Golfers make the majority of their shots during a round with their irons. Whether it is a second shot from a fairway, a longer approach shot, or teeing off on a par 3, golfers play their irons on every hole. In the hands of a low handicap golfer, irons are precise, scoring machines. TGW has taken our time to carefully review and test the best ones to see how they perform. With the help of TGW’s pro, we rounded up the best low handicap irons of the year to see how they compare.
What We Tested
We tested a selection of the top low handicap irons from the best brands in golf. We selected these irons based on a few shared characteristics. These golf clubs are thinner in shape, are designed to be more workable, and still maintain some forgiveness benefits. They are made for players who want to be able to control the trajectory and direction of their shots but might still want some help with forgiveness and distance. That is why low handicap irons come in a variety of shapes. Some are blades, some are cavity back, all of them provide the control with benefits you are looking for. The 10 irons used for the 2021 test are:
How We Tested
Our test of the best low handicap irons of 2021 was conducted with Rick Hatfield. Rick is TGW’s resident golf pro and product expert. All of the data was gathered using a Foresight GC2 launch monitor, 2021 Titleist Pro V1 golf balls, and the 7-iron from each set of golf clubs. Each iron was equipped with its stock steel shaft in stiff flex, weighing anywhere from 95 to 130 grams.
2021 Low Handicap Irons Testing
This data is all specific to Rick and his swing. By taking a sample of comparable swings with each club under the same conditions, Rick was able to see how each iron performed and make some recommendations based upon what you may be trying to achieve with your iron shots.
2021 Low Handicap Iron Testing Results
- For players looking to add some speed to their game, we looked at both the club head speed and ball speed metrics. All of the irons we tested were in a close range of each other when it came to club head speed. The fastest was the Callaway Apex 21 and Callaway X Forged 21 irons. Rick noted that the irons that produced the faster club head speeds also had some of the lighter steel shafts, allowing for a faster swing. The fastest average ball speed came from the Srixon ZX5 irons, clocking in at 113.2 mph. Callaway’s Apex and X Forged offerings were near the top as well with averages of 112.9 and 112.8, respectively.
- Next, we looked at the launch angle metric. Golfers who hit the ball high and are looking to flight their shots down will be interested in the irons with lower, more penetrating trajectories. For Rick, that was the Callaway X Forged with an average launch of 17.2°, followed closely by the Titleist T200 at 17.5° and the Mizuno JPX 921 forged at 17.6°. On the other hand, for players who hit the ball low and would like to launch the ball higher, potentially to hold more greens, there are some great options in this group. TaylorMade’s P770 irons achieved the highest average launch for Rick at 19.6° while the Cobra King Tour MIM irons were right behind at 19.5°. The Wilson Staff Model CB irons also exceed the 19-degree mark at 19.1°.
- All of the irons in the 2021 class had a spin rate variance within 1,500 rpm of each other. Some golfers produce more spin with their swing and might be looking to reduce their iron spin to help them produce their best shots. For those players, the Titleist T200 at 4,692 rpm and the Callaway Apex 21 at 4,954 achieved that during our test. Golfers looking for more stopping power on the greens or those that do not generate a lot of spin will want to look at the higher-spinning irons. In our test, those were the Wilson Staff Model CB at 6,036 rpm and the Cobra King Tour MIM with an average of 5,577 rpm.
- Distance is an important part of every player’s game so we measured the average carry distance of each iron in our test. Three irons met or topped the 160-yard mark in our test. If you are looking for more distance in your low handicap irons, Rick found great results with the Callaway Apex 21 at 161 yards as well as the Srixon ZX5 and Titleist T200 at 160 yards each. All of the golf clubs in this test were within a 12-yard window so each selection here performed within one club of each other.
- Finally, low handicap golfers are looking for control and workability. For this, Rick took a close look at this dispersion for each iron. His natural shot shape tends to take his ball a little bit left of the target so he plays with a natural draw. Rick found the Callaway Apex 21 irons to be the most neutral for him with an average dispersion of 2.5 yards to the left while the Wilson Staff Model averaged 3 yards in the same direction. He then noted the PING i210 irons to be the most draw-biased with an average of 11 yards left of his target line, followed by the Srixon ZX5 and Titleist T200 at 9 yards. Rick also mentioned the Mizuno, Srixon, TaylorMade, Titleist, and Wilson offerings were all very easy to manipulate shots in both directions to fit what the shot you need on the golf course.
It is also important to review the specs of the 2021irons to see how they compare. We have also provided a list of each shaft used during testing for each iron.
2021 Low Handicap Iron Specs
2021 Low Handicap Iron Test Shafts
When you are ready to select your next set of irons, TGW has everything you need to get the best set for your game. We have a large selection of iron sets, combo sets, and individual irons from the biggest names in golf like PING, TaylorMade, Callaway, Titleist, and many more. We also have the latest golf irons available for custom order.
Callaway Apex 21 Irons
Callaway X Forged 21 CB Irons
Cobra King Tour MIM Irons
Mizuno JPX 921 Forged Irons
PING i210 Irons
Srixon ZX5 Irons
TaylorMade P770 Irons
Titleist T100-S Irons
Titleist T200 Irons
Wilson Staff Model CB Irons
