2024 Better-Player Irons – Syndication Server

Cobra releases King Tour Black, King CB/MB Black irons

Black has a way of transforming simple things into classics.

From leather jackets to little dresses, black has a way of transforming simple things into classics, and the list of great rock ‘n’ roll songs that include the word ‘black’ in the title reads like the back of a greatest hits album. There’s “Paint It Black,” by the Rolling Stones, “Back in Black,” by AC/DC, “Black Is Black,” by Los Bravos, Santana’s “Black Magic Woman,” and Pearl Jam’s “Black” … we could go on.

When it comes to golf equipment, black clubs hold a mystique. Black is the most popular color for drivers, fairway woods and hybrids, but most irons are chrome-plated or designed with a silver tone. Black irons are somewhat rare, but some golfers covet them and when brands release special black versions of previously-released clubs, they perk up and take notice.

Rickie Fowler is among them, having put the just-released Cobra King Tour Black irons in his bag this week at the 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi. Cobra has also just released the King CB and MB Black Combo irons for pros, college players and elite golfers.

Here’s your first look at the new dark-finished offerings from Cobra and everything you need to know about them.

Gear: Cobra King Tour Black irons
Price: $ $1,3 99 w i t h K BS$ -Taper 120 Black steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline Black grips
Specs: Forged 1025 carbon steel with TPU insert, co-molded aluminum medallion and diamondized black metal finish
Available: Oct. 18, but available for pre-order NOW

Who it’s for: Low-handicap players who want soft feel with extra control and spin.

What you should know: A better-player’s cavity-back, the King Tour irons have a vibration-dampening insert hidden in the back to soften the feel, along with the compact size and classic look that accomplished golfers demand.

The deep dive: These irons are identical to the standard King Tour irons that were released in 2023 and that Rickie Fowler used to win the Rocket Mortgage Classic last season, except they have been given a black DBM (Diamondized Black Metal) finish. Cobra claims it is especially durable and does a good job of diffusing sunlight to reduce glare.

The King Tour Black irons are made using 1025 carbon steel that is forged five times to increase the precision of the process, make the faces completely flat and enhance feel.

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The cavity-back shaping is created by computer-controlled milling. This allowed engineers to make subtle changes to the undercuts around the head, taking extra material out of the top of the long irons to lower the center of gravity.

Cobra designers added a thermoplastic polyurethane insert and an aluminum co-molded badge to the back of the King Tour heads to soak up excessive vibrations.

You can read the full review of the standard Cobra King Tour irons here.

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

Gear: Cobra King Tour CB/MB Black irons
Price: $ $1, 299 w i t h K BS$ -Taper 120 Black steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline Black grips
Specs: Forged 1025 carbon steel with diamondized black metal finish
Available: Oct. 18, but available for pre-order now

Who it’s for: Elite ballstrikers who demand the ultimate in feel and control.

What you should know: This combo set for the game’s best players combines forged cavity-back long irons with muscleback blade scoring clubs and comes with a black finish that Cobra feels is more durable.

The deep dive: In early 2023, Cobra released the King CB and King MB irons for professionals, college players, and elite golfers with powerful, repeatable swings. If you are looking for forgiveness, go check out Cobra’s Dark Speed irons because neither the King CB nor the MB is designed to give you that. However, if you want feel and control, the King CB and MB are at the zenith of what Cobra can provide.

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The Cobra King CB Black irons (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Now, Cobra is offering the King CB and King MB Black Edition irons for low single-digit handicap golfers and tournament-level players who want something that delivers the highest levels of feel, control, and that look, well … kinda badass.

These clubs have the same diamondized black metal (DBM) finish that was given to the King Tour Black irons.

They King CB and MB Black irons are typically sold as a combo set comprised of cavity-back 4-, 5- and 6-irons that are blended with muscleback blades in the 7-iron through pitching wedge. While the CB long irons have slightly more perimeter weighting, all seven clubs have a thin topline, practically no offset, and a narrow sole. The King CB and MB Black irons feature the shortest blade length of any Cobra iron.

Cobra King MB Black irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

If you have a repeatable swing and can generate all the distance you need, the Cobra King Tour CB/MB Combo set can allow you to hit controlled draws and fades, knockdown shots, and more. At the same time, golfers will immediately know where on the face they hit the ball, thanks to the softness of the metal.

