WHAT’S MY ABILITY?

Smaller profile

Better player irons are designed to appeal to decent golfers, and most above average players don’t want iron heads the size of shovels. Heads typically are shorter from toe to heel, which drops MOI and forgiveness (making the iron more workable). Less offset means the centre of gravity is further forwards, too, which gives a lower ball flight. Most players’ irons also have thinner top lines.

Small cavity back

Players’ irons regularly have small cavity backs (apart from muscleback blades of course), but the size and depth will typically be smaller than you’ll find on game improver or super game improver models. Often players’ irons won’t have fast face tech as some golfers at this level feel they can cause inconsistencies. You will though find springy faces on players’ distance irons with hollow bodies (like the new Taylormade P790s and Ping’s i500s).

Weaker lofts

Better players tend to be less focused on distance with irons, and are more interested in accuracy. Slightly higher lofts help get shots landing on a steep descent which can help with shot to shot predictability. Mizuno’s MP-20 MB 7-iron has a 34° loft whereas their JPX919 Hot Metal Pro is 30°, which is a full club difference. Golfers thinking about better player irons really shouldn’t be looking for distance; if you are, look very closely at players’ distance irons with hollow bodies.

Heavier shafts

Better player irons regularly come with heavier shafts like a 120g Dynamic Gold, whereas game improver models will often be 30g lighter. The extra weight allows the shaft to be designed to deal with the extra speed and forces that quicker swings generate, a trait of above average golfers.

Less offset, narrower sole

Blade and muscleback irons have the thinnest soles, as good players feel they can pick shots more cleanly off the turf. Less offset means the leading edge is much more in line with the hosel (rather than set behind it) which requires a solid downward strike to get shots airborne, especially in the longer irons.

Largest profile

Irons don’t come any more forgiving. Bigger heads mean more weight can be placed around the extremities, preserving ball speed and playability on off-centre hits. If you insist on forged irons you’ll see there aren’t many forged super game improver irons to choose from, and it comes down to how many golfers at this level can’t feel or notice the difference between cast or forged models. SGI irons are sometimes low profile, which helps lower and deepen the centre of gravity (like PXG’S 0311 SGI Gen2).

Twice the difference

It’s common for the hosel offset, sole width and topline thickness of SGI irons to be twice or more than that of a better player model. All that mass in the right location aids stability and forgiveness. Comparing Callaway’s Apex Pro 19 and Rogue X (not forged), the Rogue has 4.5mm more offset (3.22mm vs 7.7mm) in the 5-iron, which is huge. That plays a part at least in making the stronglofted Rogue X playable.

Not always the strongest lofts

Lots of brands now recognise the average age of golfers is on the rise, so their most forgiving iron ranges are often aimed at moderate swing speed players. And moderate swing speeds need help launching shots higher, not lower, so these irons regularly have slightly more loft (than a distance orientated game improver model) to help average players flight shots for maximum distance. Callaway’s game improving Epic Forged (with a 27° 7-iron) is a great example, compared to the company’s more forgiving Big Bertha iron (a super game improver) which has a 30° 7-iron loft.

Hybrid irons

Any golfers seriously considering a super game improver iron should also ask themselves if they can accept a whole set of hybrid irons. The hollow heads will offer ultimate forgiveness, but we completely understand some golfers struggle to accept playing the game with what is essentially a bag full of hybrids.

Sound and feel

Most SGI irons tend to be cast, rather than forged, because casting lets engineers more easily wring performance from these heads than forged alternatives. If you’ve tried SGI irons before and never quite been sold on how they sound and feel, there’s never been a better time to give them another chance. Engineers better understand how vibrations from oversized heads lead to sound and feel issues, and now counteract them with reinforcing bars and dampers.