Best Blade Irons (2023 Golf Buying Guide)

Cavity-back irons are designed for golfers with mid- to high- handicaps looking to improve their performance, whereas blade irons are best for experienced players ready to take things to the next level. While many believe blades are reserved for the pros, companies have incorporated new technologies to make these irons playable even for the average golfer.

The best blade irons are those in the TaylorMade P790 Iron Set. These blades offer consistency on all shots thanks to their tungsten weighting. They provide excellent launch height, distance, speed, and a wider sweet spot. Feel is excellent, with minimal harsh vibrations and great feedback on hits.

The only instances in which I wouldn’t recommend the TaylorMade P790 Iron Set are if: 

• You want top speed. In that case, go for the Callaway Golf Rouge ST Pro Iron Set (available on Amazon.com).
• You need blades on a budget. Check out the PXG XCOR2 Irons (available on Amazon.com).
• You want the best feel and feedback. Get the Mizuno Golf JPX 921 Hot Metal Irons Set (available on Amazon.com).

In this article, I’ll discuss why the TaylorMade P790 Set is the best choice for most people looking for blade irons, and I’ll cover better alternatives for different situations.

Additionally, I’ll explain what to consider when searching for a blade and how each of my picks scores in these categories. Read on to learn more.

Best Overall Blade Irons: TaylorMade P790

If you want the traditional look of a blade with higher playability, check out the TaylorMade P790 Irons (available on Amazon.com). These blades are stunning in their beautiful chrome finish and are available with either graphite or steel shafts.

While these irons feature the standard compact clubheads of blades, they utilize additional technologies to increase playability for less experienced golfers. For example, the tungsten weighting provides a lower center of gravity to promote higher launches and longer carries in the long irons. This design also allows players to maintain consistency on all shots.

The clubheads of these blades are injected with “speed foam” to provide extra speed without sacrificing the overall feel of the irons. It also includes a speed pocket slot to increase ball speeds for better distance.

TaylorMade also implemented face flexibility for speed, even on miss-hits, but their inverted cone technology makes for a wider sweet spot to reduce the likelihood of those misses.

Furthermore, these blades reduce vibrations to provide a better hand feel and feedback on every strike. Over time, this feedback can greatly improve your game as you learn what you’re doing wrong and right. 

Bottom Line: TaylorMade is renowned for its irons, and they’ve done an excellent job with these. Though blades aren’t typically equipped with features to improve your game, the P790 irons are actually very forgiving.

Pros

• Forgiving: For blade irons, this TaylorMade set is quite forgiving, which is a breath of fresh air for those hesitant to switch from game-improvement irons.
• Better shock absorption: The shaft and grip provide better shock absorption and vibration dampening, giving a better overall feel and allowing for excellent feedback.
• Wider sweet spot: An enhanced sweet spot makes these blades an excellent choice for those who struggle to strike consistently.

Cons

• Expensive: These are the most expensive blades on the list. TaylorMade manufactures high-end, quality irons, and the price reflects this.
• Game-improvement technology: If you’re a superior or professional golfer, you may not appreciate the added technology in these blades. You may find that it limits the overall playability.

Product Specifications

Color	Chrome
Flex Availability	Stiff (S)Extra Stiff (X)
Hand Orientation Availability	Right
Shaft Material Options	GraphiteSteel
Buying Options	4-PW, AW4-PW

Best for Speed: Callaway Golf Rouge ST Pro Iron Set

The Callaway Golf Rouge ST Pro (available on Amazon.com), is yet another set of blades that’s blurred the lines between blades and game-improvement irons. These are designed for the golfer looking to move on from their cavity-backs but without fear of severely weakening their performance—but how?

Well, the Callaway Golf Rouge ST Pro Iron Set is the answer. This blade set makes missing the center of the clubface less of a smack in the face. These low-lofted blades allow incredible flight, and the design provides extra forgiveness on your shots.

With these, you’ll notice an excellent feel thanks to the tungsten weighting. You’ll also see impressive speed and distance.

Furthermore, these Callaway irons utilize 450 steel and a Flash Face Cup created using artificial intelligence. They have a low loft for a consistent spin rate, and you’ll see improved launch height and better-controlled landings.

Bottom Line: Though these blade irons won’t be as forgiving as the TaylorMade P790, they’ll be less intimidating than other blades and provide incredible speed. With each shot, they’ll improve your confidence with blades, especially if you’re looking to launch your balls as fast as a space shuttle. 

Pros

• Excellent speed: The high-density tungsten and use of microspheres create a thinner face, creating impressive speed. 
• Increased distance: You’ll see incredible distance performance with these blades, which you can attribute to the low-lofts and better height on launch.
• Great feel: The thin face, hollow construction, and weighting allow for great performance without sacrificing feel.

