Time To Redo Your Distances
CRITERIA
Our judges evaluated Hot List candidates in four areas.
- Performance ( 45%)
What happens to the ball when it’s struck by the club. - Innovation ( 30%)
How a ball’s technology, advances the category. - Look/Sound/Feel ( 20%)
What the golfer experiences before, during and after impact. - Demand ( 5%)
The relative interest in a product and its reputation.
(L) Low-Handicapper | (M) Mid-Handicapper | (H) High-Handicapper
Callaway
APEX CF 16
Performance 5 stars
Innovation 4½ stars
Look / sound / feel 5 stars
Demand 4 stars
Verdict This is the kind of club Callaway excels at: it has a pleasing shape yet maintains the easy-to-hit look at address that’s a must for a game-improvement iron. The spring-like cupface (in which the face wraps around the top and sole to enhance flex) provides plenty of pop in the long and middle irons, and there is more than enough forgiveness to assist the middle-handicapper. Judging by our testers’ reaction to this club the past two years (a convincing five stars in Performance and Look/Sound/Feel each time), if there were a Mount Rushmore for game-improvement irons, this one would be on it.
Comments (L) It has the sensation of staying on the clubface longer before springing off it. (L) It has it all: I could hit fades or draws on command. (M) Even the thin hits felt good. That’s insane.
Callaway
STEELHEAD XR
Performance 4½ stars
Innovation 4½ stars
Look / sound / feel 4 stars
Demand 5 stars
Verdict There’s an old saying that there are few new ideas, only better execution. That could apply to the Steelhead XR. Callaway has taken the proven, reliable shape of its Steelhead X-14 iron of more than a decade ago and married it with the modern horsepower of the wraparound cupface found in its more recent irons. The result is a club with power where you need it. The centre of gravity is low and deep in the long and middle irons for better performance on mis-hits, and the zippy face provides a turbo-boost near the R&A’s limit on spring-like effect.
Comments (L) The feedback at impact is informative. (H) There’s a lot of technology straightening out your ball flight.
Cobra
KING F7 / F7 ONE LENGTH
Performance 4½ stars
Innovation 5 stars
Look / sound / feel 4 stars
Demand 3½ stars
Verdict We could get into all the technical mumbo jumbo of the four different head designs, but that might just confuse you. That said, the progressive-set idea is significant and useful in that it alters the face flexibility, centre of gravity and spin to optimise the performance of each game-improvement iron. And what of the one-length option? All clubs in the set are designed at a 7-iron length. The weight added to the heel and toe of the long irons also help stability and launch. Judging by our testers, the single-length idea – while not for everyone – has appeal.
Comments (M) A very effective club. The dispersion pattern was tight. (H) The sweet spot feels really large. I also like the thump at impact.
Mizuno
JPX 900 HOT METAL
Performance 5 stars
Innovation 4½ stars
Look / sound / feel 5 stars
Demand 3 stars
Verdict For a number of years Mizuno has fought the perception that its irons sacrificed distance in favour of a look and feel that appealed to better-than-average players. Its 2017 line addresses that concern and makes a strong case that it has the power to go along with the good looks. The JPX 900 features a steel alloy in a single-piece casting to produce the thinnest face ever on a Mizuno iron at two millimetres. The result is an iron that can produce ball speeds normally seen in irons with cupface, sole-slot or face-insert designs.
Comments (L) Pierced through the air like a fighter jet at the right altitude. (H) You can feel the sole work for you. Didn’t chunk any despite some poor swings.
Ping
G
Performance 4½ stars
Innovation 4½ stars
Look / sound / feel 4 stars
Demand 4½ stars
Verdict How do you make the ball fly faster off an iron? One way is to make the face thinner. To do that you need a material strong enough to hold up at impact. For Ping’s G iron that meant using a new heat-treatment process to create what it calls “hyper” 17-4 stainless steel, which the company says is 40-percent stronger than traditional stainless steel. The irons also feature a circular structure in the back cavity to improve performance on mis-hits across more of the face. The result is four times the amount of face deflection compared to the G30 irons.
