2024 Best new irons – Syndication Server

Ping G430 vs. i530: Which iron is right for you?

Both are designed to create more distance, enhanced feel and extra forgiveness.

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When it comes to selecting the right irons, Ping offers plenty of choices that cater to wide a range of golfers, from elite ball strikers who can benefit from the control and feel of the Blueprint T and the Blueprint S to high-handicap golfers who can take advantage of the forgiveness of the G730.

Two popular options in the middle of Ping’s iron lineup are the G430 and i530. Both clubs were designed using advanced technologies and materials, and there is some overlap in the type of players who might gravitate to these irons, but they serve different needs on the course. So, let’s break down how the G430 and i530 are similar, how they differ, and discuss which players might find the most benefit from each set.

Construction and technology

Released in 2023, the G430 irons feature cast 17-4 stainless steel heads htat have been given a unique heat treatment that strengthens the steel. That allowed designers to make the hitting area thinner and lighter. Ping also lowered the center of gravity (CG) by adding a tungsten weight in the heel and a tungsten screw to the toe. That added mass makes the G430 less likely to twist on off-center hits for increased consistency.

Ping G430 irons — The G430 has a tungsten screw in the toe and a new back badge designed to allow the face to flex more efficiently. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The G430 was also created with a new back badge called PurFlex. It has seven different pieces that deliver varying levels of stiffness. Ping’s engineers learned that dividing the badge instead of uses a single large piece, it encouraged more face flex while still absorbing excessive vibrations to improve sound and feel.

Released in 2024, the i530 has a hollow-body design that is similar to the design of Ping’s metalwoods. The thin, forged C300 maraging steel face is welded to the 17-7 stainless steel body, which creates a hollow chamber inside the head. This hollow-body design allows the hitting area to flex more efficiently at the moment of impact, so golfers can generate more ball speed and distance.

Ping i530 irons — The i530 has a wider sole than Ping’s Blueprint T or Blueprint S, but it should help a variety of players work in and out of the turf more easily. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

On the inner-facing side of the face, Ping added a polymer piece that soaks up vibrations without inhibiting face flex or dropping ball speed. In addition to weights in the heel and toe, an internal mass pad helps to lower the CG location.

Ping also designed the i530 with MicroMax grooves, so the hitting area is more tightly packed with grooves to help the irons generate more spin.

Both the G430 and the i530 have Ping’s Hydropearl 2.0 finish, a technology that helps to keep water off the face for more consistency.

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Size and performance

The Ping G430 has a longer blade length than the i530, to go along with a slightly thicker topline and wider sole. Working in complement with the addd weight in the heel and toe, the added size helps to boost the moment of inertia (MOI) of the G430 and make it more stable on mis-hit shots. The larger size also helps to lower the CG location and encourage a higher ball flight.

The i530 has a more-compact size than the G430, with a shorter blade length, thinner topline and narrower sole. The extra weight added in the heel and toe boost the MOI, but in the case of the i530, Ping wanted more stability without increasing the size.

The lofts of the G430 and i530 are identical, with the 5-irons at 22 degrees and the 9-irons at 37 degrees. However, the standard pitching wedge loft of the G430 is 41 degrees while the i530 pitching wedge comes standard at 42 degrees. Both sets are available in Ping’s Power Spec, which features stronger lofts, and Retro Spec, which has weaker lofts.

Who are the G430 and i530 for?

The best way to find the irons that are right for you is to work with a custom fitter who has a launch monitor and hit shots with lots of different head and shaft combinations.

The G430 is for mid-to-high handicappers who want help getting the ball in the air and keeping it there. The larger head size, added perimeter weighting, and forgiving face make it ideal for golfers who prioritize consistency over shaping shots. If you shoot in the high 80s and 90s and want irons that can launch the ball high, reduce mishit penalties, and boost confidence from anywhere on the course, the G430 is something to consider.

The i530 falls squarely into the better-player’s distance category. Its compact size, thinner topline and reduced offset will remind golfers who shoot in the high 70s and low 80s of muscleback blades and better-player irons they have used in the past, but the hollow-body design will generate more ball speed and distance than solid-body clubs made for low-handicap golfers.

The forged face and extra spin from the MicroMax grooves should also help skilled players hit draws, fades and other shots when they need to work the ball around the course.

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2024 TaylorMade P·770 vs 2023 P·790 irons: Which is right for you?

The TaylorMade P·770 and P·790 are designed similarly but made for different golfers. See which one matches your needs and your game.

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A year ago, TaylorMade released an update to the P·790 irons, one of its most popular clubs. Two months ago, the Carlsbad, California-based equipment maker announced that it has a new version of its P·770 iron, a club that is very similar to the P·790. They are so similar, in fact, that many golfers with a handicap between five and 12 might be confused about what separates the new P·770 and the P·790.

The P·770 and P·790 cater to different types of golfers, so here’s a detailed comparison to help you understand the similarities and differences between them, and then decide which set might be the best fit for you.

Construction and Technology

The 2024 P·770 irons feature a hollow body construction with the inner chambers in the heads filled with SpeedFoam Air, a material that debuted in the 2021 version of the P·770. It is a lighter version of the original SpeedFoam and enhances the feel and acoustics while maintaining a solid, forged feel.

