Best Golf Irons For Beginners

If you are new to the game, you have probably discovered that the sheer volume of clubs on the market has made it difficult to determine what the best golf irons for beginners might be. Those starting out already have a lot on their mind when trying to grasp the rules of the game or practicing their swing mechanics. Who has time to wade through catalogs or general information on a manufacturer’s website? 

We have been there. Our goal is to help you better understand what makes an iron good, and what clubs might prove beneficial to you as a novice. This should allow you to spend less time shopping and more time on the range or the course itself. 

8 Best Beginner Irons

Image Product NameScore
Callaway Golf 2018 Men’s Rogue X Individual
Callaway Golf 2018 Men’s Rogue X Individual
10
$125.00 $100.00
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2 Tour Striker 7 Iron
Tour Striker 7 Iron
9.8
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3 MAZEL Mens Golf Individual Iron 7
MAZEL Mens Golf Individual Iron 7
9.7
$35.99
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4 TaylorMade Golf 2018 MCGB Men’s Iron Set
TaylorMade Golf 2018 MCGB Men’s Iron Set
9.6
$1,399.99 $999.00
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5 Titleist 716 MB Single Iron
Titleist 716 MB Single Iron
9.6
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6 Mint Mizuno MP 15 Single Iron
Mint Mizuno MP 15 Single Iron
9.5
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7 Wilson Staff Defy Single Iron
Wilson Staff Defy Single Iron
9.4
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8 Callaway Golf 2018 Women’s Rogue Individual Iron
Callaway Golf 2018 Women’s Rogue Individual Iron
9.3
$112.50 $100.00
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How To Choose The Best Golf Irons For Beginners?

 

What should you look for when shopping for these clubs? We have tried to approach the answer to that question by looking at the features that go into an iron’s design. What’s important when looking at the shaft? How about the shape and weight of the club-head? Our research has focused on these properties. When you are ready, you’ll want to consider: 

What Shaft Designs And Materials Are Used?

One of the first things to consider when looking at potential equipment will be the materials used for the shaft. Manufacturers will employ graphite or steel for this, which influences: 

  • Feedback – Steel transmits vibrations more than graphite
  • Weight – Graphite will bow and weigh less than steel

Vibration will occur when you mishit. Some players like the feedback from steel, while others avoid the sting with graphite. Weight influences the club-head speed, with greater speeds generated by graphite. Other considerations include: 

  1. Flex: The bow generated on the downswing, adjusting swing speed.
  2. Length: Longer shafts increase distance but offer less control.
  3. Bend Point: Shaft location with the greatest bend. Lower points create higher ball trajectory.
  4. Torque: The shaft twist during a swing, altering the face angle at impact.

Club-Head Weight And Center Of Gravity

Another consideration that influences an iron is the weight and center of gravity (CoG) of the head. The weight can be concentrated in different locations, which will alter its CoG. When the weight is moved up, the center of gravity is higher. Conversely, a lower massed weight brings the CoG down. Modern club-head designs also move the weight (and CoG) closer or farther from the face. 

How does the center of gravity influence your shot? Weight location affects swings by: 

  • A deeper or lower CoG generates more loft.
  • A higher CoG will create a lower trajectory.

Also, the center of gravity can be moved closer or farther from the shaft. The most forgiving golf clubs will produce more accuracy with the CoG near the shaft. 

Other Club Head Features

The club-head is the point of contact with the ball, providing more features than weight and CoG. Good beginner golf clubs share two design elements: 

Oversized Heads: A larger face provides you with more confidence when you are new to the game. Bigger faces are more forgiving when you mishit the ball when compared to standard club-heads. 

Cavity Back Designs: Molded club-heads can distribute weight along the bottom and edges. A cavity back limits straying on mishits. It also increases ball lift, allowing you to use lower lofts with greater distance. 

Sole Design

Professional coaches and designers suggest that the best irons for a high handicapper will include a wider sole. This improves your game by: 

  • Lowering the club’s CoG, generating greater loft
  • Giving a better bounce and limiting cutting or digging into the turf.

