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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
David Dusek

Best irons for 2023 for every handicap and playing style

In the weeks leading up to the holiday season and throughout January, equipment makers released several new sets of irons designed for players at every game level. New muscleback blades for elite golfers, cavity-back irons that blend forgiveness and feel and offerings made for inexperienced players and slower swingers, they’re all here.

The trouble is finding the new set of irons that will complement your game. The best way to do that is to work with a custom fitter and hit lots of different options under the watchful eye of a launch monitor, but the list of irons below will give you a great place to start your research and narrow down your search.

Callaway Paradym

Callaway Paradym irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Price: $200 each with True Temper Elevate steel shafts and Callaway Universal grips. $215 each with Aldila Ascent PL Blue shafts or Project X HZRDUS Silver graphite shafts
Specs: A.I.-designed forged 455 stainless steel cup face with a hollow body, tungsten weights and urethane inserts
Available: Feb. 24, but available for pre-order now

Who It’s For: Golfers with a handicap between eight and 15 who want more distance.

The Skinny: The standard Callaway Paradym is a game-improvement club designed to look like a better player’s distance iron. With a strong, thin face, internal tungsten weight and low center of gravity, it was created to produce more ball speed and a higher ball flight. Read full review.

Paradym Iron Set - From $999.99

Callaway Paradym X

Callaway Paradym X irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Paradym X irons
Price: $200 each with True Temper Elevate steel shafts and Callaway Universal grips. $215 each with Aldila Ascent PL Blue shafts or Project X HZRDUS Silver graphite shafts
Specs: A.I.-designed forged 455 stainless steel cup face with a hollow body, tungsten weights and urethane inserts
Available: Feb. 24, but available for pre-order now

Who It’s For: Golfers with a handicap above 12 who want to maximize distance and height.

The Skinny: The bigger, beefier sibling of the standard Paradym was made to pack a punch. It has more overall tungsten to drive the center of gravity deeper, while the forged construction and urethane microspheres create a softer feel than you typically get in an iron like this. Read full review.

Paradym X Iron Set - From $999.99

Cobra Aerojet

Cobra Aerojet irons (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Cobra Aerojet, Aerojet One Length irons
Price: $999 with KBS Tour Lite steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline grips. $1,099 with KBS PGi graphite shafts
Specs: Cast stainless steel head with an internal weight bar and polymer vibration dampener.
Available: Feb. 10, but available for pre-order now

Who It’s For: Golfers with a handicap above 13 who want distance, height and forgiveness.

The Skinny: The Aerojet irons are game-improvement clubs with a heavy floating bar behind a variable-thickness face that helps to lower the center of gravity location and create more height with added ball speed. Cobra injected a polymer around the weight that soaks up vibrations. Read full review.

Cobra Aerojet Iron Set - $999.99

Cobra King Tour

Cobra King Tour irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Cobra King Tour irons
Price: $1,299 with KBS $-Taper 120 steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline grips
Specs: Forged 1025 carbon steel with TPU insert and co-molded aluminum medallion
Available: Feb. 3, but available for pre-order now

Who It’s For: Golfers with single-digit handicaps who want a soft-feeling iron that delivers shot-shaping control with a touch of forgiveness.

The Skinny: A better player’s cavity-back, the updated King Tour irons have a vibration-dampening insert to soften the feel along with the compact size and classic look that accomplished golfers demand. Read full review …

Cobra King Tour Iron Set - $1,299.99

Cobra King Tour CB/MB Combo

Cobra King CB MB Combo irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Cobra King Tour CB/MB Combo irons
Price: $1,199 with KBS $-Taper 120 steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline grips
Specs: Forged 1025 carbon steel
Available: Feb. 3, but available for pre-order now

Who It’s For: Elite ballstrikers, college players and low single-digit handicap golfers who demand the ultimate in feel and control.

The Skinny: Combining forged cavity-back long irons with muscleback blade scoring clubs, the Cobra King Tour CB/MB Combo set aims to maximize a better player’s ability to shape shots. The toplines are thin, there’s virtually no offset and the soles are narrow, but feel is optimized by the compact blade length and soft steel. Read full review.

