Best Mid-Handicap Irons 2023
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Which are the best mid-handicap golf irons 2023 had to offer that you can still pick up?
The vast majority of golfers carry more irons than any other club in their bag, therefore, it’s incredibly important you get the best iron set for your game. For many golfers, that will be a set of the best mid-handicap irons – whether that be the latest set or one further into its cycle.
Sometimes known as ‘game-improvement’ irons, the best mid-handicap irons offer golfers plenty of distance and forgiveness, but in a package that still looks and feels good. Typically aimed at handicaps ranging from 10 to the low 20s, mid-handicap irons aren’t as forgiving or distance-boosting as high-handicap irons but offer more help than blades or players’ irons.
The best mid-handicap irons: a brief look
Best overall mid-handicap irons 2023: Srixon ZX4 MK II Irons | Buy Now – US | Buy Now – UK
Best looking mid-handicap irons 2023: TaylorMade Stealth Irons | Buy Now – US | Buy Now – UK
Best mid-handicap irons for loft options: Ping G430 Irons | Buy Now – US | Buy Now – UK
Best value mid-handicap irons: PXG 0211 XCOR2 Irons | Buy Now – US | Buy Now – UK
Best feeling mid-handicap irons: Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Irons | Buy Now – US | Buy Now – UK
Most forgiving mid-handicap irons: Takomo 101 Irons | Buy Now – US | Buy Now – UK
Best affordable mid-handicap irons: Wilson Dynapower Irons | Buy Now – US | Buy Now – UK
Best premium mid-handicap irons 2023: PXG 0311 XP GEN5 Irons | Buy Now – US | Buy Now – UK
Best strong-lofted mid-handicap irons 2023: Cobra AeroJet Irons | Buy Now – US | Buy Now – UK
Best low-launching mid-handicap irons 2023: Callaway Paradym X Irons | Buy Now – US | Buy Now – UK
With the average handicap sitting somewhere in the mid-teens, it’s little surprise that mid-handicap irons are incredibly popular. It’s an area most brands have focused on over the last few years, meaning there’s a fantastic range of mid-handicap irons to choose from. But which are the best mid-handicap irons for you?
Best Mid-Handicap Golf Irons 2023
Plenty of distance and forgiveness, but with a topline that looks anything but chunky.
Best overall mid-handicap irons 2023
We love the head’s elegant straight lines, which are similar to the brilliant ZX5/ZX7 MkII. Although the ZX4 MkII heads are a little longer and bigger, there’s still a super attractive look at address, thanks to not being overly offset. Srixon say the topline thickness across the family are closely linked, which actively encourages golfers to create their own personal combo set of two or more models to create the best Srixon irons for their game.
The Srixon ZX4 MKII irons produced some hugely impressive numbers in our 2023 irons test. They were the joint longest mid-handicap iron of the year (197 yards – tied with the Wilson Dynapower), produced the fastest ball speed, and recorded a top-three performance for protecting ball speed and carry distance on mis-hits.
Read our full Srixon ZX4 MkII irons review.
Pros
- Easy on the eye
- Amazing sound and feel
- Continues to challenge the best of 2024
Cons
- Not the most forgiving or high-spinning
| Stock shafts | KBS Tour Lite (s), Diamana ZX (g) |
| 7-Iron loft | 28.5° |
| Forgiveness rating | 3 - 3.05/5 |
A very solid iron that stands out for its loft options.
Best looking mid-handicap irons 2023
The TaylorMade Stealth is an attractive-looking and great-sounding iron within the mid-handicap category. Whilst not being our very fastest or longest, it was well above the test average on both counts. If we were spending our own dosh in the mid-handicap iron category in 2023, the TaylorMade Stealth is one of the best TaylorMade irons and would definitely feature on our shortlist.
Read our full TaylorMade Stealth irons review.
Pros
- Good looking iron
- Sweet sounding
- Standing the test of time
Cons
- Qi iron has eclipsed this performance-wise
| Stock shaft | KBS Max MT (s) Fujikura Ventus Red (g) |
| 7-Iron loft | 28° |
| Forgiveness rating | 3.5 |
Expect the G430 to be hugely popular as Ping continue to provide great forgiveness while improving looks, sound and feel.
