HIGH-HANDICAP IRONS

CALLAWAY PARADYM AI SMOKE HL

£899 (s), £999 (g)

Stock shafts: True Temper Elevate 85/95 (s), PX Cypher 2.070/60/50 (stiff, reg, light), Mitsubishi Tensei Blue White (40-light), Mitsubishi Eldio (women’s)

7-iron loft: 30°

Forgiveness rating: 4/5 TG VERDICT: Not all that long ago, Callaway’s entry into this category would have had the brand’s strongest lofts. Today, the HL is a couple of degrees weaker than the mass-market Ai Smoke iron, and it’s much the better for it.

Our test pro really enjoyed hitting this simple cast cavity back iron. The head is a decent shape and size and unlike some previous Callaway game improver irons, the top edge width does not completely dominate the look.

It produced the fastest ball speed of the entire category, an impressive 2.8mph or 2.2% faster than our test average. It also launched a fraction lower than our average, spinning at good levels while peaking out higher and hitting the green at a steeper descent angle than average. It all adds up to a really playable iron on the course, as shots will hit the green and stop quickly.

As the second longest hitting iron in the category and with our joint smallest carry distance drop-off and the second smallest shot area, it’s easy to see why the HL gets a Best Of badge.

CLEVELAND HALO XL FULL FACE

£699 (s), £719 (g)

Stock shafts: KBS Tour Lite (s), USE Helium Nanocore 60 (g)

7-iron loft: 29°

Forgiveness rating: 4/5

TG VERDICT: Every time our pro tests hybrid irons, he asks why golfers insist on making the game harder than it needs to be by using smaller, more compact irons.

In the past the Halo has been super easy to launch at very average club golfer speeds. This time around, thanks to a slightly stronger 7-iron loft (0.5° stronger than the previous model), you’ll need nothing less than average levels of speed to get the very best out of it. The Halo launched and flew lower, with less spin and a shallower descent angle than our test averages, so be aware there may be slightly friendlier models out there if you don’t have speed in abundance. The Halo won’t win any beauty contests, especially with this generation coming with unnecessary full-face grooves. But as it always has, this model will help a mishit shot carry a lake, bunker or hazard, which will aid your enjoyment of the game, cut down on lost balls and shave strokes from your scores.

ELEVEN

£520 (5-PW)

Stock Shaft: KBS TGI

7-iron loft: 31°

Forgiveness rating: 5/5 TG VERDICT: These clubs are so easy not just to hit, but to hit well. Granted, this model is not going to be for everyone. But if your game needs maximum help, and your swing speed is slipping away, our data highlights how they would be a brilliant choice.

Thanks to the hybrid body width, our #7 Eleven sample produced masses of spin (13.5% more than our test average), shot height (11.1% more than our test average) and descent angle (6.5% steeper than our test average) – exactly what slower speed players need to hit better approach shots. The model was also bang on average for carry distance and generated a shot area 15.7% smaller than average – this is a forgiving hybrid option geared to erratic golfers who spray shots across the face.

For this price, we’re pleased to see Eleven hybrids now come with KBS TGI shafts as standard, a move our test pro thought upped stability and delivered more pop off the face than last year’s model. If you don’t want a full set or just want to buy them individually, prices run to £89.99 each – a steal.