King Tour CM/MB Combo Iron Set - $1,199.99

Mizuno JPX 923 Forged

Mizuno JPX 923 Forged irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Mizuno JPX 923 Forged irons
Price: $137.50 each
Specs: Grain-flow-forged 4120 Chromoly (4-7 irons) and 1025E mild carbon steel (8-GW) with milled micro-slot. Available in left- and right-hand versions. 4-iron through lob wedge
Available: Feb. 9

Who it’s for: Golfers with a handicap between five and 12 looking for a compact cavity-back iron that emphasizes feeling and control with some forgiveness.

The Skinny: The JPX 923 Forged irons bring some distance, forgiveness and playability to a better player’s club. Grain-flow-forged 4120 Chromoly in the 4-iron through 7-iron adds pop, while 1025E mild carbon steel in the 8-iron through gap wedge boosts feel Read full review.

Mizuno JPX 923 Tour

Mizuno JPX 223 Tour irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Mizuno JPX 923 Tour irons
Price: $137.50 each
Specs: Grain-flow-forged 1025E mild carbon steel. 4-iron through lob wedge
Available: Feb. 9

Who it’s for: Professional golfers, college players and recreational golfers with a legitimate shot at winning the A Flight at your club championship.

The Skinny: These irons are forged and shaped to appeal to the game’s best golfers, with minimal offset, an extremely thin topline and a narrow sole. While they have some perimeter weighting, the JPX 923 Tour is all about feel and control for shot-shaping golfers. Read full review.

Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal

Mizuno JPX Hot Metal irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal irons
Price: $137.50 each
Specs: Cast nickel Chromoly heads. 

Who it’s for: Golfers with a handicap between eight and 18 who want the looks of a better player’s irons but need distance enhancement, forgiveness and spin.

The Skinny: A thin face and low center of gravity location not only help these irons produce more distance, but golfers should also notice a steep descent angle and more spin, which increases stopping power on the greens and better distance control. Read full review.

JPX 923 Hot Metal Iron Set - $962.99

Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Pro

Mizuno JPX 223 Hot Metal Pro. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Pro irons
Price: $137.50 each
Specs: Cast nickel Chromoly heads. 

Who it’s for: Golfers with a handicap between five and 13 who want a better player’s distance iron.

The Skinny: The 923 Hot Metal Pro irons have a shorter blade length, thinner topline and slightly more narrow sole than the standard 923 Hot Metal irons, making them more appealing to better players who want extra distance and forgiveness but aren’t ready to go to a game-improvement set just yet. Read full review.

JPX 923 Hot Metal Pro Iron Set - From $962.99

Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal HL

Mizuno JPX 223 Hot Metal HL. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal HL irons
Price: $137.50 each
Specs: Cast nickel Chromoly heads. 

Who it’s for: Golfers with a handicap between 13 and 23 looking to maximize distance and height.

The Skinny: The largest and most forgiving of the 923 Hot Metal irons, the HL version has weaker lofts to help slower-swinging golfers hit the ball higher and maximize carry distance. Read full review.

JPX 923 Hot Metal HL Iron Set - $962.99

Ping i230

Ping i230 irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Ping i230 irons
Price: $205 each with True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 shafts and Lamkin Crossline Black grips, $230 each with Ping Alta CB Black graphite shafts
Specs: Cast 431 stainless steel body with tungsten tip and toe weights, internal elastomer insert and multimaterial back badge. 3-iron through gap wedge available.

Who It’s For: Golfers with a handicap between four and 12 who want extra stability, a softer feel at impact and more consistent spin.

The Skinny: Made for tour pros and good club players, the i230 takes the place of the i210 and features an internal elastomer piece to reduce vibrations created at impact, while tungsten weights increase stability and unique grooves help normalize performance in both wet and dry conditions. Read full review …

Ping i230 Iron Set - $1,312.99

Ping G430

Ping G430 irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Ping G430 irons
Price: $170 each with Ping AWT 2.0 steel shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips. $185 each with Alta CB Black graphite shafts.
Specs: Cast 17-4 stainless steel heads with internal tungsten weights
Available: Jan. 26, but available for pre-order now

Who It’s For: Golfers with a handicap between 12 and 20 who want more distance and forgiveness.