In addition to the standard blended set, the CB and MB models are each available as full sets in a 3-iron through gap wedge. The CB is available in both left- and right-handed versions, but the MB is only available as a complete set for right-handed players.

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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.

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.

Collin Morikawa using yet-to-be-released TaylorMade P•7CB irons at 2024 British Open

TaylorMade has not released any specific information about the irons.

Collin Morikawa won the 2021 British Open at Royal St. George’s Golf Club using a blended set of irons that consisted of TaylorMade P•770 (4), P•7MC (5-9) and P•730 (PW) irons. During the seasons that followed, he kept using blended sets that often included some prototype P•7CM irons (with the CM standing for Collin Morikawa).

After tinkering with some prototype cavity-back irons throughout the spring and summer and adding a prototype 4-iron to his bag starting at the Wells Fargo Championship, Morikawa debuted what appears to be the next generation of better-player, cavity-back irons from TaylorMade last week at the RBC Scottish Open, and they are in the bag this week at Royal Troon.

The yet-to-be-released P•7CB irons are, cosmetically, similar to the P•7MC irons that have been in the TaylorMade lineup for about a year. TaylorMade has not released any specific information about them, so we don’t know if there has been a change in the blade length, the width of the topline or sole geometry, which are all things elite players focus on. However, while Morikawa’s irons appear to have the same general shaping at the muscle-cavity P•7MC irons, and the P•7MC irons had milled faces, the yet-to-be-released P•7CB irons have clearly-visible milling over the entire hitting surface while the P•7MC irons do not.

Collin Morikaway's TaylorMade P•7CB irons — Collin Morikawa’s TaylorMade P•7CB irons have milling marks over the entire hitting area.

Is that a big deal, possibly. While high-handicap golfers are usually happy just hitting straight irons shots, low-handicap golfers and elite players want irons that create spin so they can cut, draw and shape the ball around the course. While the milling lines may be cosmetic, it’s possible that TaylorMade is trying to enhance spin, and thereby give good ballstrikers like Morikawa, more control.

Entering this week’s British Open, Morikawa ranks a solid 39th on the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green (0.39), but that is down from his season-ending rank of No. 2 (1.012) in 2023.

TaylorMade P•UDI, P•DHy utility irons (2024)

TaylorMade P•UDI, P•DHy utility irons create lots of distance and a low ball flight.

Gear: TaylorMade P•UDI, P•DHy utility irons
Price: $249 each with UST Mamiya Recoil DART shaft and Golf Pride Z-grip
Specs: Hollow-body design with forged 41040 stainless steel face, vibration-dampening foam and tungsten weight. Available as 2-, 3- and 4-iron.

Who It’s For: These utility irons are perfect for golfers who want a versatile club that can be used as a long-iron alternative. It flies lower than a hybrid but higher and farther than a typical long iron.

The Skinny: The P•UDI and P•DHy are designed to be clubs that bridge the gap between a player’s last fairway wood and first iron, producing a hybrid-like distance with a lower ball flight and iron-style control.

The Deep Dive: Every golf has a gap that needs to be filled between the clubs they play off the tee on par 4s and par 5s (driver and 3-wood) and their longest iron. To bridge that gap, players have choices that include high-lofted fairway woods, hybrids and utility irons. For most players, hybrids offer a blend of distance and versatility that is tough to beat, but some players want to create a lower ball flight, so they shy away from hybrids and fairway woods and gravitate to utility irons. In windy conditions and on especially firm courses, a piercing shot that can be turned with a draw or fade can be handy.

For a decade, TaylorMade has offered clubs labeled UDI (ultimate driving iron) and then DHy (distance hybrid), including last year’s Stealth UDI and DHy. For 2024, its newest offerings have been linked to the brand’s P Series in name and appearance.

TaylorMade P•UDI — The P•UDI has a traditional sole width and Speed Pocket slot. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The P•UDI and P•DHy utility irons, with a soft chrome finish, look like extensions of the P•790 or P•770 sets. They share some technologies with those clubs, too, but the P•UDI and P•DHy are only available as 2-, 3- or 4-irons. They also come standard with a graphite shaft, indicating that TaylorMade intends for them to be played, in nearly every case, off the tee.

