Forgiveness, a high launch, a straight flight, and a soft landing are features of the 10 best irons for beginners.

In this guide, I reveal my top selections to help beginners increase their greens in regulation record and enjoy more scoring opportunities.

You’ll notice that every club on this list is considered a game improvement iron and carries a cavity-back design. Unless they are hybrids, then you will find a hollow body construction.

Either way, these golf clubs will mitigate the impact of off-center strikes to keep you in play and enjoying the game.

What to Look for in a Good Set of Irons as a Beginner

Low Center of Gravity (CG)

As a beginner, your top priority is getting your golf ball airborne consistently. The best equipment for the job is golf clubs that produce natural high launch to keep your ball airborne and traveling.

Irons with this ability typically contain a lower-than-usual center of gravity which sets you up for an increased launch. In addition, the high, consistent flight propels your ball to descend along a steeper angle biting aggressively into the green upon landing.

Enhanced Moment of Inertia (MOI)

Next, I recommend that beginners seek irons with advanced MOI, as this combats clubface twist during your swing to keep it square at impact. When your clubface remains perpendicular to the target through contact, you produce less sidespin and prompt a straighter shot.

Flexible Shaft

I find that slow swing speed and high handicap golfers perform best with flexible, graphite shafts. The added flex increases your whip into the golf ball at contact providing speed assistance for a powerful strike.

I suggest starting with a regular shaft to see how you perform with a stock option before looking at alternative flexes. If you launch a regular golf shaft too low, I recommend testing the performance of the senior golf shaft. However, should your low launch persist, consider a ladies’ flex shaft.

10 Best Beginner Golf Irons

1. Cleveland Launcher XL Halo – Overall Best Golf Irons For Beginners

Pros

• The high MOI design promotes straighter shots
• Generates rapid ball velocity
• Clean turf interaction
• Prompts a high launch
• It produces a soft landing

Cons

• These irons may cause faster swing speeds to balloon their shots
• Not the most attractive golf clubs

The Cleveland Launcher XL Halo irons stood out for me as the best beginner golf irons overall. I found their accurate shots, increased launch, and crisp turf interaction produced consistent ball flight and a soft landing on approach.

You’ll notice that these irons carry an extra large clubhead design which boosts its MOI for greater accuracy. This construction keeps your clubface from twisting during your swing to remain square through contact. As a result, you enjoy straighter shots.

I felt the impact of the Action Mass CB design because it bolstered the club stability at contact to maintain ball speed and spin. Furthermore, the Mainframe, which consists of A.I. designed variable face technology, produced rapid ball speed off the face.

Finally, you’ll find the V-shaped sole design propels your clubhead across the turf to prevent you from chunking your shots. As a result, it promotes a clean strike for optimal launch, flight, and distance.

2. Tour Edge Hot Launch C522  – Best Budget Set Of Irons For Beginners

Pros

• Super affordable
• Produces a high launch
• Dampens vibrations on off-center strikes
• Exceptional forgiveness
• Crisp turf interaction

Cons

• Some golfers may not appreciate the hybrids
• The set does not include a sand wedge, but you can acquire it separately

Tour Edge is renowned for creating easy launching, forgiving golf clubs at an affordable price and continues this theme with the Hot Launch C522. These irons earned my respect as the best budget set for beginners because of their soft feel, rapid ball velocity, high launch, and crisp turf interaction.

You’ll see that the C522 set includes a 4 and 5 hybrid instead of irons to provide a high, long, and direct approach shot. In addition, Tour Edge equipped these irons with wide soles. I found this produced crisp turf interaction and prevented my clubhead from digging into the earth.

Moreover, I appreciated the effort of the VIBRCOR technology, as it softened the blow on off-center hits and boosted friction on shots with short irons and wedges. You’ll notice that the added friction increases your spin rate on the smaller approach shots to help your ball stop rapidly.

I also enjoyed the power lofted setup, 360-degree undercut cavity backs, and toe-weighted design. These three features enhance my forgiveness, promoting consistently high shots and extending the sweet spot.

3. Cobra LTDX  – Most Forgiving Irons For High Handicappers

Pros

• Produces explosive ball speed
• Flexible clubface maintains ball velocity on low-face strikes
• Promotes direct flight
• Generates an enhanced spin rate in the mid and short irons
• The ball stops rapidly on approach

Cons

• The strong lofts of the higher irons may prove challenging for some to launch
• Offers reduced workability

Cobra is no stranger to creating value-for-money super game improvement irons for high handicappers. The LTDX irons carry a moderate price point, are built to deliver exceptional iron distance and optimized spin for a soft landing.

