NZ9 irons

GM verdict: To those who have been following the progression of the brand recently, this was an obvious move by Dunlop. As well as continuing to produce beginner sets, the firm is looking to increase offerings that appeal to better players. It’s easy to make a compact cavity look good, but it’s a harder task to make it perform. The NZ9 achieves both by combining quality components with a simple, impressive look. The strong flight is similar to other, more expensive, shallow-cavity designs. There’s plenty of feedback from off-centre strikes, which will help better players hone their striking. But... the brand is currently better known for its beginner sets, which may put some players off. PGA pro verdict: Initially, I struggled to match this type of iron up with the brand! However, this is clearly a market that Dunlop wants to break into. The performance was excellent, and the visuals were very pleasing from all angles. All the components are great quality, and I’d be perfectly happy to play the product having used these irons successfully on the range. Test team Rating: Performance: 4/5 Visual appeal: 4/5 Innovation: 3.5/5 Value: 4.5/5 Overall: 4/5