Equipment
Best Irons 2013
Every year brings an opportunity for golf companies to release products that make us want to kick out our current gamers for something new. But golfers are a fickle bunch. Some of us play the same equipment until the grooves wear down, while others will swap out drivers and irons every year searching for a spark that will improve their games. If you are a hardcore GolfWRX member, you might switch more than that.
As we did with this year’s drivers, fairway woods, wedges and shafts, we have summarized the best irons on the shelves for 2013. Check out our list of the best irons of 2013 below.
Click here to read the specifics on the voting committee and how we picked the best.
Categories
Bladelike
Players Iron
Game Enhancement
1. Best Bladelike Irons
These are the most workable designs for the lower handicap golfers. Looking for a thinner sole for more shotmaking ability, or the feel that only a compact forging can provide? These are our favorites that we will be updating throughout the year.
Mizuno MP-64: These are best feeling “player’s cavity” design that Mizuno has engineered. The Diamond Muscle design of the forged irons delivers more forgiveness in the long irons and better control in the scoring irons.
Callaway X-Forged: A tour-inspired forged cavity back designed by Roger Cleveland that offers cleaner looks and better performance than its predecessor, the Callaway Razr X-Forged. The new X-Forged have a slightly wider, more cambered sole that mimics last year’s Razr X Muscleback irons and improves turf interaction.
Miura CB-501: Miura. Is there anything else that can be said? It’s a name that has taken an almost mythological form in the golf world because of the heritage and purity of its forgings. These are the ones that you’ll compare everything else to.
Cobra AMP Cell Pro: The AMP Cell Pro forged irons are actually smaller than their predecessor. Their shorter blade lengths that allowed engineers to place more mass behind the sweet spot of the irons, which contributes to an even softer feel from the 1020 forged carbon steel heads.
2. Best Players Irons
Looking for a little extra distance and forgiveness, but want more feel and workability than a distance iron can provide? This category provides the best of both worlds. Here you will see a blend of feel, forgiveness and distance with clean enough looks to be used by some of the best golfers in the world.
Titleist AP2: Tour players and top club fitters say the AP2 chassis is the perfect size and shape for a players iron, and they’re packed with technology, too. The multi-material construction allows Titleist engineers to move weight to the perimeter, which adds forgiveness.
Ping i20: At first glance, the i20 irons are an obvious departure from the i-lines of the past. The most obvious of these changes are the use of the vertical custom tuning port (CTP) and stabilization bars in the cavity; carryovers from PING’s S56s.
Mizuno JPX-825 Pro: The 4-7 irons offer a deep CNC-milled pocket cavity that is used for extreme toe-heel weighting providing forgiveness. The 8-GW features greater thickness behind the impact for a more penetrating and workable ball flight.
Cobra AMP Forged: Tungsten weights are placed in the soles of the long and mid irons, which when combined with the milled pockets and urethane insert in the cavities create a combination of distance, forgiveness and feel that has golfers raving.
3. Best Game Enhancement Irons
Looking to make a tough game easier? Wider soles and perimeter weighting a must for some golfers and a choice by even PGA Tour players. Distance gains with thinner faces and tweaked CG (center of gravity) to maximize the trajectory along with maximum MOI make this category the most popular of all three. Here are our favorites you can buy now.
TaylorMade RocketBladez: These irons incorporate a slot on the sole of the 3 through 7 irons, which gives the golfer greater distance, forgiveness and a higher launch. In summation, shots with RBZ irons are longer, straighter and stop faster on the greens.
Callaway X Hot: Callaway reinforced the undercut that sits behind the top line of most cavity back irons. This lowered the sweet spot, which improved the overall flex of the face and helps eliminate the “high hot spot” found on previous Callaway distance irons.
Ping G25: All the benefits of a game-improvement iron without the usual bulky soles that are inherent in the GI class. The redesigned soles have a trailing grind relief that will allow these to play more like a players club.
Nike VR_S Covert: Like the VR_S, they are a cast iron aimed at double-digit handicapers. But thanks to a design initiative called “Covert,” the company was able to add distance and playability to the irons without the bulkier chassis of last year’s model.