The P•UDI and P•DHy have each been designed with a forged 4140 stainless steel face attached to a stainless steel body, creating a hollow chamber inside each head. Like the 2023 P•790, the back walls have thick and thin areas that create a honeycomb look and save weight, and both clubs have an internal tungsten piece that enabled TaylorMade designers to shift the center of gravity (CG) location. It is slightly higher in the P•UDI, which helps the club produce a lower ball flight than the P•DHy, but both clubs still create lower shots than a similarly lofted hybrid.

TaylorMade added a Speed Pocket slot in the sole of the P•UDI and P•DHy to help the lower portion of the hitting area flex more effectively on low-struck shots.

TaylorMade P•DHy irons — The P•DHy has a lower profile and longer blade length than the P•UDI. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

To enhance sound and feel, the P•UDI and P•DHy have SpeedFoam Air injected into the hollow cavity inside the head. It soaks up excessive vibrations but does not impede the face from flexing or reducing ball speed.

In addition to creating a lower ball, the P•UDI has a shorter blade length and less offset than the P•DHy, and TaylorMade claims the club is more forgiving than the P•790. The company says the P•DHy is the most forgiving iron in its stable, including all the P Series irons and even the game-improvement Qi10 iron. In the address position, the P•UDI looks like a standard better player’s iron, but golfers will see some of the back of the P•DHy, but for many golfers, the sight may be reassuring and confidence-inspiring.

Below are several in-hand images of the P•UDI and P•DHy.

TaylorMade P·770, P·790 Copper irons

The TaylorMade P·770 and P·790 Copper look old, but play modern.

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Gear: TaylorMade P·770, P·790 Copper
Price: $1,499.00 (4-PW) with KBS C-Taper Lite Black shafts and Golf Pride TaylorMade Victory Copper grips”
Specs: Hollow-bodied irons with 8620 carbon steel chassis, forged 4140 steel face, vibration-‘dampening foam.

Who It’s For: Golfers who love the look of vintage clubs but who also want to experience the benefits of modern, distance- and feel-enhancing technologies.

The Skinny: The TaylorMade P·770 and P·790 Copper are identical to the previously-released versions of the P·770 and P·790 but have been given retro styling and details that pay homage to TaylorMade’s 1980s offerings.

The Deep Dive: For the past few years, golf footwear makers have been revisiting popular shoes from “back in the day” and releasing updates and modern interpretations, adding better materials and technologies while trying to maintain what made the shoes appealing in the first place.

With the release of the Copper Collection, TaylorMade is doing the same thing. Two weeks ago, the BRNR Mini Driver Copper was released, complete with a throwback logo on the sole and a shaft that was cosmetically designed to harken back to the old Burner Bubble shaft from the 1990s. Now, the brand is releasing the P·770 Copper and P·790 Copper, two better-player distance irons that are identical in design to the previously-released P·770 and P·790. However, both clubs look like they would have been at home in the bags of players at Baltusrol Golf Club back in 1983 when Lee Janzen was battling Payne Stewart at the U.S. Open.

The TaylorMade Copper family, including the BRNR Mini Driver, P·790 and P·770 (TaylorMade)

Both irons feature a hollow-body design that allows the forged 4140 stainless steel faces to flex more efficiently at the moment of impact, resulting in more ball speed and distance. They also have a Speed Pocket slot in the sole that helps to enhance performance on thin shots and TaylorMade’s FLT CG system. It shifts mass inside the heads, so the center of gravity (CG) location in each iron is optimized. In the long irons, it’s lower to help get the ball up more easily, while in the scoring clubs, it is elevated to help keep the ball down for enhanced distance control.

The hollow chambers in both clubs are filled with SpeedFoam Air, a second-generation material that absorbs vibrations, enhances sound, and removes weight from the center of the club.

The smaller P·770 has a body made from 8620 carbon steel, while the P·790 has a thick-thin back wall construction to save weight.

But let’s be honest, all those performance features are available in the standard P·770 and P·790. If these clubs spark your interest, it’s because of the copper-toned finish and the retro style. You like the way copper-toned irons create a throwback look to your bag and how the old-school grips feel in your hands. You probably also like the use of TaylorMade’s original logo on the toe instead of its current logo.

TaylorMade says the copper finish will “mature over time,” but for golfers who love the throwback style of the P·770 and P·790 Copper, that will only enhance the vibe.

Below are some close-up looks at the P·770 Copper and P·790 Copper irons

Rory McIlroy using prototype TaylorMade iron at 2024 Valero Texas Open

McIlroy has a new club in the bag the week before he goes for the Career Grand Slam once again at the Masters.