Best mid-handicap irons for loft options
Ping say they’ve switched to 2-year product life cycles, so you can buy the G430 safe in the knowledge that the model won’t be old hat next year. Like lots of Ping product, even though they weren’t quite our very fastest or longest, the G430 won’t age any time soon; these are classic, strong-performance mid-handicap irons that will happily stay in the bag for years to come.
The G430 like their predecessors are a force to be reckoned with, the G marquee has evolved into being an attractive and desirable model (especially in the shorter irons and wedges), yet they remain forgiving, which in anybody’s book makes them a tough package to beat – on a launch monitor or the golf course.
Read our full Ping G430 irons review.
Pros
- Very forgiving
- Arguably the best-looking G series iron Ping have ever produced
- Good loft options with retro and power specs available
Cons
- Spin could be higher but this is achievable with weaker lofts
| Stock shafts | Ping AWT (s) Ping Alta Quick and Alta CB Black (g) |
| 7-Iron loft | 29° |
| Forgiveness rating | 3.5/5 |
Feels like a super-premium iron, but at a normal price point.
Best value mid-handicap irons
The PXG 0211 XCOR2 irons aren’t forged, and they don’t have the brand’s famous weight technology (so the MOI is typically 10% lower than PXG premium irons), but apart from that you’re buying into PXG’s impressive knowledge for £99 a club when buying five or more. In a year when money for many is tight, you could get your hands on a set of 0211’s for £594 (6 – GW), which is outstanding value for money and warrants a spot among the best PXG irons.
PXG have always made great-looking irons and we reckon many club golfers would struggle to feel a difference between the 0211 XCOR 2 and the brand’s premium forged and fully adjustable models.
The 0211 XCOR 2 are a fantastic choice for mid-handicap golfers in 2023. If your speed is anywhere close to average, make sure you explore the lighter, higher-launching shaft options.
Read our full PXG 0211 XCOR 2 irons review.
Pros
- Incredible value-for-money especially for PXG's standards
- Amazing feel and sound
- Impressive distance
Cons
- Not the best stopping powers
| Stock shaft | True Temper Elevate MP and Elevate Tour, Nippon Modus Pro 125, UST Recoil Dart, Project X Cypher, Mitsubishi MMT |
| 7-Iron loft | 28° |
| Forgiveness rating | 3.5 |
Everything you'd expect from a set of Mizuno irons
Best feeling mid-handicap irons
But those wanting to maximize scoring potential should look at how the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal launched higher, peaked higher, span more and descended onto the green at a steeper angle than our test average. For those looking for the control to hit and hold greens as opposed to just pure power, this is one of the best Mizuno irons and will be one of the best mid-handicap iron options available. It helps that it looks good, too.
Read our full Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal irons review.
Pros
- Fantastic feel
- Quality finish and premium aesthetics
- Amazing shaft options at no extra cost
Cons
- Not the most forgiving irons
| Stock shaft | 50 options at no upcharge |
| 7-Iron loft | 28.5° |
| Forgiveness rating | 3.5/5 |
Fantastic Direct To Consumer (DTC) mid-handicap irons that are extremely forgiving
Most forgiving mid-handicap irons
It was also very forgiving, losing just 2.6mph and 3 yards on mis-hits compared to pure strikes.
Pros
- Super forgiving
- Incredibly affordable premium irons
- Solid stock shaft options
Cons
- Surprisingly low-spinning
| Stock shaft | KBS Tour / KBS Max |
| 7-Iron loft | 30° |
| Forgiveness rating | 3/5 |
A top-performing mid-handicap iron that doesn't cost a fortune
Best affordable mid-handicap irons
With a large head and more offset, the Wilson Dynapower will suit mid-handicappers who want reassurance and forgiveness more than something that looks like a players’ iron or blade.
Pros
- Good distance
- Works well for slower swing speeds as well as quick
- Excellent value
Cons
- Not the best for generating spin
| Stock shaft | KBS Max Ultralite |
| 7-Iron loft | 27° |
| Forgiveness rating | 3.5/5 |
A premium set of irons for mid-handicap golfers to enjoy
Best premium mid-handicap irons 2023
It was our pro’s third-fastest, third-longest, and third-best mid-handicap iron for protecting carry distance.
