Best irons 2025 for every handicap, budget and playing style
With so many different irons on the market today, finding the right models to try can be challenging, but Golfweek can help you learn more about this season’s offerings.
If it feels like there are more irons on the shelves at golf retailers and specialty shops, you’re right. Golfers and golf equipment makers have adopted the benefits and process of custom fitting more than ever, and that means when players are in the market for a new set of irons, they want to hit lots of clubs, study the differences in performance and discover which models are best suited to their game.
Golfers who will contend for club championships and have powerful, repeatable swings typically want irons that emphasize feel, control, and precision. Golfers who are losing some speed but still play at a high level can not find better-player distance irons that look like classic blades but pack a punch, while weekend players often benefit from game-improvement clubs that blend distance and forgiveness. People who are new to the game need irons that make golf easier to play, get the ball up in the air and maximize forgiveness.
So, with all those demands needing to be met and lots of high-quality manufacturers out there, you can now understand why shops are overflowing with options.
Golfweek wants to help you get started on your journey to find your next set of irons. The list below features models that you are likely to see when you head to the pro shop, along with descriptions about who they are made for and key information about them, along with links to our full club reviews.
Callaway Elyte irons
Price: $999.99 (Elyte, Elyte X, Elyte HL, Elyte Max Fast) with True Temper Vector or KBS Max steel shafts Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips, $1,099.99 with True Temper Denali or Mitsubishi Eldio graphite shafts
Specs: Cast 17-4 stainless steel chassis with internal tungsten weight and urethane microspheres.
Who it’s for: With four models in the family, the Elyte irons were designed to serve a wide-range of golfers who want more distance and forgiveness .
What you should know: Callaway redesigned the face of the Elyte irons to maximize distance on good shots while also protecting ball speed on mis-hits. The standard Elyte will fit the most players, while the Elyte HL provides a higher launch, the X is designed to be the most forgiving, and the Max Fast version comes with lighter components. Read the full review.
Callaway Apex Ai200
Price: $200 each with True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid steel shafts or UST Mamiya HDC Recoil Dart graphite shafts and Golf Pride Z grips
Specs: Forged 1020 stainless steel body with forged 455 stainless steel face, internal urethane microspheres, and adjustable back weight
Who it’s for: Golfers who shoot between eight and 18 and want more distance, feel, and consistency from shot to shot.
What you should know: Callaway enhanced the feel and updated the look of its game-improvement Apex irons, then used artificial intelligence to create iron faces that deliver more distance, along with spin and trajectory consistency. Read the full review.
Shop Callaway Apex Ai200 irons
Callaway Apex Ai300 irons
Price: $200 each with True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid steel shafts or UST Mamiya HDC Recoil Dart graphite shafts and Golf Pride Z grips
Specs: Forged 1020 stainless steel body with forged 455 stainless steel face, internal urethane microspheres, and adjustable back weight
Who it’s for: Golfers who shoot in the high 80s, 90s and 100s who want more distance, feel, and consistency.
What you should know: This is a larger version of the Apex Ai200 irons and is designed to be extremely forgiving and confidence-inspiring. The Ai300 will hit the ball higher, and with less spin, than the Apex Ai200, and should feel more stable on mis-hit shots. Read the full review.
Shop Callaway Apex Ai300 irons
Callaway Apex Ti Fusion irons
Price: $300 each with True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid Gunmetal steel shafts or Mitsubishi MMT graphite shafts and Golf Pride Z grips
Specs: Forged 1020 stainless steel body with brazed titanium face, internal urethane microspheres, adjustable back weight, and diamond-like coating
Who it’s for: Low- to mid-handicap golfers who want more distance, feel, and consistency.What you should know: Callaway Apex Ti Fusion irons blend a soft stainless steel body with a titanium face designed using artificial intelligence and internal urethane material to create more ball speed, a softer feel, and more consistency. Read the full review.
