TOP 10 PLAYERS’ IRONS

Cobra King Tour | £1,099

TG VERDICT It’s been a very long time since a Cobra iron bagged top honours in a TG players’ iron test, but the simple and elegant new King Tour is well worthy of such lofty ranking. There’s a tiny bit of tech built in with variable depth milled pockets in the shallow cavity backs, which add a fraction more playability on the long irons and increase the flight control on the scoring clubs. Highly impressive.

Taylormade P770 | £1,149

TG VERDICT The P770 is tough to categorise, but thanks to its players’ profile (and weak, 34° 7-iron loft), which Taylormade cram with as much ball speed and forgiveness-enhancing tech as they can, we see this as the modern-day players’ iron. If you’re happy to accept tech within the players’ iron arena, the P770 is just about as good as they come.

Ping i230 | £180 (s), £190 (g) per club

TG VERDICT Our test pro loved the feel and feedback of the i230 and is happily playing a set in his own bag, which speaks volumes. Our data has the model sat bang in and around our test averages on every metric barring shot area, where the i230 registered a dispersion area 33.6% tighter than our test average. Make sure you take advantage of Ping’s brilliant fitting options to unleash your full potential.

Srixon ZX7 MK II | £999 (s), £1,099 (g)

TG VERDICT If you’re the type of purist who believes players’ irons should never have thin, fast faces, strong lofts or anything other than a traditional, unfussy one-piece look, then the ZX7 will be right up your street. Srixon’s thoroughly modern MK II irons are now more than capable of giving Mizuno’s rightly celebrated models a serious run for their money on looks, feel and desirability.

PXG 0311 T GEN5 | £249 per club

TG VERDICT The T’s head shape, design and look are phenomenally good. We love how each iron is robotically polished to ensure shape consistency, and you won’t hear or feel a better hollow body players’ iron on the market. We also love how PXG irons give you the option to try longer and shorter shafts, and lighter and heavier swing weights, all without changing the centre of gravity location. So much to love.

Mizuno Pro 223 | £180 per club

TG VERDICT Typically suiting 5-9-handicappers best, expect the sort of slightly flatter lie angle look that’s often preferred by decent players who don’t want to smother shots left of their target. Compared to the newer and 2° weaker JPX923 Tour, the Pro generated 2.5 mph more speed and 5 yards more carry distance, without giving up significant levels of backspin, shot height or descent angle. We’re big fans.

Takomo 301 CB | $649

TG VERDICT Takomo plundered our players’ iron category this year, as they sent two lovely looking models (the 301 CB and 201), both of which turned in outstanding test performances. We’d plump for the slightly sleeker, less angular and more traditional, satin-clad 301 CB. It’s 2° weaker in the 7-iron, which means that at 170 yards carry distance it was 4 yards back from the slightly more powerful 201.

Sub70 659 CB | from £470

TG VERDICT Decent golfers sensitive to price are utterly spoilt for choice within the players’ iron arena this year. Us-based Takomo are newcomers and their lovely offerings are seriously strong, but if you want to order and be fitted here in the UK, Hereford-based Sub70 would be our preferred option. The 659 CB is new this year and its Cnc-milled sole and back are very classy.

Vega VDC | £1,350

TG VERDICT If you see value in investing in Japanese craftsmanship and forging expertise, Vega will be right up your street. The beautiful VDC is part CNC milled and a standout performer. Not because its 31° 7-iron produced the third-fastest ball speed and longest carry within the players’ iron category this year, but because its dispersion area was 26% tighter than our test average.

More Golf MOD 1 | $349

TG VERDICT Modern drivers and putters feature modular constructions, stripped back so each individual piece can be optimised – it was only ever going to be a matter of time before similar thinking reached the iron market. The MOD 1’s premium, Cnc-milled pieces strip 50g from a traditional but inefficient hosel. By moving a lighter hosel (and shaft axis) closer to the centre of gravity, dispersion is tightened.