Hot List
IRONS 2025
Determining which of our four iron categories fit your game will start you on your journey to better golf.
Best Players Irons of 2025
View List
1 / 15
Callaway
Apex CB
$215 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$215 per iron
A five-step forging process delivers the feel better players crave.
Metal-injection-molding weights placed in the toe create enhanced workability and control.
The center of gravity is lower in the long irons to boost launch and higher in the short irons to control trajectory on shots from pin-seeking range.
2 / 15
Callaway
Apex Pro
$215 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$215 per iron
The hollow-body construction and a thinner, more flexible cupface (in which the face wraps around part of the sole and topline) on the 3- through 5-iron provide more ball speed and a higher launch to enhance distance.
The remaining irons have a 1025 forged-carbon-steel face insert designed for precision, accuracy and repeatability in the clubs where distance isn’t as crucial.
The company’s urethane microspheres within the body of the long irons control vibration, enhance feel and allow the face to flex for maximum distance.
3 / 15
Cobra
3DP Tour
$357 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$357 per iron
The irons are completely 3-D printed, allowing for a level of precision and intricacy not available in clubs that are forged or cast.
The 3-D printing allows for a soft, forged-like feel in an iron with game-improvement traits.
An interior lattice provides support for durability and produces a pleasing sound.
4 / 15
Mizuno
Mizuno Pro 243
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200 per iron
5 / 15
Ping
Blueprint S
$230 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$230 per iron
An elastomer insert in the long irons saves 10 grams of weight that is redistributed to foster a higher launch and more forgiveness.
Short irons are single-piece forgings to promote ball-flight control.
The face and grooves are milled, bringing more precision to the manufacturing process.
6 / 15
Srixon
ZXi7
$186 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$186 per iron
7 / 15
TaylorMade
P·770
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200 per iron
A hollow-body construction with a forged, high-strength steel face insert produces plenty of distance sizzle.
The face insert wraps around the leading edge into the sole for more potential ball speed from impacts lower on the face.
Tungsten within the head (as much as 41 grams) lowers the center of gravity for more effective launch.
8 / 15
TaylorMade
P·7CB
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200 per iron
The single-piece forged cavity-back is more compact than the P·770.
Cavities in the sole are milled out, allowing for tungsten (up to 11 grams) and a slug of lightweight metal-matrix composite to be inserted to lower the center of gravity.
The metal-matrix composite is one-fifth the density of the surrounding steel. This allows for more perimeter weighting and ultimately forgiveness.
9 / 15
Titleist
T100
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200 per iron
A forged, dual-cavity design supplies a tour-like look in an iron everyday single-digit handicappers can play.
Super-dense D18 tungsten (1.5 times heavier than lead) in the heel and toe foster super-charged stability and improved feel.
Coordinating with the company’s wedge designers brought a softened chamfer in the trailing edge of the sole for better turf interaction.
10 / 15
Titleist
T150
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200 per iron
The T150 is hotter than the T100 thanks to its stronger lofts (2 degrees) and a channel behind the face that adds spring at impact.
The muscle channel is close to the face to provide a solid feel.
Dense D18 tungsten uses an aerospace brazing process that eliminates weld joints. This allows a more precise center of gravity and extra stability on off-center strikes.
11 / 15
Cobra
King Tour
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$200 per iron
12 / 15
Maxfli
XC2
$143 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$143 per iron
Co-forged tungsten and ceramic weighting reduces mass in areas where it is not needed and moves it to where it is needed such as the perimeter.
Six-times forged from 1025 carbon steel for a pleasing sound and feel.
The universal hosel design allows for .355 taper tipped and .370 parallel tip shafts to be used, providing the kind of options better players want.
13 / 15
Mizuno
Mizuno Pro S3
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$200 per iron
The split cavity-muscle design has a thin topline and compact head shape.
Mizuno used its shaft-optimizer data to learn the attack angles of better players. The result is a sole with a beveled leading edge and relief on the trailing edge for better turf interaction.
