Equipment
Best irons 2020: GolfWRX Members Choice (best technology-packed irons)
What are the best technology-packed irons of 2020?
This is the “give me everything you got” list. These irons are the cream of the crop for offering technology to improve feel, distance, and ball speed. The great thing about the technology category is it’s not reserved for higher handicap golfers—it’s for anyone looking to get everything they can out of their game in an iron that also suits their eye.
At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. Needless to say, that extends to GolfWRXers views on the best irons of 2020—technology category.
Join the discussion in the forums here.
The bedrock of GolfWRX.com is the community of passionate and knowledgable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members—the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.
You can see the results for the best irons of 2020, technology packed, as well as quotes we pulled from GolfWRX members about the irons from our forum.
Also, be sure to check out all the other GolfWRX Member’s Choice iron categories below.
Best irons of 2020: best technology-packed (Top 5)
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1. TaylorMade P790
The P790 has a hollow-body design built with an 8620 carbon steel body and forged 4140 carbon steel wrapped-face construction. The sole was tweaked compared to the original to improve turf interaction, and from address, there is a thinner top line and more progressive offset in 3 through 6-irons and a more compact blade length in the 7-PW to appeal to players of all skill levels
Here’s what GolfWRX members are saying
- “I have the new P790’s and flat out they are the best irons I have owned, long easy to work, and stop well.” – Member English13
- “I’m a 6. Long hitter and have been using player distance irons for a while…. I switched to 2019 p790s a few months ago and absolutely love em. Yardage gaps are fairly large and the faces are hot so you need to learn to control the distance and trajectory, but with the right shafts it’s been no problem for me.” – Member Jkim27
- “I have played the p790’s for the past 2 seasons and I have really liked them. In fact, this past season was my best golfing season to date. I had more rounds in the 70’s than ever before and had my first round in the 60’s … I haven’t played a set of irons for 3 seasons in a row, in a very long time, so that means something, at least for me.” – Member Mob
- “Took these irons out for their second-round today and shot a 75 (+4). Keep falling in love with these things. On a handful of occasions, I put a terrible swing on them and the ball flight distance and spin was just as good as a flushed shot. Even got into some tree trouble and had to hit some punch 6 iron shots and could flight the ball down super low with no issues” – Member agood3putt
For more information on the TaylorMade P790 irons, you can check out our launch piece here.
Join the discussion in the forums here.
2. Mizuno MP-20 HMB
The MP-20 HMB’s are built with the same highly flexible Chromoloy material as the 919 Hot Metals except this time forged to create a Mizuno iron like never before. They offer the look and shape of a blade but with the speed and technology of a much more forgiving club. Although it looks like a blade, hidden inside the back of the club is complex geometry for both acoustics and precisely positioning mass.
Like the MP-20 MMC, the HMB is a multi-material design but with the tungsten split into two 12-gram pieces (four more grams than previous Fli-Hi) and positioned into precisely formed pockets on the heel and toe in the back of the club. This allows the unsupported face to flex and makes the club more workable while still maintaining all the forgiveness you would expect from a hollow body iron built for speed.
Here’s what GolfWRX members are saying
- “The feel of the HMB blew me away! I went 2, 4-pw in HMBs bent weak. I may add some MBs down the road but definitely won’t feel like I’m missing out on that great feel the MP 20 line has.” – Member JetMech879
- “I was really impressed with the HMBs, I’m coming from Srixon 965s and was expecting to go with the MP-20 blades but couldn’t argue with the numbers the HMB gave me. As a low spin and ball flight player the normal cranked lofts of this type of iron doesn’t work for me, but these launched over a degree higher with around 500 rpm more spin than anything else I tried. As noted by some others they feel really good for a hollow body as well, not quite as good as the blades but way better than expected and loads of feedback.” – Member Smileys
- “Such great soft feel like you expect from Mizuno. Look very good at address. I was on grass and they are very easy to hit and still I hit 2 bad shots one of the toe and one thin and both were only a few yards off. Very easy to work the ball.” – Member Lenny2
You can also read what other golfers are saying about the Mizuno MP-20 HMB irons in the GolfWRX forums: Official Mizuno MP-20 HMB Iron discussion and check out our launch piece here.
3. Mizuno MP-20 MMC
Mizuno has been building multi-material forged irons for close to a decade but never like this. For the first time in the MMC’d life, the titanium piece of the iron varies in mass depending on the club. It is broken up in the middle of the set to allow better CG placement, and like its blade cousin, improved turf interaction in the shorter irons.
