How to Find the Best Golf Iron Sets

A set of irons is the biggest investment most golfers will ever make in their clubs. It’s therefore a very important decision that should not be rushed, with a properly fitted and suited iron set providing years of enjoyment and improvement.

A standard set of irons consists of 3 to 6-irons, 8-9-irons and a putter. There are a number of different iron styles that can be purchased, from cavity backs to blades and even hybrid irons in some sets. Generally, you’ll want to find a set that is designed for the play style you enjoy and the shots that you typically take on the course.

While some players still prefer to use blades, the majority of modern irons are manufactured using cavity back designs, with a hollow body and a face with an offset, a thin sole and a “split cavity”. In some cases, manufacturers may choose to combine the forgiveness of a hollow body design with the shotmaking control of a blade. This is often referred to as a “muscle” or “split cavity” iron, and can offer a combination of the best of both worlds.

One of the first things a good fitter will do is determine your preferred iron type, and they can point you in the direction of the best irons for your playing style. A lot of the new irons available in the shops today are a blend of different iron types, for example game improvement irons in the 4- and 5-irons with “players” irons in the 6-iron and up. This allows them to provide forgiveness in the longer irons which are typically more difficult to hit, and provides better ball-striking performance through a higher lofted club in the short irons that are used most frequently around the greens.

The length of each club in a set is also an important consideration for many golfers. For instance, a 3-iron should produce shots 10-15 yards further than your 4-iron. However, for most golfers this gap will be more like 5 or 10 yards. This is why a good fitter will spend time measuring your gaps, so that you can be sure to get the right irons for your game.

Another key factor in finding the best irons is choosing the right shaft flex for your club. In general, higher handicappers will need more forgiveness in their irons. For this reason, irons with lower launch and spin rates are often recommended. It is worth noting that the shaft flex for your irons should match that of your driver or fairway wood, as this will help maximize consistency and ball speed across your entire bag.

Finally, the length of your irons will influence how well you can reach the greens in regulation. Usually, your longer irons will need to be very accurate and have a large sweet spot in order to be hit consistently. For this reason, they are often constructed using steel shafts (even when the shorter irons in a set have graphite), as this minimizes shaft torquing and increases accuracy, although at the expense of distance.