Read our full PXG 0311 XP GEN5 irons review.
Pros
- Amazing feel and performance
- Great distance with minimal drop-off
- Excellent custom fitting options
Cons
- They aren't the most competitively priced irons
| Stock shaft | True Temper Elevate 95 or Tour (s) / Mitsubishi MMT (g) |
| 7-Iron loft | 27° |
| Forgiveness rating | 3.5/5 |
Strong-lofted mid-handicap irons that suit golfers with quicker swing speeds
Best strong-lofted mid-handicap irons 2023
In other words, the AeroJet are impressive and among the best Cobra irons, but won’t be the right fit for everyone.
Read our full Cobra AeroJet irons review.
Pros
- Good speed and distance
- Nice sound and feel
- Well priced
Cons
- Work best for golfers with quicker swing speeds
| Stock shaft | KBS Tour Lite (s), KBS PGI (g) |
| 7-Iron loft | 26.5° |
| Forgiveness rating | 3.5 |
Produces good distance which does come at a cost of reducing spin
Best low-launching mid-handicap irons 2023
In the right hands, it’s a powerful and forgiving hollow body iron, but at slower clubhead speeds it may be hard to flight and stop shots on the green successfully. For the right golfer, the Paradym X will be the best Callaway iron going.
Read our full Callaway Paradym X irons review.
Pros
- Good distance and overall performance
- Appealing head design
- Nice sound and feel
Cons
- Paradym Ai-Smoke are better performing and newer
| Stock shaft | True Temper Elevate |
| 7-Iron loft | 27.5° |
| Forgiveness rating | 3.5/5 |
Best Mid-Handicap Golf Irons 2023: Launch Monitor Data
How we tested the best mid-handicap golf irons
We invited major equipment manufacturers to submit their entire ranges for testing. Across seven weeks of testing, we created a controlled environment indoors at Keele Golf Centre and used a premium tour-level golf ball (the Srixon Z-Star). We collected a ton of data from every shot hit, using a Foresight GC Quad launch monitor.
Why did we use a Srixon Z-Star golf ball?
It would be easy to use just one test golf ball brand every year, but that inevitably leads to criticism for being too closely aligned to one manufacturer, especially if that brand’s equipment performs particularly well. To ensure fairness we like to switch manufacturers for the Top Gear test ball each year. For 2023 we’ve used the Srizon Z-Star.
The brand have just revealed their eighth-generation model, and Srixon General Manager Brian Schielke says “finding the right ball for your game is just as important as finding the right irons or driver, it’s the one piece of equipment you use on every single shot”.
Thanks to the previous Z-Star mopping up 31 wins across all tour global tours last year (that’s 15.5% of the wins available) we know the model is trusted by the world’s very best.
Why do we use a pro tester?
Speak to any golf club engineer about product testing and they all talk about needing a repeatable, reliable strike to offer any sort of valuable comparison. So, whilst we accept not all of the equipment included within our tests was designed for our test pro, what our data shows is a great comparison of how clubs in each particular category differ, which is hugely valuable in helping you narrow your choice as a consumer.
We tested 83 different 7-irons, during which our test pro missed a target green at 170 to 200 yards no more than a dozen times. He got a hole-in-one, lipped out, and hit the flag several times, he also loves hitting golf balls all day long. In short, Neil Wain is the perfect club tester due to his consistency in delivering accurate and reliable comparative data.
We would of course always recommend attending a proper fitting session, to ensure any purchase is tailored to your game.
See more about how TG tests golf clubs and other equipment.
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About the author
Simon Daddow – Today’s Golfer Equipment Editor
Having tested and played more than 10,000 clubs in his life, what Simon doesn’t know about golf clubs isn’t worth knowing.
He spent a large part of his career as a golf club maker and product development manager, and has worked in the golf industry for more than 30 years. He joined EMAP Active (now Bauer Media) as Equipment Editor in 2006 and has worked for both Today’s Golfer and Golf World.
You can contact Simon via email and follow him on Twitter for loads more golf equipment insight.
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Best Mid-Handicap Irons
