Don’t you love that feeling when you make a swing and you hit the ball directly in the center of the clubface?

Like hitting a long-distance marshmallow. The ball just jumps off the face, but it feels like you barely made contact with the ball.

A Great Feeling Right????  If you don’t do it very often, don’t feel bad.  I have gone weeks (OK……MONTHS) without having that feeling.  I sometimes hit the ball off of parts of the club that I didn’t know existed.

But, with new technology and new golf iron sets being released every year, you can find a set of clubs that will not only help you be more consistent, they will likely make the game more enjoyable.

I have put together this rundown of some of the best golf irons for mid-level players.

Lets start with the set of iron sets you will consistently in your friend’s golf bags in 2021.

 

Callaway Golf 2020 Mavrik Max Iron Set

This was a new arrival for 2020; the Mavrik set is truly unique. These clubs are the first golf irons created with AI. (Artificial Intelligence for those of you scoring from home).

By applying the latest innovations in a way that the system knew would benefit a mid-handicap player, the result is this stunning iron set.

Let’s take a closer look at the best features of the Mavrik irons:

  • Flash Face Cup: Unique face architecture in each club ensures more ball speed and improved consistency in the spin.
  • Tungsten-infused Weight: Helps better locate the clubs’ center of gravity to optimize position. This gives you better launches and ball flight on your fairway shots.
  • Patented Urethane Microspheres: These dampen the vibration to deliver magnificent sound and feedback.
  • Maximized COR: Unique use of urethane gives a high-level COR, which gives your shots extra speed.

In all, these are blade irons that become one of the best tools for mid-handicappers to improve their game.

Pros

  • Longest and fastest irons Mavrik has to offer
  • Flexes at impact for more speed
  • High-tech design helps find the center of gravity more easily
  • The inclusion of urethane microspheres helps give better flight and reduced vibration

Cons

  • The stronger lofts can be off-putting for some mid-handicappers

TaylorMade M5 Irons

When boosting distance is the focus of your game improvement, golfers turn to these irons from TaylorMade. Their stiffer overall structure with spring-like face and compact design make them among the best golf irons for this purpose.

Here are the key features of the M5 irons that mid-handicappers will appreciate the most:

  • Speed Bridge: A unique TaylorMade feature integrating a high-strength, mass-efficient structural beam to connect the top line and back bar. Helps stabilize the irons for more speed and distance.
  • Lower Deflection Point: TaylorMade has moved the point of maximum deflection lower on the face to boost performance further.
  • Speed Pocket: The slot behind the face allows more flexing to add to launch height and stability.

This iron set suits golfers of all levels, but a mid-handicapper will find the most value in raising their game to new heights.

Pros

  • Speed Bridge and Speed Pocket help to deliver stability, launch height, and greater ball speed
  • Compact, attractive modern design
  • Ideal improvement irons for someone in need of help raising their game beyond the amateur level
  • Great low center of gravity

Cons

  • Takes some getting used to with its revolutionary design

TaylorMade M6 Iron Set

Can you often get distance but find that your clubs are not forgiving enough? The M6 set from TaylorMade was created just for you.

  • The inclusion of the company’s Speed Bridge technology boosts rigidity and stability. The result is greatly improved ball speed and distance that mid-handicappers will love.
  • Extra-thin Face: The irons are built with varying thicknesses over a large face area, all of which contribute to greater ball speed.
  • Perfect Direction: With off-center positioning designed into the club, you get a forgiving directional bias to ensure better accuracy.
  • Fantastic Sound and Feel: Connected top line and back bar improve sound and feel, reduce vibration, and further boost ball speed.
  • Low Spin, High Launch: Mid-handicappers will love the high yet controlled launches you can achieve with the M6, thanks to effective spin management.

Pros

  • Class-beating stability and control
  • Attractive contemporary design
  • Accurate and forgiving; allows one to play with greater confidence
  • Wonderful sound, even better than its predecessor mid-handicap irons
  • A larger face makes it easier to hit the sweet spot

Cons

  • Mostly just an extension of M5, nothing too dramatic

TaylorMade SIM MAX Irons

Just when you thought that this company would never improve on the M5 or M6 golf irons, along came SIM (Shape in Motion) MAX. Golfers will find more innovations in these irons, making them potentially even better as game improvement irons than the M ranges.

