This is Golfer Geeks’ best
I’m an avid golfer, an 8ish handicap on my way to a 2 (been a 5.6), and frequent tester of golf clubs and equipment since 2015.
I’ve played and practiced with every club on this page within the last year. I’ve given you 7 9 superb choices.
Your job is to test a couple (or more) of the ones you like and pick the best one for you.
In this review of the best
Our Top 3 Recommendations
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New Editor's Pick
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Best Bargain
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Runner Up
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Primary Rating:
4.8
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Primary Rating:
4.9
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Primary Rating:
4.9
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~$200/club
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~$150/club
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~$200/club
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Pros:
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Pros:
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Pros:
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Cons:
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Cons:
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Cons:
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- Superb Sound & Feel
- Easy Distance & Plenty Forgiving
- Long irons a breeze to hit
- Launch Easily with High Trajectory
- A little pricey
- Best Feel In Golf
- Easy to hit - Easy to launch
- Ample Forgiveness
- Long & Accurate
- Bargain Price
- Good, not Great cosmetics
- Soft and Solid Sound & Feel
- Long & Forgiving
- Launch High & Hold the Green
- Can flight & work the ball relatively easy
- Long irons easier to hit
- Big distance gap between 8 & 7-iron in my testing
Our Full List
- Callaway Apex Ai200 Irons (New Editor’s Pick)
- Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal Pro Irons (Best Bargain)
- 2024 TaylorMade P770 Irons (Runner Up)
- 2023 Titleist T200 Irons (Best Looking)
- Mizuno JPX 923 Forged Irons (Former Editor’s Pick)
- Srixon ZX5 MKII Irons (Best Blade-like Option)
- Mizuno Pro 243 Irons (Best New Mizunos Tested)
- Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Pro Irons (Former Runner-Up)
- 2021 Titleist T200 Irons
- Taylormade P770 Irons
- Callaway Rogue ST Pro Irons
- Callaway Paradym Irons
- Taylormade P790 Irons
Club Reviews
# 1 Callaway Apex Ai200 Irons
- Superb Sound & Feel
- Easy Distance & Plenty Forgiving
- Long irons a breeze to hit
- Launch Easily with High Trajectory
- A little pricey
Brand new to the list and our new #1 Recommendation for player distance irons.
What we like:
- Stellar sound and feel.
- Loads of distance and forgiveness.
- Excellent out of the rough.
- Hittable long irons.
- Launch the ball quickly and fly high and straight.
What we don’t like:
- I prefer smaller, sleeker clubheads, but I’m nitpicking.
I figured the Apex i200s would be good irons with the same “clicky” sound and feel from all of last year’s Apex lineup.
Wrong.
The i200s perform exceptionally well and Callaway massively improved sound and feel. It’s now soft, solid, and refined. Among the best in the game at this point.
Customer Reviews:
- 4 reviews as I write this. All 5-star and all say they would recommend the i200s to a friend.
Bottom line: Callaway nailed it.
Recommendation: Put the i200s on your list to try if you’re in the market for a great player distance iron set.
# 2 Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal Pro Irons
- Best Feel In Golf
- Easy to hit - Easy to launch
- Ample Forgiveness
- Long & Accurate
- Bargain Price
- Good, not Great cosmetics
Our new favorite player’s distance iron from Mizuno.
What we like:
- Exceptional feel – Best in golf.
- Compact head.
- Easy to hit and launch.
- Accurate and consistent.
- Good distance and can add or subtract yardage as needed.
- Best price in premium player distance iron category.
What we don’t like:
- Good, not great, cosmetics.
JPX 925 Hot Metal Pro Iron Specs
- Set: 4 iron – PW
- Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold S300 Mid 115g
- Shaft flex: Stiff
7-iron Launch Monitor Data
Club Speed | Ball Speed | Carry Distance | Peak Height | Spin Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
85 | 119 | 178 | 76 ft | 4505 |
Club | Loft | Lie Angle | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
4 | 19* | 60.5* | 38.75″ |
5 | 22* | 61* | 38.25″ |
6 | 25* | 61.5* | 37.75″ |
7 | 28* | 62* | 37.25″ |
8 | 32.5* | 62.5* | 36.75″ |
9 | 37* | 63* | 36.25″ |
PW | 42* | 63.5* | 35.75″ |
JPX 925 Hot Metal Pros do everything well, but in a more compact clubhead. I think these may take the place of the “Forged” irons from years past.
