The best mid handicap irons will have a functional blend of low handicap performance and high handicap forgiveness.
Not the super hard-to-hit blades of a low single figure or Professional, but elements of the higher spin and ability to shape shots.
Super game improvement irons will be out of reach for most mid handicap golfers as the lower spinning flight will make it harder to attack the pins. But we don’t all hit it in the middle of the face, so we do want some forgiveness. 🙂
In this article, we will review some options in depth and discuss the factors that can help or hinder the game of a mid handicap golfer, so you can make an informed decision.
However if you are in hurry, check out our 2 line descriptions below:
Callaway Golf 2020 Mavrik Max Iron Set
This is a very forgiving set of irons with loads of power and distance built in. The fantastic thing here is the huge amount of choice in set make up. All the wedges required to create the distances consistently through the irons.
Taylormade has a super technology packed iron here in the M6, designed for ball speed and forgiveness. If you’re looking for high launch and low spin, here it is. Only available in graphite shafts, will suit the lower swing speed.
This has been a benchmark iron for Taylormade. Many Tour Players use long irons like 3 and 4 irons from these to assist them in their weekly earnings. Proven performance for some of the greats.
Cleveland Golf Men’s Launcher HB Iron Set
Hollow, high launching and forgiving. If you’re really struggling to get the ball in the air or want maximum help from the rough, here we are. Progressive hybrids for fast ball speeds, high launch and low spin.
Callaway Golf 2020 Mavrik Pro Individual Iron
When you see “Pro” or “Tour” written on a club it is often daunting for some observers. Do not panic, These are a fantastically forgiving club in a similar bracket to the Taylormade P790. A good balance of forgiveness and performance.
What Golfers Are Considered To Be Mid-Handicappers?
A mid handicap golfer would have a handicap touching single figures like 8, 9, 10 and up to bogey golf in an 18 handicapper.
This golfer could have been a low single figure golfer with a rising handicap.
Equally, this golfer could have had a higher handicap, in the 20s working their way down.
These two types of mid handicap golfers, will need the right tools to suit their respective game and the direction it is heading.
Difference Between Irons for Mid-Handicap and Low-Handicap
A low handicapper will hit the middle of the face more often and generally with more speed. Attracting an iron with very central weight and a solid one piece of metal.
Those irons are designed to launch the ball lower, with higher spin. Perfect for landing and stopping quickly on the greens.
A mid handicapper will have glimpses of this greatness but not every day is a good day. 🙂
A touch of more weight or mass on the heel and toe to reduce twisting would certainly help.
With a little more forgiveness and seldom some face technology to help keep the ball speed up can bridge the gap for the mid handicappers. It allows them to get a bit more aggressive but still have help from the club when it doesn’t quite go as per the plan.
Which clubs to avoid as a mid-handicapper?
Blades may look the part but could make life on the golf course a bit too difficult. Very useful on a good day and to test your ball striking, but it can be hard work long term.
The mid handicapper who was once lower, may have this issue where blades in the bag suited the game 2 seasons ago. But the scores just aren’t happening and it’s time to get some forgiveness.
If this is you, you may benefit from a bigger head than a blade.
Those that are tumbling down in handicap and have had the super game improvement irons to get down, you may be missing out on that next level.
The larger clubheads with wide soles and mass on the bottom and sides make the ball go higher with less spin. However this can limit the shots you may want to play as you may be developing to shape the ball with a draw and a fade with a bit more control and attack that tucked away pin.
If this is you, you may benefit from a smaller head than a game improvement iron.
Best Golf Irons for Mid Handicappers
Callaway Golf 2020 Mavrik Max Iron Set
This is a fantastically forgiving iron. Built to launch the ball high and fast with low spin.
The low spin will help reduce curvature for those really struggling with direction.
Ideally this wouldn’t be the best for the golfer coming up from low handicap numbers as it could be too far away from the high spin performance that may have been there before.
This club would certainly make life easier on the golf course but could be lacking in the help with shaping the ball and attacking tight pins.
Shaft Options:
Graphite – Project X Catalyst (55g)
Steel – KBS Max Iron Shafts (80g)
Both relatively lightweight options are great for hand speed. Heavier options in other clubs may provide more stability.
PROS:
- Long and Forgiving
- Good if ball striking inconsistent
- Great range of choice in set make up
CONS:
- Harder to shape the ball
- Aimed at higher handicappers
- Larger offset, harder to hit left-to-right
TaylorMade Golf M6 Iron
The M6 iron is extremely forgiving. Perhaps too forgiving for some.
Those that have been using much larger irons already like a hybrid set will see performance improve with more spin than a hybrid set up.
If your ball striking varies but you do get the ball around a golf course in lower numbers as a mid handicapper with a great short game, this could be a good option for you but this is a very niche scenario.
Shaft Options:
Graphite – Fujikura Atmos Orange (57g in Senior Flex)
Limited here to one shaft type and flex, very good for the senior golfer.
PROS:
- Long and Forgiving
- Good if ball striking inconsistent
CONS:
- Harder to shape the ball
- Aimed at higher handicappers
- Larger offset, harder to hit left-to-right
- Graphite will only suit slower swing speeds
TaylorMade Golf P790 Iron Set
There is an awful lot of hype for these irons, for good reason. They are a compact head with a lot of help from a hollow construction built in.
Fast ball speeds and off-centre strikes are all catered for with speed foam and a velocity slot.
The more compact sized head allows for playability with shaping the ball and a lower flight than larger alternatives with the same loft.