Here’s a taste of the great features that these golf irons deliver.

  • Increased MOI: The ultra-thin face minimizes sidespin, giving straighter, faster ball flight and distance.
  • Speed Bridge and Speed Pocket: Boosting face flexibility and overall club stability and generating a beautiful sound on contact.
  • ECHO Damping System: These geometric channels wrap around the head to lower vibrations upon impact for a superbly comfortable feel during a golf swing.

Pros

  • Flexible and thin face delivers better ball speed
  • Unique face design ensures greater forgiveness; increased MOI also helps to minimize sidespin on ball flight.
  • Troubling vibrations removed by the ECHO Damping System
  • Boosted by unique innovations and additions

Cons

  • The boost in distance is so considerable that it can badly affect your mid-range shots to the green. Golfers have to get used to them first.

Cobra King Forged Tec Irons

Forged Tec clubs can be called game improvement irons, but they look and feel like a whole other league. A mid handicapper feels very powerful and capable with these in hand. They bring power, distance, balance, and, best of all, forgiveness.

The Forged Tec irons for mid-handicappers contain purpose-built features that make them perfect for those wanting to take their game improvement to new heights.

  • Thinner Topline: Together with the offset, the topline makes the club more stable and easier for the player to hit the all-important sweet spot.
  • Ultra-Low Center of Gravity: The iron construction is hollow, and the toe weighting is made of heavier tungsten to ensure a lower center of gravity, which brings easier balance and control.
  • Foam Microspheres: These are placed in the cavity to deliver wonderful sound and minimal vibration.
  • Forged Face Insert: Gives a maximized sweet spot to make the club forgiving and easy for a mid-handicapper to keep up with the best of them.
  • Track Your Progress: The grips of these clubs include sensor technology that allows you to better track your performance on the Arccos Caddie smartphone app. There’s no better game improvement tool than real-time data on how you’re doing.

Pros

  • Thin and flexible PWRSHELL face boosts distance and speed
  • The low gravity center gives control and precision thanks to the tungsten weighting
  • Arccos Caddie smartphone app helps you track progress, which makes it an ideal game-improvement set

Cons

  • Inconsistent performance when it comes to delivering height

Mizuno JPX 919 Hot Metal Pro

With a slimmer top line than the Hot Metal clubs but slightly thicker than Forged irons, the Hot Metal Pro clubs are a great “middle way” for mid-handicap golfers. Less offset and more forgiveness will help you boost your performance.

One thing not to love about these clubs, however, is the sound. It’s the only real disappointing factor. Besides this, they have great features:

  • Cast, Not Forged: The Stability Frame structure uses a cutaway section in the heel, which saves weight and greatly increases the MOI.
  • Thinner Top Line: The reduced offset helps to boost distance and speed
  • Compact Head: More compact design means a smaller cavity, which helps to reduce spin
  • Chrome Finish: These clubs look the part and stand out from the competition with their stunning chrome finish

Pros

  • Big boost to distance
  • Increased MOI and strong forgiveness factor
  • Reduced offset
  • Attractively built with pleasing chrome finish

Cons

  • Loud sound and a hard feel on contact makes it less satisfying and comfortable to use than some others on the list

Cleveland Golf Men’s Launcher HB Iron Set

The Cleveland golf irons for the mid-handicap golfer come with a completely hollow design, solid-steel inserts, and the HiBore (HB) crown that helps give its name. Together they create golf clubs that are forgiving, have a huge, sweet spot, and are pleasant to hold and use.

  • Hollow Construction: Puts the weight deeper and closer to the perimeter, which gives a very high MOI and consistent ball speed.
  • Ultra-thin Face: The high-strength HT1770 steel face flexes more upon impact to boost distance.
  • Lightweight: Graphite shaft makes for a light, easy-to-swing build that suits mid-handicappers perfectly.

Pros

  • Strong and flexible steel face
  • High MOI and hollow construction for maximum forgiveness
  • Light, comfortable feel thanks to the graphite shaft
  • Huge sweet spot
  • Easy to hit straight and high

Cons

  • Doesn’t represent a huge leap forward from earlier (and better value) clubs

Ping Men’s i210 Irons

The i210 irons for mid-handicappers were created to replace the i200 set. They feature a softer feel, better scope for consistent hitting, as well as a sharp, clean look with a straighter toe and more pleasing edges.

