We take a look at some of the best game improvement irons - irons that could help you find more greens, attack more pins and shoot lower scores
Best Game Improvement Irons
Outside your annual membership fees, your irons are probably the most expensive golf purchase you are likely to make.
Therefore we cannot stress how important it is to get the best golf irons for your swing and budget.
Within this particular category – the best game improvement irons – you’ll find clubs designed to get the ball up in the air quickly to give you longer carries. To stop the ball ballooning, stronger lofts are common to keep your trajectories on a piercing flight.
Game improvement irons also tend to be larger to be more forgiving, which is why mid-to-high handicappers tend to favour them.
So what are the best current models in this category of iron? Well below we have taken a look.
Additionally if you perhaps want more control with your irons and value workability a touch more, then check out our guides on the best compact mid-handicap irons or the best golf blade irons too.
Best Game Improvement Irons
Ping G425 Irons
Powerful And Forgiving
+ Classy, neutral styling
+ Arccos sensors embedded into the grip
– Not the most workable iron in the Ping range
Ping irons that don the ‘G’ moniker are known for being a forgiving distance iron that is well built and stylish.
The Ping G425 delivers on all these fronts and has a classy and understated look compared to the bolder red colours featured on the G410. Of course the look is completely subjective, but we think this new design gives the G425 an altogether more premium look. The overall size of the blade is slightly smaller than the G410 too, creating a slightly more compact look at address, but the shape has pretty much stayed the same.
Off the face, the G425 feels fast, making a nice loud sound without being too clicky. It is very stable off the face too, with toe and heel strikes maintaining a strong line through the air. The strong descent angle through most of the set also means it’s nice and easy to control these irons when approaching greens.
Arccos sensors are now embedded in the grips throughout the G425 family and the premium shot tracking technology is another way these irons can directly improve your game. By resisting changing the lofts for even more distance, Ping has evolved the G425 into a forgiving, controllable and classy looking iron suited to a wide-range of golfers.
- Read our full Ping G425 Irons review
Mizuno JPX921 Hot Metal Pro Irons
Best For Looks
+ Fast ball speed
+ Compact looks
– Not quite as forgiving as Hot Metal model
The JPX921 Hot Metal Pro features the same technologies as the Hot Metal model in a slightly more compact package with less offset.
The JPX921 Hot Metal is the longest iron in the JPX range, thanks to the use of Chromoly 4140M and a re-engineered Cortech face, now 0.2mm thinner across the centre point, creating faster ball speeds.
These are assisted by a Seamless Cup Face featuring a variable thickness sole design that allows the leading edge to act as a hinge, generating more face flex.
Three additional sound ribs produce a more solid sensation at impact while extreme perimeter weighting and toe bias in Mizuno’s Stability Frame help to deliver greater consistency from off-centre strikes.
But we think one of its greatest assets is the combination of the performance and the looks. The irons appear compact at address and really look like a premium product in the bag, a no brainer inclusion on this best game improvement irons guide.
- Read our full Mizuno JPX921 Hot Metal Pro Irons review
TaylorMade SIM2 Max Irons
Confidence Inspiring Model
+ Good distance and forgiveness
+ Nice soft sound
– Minor performance differences on the last model
One of the best TaylorMade irons the brand makes, the SIM2 Max is the smaller of the brand’s two game-improvement irons for 2021.
This year’s TaylorMade game improvement iron does what all good cavity back irons should do: go far and offer forgiveness. While the SIM2 Max arguably offers little in performance difference from last year’s SIM Max, it still does a very good job at offering distance and forgiveness, all in a good looking iron head.
There were some fairly significant design changes made to the SIM2 Max irons over last year’s SIM Max with the Speed Bridge removed in place of a polymer cap. Aesthetically, this has created a much more pleasing look from the back and the subtle carbon fibre details have created a hollow cavity back effect from the future.
From address, the SIM2 Max has a generous sole width with a confidence inspiring amount of offset and a thick topline. This is ideal for the higher handicap golfer who needs a bit of extra help from the club.
The SIM2 Max OS is an even larger head with more offset if you’re looking for a club that is even more confidence inspiring.
