The Mid Handicapper group represents the largest golf population in America.
The majority of engineering and technology in the golf industry is geared to this group. In business terms, this is where the money is for golf manufacturers.
The result is a great thing for golfers in this group. Companies competing to put out new irons every year. Racing to add more distance and forgiveness while keeping the price down.
With all the game improvement irons on the market and the new releases coming out every 12-18 months it can be hard to keep up.
Our review of the best golf irons for mid handicappers will give you some more insight into which irons are the best and which set may be the perfect match for you.
Best Golf Irons For Mid Handicappers In 2024
- Callaway Mavrik & Mavrik Max (Best Irons for Mid Handicappers)
- TaylorMade SIM MAX Irons (Runner Up 1)
- Cleveland UHX Iron Set (Runner Up 2)
- Tour Edge HL4 Iron Set (Best Budget Irons for Mid Handicappers)
- Mavrik Max Women’s Irons (Best Irons for Mid Handicap Women)
- TaylorMade SiM 2 Max Iron Set (Best Mid Handicap Irons for Ball Speed)
- Cobra SpeedZone Irons (Best Mid Handicap Irons for Slice)
- Srixon 585 Irons (Lesser-Known Irons for Mid Handicappers)
- TaylorMade P790 Iron Set (Best Mid Handicap Irons for Feel)
- Cobra 2020 T Rail Combo Set (Best Irons for Mid Handicap Seniors)
Best Irons for Mid Handicappers: Callaway Mavrik & Mavrik Max
The Callaway Mavrik and Mavrik Max are a brand new release hitting the market in early February of 2020. The Mavrik irons are the upgrade of the Rogue irons and they do offer some improvements.
PROS
- Great feel for a cavity back iron
- Built using artificial intelligence to help increase the performance and forgiveness of the club
- Available in two different forgiving models
- Allows a mid handicapper to work the ball as well as get forgiveness
- Should be longer than your current irons with the strong lofts
- Available in a wide range of shaft options
CONS
- Callaway irons tend to have not be as crisp feeling for the mid handicapper trying to break into the lower handicap range
The Mavrik is the standard model in this set. It is the longest between the Mavrik and the Max. The lofts are almost two degrees lower on each iron to promote extra distance and slightly lower launch angles. Very similar to the Rogue X irons from the previous year.
Callaway used their 360 Face cup Technology on these irons. Although this concept is not new, it has proven to be effective in increasing both distance and forgiveness.
A new feature in these irons is the Flash Face. The Flash Face was first tried on the Epic Flash driver and woods. The concept has been very effective in increasing distance and this is the first time that it will be used in irons.
The Mavrik irons are the first set of irons every built to use AI (Artificial Intelligence). Callaway did many hours of testing and discovered that they could make slight adjustments in every single clubhead to increase performance.
The new and improved tungsten energy core allows weights to be different in each club. Improving launch and ball flight for players who need it.
Broken down this just means that your 8 iron is designed slightly different than your 7 iron. Lofts have always been different from club to club but Callaway took it to another level with this.
Considering they released the Mavirk, Mavrik Max and Mavrik Pro all with this same concept, that is quite a few clubheads to be producing.
With the difference between rogue and rogue x irons were fairly simple. The Rogue X was lower lofted, slightly longer and lower launching. With the Mavrik Irons, the standard Mavrik model is the longest and the Max is a higher launching lighter option.
Research and testing has shown us that many golfers are not getting the swing speed they need to be hitting their irons with the correct launch and ball flight.
The Marvik Max comes standard with an 80-gram steel shaft and lots of low weight graphite options. If you are not getting enough ball flight to stop a ball properly on a green, distance doesn’t matter.
The Max Irons are plenty long enough but also allow players to hit the ball with more accuracy and proper spin rates.
If you are a Callaway person and playing the XR model or prior the Mavrik is the perfect upgrade. If the Rogue caught your eye last year and you upgraded, changing to the Mavrik is not imperative.
If you were on the fence about the Rogue, now is the time to make the jump to the Mavrik. The feel and sound have been improved overall and this is a great set of clubs for a mid handicapper.
The pricing for the Callaway Mavrik and Mavrik Max is about average for a great mid handicapper set of irons.
