I’m a 25 handicap and brought the Wilson D9 They are amazing so forgiving and still make good contact when I hit the ball fat. If your a high handicapper like me go for the Wilson D9 amazing value as well.
Played Titleist AP1 irons for 8 years and absolutely loved them. I was fitted for new clubs last December. I expected that I was going to buy Titleist AP2 or AP3 irons. I ended up with Mizuno JPX Hot Metal Pro. They were not even on my radar. Amazing clubs. Launch high, land soft. Getting 10 yds/ clubs over my old AP1’s.
I got fitted for the Srixon zx4’s and they blow my mind. The forged face insert makes them feel extremely soft but they are explosive. Would recommend checking them out
Recently purchased the Taylor Made Stealths, custom fit with graphite shafts. Coming from 10 yr old technology, I was amazed at the consistency and distance I get from the Stealths. The purchase was worth every penny considering the improvement in my game.
Getting older. Used to be a 4 handicap golfer. Don't play as much anymore. Tried several iron sets last couple years. Finally stopped caring about brands or marketing. Got the c522 Tour Edge Hot Launch . Graphite shafts. Easy to hit. Easy to launch . Long as anything else. So smooth and the feel is easy on the body. Accurate. Forgiving. Best irons I've tried in a long time. And less expensive than most .
Hi . The price you have for the D9 is the forged price . I Paid £469 5-PW . Fab clubs by the way . I’m a 9 hcp but 60 years old and appreciate the help they give me . Great video too .
I recently got fitted for irons after playing 35 year old 845’s since I started golfing. What I realized is how important the shaft is in contact and dispersion. They fitted me for project X 6.5 taper and once that was dialed the rest wasn’t as important. I tried most of these clubs but I hit most of them way too far so offline shots were super magnified. by far the farthest were the stealths I was hitting a stealth 6 iron 245+ yards. I hit the jpx 921 hot metal pro and it dialed my ball speed back to around 135. I still hit them pretty far but the look, feel and dispersion was just what I was looking for. Great video, never thought I’d end up with what I did though.
Should also take price and value for $$ into account for these reviews since these clubs are aimed at mid to high handicappers where cost can be a huge factor in the purchase. One example being the Stealth irons are literally like 40% more expensive than the Cleveland Launcher XL's.
One thing you should probably tell people is the cobra irons are actually .25” longer then standard and the 5 iron in the set is .50” longer then standard. For whatever reason I didn’t know this and got my clubs extended now they are longer then expected and I need to get them shortened so I don’t chunk them.
play x18s with s300 shafts 15 years old I'm 70 years old and recently played to scratch! good quality gear will help you but don't expect too much from new clubs
Great summary and it put a smile on my face since I have pretty much all the ones you noted at the end on my short list of clubs to try. Except for the Wilson - just not a fan of that much chrome. I am hoping the Stealth or the Rogue end up being the ones that I hit the best, because I like the look a lot more than the Cleveland. A bit heavy on the logo stamping for my taste. Still, whichever one performs the best relative to forgiveness, sound and feel, will be the one I get. Timely review and thanks.
Great video Joel! I truly enjoy all of your videos as you show both launch data as well as on the course shots. I’m going for a fitting here in a couple weeks. It will be interesting what iron I end up with. I love all the irons you presented and I probably couldn’t go wrong with any of them. As a mid handicapper I definitely want to try the Wilson D9 forged. For almost the same cost as the stealth you get a true forged iron.
Brilliant video am close to getting a fitting on a few irons I like stealth is my top one but the big question is, on my course the greens are very fast so having something like the stealth I just don’t know if they would stop on the green🤷🏻♂️ low flight low spin isn’t going to help??
I ordered the Stealth irons a couple weeks ago. Looking forward to getting them but won't be until early October based on my specs re shaft (TT Dynamic Gold 95), length (.5 inch longer than standard). Agree re distance, so I had them bent 1 degree weak (7 iron will be 29 degrees). You can have them bent up to 2 degrees in a custom order via TaylorMade (through your pro shop or direct).
My nike vr irons are full Cavity backs and I feel like I'm costing myself tons of distance in exchange for accuracy. I am deadly with these irons too, high launch stiff steel shafts, any suggestions per my preferences?
@The Cavity Back Golfer given your name, I imagine the PXGs you mention aren't Blade irons?? I would like to make the jump from Full Cavity irons to Full Blades. Idkw but I want to play the game like the Pros.
