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It is time for you to dive in and digest the most comprehensive player’s distance iron test of 2024. It’s backed by more than a decade of experience from MyGolfSpy, the industry leader in independent golf club testing.
Our 2024 Player’s Distance Iron Test is another large scale, in-depth analysis of some of the hottest names in golf. Since we have opted to test current in-line offerings, this year’s test features 18 player’s distance iron models from the largest brands of golf along smaller brands vying for your attention and dollars.
In total, our testing team spent more than 320 hours collecting and analyzing data from a test pool of 20 avid golfers just like you. To identify the best player’s distance irons, we considered accuracy, distance and forgiveness metrics.
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 player’s distance iron, you’ll find it here.
These are the best player’s distance irons of 2024.
Player’s distance irons are a unique offering in the golf industry. With aesthetics in mind, manufacturers strive to create an iron with a blend of distance and forgiveness that appeals to better golfers. In truth, they are marketed towards low- to mid-handicap golfers. They can arguably appeal to a broader range of golfers … even more so than game-improvement irons.
We’ve included subjective feedback from our testers. However, it does not factor in the rankings. Performance should always trump opinion when it comes to purchasing a new golf club. Backed by more than a decade of golf club testing experience, we can confidently state that popular opinion doesn’t always match reality.
Review Score
Accuracy
Distance Score
Forgiveness
Price
Strokes Gained is a critical part of our accuracy scoring category with irons. Based on that data, Srixon ZX5 Mk II is the best player's distance iron for accuracy. Being accurate with your irons can lead to more greens in regulation. In turn, this can lead to lower scores.
Player's distance irons are designed to offer the best of both worlds – distance and forgiveness. Srixon ZX5 Mk II fits this bill by being the most accurate iron in testing and by being a top-tier iron in our distance and forgiveness categories. It is a well-balanced, all-around player's distance iron.
Srixon might not be the first name on your list. Mizuno, Titleist and others are more popular. Srixon is worth trying but, unfortunately, most golfers may have to go through a fitting service or retail store to get access to them.
Srixon ZX5 Mk II is a superior player’s distance iron. For 2024, it is the best player’s distance iron for accuracy. Additionally, it is a top-tier performer for distance and forgiveness. Player’s distance irons target a golfer who wants great aesthetics while offering friendlier performance.. Srixon ZX5 Mk II lives up to this criterion by being one of the best, well-rounded player’s distance irons.
“Love everything about it and it is consistent with performance.”
“Favorite of testing. Love everything about it.”
“No matter what I did, I knew I was going to hit a good shot and it syncs well with my swing.”
“Solid overall. Controllable distance. Love the looks and feel too.”
Srixon continues to impress year to year in every iron category. None more so than player’s distance. Performance should always be your number one priority. With our “off-the-rack” approach, Srixon ZX5 Mk II establishes itself as the best player’s distance iron for two years in a row. It offers a phenomenal blend of accuracy, distance, and forgiveness, which is what every iron should strive for in our testing.
Review Score
Accuracy
Distance Score
Forgiveness
Price
Look, every golfer loves distance.. COBRA KING Forged Tec X is the best iron for distance in our player's distance iron test. It beats out some strong contenders to claim this crown. Remember, we are analyzing performance off a 5-iron, 7-iron, and pitching wedge, so it clearly offers distance throughout the iron set.
Not only does KING Forged Tec X offer tremendous distance, it is exceptionally accurate and offers a positive Strokes Gained performance in our testing. By displaying accuracy potential, it has outstanding upside in the player's distance category.
We often refer to forgiveness as consistency. They go hand-in-hand. How well does a golf club produce similar golf ball data measurements shot to shot? Does it produce tight deviations for ball speed, carry distances, backspin, and overall dispersion? These are the metrics we analyze. Unfortunately, this is the knock against COBRA KING Forged Tec X: it lacks forgiveness (consistency) relative to the competition.