Comments (L) The sound is killer crisp. You know with your ears if you hit it well. (M) A green-in-regulation monster. Mis-hits will still have enough to get you home. (M) Takes a lot of the guesswork out. Doesn’t deviate much in direction or distance from shot to shot.
Srixon
Z 565
Performance 5 stars
Innovation 4 stars
Look / sound / feel 4½ stars
Demand 2 stars
Verdict This iron is the 12-handicapper’s secret weapon on the first tee. Your opponents might just think you don’t have nearly enough forgiveness in the bag and double the bet amount. Little do they know that within the sleek exterior is plenty of golf club. It starts with a high-strength-steel face insert that provides superior energy off the face. And don’t overlook the slight V-shape to the sole, which increases the effective bounce. This helps players maintain distance on shots hit fat, especially for those who come into the ball at a steep angle of attack.
Comments (L) Has a nice, light head that you can motor through the hitting zone. (M) Exceptional feel. It comes off smooth and consistent.
TaylorMade
M1
Performance 5 stars
Innovation 4½ stars
Look / sound / feel 4 stars
Demand 4 stars
Verdict Designing clubs for better players is a strength of TaylorMade. So in designing the M1 iron, the company sought to combine the speed and forgiveness of its M2 model with a more compact look that offers a hint of workability. The moderate offset and straighter leading edge provide an attractive look, and tungsten in the toe of the 3 through 7-irons gave designers more freedom to create the desired head shape without sacrificing ease of launch or forgiveness. Speed off the face isn’t an issue, either, because a pocket in the sole and slots in the face are technologies that have been carried over from previous TaylorMade irons.
Comments (L) These lead the league in hang time. The ball just stays in the air. (M) The sole slot must work. Good distance on shots hit two grooves low on the face.
TaylorMade
M2 (2017)
Performance 4 stars
Innovation 4½ stars
Look / sound / feel 4 stars
Demand 5 stars
Verdict A worthy follow-up to last year’s model, the new M2 was tweaked in the right places (note the addition of face slots). With every gram of weight precious, the revised hosel requires less material and has a slot to make bending it for fitting easier. The undercut in the topline saves weight, allowing for a lower centre of gravity. Kudos to TaylorMade for researching how to improve sound in a thin-face iron. The cavity badge has been revamped with ribs and damping tape to optimise the acoustics and feel.
Comments (L) The feel of these irons is tremendous. Centre hits jump off the face. (M) Beautifully constructed, and the weighting is well balanced. They look good in the bag, too. (H) The sole seems to float through the grass.
Titleist
716 AP1
Performance 4½ stars
Innovation 4½ stars
Look / sound / feel 4½ stars
Demand 4 stars
Verdict A comforting club for those wanting to avoid something that looks like it belongs in a toolbox. The well-proportioned clubhead plows through the turf thanks to a pre-worn leading edge. There’s no trouble getting the ball in the air (even with strong lofts) because of the high-density tungsten that moves the centre of gravity low. The True Temper XP 90 shaft is light enough to help generate additional swing speed that creates chest-puffing distance.
Comments (L) The apex of the flight seemed to occur more towards the end before dropping down gently on the green. Loved that. (M) It wasn’t the best in any one area, but the sum of being good in all aspects made this a standout. (H) The traditional look is highly appealing.
Fourteen
TC-544FG
Performance 4 stars
Innovation 3½ stars
Look / sound / feel 4 stars
Demand 1 star
Verdict Fourteen is best known in the United States for its wedges, but its irons shouldn’t be overlooked. In fact, this set could have many thinking fundamentally differently about how the iron set should be put together. It starts with a 23-degree 5-iron with a 39-inch shaft. That’s often the loft of a 4-iron and length of a 3-iron. The strong lofts include a 42-degree pitching wedge. However, thanks to the deep undercut cavity in this one-piece forging, there’s plenty of weight down low, so achieving height isn’t an issue. Price, however, is a consideration. These don’t come cheap – especially for seven sticks.
