How Do Golf Irons Work?

Getting started with golf irons can be confusing because there are so many of them, and, to a novice, it isn’t evident how they are any different from other clubs.

Golf irons use a smaller, denser club head to drive the ball with more precision. They reduce the burden of momentum, so you don’t have to swing with as much strength. As a result, you can be more deliberate with your shots and reduce your overall score.

In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about getting golf irons, including the best golf iron set. This includes whether irons are necessary and which iron is the best all-rounder to adopt if you are confined to getting only one. Let’s get started!

Can You Have a Golf Club Set Without Irons?

There is no rule that mandates having golf irons. You can play golf with only woods in your set or without a set altogether! But the result of not having an iron is a very high score. Some golfers use only irons, but no one of note uses only woods.

So, if you are on a budget and are shopping for golf clubs, you need to focus on irons, even if that means letting go of woods. According to our analysis of the PGA Tour’s equipment report, not one pro golfer has zero irons in their bag.

In fact, the most crucial club switches near the hole have all been in favor of irons. When you think of irons, you must think of precision.

Why Do You Need a Golf Iron?

You need a golf iron to hit the ball with more precision and predictability. However, the irons’ weight and density-dictated (small) heads make it harder for beginners to make contact with the ball.

Moreover, these clubs don’t drive the balls as far as woods.

The Best Golf Iron to Get You Started

If you are looking to get started with golf irons, you need to get a club that is as versatile as an iron gets. But instead of getting just any 6-iron, you must opt for a club that is backed by a reliable brand and is built with high-quality materials and engineering.

The best golf iron to get started is the Callaway Golf Mavik Max 6-iron. Although the club is pricey, it is one of the most durable 6-irons consistent use.

The Mavrik club is the first of its kind from Callaway in that the industry pioneer in using artificial intelligence for the first time to improve the performance of its clubs.

Not only does this iron have the potential for precision, but it also has higher flight than its counterparts. Given that it is Callaway-backed, there is no doubt that it will last. Its global average rating stands at 4.7 out of 5 stars, which is aggregated from over 700 reviews and ratings.

This is a reliable enough indicator that there’s very little regret associated with this purchase.

What to Look For in a Golf Iron?

Given that precision is baked into most golf irons’ designs, you should look for the club’s forgiveness rating. As long as a club is good at shot shaping and distance control, it will serve you well.

The advantage of getting a high-forgiveness golf iron is that your botched shots will stay at a minimum. Poor swings and angling are both offset by an expertly designed golf club.

Of course, if you get a club that is too forgiving, you might acquire a swing-correction handicap. But since irons inherently require more mastery than woods, you cannot get too handicapped on iron dependence.

Distance control and shot shaping also have their own advantages. Distance control allows you to use fewer irons because you can get a higher-driving one and lower the distance of the ball. Shot shaping can improve your performance on the fairway.

It is tough to actually find a golf iron that has excellent shot shaping, distance control, and forgiveness. Usually, the irons do well on one to two of the areas simultaneously.

Overall, you should look for multiple irons to fulfill different needs on the golf course. These include ball flight, spin, forgiveness, and control.

Which Golf Iron Is an All-Rounder?

6-iron is an all-rounder in golf and can be used for anything you can exercise precision, high-flight launches, and putting with it. If you’re confined to buying only one club, then you should make it a 6-iron but must be prepared to practice a lot.

The 6-iron’s own build backs its position as an all-rounder. Given the 30-degree loft, this iron is right in the middle (in terms of angle) of a driver and pitching wedge.

Ultimately, 6-iron’s versatility speaks for its potential, not its guaranteed performance. Your work ethic, dedication to the course, and ability to offset the club’s lacks all play into your success with a 6-iron.

In most cases, the effort required to solo a course with a 6-iron is not worth the money you save by not buying other irons. The best way to build a club set on a budget is to first get a 6-iron, then try a course and notice points of frustration.

You should make a note of the functions where you find the iron inadequate and get clubs specifically for those goals. This way, you’ll build a set of 3 to 4 clubs that, with hard work, will beat equipment-rich players.

The Biggest Mistakes of Buying a Golf Iron?

The biggest mistake you can make when buying a golf iron is to bargain-shop the club. It is very easy for manufacturers to produce irons these days, and using weak alloys and cheap materials, clubs can be made at a fraction of the price of a Callaway or a TaylorMade.

But cheaper clubs lack the engineering brilliance of bigger brands. Buying a single versatile club is better than getting a tacky club set that costs the same.

Final Thoughts

Golf irons work by using density to pack a punch in the swing. This reduces the need for a massive swing, which allows the golfer to focus on the hole. These clubs are considered essential and are used in conjunction with golf woods.