Buyer's Guides

Best Game-Improvement Irons of 2025

Phillip Bishop
Phillip Bishop
Director of Testing

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Best Game-Improvement Irons of 2025

Today, we are diving into the best game-improvement irons on the market. The top of the leaderboard is stacked with quality options. The irons you expect to perform rise to the occasion.

MyGolfSpy is the leader in independent golf club testing. Each test we release is backed by more than a decade of testing experience and expertise. There is no sugar coating. No marketing BS. Just results driven by data and objective testing.

For this test, we have 17 game-improvement irons. In total, our team conducted 320 hours of testing. Our testers were responsible for accumulating 16,320 shots’ worth of data. 

The results of this test serve as an indispensable guide for the off-the-rack buyer or for anyone looking for a bit of extra insight before your next fitting. Whatever you’re looking for from your next game-improvement iron, you’ll find it here.

These are the best game-improvement irons of 2025.

Best Game-Improvement Irons of 2025

Callaway Elyte HL iron review

Best Overall: Callaway Elyte HL

Callaway Elyte HL

Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal iron review

Runner Up: Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal

Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal

Callaway Elyte Iron review

3rd Place: Callaway Elyte

Callaway Elyte Iron

Callaway Elyte HL iron review

Best for Accuracy: Callaway Elyte HL

Callaway Elyte HL

PXG 0311XP GEN7 iron review

Best for Distance: PXG 0311XP GEN7

PXG 0311XP GEN7

Fourteen Golf 25' TB-5 iron review

Best for Forgiveness: Fourteen Golf 25 TB-5

Fourteen Golf 25′ TB-5

Show All

Best Game-Improvement Irons

Game-improvement irons are made to make golf easier. They offer more technology relative to other iron categories. All of it is to help you with hitting longer, higher, and straighter shots.

The best game-improvement irons tend to excel in accuracy and distance. The combination of these two scoring categories makes for outstanding performance off the rack. Some game-improvement irons offer all-around performance. The best ones in this category should not surprise you. 

These are the best overall game-improvement irons of 2025. 

Best Overall Callaway Elyte HL

Callaway Elyte HL

score icon Review Score
8.8
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.8
distance icon Distance Score
8.6
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.8
dollar icon Price
$1,050.99

Buy This If

  • You want performance:

    Performance is key. Even on your bad day, you want reliable performance in a golf club, especially your iron set. Callaway Elyte HL is the best game-improvement iron for a reason – ultimate performance. Across the board, it excels in all three scoring categories: accuracy, distance, and forgiveness. It isn't the longest iron in testing, but it gives you enough even with slightly weaker standard lofts.

Don't Buy This If

  • You already spin the ball enough:

    With slightly weaker or higher lofted irons, Callaway Elyte HL won't be the best game-improvement option for a golfer who already spins the golf ball. More loft usually results in higher spin. So, if you do spin the ball enough already, you'll likely see a reduction in your distances with this iron model.

Bottom Line

Callaway Elyte HL is the best game-improvement iron of 2025. Winners perform and they perform in the most important areas. Callaway Elyte HL is the best game-improvement iron for accuracy, which is our highest prioritized scoring metric in Most Wanted Testing. Additionally, it is one of the more consistent game-improvement irons as it finishes in the top five for forgiveness. It might fly under the radar, but slightly more loft is a good choice for most golfers. Even more so if club head speed is slower. If you’re looking for a new game-improvement iron, this is one to check out.

Testers' Feedback

Soft sounding, good response on hits, and loved the high launch.”

Solid overall. Might have been the best tested so far.”

Great feel, solid club.”

Realize I need the added loft. More forgiving.”

Expert Take

With the ever changing technology in the game-improvement iron market, we continue to see more loft being a benefit to most golfers. It enables golfers to have better launch conditions. The proof is in the test results. There is something to be said about game-improvement irons with slightly higher standard lofts. Callaway Elyte HL is the best of the group. Even with higher lofts, it rises to the occasion. Go try it out today for yourself.

Runner Up Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal

Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal

score icon Review Score
8.8
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.6
distance icon Distance Score
9
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.8
dollar icon Price
$1,154.99

Buy This If

  • You want balance in an iron:

    Every golfer craves performance. Some irons specialize in certain performance categories. Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal offers balanced performance in an iron with distance being its strength. It narrowly misses out on the top spot in our game-improvement iron category. The JPX 925 Hot Metal is one of a handful of game-improvement irons you should try right now.