COBRA KING Forged Tec X cements its reputation as a high-quality player’s distance iron. KING Forged Tec X excels in accuracy and distance. Overall, it is the best for distance and second-best for accuracy. An iron that possesses both of these qualities off-the-rack is one you need to consider. Go check it out.
“Subjectively appealing and insanely hot.”
“Performance is great, but the acoustics are poor.”
“Love the look at address – it sits square and flush against the ground. Off-center strikes are harsh.”
“Definitely one of the hottest faces.”
Generally, we don’t see an iron that is the best for distance perform well for accuracy as well. COBRA KING Forged Tec X bucks this trend by finishing second overall for accuracy. This overall performance pushes it into second-place overall in our 2024 test. Due to how hot and long it is, we do recommend going through a professional fitting to ensure appropriate yardage gapping.
Review Score
Accuracy
Distance Score
Forgiveness
Price
Distance is an integral component of golf clubs and one of the key performance metrics for golfers. Most of our testing pool noted the distance PING i530 possesses from the get-go. Based on our data, PING i530 doesn't disappoint as it ranks second overall for distance.
Data that suggests potential upside creates buzz. PING i530 showcases long term upside by ranking in the top half for accuracy. Accuracy is a critical ingredient to better golf. If you can hit more greens in regulation, there is a strong chance you can see lower scores over time. Going through a professional fitting may awaken the full potential of the PING i530 for a multitude of golfers.
Forgiveness and consistency go hand-in-hand. How well does a golf club produce similar golf ball data measurements shot to shot? Does it produce tight deviations for ball speed, carry distances, backspin, and overall dispersion? These are the metrics we analyze. Usually, PING's products are some of the best for consistency (forgiveness). This is PING i530's glaring weakness relative to other competitors. It finishes towards the bottom in our forgiveness scoring category.
The proof is in the pudding. PING i530 is arguably one of the best player’s distance irons on the market. In our testing, its distance performance propels it towards the top of the leaderboard. It is the second-best iron for distance. Additionally, it finishes in the top half for accuracy.
“Great feel and it looks amazing. I can’t find a fault with it. I like it.”
“Feel is good and it offers reasonable distance control. However, I feel like it could be an issue for some golfers.”
“The looks turn me off, but I could get get over them. It is HOT. If you are looking for extra distance, this is the iron.”
With a strong distance performance, PING i530 makes its mark as a distance-oriented player’s distance iron. It also performs reasonably well for accuracy which helps it reach third overall in our test. Some of our testing pool did voice their concerns about potential distance control issues. This is evident with PING i530’s forgiveness score, which is below average. Go through a professional fitting to ensure proper yardage gapping.
Player’s distance irons offer a combination of aesthetics, distance and forgiveness. Accuracy potential is there for most of them but, as we well know, not all irons are created equal. Accuracy should be your top priority.
These are the best player’s distance irons for accuracy.
Review Score
Accuracy
Distance Score
Forgiveness
Price
Strokes Gained is a critical part of our accuracy scoring category with irons.. Srixon ZX5 Mk II is the best player's distance iron for accuracy. Being accurate with your irons can lead to more greens in regulation. In turn, this can lead to lower scores.
Player's distance irons are designed to offer the best of both worlds – distance and forgiveness. Srixon ZX5 Mk II fits this bill by being the most accurate iron in testing and by being a top-tier iron in our distance and forgiveness categories. It truly is a well-balanced, all-around player's distance iron.
Srixon might not be the first name on a golfer's list, especially from a player's perspective. Mizuno, Titleist and others have more prestige. Srixon is worth trying. Unfortunately, most golfers may have to go through a fitting service or retail store to get access to them.
Srixon ZX5 Mk II continues to prove that it is a superior player’s distance iron. For 2024, it is the best player’s distance iron for accuracy. In our testing, accuracy looks purely at Strokes Gained relative to the field. Furthermore, it is important to remember that our testing consists of 5-iron, 7-iron, and pitching wedge performance. Srixon ZX5 Mk II is performing at a high rate across each scenario.
“Love everything about it and it is consistent with performance.”