The Skinny: The successor to the G425, the G430 irons were designed with a faster face, lower center of gravity and a new vibration-absorbing back badge to deliver more distance, a higher launch and a better feel. Read full review.

Ping G430 Iron Set - From $943.99

PXG 0211 XCor 2

PXG 0211 XCOR irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: PXG 0211 XCOR2 irons
Price: $159 each
Specs: 431 stainless steel body with HT1770 stainless steel face, two internal elastomers with progressive blade length and offset.

Who It’s For: Golfers with a handicap between six and 16 who want PXG’s key performance technologies at a more budget-friendly price.

The Skinny: Clean and classic-looking on the outside, the latest 0211 irons have a new material first seen in the 0311 GEN5 irons inside each head that increases ball speed, softens feel and enhances sound. In the address position, the 0211 XCor 2 looks like a better player’s club. Read full review.

PXG XCor 2 Iron Set - From $868

PXG 0317 ST Blades

The PXG 0317 ST irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: PXG 0317 ST Blade irons
Price: $199 each in Chrome finish, $219 with Xtreme Dark finish
Specs: Forged 8620 carbon steel, milled face and back, adjustable swing weight. Available in 3-iron through gap wedge in chrome and Xtreme Dark finish.

Who It’s For: Pros and low single-digit handicap players with powerful, repeatable swings who demand control and feel in a traditional iron.

The Skinny: Modern manufacturing techniques and classic shaping combine in this better player’s offering that blends forged cavity-back long irons with muscleback blade mid- and short irons for a feel-oriented set. Read full review.

PXG 0317 ST Blades Iron Set - $1,014

Srixon Z-Forged II

Srixon Z-Forged II irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Srixon Z-Forged II irons
Price: $1,299.99 with Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips.
Specs: Forged 1025 carbon with progressive grooves.
Available: Jan. 20, but available for pre-order now

Who It’s For: Pros and elite club players who want tour-level feel and control in a compact, muscleback blade iron.

The Skinny: Forged from 1025 carbon steel, the Srixon Z-Forged II irons are designed to maximize feel and control for players who have powerful, repeatable swings. If you are looking for forgiveness, look someplace else. Only the finest ballstrikers need apply here. Read full review.

Z-Forged II Iron Set - $999.99

Srixon ZX4 Mk II

Srixon ZX4 Mk II irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Srixon ZX4 Mk II irons
Price: $1,199.99 with Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour or KBS Tour Lite steel shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips. $1,299.99 with UST Mamiya Recoil Dart graphite shafts
Specs: 1025 carbon steel body with SUP10 stainless steel face and progressive grooves and hollow-body construction.
Available: January 20, but available for pre-order now

Who They’re For: Twelve to 20-handicap golfers who want more forgiveness and distance with the feel of a forged iron.

The Skinny: The hollow ZX4 Mk II was designed to maximize ball speed and height for golfers who don’t want a set of miniature hybrids. Grooved channels and cavities on the inner-facing side of the SUP10 stainless steel faces broaden the sweet spot and boost distance. More.

ZX4 Mk II Iron Set - $1,199.99

Srixon ZX5 Mk II

Srixon ZX5 Mk II irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Srixon ZX5 MK II irons
Price: $1,199.99 with Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour or KBS Tour Lite steel shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips. $1,299.99 with UST Mamiya Recoil Dart graphite shafts
Specs: 1025 carbon steel body with SUP10 stainless steel face and progressive grooves.
Available: Jan. 20, but available for pre-order now

Who They’re For: Golfers with a handicap between eight and 15 who want distance, forged feel and forgiveness.

The Skinny: Smaller than the ZX4 Mk II, the forged ZX5 is a classic game-improvement club for golfers who want more distance and forgiveness from something that looks like it would be at home in a good player’s bag. Read full review.