Shop Calaway Apex TI Fusion iron
Cleveland ZipCore XL irons
Price: $899.88 (7 clubs) with KBS Tour Lite steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline 360 grips; $999.99 with UST Mamiya Helium Nanocore 60 graphite shafts.
Specs: Cavity-back designed stainless steel heads with stainless steel faces. Available 4-iron through sand wedge.
Who It’s For: Golfers with a handicap ranging from eight to 18 who want a traditional cavity-back iron designed to deliver more distance and consistency.
What you should know: A unique face design combined with a surface-roughening treatment that changes throughout the set helps the Cleveland ZipCore XL irons produce more ball speed and more spin consistency through the bag. Read the full review.
Shop Cleveland ZipCore XL irons
Cleveland Halo XL Full Face irons
Price: $899.88 (7 clubs) with KBS Tour Lite steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline 360 grips; $999.99 with UST Mamiya Helium Nanocore 60 graphite shafts.
Specs: Hollow-bodied stainless steel heads with stainless steel faces. Available 4-iron through sand wedge.
Who It’s For: High-handicap and moderate clubhead speed players who want an easy-to-hit iron loaded with forgiveness.
What you should know: These massive hollow-bodied irons have railed soles in the long irons, a low center of gravity and were designed to help high-handicap golfers get more distance, more height and more enjoyment on the course. Read the full review.
Shop Cleveland Halo XL Full Face irons
Cobra 3D Printed Tour irons
Price: $2,450 (4-PW), with KBS $-Tour 100 steel shafts and Lampkin Crossline grips
Specs: 3D printed 316 stainless steel with internal tungsten weight
Available: March 21
Who they’re for: Golfers who want an iron that looks like a better-player’s muscleback blade but that is as forgiving and powerful as a game-improvement club.
What you should know: By 3D printing these irons, Cobra designers could reposition weight and engineer an iron that looks like it belongs in a tour player’s bag, but the 3D Printed Tour has more perimeter weighting for a game-improvement level of forgiveness and distance. Read the full review.
Shop Cobra 3D Printed Tour irons
Cobra DS-Adapt, DS-Adapt Max irons
Price: $999 with KBS Tour Lite steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline grips. $1,099 with KBS PGI graphite shafts
Specs: Cast 431 stainless steel body with 17-4 stainless steel face, vibration-dampening foam, and aluminum medallion
Who it’s for: Golfers with a handicap between 10 and 20 who need a game-improvement club that blends distance and forgiveness.
What you should know: Cobra updated the cup-face design to enlarge the sweet spot and reinforced the chassis of this iron, then added vibration-dampening foam to create a club that feels better at impact, delivers more ball speed and makes it easier to hit high-flying shots. Read the full review.
Cobra King TEC irons
Price: $1,299 (4−PW) with KBS-Taper Lite steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline grips
Specs: Hollow-body design with forged 1025 carbon steel body, internal tungsten weight, and urethane microspheres
Who it’s for: Golfers with a handicap between five and 15 who want an iron that looks like a better-player’s distance club and has a soft feel, but also enhances distance and forgiveness.
What you should know: The King TEC is a hollow-body, better-player’s distance iron designed to look and feel like a blade but deliver more distance and forgiveness for players. Read the full review.
Cobra King Tour irons
Price: $1,299 with KBS $-Taper 120 steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline grips
Specs: Forged 1025 carbon steel with TPU insert and co-molded aluminum medallion
Who It’s For: Low-scoring golfers who want a soft-feeling iron that delivers shot-shaping control with a touch of forgiveness.
What you should know: A better-player’s cavity-back, the updated King Tour irons have a vibration-dampening insert to soften the feel along with the compact size and classic look that accomplished golfers demand. Read the full review.
Mizuno JPX Forged irons
Price: $200 per club with KBS Tour C-Taper Lite shaft and Golf Pride MCC grips
Specs: Grain flow forged 4120 Chromoly with stainless steel back piece (4-7), forged 1025E mild carbon steel (8-PW). Available in satin chrome and black finishes.