I went for the half set TEC X of 8-GW only and tossed my 7 iron completely (8 iron goes 150 and I don't need more than that), went with 3h-6h for the long clubs. I play to 13.4 handicap and golf is fun without beating my head trying to hit long irons.
Hi great video really enjoyed it i actually have the Yonex Elite zone 3 graphite shafts ,the complete set including drivers , fairway woods the best game improving golf irons . I have gained distance, accuracy and knocked 10 shots of my round . I used to play with Taylormade P790 , Ping's etc . No one ever talks about Yonex you will be surprised .
No doubt they will have new irons out fairly soon, which means the ZX4s should be discounted, but it's impossible to know how much better (if at all) the new model will be. A bit of a risk but the ZX4s are very good.
I'd love to know your standard 7iron carry distance with a standard 34degree lofted iron for a comparison to these irons. Thanks for your knowledgeable content...😉
Good video, but it’s hard to take the opinion on improver irons from a PGA pro. These irons are all designed for people with slower swing speeds and poor consistency. You need to get yourself to a golf store to try them for yourself. Also, be careful of limiting yourself to an improver iron if you think you have the potential reach a handicap in the low to mid teens. I walked into a golf store adamant I was going to purchase T300s with my 26 handicap, but my swing was analysed and I was fitted into T200s. They’re a beautiful forgiving iron, and I’ve already reduced my handicap by 5.1 shots after just 5 rounds!
To clarify, I am not a PGA Pro. Admittedly my handicap index of 4.3 would suggest they aren't aimed at me, but I feel I can comment on the performance and offer advice on where each model excels or disappoints. Hoping you found it somewhat useful. Cheers! Joel
@@GolfMonthly You're only a 4?!! I'd give an arm and a leg for your swing, but then I wouldn't be able to play... Your swing is textbook - very impressive. Btw I ordered the Stealth irons a couple weeks ago, and just saw this video today. You helped confirm my decision... 🙂
TM tried to fit me into the Stealth and I declined them. Nothing wrong with the club. High launch. Crazy long. The problem was the distance in relation to my current clubs. The TM's are 3° stronger than my current irons and I dont want a 7I that goes 30 yds further than my current irons.
I hear you. You can bend them up to 2 degrees.... I'm getting mine bent at 1 degree weaker than standard. Btw, if your current 7 iron is really 30 yards shorter than the TM's, even with 3 degrees difference, I would have to question your current irons... Also, it's largely about gapping you bag properly. Since the irons distance difference should be pretty consistent, it then comes down to what clubs, i.e. hybrids or woods, that you carry in addition to your irons, and how far into the wedges your irons set goes i.e. does it include a gap wedge, and then what are your "players" wedges, etc?
That is to some extent true, but I can't count how many players play with clubs that are totally inappropriate based on their ability. And, for the poorer player, game improvement irons will most definitely help. You have to play with clubs - may as well play with ones that match your ability. I've seen many people take numerous lessons and barely improve, but going from the wrong set of clubs to the right ones will lead to an immediate improvement. Btw, I'm certainly more of an "Indian" vs the "Arrow" guy....
Good question. The problem with using high handicappers to test a high number of irons is that the inconsistency of strike means you can't get reliable or comparable launch monitor data. Trust me, I miss the middle enough to comment on the forgiveness! Take your point, but this is the route we've decided to go down. Thanks for watching. Joel
@@kyledavis635 only a two weeks lead time. arriving on August 29th apparently to the fitter’s but sadly I’ll be working away and may not get my hands on them till mid September. I’ve gone for 5 iron to PW plus a Lob wedge at 59 degrees in the fitting I hit my current Taylormade 7 iron around 138/145 but couldn’t get past 150. With the stealth I was over 150 and even over 160 a few times. Cant wait..
@@sunisa73 Yeah the lofts are really strong - the 7 iron is 28 degrees! I have an old Titleist DCI 975 from 20 years ago that was 36 degrees for the 7 iron! I got my Stealths bent 1 degree weaker than standard. Good luck with them...
@@kyledavis635 Got my custom fit with graphite shafts (senior golfer). You will not believe the consistency and distance from these irons. Mis hits still make the green! I get great loft and enough spin to back up from contact on softer greens. You are in for a treat.
@@desmo54 Yeah, the jump off the club is notable. I certainly understand that some players don't like this, but I do. When an iron is more forgiving, I make better swings. Like many of us, if an iron has a small sweet spot, and/or is unforgiving on mishits, we'll tend to press and swing harder - not better. When I demoed them, they came to life once I got the right shaft....