The copper underlay delivers an extra layer of soft material beneath the surface for a muscle-back, blade-like feel.
14 / 15
Ping
i230
$187 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$187 per iron
An elastomer insert saves 21 grams that is redistributed low and toward the perimeter to boost launch and foster forgiveness.
The elastomer has the bonus of promoting a pleasing feel, even on off-center strikes.
Tungsten toe and tip weights provide the kind of stability that has mis-hits finding the front of the green rather than the bunker guarding it.
15 / 15
PXG
0317 T
$180 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$180 per iron
This sharp-looking iron undergoes a robotic polishing process to ensure consistent geometries and a flawless finish.
The irons feature a hollow body with a polymer inside the head to improve spin consistency.
The HT 1770 maraging-steel face is slightly thicker than other PXG irons and features the forgiveness of a hollow body with the playing traits of a single-piece forging.
Best Players Distance Irons of 2025
View List
1 / 13
Callaway
Apex Ai200
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200 per iron
A forged hollow-body clubhead is married to a forged high-strength 455-stainless-steel face that wraps around the top and sole to create impressive face flex through the 8-iron.
The “Ai Smart Face” uses the power of AI to analyze regular golfer swing data to deliver tight dispersion along with added yards.
A cool feature of the Ai200 is the strategically positioned metal-injected molding weights that ensure the ideal center of gravity to create the proper launch.
2 / 13
Callaway
Apex Ti Fusion
$300 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$300 per iron
A proprietary brazing process was used to join the stainless-steel body with the titanium face—an industry first.
The strong and thin titanium face gives ball speed a boost.
The forged steel body features urethane microspheres inside the head to provide a feel typically found in single-piece forged irons.
3 / 13
Cobra
King Tec
$186 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$186 per iron
The muscle-back shape cleverly hides the fact that the head is hollow and uses a thin variable-thickness face for greater ball speed and a higher launch.
A 20-gram tungsten toe weight in the 4- through 7-iron is positioned in a manner that allows the center of gravity to be more in line with the face center.
The five-step forging process and softer foam create a deeper sound that appeals to better players.
4 / 13
Mizuno
JPX925 Forged
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200 per iron
A new hollow-body design allows for a thin, forged 4120 chromoly-steel face for added spring at impact in the 4- through 7-iron.
A revamped variable-thickness face in the 4- through 8-iron expands the sweet spot from previous iterations of this model.
Less weight in the toe makes it easier to draw the ball.
5 / 13
Mizuno
JPX925 Hot Metal Pro
$150 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$150 per iron
A multi-material clubhead (a first for the JPX line) features a thin chromoly-steel cupface for improved ball speed and tungsten weighting for precise center-of-gravity placement.
A smaller, more controllable iron with less offset and a thinner topline than other JPX925 models.
The sole features a beveled leading edge, high bounce and trailing-edge grind to make entering and exiting the turf easier.
6 / 13
Mizuno
Mizuno Pro 245
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200 per iron
This hollow-body iron's face and neck are grain-flow forged from 4135 chromoly-steel through the 8-iron.
Internal tungsten weighting through the 7-iron is 46.4 grams as opposed to 30 grams in last year’s version. This provides more stability on off-center hits.
A new method of laser welding suspends the tungsten in the head, allowing the face to flex more on shots struck low.
7 / 13
Ping
i530
$205 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$205 per iron
A blade-style, hollow structure and a high-strength maraging-steel face allow for significant bending of the face at impact for extra distance and a higher launch.
An arcing sole cascade helps with the flexing to ensure maximum height that delivers enough stopping power (despite the strong lofts) to hold greens.
Four grams of EVA polymer improve feel and sound without hindering face flexing.
8 / 13
PXG
0311 P GEN7
$230 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$230 per iron
9 / 13
Srixon
ZXi5
$186 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$186 per iron
A condensed forging process allows for a localized hardening of the steel from the high toe and along the topline to optimize durability and feel.
The face features a variable-thickness pattern of internal grooves and channels, bolstering ball speed.
Use of a heat treatment makes the face softer and provides durability.