Who it’s for: Golfers with a handicap between five and 12 who want a better-player’s distance iron that delivers enhanced feel along with more distance.
What you should know: The latest JPX Forged is designed to be a better-player’s distance iron that blends enhanced ball speed with the look and feel that accomplished players want, similar to the Hot Metal irons. Read the full review.
Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal, Hot Metal Pro, Hot Metal HL irons
Price: $150 per club with Nippon N.S. Pro 950 NEO steel shafts and Lamkin UT+ grips (Hot Metal)Specs: Cast stainless steel body with Nickel Chromoly 4335 cup face and internal tungsten weight.
Specs: Cast stainless steel body with Nickel Chromoly 4335 cup face and internal tungsten weight.
Who It’s For: Golfers who want more ball speed and forgiveness (Hot Metal), accomplished players who want a better-player’s distance iron (Hot Metal Pro) or moderate- and slower-swinging golfers who want more height and carry distance from their irons (Hot Metal HL).
What you should know: Each of the three new JPX Hot Metal irons – the standard, HL (high launch) and Pro – feature thinner faces that offer a larger sweet spot and more ball speed on mishits, while also delivering the feel and sound that golfers expect from a Mizuno iron. Read the full review.
Mizuno Pro Signature Series S-3 irons
Price: $200 per club with Project X 6.0 shafts and Golf Pride MCC grips
Specs: Grain flow forged 1025E mild carbon steel
Who they’re for: Elite golfers, club professionals, college players and golfers with powerful, repeatable swings who want to maximize feel and control.
What you should know: The first offering in the new Mizuno Pro Signature Series is a shallow cavity-back designed for elite golfers who want to maximize feel and control. Read the full review.
Shop Mizuno Pro Signature Series S-3 irons
Ping G440 irons
Price: $170 per club with Ping AWT 3.0 steel shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips. $185 per club with Ping Alta GB Blue graphite shafts
Specs: Cast 17-4 stainless steel chassis and face with multi-material back badge
Who They’re For: Golfers with a handicap ranging from 10 to 20 who want to hit higher iron shots that stop faster on the greens.
What You Should Know: Ping designed this game-improvement iron with a shorter face height, shorter blade length and lower center of gravity to encourage a higher flight and steeper angle of descent. The company also made the G440 appear more premium with a chrome finish. Read the full review.
Ping i530 irons
Price: $205 each with True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 steel shafts and Golf Pride 360 Tour Velvet grips. $220 each with Ping Alta CB Black graphite shafts
Specs: Forged C300 maraging steel face with 17-4 stainless steel chassis
Who It’s For: Golfers who want the look of a better-player’s iron combined with the distance of a game-improvement club.
What you should know: These hollow-bodied, better-player distance irons look like blades but were made to generate more ball speed and distance while also offering enhanced forgiveness and feel. Read the full review.
Ping Blueprint S irons
Price: $230 each with True Temper Dynamic Gold S300 steel shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips, $245 each with Ping Alta CB Black graphite shafts
Specs: Forged 8620 carbon steel with a high-density toe screw and Hyrdopearl 2.0 finish. Available 3-iron through pitching wedge.
Who They’re For: Accomplished golfers who want a better-player’s distance iron with extra forgiveness in the long irons.
What you should know: A new forging process gives the Blueprint S enhanced performance and feel in the long irons without making them too big, while the short irons in this better-player’s distance set deliver control and precision. Read the full review.
PXG Black Ops irons
Price: $149 each
Specs: Hollow-bodied design with cast 431 stainless steel body and HT1770 maraging steel face with internal polymer.
Who it’s for: Mid- and higher-handicap golfers who want higher levels of forgiveness, more ball speed and a softer feel.
What you should know: The Black Ops irons are game-improvement clubs designed to be easy to hit and generate more ball speed thanks to extremely thin faces. Read the full review.