They are a touch more demanding than the Hot Metal Pros I’ve tested in the past, but they allow for minor mishits. Just not to the degree I was used to.
The heads, though more compact, frame the ball beautifully at address and offer zero intimidation.
You can read more about my experience with the 925s here.
Recommendation: 10ish handicaps and lower should give these a try if you’re in the market for premium players distance irons and you don’t mind saving money.
# 3 2024 TaylorMade P770 Irons
- Soft and Solid Sound & Feel
- Long & Forgiving
- Launch High & Hold the Green
- Can flight & work the ball relatively easy
- Long irons easier to hit
- Big distance gap between 8 & 7-iron in my testing
The new 2024 P770s are our favorite TaylorMade player performance irons.
- We think you need to be at least a 10-handicap or so to play them.
What we like:
- Best looking irons of the bunch.
- Superb feel – soft and solid at impact.
- Launch the ball quickly with high trajectory.
- Ample forgiveness and distance.
- Easy to flight the ball down, take off distance, and work the ball.
What we don’t like:
- Distance gap 5ish yards more than I like between 8 and 7-iron.
2024 P770 Specs
- Model: P770
- Set: 4 iron – PW
- Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold S300 Mid 115g
- Shaft flex: Stiff
Club | Loft | Lie Angle | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
4 | 22* | 61* | 38.5″ |
5 | 25.5* | 61.5* | 38″ |
6 | 29* | 62* | 37.5″ |
7 | 33* | 62.5* | 37″ |
8 | 37* | 63* | 36.5″ |
9 | 41* | 63.5* | 36″ |
PW | 45* | 64* | 35.75″ |
7-iron Launch Monitor Data
Club Speed | Ball Speed | Carry Distance | Peak Height | Spin Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
80 | 114 | 174 | 63 ft | 3665 |
I tested the P770s on the range, on the course, and on my launch monitor. I love everything about them.
The heads are compact, but not small. Performance is great out of the rough. The long irons are relatively easy to hit well – a particular weakness of mine.
They did everything well for me and covered for my temperamental swing on more than one occasion.
Customer Reviews: Average rating of 5 with 11 reviews so far. 100% would recommend the 2024 P-770s.
Recommendation: Great choice for the lowish handicapper looking for more forgiveness and a little help with launch and distance.
#4 2023 Titleist T200 Irons
- Gorgeous Refined Look
- Long & Forgiving
- Fly High & Straight but Workable
- Good Sound & Feel
- Pricey
The 2023 T200 irons are refined, beautiful, high-performance irons.
- We think they’re a good choice for 3ish handicaps up to about 10ish handicaps.
What we like:
- Oustanding upgraded premium design.
- Great feel and sound through impact.
- Quick launch & high trajectory with good contact, but can be flighted and worked either way if that’s part of your game.
- Good distance and a splash of forgiveness.
- Accurate and consistent.
What we don’t like:
- They’re not giving these away.
I just finished my review of the 2021 T200s (a little late, I know). So, I was fortunate to be able to get my hands on the 2023 T200s so quickly.
The playability of the new 2023 T200s is outstanding, much like the 2021s. But, the new design is to die for. They must have decided it was time for a serious upgrade and they done it good. They look premium and remind me of the T100s. In fact, all T-Series irons got an upgraded design.
You can check out our full review for more details, but you have to give these a try to at least see what I’m talking about.
Bottom Line – Superb player distance irons serious eye candy. Must be on your list to try if you’re in the market.
