Most 41.1 million people who play golf in America will eventually seek out golf equipment to help them improve. While equipment alone can not fully satisfy the need for golfers to play better, the right equipment can make a difference.

While the average handicap for men golfers hovers around 15 and for women golfers around 27, they only account for about 2.86 million golfers who carry a handicap, according to the USGA. The average score for men golfers is around 100, and it is around 108 for women, based on the information provided by Independent Golf Reviews. Those numbers are indicative of golfers who play regularly. For golfers who only play occasionally, those figures will go up dramatically.

With all that said, many golfers, and perhaps the overwhelming majority, could improve their performance on the links by having more forgiving equipment in their hands. Even your more advanced players and single-digit handicappers often look for a club that can improve their performance.

About Me

My name is Brendon Elliott, and I am a PGA Professional based in Central Florida. I became a PGA member in 2009 but have worked in the golf business since 1996. I have served in various capacities throughout my career. From an Assistant Golf Professional to a Head Golf Professional and General Manager. I have been a high school coach, a golf career college instructor, and a Director of Career Development. Most notably, I am the founder and director of Little Linksters, a youth golf academy and non-profit organization. This year marks our 15th anniversary of Little Linksters.

I have been recognized multiple times as a leader and expert in youth golf, coaching, teaching, and golf business and education. I have won over 25 local, state, and national awards for my work, most notably the 2017 PGA of America National Youth Player Development Award.

I have pursued a secondary career as a freelance golf writer in recent years. Little Linksters and coaching still encompass a bulk of my time. Still, writing has been a direction I have become more invested in expanding. I write for multiple golf media outlets such as PGA.com, Golf.com, PGA Magazine, and many others, including Curated. Writing allows me to share my years of experience and insight into all things golf with a larger audience.

With introductions aside, I want to share with you, in this article, my breakdown of some of the game's most forgiving irons on the market. Most sets I will share with you are true game improvement irons for middle-to-high handicappers or golfers who score higher. However, as you will see later in my examination, some iron sets can benefit single-digit handicappers.

What Makes for Forgiveness in an Iron?

Many specific design features make an iron more forgiving. These features hit most golfers' major pain points, including a more moderate swing speed, inconsistent face contact, and a low ball flight.

The technology that goes into game improvement irons, which are designed to help combat areas such as those mentioned above, include the following:

• Wider sole: In game improvement irons, the bottom of the clubhead, or the sole, is designed so that golfers can feel more confident as they strike the ball at impact. That wider sole design makes the club gliding through the turf much easier. That aspect helps many golfers feel more capable of being aggressive as they approach the ball at the moment of truth: impact.
• Low center of gravity: Many middle and higher-handicap golfers (and even some single-digit golfers like myself) have more moderate swing speeds. When a golfer struggles with optimizing their swing speed, they will find it difficult to launch the ball adequately, especially with middle and longer irons. Long irons require a certain speed for a high launch off these lower lofted clubs.

Manufacturers look to lower the CG (center of gravity) in game improvement irons. By doing this and redistributing the club's mass, they allow these game improvement irons to launch the ball higher off of more moderate swing speeds.

• Cavity back: Unlike what is seen in a blade iron, which is a solid mass clubhead design, a cavity back is the hollowing out of the back of the head. The manufacturer can then redistribute the weight around the clubhead's perimeter. Through this perimeter weighting feature, the club can gain a high MOI (Moment of Inertia), which equates to a more forgiving club.

Clubheads are usually bigger in these designs, and combined with the redistribution of the mass, allow for a bigger sweet spot. This is a hallmark of most game improvement irons.

• Hollow body: A hollow body designed iron head is made from two pieces of material that are welded together. Like the cavity back design, this design offers a bigger and wider clubhead. The hollow body helps reduce vibration throughout the iron on mishits, thus providing better results off of off-center strikes. This design's sole is less wide than cavity back irons.
• Offset: In this design feature, the clubface sits behind the hosel, making it easier for the average golfer to square their clubface at impact. This results in more consistent and straighter shots. Improved accuracy is always nice for any golfer.

It is common to see amateurs desperately trying to eliminate a slice. While the secret to fixing this common error is to perfect their club path, an offset clubhead design will help make the slice more manageable.

• Lighter overall club weight: Making the club lighter will result in a golfer's ability to swing the club faster. Many manufacturers will try to take out weight wherever possible, whether in the shaft, the head, the grip, or all three. Graphite shafts or lightweight steel shafts help with this.

Forgiving Golf Irons to Consider

My list below is not at all the end all be all of the greatest forgiving irons in golf today. They are ideal for middle to high-handicap golfers with more moderate swing and ball speeds.

With that said, and in no particular order, I give you my recommendations for some of golf’s most forgiving irons:

• TaylorMade Stealth HD Irons
• Callaway Paradym X Irons
• Cleveland Launcher XL Irons
• Cobra AeroJet Irons
• Callaway Rogue ST Max OS Lite Irons
• Srixon ZX4 MKII Irons

As you will see, I will give you some pros and cons for each iron and then put them together in a handy dandy chart complete with other considerations.