Don't Buy This If

  • You are biased against Mizuno:

    There is a reason why the Hot Metal family of irons is one of their best, long standing products. They're freaking good. The only reason why you aren't trying them is your biased against them. Or, you're stuck in this lie that only good players play Mizuno irons. Knock it off and go try them.

Bottom Line

Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal continues an impressive run from the Hot Metal family. Since its introduction, the Hot Metal family of irons have been a top tier option on the market and one of Mizuno’s best selling products. This year, Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal finishes as the second best game-improvement iron. It’s best characteristic is distance where it ranks third overall. But, it also produces reliable accuracy and forgiveness. It is a great option in the game-improvement iron category.

Testers' Feedback

Great sounding, performed the best, was one of the straightest ball flights, and very responsive.”

Crazy distance off the face, best feel and forgiving.”

Mizuno just doesn’t miss when it comes to iron design and performance.”

 

Expert Take

Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal checks all the boxes.

Distance. Check.

Forgiveness. Check.

Accuracy. Check.

Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal narrowly misses out on being the best game-improvement iron of 2025. At the end of the day, it is well deserving of high praise. This iron model continues a long line of prestige. Go try it today.

3rd Place Callaway Elyte

Callaway Elyte Iron

score icon Review Score
8.7
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.7
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.7
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.5
dollar icon Price
$1,049.99

Buy This If

  • You want distance and accuracy:

    Most years in Most Wanted Testing irons that perform well in distance and accuracy make their way to the top of the leaderboard. Callaway Elyte is another prime example of this. Distance is king for most golfers. Yet, accuracy is just as critical for success. Offering performance in both scoring categories is a home run.

Don't Buy This If

  • You desire reliability:

    With stronger lofts, Callaway Elyte offers plenty of distance. However, it comes at a cost. It doesn't produce consistency and reliability shot-to-shot relative to other game-improvement irons. This is where a fitting will help. Go through a professional fitting to ensure your yardage gapping fits your needs, which should lead to better dispersion.

Bottom Line

Callaway Elyte takes third overall in our 2025 Most Wanted Game-Improvement Iron test. Off-the-rack, it produces exceptional accuracy and superior distance. A winning combination most years in testing. However, it does take a hit in forgiveness, especially compared to the Elyte HL model. Overall, it is still one of the best game-improvement iron options of 2025. Go check it out today!

Testers' Feedback

Solid across the board.”

I like it. Very solid.”

By far the best performing club.”

 

Expert Take

Callaway’s “Elyte” lineup continues to impress in 2025. Between the Elyte and Elyte HL, performance is evident. Callaway Elyte offers more distance potential off-the-rack. Additionally, it provides accuracy. Picking between it and the Elyte HL boils down to what you need in launch conditions with your irons.

best game-improvement irons overall

Best Game-Improvement Irons for Accuracy

Accuracy is paramount. Without it, you’ll be missing greens. You’ll be discovering and experiencing parts of the golf course you didn’t know existed. This is why it is the most important of our three scoring categories. 

In our iron testing, accuracy can be described as hitting greens in regulation or proximity to the hole. Those are the simple terms. Yet, it ultimately boils down to Strokes Gained. 

These are the best game-improvement irons for accuracy. 

Best for Accuracy Callaway Elyte HL

Callaway Elyte HL

accuracy icon Accuracy
8.8
distance icon Distance Score
8.6
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.8
score icon Review Score
8.8
dollar icon Price
$1,050.99

Buy This If

  • You want performance:

    Performance is key. Even on your bad day, you want reliable performance in a golf club, especially your iron set. Callaway Elyte HL is the best game-improvement iron for a reason – ultimate performance. Across the board, it excels in all three scoring categories: accuracy, distance, and forgiveness. It isn't the longest iron in testing, but it gives you enough even with slightly weaker standard lofts.

Don't Buy This If

  • You already spin the ball enough:

    With slightly weaker or higher lofted irons, Callaway Elyte HL won't be the best game-improvement option for a golfer who already spins the golf ball. More loft usually results in higher spin. So, if you do spin the ball enough already, you'll likely see a reduction in your distances with this iron model.

Bottom Line

Callaway Elyte HL is the best game-improvement iron of 2025. Winners perform and they perform in the most important areas. Callaway Elyte HL is the best game-improvement iron for accuracy, which is our highest prioritized scoring metric in Most Wanted Testing. Additionally, it is one of the more consistent game-improvement irons as it finishes in the top five for forgiveness. It might fly under the radar, but slightly more loft is a good choice for most golfers. Even more so if club head speed is slower. If you’re looking for a new game-improvement iron, this is one to check out.

Testers' Feedback

Soft sounding, good response on hits, and loved the high launch.”

Solid overall. Might have been the best tested so far.”

Great feel, solid club.”

Realize I need the added loft. More forgiving.”

Expert Take

With the ever changing technology in the game-improvement iron market, we continue to see more loft being a benefit to most golfers. It enables golfers to have better launch conditions. The proof is in the test results. There is something to be said about game-improvement irons with slightly higher standard lofts. Callaway Elyte HL is the best of the group. Even with higher lofts, it rises to the occasion. Go try it out today for yourself.

Best for Accuracy (Runner Up) Srixon ZXi4

Srixon ZXi4

accuracy icon Accuracy
8.8
distance icon Distance Score
8.3
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.7
score icon Review Score
8.7
dollar icon Price
$1,299.99

Buy This If

  • You want immediate accuracy:

    Accuracy is a key ingredient for success on the golf course. Long term, you are going to see improvement in your scores the closer to the green you are or being on the green more consistently. Srixon ZXi4 is the second best game-improvement iron for accuracy. For accuracy, we focus on strokes gained. Strokes gained ties in several metrics, but most importantly it is how accurate an iron is on or near the green within our testing conditions of a 5-iron, 7-iron, and pitching wedge.

Don't Buy This If

  • You want off-the-rack distance:

    Relative to the field, Srixon ZXi4 is surprisingly among the shorter game-improvement irons. If you're craving distance, this will be an immediate turn-off. Yet, the lack of distance could be a blessing in disguise long term. Ultimately, you have to decide.

Bottom Line

Srixon ZXi4 boasts a top four finish in this year’s best game-improvement iron test. Accuracy is the name of the game. ZXi4 beats out other strong competitors to claim second overall in our accuracy scoring category. For distance, Srixon ZXi4 is below average, which holds it back from finishing higher on the podium. If you’re looking for an accurate and forgiving game-improvement iron off-the-rack, Srixon ZXi4 is a great option.

Testers' Feedback

Soft sound and very responsive feel.”

Really solid, great on ball speed no matter where on the club-face it was hit on.”

Not as far as other clubs tested.”

Expert Take

Where it lacks in distance, Srixon ZXi4 makes up for it in accuracy, forgiveness, and consistency. It is a game-improvement iron that can contend with the best, especially if you’re willing to sacrifice distance potential. After all, being accurate with your irons should take precedence over distance.

best game-improvement irons for accuracy

Best Game-Improvement Irons for Distance

Distance is king. It is certainly a selling point in the game-improvement iron market. There are irons in this category that meet that standard. There are ones that do not. In our eyes, distance isn’t everything, but it helps, especially for those of you who should be playing a game-improvement iron.

These are the best game-improvement irons for distance. 

Best for Distance PXG 0311XP GEN7

PXG 0311XP GEN7

distance icon Distance Score
9.3
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.3
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.1
score icon Review Score
8.5
dollar icon Price
$1,609.93

Buy This If

  • You have one goal – distance:

    Distance sells, and by golly, PXG crushes it in the distance category. PXG 0311XP GEN7 is outrageously long. It cruises to victory in this scoring category. If you distance alone is your goal, PXG 0311XP GEN7 fits the bill. It will be wise to go through a fitting for these irons.

Don't Buy This If

  • You accuracy and forgiveness:

    Whenever an iron is significantly longer, there is a trade-off. For PXG 0311XP GEN7, it lacks accuracy and forgiveness. Optimizing launch conditions through a professional fitting can help fix these off-the-rack performance traits. Hitting the ball far is great…until you find it difficult to score because of it.

Purchase at

Bottom Line

PXG 0311XP GEN7 brings home the title of longest game-improvement iron of 2025. In this category, we’ve seen PXG shine for distance before. The 0311XP GEN7 lives up to the reputation. If you’re looking for pure distance in an iron, PXG 0311XP GEN7 is a phenomenal option. Due to the distance it produces, go through a professional fitting to optimize yardage gapping.best

Testers' Feedback

Liked how it sat behind the ball at address, strong performer across the board”

Long, consistent, beautiful.”

Good feeling, very forgiving, and long.”game-im

Expert Take

You can see just how much golfers love distance with some of the comments made by our testers regarding PXG 0311XP GEN7 irons. They’re popular because of how long they are. When you break it down, the distance is there, yet, the playability is lacking off-the-rack. There is potential with this iron. Go through a professional fitting to ensure optimal performance.p

Best for Distance (Runner Up) Callaway Elyte

Callaway Elyte Iron

distance icon Distance Score
9.1
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.7
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.5
score icon Review Score
8.7
dollar icon Price
$1,049.99

Buy This If

  • You want distance and accuracy:

    Most years in Most Wanted Testing irons that perform well in distance and accuracy make their way to the top of the leaderboard. Callaway Elyte is another prime example of this. Distance is king for most golfers. Yet, accuracy is just as critical for success. Offering performance in both scoring categories is a home run.

Don't Buy This If

  • You desire reliability:

    With stronger lofts, Callaway Elyte offers plenty of distance. However, it comes at a cost. It doesn't produce consistency and reliability shot-to-shot relative to other game-improvement irons. This is where a fitting will help. Go through a professional fitting to ensure your yardage gapping fits your needs, which should lead to better dispersion.

Bottom Line

Callaway Elyte takes third overall in our 2025 Most Wanted Game-Improvement Iron test. Off-the-rack, it produces exceptional accuracy and superior distance. A winning combination most years in testing. However, it does take a hit in forgiveness, especially compared to the Elyte HL model. Overall, it is still one of the best game-improvement iron options of 2025. Go check it out today!rovement

Testers' Feedback

Solid across the board.”

I like it. Very solid.”

By far the best performing club.”

 

Expert Take

Callaway’s “Elyte” lineup continues to impress in 2025. Between the Elyte and Elyte HL, performance is evident. Callaway Elyte offers more distance potential off-the-rack. Additionally, it provides accuracy. Picking between it and the Elyte HL boils down to what you need in launch conditions with your irons.

best game improvement irons for distance

Best Game-Improvement Irons for Forgiveness

“Forgiveness” is a nebulous term in the golf industry. It’s used often but rarely defined. As a golfer, do you want a game-improvement iron that performs consistently? Your answer should be a definitive “yes.” You should desire an iron that produces similar results off the clubface shot to shot. Are the ball speed deviations tight? Are the carry distance deviations minimal? Are the dispersion ellipses compact? Does it produce consistent backspin? These are metrics we analyze when it comes to forgiveness within each of our iron tests.

These are the best game-improvement irons for forgiveness.

Best for Forgiveness Fourteen Golf 25' TB-5

Fourteen Golf 25′ TB-5

forgiveness icon Forgiveness
9
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.5
distance icon Distance Score
8.4
score icon Review Score
8.6
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.5

Buy This If

  • You want consistency:

    The more reliable and consistent a golf club is, the more confidence you'll have in it. Fourteen 25' TB-5 is a game-improvement iron that offers off-the-rack consistency. It is a game-improvement iron that might not fit the traditional mold of the category. But, in terms of forgiveness and consistency, it is the best one. Knowing you can achieve playable shots repeatedly is a game changer. If you want consistency across an entire iron set, go check out Fourteen TB-5.

Don't Buy This If

  • You want a traditional game-improvement iron:

    There is a strong chance some of you haven't heard of or have tried a product from Fourteen Golf. We've tested their products throughout the years and most times, they don't disappoint. Fourteen 25' TB-5 is not a traditional game-improvement iron from a design standpoint. It is streamlined and more player's distance in appearance. It also have less technology than most game-improvement irons.

