |
|
Long Iron Rank
|
2nd |
|
TRUERank
|
1st (67%) |
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Callaway Rogue
|
Short Iron Rank
|
2nd |
|
Mid Iron Rank
|
7th |
|
Long Iron Rank
|
6th |
|
TRUERank
|
2nd (58%) |
Shop & Support
When you shop online consider using our special link. It helps support this site and other golfers around the world. #ConsumerFirst
TaylorMade M4
|
Short Iron Rank
|
4th |
|
Mid Iron Rank
|
1st |
|
Long Iron Rank
|
7th |
|
TRUERank
|
3rd (57%) |
Shop & Support
When you shop online consider using our special link. It helps support this site and other golfers around the world. #ConsumerFirst
2018 Most Wanted Players Distance Iron Data
2018 Most Wanted Game Improvement Rankings
| Club Name | Long Iron Rank | Mid Iron Rank | Short Iron Rank | TRUERank | % in Top Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Srixon Z585 | 2nd | 4th | 1st | 1st | 67% |
| Callaway Rogue | 6th | 7th | 2nd | 2nd | 58% |
| TaylorMade M4 | 7th | 1st | 4th | 3rd | 57% |
| Cleveland Launcher CBX | 4th | 2nd | 11th | 4th | 53% |
| TaylorMade M3 | 4th | 11th | 4th | 4th | 53% |
| Fourteen TC 544 | 2nd | 2nd | 16th | 6th | 52% |
| Wilson Staff C300 | 15th | 4th | 4th | 7th | 50% |
| Mizuno JPX 919 Hot Metal | 1st | 16th | 11th | 7th | 50% |
| PING G400 | 15th | 11th | 3rd | 9th | 48% |
| Callaway EPIC | 7th | 4th | 11th | 9th | 48% |
| Cobra KING F8 ONE | 7th | 7th | 7th | 9th | 48% |
| PING G700 | 7th | 7th | 7th | 9th | 48% |
| Cobra KING F8 | 13th | 11th | 7th | 13th | 45% |
| Titleist 718 AP1 | 13th | 11th | 11th | 14th | 43% |
| Ben Hogan EDGE | 7th | 16th | 7th | 14th | 43% |
| Tommy Armour TA1 | 15th | 15th | 11th | 16th | 40% |
| VEGA Mizar | 7th | 7th | 17th | 17th | 37% |
Below you’ll find the data from our 2018 Most Wanted Players Distance Test. Note that you can use the Iron Model filter to limit the display to specific models. Also note that, by default, we show the comparative metrics for long irons. To see middle and short irons, use the Iron Type drop-down located on the top right of the charts.
Dan
2 weeks agoIs the Mid Iron a 7i?
James Strachan
2 weeks agoI play off high single figures and have ditched my Ping i200’s for a combo set of Srixon 545’s, 745’s and 945’s. Simply brilliant irons. So forgiving in the longer irons and the short irons are as smooth as butter. The 65’s and now the 85’s are barely any different from the original winning formula so if you don’t wish to lay out too much why not look for a well kept set of the 45’s – they should be a s cheap as chips and play just as well as the latest incarnation?
Dave S
2 weeks agoYep. Bought a new set of 545s right after the 565s came out and only paid about $400. They are amazing.
scott
2 weeks agoI’d like a new set of clubs but what it would cost me to buy a set I could play 40 rounds of golf so I’ll regrip my old one and play them for another year.
Is a newer set really going to lower my scores or just look better in my bag.
Sam Robinson
2 weeks agoDepends on what you’ve got in your bag currently. New technology has its advantages when it comes to distance, forgiveness, etc. If you’re playing clubs that aren’t suited for your game, or your swing for that matter, you could be leaking performance.
We would suggest going to your local fitter to have your set checked out to see if it matches up with your game.
Gerry T
2 weeks agoI have been playing the Cobra Bio Cell irons, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything! I have both the stiff graphite and steel irons and look forward to playing them for a long time! I picked them up at our golf course as demos and am going with tried and true. If you like Srixon and are willing to hand out the denaro for them, have at it! I made my game improvement upgrade…Adams Golf to Cobra Bio Cell. I am good right now.