- Read our full TaylorMade SIM2 Max Irons review
Cobra Radspeed Irons
Highly Technological Construction
+ Strong flight with low spin
+ Increased distance
– Not everyone will like look of carbon fibre top line
The Radspeed irons from Cobra are a fantastic upgrade on last year’s Speedzone iron and the subtle improvements have made a marked difference to this excellent game improvement offering.
Cobra have kept the lofts on the Radspeed the same as the Speedzone, but during our testing we found the 7 iron went five yards further on average. This is very impressive considering the lofts have not changed and it is a credit to Cobra’s clever design in the Radspeed.
What has changed however is the look of this club at address and it is much more appealing to the eye. The sole shape is smaller – playing narrower and with a little less camber – which means you can’t see the back of the sole at address. The carbon fibre effect on the top line has been made a little darker, which also tricks the eye into thinking this is a thinner club that it really is.
The Radspeed has a soft feel to it too, thanks to the 3D printed medallion sitting behind the face, but still offers plenty of zing off the face that provides that excellent overall distance. With Cobra Connect grips as standard – and a One Length option available – the Radspeed irons offer some of the best pound for pound performance and value in the iron market.
We liked it so much we also included it in our best distance irons and best golf irons for beginners guides.
- Read our full Cobra Radspeed Irons review
Titleist 2021 T300 Irons
Classic Looks And Distance
+ Hot feel and high ball speeds
+ Classic look
– Slow swingers may not see benefit of distance and carry gains
The Titleist T300 iron is a game improvement club that offers a good combination of forgiveness and feel.
Max impact technology remains and has been improved aesthetically because Titleist has taken the extra tungsten weighting and hidden it. This technology allows the face to be thinner, thereby improving launch, speed and feel.
The gentle offset means this player will appeal to a wide spectrum players seeking forgiveness and distance but from an iron that isn’t obviously geared towards higher handicappers.
In testing we found it produced a noticeable jump in distance compared to the Titleist T200 and the dispersion was excellent too. Additionally they are very easy to hit.
This is a great option for improving players seeking a little more distance and consistency – A distance machine with a classic look, and one of the best game improvement irons out there just now.
- Read our full Titleist T300 Irons review
Callaway Mavrik Irons
Super Forgiving Irons
+ Forgiving
+ Good distance
– Not as workable as Pro model
There’s some complex technology contained within the Callaway Mavrik Iron.
The irons feature Flash Faces designed by a super-computer. The result is a sophisticated face architecture for every loft delivering a significant boost in ball speed and optimised spin.
In the long irons, the faces are designed for launch and speed, while in the mid-irons the faces are engineered for a combination of speed and spin consistency. The short irons have a face construction designed to optimise precision for shot-making.
Tungsten weights have been precisely positioned to deliver the best possible launch and trajectory.
In testing, we found the standard Mavrik Iron to be the longest of the three in the range – compared to the Mavrik Max and Mavrik Pro models. If you’re looking to gain maximum distance from iron shots, this super-forgiving set could be the way to go.
If you want more information on the Mavrik range, take a look at our guide on the best Callaway irons.
- Read our full Callaway Mavrik Irons review
Wilson Staff D9 Irons
Outstanding Value Given Performance
+ Supreme distance with good ball flight
+ Aesthetically appealing and competitively priced
– Not as workable as other Wilson irons
The Wilson Staff D9 irons offer a clean, classic look with top distance performance in a competitively priced package.
Wilson works in two-year product cycles so this is its first game improvement iron since 2018’s impressive D7 iron. There have been some significant improvements made to the D9 and the most noticeable is the reduction of the Power Holes from three layers to two on the longer irons. This has produced a cleaner look from the sole and produces the most efficient design in terms of the length they provide.
While the sole is visible on this iron up to the 7-iron, this isn’t too off putting and it ultimately offers good forgiveness through the turf. The D9 also has an incredibly lightweight feel, ideal for those with a moderate to slow swing speed as it is easy to swing this club fast. This lightweightness contributes to a high launch, which we found surprising considering the strong loft on the 7-iron.