At least we know which of these clubs fit his game. The sound of an iron is just too loud for his liking🤣🤣🤣🤣Yeah, that 25 Handicapper will definitely be put off by a loud iron shot🤣🤣🤣🤣No concern for the price point for each set. Yeah, those awful low spinning irons🤨
I’m a 25 handicap and brought the Wilson D9
They are amazing so forgiving and still make good contact when I hit the ball fat. If your a high handicapper like me go for the Wilson D9 amazing value as well.
Played Titleist AP1 irons for 8 years and absolutely loved them. I was fitted for new clubs last December. I expected that I was going to buy Titleist AP2 or AP3 irons. I ended up with Mizuno JPX Hot Metal Pro. They were not even on my radar. Amazing clubs. Launch high, land soft. Getting 10 yds/ clubs over my old AP1’s.
I got fitted for the Srixon zx4’s and they blow my mind. The forged face insert makes them feel extremely soft but they are explosive. Would recommend checking them out
Recently purchased the Taylor Made Stealths, custom fit with graphite shafts. Coming from 10 yr old technology, I was amazed at the consistency and distance I get from the Stealths. The purchase was worth every penny considering the improvement in my game.
Getting older. Used to be a 4 handicap golfer. Don't play as much anymore. Tried several iron sets last couple years. Finally stopped caring about brands or marketing. Got the c522 Tour Edge Hot Launch . Graphite shafts. Easy to hit. Easy to launch . Long as anything else. So smooth and the feel is easy on the body. Accurate. Forgiving. Best irons I've tried in a long time. And less expensive than most .
Hi . The price you have for the D9 is the forged price . I Paid £469 5-PW . Fab clubs by the way . I’m a 9 hcp but 60 years old and appreciate the help they give me . Great video too .
I recently got fitted for irons after playing 35 year old 845’s since I started golfing. What I realized is how important the shaft is in contact and dispersion. They fitted me for project X 6.5 taper and once that was dialed the rest wasn’t as important. I tried most of these clubs but I hit most of them way too far so offline shots were super magnified. by far the farthest were the stealths I was hitting a stealth 6 iron 245+ yards. I hit the jpx 921 hot metal pro and it dialed my ball speed back to around 135. I still hit them pretty far but the look, feel and dispersion was just what I was looking for. Great video, never thought I’d end up with what I did though.
Should also take price and value for $$ into account for these reviews since these clubs are aimed at mid to high handicappers where cost can be a huge factor in the purchase. One example being the Stealth irons are literally like 40% more expensive than the Cleveland Launcher XL's.
9:14 Value for money
just got fitted for the t300 irons +1 inch and i'm in love
I bought a 5 - sw of the Taylor made stealth yesterday, I absolutely love them
Titleist all day long
Love my t300
🏌️♂️
Great video buddy. Going to be very helpful for a lot of people.
Cleveland Launcher. Wilson Launcher. Cobra T. Rail
If only manufacturers made GI irons with low offset option. Some of us higher handicappers miss left more than right.
Just got the t300 today and I love em
Very thorough review! Excellent job!!!
One thing you should probably tell people is the cobra irons are actually .25” longer then standard and the 5 iron in the set is .50” longer then standard. For whatever reason I didn’t know this and got my clubs extended now they are longer then expected and I need to get them shortened so I don’t chunk them.
play x18s with s300 shafts 15 years old I'm 70 years old and recently played to scratch! good quality gear will help you but don't expect too much from new clubs
MY BEST CLUB ZX4.
Great vid but what’s about the sim 2 max
Great summary and it put a smile on my face since I have pretty much all the ones you noted at the end on my short list of clubs to try. Except for the Wilson - just not a fan of that much chrome. I am hoping the Stealth or the Rogue end up being the ones that I hit the best, because I like the look a lot more than the Cleveland. A bit heavy on the logo stamping for my taste. Still, whichever one performs the best relative to forgiveness, sound and feel, will be the one I get. Timely review and thanks.
Great video Joel! I truly enjoy all of your videos as you show both launch data as well as on the course shots. I’m going for a fitting here in a couple weeks. It will be interesting what iron I end up with. I love all the irons you presented and I probably couldn’t go wrong with any of them. As a mid handicapper I definitely want to try the Wilson D9 forged. For almost the same cost as the stealth you get a true forged iron.
I am a 15 handicapper I have hot metal pro. Good club but next getting more loft. These club can hard to handle
Good review, I hope your TEC X irons come in soon so you can compare them to the rest.
Brilliant video am close to getting a fitting on a few irons I like stealth is my top one but the big question is, on my course the greens are very fast so having something like the stealth I just don’t know if they would stop on the green🤷🏻♂️ low flight low spin isn’t going to help??