The P·770 irons have L-shaped faces that are forged using 4041 stainless steel. The face plate wraps under the leading edge and into the sole, which TaylorMade claims helps to broaden the sweet spot. The 3-iron through 7-iron have also been designed with a Speed Pocket slot that is positioned directly behind the leading edge, along with tungsten weighs in the heel and toe to increase the moment of inertia (MOI) and provide stability on off-center hits. The center of gravity (CG) is low in the long irons and elevates through the set to optimize the launch angle for each club, making it easier to hit the long irons higher and flight the scoring clubs down for enhanced distance control.

The TaylorMade P·770 irons have a hollow chamber filled with SpeedFoam Air, along with an internal tungsten weight in the toe. (TaylorMade)

The 2023 P·790 irons also utilize a hollow body construction and feature an inner chamber filled with SpeedFoam Air, which contributes to a softer feel and improved sound. The P·790s also feature a progressive center of gravity, with the CG being lower in the long irons for higher launch and higher in the short irons for better control. The P·790s also have a Thru-Slot Speed Pocket to enhance ball speed, particularly on low-face strikes in the 4- through 7-iron.

Who are the P·770 and P·790 for?

While the construction of the P·770 and the P·790 irons is similar, they were made to appeal to different types of players.

The 2024 P·770 irons are better-player distance irons made for golfers who seek a blend of control and forgiveness. These irons are ideal for low to mid-handicap golfers who want a compact look in the address position but who still want some level of forgiveness on off-center hits. The P·770s feature a shorter blade length, thinner top line, and less offset compared to the P·790 irons.

TaylorMade P·790 (2023) — The progressive center of gravity in the TaylorMade P·790 encourages a higher flight in the long irons and a lower, more controlled flight in the scoring clubs. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The 2023 P·790 irons, on the other hand, are aimed at a broader range of golfers, from mid- to high-handicappers. These irons should provide golfers with more forgiveness than the P·770 because they are larger, and they should produce more distance and a higher ball flight.

The P·790 should create less spin than the P·770, so if a golfer wants to shape shots from left-to-right or right-to-left, it will be easier to do with the P·770.

The P·790s also have a bit more offset and a thicker top line, which can instill confidence in less consistent ball strikers.

The Takeawy

The best way to find the irons that are right for you is to work with a custom fitter who has a launch monitor and hit shots with lots of different head and shaft combinations. That said, when comparing the P·770 and the P·790, golfers who want a more compact look in the address position, a shorter blade length, more spin and a slightly lower flight might be happier with the P·770.

Golfers who want more forgiveness, more distance and a higher ball flight may get more of what they are seeking from the P·790.

Working with a custom fitter, golfers can easily create a blended set of P·790 and P·770 irons to get the benefits of both clubs in one set, including the forgiveness of the P·790 in the long irons and the control of the P·770 irons in the scoring clubs.

Tour Edge Exotics C725, E725 and X725 irons

Here’s what you want to know about each club.

When it comes to the Tour Edge Exotics 725 iron family, the Illinois-based brand has tried to make three irons that offer varying levels of distance, stability, forgiveness and shot shaping for three different types of golfers. Many of the same technologies are found in each club, to varying degrees and levels, which allowed designers and engineers to level-up certain traits and attributes based on what players typically want.

The Exotics C725 (competition spec) is a better-player’s distance iron, while the E725 (extreme spec) is a classic game-improvement club. The new model, the X725, is a max game-improvement offering for moderate and slower-swinging players who need the most forgiveness, height and distance.

Here’s what you want to know about each club:

Tour Edge Exotics C725 irons

Price: $128.99 per club ($899.99 for 7-piece set) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid steel shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grip; $142.99 per club ($999.99 for 7-piece set) with Project X Denali Blue 80 graphite shafts.
Specs: Hollow-body design with maraging steel face and 17-4 stainless steel body.
Available: October 15 (pre-order); November 1 (in-stores).

Who it’s for: The Exotics C725 irons are engineered for single-digit handicap players who want distance and forgiveness in a more compact iron.

What you should know: The hollow-body design and perimeter weighting allow these better-player distance irons to create more distance and forgiveness while still looking like a club that belongs in the bag of a golf who plays in the A Flight in the club championship.

The deep dive: The Exotics C725 irons are a “player’s distance” iron that merges game-improvement technologies into a compact, workable shape.

The hollow-body construction enables Tour Edge to place the center of gravity (CG) low and deep, which increases the launch angle and helps produce a higher ball flight.

The maraging steel face, which is welded to a 17-4 stainless steel body, is L-shaped and wraps into the sole, creating a hinging effect that improves face flex. By using a thinner steel face in combination with the hollow design, Tour Edge engineers have been able to increase ball speed across a larger portion of the hitting area, which means the C725 irons maintain their speed and consistency more effectively on mishits.

Internally, Tour Edge injected VIBRCOR, a thermoplastic polyurethane gel, into the hollow cavity of each head to dampen vibrations and improve feel. On the back of each C725 iron, a multi-material dampening badge made of carbon fiber and high-grade TPU further enhances acoustics and feel.

On the inner-facing side of the face, Tour Edge added its 3D Diamond Face technology, which includes 92 diamond-shaped areas of various thicknesses. Tour Edge claims they act like mini trampolines to help golfers generate more ball speeds and protect speed on off-center hits.

