Two recent PGA Tour wins for Collin Morikawa and his laser-guided irons on to the world stage have brought an increased focus on the need for more than just raw distance and a good putter. Using the right irons can help low-handicappers get the feel they need to hit exact distances and shape the ball as required, which can lead to approaches being closer to the pin and more birdie chances. This review highlights the 5 best-performing irons for low-handicappers. Let’s get started!
In a hurry? The three best irons for low handicap golfers in 2019 and 2020 are the Callaway Apex Pro 2019, Mizuno MP20, and the TaylorMade P730 irons. All of these low handicap irons offer increased feel and distance through their high technology club faces and allow shot shaping and distance control that the better player needs. Dispersion rates were well matched across all brands, with the sweet spots unerringly accurate. There was some variety in terms of off-center strikes, but the 3 above all look great when you look down and the ball and in the golf bag, so you can get the confidence you need to go for those tight pins.
What Are The Best Irons For Low Handicapper: Quick Comparison
Best Rated  |
Callaway Apex Pro 2019
|
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| Best Feel |
Mizuno MP-20
|
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Stunning & Successful  |
TaylorMade P790
|
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Best for Longer Courses  |
Ping i210
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Best Value Low Handicap Iron  |
Callaway Big Bertha Series
|
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Alternatively, you can check out these irons on GlobalGolf
Best irons for low handicap golfer in 2019 & 2020: Reviews
1. Callaway Apex Pro 2019
Best Iron for Low Handicap Golfers
The face is milled steel which has Urethane microspheres inserted into the face, which provides instant feedback and the ability to make shots around the green.
Added to that is the 360 Face Cup technology, which provides great speed through the ball to add distance to long irons and spin to the shorter ones.
The Center of Gravity is quite low and very easy to find, and the sweet spot feels larger than other irons designed for low handicappers.
Infused with Tungsten, the weight is positioned low in the club face so your irons will fly high and long, ideal for today’s ultra-long courses.
The Apex have a modern and striking design that will certainly attract attention but as ever with Callaway the build quality and durability are top-class.
There is a range of shafts available, but the steel fitted as standard offers the speeds you need.
Used by PGA Tour star Xander Schauffle amongst others, they provide tour performance which will lead to lower scores.
Overall, the feel you get seems unbelievable when matched with the distance you can create, which is why they are the best overall iron for low handicap golfers.
Pros
- Very long
- Exceptional Feel
- Stunning Design
Cons
- Expensive
2. Mizuno MP20
Best Iron for Feel
Nothing feels like a Mizuno so the advertising says, and in the case of Mizuno irons that is universally true.
The Mizuno MP20’s are extremely stylish and offer unsurpassed feel.
Be warned, these are not easy to hit or forgiving in any way, so if irons are not a strong part of your game then you would be wise to give these a miss.
For those who have the skill and confidence to play with blades, these irons provide a feeling like no other.
The club’s exceptional feel comes from its manufacturing process, with copper being included behind the chrome-nickel face.
There is also something called “harmonic impact technology”, which enhances the feel even further in ways that are less exciting than telling you about the feel, which is instantly noticeable when you find the sweet spot, and also in not such a nice way when you miss it.
One issue is that the Center of Gravity is quite high, which takes a little bit of getting used to if you do not strike down on the ball.
However, the quality of feel will encourage you to persist, and your game will improve as a result.
Mizuno irons are becoming the choice of the tour players who do not want an equipment sponsor.
Although they cannot be used in advertising, this enhances Mizuno’s credibility as a high-quality manufacturer, and Mizuno irons have won many majors in recent years.
The final reason why these are the best choice is the look. The simplicity and unfussiness of the muscle-back design will make you want to reach for the polish.
At times I didn’t know whether I wanted to hit the ball or mount them on the wall they are so pretty.
All in all, a great choice for the low handicap player and one that will separate you from the rest.
Pros
- Incredible Feel
- Beautiful
Cons
- Quite unforgiving
3. TaylorMade P790
Stunning & Successful
They offer the speed provided by foam-filled irons with the feel required by low-handicap players.
The foam, which is lighter than other materials, allows the player to create more speed at impact, which creates higher spin rates.
Better players who like to use spin and can control it will find that the P790’s offer more than other options.
This speed creates quite a low ball flight, but the high spin rates mean the ball will stop quickly on greens, even with the longer irons.
The steel face offers good levels of feel, and the balance of the club is excellent.
TaylorMade clubs are well-renowned, and these offer all the known qualities.
One thing that stood out was the quality of contact from a variety of lies, with the added speed meaning that shots from the rough found the target more often.
TaylorMade Tour Pros include Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, Collin Morikawa, and Jason Day, who uses the P790 irons as part of his set-up.
The P790’s are much easier to hit than their P730 stablemate, and the design is stunning, with a sweeping bladed back sitting on a muscle-back feature.
The low profile Tungsten weighting sits beautifully with the overall look, and will certainly catch the eye of your playing partners.
Pros
- Great Speed
- High Spin rates
- Well balanced
Cons
- Low ball flight
4. Ping i210
Best Low Handicap Iron for Longer Courses
Ping irons are synonymous with quality, being the club of choice for professionals since the Ping Eye series in the 1980s.
The Ping i210’s are the successor to the successful Ping 200 series, and they have taken all the good parts and improved certain areas to help low handicap players.
The feel is enhanced as Ping have added 30% more elastomer, which provides improved feel and feedback through the softer club face.
This does not detract from the distance however, as the i210’s were the longest of the irons tested.
This is very helpful to Lee Westwood, one of the best and most consistent iron players on tour.
He uses a full set of i210’s on the PGA and European Tours.
The design is not as beautiful as others, but it does inspire confidence.
The clubhead is quite large, and the shorter irons have a muscle-back design that will improve apex heights, ideal for longer course designs that demand a lot of long-irons into greens.
The leading edge is sharp reducing friction with the grass so you get more speed through the ball, and the “HydroPearl 2.0 Chrome” finish adds to the quality.
The Ping i210’s are an excellent choice for the low handicap golfer. If you love Ping, then you will love these irons.
Pros
- Longest iron tested
- Soft feel
- High Apex
Cons
- Plain looking
5. Callaway Big Bertha 2019 Low Handicapper Iron
Best for Value
They offer highly a mix of distance and accuracy, so are best suited for those who know that the closer you are to the hole, the more chance you have of making birdie.
The suspended energy core creates the power, and the 360 Face Cup technology increased speeds through the ball to generate high spin rates to help you hold the greens.
The larger than average clubhead size are standard in Big Bertha woods and irons and this works well to provide a mix of feel and forgiveness.
The size will give you confidence, and yet the patented sole technology means that the larger clubhead has no problem moving through the grass.
The steel blades, which have 20V grooves, offers high levels of feel so you can create shots and have an advantage around the greens.
As with all Callaway products, the clubs are well-made and stylish, with a distinctive “Smoked PVD” (black) finish.
The Big Bertha range offers no gimmicks, they are just solid, high-quality irons that give good golfers the chance to go low.
Pros
- Good Distance
- More forgiving than others
- Lovely Sound
Cons
- Finish may wear easily
- Low levels of feel
Conclusion
The right iron is an important consideration for the low handicap golfer, and the best iron for you might depend on your swing and the type of courses you play on.
As a high-level golfer you should have an idea of what to look for and how you like a club to set up, so have a look through the links and especially at the Callaway Apex Pro 2019, Mizuno MP20, and the TaylorMade P730 irons to make an informed choice on the best iron for your low handicapper golf game.
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