10 / 13
TaylorMade
P·790
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200 per iron
The face on the long irons is made of a high-strength forged 4340M Chromoly steel alloy and wraps around the sole in an L-shape to create a more effective trampoline effect.
A cut-through slot in the sole enhances flex for shots struck low on the face.
Tungsten (30 to 40 grams) is positioned horizontally and low on the long irons to provide a better launch. On the middle irons, a chunkier piece rests vertically closer to the toe to improve stability on off-center strikes.
11 / 13
Titleist
T200
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200 per iron
The dual-tapered L-face insert (in which the face wraps around the sole) improves deflection and helps shots maintain a tight dispersion.
The use of tungsten weights allowed for precise center-of-gravity placement to promote a high launch in the low irons and control in the scoring clubs.
A polymer-backed structure is closer to the face for a soft feel.
12 / 13
Honma
TW767 PX
$175 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$175 per iron
The two-piece pocket-cavity design uses a cap-back piece for the first time in a TW Series iron to improve feel in a thin-face iron.
High-strength AM355P steel is used for the L-face that wraps around the sole in the 5- through 8-iron, providing these irons with some extra spring at impact.
The face features a pattern of thick and thin areas low on the face to amplify speed on shots struck in that area.
13 / 13
Wilson
Dynapower Forged
$142 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$142 per iron
The variable-thickness face was designed with the help of AI analysis of regular golfer swings to produce faster ball speeds and a touch of forgiveness.
On the 4- through 7-irons, an arrangement of thin slots that flex on impact help shots hit low on the face retain speed.
A low center of gravity creates a higher launch to help shots hold the green.
Best Game Improvement Irons of 2025
View List
1 / 17
Callaway
Apex Ai300
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200 per iron
The Apex Ai300 replaces the Apex DCB and targets golfers who are early in their journey or are looking to step up from the super-game-improvement category.
The forged 455-steel face was designed with the help of AI analysis of everyday player impact data in which the topology behind the face is different for each iron—thinner and thicker in areas where it needs to be to create maximum consistency.
The tungsten core has urethane with “microspheres”—tiny air bubbles encased in glass—that lowers the center of gravity to help with launch despite slightly strong lofts.
2 / 17
Callaway
Elyte
$150 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$150 per iron
The hollow-body construction features a variable-thickness cupface designed with the help of AI analysis of thousands of golfer swings.
The special high-strength stainless steel is thinner than traditional stainless steels, resulting in a fast-flexing face.
Select areas of the clubhead have been stiffened, primarily the topline, to allow the cupface to transfer energy to the ball more efficiently.
3 / 17
Callaway
Elyte HL
$143 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$143 per iron
Designed for players with moderate to average swing speeds seeking a higher launch with more carry.
As with the standard Elyte model, a high-strength stainless-steel cupface—in which the sole wraps around part of the sole and topline—provides Formula-1 speed off the face.
The irons feature the RCH S2H2 short hosel that Callaway’s late R&D chief Dick Helmstetter was famous for designing. The shorter hosel saves six grams that were used to lower the center of gravity to achieve higher launch.
4 / 17
Cobra
DS-Adapt
$143 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$143 per iron
The L-face insert (in which part of the face wraps around the sole) is used on the 4- through 7-irons to boost ball speed. The face has a new leading-edge channel that extends around the face from the sole into the toe area to help with impacts there.
For the first time in a Cobra iron, the interior leading-edge channel has been added to the 8-iron through sand wedge.
Cobra engineers used simulated golf-ball impacts to adjust the face pattern and interior leading edge and toe area thicknesses to deliver faster ball speeds.
5 / 17
Cobra
King Tec-X
$186 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$186 per iron
6 / 17
Mizuno
JPX925 Hot Metal
$150 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$150 per iron
The new face on the 4- through 8-irons is 30 percent thinner at its thinnest point or a slim 1.2 millimeters on the low heel and high toe for faster ball speeds.
The cupface—in which part of the face wraps around the topline and sole—enhances ball speed throughout the hitting area.