“Favorite of testing. Love everything about it.”
“Best of the best.”
“No matter what I did, I knew I was going to hit a good shot and it syncs well with my swing.”
“Solid overall. Controllable distance. Love the looks and feel too.”
Srixon continues to impress year to year in every iron category, none more so than player’s distance. Performance should always be your top priority. With our “off-the-rack” approach, Srixon ZX5 Mk II establishes itself as the best player’s distance iron for two years in a row. It offers a phenomenal blend of accuracy, distance, and forgiveness.
Review Score
Accuracy
Distance Score
Forgiveness
Price
Not only does KING Forged Tec X offer tremendous distance, it is exceptionally accurate and offers a positive Strokes Gained performance in our testing. Traditionally, an iron that stands out for distance lacks accuracy. This isn't the case for Forged Tec X. By displaying accuracy potential, it has outstanding upside in the player's distance category.
Look, every golfer loves distance. COBRA KING Forged Tec X is the best iron for distance in our player's distance iron test. It beats out some strong contenders to claim this crown. Remember, we are analyzing performance off a 5-iron, 7-iron, and pitching wedge, so it clearly offers distance throughout the iron set.
We often refer to forgiveness as consistency. They go hand-in-hand. How well does a golf club produce similar golf ball data measurements shot to shot? For example, does it produce tight deviations for ball speed, carry distances, backspin, and overall dispersion? These are the metrics we analyze. Unfortunately, this is the knock against COBRA KING Forged Tec X – it lacks forgiveness (consistency) relative to the competition.
COBRA KING Forged Tec X cements its reputation as a high-quality player’s distance iron. When you find an iron that is accurate and long, you feel like you’re on top of the world. We know that KING Forged Tec X is long. Yet, it offers tremendous upside from an accuracy perspective. Again, we are evaluating performance with a 5-iron, 7-iron, and pitching wedge. Therefore, KING Forged Tec X finishes with a respectable strokes gained performance across our entire testing pool. Going through a professional fitting can additionally enhance its accuracy potential.
“Subjectively appealing and insanely hot.”
“Performance is great, but the acoustics are poor.”
“Love the look at address – it sits square and flush against the ground. Off-center strikes are harsh.”
“Definitely one of the hottest faces.”
Generally, we don’t see an iron that is the best for distance perform well for accuracy as well. COBRA KING Forged Tec X bucks this trend by finishing second overall for accuracy. This overall performance pushes it into second place overall in our 2024 test. Due to how hot and long it is, we do recommend going through a professional fitting to ensure appropriate yardage gapping.
Which golf shot do you remember the most? Most likely the one you hit the farthest.
When it comes to distance, player’s distance irons offer better distance potential versus player’s irons. In our testing, this category offers a wide range of distance performances. There are irons that put the “distance” in player’s distance. There are others that perform more like a player’s iron. Ultimately, you need to choose which option is best for you. But, there are player’s distance irons that will require yardage gapping assessments.
These are the best player’s distance irons for distance.
Review Score
Distance Score
Accuracy
Forgiveness
Price
Every golfer loves distance, whether they want to admit or not. COBRA KING Forged Tec X is the best iron for distance in our player's distance iron test. It beats out some strong contenders to claim this crown. Remember, we are analyzing performance off a 5-iron, 7-iron, and pitching wedge, so it clearly offers distance throughout the iron set.
Not only does KING Forged Tec X offer tremendous distance, it is exceptionally accurate and offers a positive Strokes Gained performance in our testing. Traditionally, an iron that stands out for distance lacks accuracy. But, this isn't the case for Forged Tec X. By displaying accuracy potential, it has outstanding upside in the player's distance category.
We often refer to forgiveness as consistency. They go hand-in-hand. How well does a golf club produce similar golf ball data measurements shot to shot? For example, does it produce tight deviations for ball speed, carry distances, backspin, and overall dispersion? These are the metrics we analyze. Unfortunately, this is the knock against COBRA KING Forged Tec X – it lacks forgiveness (consistency) relative to the competition.
