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Best Irons for 20 Handicap

Published on 12/18/2023 · 8 min readBoost your game with ease! Dive into our expert's picks for the best irons suited for a 20 handicap, and elevate your golf skills in style.
Michael Leonard, Golf Expert
By Golf Expert Michael Leonard

Photo by LightField Studios

Tl;dr: Learn about the best irons for a 20-handicap so you can hit more greens in regulation, have more birdie putts, and hopefully shoot lower scores.

Are you looking for a new set of irons, but aren’t sure which brand is right for you? Don’t worry, I got you covered. I’ve been chasing the golf ball around for over 20 years and progressed from someone shooting in the 100s to now playing 60 or more tournament days a year.

If you’re a 20 handicap, you want a set of irons that are forgiving above all else. One of the biggest mistakes I’ve made in my own golf career was playing irons that were “too good” for me at the time. I would buy irons that looked good versus the ones that were right for my swing.

Oftentimes, this meant buying clubs that were too heavy, too stiff of shafts, or generally not as forgiving. But as I’ve gotten older and better (now a +2 handicap), I realize that the right equipment can make a massive difference in playing better golf.

Best Iron Options for a 20-Handicap

When picking a set of mid-high handicap irons, you want to consider three things:

Type of club head

Photo by Optimarc

If you’ve done any research already, chances are you’ve seen that there are tons of iron head designs. As a mid-high handicap, you want to avoid blade irons and even muscle backs, as they’re geared toward more consistent golfers. Instead, opt for larger clubheads (cavity back irons) with a slightly thicker top line, wide soles, and built for distance thanks to stronger lofts. These forgiving irons should help you hit more greens in regulation.

Shaft flex and weight

Photo by Optimarc

If you’re close to a 20-handicap, chances are you need graphite shafts. This will help you add a few mph clubhead speed to improve launch and distance on every shot. Many of the irons on this list also have lightweight steel shafts if you’re a faster-than-average swinging golfer.

Set makeup

Photo by Soonthorn Wongsaita

Lastly, don’t forget to consider the clubs that are included in the set. For mid-handicappers, I suggest skipping a 3 or 4-iron, as they’re very difficult to hit even for skilled golfers. I’d find a 5-GW so you can save money and have a gap wedge that matches your pitching wedge.

Now that you have a better idea of what to look for, let’s get into the best options.

1. Titleist T350 Irons

Titleist makes some of the best golf clubs in the game - whether you’re an avid golfer or still learning the fundamentals of the swing. Their new T350 irons are one of the most forgiving in their lineup, but still look great.

Titleist considers these clubs as game improvement irons, and they have a new hollow-body construction for maximum launch, distance, and improvement on mishits. They’re inspired by the T200, which is a distance iron. They also added some extra forgiveness in this slightly larger design.

Thanks to Max Impact Technology, these are fast across the face, meaning the carry distance remains the same even on mishits. The Variable Bounce Sole (which is a signature feature on the Vokey wedges) also improves turf interaction.

You can choose from several lightweight steel or graphite shafts. If you’re trending down to a mid-handicap, these are a phenomenal choice to help your game. If you’re trending more up in scoring average, you might benefit more from the T400.

Learn more about the best golf irons from Titleist.

2. TaylorMade Stealth Irons

TaylorMade also makes a ton of solid iron sets for all types of players. Better players prefer a smaller design like the P770 or the P790. However, as a mid-handicapper, I’d suggest the TaylorMade Stealth irons, as they’re a lot easier to hit.

These game improvement irons offer the new Cap Back Design and toe wrap construction. What this does is improve face flexibility to help deliver faster ball speeds than most irons for longer, more accurate shots.

The center of gravity is also adjusted lower in the sole for improved launch and peak height. If you’re someone who needs a little help launching your irons higher to land softly on greens, these can definitely help.

The forged irons also have the option to add a gap wedge, sand wedge, or lob wedge as well. This ensures your wedges match your irons and also have a lot more forgiveness than normal wedges.

You can also buy these irons in a combo set, which adds a 4 and 5 hybrids instead of long irons. The hybrids are the latest TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD (high draw) clubs that make longer shots significantly easier. The hosels are adjustable, so you can fine-tune them perfectly for your golf game.

3. Callaway Mavrik Iron Set

If you want a set that is a little more affordable than the first two options on this list, the Callaway Mavrik irons are a solid choice. They’re a larger cavity back iron that is built for mid to higher handicappers who need a little help on mishits.