Tungsten weighting is positioned low in the 4- through 7-irons to mitigate the loss of ball speed on off-center strikes and to help golfers launch the ball higher.
7 / 17
Ping
G440
$157 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$157 per iron
The face is shallower and thinner compared to the G430 for increased ball speed and a more player-preferred look at address.
The size reduction saves four grams per iron that is placed lower and farther back in the head to drop the center of gravity and assist launch.
The shaft length of the 4-, 5-, and 6-irons were extended three-quarters of an inch to help golfers launch those irons higher.
8 / 17
PXG
0311 XP GEN7
$230 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$230 per iron
Compared to the P model, the XP targets middle- to high-handicaps who don’t mind looking at a little heftier clubhead with more aggressive offset and stronger lofts in exchange for extra distance and forgiveness.
At its thinnest, the maraging-steel face is just .05 of an inch thick, helping the face to flex. An internal channel in the back delivers even more spring and potential distance.
An internal polymer supports the face and delivers a pleasing sound and feel.
9 / 17
Srixon
ZXi4
$186 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$186 per iron
The hollow body was designed with the help of AI, a process that produces way more potential clubhead iterations than humans are capable of in a given timeframe.
Unlike the company’s ZXi5 and ZXi7 irons, the body of the ZXi4 is not forged. Instead the cast multi-piece iron uses a forged high-strength steel face insert (HT1770) supported by a cast 17-4 stainless-steel body and hosel that is heat treated to allow for bending.
The backside of each iron face is milled in a variable-thickness pattern comprising indentations to provide ball speed while saving mass.
10 / 17
TaylorMade
Qi
$143 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$143 per iron
TaylorMade prioritized reducing the chances of a slice with the Qi. A multi-material cap-back that is lighter than the steel it replaces reduces weight in the high toe, making the club easier to square at impact.
The center of gravity is lower in the long irons for easier launch and higher in the short irons for optimal control, launch and spin.
It has been a staple of TaylorMade irons for over a decade, but to ignore the heat brought by the “Speed Pocket” slot up to the 7-iron would be journalistic malpractice.
11 / 17
Titleist
T350
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200 per iron
The T350 is the company’s most aggressive approach to forgiveness and ball speed with its larger size and wider sole.
The high-strength, variable-thickness steel face features the same alloy as the T200 as well as the L-shape that overlaps into the sole for extra rebound at impact.
Healthy chunks of super-dense tungsten in the heel and toe foster sumo-wrestler stability on off-center hits.
12 / 17
Cleveland
ZipCore XL
$130 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$130 per iron
This game-improvement set uses two constructions: a hollow body for the 4- through 7-iron and a cavity-back design for the 8-iron through sand wedge.
Golf Digest’s academic panel has seen a lot of interesting technology over the years and isn’t easily impressed. An exception is Cleveland’s ZipCore tech in which a lightweight aluminum silicate compound replaces steel in the hosel to better position the center of gravity.
ZipCore saves nearly 15 grams of weight that is redistributed to reduce ball-speed loss on off-center strikes.
13 / 17
Honma
TW767 HX
$210 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$210 per iron
This hollow iron disguises itself as a large muscle-back with plenty of speed thanks to a thin maraging-steel face.
Honma positioned the 5.5-gram weight screw on the back of the clubhead to improve sound and feel.
Weight screws and 16 grams of internal tungsten mass help minimize spin and the loss of carry distance on common misses golfers make with their 5- through 9-irons.
14 / 17
PXG
Black Ops
$150 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$150 per iron
Black Ops is a hollow-body, dual-cavity design with a larger profile intended to instill confidence for the game-improvement audience.
The irons have the same thin face and power channel as the 0311 GEN7 line, but the larger face and thicker topline on the Black Ops are designed for the player seeking help getting the ball airborne as opposed to getting it close to the pin.
The hollow body features the company’s XCOR2 polymer filling and a lightweight insert on the outer cavity to save weight that is repositioned to improve forgiveness.
