For beginners, learning to hit your irons can be a daunting task. There are fat shots. Thin shots. Long irons. Short irons. Pitching wedge. Sand Wedge. Gap Wedge. Lob wedge!!!
The sheer number of clubs can be overwhelming. Each type of iron also has its own situation to be used in. This comes with experience and practice. But, what type of irons should you start off with? Which irons will make the learning curve easier, and help you improve the fastest?
In general, the best irons for beginners should feel good on contact, be forgiving, and easy to hit, so that you can gain confidence as you learn. Here are a couple of other important aspects for beginners to consider when choosing a new set of irons.
Clubhead Design (Cavity back vs Blade irons)
The ideal iron for a beginner usually has a larger club face and more weight around the sole of the club instead of at the center. Irons with this type of clubhead are called cavity-back irons. This helps in increasing swing speed and the larger club face means you do not need to be as precise as expert golfers (who more often tend to use blade irons). Cavity back irons also have larger and more rounded soles which helps lower the chance of chunking the ball. In general, cavity-back irons are much more forgiving than blade irons, and therefore are the better choice for beginners.
The Shaft
Choosing the right shaft is essential for both beginners and veterans. Shafts are generally avaialable in two types of material (steel or graphite), and manufactured with varying degrees of bend or “flex”. Using an iron with the correct shaft flex based on your swing speed will give optimum results in both distance and precision. A stiff shaft is designed for players who have exceptional club head swing speed while more flexible shafts are for those with slower swing speed. To learn your swing speed you can ask golf shops to help you measure your swing speed with their equipment, and recommend a shaft type.
The Best Irons for Beginners – 5 Picks
Here are our picks of best beginner iron sets available today based on our own research and customer reviews. For a complete set of good irons (usually eight clubs), you should expect to spend anywhere from $400 – $700+. Anything over $1000 is generally overkill for beginners, or even intermediate players.
Adams New Idea Hybrid Iron Set
This unique iron set from Adams Golf actually uses hybrids to replace your long irons (3-5). Long irons are generally the most difficult to hit, especially for beginners. They are one of the biggest cause of frustration when learning to play, so replacing them with easier to hit hybrids is a simple way to mitigate this problem.
The Adams New Idea irons are exceptionally easy to hit. It features a new slot design that increases the face club’s “sweet spot” diameter giving you more forgiveness, and room to experiment with your swings. It also helps increase your swing speed, which means more distance!
Overall, this is an ideal set for beginners as they willl help you hit more consistently. The are also available in a variety of shaft types to best match your swing. This set is usually priced at over $800, but it is now available for just $218. This is an absolutely RIDICULOUS deal, so make sure you get yours while you can!
Nike VRS Covert 2.0 Irons
The Nike VRS Covert 2.0 Steel Irons Set is a higher end set that features top of the line design and technology. It is an 8-piece set that includes 4-9 irons, along with a PW and AW (Attack wedge / Gap Wedge).
These cavity-back irons hit ridiculously long, and are incredibly forgiving — basically everything a beginner would want in a golf club. You will definitely see an increase in distance when switching from your old clubs to the Nike VRS irons.
The shafts are available in steel or graphite, as well as 4 different flex options – regular, senior, stiff, and ladies.
These irons are not just meant for beginners, but also novice players, so they are perfect if you are looking for a longer term set that can be used as your game progresses. The only downside is that they are a bit pricey (over $800 regular price), but they are easily some of best irons for beginners.
Buy the Nike VRS Covert 2.0 Irons here!
Cobra Baffler XL Golf Iron Set
This iron set from Cobra comes with the classic combination of eight clubs — 3-iron to pitching wedge (PW). These clubs feature an extra wide club face with larger sweet spot so that you can get more consistent distance and forgiveness on all of your shots. The club head is also designed to improve interaction with the turf. This is especially good for beginners who have problems chunking their shots (a.k.a hitting it fat).
This is a great mid-ranged priced iron set, and excellent value for the quality of clubs. Unfortunately they are only available in steel shafts with regular or stiff flex. If you need more flexible, graphite shafts then these are not for you.
Buy the Cobra Baffler XL Iron Set here!
Mizuno Golf JPX-EZ Forged Iron Set
Mizuno has always been known for making some of the best irons on the market. These forged, cavity-back irons are no exception.
The JPX-EZ has one of largest “sweet spots” in any golf club available today, making it perfect for beginners. This means that these are some of the easiest clubs to hit on the market, and you will maintain distance and accuracy even on mishits. The deep pocket cavity of the higher irons (8-PW) help you launch the ball into the air with ease, and with better precision.
The only downside is that these irons are very pricey, especially if you are just starting out. But, by the simple fact that they are incredibly easy to hit, makes them one of the best irons for beginners. You can think of them as a long term investment. They are of extremely high quality craftsmanship, and may be the last set of irons you need to buy!
Currently, on sale for just under $600 (regularly price $900)!
Buy the Mizuno Golf JPX-EZ Forged Irons here!
TaylorMade RocketBladez HL Irons
The aptly named RocketBladez HL from TaylorMade are some of the longest hitting cavity-back irons on the planet.
The distance is thanks to TaylorMade’s patented “Speed Pocket” design which helps the clubface flex and rebound on impact, creating increased distance and stronger ball flight. It also gives the club a bigger sweet spot, and mitigates mishits lower on the face, which is where most mishits happen.
The HL stands for High Launch, meaning these irons hit higher than the average iron, giving you more carry and softer landings.
Overall, the RocketBladez feel incredible to hit, will improve your consistency, and give you better distance. This set comes with 4-iron to 9-iron, PW, and AW (Action / Gap Wedge). It is available in graphite or steel shafts with senior, regular, or stiff flex options.
These are simply some of the best irons for beginner or intermediate level players on the market. If you want to hit higher, longer, straighter iron shots, then pick up a set of RocketBladez today!
Buy the TaylorMade RocketBladez Irons here!
Also checkout TaylorMade RocketBallz RBZ Irons and SpeedBlade Irons
—–
It is essential for beginners to have access to the best golf clubs if they wish to elevate their game quicker. Our list of the best irons for beginners can help put you on the right track and while most of the items on the list are a bit expensive, they are well worth the investment if you are serious about developing your game.