Read our Callaway Mavrik Irons review.
Runner Up 1: TaylorMade SIM Max
PROS
- Some of the fastest irons that TaylorMade has ever produced
- High end shaft choices
- Incredibly high ball speeds
- Easy to get distance
- Better feel thanks to the echo damping technology
CONS
- It does not have a very thin top-down look
Just as the Mavrik was the improvement on the Rogue, TaylorMade had to put out their SIM Max irons to replace the very successful M6 Irons from last year.
The biggest issues and complaints with any distance iron are sound and feel. The M6 was no exception. Truly an amazing set of irons with incredible distance and launch, yet still felt like a cavity back iron.
With the SIM MAX TaylorMade has done everything they can to make a cavity back iron feel more and more like a forged iron. This is an easy to hit club. Countless hours and several technology upgrades were put in place to improve sound and feel.
For starters, the Inverted Core Technology has made it possible to tweak each iron for accuracy. As you move up towards the 4 iron in this set, the core is moved out towards the toe making it more draw bias.
Something many mid-handicap players need on those long irons that tend to fade a bit too much at the end.
TaylorMade continued with their speed pocket/speed bridge concept on these irons. The extremely thin face on SIM is not connected to the sole of the club, allowing stability and increased ball speed.
Lastly, an Echo dampening system was put into the SIM MAX. When you hit a shot with these clubs they react at lightning speed to absorb that vibration and provide only positive feedback to the player. The idea is to have an easy to hit club that feels as close as possible to a forged iron.
The SIM MAX also comes in an oversized model, SIM MAX OS. The oversized model claims to be longer and more forgiving than the SIM MAX (and especially the M6). The iron is a bit larger, same speed pocket and speed bridge technology, just a bigger sweet spot for those off-center hits.
Since the SIM MAX is a brand new release it’s easy to order these irons custom however the standard shaft options are perfect for the mid-handicapper.
If you typically play with graphite shafts (or need the increased swing speed they provide) the Fujikura Ventas shaft is the stock option. Available in three different flex options, this is a fairly high launching high spinning shaft.
The Steel shaft stock option is the KBS Max 85 Shaft, high launch and high spin, mid-weight with this option. Available in stiff and regular the KBS has been a standard option for TaylorMade for many years and has paired quite well with their irons.
Pricing on this set is very similar to the M6 when it was first released. Solid value considering the performance.
Read our TaylorMade SIM MAX Irons review.
Runner Up 2: Cleveland UHX Iron Set
PROS
- One of the cleanest looking iron sets for the mid handicapper
- It has a progressive design
- Tour spin on the shorter irons
- Golfers can learn to work the ball
- Hollow technology for increased distance
CONS
- Not as high of an MOI as the Callaway Mavrik
With all the advertising and promotion that TaylorMade and Callaway do I always feel like Cleveland gets left behind. This is not because their golf iron options for mid handicappers are less capable. This UHX set is one of the best looking designs on the market.
Cleveland believes in the hollow construction golf clubs, it’s what they use in the popular and forgiving HB irons. This UHX set is a combination of hollow construction in the long irons and cavity back in the short irons.
The UHX irons are going to perform like a hybrid while still looking somewhat like an iron. The transition from the short to the long irons feels seamless.
The Cleveland UHX features a V-Shaped Sole to help with better turf interaction. Cleveland’s goal with these irons is simply to lower scores. With the zip groves and milled face, these irons are easy to stop when you hit the ball correctly and even sometimes when you don’t.
Increasing spin for the mid handicap golfer has been a goal for many years and Cleveland was able to effectively do it with this set.
For a cavity back design this iron set looks and feels very close to a forged iron. As far as distance is concerned the lofts are very similar to the SIM MAX and Mavrik iron set. More of a distance than feel option.
The stock steel shafts on the UHX Set is the Dynamic Gold DST in the 98 gram. The graphite option is the traditional Miyazaki shaft. This shaft was originally designed specifically for Cleveland irons. It’s a lightweight higher spinning 60-gram graphite shaft.
This set features a lot of improvements over the already popular CBX Set and they are offered at a goof price for a 4-PW in steel.