  • Increased Ball Speed: Lighter shaft allows for an easy swing and quicker club speed.
  • Cavity Back Irons: This design shifts the weight and increases forgiveness to make the i210 the ideal golf game-improvement iron.
  • Larger Insert: The soft insert is 30 percent larger than the i200, which adds weight in the right places, as well as enhancing the damping effect.

Pros

  • A flexible, forgiving, light, and easy-to-use iron ideal for a mid-handicap golfer
  • Larger inserts and cavity-back design bring high forgiveness with improved distance
  • Light construction allows for a more varied swing speed range
  • A big enhancement on their previous iron sets

Cons

  • Offset in the club head might be too excessive for those seeking to reach a low handicap

Cleveland Launcher CBX Irons

If you’ve struggled in the past with long irons, then this offering from Cleveland could be your ideal solution. You hit the golf ball with the capability of long irons but with the control of shorter golf clubs.

  • Enlarged Cavity: The larger CBX cavity back creates a bigger sweet spot and will be forgiving even on the more disastrous shots.
  • Stronger Lofts: Players will get the ball further, and they’ll find these lofts printed on the bottoms, which means they can get the right wedge and hybrid.
  • V-Shaped Sole: It glides through the turf for solid, clean contact despite its larger sold design.
  • Matte Finish: Unique aesthetic that sets the club head apart from others.

Pros

  • Nice, high launches with great distance
  • Enlarged cavity makes club forgiveness greater
  • Clean and crisp sound with a comfortable feel
  • Ideal for those who hit more toward the toe

Cons

  • The matte finish makes scratches more obvious

Callaway Rogue X Irons

When you can’t quite get everything you want from a standard set, what you need is customization. These clubs from Callaway allow you to select only the clubs you want in your set.

The Rogue X is an evolution of the standard Rogue irons. They are longer and deeper to create a lower gravity center and greater forgiveness.

  • Greater Offset: Together with the raised trailing edge in the sole puts weight further back without diminishing the overall impact quality.
  • 360 Face Cup: Spread over a larger area on the club head to deliver better ball speeds even when the hit is off-center.
  • Urethane Microspheres: Actively reduces vibrations in the irons and delivers a higher-quality sound.

Pros

  • Players can customize their irons set more easily to meet their needs
  • Difficult to tell when you deliberately hit well or by accident because of high forgiveness level
  • 360 Face Cup helps to boost speed every time
  • Reduced vibration and nice sound on contact

Cons

  • Shallow descent angle is common, which can cause too much roll when you don’t want it

Cobra F7 Irons

Sometimes you don’t need to look to the newest item to get the best results. These great-value irons from Cobra offer a reduced top line, as well as a thin, flexible face.

  • Mid-Size Club Head: Adds universal appeal to these irons compared to some more extreme options that only fit certain player niches.
  • Varied Cavity Size: Short irons and wedges feature a reduced cavity to optimize performance.
  • Thin, Flexible Face: Allows for much higher ball speeds and nice, clean contact.
  • Lightweight Build: Player can increase their swing speed with ease thanks to the strong but lightweight construction.

Pros

  • Cavity back allows for better forgiveness
  • Sold mid-size club well-suited to the mid-handicapper looking to improve their game
  • Light and easy to swing with a faster swing speed

Cons

  • Good for basic fundamentals, but hard to shape shots at a higher level of play

Titleist 718 AP3 Irons

The Ap3 set is an evolution of the previous AP1 and AP2 sets from Titleist. If you’ve used the AP2 and thought they were too compact to play consistently, then the AP3 is a much better compromise for you.

  • Classic Look with New Features: A mid-size head accompanies the classic Titleist lines for a great look that goes with better consistency.
  • Hollow Blade Construction: Cavity and undercut design with high-density tungsten weights in the heel and tow bring stability and forgiveness.
  • High-Strength Steel Insert: The L-face insert wraps the sole to help boost speed even from a low strike.
  • Pre-Worn Edge: The leading edge is pre-worn to create better interaction with the turf.

Pros

  • Easy to blend with other sets without compromising on performance
  • Excellent sound and feel, especially for anyone previously used to Forged irons
  • Strong levels of consistency and can carry over into your play even after you join the ranks of the low-handicap golfers
  • Fantastic accuracy and distance

Cons

  • Weaker lofts in the 3- to 9-iron clubs can be hard to acclimatize at first

And the Winner Is…Callaway Golf 2020 Mavrik Max Iron Set

Callaway Golf 2020 Mavrik Max Iron SetThe best golf irons on the market for mid-handicappers will offer game improvement; irons that are forgiving are designed with a cavity back and are generally on the large side.