The 5-PW set could be good if you have larger irons already. You could keep your bigger 4 iron for the extra help at the very top.
Shaft Options:
Graphite – UST Recoil 760 (Reg 69g & Stiff 86g)
Steel – Dynamic Gold (105g)
Strong options here with slightly heavier weights than others by comparison for that little extra stability.
PROS:
- Long and Forgiving
- Good if ball striking inconsistent
- Progressive offset for shaping shots
- 4-PW and 5-PW options
CONS:
- May have to adjust to longer yardages for those used to blades
Cleveland Golf Men’s Launcher HB Iron Set
Hybrid irons are very much aimed at the high handicapper and they are designed to help those that have a bigger variation in ball striking.
I have seen some good golfers use these in the 5 and 6 iron but then used a different club below that.
The low spinning characteristics of these will suit some mid handicappers that really want to spin the ball less and reduce that curve in the air.
They are super helpful from the longer grass if that is a problem for you.
Shaft Options:
Graphite – Miyazaki C.Kua (61g)
One graphite option here will be very suitable for those looking to get maximum height from the club.
PROS:
- Long and Forgiving
- Good if ball striking inconsistent
- Super easy from the rough
CONS:
- Harder to shape the ball
- Aimed at higher handicappers
- Larger offset, harder to hit left-to-right
Callaway Golf 2020 Mavrik Pro Individual Iron
Being an individual iron, we have a lot of versatility here for both types of mid handicap golfer.
Those using smaller heads and who have been off a lower handicap can use this to replace the mid and or long irons. Keep a more bladed head up to the 7 and replace the 6, 5 and 4 iron. Or simply put in a single long iron to open up more forgiveness from the tee.
This option could really be used to fill a specific void in the golf bag.
Thos with a full bag of game improvement irons could even replace the bottom end of the irons. Keep your chunky 4, 5 and 6 iron and replace the 7-PW with these to ease yourself into a smaller set of irons.
Open up the mid and short irons to get more precision closer to the green.
Shaft Options:
Graphite – KBS Graphite Tour (90g)
Steel – True Temper Elevate (105g)
Great options here with strong options to compliment such a great clubhead.
PROS:
- Long and Forgiving
- Flexible face technology for consistent ball speeds
- Can pick and choose replacement irons for specific areas of the bag
CONS:
- Could run out of stock if you don’t buy all the ones you may need at first
What to look for in best mid-handicap irons
Shafts material and flex
Graphite shafts are overall lighter at around 50-80g and more flexible in irons. This will help speed and distance for those that need it.
Steel shafts will have lower torque and twist which could reduce the variation of the ball flight with faster players.
Some steel shafts are getting lighter than the traditional 120g Dynamic Gold S300, which has been a standard stock shaft for many years.
Clubhead Size and Design
Muscle back irons, or blades can be seen in bags of many good golfers. Low launching and high spinning pin seekers.
The cavity back iron has indeed found its way into many players’ bags on tour. Extra forgiveness for that dodgy strike under pressure.
The cavity back iron is a very versatile beast. The difference is that the tour players have shafts like lamp posts to match their extreme speeds.
Set makeup
The set make up can be very important. Pay attention to the wedges available and what you are used to.
There is a big gap between the PW and SW. The Gap wedge (GW, AW) could be a better option than a SW within a set.
This will keep your yardages in sequence with the same shaft and face reaction to the rest of your irons.
The SW can be useful to complete the set but those closer to single figures will be looking at a more specific and specialist SW like a 56° or a 54°. These can have extra technology like milled faces to generate optimum spin near the greens.
Lofts
- Lofts on blades – Lofts on more bladed clubs tend to be weaker, or higher. Typical 7 iron; 35 degrees. This player generally has enough speed to create the yardages they need.
- Lofts on game improvement irons – Lofts are much stronger or lower in these irons to assist the beginner in getting the distance with each number club as they may need the help. Typical 7 iron; 29 degrees.
The best mid handicap irons will be stronger than blades to help make up for lost distance compared to the better player.
They will be weaker than the game improvement irons to assist steeper landing and better stopping power from the flight.
Ideally you want 4 degree gaps between individual irons and wedges. 3 degrees at the wood end of the bag as there is more speed separation.
Bonus tips
- Tungsten Infused heads – These are made to specifically put weight where it needs to be for the bad strikes that can occur. Maintaining ball speed from the toe and heel, without excessive size.
- Offset Hosel – More offset will help get the ball left which helps most high handicappers. Less offset will help to hit a fade or left-to-right shot which will need to be an option for some mid and low handicappers.
- Leading Edge – The bounce on a game improvement iron can make the leading edge sit above the ground. This will help if you hit the ground early a lot but not so much if you’re looking to tuck under the ball with purer ball striking.
- Blended sets – Can be really good. Using a larger cavity club in one or all of the long irons can be a great addition for tee shots and easier into greens from further away. (Pay attention to your lofts if blending a set of irons, perhaps google the specs of the new and old to see how the numbers of the clubs will compare.)
Recap
To recap, we may have two types of mid handicappers. One moving up from single figures and one moving down from handicaps in the 20’s.
These two types of golfers will be looking at the best mid handicap irons with different clubs already in the bag.
The best way to replace the irons entirely could be the Taylormade P790 Iron set as they have a fantastic blend of forgiveness and playability.
Others may choose to replace single irons with the Callaway Mavrik Pro Individual Iron. Some to make the long irons more forgiving and others to make the Mid and short irons more playable into pins.
There could always be the option to replace one at a time for some. Be sure to get testing quickly while stocks last.