You’ll find that the LTDX range produces rampant ball velocity across the clubface thanks to its PWR-COR technology and PWRshell Face Design. In my experience, the two technologies complimented one another by increasing the clubface flex and the size of the active zone.

Besides impressive ball speed, I noticed these irons carry enhanced MOI, thanks to an 8-gram toe weight. The weight stabilized the clubhead during the swing and kept it square at contact, prompting straighter ball flight from the fairway.

Lastly, the CNC milled clubface and grooves delivered a superb performance in the mid and short irons. I noticed that the sharper grooves gripped into my golf ball cover and imparted increased spin for a drop and stop landing.

4. Wilson Launch Pad 2  – Highest Launching Irons For High Handicap Golfers

Pros

• Easy, high-launching irons
• Smooth turf interaction
• Contains an anti-scratch finish
• The mid and short irons promote a soft, rapid landing

Cons

• Some golfers will not care for the chunky, hybrid-style profile
• Not very affordable Wilson high handicap irons.

Beginners could also use a high launching set of irons to consistently get their ball airborne for a consistent distance. This year, the Wilson Launch Pad 2 irons stood out for me as the higher launching constructions, thanks to their extremely low CG, and super turf interaction.

You’ll notice that these Wilson irons feature less technology than other golf clubs, yet expert weight placement helps them compete. The engineers shifted the mass of the club low and back in the sole to ensure you produce a high launch and increased length.

A star feature of these irons is the optimized turf interaction sole, specifically built to help less skilled players. The design keeps your clubhead out of grass and prevents you from chunking your shots. It enabled me to make consistently clean contact with the ball for optimal launch, flight, and distance.

Lastly, I thought the engineers added a neat touch by applying the anti-scratch finish. Although it does not impact your game, it does keep your clubheads looking newer for longer.

5. Ping G425  – Straightest Irons

Pros

• They generate straighter ball flight
• Forgiving
• Prompts rampant ball speed
• Compact and appealing head design
• Water-repellant hydropearl chrome finish sheds moisture from the clubface

Cons

• The toe weight is not pretty, but they had to put it somewhere
• Limits your ability to shape golf shots

Ping G425 irons hit our shelves in 2021, but they stand firm against newly released competitor products. This year, the irons stood out as the straightest set I tested, thanks to their high MOI construction, escalated ball zip, and compact profile.

Most manufacturers opt for oversized clubheads to boost a golf iron MOI, but Ping had other ideas. The masters of game improvement equipment shortened the length of the blade from heel to toe, increasing stability and MOI.

I noticed it held well, restricting any urge to twist during my swing and encouraging a square clubface at contact. As a result, my shots were straighter than others, providing optimal accuracy.

Furthermore, you’ll enjoy a soft feel on all shots with the G425 irons, thanks to the presence of a multi-cavity badge. I felt the badge drowned vibrations from off-center strikes to shield my hands and soften the sensation.

Finally, the average yardage of the Ping G425 irons impressed me during testing. The variable face thickness design on these irons promoted rampant ball pace to help me reach the green on lengthy strikes.

6. Mizuno JPX 921 Hot Metal  – Most Stable Irons For High Handicappers

Pros

• Exceptional MOI
• Prompts rapid ball speed around the perimeter of the clubface
• Crisp acoustics
• Amplified feedback
• Forgiving

Cons

• Expensive for beginner irons
• Some golfers may prefer long irons instead of hybrids

The Mizuno JPX 921 Hot Metal irons claimed the crown for the most stable iron sets for high handicappers. They prevented ball speed and spin drop-off to deliver ideal lift, flight, and landing. In addition, they provide superb feedback, increased face flex, and COR.

The Hiroshima engineers opted for Mizunos famed Chromoly 4140M material for an exceptionally high strength-to-weight ratio. You’ll find this stroke of genius enhances the club stability at impact for elevated MOI without harming flexibility.

Adding to the steadiness of these irons is a stability frame, which prevents clubface twist during your swing.

Next, I felt the Harmonic Impact Technology delivered generous feedback and acoustics but did not drown out vibrations on off-center strikes. Some players enjoy this feedback, but my hands do not appreciate the shocks.

Finally, I noticed that the seamless cup face and CORTECH design generated phenomenal ball pace and spin on every shot. The cup face design thins out the clubface around the perimeter for maximum velocity on off-center hits. You’ll find these components produce optimal distance and a soft landing.