COBRA KING Forged Tec X cements its reputation as a high-quality player’s distance iron. It claims the top spot for distance, which evaluates carry and total distance. Again, we are analyzing performance off a 5-iron, 7-iron, and pitching wedge. If it were up to us, we would focus strictly on carry distance because that is what matters. Too many people focus on total distance with an iron. Total distance with an iron is arguably irrelevant. You want to know the carry distances of your irons because you are hitting them into a green (generally).
“Subjectively appealing and insanely hot.”
“Performance is great, but the acoustics are poor.”
“Love the look at address – it sits square and flush against the ground. Off-center strikes are harsh.”
Generally, we don’t see an iron that is the best for distance perform well for accuracy as well. COBRA KING Forged Tec X bucks this trend by finishing second overall for accuracy. This overall performance pushes it into second place overall in our 2024 test. Due to how hot and long it is, we do recommend going through a professional fitting to ensure appropriate yardage gapping.
Review Score
Distance Score
Accuracy
Forgiveness
Price
Distance is an integral component of golf clubs and one of the key performance metrics for golfers. Most of our testing pool noted the distance PING i530 possesses from the get-go. Based on our data, PING i530 doesn't disappoint as it ranks second overall for distance.
PING i530 showcases long-term upside by ranking in the top half for accuracy. Accuracy is a critical ingredient to better golf. If you can hit more greens in regulation, there is a strong chance you can see lower scores over time. Going through a professional fitting may awaken the full potential of the PING i530 for a multitude of golfers.
Forgiveness and consistency go hand-in-hand. How well does a golf club produce similar golf ball data measurements shot to shot? For example, does it produce tight deviations for ball speed, carry distances, backspin, and overall dispersion? These are the metrics we analyze. Usually, PING's products are some of the best for consistency (forgiveness). This is PING i530's glaring weakness relative to other competitors. It finishes towards the bottom in our forgiveness scoring category.
The proof is in the pudding. PING i530 is arguably one of the best player’s distance irons on the market. In our testing, its distance performance propels it towards the top of the leaderboard. Our testing pool noted that it offers more controllable distance than the COBRA KING Forged Tec X. Each of these can become more controllable with a proper yardage gapping analysis.
“Great feel and it looks amazing. I can’t find a fault with it. I like it.”
“Feel is good and it offers reasonable distance control. However, I feel like it could be an issue for some golfers.”
“The looks turn me off, but I could get get over them. It is HOT. If you are looking for extra distance, this is the iron.”
With a strong distance performance, PING i530 makes its mark as a distance-oriented player’s distance iron. It also performs reasonably well for accuracy, which helps it reach third overall in our test. Some of our testing pool did voice their concerns about potential distance control issues. This is evident with PING i530’s forgiveness score, which is below average. Go through a professional fitting to ensure proper yardage gapping.
“Forgiveness” is a nebulous term in the golf industry. It’s used often but rarely defined. As a golfer, do you want an iron that performs consistently? Your answer should be a definitive “yes.” You should desire an iron that produces similar results off the club face, 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.
Below are the best player’s distance irons for forgiveness.
Review Score
Forgiveness
Accuracy
Distance Score
Price
In our testing, we strive to give a data-driven result for forgiveness. Forgiveness is an interesting term driven by marketing. TaylorMade P-770 23' is the best player's distance iron for forgiveness in 2024. Why? Relative to the field, it produces consistent shot outcomes. We analyze standard deviations across several golf ball metrics, specifically, ball speed, carry distance, backspin and dispersion. These areas are where P-770 23' excels.
In a category where distance is part of the name, TaylorMade P-770 23' is one of the shorter player's distance irons. One can make the case that the P-770 23' is a hybrid between player's distance and player's. Its performance certainly suggests this. Pure distance is not its strength.