The Exotics C725 has the shortest blade length, thinnest topline and least amount of offset among the Exotics 725 iron family. The 14-gram weight on the back of the head is adjustable for fitters and allows them to change the swing weight of the clubs easily based on length or a player’s preferences.

Tour Edge Exotics E725 irons

Price: $114.99 per club ($799.99 for 7-piece set) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid steel shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grip; $129.99 per club ($899.99 for 7-piece set) with Project X Cypher graphite shafts
Specs: Hollow-body design with 360-degree undercut cavity, multi-material badge and injected thermoplastic polyurethane.
Available: October 15 (pre-order); November 1 (in-stores).

Who it’s for: The Exotics E725 irons are made for mid- and higher-handicap golfers who want more distance and forgiveness.

What you should know: The Exotics E725 irons have a low and back center of gravity to boost forgiveness, increase the launch angle, and add distance.

The deep dive: While the Exotics C725 is designed for players who want a compact look with an extra punch that maintains shot-shaping attributes, the Exotics E725 irons are game-improvement clubs for golfers who shoot in the mid-80s and low 90s who want more forgiveness and more distance.

As it does in the other irons, the 3D Diamond Face technology broadens the sweet spot to protects ball speed on mis-hits. However, with a larger size than the C725 irons, the E725 irons boast 103 diamond-shaped elements on the inner-facing side of the hitting area instead of 92.

The E725 irons utilize a one-piece, high-strength steel body construction with a 360-degree undercut cavity that reduces weight in the center of the head and pushes the CG location lower and deeper. According to Tour Edge, the CG is 10 percent lower in the E725 than in the E723, the iron it replaces, so golfers should find it easier to get the ball up in the air.

To improve feel and dampen vibrations, Tour Edge injected VIBRCOR into the pocket of each E725 iron. The TPU treatment enhances sound and feel without impeding the face from flexing or reducing distance. The new multi-material badge also stiffens the heads for better energy transfer at impact.

On the sole, a heavy rail helps the club glide through the turf, minimize digging and maintain more speed through impact.

The Exotics E725 has a thicker topline, more offset and a wider sole than the Exoics C725.

Tour Edge Exotics X725 irons

Price: $114.99 per club, with Project X Cypher shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grip.
Specs: 17-4 stainless steel body with VIBRCOR and 3D Diamond Face technology. Available in 5-PW, AW and SW
Available: October 15 (pre-order); November 1 (in-stores).

Who it’s for: The Exotics X725 irons are designed for slow and moderate-swinging golfers looking for maximum forgiveness and stability, especially if they struggle with a slice.

What you should know: The Exotics X725 is Tour Edge’s attempt to translate its “iron-wood” technology into max game-improvement irons, emphasizing high launch, more distance and slice-fighting offset.

The deep dive: With the Exotics X725 irons, Tour Edge has tried to make its most forgiving, easiest-to-hit iron ever.

The shallow-face design, large size and long blade length are meant to inspire confidence in the address position. That large size also gave designers space to pull the center gravity location down and exceptionally far back, away from the hitting area, which should add spin and create a higher launch angle.

Moving the CG lower and further back in the head also increases the stability and reduces twisting at impact, making the X725 irons more resistant to mis-hits. That should give golfers more confidence when they miss the center of the face, as the irons deliver straighter and more consistent shots across a larger area of the clubface.

Tour Edge added its thermoplastic polyurethane material, VIBRCOR, deep inside the 360-degree undercut cavity to soak up excessive vibrations, improve sound, and enhance feel. You can’t see it because the back of the head features a carbon and TPU back badge that stiffens the entire head at impact while helping to dampen vibrations and enhance sound.

On the inner-facing side of the face, Tour Edge added its 3D Diamond Technology, which includes 92 diamond-shaped areas of various thicknesses. Tour Edge claims they act like mini trampolines to help golfers generate more ball speeds and protect speed on off-center hits.

Finally, the sole of the X725 irons features a heavy rail, which improves turf interaction by allowing the club to glide through thick grass without digging in. The rail also has extreme heel and toe relief, which, combined with the significant offset, should help players square the face more easily through impact.

The Exotics X725 should produce the highest ball flight and be the most forgiving of the three new 725 irons, while also having the most offset and thickest topline.

Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal, Hot Metal Pro, Hot Metal HL irons

Each of the three new JPX Hot Metal irons feature thinner faces that offer a larger sweet spot.

Gear: Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal, Hot Metal Pro, Hot Metal HL irons
Price: $150 per club with Nippon N.S. Pro 950 NEO steel shafts and Lamkin UT+ grips (Hot Metal)
Specs: Cast stainless steel body with Nickel Chromoly 4335 cup face and internal tungsten weight.
Available: Sept. 5 (pre-sale), Sept. 19 (in stores)

Who It’s For: Golfers who want more ball speed and forgiveness (Hot Metal), accomplished players who want a better-player’s distance iron (Hot Metal Pro) or moderate- and slower-swinging golfers who want more height and carry distance from their irons (Hot Metal HL).

What you should know: Each of the three new JPX Hot Metal irons – the standard, HL (high launch) and Pro – feature thinner faces that offer a larger sweet spot and more ball speed on mishits, while also delivering the feel and sound that golfers expect from a Mizuno iron.

