Following a number of tech advancements, the latest Golf Irons offer more distance and forgiveness through the bag. Check out our Irons Buyer's Guide for some useful tips

Irons Buyer's Guide

Following a number of advancements, the latest Golf Irons offer longer distances through the entire bag, but without the need to sacrifice any forgiveness

Head design Match the head shape to your ball-striking ability. Bigger cavities are forgiving and tend the launch the ball higher (but also tend to have stronger lofts), while compact heads are more workable with less of a focus on distance alone.

Get custom fitted There’s no industry standard for things like loft and lie, so while one manufacturer’s off-the-rack standard spec may be perfect for your swing, another’s will not. Make sure you hit some shots on a lie board using sole and impact tape under the supervision of a PGA Pro to ensure your set matches your swing, rather than trying to change your swing to suit your new irons!

Offset Offset is the distance between the leading edge and the front of the hosel. Lrger, game improvement irons tend to have more offset as it encourages the golfer to position the hands more forward at address and also gives the clubface a little extra time to rotate around to square at impact, helping those that slice the ball.

Forged or cast? The majority of irons on the market are cast and they tend to be larger in size and offer more distance as well as a firmer feel. Forged irons offer a softer feel and greater consistency. They also tend to be more expensive as they are more labour intensive to produce.

Steel or graphite? The main difference between steel and graphite shafts is the weight. Graphite shafts are lighter, which can help golfers swing the club faster, but are more expensive and can be less durable than their steel counterparts.

Joel Tadman
Technical Editor

Joel has worked in the golf industry for over 12 years covering both instruction and more recently equipment. He now oversees all product content here at Golf Monthly, managing a team of talented and passionate writers and presenters in delivering the most thorough and accurate reviews, buying advice, comparisons and deals to help the reader find exactly what they are looking for. So whether it's the latest driver, irons, putter or laser rangefinder, Joel has his finger on the pulse keeping up to date with the latest releases in golf. He is also responsible for all content on irons and golf tech, including distance measuring devices and launch monitors.


One of his career highlights came when covering the 2012 Masters he got to play the sacred Augusta National course on the Monday after the tournament concluded, shooting a respectable 86 with just one par and four birdies. To date, his best ever round of golf is a 5-under 67 back in 2011. He currently plays his golf at Burghley Park Golf Club in Stamford, Lincs, with a handicap index of 3.2.


Joel's current What's In The Bag? 

Driver: Titleist TSR3, 9° 

Fairway wood: Titleist TSR3, 15° 

Hybrid: Titleist TSi2, 18° 

Irons: Ping i230 4-UW

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8, 54°. Titleist Vokey SM9 60° lob wedge, K Grind

Putter: Evnroll ER2V 

Ball: 2023 Titleist Pro V1x