The player’s distance category features a lot of different irons and there are options for everyone. Some of these irons showcase a blend of accuracy, distance, and forgiveness. Others excel at two of the three scoring categories. Then, there are player’s distance irons that perform well for a specific category. TaylorMade P-770 23′ is the best player’s distance iron for forgiveness. This showcases its ability to produce similar shot outcomes consistently, especially in terms of ball speed deltas, carry distance deltas, backspin deltas, and dispersion.
“One of the best looking player’s distance irons. However, the mishits are harsh and penalizing.”
“Really like it. The ball flight is better than the P-790s and they nail the looks. It is shorter than other irons in this category.”
“Very surprised by this iron. Its performance is better than other generations.”
TaylorMade P-770 is a safe choice in the player’s distance iron category. It is a model of consistency as it produces reliable shot outcomes. It isn’t long by any means, which might make it an appealing choice for a lower handicap or more skilled golfer looking for forgiveness/consistency rather than distance. ZIt is one of the highest-rated player’s distance irons by our testing pool.
Review Score
Forgiveness
Distance Score
Accuracy
Price
Consistency. Forgiveness. In golf, the two are synonymous. When we are discussing forgiveness, we are alluding to the consistency of a golf club, and in this case, a player's distance iron. Wilson Dynapower Forged is the second-best iron for forgiveness in this year's test. It produces consistent shot outcomes in regards to our forgiveness scoring category metrics. Once again, we look at how consistent an iron is with ball speed deltas, carry distance deltas, backspin, and dispersion.
Wilson and Srixon both make exceptional iron products, especially in the player's distance space. Most consumers probably overlook Wilson too often. Dynapower Forged offers tremendous forgiveness and consistency. Relative to the field, it is average for accuracy, and slightly below average for distance. These two performance characteristics can potentially improve with a professional fitting. It is worth checking out…much like other non-mainstream manufacturers.
Wilson Dynapower Forged ranks eighth overall in our Best Player’s Distance Irons of 2024 results. This places it in the top half of the field, which is propelled by its second-place finish for forgiveness. With forgiveness, we analyze how a golf club performs for specific golf ball metrics. These are ball speed deltas, carry distance deltas, backspin deltas, and dispersion. This allows us to evaluate standard deviations for each iron for each of these metrics. Wilson Dynapower Forged excels in forgiveness relative to the competition.
“Incredibly performing across the face. It can compete with the big names.”
“Better if it wasn’t chrome, but the shaping is money. Definitely a sleeper pick.”
“Favorite of the grouping – consistent, balanced, and sneaky good.”
In the past, Wilson has won this category and they continue to make a player’s distance iron worthy of your attention. Overall, it places eighth, which is still a solid finish all things considered. It offers tremendous reliability by placing second in our forgiveness scoring metric. Wilson Dynapower Forged is an iron worth demoing. Go check it out.
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 distance iron.
If you’re new to golf, it can be useful to understand the parts of an iron. Irons consist of several parts: the clubhead, the shaft and the grip.
The clubhead is the portion that actually strikes the ball. The hosel connects the head to the shaft, which can vary in length and is commonly constructed from steel or graphite. The grip can be chosen separately and you can always regrip your clubs. And if you really want to go the custom route, you can add a unique ferrule, too.
Pricing will always impact a purchasing decision. The player’s distance iron category isn’t as price-friendly as the game-improvement iron category. Due to golf club construction, there are more forging components in player’s distance iron category. This alone pushes the price points upward. Most iron sets will be $1,000 or above.
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.
Beginners often benefit from lighter graphite shafts that offer more flex while seasoned players may prefer the precision of stiffer steel shafts suited for more powerful swings.
The best players tend to prefer a compact head and good looks in an iron. The problem with golf clubs like this is that they are a bit unforgiving. The player’s distance iron has less offset than a game improvement iron and soles that are a little wider but they mix the performance and looks quite well.
If you are on the road to becoming a better player it is much more important to look for performance in the best golf irons. If you can make a shortlist of clubs with the best accuracy and you prefer the one with the thin top line that’s fine. Just don’t start this process by looking for the best lookign golf clubs.