The Deep Dive: Mizuno has invested significant time and resources to make better woods over the last few seasons, resulting in clubs like the ST-Max and ST-G drivers, but most golfers still think of the Japanese brand as an iron company. That’s not a bad thing because the Mizuno Pro 241, Mizuno Pro 243 and Mizuno Pro 245 irons are extremely popular with golfers who love classic-looking blade-style irons that enhance feel.

The JPX Series irons have been popular with elite players, but JPX irons are also where Mizuno blends unique technologies and design elements to boost forgiveness and distance, often making them more playable for a wider number of golfers.

The new Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal, Hot Metal HL, and Hot Metal Pro irons continue that tradition, thanks to an updated face design and internal changes that should make it easier for players to hit longer, higher shots.

Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal irons — Using Nickel Chromoly allowed Mizuno to make the hitting area thinner across a larger portion of the face. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

While each club in the Mizuno Pro family is forged, the JPX 925 irons are all cast using Nickel Chromoly 4335, an extremely strong alloy. Nickel Chromoly was introduced in the JPX 923 irons and is significantly stronger than the standard Chromoly Mizuno has used. This allows engineers to redesign the cup-face hitting area to be thinner.

In the JPX 923 4-iron through 8-iron, the hitting area was 2.05 millimeters thick in the center and thinned to as little as 1.75 millimeters to allow a larger portion of the face to flex at the moment of impact. Now, in the JPX 925 irons, a tiny area in the center of the face is thick (2.4 millimeters), but a larger area around it is thinned to just 1.2 millimeters.

Mizuno refers to this new multi-thickness design as a CORTECH face. This cup face is complemented by a thinner leading-edge area that flexes more efficiently and allows the whole face to bend more at impact.

The thinner face design and the thinner leading edge should result in more ball speed and distance, especially on mishit shots.

The 4-iron through 7-iron in the JPX 925 series have also been given 11-gram internal tungsten weights. By positioning the weights low and forward but not allowing them to touch the back of the face, it should be easier to start shots on a higher launch angle and bring them down on a steeper angle of descent for increased stopping power and distance control.

Mizuno designers also added a series of reinforcing ribs under the topline to stiffen that region of the club. When combined with a new bar that goes across the back, this attunes the JPX 925 irons to sound and feel more solid and pleasing at impact.

There are three different versions of the JPX 925 Hot Metal iron. The standard is a game-improvement iron offered from 4-iron through sand wedge for both right- and left-handed players that should appeal to a wide variety of golfers. Its lofts are strong, with the 5-iron at 22 degrees and the pitching wedge at 42 degrees.

The JPX 925 Hot Metal Pro, which is also available for right- and left-handed players, has a shorter blade length, thinner topline, and less offset, making it appealing to slightly better golfers. However, it has the same lofts as the standard Hot Metal irons, so golfers should easily be able to create a blended set by working with a custom fitter.

The JPX 925 Hot Metal HL is for moderate and slower-swinging golfers who want to maximize carry distance and get more height on their shots. To help them do that, Mizuno weakened the lofts, so the HL’s 5-iron has 25 degrees of loft, and the pitching wedge has 45. The JPX 925 Hot Metal HL is only available in a right-hand version.

Below are several close-up images of the JPX 925 Hot Metal, Hot Metal HL and Hot Metal Pro irons.

Callaway Apex Ai200, Ai300 irons

Callaway enhanced the feel and updated the look of its game-improvement Apex irons.

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Gear: Callaway Apex Ai200, Ai300 irons
Price: $200 each with True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid steel shafts or UST Mamiya HDC Recoil Dart graphite shafts and Golf Pride Z grips
Specs: Forged 1020 stainless steel body with forged 455 stainless steel face, internal urethane microspheres, and adjustable back weight
Available: NOW

Who it’s for: Mid- and higher-handicap golfers who want more distance, feel, and consistency from shot to shot.

What you should know: Callaway enhanced the feel and updated the look of its game-improvement Apex irons, then used artificial intelligence to create iron faces that deliver more distance, along with spin and trajectory consistency.

The deep dive: When Callaway sold Ben Hogan Golf in 2012, it retained the naming rights to Apex, an iron family that had been synonymous with high performance, feel, and classic looks for well over a decade. The first Callaway Apex irons arrived in 2014 and were popular from the start. The standard Apex irons retained the classic looks while hiding game-improvement features, while Apex Pro and TCB irons blended feel, control, and consistency into clubs that could help amateur golfers win club championships and professionals like Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele win majors.

Yes, Callaway released an updated Apex Pro last year, along with the Apex CB and MB, but the standard Apex’s most recent update was in 2021. Now, however, Callaway has announced the release of the Apex Ai200 and Ai300, two new Apex irons that blend popular Callaway technologies and features with Apex heritage.

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Callaway Apex Ai200 irons — Callaway has reorganized the names of the new Apex irons to make it easier to understand how they relate to each other. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

First things first: the new names. To make understanding the Apex line easier, Callaway has switched to a number system. The larger the number, the bigger and more forgiving the irons will be. Smaller numbered clubs will focus more on feel, precision, and control. Callaway hopes that even before they hit the new Apex irons, golfers will be able to easily understand how each club relates to the others in the Apex family.

The Apex Ai200 (which replaces the Apex ’21) and Ai300 (which replaces the Apex DCB) now cosmetically match the most recent Apex Pro, CB, and MB irons, even though both are hollow-bodied irons designed for mid- and higher-handicap players.