Callaway used A.I. to design these irons (something they’ve done with drivers since 2019) to produce faster ball speeds across the face. The custom tungsten-infused weights in each iron also improve CG (center of gravity) to optimize launch and flight. This makes the long irons still launch high enough to hold the greens and more precision in shorter irons.

Additionally, you can also buy these irons in a combo set. This is a fantastic idea if you’re not a huge fan of long irons and want hybrids instead.

This option adds a 4 and 5 hybrid (instead of long irons) to make your longer clubs significantly easier to hit. The hybrids come with a lightweight graphite design that should help inspire a lot of confidence on longer shots.

4. Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Irons

Mizuno is known for making some of the best irons in golf. I think most golfers would argue Mizuno irons are the best-looking irons in the game. Until recently, most of their sets were geared toward mid to low handicappers. Luckily, they have continued to innovate and add new irons to help if you’re a higher handicap golfer as well.

The Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal is also a game improvement iron, but doesn't look like it, thanks to the more compact design. They have a perfect combination of speed, incredible feel, and tons of distance. The seamless cup face construction also helps improve launch for more stopping power on the greens.

Did I mention how good they look? You’ll never think of these clubs as game improvement, as they look great from any angle and have a gorgeous nickel chromoly design. This material not only looks awesome but is 35% stronger than the original design, which makes the clubs 8% thinner to produce faster ball speeds.

Additionally, there are three different models to choose from. The Hot Metal Pro is better suited for more skilled golfers, while the Hot Metal HL is better for slower-swinging golfers who need a higher launch club. The average mid-handicap golfer will likely benefit from the main 923 model.

5. Cleveland Launcher XL Irons

Another mid-priced option is the Cleveland Launcher XL irons. These are smaller than most of the irons in their set, as Cleveland caters to high handicap golfers who want distance and forgiveness above all else.

The XL irons have a bigger head than some of the other irons on this list, which means more MOI (aka more forgiving). Paired with the high-launch profile, they’ll help even long irons launch high off the face.

Like Callaway, they used A.I. to design the face, resulting in MainFrame variable face technology. This makes these irons faster, even on mishits. The action mass CB (counterbalance) also places an 8-gram weight inside the end of the grip for more balance and control.

They also have a V-shaped sole, which improves the turf interaction for less drag in the fairway or rough and overall better contact. These irons also have loft-specific grooves, so the 4-7 iron has flatter grooves, while the 8-DW has higher spinning grooves.

6. Cobra Aerojet Irons

Cobra has also expanded their product line to include a good mix of irons for low, mid, and high handicappers. If you’re shooting in the 90s most often, I’d suggest the Aerojet, as they’re a good mix of distance and forgiving design.

They have a new PWRSHELL insert that maximizes speed and launch angle with a larger sweet spot. This should result in a lot more looks at birdie and much better mishits on approach shots.

The PWR-BRIDGE technology also creates a more flexible face to improve launch, increase ball speed, and inspire confidence. They also have a perfect graphite shaft (in three different weight options) and a lightweight KBS Tour steel shaft. These Cobra irons are also available as one-length clubs (not something I’d recommend for 90% of golfers) or a combo set to include a 5-hybrid instead of a long iron.

Connect with a Golf Expert to Find the Best Irons for You

As you can tell, there are tons of options when it comes to game improvement irons. The main thing you want is distance with enough forgiveness to help with off-center strikes.

Paired with the right shaft flex/weight, you’ll make approach shots significantly easier. If you have more questions about finding the iron set, reach out to a Curated Golf Expert today.

Curated experts can help

Have a question about the article you just read or want personal recommendations? Connect with a Curated expert and get personalized recommendations for whatever you’re looking for!

Shop Golf on Curated

Titleist 2023 T350 Irons
$1,598.86
TaylorMade Stealth Irons
$914.28$1,142.85
Callaway Mavrik Irons
$599.97$964.28

Browse more Golf

Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Irons
$900.00
Cleveland Launcher XL Irons
$699.99$899.99
Cobra Aerojet Irons
$599.00$999.00
Titleist T400 Irons
$1,399.00
Titleist 2023 T200 Irons
$1,399.00
TaylorMade 2023 P770 Irons
$899.97$1,199.99
TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD Combo Set
$699.98$1,137.49

Browse more Golf

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