15 / 17
Tour Edge
Exotics E725
$115 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$115 per iron
The extreme low-rearward center of gravity provides an extremely high moment of inertia, which helps maximize speed on off-center strikes.
A one-piece, high-strength steel body with a 360-degree undercut helps lower the center of gravity for a higher launch.
Tour Edge’s diamond-face variable-thickness design features 103 “diamonds” in the face that serve as mini-trampolines to maximize ball speed.
16 / 17
Vice
VGI02
$100 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$100 per iron
The VGI02 features lighter head weights than most irons. Vice believes lighter heads are easier for everyday players to control and swing faster for more ball speed.
Vice also says that data from years of fitting reveals that a lighter club is easier to square at impact, reducing the likelihood of a slice.
The irons are two-piece with a springlike steel for the face to increase ball speed.
17 / 17
Wilson
Dynapower
$128 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$128 per iron
The most common miss by amateur players is on the toe. To combat that in the Dynapower 4- through 8-irons, Wilson uses a two-piece construction in which the face is welded on around the topline and the upper part of the toe area. This provides a larger area of the face that is unsupported, which leads to more ball speed.
The face is made from 17-4 stainless steel, like the body of the iron, but is created from a forged/stamped process. This manufacturing approach allows for a stronger and thinner face and maintains high strength and durability.
The iron also has changing thicknesses on 27 points on the face, ranging from 2 millimeters to 2.5 millimeters for zippy ball speeds.
Best Super Game Improvement Irons of 2025
View List
1 / 13
Callaway
Elyte X
$143 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$143 per iron
Callaway used AI analysis of average-golfer impact points to selectively thin areas on the face to maximize ball speed. The face also wraps around the topline, sole and toe to further widen the springlike effect.
A metal-injection-molding process fashions the internal tungsten weighting to better position the center of gravity.
That weight is encased in urethane microspheres that helps deliver a soft feel.
2 / 13
Cleveland
Halo XL Full-Face
$130 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$130 per iron
The hollow-body, hybrid-style iron is designed to help golfers get the ball in the air. The irons feature a variable-thickness face and oversize heads.
Grooves that stretch across the face improve launch conditions for shots hit outside the typical groove area by providing more spin consistency.
Also on the face is a blast called “HydraZip” along with a laser-milled-line system designed to create additional roughness to enhance friction. Combined they increase the launch-angle benefit, which this player type needs.
3 / 13
Cobra
DS-Adapt Max
$143 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$143 per iron
Most of the same technical features of the DS-Adapt irons are used here but with a longer blade length, thicker topline, more offset and a wider sole—all things that are highly useful to players in this category.
Feedback from clubfitters that weaker-lofted irons benefit less skilled golfers resulted in lofts here that are about 2 degrees higher than other irons in this category.
Concentrating weight low and back is key to achieving easier launch and more speed. That’s accomplished via a steel weighting system inside the head that gets weight in the proper position while allowing maximum flexing of the face.
4 / 13
Mizuno
JPX925 Hot Metal HL
$150 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$150 per iron
High-strength chromoly 4140M steel is used for the face. The hitting area is thinned around the perimeter, increasing rebound for maximum ball speed.
The wide sole teams with tungsten weighting low in the head of the 4- through 7-iron to help golfers get the ball up in the air.
Internal ribs are used to provide a softer feel yet explosive sound at impact.
5 / 13
Ping
G730
$185 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$185 per iron
An enhanced metalwood-style variable-thickness face uses a special heat treatment to allow thinning of the 17-4 stainless-steel.
The large head and wide sole offer increased stability and instill confidence.
The rear badge is a 10-piece construction that uses two plastics and has five bending regions to assist face flex for higher launch and a steeper landing angle.
6 / 13
TaylorMade
Qi HL
$143 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$143 per iron
The multi-material cap back is lighter than the steel it replaces and wraps around the high-toe area. The reduced weight in that area makes it easier to square the club at impact, reducing the chance of hitting a slice.
The center of gravity is lower in the long irons to boost trajectory and progressively rises, allowing for controllable short-iron shots that don’t balloon.