Not every golf manufacturer releases a new player’s distance iron each year. In fact, the Srixon ZX5 MKII was the best player’s distance iron of both 2023 and 2024. In 2023, the Inesis 900 Forged, New Level 902 OS Forged, Mizuno Pro 225, and Fourteen TB-5 rounded out the top five.
In this years test the big names like Srixon, COBRA, PING and TaylorMade really took their place at the top of the list. Player’s distance irons are kind of a niche, upgrading from one year to the next likely isn’t necessary. Instead, keep an eye out on which brands are continually putting great products on the market. In this case it’s Srixon.
Our 2024 Most Wanted test took 320 testing hours. For 2024, the testing pool includes 18 different iron models.
MyGolfSpy’s test program is powered by three crucial components to help give you the best recommendation:
For player’s distance irons, we have 20 testers. Since player’s distance irons are marketed to the low- to mid-handicap player, our testing pool includes golfers who fall under this demographic. Due to the scale of this test, each tester committed to 16 appointments to complete the player’s distance iron test. All 20 testers hit the pitching wedge, 7-iron and 5-iron of each participating iron model. They tested all irons in a controlled environment not on the golf course.
Providing you, the golfer and consumer, with insights into the best player’s distance 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. However, we are taking a new, more extensive approach to our scoring categories.
Overall scores are now labeled as an MGS Score.
Testing is comprised of three scoring categories:
These three categories are weighted with accuracy taking priority.
Accuracy is a game changer. Hitting the golf ball on or around your intended target leads to better scores. For our accuracy category, we analyze one specific metric:
Player’s distance irons offer distance potential. Some irons in this category are quite longer than other competitors. Our distance category analyzes two specific metrics:
We label forgiveness as how consistent a player’s distance iron is at producing consistent shot outcomes. For our forgiveness category, we asses three specific metrics:
Scores are derived from the key metrics above with specific weighting going into each scoring category. For us, accuracy is always of utmost importance, which is why it will receive priority over distance or forgiveness.
For irons specifically, there is a noteworthy statistic golfers keep during a round of golf – greens in regulation. Hitting fewer greens can raise your score. Hitting more greens can help lower your score. This is why accuracy is critical to how we assess iron performance. You want to either be hitting greens or having playable shot outcomes that land relatively near the green.
The overall score is derived from the three scoring categories: accuracy, distance, and forgiveness. Additionally, since there are three golf club categories (5-iron, 7-iron, pitching wedge), each of these are weighted and are part of the overall score calculation. Based on years of testing and other data analyses, 7-iron and pitching wedge are weighted greater than 5-iron performance.
| Product | Overall Rank | Accuracy Rank | Distance Rank | Forgiveness Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Srixon ZX5 Mk II | 1st | 1st | 6th | 4th |
| COBRA KING Forged Tec X | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 15th |
| PING i530 | 3rd | 6th | 2nd | 17th |
| Mizuno Pro 245 | 4th | 8th | 5th | 7th |
| Titleist T-200 | 5th | 3rd | 12th | 8th |
| TaylorMade P-790 | 6th | 4th | 8th | 10th |
| Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Pro | 7th | 7th | 4th | 16th |
| Wilson Dynapower Forged | 8th | 10th | 13th | 2nd |
| Mizuno JPX 923 Forged | 9th | 14th | 7th | 3rd |
| TaylorMade P-770 23′ | 10th | 9th | 17th | 1st |
| MacGregor MT-Milled | 11th | 5th | 18th | 5th |
| COBRA KING Tec Forged | 12th | 11th | 11th | 9th |
| Callaway Paradym | 13th | 15th | 3rd | 18th |
| Kirkland Signature Iron | 14th | 13th | 16th | 6th |
| COBRA KING Forged Tec One Length | 15th | 16th | 10th | 12th |
| PXG 0311 P GEN6 | 16th | 17th | 9th | 13th |
| Tour Edge Exotics C723 | 17th | 12th | 15th | 14th |
| Titleist T-150 | 18th | 18th | 14th | 11th |
World-class testing requires world-class equipment. This is the gear we trust to help us fulfill our Most Wanted testing.