Callaway Apex Ai300 iron. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The Ai200 and Ai300 feature a forged 1020 carbon steel chassis that is attached to a thin, forged 455 Carpenter stainless steel cup face. Callaway injects urethane microspheres inside each Ai200 and Ai300 head to soak up excessive vibrations, enhance feel, and improve the sound created at impact.

While some of that may seem familiar, what is new is that the 455 Carpenter stainless steel cup face has been created with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) in the same way Callaway used it to create the faces in the Ai Smoke drivers. Knowing they wanted to create more ball speed but maintain the spin rates and launch angle characteristics in the Apex irons, Callaway engineers programmed supercomputers to run thousands of simulations of impacts using different face patterns and designs. The result is a hitting area that should give golfers more distance, but also more consistency because the hitting area does not have hot spots or excessively rigid areas.

BUY: Callaway Apex Ai irons

Callaway has added an adjustable weight plate to the back of the Apex Ai200 and Ai300. It is not meant for golfers to change, but it allows fitters to adjust the swing weight of the heads during fittings for extra customization.

The Ai200 has been designed for slightly more skilled golfers who tend to hit down on their iron shots and compress the ball. It has a thinner topline than the Ai300, along with slightly less offset and a narrower sole. The Ai200 should produce a lower initial launch angle and a touch more spin than the Ai300, but because it is larger, the Ai300 will offer more stability on mishits to go along with its higher ball flight.

Both the Ai200 and Ai300 have strong, modern lofts. The Ai200’s 5-iron has a loft of 23 degrees and a pitching wedge at 43 degrees. The Ai300’s 5-iron has 22 degrees of loft, and its pitching wedge is 42 degrees. Working with a custom fitter, golfers should easily be able to create blended sets of Ai300 long irons and Ai200 scoring clubs.

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Below are several close-up images of the Callaway Apex Ai200 and Apex Ai300 irons.

Callaway Apex Ti Fusion irons

Callaway Apex Ti Fusion irons blend a soft stainless steel body with a titanium face.

Gear: Callaway Apex Ti Fusion irons
Price: $300 each with True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid Gunmetal steel shafts or Mitsubishi MMT graphite shafts and Golf Pride Z grips
Specs: Forged 1020 stainless steel body with brazed titanium face, internal urethane microspheres, adjustable back weight, and diamond-like coating
Available: NOW

Who it’s for: Low- to mid-handicap golfers who want more distance, feel, and consistency.

What you should know: Callaway Apex Ti Fusion irons blend a soft stainless steel body with a titanium face designed using artificial intelligence and internal urethane material to create more ball speed, a softer feel, and more consistency.

The deep dive: “Ladies and gentlemen, have fun.” Something like that must have been said to the club designers and engineers at Callaway before they created the new Apex Ti Fusion irons.

While the new Apex Ai200 and Ai300 are game-improvement clubs for the masses, the materials and technologies packed into the Apex Ti Fusion enabled Callaway’s club makers to elevate their design approach for a slightly-better set of players.

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The story with the Apex Ti Fusion irons is all about the hitting area. The forged stainless steel body is similar in design to the new Ai200, although it is slightly smaller. However, the cup face given to the Apex Ti Fusion irons is very different. While the new Ai200 and Ai300 have forged stainless steel faces, the Apex Ti Fusion irons feature titanium faces.

Callaway is not claiming that the Apex Ti Fusion irons are the first titanium irons in golf, but the Carlsbad, California-based company developed a new way to bond titanium to stainless steel, a process that typically is not possible. The new manufacturing process allows the thin, titanium cup face to flex more efficiently at the moment of impact for increased ball speed instead of being slowed by the stiffer stainless steel that holds it.

To maximize the titanium face’s performance, Callaway designers used artificial intelligence to simulate and test different face patterns and designs, then determined which would produce the best performance for each club in the set. As a result, the long iron faces were optimized to enhance distance and forgiveness on mishits, while the short irons and scoring clubs feature more spin consistency for better distance control and accuracy.

BUY: Callaway Apex Ti Fusion irons

Historically, titanium-faced irons have been made for mid- and higher-handicap golfers who want more ball speed and distance, and the addition of a titanium hitting area certainly helps to do that in the Apex Ti Fusion, though the Apex Ti Fusion is geared toward a different audience. As the numbers in Callaway’s new nomenclature get larger, irons get bigger and more forgiving. For instance, the Ai300 is bigger and more stable than the Ai200, but the Ai200 has less offset, a smaller blade length, and aims to appeal to better golfers. The Apex Ti Fusion can be thought of as a 150, slightly smaller than the Ai200, and its dark finish makes it appear even slimmer. Golfers can expect the Apex Ti Fusion irons to perform more like the updated Apex Pro released last year. Still, thanks to the titanium face, the irons should provide more distance and better performance on mishits.

The Apex Ti Fusion irons’ lofts are modern, with a 5-iron at 23.5 degrees and a pitching wedge at 43 degrees. An attack wedge is available that comes standard at 38 degrees.

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Below are several close-up images of the new Callaway Apex Ti Fusion iron

PXG 0311 GEN7 irons

The PXG 0311 GEN7 irons feature a new material inside the hollow portion of the head that returns energy more efficiently.