Cons

• Too shiny: Though the chrome finish is striking, many reviewers claim that it is too bright, often catching the sunlight and creating a glare.
• Misses on the toe: This set may be more forgiving than other blades, but if you miss on the toe, you’re going to notice.

Product Specifications

Color	Silver
Flex Availability	Regular (R)Stiff (S)
Hand Orientation Availability	LeftRight
Shaft Material Options	GraphiteSteel
Buying Options	3-PW4-PW4-PW, AW5-PW5-PW, AW

Best on a Budget: PXG XCOR2 Irons

Golfers on a budget who want to upgrade to blades will appreciate the PXG XCOR2 Irons (available on Amazon.com). These blades offer excellent performance in an affordable iron.

The progressive design utilizes materials that enhance a player’s performance by increasing distance, and they have a unique “bouncy” feel to them when playing. The ball comes off the face very quickly with a gratifying hand feel with a decent strike. Feedback is incredible on these irons, even on mishits, but they won’t cause uncomfortable vibrations in your hands.

Additionally, lighter materials allow the manufacturer to distribute the weight around the edges of the club. They use a lightweight polymer core for a lower center of gravity and to boost the moment of inertia on these clubs. This helps these blades produce an incredible ball speed that won’t disappoint.

Although they’re lightweight, PXG positioned the weight low and on the perimeter of the back end of the clubhead to increase forgiveness—yes, even in a blade.

To put it simply, PXG used some of its most advanced innovations with the design of these blades. The set offers varied blade length, offset, and bounce. With the shorter irons, you’ll notice maximum control.

Bottom Line: You won’t find more forgiving blades at a price like this. This, combined with the high performance, progressive design, and excellent feedback, is more than one reason to pick up this set of irons. It’s great for those on a budget who aren’t ready to commit to blades but want to give them a try to see if they’re ready to upgrade their game.

Pros

• Inexpensive: These are high-performance golf clubs but offer the best value.
• Progressive design: You’ll find minimal offset and shorter blades in the scoring irons, but length increases in the long irons.
• Great feedback: The feedback on these irons is incredible. It produces quality sound on center, and higher pitched sound on mishits. This is important for any player looking to improve their game.

Cons

• Not as durable: With the low price tag, you sacrifice longevity. Though these are designed to last a few years, they’re not going to last decades like some of the more expensive sets on this list.
• Simple design: Some people aren’t appreciative of the minimalist design compared to other blades. Many reviewers claim they look “cheap” with the matte black background and chrome logo.

Product Specifications

Color	Silver/Black
Flex Availability	Ladies (L)Senior (A)Regular (R)Stiff (S)Extra Stiff (X)
Hand Orientation Availability	Right
Shaft Material Options	GraphiteSteel
Buying Options	4 Iron5-PWGap Wedge

Best Feel: Mizuno Golf Hot Metal Iron Set

Mizuno is a renowned brand, and the Mizuno Golf JPX921 Set (available on Amazon.com) is a respected set of blade irons. When it comes to feeling, it’s unlikely that you’ll come across irons that feel better in your hands.

They look, feel, and play like blades but feature many of the characteristics of game-improvement irons. You’ll notice a low center of gravity and high moment of inertia, both of which offer better forgiveness and easy hits. 

These are nice to play, even for mid-handicappers, and you’ll notice higher launches, longer carries, and excellent assistance, even on miss-hits. The sweet spot is rather generous for a player’s club, and you’ll notice decent results, even from marginal contact. However, you’ll have magical results with solid contact. 

Additionally, the sound and feedback are great. Mizuno utilizes Harmonic Impact Technology with fine-tuned head geometry and a stability frame for the perfect feel to improve your game. And you’ll notice incredible vibration and sound. 

These irons can be easily fitted and adjusted to individual players. Plus, they’re made with chromoly 4140M, which has excellent malleability and strength. 

Bottom Line: Mizuno knew what they were doing when they created these blades. If you need a set of player’s clubs that will tell you what you’re doing wrong, these are the best choice. The feedback is unlike any of the other clubs on this list, and the irons are buttery smooth.

Pros

• Smooth feel: The feel on these irons is incomparable. Each hit feels solid, and the launch is quick off the clubface with a high launch and impressive carry.
• Excellent distance and forgiveness: Distance is incredible with these irons. The flight is powerful, and forgiveness is exceptional for a blade. You don’t have to do too much—just swing how you swing and leave the rest up to the iron.
• Super soft grip: These come with the Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grip, which is super soft and comfortable.