Tour Edge HL4 Iron Set
Best Budget Irons for Mid Handicappers
PROS
- Traditional and clean cavity back design
- 431 Stainless Steel provides some soft feel at impact
- Increased sweet spot size helps for maximum forgiveness even on mis-hits
- Top-down look is not as thick as other game improvement irons
CONS
- Not the longest golf iron on the market
The Tour Edge HL4 Iron set is built for golfers on a budget that are interested in making the game more enjoyable. This is a forgiving set of golf irons that are cavity back and very traditional looking.
Just because you may not have heard of the Tour Edge golf irons does not mean they aren’t a great option for your game.
The 431 stainless steel gives the HL4 some soft feel at impact and plenty of forgiveness as well. The sweet spot size is large, yet that, combined with the incredible feel, is a good choice for the mid handicappers.
Having a bit of forgiveness to fall back on when the shots are missed slightly is quite essential.
Overall you will enjoy the versatility you get with the Tour Edge HL4 iron set. You can choose to add in some iron wood and hybrid combinations if you need some more options than just the traditional iron.
This is a quality set of irons for the mid handicapper at just the right price.
Mavrik Max Women
Best Irons for Mid Handicap Women
PROS
- Specifically designed for women
- Clubheads will account for lower swing speed
- Available in the Mavrik Max and Mavrik Oversized
- Tungsten energy core for increased launch
- Stock Lamkin grip with a very soft feel
- Urethane Microsphere technology
CONS
- Newer technology usually results in a slightly increased price
When golfers talk about the best irons for mid handicappers, they often forget to consider the women mid handicappers. There are a large group of female mid handicappers that need forgiving and long distance golf clubs just as much as the men.
The new line of Mavrik irons from Callaway are some of the best options available for the female golfer.
Callaway used their Artificial Intelligence on these irons to create something that was both forgiving and extremely long. The center of gravity is strategically positioned to give golfers the best combination of both distance and forgiveness that they could have in a golf iron.
In addition, if you are a golfer that likes a slightly lighter weight golf club, the new 50g helium graphite shaft in the women’s Mavrik iron is a perfect choice to consider. The shaft is easy to swing and will make the game much less exhausting for the female golfer.
TaylorMade SiM 2 Max Iron Set
Best Mid Handicap Irons for Ball Speed
PROS
- Inverted Cone technology Uniquely intelligent designed club head built entirely for speed
- Large sweet spot with plenty of performance
- Face flexibility for an increased jump off of the face
CONS
- Pricing starts high because of the new technology and materials
Some mid handicappers are looking for distance, and others know that their issues are with feel or forgiveness. If you are a golfer that is worried about ball speed, the TaylorMade SIM 2 Max is the iron set that you need.
This is one of the latest releases from TaylorMade, and although it didn’t make our top three, it was really only the premium pricing that pushed it down.
The new TaylorMade SIM 2 Max has a Cap Back Design, which utilizes high strength stainless steel to help get golfers more distance and more forgiveness at the same time. The brand new Echo Damping system gives the iron a forged like feel, even though it is a cavity back club.
Once again, TaylorMade stuck with the speed pocket technology to ensure that players had the distance they need and want while using the SIM 2 Max.
If you are coming down from a high handicapper or your game is not as consistent as you once were as a low handicapper, the SIM 2 Max is a smart choice.
Cobra SpeedZone Irons
Best Mid Handicap Irons for Slice
PROS
- First-ever Carbon Fiber topline, 40% lighter than steel
- More weight in the center of gravity
- Co Mold Medallion makes for less vibration at impact and better sound and feel
- Higher MOI than traditional iron shapes allowing for greater ball speed
- Cobra Connect technology allows you to monitor your performance with this golf club
- KBS Tour 90 Steel stock shafts, mid-weight, mid-launch
CONS
- It has a bit of an offset that may not appeal to some golfers
The Cobra SpeedZone irons do a great job of combining feel and distance in a golf iron. Cobra has always made a fairly priced iron that does a great job of getting the ball up off the ground and increasing distance.
The SpeedZone is a great improvement from the F9 irons. The club head has been reshaped, and it provides much faster speeds and a better feel.