ZX5 Mk II Iron Set - $1,199.99

Srixon ZX7 Mk II

Srixon ZX7 Mk II irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Srixon ZX7 Mk II irons
Price: $1,199.99 with Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour shafts or KBS Tour Lite steel shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips. $1,299.99 with UST Mamiya Recoil Dart graphite shafts.
Specs: Forged 1025 carbon with progressive grooves.
Available: Jan. 20, but available for pre-order now

Who It’s For: Single-digit handicap golfers who want tour-level maneuverability and feel in a compact, cavity-back iron.

The Skinny: The smallest of the ZX Mk II irons for 2023, the ZX7 Mk II is a better player’s cavity-back iron with a compact blade length, thin topline and forged feel. PureFrame adds mass behind the ball at impact for better feel while the Tour V.T. sole helps players maintain speed through the strike. Read full review.

ZX7 Mk II Iron Set - $1,199.99

TaylorMade P•7MC

TaylorMade P•7MC irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: TaylorMade P•7MC
Price: $1,299 with KBS Tour steel shafts and Golf Pride Z-Grip 360 grips
Specs: Forged 8620 carbon steel
Available: January 20, but available for pre-order now

Who It’s For: Elite ballstrikers who want to maximize feel and control.

The Skinny: TaylorMade’s tour-inspired cavity-back irons have been updated using a new forging process and feedback. The P•7MC is forged from 8620 carbon steel in a five-step process that TaylorMade claims enhances the sensations golfers feel at impact. Read full review.

TM P•7MC Iron Set - $1,299.99

TaylorMade P•7MB

TaylorMade P•7MB irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: TaylorMade P•7MB irons
Price: $1,485.99 with KBS Tour steel shafts and Golf Pride Z-Grip 360 grips
Specs: Forged 8620 carbon steel
Available: Jan. 20, but available for pre-order now

Who It’s For: Professional golfers and elite ballstrikers with a handicap below five who want to maximize feel and control.

The Skinny: TaylorMade’s tour-inspired muscleback blade, the P•7MB was created with feedback from Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa, and delivers the feel and control tour-level players demand. Read full review.

TM P•7MB Iron Set - $1,485.99

TaylorMade P•770

TaylorMade P•770 irons for 2023 (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: TaylorMade P•770 irons (2023)
Price: $1,299 with KBS Tour steel shafts and Golf Pride Z-Grip 360 grips
Specs: Forged 4140 stainless steel face with a forged, hollow-bodied 8620 carbon steel body, internal tungsten weight and foam
Available: Jan. 20, but available for pre-order now

Who It’s For: Golfers with a handicap between five and 12 who want a better player’s distance iron

The Skinny: The little sibling of the P•790 has been updated with a lighter foam material inside the heads to create more perimeter weighting without making the clubs bigger. That leans the P•770 should be more forgiving, yet still appeal to accomplished golfers who want a classic look at address. Read full review.

TM P•770 Iron Set - $1,299.99

TaylorMade Stealth HD

TaylorMade Stealth HD irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: TaylorMade Stealth HD irons
Price: $999 with KBS Max 85 steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline Black grips. $1,099 with Fujikura NX Red graphite shafts
Specs: Cast stainless steel with polymer insert
Available: Feb. 17

Who It’s For: New golfers and high-handicap players who need to maximize height, distance and forgiveness.

The Skinny: The Stealth HD irons were designed to get the ball up quickly for slow-swinging players who want a club that has an inspiring shape. They have a hollow construction to allow the face to flex efficiently, a low center of gravity and wide sole to help inexperienced golfers avoid digging. Read full review.

Stealth HD Iron Set - $999.99

Wilson Dynapower

Wilson DynaPWR irons. (Wilson)

Price: $799.99 with KBS Max Ultralite steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline 360 grips. $899.99 with UST Mamiya Recoil Dart 65 graphite shafts
Specs: Cast cavity-back irons with variable-thickness faces and slots in the sole
Available: March 1, but available for pre-order now

Who It’s For: Golfers with a handicap between 13 and 23 who need extra power and forgiveness.

The Skinny: Wilson brings back the Dynapower brand and adds it to a classic game-improvement iron. A variable-thickness face and Power Holes on the sole (which are covered by metal plating) allow the hitting area to flex more efficiently for increased ball speed while the low center of gravity gives shots more lift. Read full review.

DynaPWR Iron Set - $799.99
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