# 5 Mizuno JPX 923 Forged Irons
- Best Feel in Golf
- Superb Distance & Forgiveness
- Play all the shots
- Gorgeous
- Reasonable Price
- Still looking
Mizuno JPX 923 Forged irons are our #1 Recommendation for players’ distance irons. (and they’re not even classified as “player’s distance” by Mizuno)
What we like:
- You get every bit of the playability you expect from low-handicap irons.
- Best feel of any iron I’ve ever put my hands on.
- Loads of forgiveness & distance.
- Compact clubhead & clean lines.
- Best price for new premium irons.
What we don’t like:
- Nada
It’s hard to overlook the heaps of forgiveness and distance I got (and you’ll get) with the 923 forged irons. And, the head is more compact than the 921s I reviewed last year.
We had 20+ mph winds for one of the rounds I played with them. I was able to flight them down into the wind and elevate them with the wind with relative ease. They perform exceptionally well in all conditions.
The lofts aren’t as jacked as most player performance irons, but that didn’t hold them back. I think they play probably half a club longer than their stated loft.
Customer Reviews: Mizuno doesn’t collect reviews, but everything I’ve read on the clubs themselves is 100% positive.
Recommendation: Go to your local golf store and get your hands on them or demo a set from Global Golf. You’ll know
#6 Srixon ZX5 MKII Irons
- Long & Forgiving
- Improved Sound & Feel
- Stable, Accurate & Consistent
- Nada
Srixon ZX5 MK 2 irons are refined blade player distance irons.
What we like:
- Long & forgiving
- Improved sound & feel
- Still accurate, solid, & consistent for better scoring.
- Player iron looks with game improvement features.
What we don’t like:
- Nada- great irons.
They’re our new favorite irons for better mid-handicappers to low handicappers. Taking over the spot from last year’s ZX5s (still great clubs – see below).
Srixon says the MK 2s are for low to mid handicaps – And, I agree. Up to about a 10 handicap or so. (Wouldn’t hurt to test them if you’re a little above a 10)
There are definitely game improvement features, but they’re understated, so they don’t have the look of pure game improvement irons.
But they’re easy to hit and hit consistently. They’re stable through impact and show off on slight mishits.
The ZX5 MK 2s are second only to Mizuno Hot Metals in feel.
Customer Reviews: 53 of 55 reviews are 5-star. 100% of buyers would recommend the ZX5 MKIIs.
Recommendation: You will not be disappointed in their performance and the looks are among the best in class if not the best.
#7 Mizuno Pro 243 Irons
- Superb Feel & Sound
- Long with solid contact
- Beautiful ball flight
- Accurate & Consistent
- Good looks...not the best
The Pro 243s are player’s distance irons for the better player.
What we like:
- Exceptional sound & feel.
- Great distance on center contact.
- Some forgiveness on minor mishits.
- Launch the ball easily.
- Accurate & consistent.
What we don’t like:
- Not the best cosmetics…but not bad.
Set Tested
- Model: Pro 243
- Set: 4 iron – gap wedge
- Shaft: Nippon N.S. PRO Modus3 Tour 120g
- Shaft flex: Stiff flex
Club | Loft | Lie Angle | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
4 | 22* | 60* | 38.75″ |
5 | 25* | 60.5* | 38.25″ |
6 | 28* | 61* | 37.75″ |
7 | 32* | 61.5* | 37.25″ |
8 | 36* | 62* | 36.75″ |
9 | 40* | 62.5* | 36.25″ |
PW | 44* | 63* | 35.75″ |
GW | 48* | 63* | 35.5″ |
7-iron Launch Monitor Data
Club Speed | Ball Speed | Carry Distance | Vertical Launch | Peak Height | Descent Angle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
79.6 | 109.7 | 167.46 | 15.97 * | 68.6 ft | 36.7* |
My swing is uber-rusty, but I’m working on getting it in shape. And, I’m using the Pro 243s to do it.
So, I’m mostly mishitting them…for now. They are not meant for this. These are precision instruments.
They absolutely sing when I make center contact. Quick launch, high trajectory, and long.
