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The irons are some of the most utilized clubs in the whole golf bag. Versatile and reliable, the irons are used for approaching the green, or for getting out of a sticky situation. For most professionals and advanced players, using an iron can be a piece of cake. But for beginners, getting the hang of these trusty clubs can be tricky.
Fortunately for high handicappers, there are irons specifically designed to meet you halfway so you can bring down your handicap and learn a few new trick along the way. Are you interested in finding the best irons for beginners and high handicappers? Then keep on reading as we detail everything you need to know to land the right purchase.
How can you tell that a set or irons are actually meant for players with a high handicap? There are a few features that could make an iron suitable for use if you’re a beginner, and here are some of the most important.
When a club is forgiving, it will adjust to your swing to produce reasonable results even if the execution wasn’t necessarily ideal. For beginners and high handicappers, this is especially important because it helps augment the distance and direction of a poorly delivered shot so that each swing isn’t wasted. Of course, a club can only do so much even if it offers superb forgiveness, so it’s important to polish up on your skill just the same if you want to improve on the course.
Professionals typically prefer heavier clubs because designs that use heavier materials are often more responsive. That is, heavier materials flex less so they provide greater feedback which allows golfers to achieve more consistent, fine-tuned shots.
For high handicappers however, a heavy club can be difficult to wield, dampening strength and speed as your arms travel through a swing. A lightweight club is a lot easier for beginners to use, and offers increased speed and strength. Learning the fundamentals of the proper swing on a lighter club can be much more practical before moving on to one that generates greater feedback
Some irons are designed with an adjustable shaft length or loft, which helps users customize the specs depending on their need. One of the reasons why a beginner might be interested in a club with adjustable features is because it could help you figure out what works best for you. By allowing you different adjustment options, you can experiment with different configurations and figure out what you prefer.
The blade is a type of head you might find on an iron, and it’s characterized by a long, flat shape that makes it look like, well, a blade. They provide exceptional feedback, which is why they’re preferred by the pros. The reason why you might want to avoid them for the meantime though is because they lack forgiveness. The sweet spot in the face of a blade is particularly small, so unless you’re sure you can hit the ball dead center each time, you’d be better off using a cavity back.
There are some shafts that use both graphite and steel to provide users the best of both worlds. So they flex just enough to maximize power, but also have some stiffness to them to allow a slight amount of feedback. This can help you learn more about your swing, and thus make it easier to fine-tune as you become more experienced. Steel shafts are also much more durable, so they do withstand wear and tear more efficiently.
How much are you willing to spend on your clubs? Do you play often, or are you an occasional golfer who hits the course every month or two? If you were really hoping to improve your game and make golf a weekly hobby, then you could set your budget a little higher to get a set of quality clubs. If you’re an occasional player who only really plays to hang out with the guys, or to let off some steam, then a set of inexpensive irons can be more than enough.
Based on our research, the Callaway Steelhead XR Individual Iron is possibly one of the best irons for high handicappers for a number of reasons. Firstly, these Callaway irons feature their revolutionary 360 Face Cup which increases ball speed even if you miss the center. The scientifically designed head has an exceptionally wide sweet spot. So high handicappers can easily produce reasonable results even if they don’t have the best swing.
The club’s lowered center of gravity increases trajectory for a higher launch, which also consequently improves distance. It also features a hollowed out shaft, designed to make the club lighter without sacrificing durability or flex.
The Steelhead XR can be just the right price for most buyers. The superb quality clubs offer a number of excellent features designed to make golf easier. If you’re a high handicapper, investing in a set of these clubs can significantly improve your game and make golf much more enjoyable.
Looking for something that’s a little better designed for practice? The Medicus Dual Hinge Iron is one that might be right up your alley. Designed with a hinge, the shaft on this iron bends in order to help you identify inconsistencies, improve your swing, and determine any flaws in your technique. For beginners, this can be of significant benefit, especially those who want to improve their skill more rapidly.
What we particularly appreciate about the Medicus Dual Hinge is that it can be configured to stay straight. So once you establish the fundamentals and get enough practice, you can keep the club in a straight position and use it as you would any other iron.
It’s worth mentioning though that the Medicus Dual Hinge comes at the steep cost of over a hundred dollars. So unless you really feel like you want to study your skills and improve on them significantly, it might not be such a practical choice.
While Mazel Golf isn’t quite as popular as the other golf gear brands out there, it does offer quite some impressive clubs. For instance, we found the Mazel Golf Individual Iron to be particularly high quality, ideal for users with a high handicap. It comes equipped with a deep undercut face that improves distance and speed even for off-center hits. The design comes in both steel and graphite, but is also available in a combination design that’s ideal for those who want both durability and flexion.
While lots of these clubs share similar features, the Mazel Golf Individual Iron boasts an intuitively designed handled and grip that’s made to optimize grip and shock absorption. For beginners who might not have the experience to be able to hold on their club with confidence and stability, this specialized grip can help improve control and transmit much greater energy for better results.
Pinemeadow is a trusted leader in the golf gear industry. They’re popular as a great investment brand, catering to golfers of all skill levels and preferences. But because their designs commonly incorporate features that make golfing easier, majority of their clubs have been received positively among beginners and high handicappers. In fact, the best iron set from beginners comes from Pinemeadow. In terms of individual irons though, their best performer is the ZR3.0 Golf Iron.
The design is pretty simple and straightforward, featuring what you would expect out of a typical iron. What makes it exceptionally ideal for high handicappers though is the fact that it comes with an oversized head. The large piece has an insanely large sweet spot, so almost all hits - no matter how off center - produce reasonably results with ease and consistency.
Price wise, it’s not necessarily the cheapest, clocking in at more than the Callaway in our top spot. Even then, we think it does offer some pretty smart performance, especially if you want something that takes all the credit for the shots you make.
Being a beginner in any sport can become frustrating and disheartening real quick if you’re not performing as you thought you would. In golf, it would be best to get a little help from your gear if you don’t want to exceed par too much.
If you’re thinking of investing in new gear for beginners, consider the Callaway Steelhead XR Individual Iron as your smart investment. This club easily qualifies as one of the best irons for beginners and high handicappers thanks to its intuitive, efficient, and reliable design, built to help you get the best out of your performance.
