Irons Golf Clubs | 2011 Reviews of Men's Sets

You know you have something hot on your hands when the anticipated introduction date is nearly a month away and people are already lining up to buy it. Such is the story with the new -- and highly anticipated -- TaylorMade R11 irons. Given the ...

The name of the Nike Victory Red Forged VR Split Cavity irons is a mouthful to say, if nothing else. In all seriousness, though, these are serious golf clubs for serious players. Made from 1025 Forged Carbon Steel (read: soft), these irons are precision forged and then ...

When it comes to helping the masses of golfers that struggle to break 100, Callaway Golf is near the top of the list -- and the Callaway Hawkeye VFT irons are yet another example of what they can do to help that large group of golfers.

VFT is an acronym for ...

Generally speaking, when you think of Mizuno forged irons, you think of the user as a single-digit handicap player -- someone who knows his way around a set of forged irons and how to use them. Well, the JPX-800 set from Mizuno attempts to bring their famous forged ...

In theory, it should be easier and more compelling to review putters and drivers than irons -- we use the putter for about 30% (or more) of our total shots per round, and the driver for another 15% (though probably on at least 75% of the total holes) -- but there ...

Cleveland Golf first introduced the TA (Tour Action) moniker in their wedges, which had a nearly cult following on the PGA and other pro tours. The TA7 irons were rolled out in 2002 -- yet another in a series of TA inspired iron sets.

What sets ...

Forgiveness: these days it’s a lot easier to get from my golf club than my girlfriend. Okay, so maybe I booked a tee time on our anniversary. It’s not like she can’t come along and drive the cart.

For a golfer, of course forgiveness means keeping the ball ...

When I think of Ping irons, the first things that come to mind are the Ping Eye 2 and Ping Zing -- both examples of the ground-breaking, investment cast, cavity-back designs Ping brought to the world of golf many years ago. While these clubs remain viable, and I'm sure are ...

Released in 1998, the Callaway X-12 Irons are part of the Big Bertha technology basis from which many Callaway designs have sprung. The X-12 has a thinner profile and topline (generally favored by better players) than many other Callaway iron designs, which gives these a more compact and ...

I don't know. I usually like Ping stuff. I'm always a little bit weirded out by the extra large sole on these club heads, but for some reason on other clubs like the Ping i15 irons, I didn't mind.

On the G15s, it really threw me. When I honestly ...

If Batman played golf, these would be his clubs. They simply look bad to the bone. Gunmetal. Are you serious? Is that AC/DC playing as I rip my four iron out of the bag and spit as I address my shot?

Rock it, baby. Come on.

On a ...

It's embarrassing. It really is.

It's embarrassing to try a set of irons on a range and not like them. It's embarrassing to swing the clubs and duck hook a few. It's embarrassing to complain about how you can hit other irons better, even Titleist irons like ...

The acronyms are flying with golf club designations these days, and the Nike CPR fits right into the mix. CPR = "Clubs for Prevention and Recovery." Kind of catchy, really. On the one hand, they are designed to prevent you getting into trouble, but if you do, ...

I’m starting to really get ticked off at my Cobra Gravity Backs. I bring them to my local driving range and pro shop (where they often allow you to try out new or used sets of clubs in hopes you’ll buy something new).

I’m getting more and more ...

Drive. Threaten the ball in the air. Repeat.

While this accurately describes an acronym of my golf game, thankfully it is not what the DTR stands for in the Titleist DTR irons. So just what exactly does it stand for?

"Distance Through Research."

Nice, Titleist. I dig. ...

If you read my earlier review of the Ping K15 Driver, then you'll have a leg up on what's happening with the K15 irons. These are obviously designed to complement the other K15 clubs from Ping, and certainly they do just that.

Once again combining a titanium face ...

The term "niblick" has been around for hundreds of years, but was largely discontinued near the turn of the 20th century when iron sets became more uniform in size, shape, loft, and -- most importantly -- application. Used to describe everything from a 4-iron to a pitching wedge, niblick is ...

With a relatively thin top line and slight offset, the Callaway X-18R irons would seem to be suited to nearly any golfer. However, Callaway has put so many other game improvement features into this set, they end up being better suited to an intermediate or even high-handicap golfer.

In ...

Oh man. These are fast. Like faster than fast. And fast in a good way, not like a Vin Diesel movie. They really pop the ball so it flies high and lands soft. These irons allowed me to really hone in on ...

How much better are the Ping i15 irons over the i10s? Supposedly, it is much more than simply answering "five times better." Get it? (And my math teacher said I would never amount to anything.) With similar lines and the same thinner top line, they ...

Dot. Dot. Dot. Dash. Dash. Dash. Dot. Dot. Dot.

Frankly, that's what my game has been sounding like recently. It doesn't matter if I have a green dot or a pink dot; it's the cry of "S.O.S." every time I've been on ...

I have to admit.  Until now, I have had zero experience with Mizuno.  My only experience prior to writing this was picking that brand of clubs for my “Tiger Woods PGA Golf 2009” Wii game.  And the only reason I picked those is that the virtual Mizuno company “sponsored” my ...

TaylorMade is a name I frequently associate with high-caliber golf performance. Aimed at the biggest-bang-for-the-buck buyer (like me), this 8-piece set (4 iron-PW, SW) provides maximum distance in an easy-to-hit iron due to its super-sized design and thin, fast face. Equipped with the RE-AX Super Fast graphite ...

Callaway, do you know who you are? You're the kid that had the coolest T-shirts in school. You're the kid that pierced their ear first. You're the kid that never came to school with lunch because you would always find some other kid and not beat them up, but talk ...

Before we start, I know. It's Nike. One of my brands that I tend to favor. However, after the disaster with the Nike Lady SlingShot HL, I was quite skeptical. Added to this is the strange look of this new "Uniflex Powerbow" style. It just looks funky, folks.