Great info Joel. Love this channel, all your different presenters are excellent. Keep it up guys 👏👏👏✅️
just been fitted for the stealth irons. if anything they probably go a little too far. but they feel great and are very forgiving.
I ordered the Stealth irons a couple weeks ago. Looking forward to getting them but won't be until early October based on my specs re shaft (TT Dynamic Gold 95), length (.5 inch longer than standard). Agree re distance, so I had them bent 1 degree weak (7 iron will be 29 degrees). You can have them bent up to 2 degrees in a custom order via TaylorMade (through your pro shop or direct).
My nike vr irons are full Cavity backs and I feel like I'm costing myself tons of distance in exchange for accuracy. I am deadly with these irons too, high launch stiff steel shafts, any suggestions per my preferences?
How do you do a video on game improvement irons and not include the Wilson Launchpro 2 set and the Cleveland Launcher series of irons?
Those are super game improvement hybrid choices. Different catagory
21’ Callaway Apex DCB
PXG 0211 DC should be here. At $79 a club given the performance features and value you can’t beat it…
Except when you can - Takomo 👌🏻
We put them in our best players distance iron video, which you can find on our channel. Joel
@The Cavity Back Golfer given your name, I imagine the PXGs you mention aren't Blade irons?? I would like to make the jump from Full Cavity irons to Full Blades. Idkw but I want to play the game like the Pros.
@@markprice2225 bruh this video is called game improvement for a reason
@@boofed5236 I was checking out them PXGs & Mizuno irons
What handicap is the Mid range im a 10 would I be mid handicap ?
No Cobra Forged Tec X? Hands down the best new irons of 2022.
Still waiting on samples to test! They should be arriving very soon, fingers crossed... Joel
I went for the half set TEC X of 8-GW only and tossed my 7 iron completely (8 iron goes 150 and I don't need more than that), went with 3h-6h for the long clubs. I play to 13.4 handicap and golf is fun without beating my head trying to hit long irons.
@@TMar1961 hi, just curious to know how you find the gapping distances of your forge tec 9 iron through gap wedge?
@@zazhou about 15 yds
Take looks out of the equation if I can get the distance and forgiveness to improve any part of my game.
What about the Takomo 101’s
Hi great video really enjoyed it i actually have the Yonex Elite zone 3 graphite shafts ,the complete set including drivers , fairway woods the best game improving golf irons . I have gained distance, accuracy and knocked 10 shots of my round . I used to play with Taylormade P790 , Ping's etc . No one ever talks about Yonex you will be surprised .
Why not Hogan edge ex’s? They are the best I have ever hit.
Hogan doesn’t get enough love on these UA-cam reviews. Have a set of 3 year old Edges and they are great.
They've just gone out of business, so am glad I didn't include them. Such a shame as they made great product in the irons category 😞
Joel - thanks. Do you think it's worth spending £800 on Srixon ZX4s given they came out well over a year ago...new irons out soon perhaps?
No doubt they will have new irons out fairly soon, which means the ZX4s should be discounted, but it's impossible to know how much better (if at all) the new model will be. A bit of a risk but the ZX4s are very good.
I'd love to know your standard 7iron carry distance with a standard 34degree lofted iron for a comparison to these irons. Thanks for your knowledgeable content...😉
How on earth did you balance all the irons like that in the intro? Is it magic? Is it?
Lots of hidden tees ;-)
Gonna have to disagree Joel, high handicapper looks for distance, forgiveness and value for money seems like the Wilson or Cobra took it.
Good video, but it’s hard to take the opinion on improver irons from a PGA pro. These irons are all designed for people with slower swing speeds and poor consistency. You need to get yourself to a golf store to try them for yourself. Also, be careful of limiting yourself to an improver iron if you think you have the potential reach a handicap in the low to mid teens. I walked into a golf store adamant I was going to purchase T300s with my 26 handicap, but my swing was analysed and I was fitted into T200s. They’re a beautiful forgiving iron, and I’ve already reduced my handicap by 5.1 shots after just 5 rounds!
To clarify, I am not a PGA Pro. Admittedly my handicap index of 4.3 would suggest they aren't aimed at me, but I feel I can comment on the performance and offer advice on where each model excels or disappoints. Hoping you found it somewhat useful. Cheers! Joel
@@GolfMonthly cheers Joel I did for sure 🤘🏼
@@GolfMonthly You're only a 4?!! I'd give an arm and a leg for your swing, but then I wouldn't be able to play... Your swing is textbook - very impressive.