They only cover for the most minor mishits. My standard mishit – thin and toward the toe left me a club short consistently.
Bottom line: Stellar performance and exceptional feel. You need center contact to appreciate their distance. Minor mishits lose significant yardage.
Recommendation: I love the Pro 243s for low handicaps with strong ball striking.
#8 Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Pros
- Unbelievably Soft & Solid Feel
- Plenty Distance & Forgiveness
- Premium Looks
- Outstanding Value
- Nada
We still highly recommend the Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Pro irons.
What we like:
- Mizuno’s exceptional feel and sound.
- ALL the playability of player irons – shot shaping, flighting, consistency, compact clubhead.
- Mega loads of forgiveness & distance.
- Superb value at ~$137/club.
What we don’t like:
- Nada
I expect greatness from the Mizuno Hot Metal Iron series and I get it every single time. (There’s a reason there are 3 Mizuno models on this page.)
You will not beat the forgiveness, the distance, the consistency, and certainly not the feel. All at the lowest price in the category.
Customer Reviews: Mizuno doesn’t collect ’em and the rest of the internets have no ill words for them.
Recommendation: Go to your local golf store and get your hands on them or demo a set from Global Golf. You’ll know
#9 2021 Titleist T200 Irons
- Compact Heads & Player Look
- Long & Forgiving w/ superb feel
- Easy to elevate w/ long carry
- Consistent & Accurate
- Nada
The 2021 T200s are awesome irons and deserve their spot on our list.
What we like:
- Compact heads and “player” look.
- Great feel and sound through impact.
- Quick launch and high trajectory with the ability to flight and shape shots of needed (and if you’re capable)
- Long and forgiving.
- Accurate and consistent.
What we don’t like
- Nothing.
The T200s took me by surprise a little. Older T200s struck me as much more of a game-improvement iron. I think these are player distance irons. But, with helpful game-improvement attributes – namely helping with slight mishits. I took advantage of this on a couple of long irons.
The T200s performed gloriously for me. From the very first shot on the very first hole. I hit more solid shots and exceptional long irons than I can remember ever hitting in one round. I’m a strong iron player, but not strong with long irons.
I hit a number of 4 and 5 irons on the button and watched them launch quickly and launch high with a beautiful trajectory and great carry.
I guess these are game-improvement clubs for players.
Bottom Line – Great option for golfers looking for player looks and characteristics but want help with distance, launch, and trajectory.
#10 TaylorMade P770 Irons
- Good Distance, Forgiveness & Feel
- Flies High & Straight, but Workable
- Gorgeous
- None
TaylorMade P770s are up next.
What we like:
- Stellar performance in a compact “player” package.
- Superb feel and solid at impact.
- They’re gorgeous…looking down at address and in the bag.
What we don’t like:
- Nada
I spent a couple of weeks with the P-770s. On the range, on my mat, and on the course. My only regret was returning them.
They can deliver any shot your skill level allows. High and straight is their default, but you can:
- Flight them down into the wind.
- Step on them for more distance.
- Take something off if you’re between clubs.
- Turn it left or right if that’s part of your game.
I’ve said it before on this site, but Taylormade knows how to do irons.
Customer Reviews: Average rating of 4.9 with 182 200 reviews. 100% (81 of 81) would recommend the P-770s.
Recommendation: Excellent choice for ~11 handicaps on down that prefer compact clubheads and player performance with a touch of game improvement forgiveness & help with distance.
#11 Callaway Rogue ST Pro Irons
- Easy launch & Explosive distance
- Superb feel & Just enough forgiveness
- Flight & Work the ball easily
- Incredible price
- None
Callaway Rogue ST Pros – an oldie but a goodie…and still widely available.
What we like:
- They look the part – Compact, with a thin topline and sole and minimal offset.
- EXceptionally easy to hit well.
- Can play any shot.
- Great pricing for player irons.
What we don’t like:
- Not the prettiest irons.
I’ve owned, played, and tested Callaway irons for years. So, it’s kinda hard to surprise me. The Rogue ST Pros did just that.