As with most Cobra irons, you can rest assured that the center of gravity will be perfectly positioned to get the launch high and the distance long. The irons have a very high MOI which helps to increase ball speed and distance as well.
The new co mold medallion means that the vibration is going to be much less noticeable, and it will provide better feel and sound overall.
The Cobra irons have dropped just a bit in price since they were first released, making them a perfect choice for the golfer that needs to hit it straighter and further.
Read our Cobra Speedzone Irons review.
Srixon 585
Best Lesser-Known Golf Irons for Mid Handicappers
PROS
- Forged Irons built for distance
- Speed technology to help get higher ball speed
- Easy pairing with the utility options for those who don’t prefer hybrids
- Excellent soft feel coming off the clubface
- The appearance of a players iron yet very forgiving
- Laser milling to help with spin even from the worst lies
CONS
- Not the latest model on the market
The Srixon 585 are not the most well known golf irons on the market. However, these are forged golf irons that are built for distance and performance.
With this club in your hand, you are going to be able to get high levels of ball speed and tremendous feel. This is one of the better looking irons on the market for the mid handicappers.
The great thing about Srixon irons is that when you hit them right, they are going to go a long way. You can easily pair these with the Srixon utility irons to get a set of clubs that looks and feels great. Having a club that looks like a player’s iron but still has forgiveness can be quite rare.
TaylorMade P790 Iron Set
Best Mid Handicap Irons for Feel
PROS
- Forged look and feel
- Keeps forgiveness in place while offering the best feeling at impact for the mid handicappers
- Forgiveness increases from the 2017 model
- A slight change in clubhead shape to allow for a cleaner look for the better player
- Not a large top line for those mid handicappers that are looking for something cleaner
- Speedfoam technology and low profile tungsten weighting
CONS
- P790 irons are priced higher than most
The TaylorMade P790 is a set of clubs that was specifically designed to help players that want feel while still getting both distance and forgiveness. The look and the feel of the TaylorMade P790 is going to be that of a players club, yet it will be incredibly more forgiving.
The top down look is one of the best benefits of the TaylorMade P790 iron. When you look at the club from the top down, you will notice it looks a bit thinner than other clubs built for the mid handicapper.
The P790 took the technology used in high performing players’ blades and gave it to the mid handicappers to use.
Overall you will be amazed by the forgiveness and workability you can get with the P790 in your hands. Even though the club looks like it’s for a great player, it’s built for a person that loves the game and wants to perform as best they can.
Read our TaylorMade P790 Irons review.
Cobra 2020 T Rail Combo Set
Best Irons For Mid Handicap Seniors
PROS
- A hybrid type set of irons
- Hollow construction with hybrids like distance and feel
- E9 technology carried over from previous Cobra models helps to produce distance even on off-center hits
- The 4 iron is a true hybrid, 5-PW & AW are a mix between hybrid and iron
- T Rail technology to help for turf interaction and cutting through rough
- Low and deep center of gravity
CONS
- It takes a bit to get used to the feel of the T Rail feel in the short irons
Senior mid handicappers need to look for a club that provides a bit more forgiveness and distance than something for a younger player.
The senior golfers’ swing starts to slow down a bit, and when this happens it’s important to adjust by putting the right equipment into the golf bag. The Cobra T Rail Combo Set is a great option for the senior golfer that needs some help with their game.
This is a hybrid set of irons so the launch will be higher. In addition, when it comes to forgiving irons from a bad lie, the T Rail Combo set will lead the way.
One of our favorite things about the T Rail is that the low and deep center of gravity rewards you even when your shot is not the best one yet.
T Rail Technology is something that has put the Cobra hybrids on the map for many years. Getting that technology incorporated into these irons is something that senior golfers need to seriously consider.
If you are ready for something that is new and different, this is the iron choice to consider.
What to look for when Picking a great set of Irons for a Mid Handicapper?
With so many good options out there, how do you know which one is correct for you?
How do you know if you are getting a set specifically designed for mid handicappers?
What makes something game improvement?
We are here to answer all of those questions and give you an idea of what makes the most sense to help you in lowering your score.
Club Head Size and Weight
Look for something that offers a large sweet spot and a medium to thick top line. Any club that mentions in its advertising that it is the tour model or a blade it will likely not pack the forgiveness a mid-handicapper needs.