Gear: PXG 0311 GEN7 irons
Price: $229.99 per club with chrome finish, $239.99 with Xtreme Dark finish
Specs: Hollow-body design including forged and milled 8620 carbon steel body, HT1770 maraging steel face, internal tungsten weight, internal polymer and adjustable titanium back weight.

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Who it’s For: Five- to 18-handicap golfers who want more ball speed and more forgiveness on mis-hits from a club that looks like a better-player’s iron.

The Skinny: The PXG 0311 GEN7 irons feature a new material inside the hollow portion of the head that returns energy more efficiently, while exotic materials like a tungsten weight and titanium back weight enhance performance and allow fitters to customize the clubs more easily.

The Deep Dive: The tungsten screws that ringed the perimeter of early PXG irons are gone, but many of the core concepts and technologies that the Scottsdale, Arizona-based equipment maker included in its early offerings have been refined, improved and updated through the years. Now, with the release of the seventh generation of the 0311 irons, PXG is showing it can use exotic materials and unique manufacturing techniques to produce clubs that continue to look like a better-player’s blade while delivering game-improvement levels of forgiveness and distance.

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The PXG 0311 GEN7 P and 0311 GEN7 XP irons both start as glowing red billets of 8620 carbon steel before they are forged five times. After each forging is completed, the still-hot metal is moved into a different tool and then forged again so the intricate shapes and contours, like the deep internal cavity, can be produced. Then, the back of each head is milled using a computer-controlled bit that passes back and forth over the clubheads, shaving off tiny ribbons of material and making the walls thinner than forging can refine.

An HT1770 maraging steel face is then attached to the chassis. The steel is exceptionally strong, allowing PXG to make it just 0.05 inches thick. According to PXG, it is the thinnest hitting area in golf, so it can flex more efficiently at the moment of impact.

The most significant difference between the 0311 GEN7 irons and their predecessors is the internal material PXG has injected inside the heads. The company has used different polymers and combinations of polymers in the past, but its new QuantumCOR polymer is the fastest yet. It supports the face and helps with durability but also returns more energy created at impact back to the ball, so golfers can generate more ball speed and distance.

To increase stability and forgiveness, PXG designers added a 20-gram internal tungsten weight in the toe of the 0311 GEN7 irons. The tungsten offsets the weight of the hosel and shifts the ideal hitting area into the middle of the face.

BUY: PXG 0311 GEN7 irons

There is also a large titanium weight screw in the back of each head. Titanium weighs less than the 8620 carbon steel used in the rest of the head, so when combined with the internal tungsten weight, more of the GEN7 iron’s overall weight shifts to the perimeter, resulting in a higher moment of inertia (MOI) and less twisting on off-center hits.

During the fitting process, fitters can swap out and change the back weight to allow golfers to try different swing weights and overall weights to see which best matches their swing and needs.

PXG claims the GEN7 irons produce nearly the same launch angle as the GEN6 irons but with more ball speed and less spin, resulting in more distance and tighter dispersion.

The 0311 GEN7 P irons are designed for low to mid-handicap golfers who want more distance and stability, while the XP is for mid- to higher-handicap golfers who need maximum forgiveness and distance. The P has a smaller blade length, less offset and a thinner topline.

Cosmetically, the clubs look very similar, but the lofts of the XP irons are significantly stronger than the lofts of the P irons. Still, golfers can mix and match them to create a blended set by working with a custom fitter.

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Below are several close-up images of the new PXG 0311 GEN7 irons:

TaylorMade P·7CB irons (2024)

The TaylorMade P·7CB irons are designed for consistent ballstrikers.

While clubs like the TaylorMade Qi irons and Stealth irons offered mid- and higher-handicap players more distance and forgiveness, within the TaylorMade stable, P Series irons have always been for more-accomplished golfers, players who want enhanced control and more feel. The P·7MB is a modern muscleback blade and the P·7MC is a solid muscle-cavity, while the P·770 and P·790 are hollow-bodied clubs designed as better-player distance offerings.

Starting about two years ago, TaylorMade began hearing from players who wanted something between the P·7MC and the P·770. Now, after both Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa tested and started using prototypes of the TaylorMade P·7CB, the Carlsbad, California-based equipment maker is releasing it to everyone.

Who are the TaylorMade P·7CB irons for?

The TaylorMade P·7CB irons are designed for consistent ballstrikers and elite golfers who want a touch of forgiveness to go along with a compact, control-oriented iron.

What you should know about the P·7CB irons

Each of P·7CB head is forged using 1025 carbon steel, but TaylorMade mills two pockets into the sole of the heads. A longer pocket extends from the heel through the middle of the sole, and it is filled with a metal matrix composite (MMC) material that is one-seventh the weight of stainless steel. A small pocket near the toe is filled with up to 11 grams of tungsten.

TaylorMade P·7CB irons — The P·7CB irons have a light metal matrix composite piece and a tungsten toe weight hidden under a steel sole plate. (TaylorMade)

By removing the 1025 carbon steel and replacing it with a lighter metal, then concentrating extra weight in the toe, TaylorMade designers can counteract the weight of the hosel, pull the ideal hitting area into the center of the face and in the long irons, lower the center of gravity (CG) location.

You can not see either of the pockets because TaylorMade adds a co-forged steel sole plate over both areas before the whole head is re-forged.