The D in D9 stands for distance and this club certainly delivers on that front too. When we tested the 7-iron we were finding it carried consistently over the 190 yard mark which was a considerable distance more than the other game-improvement, distance irons launched this year. Competitively priced and clearly the longest club on the market in 2021, the D9 is as close to the perfect game improvement iron as you can find.
- Read our full Wilson Staff D9 Irons review
Honma T//World GS Irons
Legendary Craftsmanship
+ Powerful feel with soft sound
+ Great forgiveness on low face impacts
– Premium price
The Honma T//World GS irons are all about gaining speed across the face to create more distance with less effort. They certainly provide that and with decent forgiveness too, they are an ideal iron for the golfer looking for as much help as possible in improving their game.
Both the men’s and women’s irons feature L-Cup structured faced which enlarge the sweet spot area. Furthermore, the variable ribs on the inside of the clubface reduce weight, improve ball speed and maintain spin control.
Overall, we like the blend of power and forgiveness with a soft sound in a relatively compact package.
How we tested the game improvement irons
All golf irons, and golf gear, goes through a thorough and comprehensive testing process at Golf Monthly.
Before testing, the Golf Monthly team will usually attend product launches and meet with the manufacturer’s R&D experts to understand the new technology.
Usually, when it comes to hitting the clubs, we use an indoor simulator at Foresight Sports so we can hit in a controlled environment using premium balls and a launch monitor.
We then look to test the clubs outside and this usually takes place at West Hill because of the awesome practice facilities available.
When it comes to actual reviews, we should say that no company can buy a good review because our testers tell it how they see it.
How to choose the best game improvement irons?
This is the first question you need to ask yourself when looking for the best game improvement irons. Importantly there are some important variables to consider within that too.
What level are you? – Game improvement irons tend to have larger heads, more offset and are designed to help players who struggle with strike and distance.
They tend to have large cavities and different pieces of technology to help in this regard. As such if you are a player who values greater feel and workability then we recommend looking elsewhere – at the best golf blade irons or best compact mid-handicap irons for example. Whereas if you think you need as much help as possible then the game improvement category is for you.
Feel/sound – This is a subjective factor but how a club feels in your hands is important. Do you want it to feel really powerful off the face, or retain some level of workability and control? Additionally how do you like your irons to sound at impact? Clicky or more muted? The best way of finding out what you like and what suits your game is testing them out for yourself or getting a thorough custom-fitting, both of which we would always recommend.
Looks – How do you want your irons to look? As we are sure you agree, many of the models above look very different from one another not only in the bag but at address and on the rack. Therefore this factor is all about finding a model you like the look of, and has a look that gives you confidence.
Price – This is also an important factor to consider. Most of the models above come in at different price points so there will be a model for everyone. Before finally pulling the trigger on your purchase, be aware of how much you can or want to spend, and adjust accordingly.
What is the best game improvement iron?
Linking with the above question, this section is of course down to personal preference and personal testing somewhat.
As such it is important to acknowledge what you are looking for in terms of a game improvement iron.
For example if you want a model to be as helpful as possible in terms of consistency of strike, and boost your distance, then the Ping G425 or Callaway Mavrik irons are two top designs.
Whereas if you want a game improvement iron that doesn’t look like one, then something like the Mizuno JPX921 Hot Metal Pro is a model to consider given its compact design.
FAQ’s
What are game improvement irons?
Game improvement irons are a type of iron built around helping golfers hit the ball further, higher and straighter. As such they are one of the most forgiving iron categories in golf because they traditionally suit players who need help with those factors.
What handicap are game improvement irons for?
Usually game improvement irons are traditionally suited to players with higher handicaps although some professionals have occasionally put game improvement irons in the bag at the longer-iron end of the bag. They tend to suit players who need help with distance and forgiveness, and as such they are not best suited for players who want more feel and workability.
They are also designed to give players confidence which explains why they tend to have larger heads compared to the best golf blade irons, or the best compact mid-handicap irons.
Do game improvement irons go further?
Traditionally yes they do go further because they have been designed to do so. Technologies are built into the head to help players hit the ball well regardless of where they strike it off the face.
We hope you enjoyed this guide on the best game improvement irons.
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