The irons feature extreme heel-toe weighting to provide stability across a wide swath of the clubface.
7 / 13
Yonex
EZone GT
$175 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$175 per iron
An L-shaped maraging-steel face wraps around part of the sole. The steel is durable, allowing it to be made thin to easily flex. This creates more speed and helps launch shots higher in lofts that are extremely strong.
The hollow-body construction uses forged S45C steel for a soft feel. The face actually uses two steels (one for the main irons and another for the gap and sand wedges).
The irons use a graphite back plate and stabilizer bar that allow the face to bend while maintaining an acceptable sound and feel.
8 / 13
Cobra
Air-X
$114 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$114 per iron
Through weighting, center-of-gravity placement and relatively weaker lofts, the irons provide the kind of launch-angle boost slower swingers need.
The variable-thickness face was inspired by Cobra’s driver. By tweaking the thickness and size of each “zone,” ball speed can be optimized across the face.
The lightweight Air-X starts with a cast head that is two grams lighter and a 41-gram grip that is six grams lighter. Saving eight grams makes the club easier to swing faster.
9 / 13
Cobra
T-Rail
$143 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$143 per iron
An excellent choice for players more concerned with how many good shots they hit during a round than their score.
Designed using AI, the forged face insert uses stainless steel in a variable-thickness pattern that increases the area of the sweet spot.
Fifteen zones range in thickness from 2 to 2.2 millimeters. The result is a face that is slightly larger but doesn’t weigh more.
10 / 13
PXG
Wildcat
$150 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$150 per iron
The set uses a 6-hybrid then 7-iron through sand wedge. All are designed with a large amount of offset and a bigger overall profile—perfect for the beginner or occasional player looking for a club that’s easy to hit.
The irons have a hollow body filled with a polymer for feel and rebound. The outer cavity badge has a weight-saving insert. The mass saved is relocated to the perimeter for improved forgiveness.
As with all PXG irons, the face insert is made from HT1770 maraging steel and is razor thin at just .05 of an inch. That and the channels around the perimeter provide a chest-puffing trampoline effect.
11 / 13
Tour Edge
Exotics X725
$130 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$130 per iron
A new entry in the Exotics family takes the company’s all-time best-selling iron-wood concept and turns it into an ultra-premium Exotics version.
The diamond face with its three shapes and thicknesses boosts speed, particularly on off-center strikes, and uses less weight that allows for a deeper center of gravity.
The shallower clubhead, thicker topline and additional offset all work together to help golfers get the ball in the air while minimizing the tendency to slice.
12 / 13
Wilson
Dynapower Max
$128 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$128 per iron
This is an all-iron set (as opposed to the hybrid-like Launch Pad model).
Wilson used analytical tools to develop its first ever cupface construction in which the face wraps around the topline and sole to get more distance in a pleasing look.
Mass was added to the topline to improve stability. This delivered better results on strikes caught high on the face while helping to mute the sound.
13 / 13
XXIO
13
$157 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$157 per iron
These irons use a titanium face plate that is thinner for greater flexing.
An L-shaped internal groove etched deep into the interior of the iron’s stainless-steel body further enhances spring, especially for shots struck low on the face.
In clubs up to the 7-iron, 31 grams of tungsten are used to drive the center of gravity low and back, fostering a high ball flight to optimize carry distance.
More Hot List
Surviving the Hot List: Celebrity Intern
Irons
We break irons into four categories: Players, Players Distance, Game Improvement and Super Game Improvement. Players irons possess just enough forgiveness to assist the occasional missed shot and have a look that says you’re a stick. The shape of Players Distance irons also says better player, but the technological objective is to help a golfer who has dropped a few yards over time get into beast mode again. The goal of Game Improvement irons is just as the name suggests: enhanced forgiveness in an iron that doesn’t look like it's designed for Chopper McGee. Finally, Super Game Improvement irons help the ball get in the air, go farther and make the game more fun. Isn’t that the point of playing in the first place?