Most golfers know the saying, “drive for show and putt for dough,” meaning big-hitting drives from the tee are impressive but those who win tournaments make clutch putts.
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However, that saying forgets one huge aspect of the game: Iron play. Hitting an accurate iron shot has the ability to make your putts shorter and thus, easier to make. Strong iron play can even make up for bad shots off the tee — which are an inevitable part of the game, no matter how good you are.
Today’s golf irons underwent a number of changes over the past couple of decades, and now deliver greater accuracy and distance for all skill levels. Irons can be expensive, however, so it’s important to buy the set that’s best for your shot-making skills.
To help you decide which set of irons best fits your game, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite sets currently available from brands like Mizuno, Callaway, and Titleist. At the end of this guide, we’ve also included some tips on how to pick out a set of irons, as well as the different styles to keep in mind when shopping.
The best golf irons overall
Mizuno has long been one of the leading manufacturers of blade-style irons, which give experienced players the feel and control they need from their irons. And the MP-20 irons are the company’s best set of irons yet.
This complete set of irons features a 2-iron through a pitching wedge to give you nine irons in total. It’ll cost you a bit, but there’s a reason why Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo favor the MP line.
TheseMP-20 irons are not quite your traditional blade style of iron, instead made with a copper underlay. PGA tour players, during a blind test, chose these across the board because of its softer feel.
The best budget golf irons
If, when shopping for new irons, you’re undergoing a lot of sticker shock, the Wilson Staff D300 should be more in line with your budget. The D300 set is a little older than some of the irons we’ve listed previously, but it delivers helpful design features that make it the best set of irons available at a bargain price.
Additionally, most average- to high-handicap players don’t need the feel and precise design features more expensive irons deliver. The Wilson Staff D300 will give you what you’re seeking: a consistent distance when you strike the ball on the center and a limited penalty when you have a slightly off-center ball strike.
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