TaylorMade P·7CB 2024 — The TaylorMade P·7CB has a machined face area and grooves. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

TaylorMade has machined the hitting area and grooves in the P·7CB irons to ensure the face is perfectly flat. Good players will be able to generate the spin needed to hit draws, cut shots and work the ball up and down as needed.

Visually, the TaylorMade P·7CB, with an anti-glare Tour Satin finish, fits in with the other P Series irons. The topline is slightly thicker than the topline of the P·7MC, and the blade length is slightly longer, too, but in the address position, it would take a very sharp eye to notice those things. The P·7CB has marginally less offset than the P·7MC.

Turf interaction is critical for good iron players, and with a sole that is slightly wider than the bottom of the P·7MC, the P·7CB should work in and out of the ground quickly and easily for low-handicap golfers.

As you would expect, the lofts of the P·7CB irons are traditional, with a 3-iron at 20 degrees, 6-iron at 29 degrees and the pitching wedge at 46 degrees of loft. An attack wedge is also available at 51 degrees, so players and fitters should be able to use the P·7CB with other TaylorMade irons to create a blended set.

How much do the TaylorMade P·7CB irons cost?

The TaylorMade P·7CB irons cost $1,399.99 (seven clubs) and come standard with True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid 115 steel shafts and Golf Price Z grips.

When will the TaylorMade P·7CB irons become available?

The TaylorMade P·7CB irons will be available for pre-order starting July 31 and should be in stores starting September 6.

Wilson Staff Model RB Utility iron

A hollow design helps deliver more pop in a club designed to keep the ball down in the wind.

Gear: Wilson Staff Model RB Utility iron
Price: $249.99 with True Temper HZRDUS GEN 4 Black shaft and Golf Pride Z grip
Specs: Hollow-bodied design with C300 stainless steel face. 18-, 21- and 24-degree versions

Who It’s For: Golfers who want a driving iron for low shots off the tee in windy conditions that can also bridge the gap between their shortest fairway wood or hybrid and their longest iron.

The Skinny: The hollow-bodied Staff Model RB Utility is designed to deliver more distance than Wilson’s better-player irons while maintaining the look and style of a club made for accomplished golfers.

The Deep Dive: When it comes to finding a club to fit between your last fairway wood and your longest-hitting iron, you have plenty of choices. High-lofted fairway woods, such as a 7-wood, can do the job. And for nearly two decades, hybrids have been a versatile option for many players. However, players who routinely shoot in the 70s and who like to shape shots often prefer driving irons and utility irons.

The hollow-body design allows the C300 stainless steel face of the Staff Model RB Utility iron to flex more easily so golfers can generate more distance. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Wilson released the Staff Model Blade and Staff Model CB this season, and for golfers who love the look and feel of those control-oriented, better-player irons, Wilson is now offering the Staff Model RB Utility iron.

Offered as a 2-iron (18 degrees), 3-iron (21 degrees) and 4-iron (24 degrees), the Staff Model RB Utility has a compact blade length, moderately thin topline and offset to give it a clean look in the address position. Yes, it is slightly larger than a muscleback blade, but the tradeoff for going with a larger design in this driving irons is significant.

The Staff Model RB Utility iron is hollow, so the C300 stainless steel face can flex more efficiently at impact, and that should allow players to generate more ball speed and distance.

Extra weight has been positioned in the heel and toe areas to increase the Staff Model RB Utility iron’s stability and help it resist twisting on off-center hits. That weight also helps lower the center of gravity so the club produces a low- to mid-low launch that can help keep tee shots down in windy conditions.

An internal rib support system helps to further stiffen the body and improve the sound at impact.

Cobra’s 3D-printed Limit3d Irons

The Cobra Limit3d irons are 3D printed to create a unique internal shape and enhance performance.

Gear: Cobra Limit3d Irons
Price: $2,999.99 (4-PW) with KBS Tour $-Taper shafts
Specs: 3D printed 316L stainless steel body and face with internal tungsten weights.
Available: June 7