Bottom Line

Fourteen 25′ TB-5 is the best game-improvement iron for forgiveness. Our forgiveness scoring category confirms which irons produce the most consistency for key metrics. Those metrics are ball speed deltas, carry distance deltas, backspin deltas, and dispersion. These metrics allow us to pinpoint which irons provide reliability shot-to-shot. If you’re looking for consistency and reliability, Fourteen 25′ TB-5 is a great option. Be sure to check out the 2025 version as the name itself hasn’t changed from the previous generation.

Testers' Feedback

Felt better than the super game improvement irons. The club had great weighting.”

The only negative is the shorter distance , but very consistent.”

Expert Take

Being able to produce consistent shot outcomes is a key ingredient for success. This is what our forgiveness scoring category attempts to convey. If a golf club is consistent, even if it doesn’t quite fit the bill for accuracy and distance, it is worth checking out. You can go through a professional fitting for Fourteen 25′ TB-5 to optimize performance.best

Best for Forgiveness (Runner Up) Orka CTi SF

Orka CTi SF

forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.9
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.8
distance icon Distance Score
7.5
score icon Review Score
8.5
dollar icon Price
$785.00

Buy This If

  • You want forgiveness and accuracy:

    Orka CTi SF is backed by strong performances in our forgiveness and accuracy scoring categories. Each of these categories are important, but accuracy is the one we weight the highest. When an iron does well in each of these categories, it is one worth considering. Hitting greens is important, which is one side of the story. On the other, Orka CTi SF also produces consistent shot outcomes on golf ball metrics, such as, ball speed, carry distance, spin rates, and dispersion. In most cases, it is a winning combination.

Don't Buy This If

  • You want or need distance:

    In most cases, an iron that is accurate and forgiving is a winning combo. However, an extreme lack of distance sees Orka CTi SF fall down the game-improvement leaderboard. Whatever chances it had at placing higher on the leaderboard drifted away when the data showed it was the shortest game-improvement iron in the test…by a significant margin.

Purchase at

Bottom Line

Fresh off a win in a different iron category, Orka CTi SF ranks second overall for forgiveness in our game-improvement category. This iron produces consistent shot outcomes across the iron set. If you want reliable ball speeds, carry distances, spin rates, and dispersion, this iron is worth a try. It also produces exceptional accuracy where it ranks third overall. However, it does have a glaring weakness compared to other competitors – it is short…like ridiculously short in an iron category where distance is expe

Testers' Feedback

Higher spin/launch than others in the group. Not as forgiving as other GI irons. Accurate.”

Felt balanced and consistent. Solid overall.”

Couldn’t get the distance out of it at all.”

Expert Take

Off-the-rack, you’ll achieve playable launch conditions with Orka CTi SF. However, in this case, they might be too excessive. This iron is accurate and forgiving, which are great performance traits to have. It is one of the best for both scoring categories. Unfortunately, you’ll be disappointed by its distance score. Be extra careful when considering this iron if distance is your goal

best game-improvement irons for forgiveness


How to choose a golf iron

Our mission is to cut through the subjective BS and encourage golfers to buy based on performance. Performance should be your top priority. However, there are other things you need to consider when purchasing a new player’s iron.

Callaway Elyte HL best game-improvement iron overall

Custom Fitting Session 

If you’re here, you are a club junkie or you’re in the market for a game-improvement iron. You’ll find that sometimes there is very little difference in the performance of two irons. Going for a custom fitting will help you determine subjective things like which iron feels better or looks better to your eye. But, most importantly, you’ll be able to fine-tune things like spin rate, launch angle and more to get your golf game to the next level. 

A custom fitting will allow you to do just that, especially if you’re torn between a few game-improvement iron options. And, trust us, there are plenty of worthwhile options. 

Cost

Pricing will always impact a purchasing decision. Game-improvement irons are a slightly lower price point than most player’s distance irons. Some of them even come in below $1,000. 

Orka CTi SF iron review

The best game-improvement irons often take some time to go on sale. If you have your eye on a specific set, don’t forget to check our coupons and deals page for all the latest and best savings options. (MyGolfSpy Coupons/Deals and Promo Codes)

Shaft Selection

Selecting the right shaft is critical for optimal performance. The proper shaft can positively impact launch conditions and overall accuracy.