PXG 0311 GEN7 irons
Price: $229.99 per club with chrome finish, $239.99 with Xtreme Dark finish
Specs: Hollow-body design including forged and milled 8620 carbon steel body, HT1770 maraging steel face, internal tungsten weight, internal polymer and adjustable titanium back weight.
Who It’s For: Five- to 18-handicap golfers who want more ball speed and more forgiveness on mis-hits from a club that looks like a better-player’s iron.
What you should know: The PXG 0311 GEN7 irons feature a new material inside the hollow portion of the head that returns energy more efficiently, while exotic materials like a tungsten weight and titanium back weight enhance performance and allow fitters to customize the clubs more easily. Read the full review.
PXG 0317 T irons
Price: $169.99 each
Specs: Hollow-bodied construction with forged, 8620 carbon steel body and HT1770 stainless steel face, internal tungsten weight and vibration-absorbing polymer. Available in Chrome and Xtreme Dark finish.
Who It’s For: Accomplished players who love the look and feel of muscleback blades but now want more forgiveness.
What you should know: This is the first hollow-body PXG iron designed for elite ball strikers, with an internal polymer that helps to improve the spin consistency. Read the full review.
Srixon ZXi7
Price: $1,299.99 with True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grips.
Specs: Forged S15C stainless steel
Who It’s For: Golfers who want a soft-feel iron that emphasizes control and feel. What you need to know: Srixon developed a new forging process that allowed the brand to use softer materials in its irons for enhanced feel, then created different shapes that offer a variety of players different blends of control, feel and forgiveness. Read the full review.
Srixon ZXi5
Price: $1,299.99 with True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grips.
Specs: Forged S20C stainless steel with cast SUS17-47 stainless steel chassis
Who they’re for: Players who want more feel with enhanced distance. What you need to know: The ZXi5 irons, forged using S20C stainless steel, are a better-player’s distance iron that is slightly larger than the ZXi7, and it has a longer blade length and wider sole. The Condensed Forging process adds more material under the topline to stiffen that area without sacrificing feel. Read the full review.
Srixon ZXi4
Price: $1,299.99 (ZXi7, ZXi5) with KBS Tour Lite shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grips
Specs: Cast SUS17-47 stainless steel chassis with forged HT-1770 face
Who they’re for: Mid- and higher-handicap golfers who want more feel with extra forgiveness. What you need to know: The ZXi4 is a game-improvement iron that features a hollow-body design, which allows the face to flex more efficiently and generate more ball speed. Read the full review.
TaylorMade P·790
Price: $1,399.99 (4-PW) with KBS Tour Lite shafts and Golf Pride Z-Grips. $1,499.99 with Mitsubishi Diamana MMT graphite shafts.
Specs: Hollow-body construction with forged 4340M stainless steel faces, internal tungsten weight and injected foam.
Available: Feb. 18 (pre-order), March 13 (in stores)
Who it’s for: Golfers who want a better-player’s distance iron or game-improvement club that offers more distance and forgiveness with enhanced feel.
What you should know: The updated P·790 has a new face that helps it deliver more ball speed, but with this version, TaylorMade is emphasizing enhanced feel and individually-tuned center of gravity locations in each club that optimizes performance. Read the full review.
TaylorMade P·770
Price: $1,399.99 (seven clubs) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid 115 steel shafts and Golf Pride Z grips.
Specs: Hollow-body construction with forged 4041 stainless steel faces, internal tungsten weight and injected foam.
Who it’s for: Low-handicap golfers who want a compact head shape but who also desire more ball speed and some forgiveness.
What you should know: The updated P·770 is similar to the P·790, but smaller, having a hollow-body construction to enhance ball speed and flighted center of gravity location to individually-tune each club and optimize performance. Read the full review.
TaylorMade P·7CB
Price: $1,399.99 (seven clubs) True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid 115 steel shafts and Golf Price Z grips
Specs: Forged 1025 carbon steel with metal matrix composite (MMC) and tungsten sole inserts.