Cleveland 588 MT: They feature a constant blade length throughout the set with blade heights that progressively increase in the higher lofted clubs. Full hollow construction adds forgiveness and lower, deeper center of gravity for optimal launch and effortless distance.
Mizuno JPX-825: Extreme heel-toe weighting and extremely high-COR faces in the long and mid irons, making them the longest and most forgiving irons in Mizuno history. But the 8, 9 and PW have less hot faces to give golfers more control and workability.
Click here to see the “Best of” winners for other club categories.
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- Kris Kim what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. More photos from the event here.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @7)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 60 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (15 degrees @13.5)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 73 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (2, 4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120 X
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-09SB, 56-12SB, 60-11TW)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 WV 125
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Check out more in-hand photos of Kris Kim’s equipment here.
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TaylorMade is continuing its UDI/DHY series with the successor to the Stealth UDI and DHY utility irons: PUDI and PDHY (which the company styles as P·UDI and P·DHY). TaylorMade is folding the designs in with its P Series of irons.
TaylorMade outlined the process of developing its new utilities this way. The company started with the data on utility iron usage. Not surprisingly, better players — i.e. those who generate more clubhead speed and strike the ball more precisely — were found to gravitate toward the UDI model. DHY usage, however, covered a wider swath than the company might have expected with six-to-18 handicappers found to be bagging the club.
TaylorMade also found that the majority of golfers playing UDI or DHY utilities were playing P Series irons at the top of their iron configurations.
Can you see where this is going?
Matt Bovee, Director of Product Creation, Iron and Wedge at TaylorMade: “As we look to the future, beyond the tech and the design language, we are excited about repositioning our utility irons into the P·Series family. P·UDI is an easy pair for players that currently play P·Series product and P·DHY is an extremely forgiving option for players of all skill levels. It is a natural fit to give these players the performance in this category that they are looking for.”
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TaylorMade PUDI
TaylorMade PUDI technology cutaway (via TaylorMade)
Crafted with tour player input, TaylorMade sought to develop a confidence-inspiring utility iron that blends with the rest of the P Series irons. Also of note: Interestingly, the PUDI has a more compact head than the P790.
In comparison to past UDI products, the PUDI has a more traditional iron shape, slimmer toplines, and less offset with a little of the backbar visible at address.
TaylorMade PDHY
TaylorMade PDHY tech cutaway (via TaylorMade).
Larger in profile than the PUDI, the PDHY seeks to position center of gravity (CG) lower in the club for ease of launch. The toe height is larger and the profile is larger at address — roughly five millimeters longer than PUDI — the sole of the club is wider for improved forgiveness.
Club Junkie’s take
Golfers who feel like they are missing something at the top of the bag could find the PUDI or PDHY a great option. The look of the PUDI should fit the most discerning eye with a more compact look, less offset, and a thinner topline. If you want a little more confidence looking down the P-DHY will be slightly larger while still being a good-looking utility iron.
For being small packages both models pack a pretty good punch with fast ball speeds, even off-center. The feel is soft and you get a solid feel of the ball compressing off the face when you strike it well. Your ears are greeted with a nice heavy thud as the ball and club come together. The PDHY will launch a little higher for players who need it while the PUDI offers a more penetrating ball flight. Both utility irons could be the cure for an open spot in the top end of the bag.
PUDI, PDHY, or Rescue?
TaylorMade offers the following notes to assist golfers in filling out their bags:
- PUDI has mid-CG right behind the center face to create a more penetrating mid-to-low ball flight
- PDHY has a lower center of gravity to produce an easier-to-launch mid-to-high ball flight.
- Both PUDI and PDHY are lower-flying than the company’s hybrid/Rescue clubs.
- PUDI is more forgiving than P790.
- PDHY is the most forgiving iron in the entire TaylorMade iron family
Pricing, specs, and availability
Price: $249.99
At retail: Now
Stock shafts: UST Mamiya’s Recoil DART (105 X, 90 S and 75 R – only in PDHY)
Stock grip: Golf Pride’s ZGrip (black/grey)
PUDI lofts: 2-17°, 3-20°, 4-22° in both left and right-handed
PDHY lofts: 2-18°, 3-20° and 4-22° in both left and right-handed
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (5/3/24): Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
From the seller: (@wwcl): “Has been gamed as pics show. 33.5 includes original h/c and grip. $575 includes shipping and PP fees.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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learn a good golf swing
Feb 25, 2015 at 5:33 pm
It is not my first time to visit this website,
i am browsing this site dailly and get good facts from here every
day.