Maybe more important than overall weight is the center of gravity weight in the clubhead. Make sure the club you are purchasing talks about a low center of gravity. This will help with overall launch and the flight of the ball as well.
Shaft Options
If after testing some clubs you feel as though you need custom options you will have to go with a club that is still being manufactured with the company.
Something to keep in mind for mid handicappers, the stock shaft you are testing the club with is what was used in all of the design and manufacturing of the club. When the company claims the new iron is eight yards longer than the previous model, they are referring to the stock shaft.
You need to pay attention to three things when picking a shaft for your next set of irons, overall weight, ball flights, and spin. If you are lacking swing speed and struggling to hit the ball with enough power make sure to go with a lighter shaft (potentially graphite).
Graphite shafts are going to benefit those who lack distance but can control the ball. On the contrary, if you are seeking control and have plenty of distance, steel is the proper choice.
Loft
Almost all modern golf sets are made with decreased lofts. The lower lofts allow the new irons to fly much further than something that was produced 8-10 years ago. With the lower center of gravity and the increased sweet spots, most players are still able to get the proper launch even with lower lofts.
If you struggle with getting the ball into the air, stay away from options like the Rogue X or the standard Mavrik iron. If you do choose this make sure you are going with a shaft that has a low kick point to get the ball higher, quicker.
Distance is important but getting the ball to stop where you need it to stop is more important. A 7 iron hit 165 yards (because of roll) is not going to help if you needed to hit it 150. Keep this in mind when testing out different iron options. If you hit a point where you are not stopping the ball on the green, the loft has gone too low for you.
Set Makeup
Although there are still plenty of mid handicappers that can swing a 4 iron with enough speed to place the ball where they want, most can’t. Do not be afraid to put a 4 hybrid in a set.
I think the perfect set makeup for a mid handicapper is 5-PW, AW, and a 4 hybrid. I would stay within the same brand when doing a combination set. If you choose to go outside of the brand be sure to check your lofts.
You could very easily end up having a 5 iron and a 4 hybrid that have the same loft and this will create a gap in your bag. Not something that will help to lower your score.
We have also put together a detailed list on the Best Wedges for Mid Handicappers to help complete your set and ease your decision making.
Look/Feel
Look and feel always seems to get better as clubs get more expensive. Forged type irons generally have better feel than the cavity back but they are usually several hundred dollars more per set.
Manufacturers are realizing that this mid handicap group of golfers want something that looks decent but still offers all the performance that they need.
I think the best options when it comes to look and feel in this category would be the UHX by Cleveland and the P790 by TaylorMade.
The P790 is more expensive but it’s a very well manufactured set of irons that will last you quite some time. Some compare it to the PXG Irons which are nearly double the price of the P790.
The Mizuno Irons are also a great choice for steady mid handicap golfers who feel they have it in them to become low handicappers.
Cost
Current release set of golf irons are going to cost more per golf club. Keep this in mind when searching for a set. Steel will always be cheaper than graphite because of the cost to produce.
If the 2024 iron sets are more money than you wish to spend, look into the last year sets now that 2024 have all been released. The prices will continue to lower and you are getting technology that is less than a year old.
Conclusion
This year you are going to want to be one of those people that needs a few sets of clubs.
One for your residence and one for your vacation home, maybe one for traveling as well.
There are just so many good options in this mid handicap range it truly becomes hard to make a decision.
We still believe that the Mavrik Irons are going to steal the show this year. The Rogue was such a huge improvement from the XR Series. Although the Mavrik will be closely related to the Rogue they still offer better sound and feel, an imperative improvement for this set of golf irons.
Using artificial intelligence in the creation of golf irons is something that the Bobby Jones era players would never have seen coming.
The SIM MAX Irons are not only going to give the Mavrik a run for their money but they will also make those players that purchased the M6 question if an upgrade is warranted. I would wait another year and see what comes up.
However, if you are swinging an M4 or older take a serious look at this product.
Although you can’t go wrong with any of our above options make sure you are choosing something that will also work as your score lowers. Expect some serious score lowering with the technology that was released this year.