What is also very cool about the MP-20 MMC is all of the multi-material parts (titanium and tungsten) have ZERO chemical bond—no epoxy. They fit snug based on the shrinkage rates of the different materials. The titanium and tungsten shrink less than the steel so as the forged carbon steel cools around the titanium and tungsten pieces it creates a mechanical (solid) bond. This adds up to an iron that looks smaller than the previous version, offers more “flow” in CG like all of the irons in the MP-20 series, and at the end of the day, makes it the best-engineered multi-material MP iron ever.
Here’s what GolfWRX members are saying
- “Absolutely love mine with the Modus 120 – great all-rounders. I have the 5 iron HMB but could have easily played the MMC 5 iron as they launch beautifully. Very happy with my purchase.” – Member beluga99
- “Love mine with the black 130 $-taper. I have 3 sets of irons that are all very similar, but the MMCs stay in the bag.” – Member krt22
- “You can’t go wrong with the MMCs! They are great all-rounders! I have played the 18s and now the 20s and really would struggle to tell the difference performance-wise. Looks and feel is a hands-down win for the 20s. I have mine all set at 4 deg gapping from the 22 deg 4 iron to a 46 deg wedge, and it works out perfectly. I also have the $taper blacks in 130X. Smooth as silk!” – Member Jetmech879
You can also read what other golfers are saying about the Mizuno MP-20 MMC irons in the GolfWRX forums: Official Mizuno MP-20 MMC Iron discussion and check out our launch piece here.
4. Titleist T100
Built from the ground up with direct input from Titleist’s PGA Tour staff, the mission statement from the design team for the new T100 was to simply create the best performing tour iron ever.
With a shape that is distinctly Titleist but completely redefined as far as offset, top line, sole width, camber, and blade length, the T100 gives players looking for a tour performance iron more playability than ever before. Co-forged with large amounts of tungsten (66 grams on average in the 3-7 irons) in the heel and toe, the T100 looks a lot more like a single-piece forged players cavity back than multi-piece forgiveness monster, but looks can be deceiving. It has the thinnest face they have ever built into a true forged players club, which allows designers to push more mass around the head and create greater ball speed.
Here’s what GolfWRX members are saying
- “I have played the T100 for about a month and had a lot of range time with them… I was concerned about more offset and a larger sole than I had become accustomed to but after a month of use they are exactly what I had hoped they would be. The low amount of offset and the soles are really nice on these. They fly the distance you would expect them to and they help a little bit on slight mishits. I haven’t caught any fliers that I have read were an occasional problem with the AP series. To my eyes, these are the exact size I would like a set of irons to be. Slightly larger in the longer irons that taper down to slightly smaller in the short irons. If you are in the market for a set of irons and are a solid ball striker I would give them a serious look.” – Member Phillipsac18
- “More firm and better/smaller profile compared to 718 AP2. Turf interaction is so good. Came from JPX 919 Tours and 718 AP2s before that and these fit right in the middle of these two sets in terms of forgiveness. Really like the T100s so far and plan to stay in this range until they release a new one in 2 years.” – Member HappyGilmore22
- “I find the long irons easier to hit than anything I’ve owned recently which is a big selling point for me. I’m not sure if the mid and short irons are much easier to hit because I don’t really think those irons are hard to hit in any model, but the t100 have a nice feel which continues even with slight misses. If you want to feel harshness on slight misses so you get the correct feedback then look elsewhere.” – Member If_i_Could_only_putt
You can read what other golfers are saying about the Titleist T100 iron in the GolfWRX forums: Titleist T100 Iron discussion. and see our launch piece here.
Join the discussion in the forums here.
5. Callaway Epic Forged
Built with the idea of offering speed and shotmaking in one package, the Callaway Epic Forged achieves all of that thanks to technology being used for the first time in a forged iron. The most notable being the Suspended Tungsten Core—which is comprised of the densest form of this heavy element. The issue with using this almost-pure form of tungsten is that it’s extremely hard to work with when using conventional construction methods. But Callaway defies convention and used the patented Urethane Microspheres in the Suspended Tungsten Core of the Epic Forged to precisely position mass creating the ideal center of gravity. This promotes controlled launch and spin while allowing the face to flex as needed to create maximum ball speeds.