Shafts typically are made from graphite or steel with the former being lighter and potentially aiding in faster swing speeds. The shaft flex corresponds to swing speed and affects the trajectory and ball flight. It can also help or hurt with how consistently you can deliver the clubhead to the golf ball. You want what allows you, or at least helps you, to be consistent. 

Why choose a game-improvement iron?

Game-improvement irons are suitable for a plethora of golfers, especially those with mid to high handicaps. But, they aren’t limited to those skill ranges either. There are plenty of better golfers who utilize game-improvement irons, especially as part of a combo iron set. Additionally, they make for great additions to the higher part of your golf bag (4-iron or 5-iron specifically).  

From a performance perspective, you’ll discover more distance and more playability. Game-improvement irons are notorious for offering better performance across the clubface. The face flexes more and allows for less punishing mishits. 

Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal iron review

The best game-improvement irons produce consistency off the rack. There are some that require a more proactive approach, which is why a fitting is critical for irons lower on the leaderboard. 

How we test game-improvement irons

Testing irons is no easy task. Our 2025 Most Wanted game-improvement Irons test took 320 testing hours. For 2025, the testing pool includes 17 different iron models.

MyGolfSpy’s test program is powered by three crucial components.

  • Foresight GC Quad – Foresight is the gold standard in camera-based launch monitor technology because it produces data we can rely on with every shot hit. And since we can’t say it enough, for this test, our GC Quads captured more than 16,000 shots.
  • Titleist Pro V1 golf balls are a key component in testing. Every shot hit in Most Wanted Testing utilizes these golf balls. It is one of many ways we try to eliminate variables and Titleist Pro V1 is our trusted golf ball.
  • The Indoor Golf Shop’s SIGPRO Premium – Indoor golf is taking the world by storm. All of our testing is done indoors at our HQ in Yorktown, Va. With each test, our screens take an absolute beating. Thus, we need high-quality, durable impact screens to handle the workload. SIGPRO Premium exceeds our expectations.

Our 2025 game-improvement iron test consists of 16,320 shots worth of data. Testers hit the pitching wedge, 7-iron and 5-iron of each participating iron model. 

Best game-improvement irons of 2025 – Scoring

Providing you, the golfer and consumer, with insights into the best game-improvement irons on the market is our No. 1 goal with this test. We can’t do that without taking a diligent, in-depth approach to analyzing the data we collect throughout this process.

Our scoring categories remain the same and we will review those below. 

Overall scores are now labeled as an MGS Score. The MGS Score is on a 10-point scale.

game-improvement iron testing is comprised of three scoring categories:

  • Accuracy
  • Distance
  • Forgiveness

These three categories are weighted with accuracy taking a strong priority.

Accuracy

Accuracy is a game changer. Hitting the golf ball on or near your intended target leads to better scores. Accuracy is the most important metric when shopping for new game-improvement irons. For our accuracy category, we analyze one specific metric:

  • Strokes Gained

Distance

Our distance category analyzes two specific metrics:

  • Carry Distance
  • Total Yards

Forgiveness

We label forgiveness as how consistent a game-improvement iron is at producing consistent shot outcomes. For our forgiveness category, we assess three specific metrics:

  • Carry Distance Deltas – The difference between the longest and shortest carry distance for a given game-improvement iron.
  • Ball Speed Deltas – The difference between the fastest and slowest ball speed for a given game-improvement iron.
  • Backspin Deltas – The difference between the highest and lowest backspin for a given game-improvement iron.
  • Dispersion – Previously called Shot Area, dispersion is a measurement (yards/squared) of the elliptical distribution of a series of golf shots.

Best Game-Improvement Irons of 2025 – Results

Iron ModelMGS ScoreAccuracy ScoreDistance ScoreForgiveness Score
Callaway Elyte HL8.88.88.68.8
Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal8.88.69.08.8
Callaway Elyte8.78.79.18.5
Srixon ZXi48.78.88.38.7
Fourteen Golf 25′ TB-58.68.58.49.0
PING G4408.68.68.58.6
COBRA KING TEC X8.68.58.68.7
Sub 70 699 v38.68.78.08.9
PXG Black Ops8.68.59.08.3
Honma TW HX8.58.48.88.5
Tour Edge Hot Launch E5258.58.48.78.6
PXG 0311XP GEN78.58.39.38.1
Orka CTi SF8.58.87.58.9
Wilson DYNAPWR8.58.38.98.3
Tour Edge Exotics E7258.48.58.48.4
Vice Golf VGI028.48.28.78.3
Maxfli XC38.38.28.28.5

How the MGS Score is calculated

Scores are derived strictly from ball launch monitor data by way of our Efficiency Values. Efficiency Values are a cleaner version and representation of raw average as they remove certain outliers from the equation.