Make no mistake, the Rogue ST Pros are compact player-looking heads. Yet, they are incredibly easy to hit and play. Any shot you got, they can deliver.
Really, really, really underrated irons.
Customer Reviews: 100% of buyers would recommend the Rogue ST Pro irons with 4 pages of reviews.
Recommendation: Do yourself a large favor and test these irons if you are in the market. Either at your local golf store or go through Global Golf (like I did)
#12 Callaway Paradym Irons
- Easy & Consistent Distance
- Easy to Launch, Shape, or Flight down
- Touch of forgiveness
- Softish and solid feel
- Premium Price
Callaway Paradyms are our next on our list.
What we like:
- The compact head looks great behind the ball at address.
- They launch easily and carry high without ballooning.
- Good distance. They were about half a club (~7 yards) longer than their loft.
- Thicker topline and sole for added forgiveness and confidence at address.
What we don’t like:
- They’re pricey.
These are the Rogue ST Pros but in a more forgiving package. Namely, the thicker sole and topline for more perimeter weighting. (and some other things)
Customer Reviews:
- 20ish reviews and mostly 5 stars.
- All complaints centered around manufacturer defects, customer support, and durability (the finish dulled or scratched too easily). Oh, and the price.
- 94% of buyers would recommend the Paradyms to a friend.
Recommendation: Excellent performance at a premium price. (I can’t speak to manufacturer defects or the durability of the finish. I’ve only had mine a couple of weeks and they look fine.)
#13 TaylorMade P790 Irons
- Good Forgiveness & Distance
- Good Feel (Soft & Solid)
- Fly high & straight but workable
- None
The P790s finish up our list.
What we like:
- Loaded with forgiveness and distance.
- Soft solid feel at impact with good sound.
- Easy to elevate with good trajectory and carry.
- Larger, forgiving-looking clubhead for added confidence at address.
What we don’t like:
- Nada.
I found them playable with consistent distance for great accuracy. I consistently hit shots at my target during my round with the P790s.
The long irons are especially nice to hit – even though long irons are a weakness of mine. Any iron set with hittable long irons is a large plus in my book.
Customer Reviews: Average rating of 4.8 with 1448 reviews. 96.75% would recommend the P-790s.
Recommendation: We like them for ~10 handicaps on up to a 15 or so. But, can be played by lower handicaps too.
FAQs
What is the most accurate player’s distance iron?
We think the most accurate player’s distance iron we tested was the Titleist T100S irons or the Srixon ZX5 MKII irons. Honestly, we’re splitting hairs here. They ALL put the ball on target.
What is a players distance iron?
A players distance iron is a player iron with strong loft and other attributes that make them longer and more forgiving than standard low handicap irons.
What are the best forgiving irons for distance?
The best forgiving irons for distance are the Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Pro irons.
What is a players iron in golf?
A players iron is an iron that’s compact, with standard lofts, a thin sole and topline, and minimal offset.
Our Final Verdict
All manufacturers are well-represented here.
My #1 suggestion is to test before you buy. Either at your local golf store or take advantage of Global Golf’s Utry trial program. I use it and recommend it.
Thanks for checking out our review of the best
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New Editor's Pick
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Best Bargain
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Runner Up
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Primary Rating:
4.8
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Primary Rating:
4.9
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Primary Rating:
4.9
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|
~$200/club
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~$150/club
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~$200/club
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Pros:
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Pros:
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Pros:
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Cons:
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Cons:
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Cons:
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- Superb Sound & Feel
- Easy Distance & Plenty Forgiving
- Long irons a breeze to hit
- Launch Easily with High Trajectory
- A little pricey
- Best Feel In Golf
- Easy to hit - Easy to launch
- Ample Forgiveness
- Long & Accurate
- Bargain Price
- Good, not Great cosmetics
- Soft and Solid Sound & Feel
- Long & Forgiving
- Launch High & Hold the Green
- Can flight & work the ball relatively easy
- Long irons easier to hit
- Big distance gap between 8 & 7-iron in my testing