Game-improvement clubs incorporate a wide sole. These clubs are designed for beginners and high handicap players. These golfers often struggle to get the ball into the air. They also have a tendency to hit “fat” shots as they hit the ground. Wider soles help with both. 

 

Best Golf Irons For Beginners

 

Armed with the information provided to you by our buyer’s guide above, the next step in finding your best golf iron will be to examine products offered by various manufacturers. This section of golf clubs reviews for beginners provides eight irons with build features that provide the elements we have discussed previously. Designers and manufacturers may concentrate on providing some benefits over others, allowing this list to cover most beginner’s needs. 

Callaway Rogue X individual – most forgiving irons

Callaway Golf 2018 Men’s Rogue X Individual

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The X series is a continuation of the features offered in the Rogue series. California-based Callaway has produced golf equipment since 1984. These irons are meant for high-handicappers looking for game improvement clubs with forgiveness. 

 

Key Features

  • Shaft Material: This product line is available with either graphite or steel shafts, varying flexibility, and weight. 
  • Weight & CoG: The X series is lighter than the standard Rogue, with a deep and shallow CoG found in the best forgiving irons. 
  • Club Head: The 360 face cup provides more flex and creates more ball speed. A larger face makes a bigger sweet spot, reducing mishits. 
  • Sole: A wider sole not only keeps the CoG lower and back and offers less resistance on ground strikes. 

PROS:
  • Comes with graphite or steel shafts
  • A flexible face generates faster speeds
  • Longer clubs provide greater loft

CONS:
  • Loft wedge is right-handed only
  • Its design limits shot versatility
  • Greater ball roll problematic for some shots

These irons will help to improve control and distance for novice golfers. 

Tour Striker 7 – best iron for beginners

Tour Striker 7 Iron

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Price history for Tour Striker (2014 NEW VERSION) Golf Club Swing Trainer (7-Iron, right)
Latest updates:
  • $110.98 - October 4, 2019
  • $102.99 - September 16, 2019
Since: September 16, 2019
  • Highest Price: $110.98 - October 4, 2019
  • Lowest Price: $102.99 - September 16, 2019
Last Amazon price update was: February 21, 2020 6:49 am
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This seven-iron is built as a trainer for proper swing mechanics. Tour Striker is known for their practice/training equipment, and this club is built for players looking to improve. 

 

Key Features

  • Shaft Material: Uses a Uni-flex Steel that provides more feel with ball contact. 
  • Weight & CoG: A standard weight with a center of gravity placed closer to the face, providing a smaller sweet spot to force improvement. 
  • Club Head: The blade design lacks excessive surface area needed on a trainer. 
  • Sole: Its sole is the standard width, providing some bounce with the possibility of digging. 

PROS:
  • Corrects swing posture
  • Lie and loft angles teach proper aim
  • Provides improved weight-distribution

CONS:
  • Offered with steel shaft only
  • It’s difficult to swing correctly at first
  • Designed for training

The build of this seven-iron make a good golf club for beginners wanting to improve their swing. 

MAZEL for Men – easiest irons to hit

MAZEL Mens Golf Individual Iron 7

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This series of clubs are built as a single shaft, meaning that the club length remains close throughout the entire range. Mazel created these golf clubs for beginners who require a large face for easier hitting. 

 

Key Features

  • Shaft Material: The company offers two versions of their graphite or steel shafts for more customization. 
  • Weight & CoG: The club is a bit heavier than other designs, due to the steel components used in the build. 
  • Club Head: A deep undercut on the cavity creates more ball lift while providing distance. 
  • Sole: Its wider sole offers bounce and limits slicing into the turf. 

PROS:
  • Provides a comfortable grip
  • Generates a good ball distance
  • Steel quality lessens vibrations

CONS:
  • Weight is heavier than similar products
  • Single length irons can be harder to adjust to
  • The product line is not stocked everywhere

The large sweet spot on this iron makes it one of the easiest golf clubs to hit. 