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.
| Driver Titleist TSR3 | 3 Wood Titleist TSR3 |
| Driving Iron Titleist U505 | Irons (5-6) Titleist T200 |
| Irons (7-PW) Titleist T150 | Wedges (50, 56, 60) Titleist Vokey SM10 |
| Putter L.A.B. Mezz.1 Max | Ball Titleist Pro V1x |
3 months ago
Phillip, I am wondering if you have had any second thoughts on the T150s after they finished dead last. The MGS Our Team section shows you are gaming the T150s. I imagine that the top ranked club in any test isn’t going to be the best fit for every individual, but the lowest ranked club is unlikely to be the best fit for anyone. Is that fair?
4 months ago
Why don’t you compare iron degree of loft vs name. If you looked at it that way how different would the ratings change?
4 months ago
What happened to the Mizuno Pro 245? They are more a player’s distance than the JPX line.
4 months ago
I’m in the market to upgrade to a Players Distance from the Callaway Rouges. Will the PXG Gen 7 XP or the Callaway Apex Ai be added to this review?
4 months ago
I would also love to see the full data table with distances and dispersion areas.
4 months ago
What about the Callaway AI Smoke and AI200’s? Where can find the who the testers are and what level of golfer they are.
4 months ago
Ned- I tested the Callaway Ai 200s and the Apex Ti Fusion irons yesterday at a fitting. IMHO the Ai 200s were good but not great. The Apex Ti Fusion was excellent in every measurement (launch, distance, forgiveness, descent angle, playability, looks, sound, etc.) but was more expensive at $300 per head. For me, the Aprex Pro was the best fit across the board. That said, I would rate the MP245, T150, and P770 slightly ahead in all the key areas of my evaluation. My final decision as to which club I get will depend on the availability of my preferred shaft option. All the clubs mentioned are excellent options so it gets down to the shaft. Hope that helps.
4 months ago
Is it possible thepublished testing results are getting worse? What happened to the MGS glory days where you used to get a full tableau panel broken down by long, mid, and short iron? The data was fully exportable, you could see more raw data that allowed you to really dial in the results based on what is important to you. This rank by 4 categories is really not good considering the razor thin margins we are dealing with. Why show so little data? Can you be in less in favor of the consumer with providing such limited data??? Can your organization deviate from its stated mission? MORE DATA PLEASE!!
4 months ago
Those days are done. MGS now works with manufacturers to PROMOTE their goods, clearly. Must be nice to be thrown free SWAG from them lol
4 months ago
The P770’s are more forgiving than the P790’s?
4 months ago
My experience with both is that the p790s are a little more forgiving, but not much. However, since they are longer the dispersion can be worse which impacts the forgiveness. I didn’t need the extra distance and the forgiveness was negligible, so I ended up in the p770. I have loved them. They are pretty much just a slightly more forgiving players iron, like the review above said.
4 months ago
Just recently got fitted. The Mizuno JPX forged were by far the best for me. I liked the Srixons, the Taylor Made’s were nice but the Mizuno’s were next level. Such an amazing feeling and sounding iron. My recommendation to anyone is to get fitted then go to Global Golf and use the “UTRY” section for the clubs you want. You have 2 weeks to play with them. I thought I might need a combo set with more forgiveness in the 5 and 6 iron. Pleasantly surprised by the forgiveness. Try these, you won’t regret it.
4 months ago
Good test but its disappointing the new offerings from TM (new 770 of 2024) and the new Callaway AI200’s are not here……maybe you guys should have waited to publish this after testing those two offerings that are taking 2024 by storm…..
4 months ago
When I got fit last year, it was down to three on this list: the Srixon ZX5, the Titleist 200, and the Pings. I really liked all three, but went with the Srixons. It took me quite a while to get used to them (I was also coming off an injury), but am very happy with them. Definitely worth a look.
4 months ago
I play the Wilson Staff D9 forged. They are some great irons.