With this being said, scores are weighted with 50 percent of the score coming from accuracy metrics, 25 percent from our distance metrics and 25 percent from our forgiveness metrics. You can reference the specific metrics within each scoring category in the previous heading section.

With our iron tests, we stress the importance of accuracy. It is the most important metric as hitting greens should be your number one priority. 

Finally, we reserve a very small percentage of the score to account for things like fitting considerations, excessive outliers and other details that fall outside the scope of the data.

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Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop

Cancer Survivor. Amputee Golfer. Essentially, a OneLeggedBoss. When he isn't facilitating testing or analyzing data, Phillip enjoys his family time, practicing and playing golf, unwinding with video games, capturing photos of nature, or devouring pretzels.

Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop

Driver Titleist GT3 3 Wood Titleist GT3
7 Wood Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond Irons (5-PW) Srixon ZXi5
Wedges (46, 50, 54, 58) Titleist Vokey SM10 Putter L.A.B. MEZZ.1 MAX
Ball Titleist Pro V1x  
Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop





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      Mark

      7 months ago

      have to agree with those who pointed out that 2 major brands were left out in favor of some smaller DTC brands. This would be because? I have my guesses but don’t wish to state them here, but it puts the whole test in my view as invalid.
      That is a shame and I would hope we get an explanation from My golf spy as to why this occurred, if none is forth coming there is no reason for me to continue to looking at this site. Also what happened to the actual numbers chart, it is most likely somewhere and I don’t know how or where to access this information, which should be easy to find not hard to find, must be my stupidity, oh well

      Reply

      Zimwolfe

      8 months ago

      I decided on the price and wanted a name brand set so I went with the Tour Exotics 723 diamond face irons 4-pw. This set came with standard elevate R-Flex steel shafts and black Lamkin grip. A seller has the new set on Amazon for $350 shipped.

      Reply

      Ted

      9 months ago

      There isn’t any significant difference between most of these irons. What I would like to see listed is the loft of the 7 iron for all of them and then decide if I want a 28 degree (almost 5 iron) vs a 32 degree strong 7. I always like to try a variety of shafts after having chosen a club head. I’ve never bought “recommended” clubs as only you can determine what feels good with the corresponding hitting results.

      Reply

      Carl

      10 months ago

      Could you show us the stats for each iron and what the differences are. How much distance is there between first and last. Also, it would be nice if you threw in last years winner and how this years clubs failed against them. I know it’s hard, but looking at numbers like 8.8 and 8.4… doesn’t seem like a lot of difference. Let year we had a 9.5 winner. Were those clubs that much better? We appreciate the positions, but this test doesn’t seem to have a real clear winner….more data would be helpful.
      Also, as asked before… where are the DTC clubs and other major brands, like Titleist and Taylor Made
      Thanks

      Reply

      RJ

      10 months ago

      Thank you for doing the test, but I have to disagree with this statement – “Accuracy is the most important metric when shopping for new game-improvement irons.” I think most people would say that forgiveness is why they use game improvement irons.

      So with that in mind for those who are interested, I’ve reweighted the results to give Forgiveness 40%, Distance 30%, and Accuracy 30%. Here are the total average scores for those who think that Forgiveness is the most important aspect of game improvement irons:

      Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal 8.8
      Callaway Elyte HL 8.74
      Callaway Elyte 8.74
      Fourteen Golf 25′ TB-5 8.67
      Srixon ZXi4 8.61
      COBRA KING TEC X 8.61
      Sub 70 699 v3 8.57
      PXG Black Ops 8.57
      Tour Edge Hot Launch E525 8.57
      PING G440 8.57
      Honma TW HX 8.56
      PXG 0311XP GEN7 8.52
      Wilson DYNAPWR 8.48
      Orka CTi SF 8.45
      Tour Edge Exotics E725 8.43
      Vice Golf VGI02 8.39
      Maxfli XC3 8.32