TaylorMade MCGB Men’s – best irons for high handicapper

TaylorMade Golf 2018 MCGB Men’s Iron Set

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  • $999.00 - February 21, 2020
  • $1,249.99 - February 16, 2020
  • $1,399.99 - January 27, 2020
  • $799.99 - December 5, 2019
  • $822.99 - November 25, 2019
  • $799.99 - November 18, 2019
  • $929.76 - November 3, 2019
  • $869.99 - October 29, 2019
Since: September 16, 2019
  • Highest Price: $1,399.99 - January 27, 2020
  • Lowest Price: $699.99 - September 16, 2019
Last Amazon price update was: February 21, 2020 6:49 am
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This complete set of irons seems to have more design elements than most clubs. TaylorMade has consistently improved golfing technology since 1979, with this series geared toward players looking for game improvement clubs. 

 

Key Features

  • Shaft Material: The graphite shaft offers more flexibility while a steel selection provides feedback on impact. 
  • Weight & CoG: A multi-material head keeps the weight standard on the clubs while the components create a very low gravity profile. 
  • Club Head: An oversized face creates a large sweet spot, while a flexible surface creates greater distance and speed. 
  • Sole: Rounded edges on the wider sole provide even more forgiveness when you hit the ground. 

PROS:
  • An oversized head supplies ample hitting surface
  • Four weights are placed to limit twisting
  • These tungsten weights help to generate a higher MOI

CONS:
  • The many features may be overkill with lower handicaps
  • It generates higher than the normal ball lift
  • Club weight may not be ideal for those with fast swings

TaylorMade’s consistency between clubs makes these a complete set of golf clubs for high handicappers. 

Titleist 716 MB Single S300 – best irons for average golfers

Titleist 716 MB Single Iron

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The 716 MB is a traditional looking design. Since 1932, Titleist has built a reputation among serious golfers with their balls and clubs. The forged three-iron offers minimal design features that are meant for golfers with average scores and a bit of experience. 

 

Key Features

  • Shaft Material: A steel shaft provides the feedback that practiced golfers seek when they strike the ball. 
  • Weight & CoG: The compact design keeps the weight located higher and behind the face, rewarding accurate strikes with good ball placement. 
  • Club Head: Its muscle back design provides players with versatility in their shot selection. 
  • Sole: A standard profile limits surface contact with the ground. 

PROS:
  • Forged design allows for more shot versatility
  • Provides good feedback on strikes
  • The top-down profile is minimal at the address

CONS:
  • Muscle back design keeps CoG higher
  • Mishits can send tingling vibrations to hands
  • A standard sized face is less forgiving

The classic forged design make this a good golf club for average player. 

Mint Mizuno MP 15 Single – best irons for mid handicapper

Mint Mizuno MP 15 Single Iron

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The MP 15 is designed for the advancing player looking for more versatility in their shots. Mizuno is known for their sports equipment in many fields of play. Their three-iron design provides a traditional blade that also offers some forgiveness that is usually found in cavity back heads. 

 

Key Features

  • Shaft Material: The standard steel shaft provides feedback, including the tingle you feel on mishits. 
  • Weight & CoG: A medium-sized club-head keeps the weight down, while titanium weights are added to move the CoG slightly back from the face. 
  • Club Head: This forged blade allows you to shape your shot while allowing some forgiveness when you miss the sweet spot. 
  • Sole: The sole is of average width, giving minimal contact with the possibility of cutting into the grass. 

PROS:
  • Additional titanium back weights offer more forgiveness
  • The forged blade offers a greater shot shaping ability
  • It creates a higher MOI than other irons from Mizuno

CONS:
  • It is not a true cavity design
  • Errant shots are less forgiving
  • A medium sized face means a smaller sweet spot

 This forged blade with a cavity-like back makes it the best golf clubs for average players. 

Wilson Staff Defy Single – best iron for 20 handicapper

Wilson Staff Defy Single Iron

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The defy series of clubs are meant for players with high scores that need super game improvement irons for assistance. Wilson Sporting Goods has roots in the sports industry dating back to the start of the 20th century. Their Defy nine-iron is built to offer superior ball loft that high handicappers often struggle with. 