I have a set of Srixon 565 to, but I enjoy the Wilson D9 forged so much I made the switch.
The distance is superb with the choice of
Steelfiber 70 cw.
Incredible for me.
3 months ago
Yep the Wilson D9 are awesome irons!
4 months ago
Thank you for finally publishing the results in this category. I have been testing (and went through a fitting) for many of the forged irons evaluated here. My top four were the Mizuno Pro 245, the Srixon ZX5/7 Mk II combo, the Titleist T150, and the Taylormade P770. I have a Callaway fitting scheduled today and another TaylorMade fitting early next month (for the new P770). The issue I find with all the better iron choices is once I find the best iron head, the graphite shaft selection in a given manufacturer’s shaft matrix is limited. The issue is getting the proper flex and weight combination per the fittings. The most flexible of my top 4 is TaylorMade which offers the broadest selection of shafts and adjustments (i.e. stepping options, grip tape wrap options, lie adjustment increments, etc.). Titleist is next if you go through their fitting process. The flexibility of having clubs customized to you by the manufacturer as the result of their performing a fitting I believe is a true differentiator in this category of irons. IMHO this is something MGS should consider and grade when conducting these “Best …” evaluations.
4 months ago
The reason the Cobra King Forged Tec X rank 1st for distance is because of the ridiculous lofts. Of the clubs you tested:
5 iron – 21 degrees
7 iron – 27 degrees
PW – 42 degrees
Just absurd. How are you meant to gap your wedges with that?
4 months ago
You buy 4 wedges, as prescribed lol
46, 50, 55, 60
4 months ago
Are you folks going to post the actual numbers at some point? The reason is–particularly with distance, which is kind of the point here–the rankings on their own can be misleading in terms of the differences. For example–if the iron ranked first with a 7 iron gets say 165 carry distance, and the iron ranked 12th gets 162, then yes, it’s lower ranked, but the practical difference may not be as significant as some other factor.
4 months ago
I will second Bill’s request for the raw data. Thank You for all the work you guys do!
4 months ago
Not only would the actual numbers be helpful, but listing the loft of each 7i would be great too. That way I can really compare the distance category.
4 months ago
In a 7-iron, for example, the difference in carry distance between the longest iron and shortest iron is 11.85 yards.
4 months ago
I’ve been looking forward to this article for what seems like forever because new irons are on the top of my list. The Titleist T150 and Cobra King Forged Tec X scores were surprising, the Srixon score was not. It would have been cool to see some of the DTC brands, but I know that isn’t as simple as testing the bigger brands.
I plan to get fitted this time and test different models, but here’s my question – could a low forgiveness score (like Cobra) be mitigated some by a player who is a more consistent ball striker with their irons, if that makes sense…?
4 months ago
James, thank you for your patience with the article. With the scale of this test, it added several hours of testing. A better ball striker, in theory, should see tighter standard deviations with the metrics we analyze for forgiveness. I’d suggest narrowing your demoing list to 3-4 top choices and go from there.
4 months ago
Surely you should have tested the forged tec not the X.
The Tec is the players distance, the X is game improvement.
4 months ago
Forged Tec X are Players Distance irons? Cobra website offers the X’s as game improvement, and original Forged Tec as players distance.
4 months ago
where are the Cally’s ?
4 months ago
The new Ai options were not available at the time of testing. Our goal is to release individual reviews of these during the fall.
4 months ago
Once you go Srixon ZX5… you don’t go back. I started with the ZX7 6 years ago, then switched to the ZX5 2 years ago. I don’t have the MKII, but I do know I have no desire to play any other iron.
4 months ago
Except the Zx7 first came out at the end of 2020, so that is an impressive 6 years… But, the Springboks are awesome!
4 months ago
You are correct… I was referring to the 7 series, i.e. the 745 and 765’s.
4 months ago
They were release the beginning of 2021.
Titleist ProV1 Golf Balls
Kevin H
3 months ago
Would be interesting to see some of the D2C brands included here (Caley, Orka, Takomo) for comparison.