Dave S
2 weeks agoOr….. you could just buy the Srixon 545s (or even the 565s now) and pay pennies on the dollar for a brand new set of top-performing irons.
Gerald Teigrob
1 week agoI could upgrade but I might need to give up our first born. I already upgraded to these irons from Adams Redlines and A7s so this is a significant upgrade for me…and I got them from the golf course I work at as demos. So not thinking I would want to upgrade anytime soon!
stevegp
2 weeks agoI enjoyed reading about this test, especially since it is the category in which I am most interested. I’m a big Srixon fan, playing both a Srixon driver and their Z-Star ball. When a was fitted at Club Champion a few years ago, the Z-565 was the iron that performed best for me. Srixon makes some superb gear.
David Bassett
2 weeks agoDisappointed and surprised to see that of the several dozen shaft options Srixon offers, not one is available in A/senior/lite flex. I think an iron in the game improvement space is really missing the boat by not having something for us slower swingers
Kris
1 week agoUnfortunately for you it’s just an economics issue. Most people who need a senior flex aren’t hitting GI irons, but are hitting super GI irons.
Brad
2 weeks agoIf you factor value for money into the equation, the Cleveland CBX irons are the winners in this contest. I was somewhat surprised that the CBX irons scored so poorly in the short irons. To me, the short irons are one of the strong points of these irons, while the long irons aren’t quite as good as some other GI irons. Strange that these results were flipped in this test. All depends on the population sample taken I suppose.
In any case, if golfers want the best GI irons for the money, get the Cleveland CBX. Cleveland/Srixon also offer a few shaft upgrades for these irons free of charge (if you ask for them), making them an even better deal.
wayne
2 weeks agoYou should have tested the Wilson Staff D350 irons in this category. They would have been one of the top two tested irons.
Sam Robinson
2 weeks agoWe’ve got those in our Super Game Improvement Iron Category!
Scott
2 weeks agoSo that means G700 aren’t SGI irons? Really? When I saw them in this test I assumed thee wasn’t going to be a SGI most wanted test this year?
808nation
2 weeks agoCurrently playing the 565 irons and love the feel, looks, and performance of my irons. Not surprised the new 585’s made #1 on this list, Srixon continues it’s domination.
Steve S
2 weeks agoI think choosing iron types by handicap is probably ok as a starting point but I think swing speed, attack angle and consistency are better criteria. I play with a guy who is a very good iron player but plays to a 15 handicap. He just doesn’t putt well. I play to a 12-13 and have 4-5 par saves a round due to my chipping and putting. But, i need all the help I can get with my irons
mackdaddy
2 weeks agoI really like the 545 it feels like butter
Kevin Kelly
2 weeks agoCan you print results from testing based on:
Rankings for 0-6 handicap 7-12- Etc
Rankings by clubhead speed
Rankings by ball speed
Ranking by distance – air and roll
Would be interesting to view others more closely aligned to my numbers?
Thanks for great work
Duffy McHackster
2 weeks agoMuch of that information is there. If you hover the cursor over the category header, there is a clickable icon that will sort the category by numbers.
Bwpage3
2 weeks agoCobra King F8 Long iron is the undisputed leader in total distance and ranks 13th in the long irons? Huh?
Gerry T
2 weeks agoI prefer my Cobras over Srixon any day. I did get the Z Star golf balls, but I might need to remortgage our place for me to afford these irons. For those who like the Srixons keep playing them. I am with you on the F8 irons…poor position and disappointing rank…once again the flawed testers have spoken!
Thomas A
2 weeks ago*results may vary per individual.
Stephen
2 weeks agoOne of the most interesting things about these tests for me is that every one of these clubs was a top performer for some golfers. Take the Vega Mizer. Bottom ranked overall, but for 37% of testers this club was in the top group. If I understand this correctly, this means that for over 1/3rd of the testers this club performed pretty much as well as any other club that was tested.
For me a key take away is trying different clubs and see what works for you. Don’t be afraid to try different brands, you may find a better game.
Tom
2 weeks agoAlthough this test is great, if you really want the best irons for your game go get fitted and do not go into it with any preconceived notion of what you think you will like. Keep an open mind.