When it comes to drivers, Rory McIlroy has been more than willing to upgrade into TaylorMade’s newest, latest and greatest every year since he signed an endorsement deal with the company is 2017. Irons, however, are another story.

The four-time major winner has used a prototype set of RORS Proto irons fitted with Project X 7.0 shafts for nearly all his rounds, occasionally adding a TaylorMade P·760 2-, 3- or 4-iron based on the course setup and conditions. Those clubs, which Jon Rahm played when he was a TaylorMade staff player, were released in 2018, so it was noteworthy when McIlroy was spotted on the range preparing for the start of the Valero Texas Open with a prototype TaylorMade 4-iron.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5TrRsAAW4z/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

McIlroy was asked about the club during his pre-tournament press conference.

“So after I went to Vegas, I went out to The Kingdom [TaylorMade’s test center in Carlsbad, California] for two days. I needed to get into a fresh set of irons, my irons were like two years old maybe, so they were getting a little worn,” McIlroy explained. “They just produced these couple of proto, I guess like are they the MC replacements maybe, I think? I’m not sure what they’re actually going to be called. Yeah, I have no idea.”

Commenting on how the 4-iron played, McIlroy said, “They performed really well. It’s just as fast as the 760 that I was using. Launch is a little higher actually, which was surprising, and it’s just sometimes I felt like when I hit my 5-iron in the blade and then the 4-iron in the 760, it was such a different feel. To go from a 5-iron now to that 4-iron, it feels a little closer to what I feel in the 5-iron. So just a little bit more responsive, but didn’t lose any performance from it, which is great. Yeah, it will be in the bag this week.”

As a true muscleback blade, McIlroy’s RORS Proto irons have extra mass low in the head, behind the area where he makes contact with the ball, but his prototype 4-iron is clearly a better player’s cavity back iron. The current P•7MC has a very similar shape and similar milling design on the back of the head, as well.

McIlroy’s prototype is fitted with the same Project X 7.0 Rifle shaft and Golf Pride MCC grip as his other irons and wedges.

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Bettinardi MB24, CB24 irons

Bettinardi CB24 and MB24 irons are for elite golfers who want more control and feel.

Gear: Bettinardi MB24, CB24 irons
Price: $1,600
Specs: Forged 1025 carbon steel with infused tungsten and ceramic matrix composite material.
Available: April 5

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Who It’s For: Low-handicap golfers who want a compact, classic-looking blade or a better player’s cavity back iron that emphasizes feel and control.

The Skinny: The first irons from Bettinardi are crafted with the same level of precision and attention to detail that has made the brand’s putters desirable for deep-pocketed golfers for decades. For golfers who shoot in the 60s or 70s, they deliver a high level of feel and control.

The Deep Dive: Bettinardi has been known for decades as being one of the finest putter makers in golf, specializing in milled blades and mallets that look like something that might be displayed under glass at Tiffany’s next to engagement rings and diamond bracelets. Starting a few seasons ago, the Tinley Park, Illinois-based company started offering milled wedges and multi-material putters, but now the brand is offering its first pair of irons—the CB24 and MB24—and they are precisely what you might expect from Bettinardi.

The CB24 and MB24 are both forged from 1025 carbon steel for a soft feel, but Bettinardi has co-forged the inner portions of each head with high-density tungsten and ceramic matrix composite material.

The addition of the tungsten and ceramic matrix composite material allowed Bettinardi designers to shift the center of gravity (CG) location in each club, lowering it in the long irons to make them easier to hit high and elevating it in the scoring clubs to make it easier to flight the ball down for better distance control.

Bettinardi CB24 irons — The perimeter weighting and extra mass low in the head add a touch of forgiveness. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

While both clubs have a compact blade length and just a touch of offset, the CB24 is a classic better-player’s cavity-back iron. Its perimeter weighting around the outside of the head should make it more stable and give it more forgiveness than the MB24, which is a true muscleback blade. Instead of perimeter weighting, the MB24 added mass directly behind the impact area to enhance ball speed and create a more solid feel at impact. The MB24 also has a slightly thinner topline, although you would have to look at the top clubs carefully, side-by-side, to notice.

In a nod to Bettinardi styling, both clubs feature the brand’s honeycomb in the back of the face.

Below are several close-up images of the new Bettinardi CB24 and MB24 irons

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