1. TaylorMade Stealth HD Irons

TaylorMade’s Stealth HD Irons are a fantastic game improvement iron choice. These clubs are great for a middle to higher handicap golfer. Here are a few of the positives and negatives of these clubs:

Pros

• Sole design allows for better turf interaction
• Head design allows golfers to launch the ball higher
• The face is hot and helps golfers with more moderate swing speeds
• Even off heel and toe strikes, you still see respectable shots off the face
• Offers a draw bias to help those who slice

Cons

• A very thick look that may not appeal to some
• Lofts seem to be a little less juiced up as you find in other irons in this category
• Somewhat on the expensive side

2. Callaway Paradym X Irons

The Callaway Paradym X Irons are another great game improvement iron choice. These are ideal clubs for a mid to high handicapper. The following are my observations:

Pros

• Sole design is excellent and allows for confidence in a golfer's interaction with the turf
• Golfers can launch the ball higher, especially in the middle and long irons
• Has a big sweet spot, which allows for a better chance of center strikes
• Great on off of shots that are a little off-center, a very forgiving face design
• Good speed coming off the face

Cons

• As is the case with many game improvement irons, it is hard to work the ball
• On the expensive side

3. Cleveland Launcher XL Irons

I am a fan of Srixon and Cleveland Golf. I have been a PGA Professional staffer with them for a long time and appreciate their products.

The Cleveland Launcher XL Irons are a great option for the middle to higher-handicap golfer. The following are my observations on both the pros and cons of these irons:

Pros

• Affordable pound for pound, Cleveland is one of the best in this regard
• Like the others in this list, the sole design is fantastic, and interacting with the turf is a breeze
• Superior launch capabilities, hence the name “Launcher.”
• Has loft-specific grooves, which produce excellent spin rates
• Adequate speed coming off the face

Cons

• Not as much offset, a feature many look for in game improvement irons
• Has a pretty thick look, often a turn-off for some

4. Cobra AeroJet Irons

Cobra Golf’s offering in the game improvement category is the AeroJet. These are a great option for golfers who need some assistance from their irons. I’ve provided pros and cons related to these irons:

Pros

• Another very good sole design makes turf interaction very clean
• Great on mishits, and definitely a club to help those that struggle with contact
• Very hot coming off the face
• Awesome distance and control

Cons

• Somewhat expensive for game improvement irons
• Not the best in terms of the launch capabilities off of the middle and long irons

5. Callaway Rogue ST Max OS Lite Irons

Callaway Golf’s Rogue ST Max OS Lite Irons are one of the most forgiving irons for those with more moderate swing speeds. The following are some pros and cons of these clubs:

Pros

• Very light total weight allows those with more moderate swing speeds to pick up some speed
• The extensive offset design helps slicers with that issue
• Allows for a higher launch
• For those with a more moderate swing speed, it helps create distance and gain control

Cons

• For game improvement irons, on the moderately expensive side
• Only for more moderate swing speeds and will prove far too light and whippy for anyone else

6. Srixon ZX4 MKII Irons

As mentioned, I have been on staff with Srixon and Cleveland Golf for many years. Still, I enjoy their products, especially the Srixon ZX4 MKII Irons. Why, you may ask? Well, these are the irons I currently use.

As I have pointed out throughout this review, most game improvement or forgiving irons are mostly intended for middle to higher-handicap golfers. In my case, however, I am a single digest handicapper. My reason for going with the Srixon ZX4 MKII Irons this year was simple: Why not take advantage of their technology? After all, with a more moderate swing speed, I am a good candidate for these clubs. The proceeding pros and cons are based on my observations of these irons:

Pros

• Great distance thanks to the hollow head design with extra-strong lofts
• Moderate sole design assists in making turf interaction very clean
• Variable grooves change with the lofts to offer maximum spin and performance
• Offset makes these irons great on mishits and some of the most forgiving in golf
• Has an amazing look that is not at all bulky, as many game improvement irons tend to appear

Cons

• Hard to work the ball, which is common for game improvement irons (a compromise I had to make in choosing these irons)
• Relatively pricey

Wrapping It All Up

This chart combines my observations and approximate pricing of golf’s most forgiving irons discussed above.

Honorable Mentions

A few honorable mentions that I would be remiss not to mention include:

• Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Irons HL: The Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal High Launch Irons are another example of very forgiving, game improvement irons for middle to high handicappers. Mizuno has traditionally been seen as a manufacturer that produces amazing player's clubs, including exceptional blade-style irons designed for workability. The JPX 923 Hot Metal High Launch Irons are a break from that mold and an excellent high-launching, forgiving, player-improvement club.
• TaylorMade SIM Max Irons: The TaylorMade SIM Max Irons, much like the TaylorMade Stealth HDs, are excellent game improvement clubs. Designed for more intermediate and middle handicappers, these clubs deliver all the game improvement features offered by most in this segment. Characteristics such as high launch capabilities, a hot face, and forgiveness off shots hit near the toe or heel are all packed in these irons from TaylorMade. They are a little cheaper than the Stealth HDs but are a slight step down in the tech you get. Still, a very solid club.
• Callaway Apex 21 Irons: The Callaway Apex 21 Irons are more of a player's game improvement iron and ideal for handicaps of 5 to 15. They have the forgiveness and game improvement features that others in this segment are looking for but have a less bulky look and may have a more appealing topline for more advanced players. With that said, they are still a game improvement iron, and workability, as you would find in more of a true players club, is not really there. Still, these are solid irons.

Finding the Right Forgiving Iron for You

I hope this guide has helped you understand more about some of golf’s most forgiving irons. These are merely a partial list of clubs that golfers looking for extra assistance may want to check out. If you want to move into a club that will help your game, your next best step would be to contact a Curated Golf Expert for free, more personalized advice.