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”https://cdn5.anyclip.com/DWNsd48BnHikCJsCPprE/1715695823496_248x140_thumbnail.jpg” playlistId=”undefined” content=”PHNjcmlwdCBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vcGxheWVyLnBvcHRvay5jb20vYW55Y2xpcC13aWRnZXQvbHJlLXdpZGdldC9wcm9kL3YxL3NyYy9scmUuanMiIGRhdGEtYXI9IjE2OjkiIGRhdGEtcGxpZD0iaXJsdTQ0M2VncTRlZTNzaW5mdnVnc3R0aW5paGE0c2YiIHB1Ym5hbWU9IjE5OTgiIHdpZGdldG5hbWU9IjAwMTZNMDAwMDJVMEIxa1FBRl9NODMyNyI+Cjwvc2NyaXB0Pgo8c2NyaXB0IHR5cGU9ImFwcGxpY2F0aW9uL2xkK2pzb24iIG5hbWU9ImFjLWxyZS1zY2hlbWEiPgogewogICJAY29udGV4dCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vc2NoZW1hLm9yZyIsCiAgIkB0eXBlIjoiVmlkZW9PYmplY3QiLAogICJuYW1lIjoiQ29icmEmIzAzOTtzIDNELXByaW50ZWQgTGltaXQzZCBJcm9ucyIsCiAgImRlc2NyaXB0aW9uIjoiR29sZndlZWsmIzAzOTtzIERhdmlkIER1c2VrIHJldmlld3MgdGhlIG5ldyBDb2JyYSAzRC1wcmludGVkIExpbWl0M2QgSXJvbnMuIFRoZXNlIExpbWl0M2QgaXJvbnMgYXJlIDNEIHByaW50ZWQsIGFuZCB0aGlzIHByb2Nlc3Mgb3BlbnMgdXAgYSB3b3JsZCBvZiBkZXNpZ25zIHRoYXQgLi4uIiwKICAiZHVyYXRpb24iOiJQVDNNNTguMDE2UyIsCiAgInRodW1ibmFpbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vc3RyZWFtLmdlbml1c3BsdXMuYWkvRFdOc2Q0OEJuSGlrQ0pzQ1BwckUvMTcxNTY5NTgyMzYyNV80ODB4MjcwX3RodW1ibmFpbC5qcGciLAogICJ1cGxvYWREYXRlIjoiMjAyNC0wNS0xNFQxNDowNTozMy43NjRaIiwKICAiaW50ZXJhY3Rpb25TdGF0aXN0aWMiOnsKICAgIkB0eXBlIjogIkludGVyYWN0aW9uQ291bnRlciIsCiAgICJpbnRlcmFjdGlvblR5cGUiOiB7ICJAdHlwZSI6ICJodHRwOi8vc2NoZW1hLm9yZy9XYXRjaEFjdGlvbiIgfSwKICAgInVzZXJJbnRlcmFjdGlvbkNvdW50IjogMAogIH0KIH0KIDwvc2NyaXB0Pg==”][/anyclip-media]

Who It’s For: Golfers with deep pockets who want an iron that looks like a muscleback blade but plays like a game-improvement iron.

The Skinny: By 3D printing the Limit3d irons, Cobra removed a massive amount of weight from the middle of each clubhead, then added tungsten weights to boost perimeter weighting and stability without increasing head size.

The Deep Dive: Every iron you have ever owned or seen in pro shops was made in one of two ways: casting or forging. Casting involves heating metal until it melts, then pouring the liquid metal into molds, allowing it to cool and then breaking open the molds before sanding and polishing the heads. The forging process superheats metal rods before they are pressed under massive pressure into the shape of a club. In most cases, the metal is forged several times to produce the final shape.

Both casting and forging have pros and cons, but with the release of the Limit3d irons, Cobra may be providing a glimpse of the future of golf club manufacturing. The Limit3d irons are 3D printed, and this process opens up a world of designs that would be impossible to create using either casting or forging.

Cobra has used 3D printing to create pieces of putters for a few years and quietly 3D printing wedges for staff players like Rickie Fowler and Gary Woodland. However, the 500 sets of Limit3d irons are the brand’s first foray into 3D printing irons.

The shape of the Limit3d irons was based on the forged King Tour irons, the clubs Fowler plays on the PGA Tour. They have a compact blade length, a touch of offset and a thin topline.

To make each Limited iron, a computer controls a direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) process that applies tiny layers of 316L stainless steel powder. With each pass of the machine, another layer of powdered metal is added on top of the previous layer and bonds to it. In all, there are more than 2,600 layers of stainless steel powder applied to make each head and it takes about 24 hours for the process to be completed. The computer applies the powdered metal in exact locations, adding more layers to some places, less to others, and none where Cobra designers don’t want it.

The Cobra Limit3d irons have an internal lattice and tungsten weights. (Cobra)

After studying several different internal structures and options, Cobra engineers decided that an intricate internal lattice structure was ideal because it provided enough strength while reducing the weight of the central area of the club by about 100 grams. Typically, engineers sweat and work to save a few grams here and there, so creating 100 grams of discretionary weight is a massive savings.

Much of that weight was repurposed in the form of three tungsten weights. Each Limit3d iron has a small weight in the hosel, along with massive weights in the heel and toe area that boost the moment of inertia (MOI) and make the Limit3d irons significantly more stable. So, while the Limit3d irons look like the King Tour irons in the address position and are similar in size, they are much more forgiving and stable on mis-hits, like a game-improvement club.

The lattice is encased in a traditional-looking outer layer of 3D-printed 316L stainless steel,-and tungsten weights are covered by 316L 3D-printed caps that help keep them in position and hide them from view. The hitting area, back of each club and body structures are also 3D-printed using 316L stainless steel.

The lattice structure you see on the back of each Limit3d head is cosmetic. While Cobra is eager to show off its technologies, exposing the open lattice would allow water and debris to get inside the clubheads.

According to Cobra, the Limit3d generates about 3 miles per hour more ball speed than the King Tour irons, which translates to about 5 more yards of distance. The Limit3d and King Tour create nearly identical peak heights and descent angles.

With a price of $2,999.99 and with only 500 sets being offered worldwide, the Limit3d irons are not something you are likely to see in person. However, Cobra designers point out that the price of this seven-club set five to seven years ago would have been 10 times more. Like other technologies, the cost of 3D printing metal is coming down, so at some point in the future, it may be affordable to the masses.

So, think of the Limit3d irons like a Formula One car, a demonstration of what Cobra designers and new technologies are capable of doing and what may be on the way to more golfers in the years ahead.

Below are several close-up looks at the Cobra Limit3d irons: