At GolfWRX, to determine the 2023 best irons, we have compiled an expert panel of fitters to help you find out which of 2023 irons is best for your game. We’re seeing new technology, more technology packed into the cavity of a club, catering toward combo sets, more consistency across the face, game improvement irons that really improve your game, and increased model segmentation against a backdrop of a few models that work well for wide sections of the fitting bell curve.
Ultimately the best way to find your personal iron set is to work with a professional fitter using a launch monitor. The difficult part is a lot of people don’t have easy access to fitters, launch monitors, and club builders—so at GolfWRX, we have done a lot of the work for you.
We are in the era of not just maximizing distance but also minimizing the penalty of common misses for each player — this applies to irons just as much as it does with any other club in the bag. This is why, now more than ever, custom fitting is essential to help you see results on every swing you make.
We want to give you the tools and information to go out and find what works best for you by offering recommendations for your individual iron set wants and needs with insight and feedback from the people who work every single day to help golfers get peak performance out of their equipment.
Best irons of 2023: How we did it
Before starting the process of building our best iron survey, we reached out to our trusted fitters to discuss how they sort through the endless number of iron options available to golfers. The consensus was clear—the best fitters in the world see all the options available in the marketplace, analyze their performance traits, and pull from that internal database of knowledge and experience like a supercomputer when they are working with a golfer.
It’s essentially a huge decision tree derived from experience and boiled down to a starting point of options—and it has nothing to do with a handicap!
Modern iron sets are designed into player categories that overlap the outdated “what’s your handicap?” model, and at GolfWRX we believe it was important to go beyond handicap and ask specific questions about the most crucial performance elements fitters are looking at to help golfers find the best set of irons for them. From overall performance to shotmaking, to helping players achieve better trajectories and speed, we strived to ask the right questions.
These are the best iron categories we have developed to help you the reader determine what rankings are most important for your swing and game.
Best irons of 2023: The categories
Best irons of 2023: Meet the fitters
- Nick Sherburne: Founder, Club Champion
- Clare Cornelius: Fitter, Cool Clubs
- Shaun Fagan: Fitter, True Spec Golf
- Kirk Oguri: PGA Professional/ Club Specialist, Pete’s Golf
- Scott Felix: Owner, Felix Club Works
- Mark Knapp: Fitter, Carls Golfland
- Ryan Johnson: Fitter, Carl’s Golfland
- Brad Coffield: Fitter Carl’s Golfland
- Matthew Sim: Director of Operations, Modern Golf
- Scott Sikorski: Fitter, Club Champion
- Ryan Grimes: Fitter, Club Champion
- Ben Giunta: Owner, The Tour Van
- Alex Dice: Fitter, Carl’s Golfland
- Gus Alzate: Fitter, True Spec Golf
- Marc Roybal: Fitter, True Spec Golf
- Carmen Corvino: Fitter, True Spec Golf
- Bobby Ennis: Fitter, Club Champion
- Dane Byers: Fitter, Club Champion
- Blake Smith: Fitter, True Spec Golf
- Shaun Fagan: Fitter, True Spec Golf
- Mark Hymerling: Fitter, Club Champion
- Joey Simon: Fitter, Club Champion
- Dean Fry: Fitter, TXG
- Jim Yenser: Fitter, Club Champion
- Dan Palmisaro: Fitter, Club Champion
- Mike Martysiewicz: Director of Club Building & Fitting, TXG
- Rob Gallagher: Fitter, Club Champion
- Alex Praeger: Fitter, Club Champion
2023 Best irons: Best blades
This is by far the most straightforward category because it is defined by a single style of club — the blade AKA the muscle back or MB for short. Although modern variations offer a lot more playability than they did decades ago, blades are still defined by their workability, compact shaping, and lower ball flight. If you are looking for the ultimate test or just prefer something in the more traditional vein, these are for you.
Titleist 620 MB
Their story: The 620 MB offers ideal turf interaction throughout the set thanks to more camber and a tweaked leading edge. In addition to the sole tweaks, the blade length is progressive from the longest iron to the shortest and the transition is so smooth that unless you set clubs next to each other, it’s quite difficult to notice. The final design element is the face height progression which transitions from more shallow to tall in the pitching wedge to offer the greatest control over ball flight.
From the fitters:
- “It usually comes down to the look and feel with the 620 MB, and they are tough to beat. They are very soft and responsive while offering good turf interaction.”