That is EXACTLY What the Callaway Mavrik Max Irons can do for you.  – See Latest Price on Amazon Here.

There’s no doubt that this list was full of game-improvement irons, but none to the caliber of the Callaway set.

The biggest standout attraction is the AI-generated cup face. The bounce effect from each time you hit the ball will take golfers aback with the speed it can generate. Furthermore, its unique and even customizable features like the tungsten weight per loft.

These are clubs that help you to own your game. Golfers will love the feeling of empowerment and control that the Mavrik Max iron set gives to them.

What to Look For with Mid-Handicapper Irons

For mid-handicap golfers, the ultimate prize is breaking through that elusive wall and finally reaching the dizzying lows of the pro-level handicaps. Choosing the right irons is a big part of completing that journey.

Ideal mid-handicappers’ blade irons will:

  • Contact as the longest, the five iron, and go to a pitching wedge, possibly even a sand wedge.
  • Be cavity-backed to ensure a larger, easier-to-hit sweet spot on the clubface.
  • Have perimeter weighting to further enhance that larger sweet spot.
  • An offset hosel to assist with straight ball flight free from side spin.

A 3- or 4-iron is a very unlikely inclusion in an iron set because of the relative difficulty mid-handicappers have with them. You could switch them out for a quality fairway wood or a hybrid. Get a set together like this, and you’ll have the ideal mid-handicapper irons.

Below we’ll look at some of the features in clubface and weighting from which mid-handicappers will benefit most:

Clubface

How forgiving your irons are and therefore how well you fare on the course could well entirely lie in the make-up and quality of the clubface of the iron you’re using. Ideal golf irons for mid-handicappers have larger faces and enlarged sweet spots (often supported by a cavity-back design).

Weighting

One of the best things to look for is incorporated tungsten. It’s far better than steel for golfers looking to drive down their handicap. Tungsten adds to the iron’s forgiveness and will help correct when mistakes are made.

Summary

Every stroke that you can eliminate from your game brings you one step closer to becoming a low-handicapper. The best golf irons on the market are the ones that help you edge steadily toward that by honing fundamental elements of your game: balance, accuracy, distance, speed.

Get clubs with which you can make consistent, clean contact that allows you the space to focus on distances instead of worrying about slicing or bad vibrations. Also, remember that as design goes, the cavity back is your greatest ally.

Best Golf Club for Mid-Handicappers for Game Improvement

The fact is that no set of irons or single golf club is going to be the one that brings all golfers to the low-handicap zone.

Therefore, the first thing to remember is that you need clubs that work for you, probably starting with a wider clubface like that of a five iron, that has the perimeter weighting to deliver forgiveness and consistent contact.

A cavity-back irons design will help because it moves the force of the club to the front. This in turn brings you a larger and more accessible sweet spot. Nice, strong contact is the key to accuracy, and that’s what you need to guarantee a solid green landing every time.  (Then you can use your Green reading knowledge to drain more putts)

Be ready to encounter a huge and unsettling amount of choice in the world of mid-handicap irons. Every golfer on the golf course will be trying to convert you to their preferred brand.

The best thing to do is to try as many as you can and see whose particular innovations suit your needs.

Remember that with a mid-handicap, you are not a novice golfer. You’ve hit a golf ball or two around the golf course. The clubs that we’ve listed today are all tailored toward mid-handicap players. They’re built to boost launch angle, increase distance and speed, and offer the kinds of max-impact technology like proper perimeter weighting.

Other things to consider include shaft material, price, and unique features. Don’t believe every brand when they say their groundbreaking feature will change the way you hit the golf ball forever. Some changes are innovative, but others can be gimmicky. This is why trying clubs out for yourself is essential.

Thank you for taking the time to visit User Experience Online and reading this far. I love to help people enjoy the game of golf, and hope you will come back in the near future. I am writing as fast as possible and hope to have many more reviews available in the next few months.

If you are currently a mid-handicapper and you check back often, I am sure you’ll join the ranks of the low-handicap golfers in the next few months.