Who it’s for: Elite, powerful golfers who want a touch of forgiveness to go along with a compact, control-oriented iron.
What you should know: The TaylorMade P·7CB is a classic better-player’s cavity-back that has a compact size and thin topline, but hidden in the sole are two chambers, one filled with a light material and the other filled with tungsten. Read the full review.
TaylorMade Qi, Qi HL irons
Price: $1,099 with KBS Max 85 steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline 360 grips; $1,199 with Fujikura Ventus Blue TR graphite shafts
Specs: Hollow-body heads with multi-material back badge
Who They’re For: Golfers with a handicap between 10 and 20 who want more consistency from shot to shot and enhanced ball-speed protection on mis-hits.
What you should know: By modifying the thickness of each iron face and managing how the hitting area flexes, TaylorMade aims to improve accuracy and consistency for mid- and higher-handicap golfers. Read the full review.
Titleist T200
Price: $200 per club with True Temper AMT Black shafts and Titleist Universal 360 grips; $216 with Mitsubishi Tensei Blue AM2 graphite shafts
Specs: Forged, L-shaped stainless steel face and forged body with internal tungsten weights.
Who They’re For: Golfers who need game-improvement clubs that deliver more distance and stability, but who also want a softer feel.
What you should know: Titleist adjusted the internal Max Impact system and the polymer back plate to enhance the sound and feel of the T200, while maintaining ball speed and forgiveness. Read the full review.
Titleist T150
Price: $200 per club with True Temper AMT Tour White steel shafts and Titleist Universal 360 grips; $216 per club with Mitsubishi Tensei White AM2 graphite shafts
Specs: Dual-cavity design with SUP-10 stainless steel body, 17-4 stainless steel cradle and internal tungsten weights.
Who it’s for: Low-handicap golfers seeking more distance, but who still want the look and feel of a compact iron.
What you should know: Designed like the T100 irons, the T150 delivers extra distance thanks to a polymer-filled muscle channel bar and lofts that are 2 degrees stronger than on the T100, but Titleist focused on making them sound and feel better than the T100•S irons they replace. Read the full review.
Titleist T100
Price: $200 per club with True Temper AMT Tour White steel shafts and Titleist Universal 360 grips; $216 per club with Mitsubishi Tensei White AM2 graphite shafts
Specs: Dual-cavity design with SUP-10 stainless steel body, 17-4 stainless steel cradle and internal tungsten weights.
Who They’re For: Low-handicap golfers who want increased consistency from an iron that delivers maximum feel and control.
What you should knew: While keeping the size and shape of the T100 irons unchanged, Titleist worked to enhance their consistency by improving how the faces are made and continuing to boost the blend of workability and stability. Read the full review.
Titleist T350
Price: $200 each with True Temper AMT Black steel shafts and Titleist Universal 360 grips; $216 each with Mitsubishi Tensei Blue AM2 graphite shafts.
Specs: Forged SUP-10 stainless steel face with 17-4 stainless steel body and internal tungsten weights.
Who it’s for: Mid- and higher-handicap golfers who want to maximize distance and forgiveness.
What you should know: This game-improvement club utilizes a hollow-body construction and multimaterial design to provide distance and stability, while updates to the internal design have made it sound and feel better at impact. Read the full review.
Tour Edge Hot Launch E525, X525 irons
Price: $79.99 each (E525) with True Temper Elevate MPH 95 steel shafts or UST Mamiya Helium graphite shafts and Lamkin 360 grips
Specs: Cast 431 stainless steel head and face with thermoplastic polyurethane piece (E525); hollow-body, stainless steel heads (X525).
Available: March 1
Who it’s for: Golfers with a handicap between 12 and 20 who want a game-improvement iron that delivers more distance and forgiveness (E525); Players who shoot in the 100s and need an iron that is easy to hit and encourages higher- and straighter-flying shots.What you should know: The Hot Launch E525 is a classic game-improvement iron designed to provide more ball speed and forgiveness in a traditional-looking club, while the Hot Launch X525 is a max game-improvement set comprised of mini hybrids to help golfers get hit higher, straighter shots. Read the full review.