- “Classic look. Keep it simple. This is an iron catered to the traditionalist.”
“A super classic look. Probably the ultimate shot shaping iron for the golfer who wants to bend it like Beckham on the golf course.” - “Still our best selling blade. I’m not sure if it’s the performance or the simplicity of the look, but this is just what that blade player is looking for.”
For more photos/info, read our launch piece.
Mizuno Pro 221
Their story: The Mizuno Pro 221 is a new muscleback iron inspired by iconic Mizuno blades of the past. The Pro 221 irons have been bevelled for the appearance of a shorter face profile and narrower top line but without loss of mass in the upper blade. The 221’s are more compact in the scoring irons than their predecessors while also featuring Mizuno’s shortest CG/shaft axis, which is consistent from 3-iron to PW, in design to allow for controlled shot shaping through the set. Grain Flow Forged in Hiroshima, Japan, they feature a soft copper underlay in a bid to provide a classic, smooth Mizuno feel at impact.
From the fitters:
- “Obviously, with Mizuno, the feel is always the big thing. If someone wants to hit a blade, this is usually the first club I pull.”
- “One of the easiest blade sales out there if someone comes in looking for a blade. The look is safe (in a good way). Everything you’d expect out of a Mizuno blade but more forgiving than you would expect. Whatever they’re doing with center of gravity, they’re easier to hit than blades used to be. Definitely wins in the ‘feel’ category.”
- “A true Mizuno blade. The copper underlay. The look. The feel. So Mizuno. When people think about Mizuno, you think about the MP-29, MP-33. The 221 is a good throwback to those with a modern look. A perfect blade with no gimmicks.”
For more photos/info, read our launch piece.
Miura MB-101
Their story: The muscle shape is much more organic and rounded to go along with the new sole design that greatly improves turf interaction. The other part of the iron that has gone through a tremendous change, thanks to Shinei and Yoshitaka Muira, is the transition from the hosel to the topline. This is, for the most discerning player, the telltale sign of a well-designed club: The hosel should look like it almost melts into the topline of the club, and with the new Muira MB-101 iron, you get exactly that.
From the fitters:
- “One of the most beautiful sets of irons, for sure.”
- “As far as pure workability goes the Miura MB-101 is king of the hill. Many tour players over the years have played Miura irons when they don’t have club contracts.”
For more photos/info, read our launch piece.
Cobra King MB
Their story: A key to the enhanced forgiveness and overall performance of Cobra’s new Tour iron are CNC undercuts in the back cavity of each iron, which allow weight to be repositioned from high center to lower center and heel and toe areas of the clubhead, in design to create improved launch conditions and more forgiveness on off center hits. These cavities progress from deeper in the long irons for enhanced stability, to shallower in the short irons for enhanced control.
From the fitters:
- “With that satin finish, when guys are looking for a blade, this is always one we pull. Easy to combo and great feel. A good classic blade look.”
- “As sexy as a blade can look. Rounded. Looks like a traditional blade. Would look good mounted on you wall. You can combo these with the CBs.”
- “Incredibly easy to hit for a blade iron. Many players like to go with the MB in the “scoring” irons and the CB in the long irons for a bit more forgiveness and launch.”
For more photos/info, read our launch piece.
Callaway Apex MB
Their story: The Callaway Apex MB is forged from 1025 carbon steel with a classic shape that is similar to other blade irons from Callaway’s past, but this time with a slightly narrower sole and less offset. Another improvement is the 20V grooves ensure optimal spin control in and out of the rough. The centrally located weight screw in the back of the head allows Callaway builders to maintain the precise center of gravity locations when adding or removing weight from the irons—it’s not a new idea, but it’s one that is key to allowing the irons to be dialed into spec for each golfer.
From the fitters:
- “A little different with the weight in the back, but still looks great, a nice thin topline. Looks good, feels good.”
- “A modern blade with the weight port in the back, and it’s nice to be able to adjust the weight if you need to. Strike location is a little more in the center. Distinctly Callaway in look and shape. Gives the blade guy who isn’t looking for a throwback a great option for look, sound, feel, and performance.”
- “The weight port in the back positions the center of gravity directly behind the ball to give the player precision and control over the launch and shape of shots.”
For more photos/info, read our launch piece.
Join the discussion about the best irons of 2023 in the forums!