Cons

• Not for high handicap: If you’re a high handicap, you can still try these irons. They’re extremely forgiving, so they might work for you, but it’s better to put your money elsewhere. They’re a little pricey, especially if they don’t end up working out.
• Scratches: Some reviewers claim they’ve noticed scratches developing on the club face after less than a year of use. You should always use clubface covers when not using your irons.

Product Specifications

Color	Chrome
Flex Availability	Ladies (L)Stiff (S)Regular (R)
Hand Orientation Availability	Right
Shaft Material Options	GraphiteSteelAlloy Steel
Buying Options	4-GW5 Fli-Hi, 6 Fli-Hi, 7-SW Irons

Factors To Consider When Choosing Blade Irons for Your Golf Bag

Blade irons are the traditional golf clubs used by professionals. They aren’t designed with the features you find in game-improvement clubs, as they’re designed for experienced and superior golfers. You’ll notice that blades have a smaller sweet spot and aren’t as forgiving as other irons you’ve likely played with in the past.

However, there are many blades out there today with characteristics akin to some game-improvement irons, making them easier to play. This allows golfers to get a feel for blades without facing the harsh reality of miss-hits and poor performance after their first attempt without game-improvement irons.

If you’re looking to upgrade to a set of blades, there are a few characteristics you’ll want to look out for, including:

• Technology
• Clubface thickness
• Price

I’ll explain all three below:

Technology

Classic blades are notoriously difficult to play with for the average golfer. In the past, no expert would recommend player’s clubs to casual golfers—it just didn’t make sense. However, many blades on the market today have incorporated new technologies to make blades more forgiving and easier to play with, even for those with a moderate handicap.

Some of those technologies include:

• Tungsten weighting
• Improved face flexibility
• Inverted cone technology
• Microsphere technology

Let’s look at some of the technologies used in the blade iron sets listed in this article:

Golf Clubs	Technology	Score
TaylorMade P790	Tungsten weightingFace flexibilityInverted cone technology	10/10
Callaway Golf Rogue ST Pro Iron Set	Tungsten weightingHollow constructionMicrospheres	10/10
PXG XCOR2 Irons	Lighter materialsWeight redistributionProgressive design	7/10
Mizuno Golf JPX921 Hot Metal Iron Set	Cup faceCORTECH design	8/10

Winner(s): TaylorMade P790, Callaway Golf Rogue ST Pro Iron Set

Clubface Thickness

Player’s clubs utilize thinner heads because it makes it easier to move around the ball. These allow experienced players to control the ball’s trajectory much easier. However, for less experienced players, this can make the clubs more difficult to hit with because of the smaller sweet spot. This can lead to numerous miss-hits and lots of frustration.

However, thinner heads offer a plus side: They offer incredible feedback compared to cavity backs. This is precisely why they’re preferred by professionals. You will know what you did wrong just by how it feels on strike. You can tell a bad hit as soon as the ball comes off of the clubface—or a good one.

So, while you may not want an ultra-thin blade to start (especially if you’re new to blades), you do want a thin face to get the feel of a blade. Over time, this will help you improve your game as you start to understand the feedback. 

Golf Clubs	Clubface Thickness	Score
TaylorMade P790	Thin, wrap-around forged face	9/10
Callaway Golf Rogue ST Pro Iron Set	Thinner, compact shape	7/10
PXG XCOR2 Irons	Thin face	7/10
Mizuno Golf JPX921 Hot Metal Iron Set	Thin face around perimeter	9/10

Winner(s): TaylorMade P790, Mizuno Golf JPX921 Hot Metal Iron Set

Price

Price will play a significant role in the blade irons you choose. If you’re switching to blades because you have a low handicap (in the tens or single digits) and are ready to improve your game, then it’s wise to invest a good amount of money into a set of blades. 

On the other hand, if you’re only investing out of curiosity or because you think you can handle it, you should probably avoid dropping a grand on a set. Fortunately, there are less expensive sets out there for those looking to try them, even if they’re not ready for the full commitment. 

Golf Clubs	Price Range	Score
TaylorMade P790	$$$$	7/10
Callaway Golf Rogue ST Pro Iron Set	$$$$	7/10
PXG XCOR2 Irons	$$	9/10
Mizuno Golf JPX921 Hot Metal Iron Set	$$$	8/10

Winner(s): PXG XCOR2 Irons

Key Takeaways

After considering technology, clubface thickness, price, and a host of other factors, I’ve found that the best overall blade irons for most people are the TaylorMade P790 Set.

Compared to the other irons on this list, the TaylorMade P790 Set makes the most sense for those looking to switch to blades.

Check out the TaylorMade P790 Set today!