Tour Edge Exotics C725 irons
Price: $128.99 per club ($899.99 for 7-piece set) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid steel shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grip; $142.99 per club ($999.99 for 7-piece set) with Project X Denali Blue 80 graphite shafts.
Specs: Hollow-body design with maraging steel face and 17-4 stainless steel body.
Who it’s for: The Exotics C725 irons are engineered for single-digit handicap players who want distance and forgiveness in a more compact iron.
What you should know: The hollow-body design and perimeter weighting allow these better-player distance irons to create more distance and forgiveness while still looking like a club that belongs in the bag of a golf who plays in the A Flight in the club championship. Read the full review.
Tour Edge Exotics E725 irons
Price: $114.99 per club ($799.99 for 7-piece set) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid steel shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grip; $129.99 per club ($899.99 for 7-piece set) with Project X Cypher graphite shafts
Specs: Hollow-body design with 360-degree undercut cavity, multi-material badge and injected thermoplastic polyurethane.
Who it’s for: The Exotics E725 irons are made for mid- and higher-handicap golfers who want more distance and forgiveness.
What you should know: The Exotics E725 irons have a low and back center of gravity to boost forgiveness, increase the launch angle, and add distance. Read the full review.
Tour Edge Exotics X725 irons
Price: $114.99 per club, with Project X Cypher shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grip.
Specs: 17-4 stainless steel body with VIBRCOR and 3D Diamond Face technology. Available in 5-PW, AW and SW
Who it’s for: The Exotics X725 irons are designed for slow and moderate-swinging golfers looking for maximum forgiveness and stability, especially if they struggle with a slice.
What you should know: The Exotics X725 is Tour Edge’s attempt to translate its “iron-wood” technology into max game-improvement irons, emphasizing high launch, more distance and slice-fighting offset. Read the full review.
Wilson Dynapwr, Dynapwr Max irons
Price: $899 (5-PW) with KBS Max Ultralite steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline 360 grips; $999.99 with UST Mamiya Recoil Dart or KBS Max graphite shafts.
Specs: Cast 17-4 stainless steel
Who they’re for: Golfers who shoot in the mid-80s and 90s and want more forgiveness, ball speed and height (Dynapwr), and golfers who shoot in the high 90s and 100s who need to maximize forgiveness and gain height on their shots (Dynapwr Max).
What you should know: The second generation of Dynapwr irons are game-improvement clubs designed to inspire confidence at address while delivering more ball speed thanks to a hollow-body design. The Dynapwr Max is a larger, more forgiving, max game-improvement club. Read the full review.
Wilson Staff Model Blade, Staff Model CB irons
Price: $1,199.99 (4-PW) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid 115 shafts and Golf Pride Z grips
Specs: Forged 8620 carbon steel with milled face and back areas. 2-iron, 3-iron and gap wedge available through custom order
Who They’re For: Professional golfers, college players and elite amateur golfers who want to maximize feel and control.
The Skinny: Designed together, Wilson’s newest irons for elite golfers feature classic looks, soft materials and precise shaping to amplify feel and control for low-handicap and championship-level players. Read the full review.
Shop Wilson Staff Model Blade irons
Related
Lynch: LIV players returning to the PGA Tour won’t need…
Eamon Lynch | GolfweekIt was Robert Frost who advised against ever removing a fence without knowing why it was first erected. The fences raised around the P
The Simmons Strong Foundation announces 4th annual golf tournament on…
The Simmons Strong Foundation is excited to host the 4th Annual Simmons Strong Golf Tournament on March 31st at Forest Heights Country Club, bringing the commun
Kai Trump’s massive endorsement deal adds to her legend. Here’s…
Kai Trump's stature continues to grow as the eldest granddaughter of President Donald Trump has quickly built a massive social media following and continues to