      Reply

      RJ

      10 months ago

      And for those who feel that Distance is the most important aspect of Game Improvement Irons, here are the final average scores with the weighting of Distance 40%, Accuracy 30%, Forgiveness 30%:

      Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal 8.82
      Callaway Elyte 8.8
      Callaway Elyte HL 8.72
      PXG Black Ops 8.64
      PXG 0311XP GEN7 8.64
      Fourteen Golf 25′ TB-5 8.61
      COBRA KING TEC X 8.6
      Honma TW HX 8.59
      Tour Edge Hot Launch E525 8.58
      Srixon ZXi4 8.57
      PING G440 8.56
      Wilson DYNAPWR 8.54
      Sub 70 699 v3 8.48
      Tour Edge Exotics E725 8.43
      Vice Golf VGI02 8.43
      Orka CTi SF 8.31
      Maxfli XC3 8.29

      Reply

      Carl

      9 months ago

      Great job RJ!!

      James Pettus

      10 months ago

      Have to ever considered testing the direct to consumer brand Takomo 101 or 101t in these test?

      Thanks,

      Jim

      Reply

      Kyle

      10 months ago

      Time to put some MALTBY irons into the tests…..

      Reply

      Del

      10 months ago

      Multiple sets from several companies and no Taylormade? How about a small blurb on how you chose your test sets. You had to know this would be questioned.

      Reply

      Tom54

      10 months ago

      I had Mizuno JPX irons once. I hit them so bad and so short that I wasn’t having fun playing golf anymore. I finally put my previous irons back in the bag, and then later on went to Titleist irons. Now, to be fair, it was most likely the result of a bad fit by Club Champion. But Mizuno will never be my top choice. Guess that makes me biased.

      Reply

      James Fletcher

      10 months ago

      Not sure I understand how Takomo irons were tested out as one of the best in 2024 – per your results all four testers opted to continue using the Takomo irons over their existing irons. This year Takomo doesn’t even warrant a mention. How does that work?

      Reply

      Brian

      10 months ago

      No Titelist or Taylor Made?

      Reply

      Matt

      10 months ago

      Second year in a row that the the winner from the prior year was not included in the Game Improvement category testing. Why? That’s a really great feature of other categories/clubs.

      Reply

      Carl

      10 months ago

      Anyone got any ideas why Taylormade are missing?

      Reply

      Greg

      10 months ago

      I was wondering the same thing. Guess they did not send a set for testing.

      Reply

      Dawg Golfer

      10 months ago

      No Titleist either?

      Reply

      Carl

      10 months ago

      The scores suggest that there is basically nothing between any of the irons. 8.8 for the winner a d 8.5 for 17th place and last. So what you’re not telling us is that there’s no point buying new irons anymore. Stick with what you have and play.

      Reply

      CB

      10 months ago

      There’s a second page to the results and last place scored 8.3, but your point is well made in that there isn’t really much in these and what will really matter is just getting each of a few one finds appealing and taking some swings to see what fits/feels/works best.

      Reply

      Carl

      9 months ago

      I agree, it looks like nothing really stood out.

      Dan

      10 months ago

      Tested Mizuno and Srixon …. splitting hairs between the two, but got fit for ZXi4s mainly due to V-sole which I find helps getting through the ball.

      Reply

      alex

      10 months ago

      I heard both of these are great– Does Srixon charge extra for non stock shafts? I might lean Mizuno just because of the free shaft upgrades.

      Reply

      Jason S

      10 months ago

      One of the problems we’re seeing more and more now is the blurring of lines in the various iron categories. The Elyte HL is a Super Game Improvement club, similar to the JPX925 HL. The Elyte X is the Game Improvement club, and the Elyte can be a PD or GI depending on how you look at it. Callaway is one of the main OEM’s that just doesn’t seem to care about categories since they have a million different irons at this point. That’s both good and bad. But it is what it is. I just disagree that it should be in the GI category.

      Reply

      Fake

      10 months ago

      From a price standpoint, Sub70’s are very affordable. Of course, DTC is harder to test.

      Reply

      Tim

      5 months ago

      Sub 70 was also almost dead last in distance in the group. I am really disappointed that Takomo wasn’t tested

      Reply

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