Here’s what GolfWRX members are saying
- “I tested the Epic Forged 7 iron against my 6 iron. I was carrying my 6 iron 205 at about 17*. The Epic Forged 7 iron was carrying 211 at the same launch and a little higher. While the lofts on the EFs are strong, they definitely launch similar to the number on the bottom of the club. The Epic forged felt really nice” – Member Fairways _and_green
- “I hit these today… I shouldn’t have. I almost dropped 3k right on the spot. They’re legit amazing. No spin at all, but I hit them miles in the air.” – Member joejoejoeyourboat
- “The Epic Forged feel just incredible, no fliers, consistent distances, ridiculously forgiving with a great sound at impact.” – Member SteelHead
You can also read what other golfers are saying about the Callaway Epic Forged irons in the GolfWRX forums: Epic Forged Iron discussion and check out our launch piece here.
Rounding out the top 15 best technology-packed irons
- Ping i210
- Cobra King Forged Tec
- PXG 0311 P GEN3
- Ping G410
- TaylorMade P790 Ti
- Mizuno JPX919 Hot Metal Pro
- Ping i500
- PXG 0311 T GEN 3
- Titleist T100s
- Callaway Mavrik MAX
Join the discussion in the forums here.
Ongoing Members Choice Polls: Have your say!
We’re still looking for your feedback on the “best” items in several other categories, so head to the GolfWRX forums to have your say!
Check out the polls in the GolfWRX forums!
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Equipment
Spotted: Tony Finau’s driver shaft change at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Tony Finau has always been known as one of the longest players on the PGA Tour, but he has recently been working on adding a little more distance. Last year, Finau averaged 118.3 mph club head speed and 178.08 mph ball speed, all while playing a Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX driver shaft. This year, he has increased his club head speed to 123.93 mph and his ball speed to 183.32 mph.
However, Finau’s overall distance has decreased by two yards in that time. From a fitting perspective, something was amiss. We asked Tony about the shaft change at the Texas Children’s Hospital Open.
“[I’m seeing] better numbers with the spin. My driver’s been a little high spin for me over the last month or so, and so I just figured it was time to probably check out the equipment,” Finau said. “And it definitely showed me that I was using a shaft that’s maybe a little too tip-stiff for me, the way I load the club now. [I’m seeing] better numbers with the spin.”
Finau switched from the Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX into the Diamana GT 70 TX. The newer Diamana GT has a slightly different profile than the D+ Limited with the stiffest handle section in the Diamana lineup. The mid sections between the two are similar stiffness but the tip is just slightly stiffer in the Diamana GT. Both shafts are within one gram of each other in the 70 TX. The torque rating on the GT is 0.1 higher than the D+Limited’s 2.7 measurement.
Mitsubishi lists the Diamana GT as a shaft between the mid-launching Diamana TB and the new low-launch Diamana WB shafts. For most players, it would be considered a mid/low launch and low-spin shaft option. Mitsubishi’s Xlink Tech Resin System makes sure the maximum carbon fiber content is there for smooth feel without reducing the strength of the shaft. MR70 carbon fiber is used for reinforcing the shaft and boron is used in the tip for its high strength and compression properties.
Finau is still using his trusty Ping G430 LST driver in 9 degrees and has the adjustable hosel set to -1 degree of loft (standard lie angle). Finau’s long-time favorite Lamkin UTX Green grip is installed. He definitely has a few extra wraps of tape under that grip as you can see the bulge down where the grip meets the shaft.
One final note: Per Ping’s PGA Tour rep Kenton Oates, Finau’s driver is also adjusted to play one degree upright to help dial in his desired launch.
We’ll see how he fares with the new setup this week in Houston!
- Check out the rest of our pictures from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
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Whats in the Bag
Zac Blair WITB 2024 (March)
- Zac Blair what’s in the bag accurate as of the Texas Children’s Houston Open. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist TSR2 (10 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Red 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade M5 Rocket 3 (14 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Speeder 757 Evolution V1 X
Utility: Titleist U510 (3)
Shaft: Aldila Tour Blue 85 X
Irons: Ping i210 (4-6), Miura MB-001 (7-9)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (46-10F, 58-08M @57, 60 @61), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (52-M)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 105 X
Putter: Scotty Cameron prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
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Whats in the Bag
Martin Trainer WITB 2024 (March)
- Martin Trainer what’s in the bag accurate as of the Texas Children’s Houston Open. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Wilson Staff Staff Model (6.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Kai’li Blue 70 TX
3-wood: Wilson Staff WLabs Prototype (13 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Orange 80 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Staff Model (2, 4-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Wilson Staff Staff Model (52, 56, 60)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Putter: Bobby Grace Greg Chalmers Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
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