7. Titleist T300  – Best Feel

Pros

• Offers a soft feel on all shots
• Produces a high launch
• Optimizes your COR
• Forgiving
• Generates explosive ball speed

Cons

• Expensive
• The strong lofted long irons may prove challenging for a slower swing speed to strike

The Titleist T300 irons show that the brand offers more than just the best balls in golf. These irons garnered my attention for their soft feel on every strike. Furthermore, they provided plenty of forgiveness, launched my golf ball high, and sent it long.

The enhanced polymer core stood out for me as the star performer. Titleist engineers positioned it between the clubface and the cavity to absorb shocks produced when you miss the sweet spot.

You’ll notice that the T300 irons do well to minimize ball speed and spin drop-off on heel and toe mishits. This is thanks to the Max Impact Technology, which escalates your COR across the clubface to carry your ball to the ideal length and land it softly.

Furthermore, I felt the results of the extra 40% of tungsten, as it prompted a consistently high launch. While slow swing speeds will appreciate this assistance, it can cause faster swingers to balloon their shots.

Lastly, when you test the Titleist T300 irons, you’ll experience explosive velocity off the clubface thanks to the variable face thickness design.

8. TaylorMade Stealth  – Fastest Ball Speed

Pros

• Escalates ball speed
• Promotes a high launch
• Soft feel
• Optimal forgiveness
• Enhanced MOI

Cons

• Premium price tag
• Some of the features are found in previous, more affordable TaylorMade irons

TaylorMade gifted the Stealth range to the world in 2022. Although they do not possess carbon fiber layers like the driver, these irons deliver exceptional ball zip. In addition, to their speed, I enjoyed a towering launch, maximum forgiveness, and a soft feel.

You’ll see that TaylorMade opted for a Cap Back Design with a toe wrap construction to reposition the CG low and deep. Naturally, this setup encourages a high launch to help beginners keep their ball airborne for longer.

The 450 stainless steel face with an intelligently positioned sweet spot supports the low CG to add power to your lift-off. As a result, I produced rampant ball pace on all shots for increased yardage on approach. Also, a higher flight prompted a softer, controlled landing to hold on tighter greens.

Furthermore, you’ll notice that the Stealth irons contain the classic TaylorMade Thru-Slot Speed pocket to increase clubface flexibility. The increased flex helped me prevent speed and spin loss on low-face strikes.

Finally, my hands appreciated the protection afforded to them by the Echo Damping System. The engineers placed it behind the clubface to drown out harsh shocks generated from mishits and ensure a soft feel.

9. Callaway Rogue ST Max OS Lite  – Fastest Clubhead Speed

Pros

• Lighter shafts help you produce accelerated golf club speed
• Generates rampant ball velocity
• Prompts a controlled landing
• Encourages straighter shots
• Optimal forgiveness

Cons

• Expensive
• Faster swinging beginners may sky their shots with these lightweight irons

Never one to be outdone by their foes TaylorMade, Callaway released their Rogue ST Max range in 2022 to compete with the Stealth series. Competition is fantastic for innovation and is evident with the Rogue ST Max OS Lite, our irons with the fastest clubhead speed in our test.

You’ll find that the OS Lite irons are seriously lightweight, where you receive that added swing speed boost. Callaway equipped them with lighter shafts to help slow-swing speed golfers accelerate on the downswing.

In addition, I found that the high-strength 450 A.I. optimized flash face cup produced incredible ball zip on all shots. The flash face cup increases clubface flex to accelerate ball speed, improve COR and encourage towering ball flight. As a result, you can generate a controlled landing angle for an increased bite.

You’ll notice that these irons contain 46 grams of tungsten which amplifies the stability of the club head for advanced MOI. Plus, the increased tungsten expands the sweet spot around the clubface, thanks to perimeter weighting, which limits spin and speed drop on mishits.

10. Powerbilt EX-550  – Best Hybrid Irons

Pros

• Highly affordable
• Easy to launch
• Promotes straight shots
• Enhanced forgiveness
• Produces a high launch

Cons

• Playing with an entire set of hybrids may not appeal to all golfers
• The higher MOI construction restricts workability

Closing out our top ten list of best irons for beginners is the Powerbilt-EX 550 hybrid irons, which claim the title in this category. I appreciate their affordability, forgiveness, straight shots, and easy launch.

You’ll notice that EX-550 hybrid irons are a no-frills set of affordable golf clubs ideal for beginners on a strict budget. The hybrid set consists of a 4-iron through-to-sand wedge, with the latter the only non-hybrid construction.

I found that the graphite shafts on these irons provided ample flex to accelerate ball speed off the clubface for a highly consistent launch. Lastly, the hollow body construction on these hybrid irons provides incredible MOI to produce straight shots and combat slices.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

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Do you want to learn how to play golf and enjoy the life-long game?

