MID-HANDICAP IRON

CALLAWAY PARADYM Ai SMOKE

£899 (s), £999 (g)

Stock shafts: True Temper Elevate 85/95 (s), Project X Cypher 2.0 70/60/50, Mitsubishi Tensei Blue White (g), Mitsubishi Eldio (Women’s)

7-iron loft: 28°

Forgiveness rating: 3/5

TG VERDICT: The cast, hollow-bodied, stronglofted Ai Smoke is aimed squarely at mid-handicap players and game-improvers who won’t entertain spending more than

£1k on a set of irons. And from what we’ve so far seen, it’s a cracking option for golfers who possess a decent degree of club speed.

Returning the fastest ball speed (130.6mph) of the entire mid-handicap category while being just a yard back from posting the longest 7-iron carry, we can safely say this is a powerful beast in the right hands. The whole idea of the club’s hollow body and fast face is that shots launch higher and with less spin, so the ball travels further. But what’s really encouraging is how the Smoke produced bang on average launch, spin and descent angle numbers, so shots aren’t just flying like low-spin bullets that won’t stop on a green.

Undoubtedly, there will be critics who hold up the Ai Smoke’s 18-yard carry distance drop-off as a drawback of using an uncontrollable modern, fast face, hollow body iron. But our data is created using a pro; club golfers at lesser speeds are very likely to see smaller differences between on and off-centre hits, and our second most accurate iron in the category (Ping G430) also boasts similar thin, fast face tech. From what we’ve seen, we have zero reservations in naming the Ai Smoke among our top four mid-handicap irons of 2024.

TAYLORMADE Qi

£143 (s), £157 (g) per club

Stock shafts: KBS Max 85 (s) , Fujikura Ventus Blue TR (g)

7-iron loft: 28°

Forgiveness rating: 3.5/5

TG VERDICT: The Qi has a huge amount going for it. The model has a really attractive and desirable head shape and profile, yet it maintains good levels of hosel offset to help flight shots higher for additional carry. Our test pro’s hitting data shines a light on how the Qi is a quick and powerful iron. At 198 yards, it was tied at the top of the pile as the longest mid-handicap iron we hit this year. It also posted our third fastest ball speed – impressive when you see it doesn’t have the very strongest lofted 7-iron in the category. Those headline numbers are all well and good, but our eye was drawn to how it launched and flew higher than our test averages. That led to shots hitting the green at a steeper angle, making the Qi playable in a way traditional strong-lofted irons never were a decade ago. Throw in a dispersion/shot area 2.2% tighter than our test average and it’s without doubt a top performer.

TITLEIST T350

£178.50 (s), £192.50 (g) per club, or £1,249.50 (s), £1,347.50 (g) for seven irons

Stock shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White, Mitsubishi Tensei White AM2

7-iron loft: 34°

Forgiveness rating: 2.5/5

TG VERDICT: Titleist irons have historically struggled to feature among our very top performing irons of the year, which predominantly comes down to the brand’s summer launch schedule. Even though the T350 isn’t the fastest, longest or most accurate, the data and its overall performance highlights it as a top performer. Most of us want to play clubs we like the look of, and there aren’t many more attractive mid-handicap iron options on the market than the T350. We love the straight top edge, the fact the face hasn’t a ton of hosel offset and how, even though the head’s bigger than the T200, it’s still really easy on the eye when sat behind the ball. Our data has it almost bang on our test averages, which may not scream top performer. But throw in a forged face, a ton of tungsten toe weighting to up MOI and an array of top fitting options (which many in the category can’t compete with), and this should be on your shortlist to try. We’ve played it since August and really like the sound and feel, along with how the slightly weaker lofts (compared to some of the competition) help flight shots for maximum playability, not just for all-out speed or distance. To take full advantage of what Titleist have to offer, ensure you get properly fitted.

PING G430

£150 (s), £160 (g) per club

Stock shafts: Ping AWT 2.0 (s), Ping Alta CB Black (g)

7-iron loft: 29°

Forgiveness rating: 3.5/5 TG VERDICT: The G430 remains a force to be reckoned with, even though they’re now entering their second year on the shelf. The G family have evolved into an attractive and desirable model (especially in the shorter irons and wedges), yet they remain ultraforgiving, a point highlighted by the model posting the second smallest carry distance drop-off and second tightest shot area of our entire category. The G430s weren’t our fastest or longest mid-handicap irons of the year, but their numbers consistently hovered around the test averages for every metric except dispersion, where they excelled. We’ve tested the G430 many times now and while some will say the blade lengths of the mid and longer irons are a little longer than some (which helps nudge up MOI forgiveness), we’d happily spend our own money on a set. If you find the lofts are a fraction strong for your average swing speed, all Ping irons come with the option of Retro (weaker) and Power (stronger) lofts. And if you’re really struggling to flight shots for maximum carry, there’s also a lighter and more lively HL version. If your game teeters on the edges of the mid-handicap category, it’s well worth noting that a new i530 players’ distance iron and G730 super game improvement iron are on their way in April.