DavidO
Nov 20, 2013 at 12:15 pm
How did the Cobra Amp Cell GIs stand up?
Dolph Lundgrenade
Nov 4, 2013 at 4:32 pm
A blade doesn’t denote that it is not a cavity or that it IS a muscleback.
There are two kinds of blades (thin top-line, very little offset):
Cavity back blades
Muscleback blades
What?
Sep 29, 2013 at 2:02 am
Titleist 712mb’s win for blades.
daniel
May 24, 2013 at 7:25 pm
I but a new set amp cell pro but they ave error on it the 4 colors on it are wrong is that a good thing or choud I change them pls com back to me
Jeff
May 22, 2013 at 8:04 pm
this is missing the rocketbladez tour. easily the best set i’ve ever had (which includes at least four mizuno forged sets).
TD
Jul 4, 2013 at 4:32 pm
+1… I am very very surprised to see Cobra AMP Forged on here over Rocketbladez Tours
Chuck3000
May 15, 2013 at 7:56 am
No TMs in the first two categories?
Dan
May 9, 2013 at 9:28 am
How did the Titleist AP1s stack up?
GolfWRX
May 9, 2013 at 2:32 pm
They didn’t do that well. I cant remember seeing them as a possibility during the tally.
FYI… There is a real world objective process. The 6 clubfitters that fit over 500 players a month each have weighed in and formed an opinion that lead to the “Best of”. You can see how and who voted… http://www.golfwrx.com/reviews/best-of-awards-and-the-inside-scoop/
matrick
May 8, 2013 at 2:03 pm
did you include the MIURA PP-9003? wondering how they stacked up
GolfWRX
May 9, 2013 at 2:33 pm
They didn’t do that well.
FYI… There is a real world objective process. The 6 clubfitters that fit over 500 players a month each have weighed in and formed an opinion that lead to the “Best of”. You can see how and who voted… http://www.golfwrx.com/reviews/best-of-awards-and-the-inside-scoop/
Dien Nguyen
May 8, 2013 at 11:50 am
So there is no best Game Enhancement. Is it ever possible to maybe pick two?
ashley
Aug 25, 2013 at 2:11 pm
I played with the ping g20 irons from the time they came out until the Rocketbladz release since I switched 8 have gained 4-6 strokes per round off of my iron play and gained another 2 strokes off my R1 with a custom shaft thus taking me from an average of +17 to +11 and shot my fist 2 on a par 5 and my first score of even par in my life, the 4, 5, 6 and 7 are so much easier to control a touch more distance if needed. I could keep going on, but won’t. So if you ask me there are no more comparisons needed.
Fred
Oct 4, 2013 at 4:19 pm
You shot a two on a par five? Are you sure you didn’t mean a par four? Even the pros have a hard time doing that. Did you hole the second shot?
Martin
May 7, 2013 at 7:24 pm
Mizuno JPX 825 pro is a much better club than Cobra Amp forged. Cant believe you forgot about the Mizuno. It has everything a players club should have: feel, forgiveness and good distance.
GolfWRX
May 9, 2013 at 2:30 pm
Mizuno is the only one that won in all 3 categories.
Also… There is a real world objective process. The 6 clubfitters that fit over 500 players a month each have weighed in and formed an opinion that lead to the “Best of”. You can see how and who voted… http://www.golfwrx.com/reviews/best-of-awards-and-the-inside-scoop/
Also as new models come into the picture or a revelation/shift in votes occurs we always acknowledge. We ask the fitters to cast their votes for all categories once a quarter.
TWShoot67
Jul 5, 2013 at 1:31 am
did this guy read this list? Also whats better then another is all subjective to each different player.
TWShoot67
Jul 5, 2013 at 1:34 am
What I still don’t get is putting CB’s in Blade division. Everyone should know what a blade is….. now we have bladelike??? What’s bladelike? it’s either got a cavity or it doesn’t. Simple.