As an example, my set is super mixed between Cobra woods, Ping irons, Vokey wedges and an Odyssey putter.
nick
2 weeks agoJust got fit for a combo set of the srixon z785 in PW-7 and Z585 in 6-4. Great clubs and the feel is top notch. Right up there with mizuno
Grant
2 weeks agoIs each club tested bent to the the same loft? I read the “how we test” page and didn’t see any mention of that.
sidvicius
2 weeks agoquestion;
would it be safe to say then.
I would have the best set, if i took all the number 1 ranking irons in the short, mid and long irons and combine them into one complete set?
so I would have ,
Srixon- for short Irons
TM4 – mid-irons
JPX 919- long irons
Alex
2 weeks agoMy guess is no, the head weight is different, shaft is different(but that’s something you can match, with extra work/money) You can have everything bended , loft and lie matched, shaft matched, SW and weight matched then maybe your statement would be true. But then you have changed the property of those clubs that were tested in(stock) so they may perform differently already.
Eric Herring
2 weeks agoThe 565/765 combo set is fantastic, if these are even a tiny bit better they must be tried.
Spitfisher
2 weeks agoI was surprised by your result. Srixon themselves describe this iron as a “players” iron. Looking at the iron myself the head is small, the sole is narrow and it has limited off set. I would say more suits for a 5-10 handicapper
I would class this as a players iron. Higher handicapper can be fooled hitting players irons of of mats which can and may have skewed your results. How a club interacts with turf is the key to game improvement.
Tour iron ( blade) up to a 6 handicap.
Players Iron 2-10 handicap
Game improvement to me would be a handicap of 10-20,
Super game improvement 15- 25.
The latest iron catagory ( distance irons P790, G500, PXG etc) 5-15 HCP
Rob
2 weeks agoI don’t know where you saw Srixon call them players, but this is taken directly from the Srixon Website
With distance, control, feel and forgiveness technologies packaged with a player’s look and feel, Z 585 Irons offer game-improvement features in a compact, workable shape that’s ideal for mid to low-handicappers.”
They are definitely Game Improvment, but probably among the best looking GI on the market. I have had the previous version and the 765, more players version.
Brandon
2 weeks agoPlenty of mid handicap golfers strike their irons well enough to play players cavity backs or even blades. Their handicap is high as a result of penalty strokes off the tee and a poor shirt game. Basing your iron selection on handicap alone is a terrible idea.
Thomas A
2 weeks agoI wear mostly Puma so I definitely don’t have a poor shirt game.
Gabrielle Cautilli
2 weeks agoPlease make a comparison between the past 3 or 5 winners. Newer doesn’t always mean better. It would be great to know how for example. The 2016 winner stacks against the new ones taking in consideration that the price is a huge difference. A valid point for people like me who are in developing countries and could benefit greatly from a smart budget purchase.
Mark
2 weeks agoSo the 2nd Most Wanted is Callaway Rogue Iron however a Rogue X Iron is pictured. So which one did you test – Rogue or Rogue X ?
Sam Robinson
2 weeks agoThe Rogue! Apologies for the mistake. Rogue X will be part of our Super Game Improvement Iron Test
Kent
2 weeks agoAnother great read and surprising outcome. I’ve always wanted the Callaway Epic irons (Just because they are pretty and they would match my Driver) but time and time again, they are proven not worth the price tag. I wonder if it would be beneficial to add a price column to your work.
joro
2 weeks agoSame old same-o. I have Hot Metals, CF 16s. and have hit all of them but the Wilson C300s are in me bag. They were longer, higher, and better feeling that the others. Truly underrated.
Johnny Penso
2 weeks agoThe Wilsons never seem to garner a top rating overall but they always show up really well in at least 2/3 shot area measurements.
Tom Higgins
1 week agoAmen!
Tim
2 weeks agoWow! Srixon 2 years in a row. Might have to take a hard look at these. My AP1 718’s….mmmm not so good.
mike
2 weeks agoNot surprised one bit by this annalist, i still play Z565’s and Mizuno JPX 825’s as in my opinion they are the best mid to low handicap irons, for a very reasonable price