It’s said that golf is the greatest game ever played…

but why?

Maybe because it’s the ultimate test of the body and mind.

It’s calming, challenging, rewarding, and frustrating all at the same time.

It can beat you up, have you cussing the game, just to fall back in love with it an few minutes later.

But at the end of it all, it’s a beautiful game.

As Arnold Palmer once said:

There’s something about the game.  When played well it seems simple. So simple, you let your guard down…

and then it strikes back.

For many people it’s an obsession, others an occasional hobby.

No matter what it is to you, it’s an amazing game that you can learn at any point in your life.

It transcends generations, and teaches you more about yourself and life than any other game.

So, you’ve made the decision.  You want to play golf.  What now?

Read this Ultimate Guide on and learn how to play golf the right way.

1. Making the Decision to Play Golf

Making the decision to learn how to play golf is easy, but needs to happen with an understanding and respect for the game.  While golf is fun and meant to be enjoyed, it can often be frustrating, especially when first learning.

That being said there is one simple thing to remember.

GOLF IS HARD.

Professionals who have played their entire lives still hit bad shots.

So when you’re working on your game, don’t expect perfection.  Learn from your mistakes, accept them, and most importantly manage your expectations.

As a golf pro once told me when I was frustrated beginner having a mid-round breakdown:

“You’re not that good, to get that mad.”

Golf is a game that can teach you a lot about someone.  One of the major things is how they handle themselves on the course.  It’s easy to be happy when you’re playing well, but shows character when you keep your cool when things don’t go your way.

Enjoy the process and stay positive.  Life’s too short to get mad over a game

2. Getting Equipment

You may have heard that golf is an expensive game.  While this can be true, it doesn’t have to be.

It’s kind of like when you were told as a kid that there’s a difference between “wants” and “needs”.

You need clubs to play golf.  You don’t need expensive brand name irons and the newest driver on the market.  While “Chad” at your local golf store may try to tell you that so he can make more commissions, its not true.

A great golfer can play well with any set of clubs.

While at the highest level these things can make an impact, they’re so minimal it would never be noticed by weekend golfer or someone just learning.

So, find a good deal on a set of used clubs that are going to last you for the next 3-5 years and start swinging them!

Below is some information that will help you when buy your first set of golf clubs:

1. Buy used clubs

2. Find Deals

3. Get cavity back irons – They have larger heads on the clubs and are easier to hit

4. Invest in lessons over expensive clubs

5. Ask around – A golfer in your life probably has some extra clubs laying around they’ll sell you for cheap

That should get you started.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and be resourceful.

3. Learning the Rules

Learning the rules is obviously an important part of learning how to play golf.  While they can seem overwhelming in the beginning, don’t get intimidated.  Just learn the basics and pick up the rest as you go.

The best way to learn the rules of golf is to play experienced golfers and do what they do.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions or make mistakes.  It’s the way we all learn.

The list below will give you a brief overview of the basics.

Scoring:

There are 18 holes on a golf course.

Every hole on the golf course has a “par” which is the ideal amount of strokes it should take you to get the ball in the hole for that specific hole.

The pars range from 3-5. Known as “a Par 3” and so on.

The pars for each hole are then added up to equal the total par for the course.  Typically 72.

How you perform on each hole has a specific name:

2 under Par (you shoot 3 on a Par 5) – Eagle

1 under Par – Birdie

Even with Par – Par

1 over Par – Bogey

2 over Par – Double Bogey

3 over Par – Triple Bogey

4 over Par – Quadrouple Bogey

5+ over Par – etc.

For example on a Par 4, if it takes you 4 shots to make your ball, you get a Par.

Par 3, takes you 4 shots, you get a Bogey.

Etc.

Other Golf Rules:

Here’s some other key rules that will help get you started when heading out to the course.

Tee Markers

When teeing off (starting) a hole. You must tee your ball up behind the markers, which are typically denounced by bright colored, oversized markers stuck into the ground.  There are typically different tees for different skill levels.  The more experienced further back and vise versa.

Shot Order on Green

Once every player on the hole has reached the green the person who is furthest away from the hole goes first.  This repeats until everyone has made their putts.

Out of Bounds

If you hit your ball into the water or out of play, you take a one-stroke penalty and drop a new ball.  You can either drop the new ball from where you just hit, or just before where it entered the out-of-bounds, then continue playing.