 

Key Features

  • Shaft Material: The graphite shaft eliminates unwanted vibration and adds to your swing speed. 
  • Weight & CoG: Less-dense materials are used to keep the weight lower overall while moving the CoG down and back on the club edges and trailing end. 
  • Club Head: An oversized head gives a larger sweet sweet spot and more forgiveness along the front surface. 
  • Sole: A standard sole is improved on with beveling that provides bounce while preventing digging. 

PROS:
  • It generates minimal side spin
  • Longer shots can be achieved without loss of control
  • This iron offers more workability than Wilson’s hybrids can

CONS:
  • Graphite shafts offer less club-head control
  • The face is less forgiving on errant shots
  • Only offered in right-handed variations

These super game improvement clubs are the best irons for 20 handicap golfer. 

Callaway Women’s Rogue Individual – best women’s golf iron for beginners

Callaway Golf 2018 Women’s Rogue Individual Iron

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The women’s line of Rogue clubs is built with the size and speed features required by most lady golfers. Callaway has specialized in a variety of club designs for over 30-years. The women’s Rogue irons offer shorter shafts and slower swing speed technology to improve your scores on the green. 

 

Key Features

  • Shaft Material: Graphite shafts help to increase club-head speeds on slower swings. 
  • Weight & CoG: A lighter overall weight allows the player to swing it faster. 
  • Club Head: It uses a cavity back design to move the CoG lower and farther back on the head, creating maximum loft on contact. 
  • Sole: The wide sole prevents the iron from slicing into the ground when the ball is struck. 

PROS:
  • Its lighter swing weight compensates for slower swings
  • A stronger loft increases ball lift
  • The large face offers more surface for contact on strike

CONS:
  • It is designed to fit a specific golfer size
  • Faster swing speeds may be frustrated by the design
  • They are not stocked as often as men’s clubs are

The shaft length and swing speed on these irons make them the best women’s golf irons to choose from. 

 

Questions That High Handicappers And New Players Ask

 

What benefits and features make the best irons for an inexperienced player? The short answer is that the club-head and shaft design are critical to providing new players with the best club elements. 

Understanding what to look for will improve your game through greater control of your shots. Learning what to look for is difficult in this day of information overload and that is why we’ve distilled that information into a more concise form. 

What are the best irons for an average golfer?

As your handicap begins to lower, you may be ready for forged iron equipment. This type of iron is forged in a single piece of metal, instead of the cast iron designs produced in molds. Forged irons use the blade or muscle back design, providing less variance in weight and center of gravity. These clubs are produced in smaller head sizes. 

How can forged clubs improve an average players game? First, good irons for average golfers feel better when the ball is struck. Next, they allow you to perform more versatile shots, including: 

  • Altering shot trajectory
  • Produce draws or fades

What are the best irons for a 20-handicapper?

Golf irons for high handicappers are often referred to as “entry level” or “super game improvement” clubs. They feature design elements that provide greater control and playability for inexperienced golfers. These components and their benefits include: 

  • Larger faces that help errant shots stay on the intended trajectory
  • Cavity backs that place the center of gravity towards the back that creates higher ball trajectory
  • A thicker top line that keeps the ball framed
  • Club-head offset that provides last second facing adjustments

What are the most forgiving golf irons?

Irons that are designed with forgiveness in mind provide a high MOI and a lower center of gravity. Moment of inertia (MOI) is altered by placing the weight along the perimeter of the club-head. It “forgives” an off-center shot through that weight distribution, allowing the ball to travel farther with a mishit. Forgiving golf irons also distribute the weight shallower and farther back on the cavity back, creating more loft through a lower center of gravity (CoG). Other design components include: 

  • Larger club-faces
  • Bigger club-heads
  • Thicker top lines
  • Wider soles
  • Offset on the club-head

 

So, The Best Irons For Beginners Are...

 

The Callaway Rogue X stands out among the others as the best golf irons for beginners. Graphite or steel shaft allows for customization, while a lightweight and low CoG provide loft and speed. A large club-head and face provide plenty of forgiveness on errant shots, too. The other irons offer good value as well, depending on your needs: 

 

Also look for the best beginner golf driver. We recommend that you assemble the entire set of clubs so that when you enter the field you will not have any difficulties.

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