The ...

I have to admit. I didn't buy the whole "inverted cone" technology when it first came out. I thought it was just another new-fangled, run-of-the-mill goofball gimmick that would get us duffers to buy more stuff. TaylorMade is making more and more of a believer out of ...

I love Ping products. I just can't hit them. Maybe they are intimidating to me or something, I'm not quite sure -- but it seems I can't do them justice. This club feels great to swing. The shafts I tried were a stiff Black Nickel ...

Senior golfers take heed: the Adams RPM iron set may be the choice for you with game-improvement features like an oversized head design, a deep cavity-back -- which provides a low and deep center of gravity (CG) -- and progressive offset to ensure a high launch angle and ...

I am tired of playing my old man’s irons that he bought when Ford was still in office. When I hit a golf ball it feels like I am driving a railroad tie into the ground. Since I’ve been working on my swing, I feel like I ...

Clearly targeting the "super game-improvement" crowd, the Pinseeker RS 350 blended iron set seems to have the features to meet that need. The first thing you notice is the bright chrome finish and deep cavity back of the standard irons (6-SW). However, what makes this set really on point for ...

My first set of "good" irons were Wilson Staff tour blades in 2-SW. Though rare (for me), a purely struck shot with one of those irons was not only a thing of beauty to see, but also a nearly sensual experience to the hands and ears. ...

If your handicap index number only has one digit in it, then the Ping S56 Iron Set 3-PW with Steel Shafts might appeal to you. These clubs have been designed for players who put a premium on shot control. The basis of the iron body content ...

Titleist built these AP1s for you "aspiring golfers." That's a euphemism for: "You stink!" (I'm not in marketing, so I don't have to use words like "aspiring.") Consider me like your doctor -- I'm giving it to you straight so you can hit the ball straight. ...

These X-20 irons are the predecessors to one of my favorite irons, the X22s. And the difference between the two is negotiable. The X22 was tweaked a bit to make it more appealing to better players -- a little thinner, and not quite as boxy.

Both sets ...

My man Padraig Harrington is Wilson's poster boy. The three-time Major Champion said (back in November of 2010) that these are Wilson's longest irons ever. The sweet spot is 36% larger than any other game-improvement iron. Wilson accomplishes this by removing weight from the perimeter of the face ...

These TW904s are a great buy.  That is, if you’d rather buy golf clubs than go on a cruise around the world.  But what the heck -- maybe you can afford both.  (Incidentally, if you can afford both, I’m available for golf lessons during your cruise.)

These TW904 irons are designed for you better ...

Nope, it’s not a typo -- these irons are a little “spendy.”  Honma is an elite Japanese golf company that has been around for 50 years.  In Japan, rich businessmen use Honma golf clubs as bonuses for their employees.  The company is in Yamagata, Tokyo. They say that 150 processes performed by 50 ...

Lower, wider, longer, straighter. This is where the emphasis was put in these irons to give you one of Wilson's most game -improving irons. The "lower" is the lower profile which moves the center of gravity down and makes the ball fly higher. "Wider" refers to ...

If you drew a line from point A (the biggest, most forgiving irons on the market) to point B (the sleekest, most workable irons), right in the middle is where you'd find these Wilson Staff Di9s.

I grabbed a set of these for the garage because they were inexpensive ...

You've arrived at the top of the food chain. If you are good enough to be browsing these sticks, then you really have no need for my goofball, silly remarks. Too bad -- you're stuck with me.

These clubs are sweeeeeeet! I wish I was good ...

These irons have a skeleton hidden inside! It's true. The coolest thing about these Ci9s is they are built with a hidden exoskeleton that repositions the mass towards the heel and the toe. This raises the irons' MOI while increasing the stability at impact while maintain the COG ...

Before Callaway designed these irons, they did some research on where high handicappers hit the golf ball. Apparently, their findings were that we miss a lot of shots low on the clubface. Good thing they didn’t consult with me because they would have discovered that some of us ...

My father is looking to upgrade his set of old Big Bertha Irons, so I recommended these Cleveland Hibore XLi irons. This set is really cool, and now I'm starting to worry about him beating me with them.

The irons are very forgiving -- designed with an ...

Ah, look at these old beauties. The Ping Zing irons have been around for 30 years now, and yes, they are still very relevant. That's not very common today in a sport where technology makes most of our clubs obsolete in two years. The ...

Nike is certainly not going to be left out of the super game improving market. Thus, I introduce you to the Nike SQ Machspeed irons. These irons are big, forgiving, and long.

The Machspeed's claim to fame is its new face weld and thin stainless steel ...

Take a look at these beautiful Titleist cavity back irons. This model is a few years old, but is still a great club. I played these clubs for years before I switched to the Titleist 735CM, which I currently play.

The 690s are a forgiving cavity back, ...

You're looking at tools of a champion. Champion Tour's Freddy Couples is swinging these. They seem to be working, as he has dominated the Champions Tour since he burst onto the scene. Fred has been playing at the top of his game and hitting these irons pure.

They ...

Ahh, I love these irons. These are the irons that I am currently playing. (Well, not currently -- I'm writing a review, but on Saturday I will be playing them.)

I've played these for about 2 or 3 years. I can't say it was love at ...

Here is a nice set of game-improving irons. The first thing I noticed is the modern-looking design: a cavity back design with a notch over the sweet spot.

The inverted cone technology expands the COR Zone. COR is the trampoline effect that you get off of the clubface. ...

I have to tell you, this is one of the best values I've seen for a set of irons since I've started reviewing clubs. These are Tommy Armour's Silver Scot Forged Cavity Backs, and they are a great-looking set of golf clubs.

Let's start with the faces. They have ...