Btw I ordered the Stealth irons a couple weeks ago, and just saw this video today. You helped confirm my decision... 🙂
TM tried to fit me into the Stealth and I declined them. Nothing wrong with the club. High launch. Crazy long. The problem was the distance in relation to my current clubs. The TM's are 3° stronger than my current irons and I dont want a 7I that goes 30 yds further than my current irons.
I hear you. You can bend them up to 2 degrees.... I'm getting mine bent at 1 degree weaker than standard.
Btw, if your current 7 iron is really 30 yards shorter than the TM's, even with 3 degrees difference, I would have to question your current irons...
Also, it's largely about gapping you bag properly. Since the irons distance difference should be pretty consistent, it then comes down to what clubs, i.e. hybrids or woods, that you carry in addition to your irons, and how far into the wedges your irons set goes i.e. does it include a gap wedge, and then what are your "players" wedges, etc?
@@kyledavis635 I think most of the yardage gained was in the shaft they gave me. My swing speed is a bit high for my age bracket.
Nobody ever gives Tour Edge any love. I'd play them over a Wilson any day of the week. Seems to work for Bernhard Langer.
Was thinking this. I have wilsons and they are awesome but hit the new tour edge e722 and c722 and they are magic.
Wouldn't thes best game improvement option be to get lessons and put in work at the range?
That is to some extent true, but I can't count how many players play with clubs that are totally inappropriate based on their ability. And, for the poorer player, game improvement irons will most definitely help. You have to play with clubs - may as well play with ones that match your ability. I've seen many people take numerous lessons and barely improve, but going from the wrong set of clubs to the right ones will lead to an immediate improvement. Btw, I'm certainly more of an "Indian" vs the "Arrow" guy....
invest in wilson cb irons!
Most people should play dn irons
Joel, is there really any point in having game improvement irons assessed by a low handicapper?
Good question. The problem with using high handicappers to test a high number of irons is that the inconsistency of strike means you can't get reliable or comparable launch monitor data. Trust me, I miss the middle enough to comment on the forgiveness! Take your point, but this is the route we've decided to go down. Thanks for watching. Joel
the callaway rogue st looks alot like the original 2014 apex irons lmao
Thumb's down, no PXG.
Awaiting the arrival of my stealth irons can’t wait..
Me too, but won't be here until early October. 😞 How about you?
@@kyledavis635 only a two weeks lead time. arriving on August 29th apparently to the fitter’s but sadly I’ll be working away and may not get my hands on them till mid September. I’ve gone for 5 iron to PW plus a Lob wedge at 59 degrees in the fitting I hit my current Taylormade 7 iron around 138/145 but couldn’t get past 150. With the stealth I was over 150 and even over 160 a few times. Cant wait..
@@sunisa73 Yeah the lofts are really strong - the 7 iron is 28 degrees! I have an old Titleist DCI 975 from 20 years ago that was 36 degrees for the 7 iron!
I got my Stealths bent 1 degree weaker than standard.
Good luck with them...
@@kyledavis635 Got my custom fit with graphite shafts (senior golfer). You will not believe the consistency and distance from these irons. Mis hits still make the green! I get great loft and enough spin to back up from contact on softer greens. You are in for a treat.
@@desmo54 Yeah, the jump off the club is notable. I certainly understand that some players don't like this, but I do. When an iron is more forgiving, I make better swings. Like many of us, if an iron has a small sweet spot, and/or is unforgiving on mishits, we'll tend to press and swing harder - not better. When I demoed them, they came to life once I got the right shaft....
Why do mid handicapper have to play jacket lofts. Surely less loft would help them. Distance is the most important element
More loft
Seems you should have had mid to high handicappers hitting the irons on the video. Respectfully
Not one single Direct to Consumer brand like Takoma in the review. Big miss, IMO.
At least we know which of these clubs fit his game. The sound of an iron is just too loud for his liking🤣🤣🤣🤣Yeah, that 25 Handicapper will definitely be put off by a loud iron shot🤣🤣🤣🤣No concern for the price point for each set. Yeah, those awful low spinning irons🤨
stealth irons are crap had 4 months 4 heads have come off ag will not give a refund
Why no Takomo or Pxg or irons? These are just all the expensive go broke irons!!
All these irons in recent years look ugly compared to the old Titleist or Mizuno forged blades
Jesus it’s so hard to understand what he’s saying chewing every word coming out of his mouth. Especially when talking about each set in detail.
Clean your ears
Mygolfspy 2021 new ping low in forgivness