Comments (L) Straight and forgiving: Shots found their destination better than Google Maps. (M) The look is minimalistic in an appetising way.
Honma
TW737 P
Performance 4 stars
Innovation 3½ stars
Look / sound / feel 4 stars
Demand 1 star
Verdict Once primarily an Asia-only brand, Honma is attempting to make a push with its products in the elsewhere around the world. Judging by some of our testers’ reactions, this club should find an audience. Known for its classic forged shapes, Honma offers this soft-feeling cast version that keeps the looks but adds some punch and forgiveness. The pocket cavity creates a lower centre of gravity, making it easier to launch the ball in the air. Stronger lofts and a face that’s firmer on the outside and softer on the inside neatly mix force and feel for distance with the ability to control.
Comments (L) Perhaps not the most forgiving, but the feel was best in class. (M) The turf interaction is so good you feel like hitting more balls on the range.
Mizuno
JPX 900 FORGED
Performance 4 stars
Innovation 4 stars
Look / sound / feel 4 stars
Demand 3 stars
Verdict The company continues to extend its expertise in forged irons into its game-improvement iron offerings. It might not be as confidence-inspiring at address as others on our list, but there’s plenty to like for middle-handicappers. The rear cavity has been enlarged, resulting in a weight savings of 21.5 grams that was redistributed to the perimeter to bolster forgiveness. The company’s emphasis on sound and feel is evident as well. That’s important when you have a thin, multi-thickness face designed to produce the type of ball speed needed to compete in this category.
Comments (L) This is a perfect club for a 10-handicapper who is getting better and trending towards single digits. (M) I like how the finish greatly reduces glare at address.
Tour Edge
EXOTICS CB PRO TUNGSTEN
Performance 4 stars
Innovation 4½ stars
Look / sound / feel 4 stars
Demand 1 star
Verdict It’s not the most attractive iron on our list, but the heft screams you’re going to be able to produce a powerful strike. In some ways it’s like a good IPA beer – not for everyone, but thoroughly enjoyable for those who appreciate the extra boost. The hollow-body irons have a boatload of tungsten in the sole (from 90 to 95 grams, depending on the iron) that greatly assists launch without having to rely on an extra wide sole to do so. The bevelled leading edge of the sole blasts through the turf, helping mitigate those fat shots middle-handicappers have from time to time.
Comments (L) These are a smooth operator, and everything comes off stable. Lots of tech, but well hidden at address. (M) If you’re trying to sandbag, you’d put these in your bag. So good for the over-the-top, shut-face,
low-ball hitter.
When a Clubmaker Declines to Participate
A new protocol for 2018
Given the amount of publicity generated by PXG in 2016, it’s logical that attentive readers would ask why its clubs aren’t to be found on this year’s Hot List. Certainly, we were as interested as anyone to put them through our testing process and find out how the clubs stack up against irons from other companies. Unfortunately, after numerous requests to submit clubs and relevant technical data for review by our academic panel, PXG declined to participate. With the exception of a few niche companies (Miura, XXIO, Krank), we haven’t faced this situation before, but it was clear to us that, in fairness, we could not include PXG this year.
However, the situation did prod us to develop a protocol going forward. Starting with the 2018 Hot List, every effort will be made by Golf Digest to obtain and fit clubs to our testers specs of any product deemed by the judges to be relevant in the market, regardless of whether the company submits them for testing. Because our process is considerably more comprehensive than just hitting clubs, we will obtain as much supporting technical documentation about these products as possible to share with our academic panel. This will be done to allow us to continue providing readers with the most comprehensive ranking of golf equipment in the industry. – E.M.J.