These are just a few of the basic rules of golf.  If you are interested in learning more here are some of the top resources for golf scoring and rules:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf

http://www.usga.org/rules-hub.html

http://www.pga.com/golf-instruction/instruction-feature/fundamentals/golf-beginners-golf-etiquette-rules-and-glossary

4. Improving Your Game

When starting your journey into the “life-long game” of golf, you might as well start with good habits and not have to worry about breaking bad ones later.

I struggled for years trying to improve my game.  It wasn’t until I realized that 90% of the improvement in my game was coming from 10% of the work I was putting in that the game became easier and I took 20 strokes off of my handicap.

Do these 3 simple things to improve your game and not waste time:

Read Golf Books To Improve Your Game

Counter to common belief, a lot of golf improvement can be made away from the course.  Sitting at the range and hitting 100 balls with the wrong fundamentals will only engrave bad habits into your mind.

That being said, you have to be careful what you read.  A lot of golf media is created just to get views and will not make major improvements to your game.

There is one book that single handedly started my journey to dropping my handicap.

It is an absolute must-read as you start your journey into golf.

Ben Hogan’s  Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf

Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons is the best book for anyone looking to develop a classic & consistent golf swing.

You can get it used for around a dollar at a local book store or easily from Amazon.  Starting with these fundamentals will save you countless hours of trying to correct your golf swing later.  Understanding “why” you do things in a golf swing is just as important as knowing how to swing the club.

Other Readings:

Dave Pelz’s Putting Bible: The Ultimate Guide to Mastering the Green – Putting

Golf Is Not A Game Of Perfect  – Mental

How I Play Golf – Tiger Woods – All around game

Follow the 80/20 Rule When Practicing

“Drive for show, putt for dough.” is a saying for a reason.

It’s because if you want to improve your golf game you MUST work on your short game.  Put the driver away and don’t even look at it until you feel completely comfortable on and around the green. These putting drills and chipping tips are a great place to start.

The 80/20 rule refers to putting 80% of your practice time towards your short game, and the other 20% towards everything else.

That means don’t even think about spending an hour hitting drives unless you plan on spending four hours putting.

I know.  There’s something satisfying about smashing a drive as far as you can but if you can’t make a 4-foot putt consistently you’ll never be able to seriously improve your game.

Take a Few Lessons To Get Started

You’ve made the decision to learn how to play golf, spend the few extra dollars to make sure you really enjoy it and get off to a good start.

Taking a couple lessons with a trained professional will make sure that you develop the right habits early and learn how to think about the game the right way.

Conclusion

Well that’s it.

You’re off and running.

Remember when learning the game to manage your expectations and enjoy the process.

It’s a hard game, one that can never be mastered, and get’s the best of people that have played it their entire lives.

Never forget, even when you’re obsessed, practicing everyday, betting with your friends, winning the round, and blow it on the last hole…

That it’s just a game.  The greatest one ever played.

August Noble

August Noble was first introduced to golf at 7 years old. In 2013 he started seriously working on his game and was able to reduce his handicap from 19 to 3.4 in less than two years. He’s been helping other golfers do the same ever since.

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Golf requires a lot of accouterments. It’s why a golfer’s bag has so many pockets. So, chances are, the golfer in your life could benefit from a few things. Add to the collection with these great gifts for golfers of all levels:

Divot Tool

This is something that golfers never think about until they need it. Save them the struggle of having to bust out a tee to try and even out a divot. This is a small tool that they’ll be thankful for every time they need it.

Windbreaker

Some of the best golf happens in places with tricky weather. High winds can whip up when you’re on an open course. So, protect them against the elements with a fashion-forward, waterproof windbreaker.

Scorecard Holder

They’ll show who the king or queen of the course is a sporty scorecard holder. This can help to keep their card intact, making it easier to find.

Toiletry Bag

If your golfer hits the clubhouse for lunch and drinks after a round, they may want to freshen up. A toiletry bag is compact and allows them to keep everything in a designated area, making it easier for them to find a breath mint or cologne rather than digging around in their bag for it.

Chipping Net

If your favorite golfer doesn’t always have the time to hit the range, a chipping net can allow them to practice their short game in the comfort of his or her backyard.

Club-Fitting

Having an ill-fitting club can really make the difference when it comes to your golf game. Give the gift of a set of personalized clubs for the special golfer in your life. This isn’t just a single gift, but a well-worth investment in their future.

Do you need to ship golf clubs?

Ship golf clubs and never have the hassle of jam-packed road trips and expensive airline fees again! You can feel confident knowing that Ship Sticks will get your clubs to your golfing destination in pristine condition and on-time. Why Wait? Start shipping today!

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