The Most Forgiving Irons 2024
The best of the best! We roundup the most forgiving irons that have been released for the 2024 season.
Finding the right set of golf irons can be challenging for beginners, but fortunately, there are several top brands offering forgiving irons in 2024.
In this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at some of the most forgiving golf irons for beginners from trusted brands in the industry. These include the Cobra Darkspeed, TaylorMade Qi, Ping G430, PXG 0311 P Gen 6 and Srixon ZX4 irons.
Each iron set is designed with unique features to help beginners achieve greater forgiveness, distance, accuracy, and overall performance on the course.
Most forgiving golf irons 2024
Cobra Darkspeed
The DarkSpeed irons FLY! These were by far the longest of the 2024 iron sets that I tested, so if you are looking for distance with your new irons, then Cobra have certainly ticked that box.
As soon as you open the box to unwrap the Cobra DarkSpeed irons, you notice the colour of them. The dark grey effect is gorgeous, and looks amazing when it sits behind the ball.
That difference in colour from most irons is one of the qualities that sets the Darkspeed apart from other brands, and they should certainly be an iron that mid-to-high handicappers test when looking for a new set.
PROS
- Incredible distance
- Strong lofts
- Look sublime
CONS
- None
- RELATED: Cobra Darkspeed: Everything you need to know!
- RELATED: Cobra DarkSpeed Hybrid review
- RELATED: Cobra Darkspeed X Driver Review
- RELATED: Cobra Darkspeed Max Driver Review
The Details
Available: Now
RRP (Variable): £849 for a steel shaft set (4-PW / 5-GW)
£949 for a graphite shaft set (5-GW)
RRP (One Length): £849 for a steel shaft set (5-GW)
£949 for a graphite shaft set (5-GW)
Shafts: 6 Featured shafts
More information: Cobra Website
TaylorMade Qi
Reviewed by Jack Backhouse
These irons sit well into the game improvement category but are well worth testing for all level of golfer. They are super long, extremely forgiving and produce a tight dispersion that could definitely move players away from more traditionally sized heads.
The long irons are easy to launch and feel and sound great at impact.
These are brilliant distance irons, and with a ‘straight distance’ design to stop the long irons going right, they should absolutely feature at your next iron fitting and be considered for your bag in 2024.
PROS
- The back of the club looks great in the bag.
- Long distance
- Performed really well on the course in real-world golf
CONS
- Thicker soles may not suit the feel of all players.
- RELATED: TaylorMade Qi10 Driver review
- RELATED: TaylorMade TP Reserve Putters: Everything you need to know
- RELATED: TaylorMade’s 2023 P700s series
The Details
Available: Now
RRP: £143 per iron (steel) £157 per iron (graphite)
Shafts: KBS Max MT 85 steel shafts (S, R), Fujikura’s Ventus Blue graphite shafts (7S, 6R & 5A
Lofts: 7i – 28.0°
More information: TaylorMade Website
Ping G430
This club almost looks unrecognisable. Although it has that typical high square-toe Ping shaping, the back of the club head is really different. I love how they have designed the Pwrflex in the back of the club head to give this product a completely new more modern feel.
The most important thing about game improvement clubs is that they are easy to hit. These definitely tick all the boxes in this area. They are high launching, easy to strike and consistently go in the right direction.
I really like the fact these are fairly neutral down the target line and balance forgiveness with a decently high spin rate and launch so you can still control the golf ball.
Overall these are some of the most consistent game-improvement irons I have tested this year. Ping has done it again and produced an exceptional game improvement iron that will only aid performance.
PROS
- Extremely consistent irons
- Easy to launch
- Controllable
CONS
- Not as long as other models on the market
- RELATED: Read our full Ping G430 irons review
- RELATED: Ping G430 Max driver review
The Details
Available: Now
RRP: £150 (steel) £160 (graphite)
Right-handed lofts: 8°, 9°, 10°, 11°
Ping stock shafts: Hzrdus Red CB, Tensei AV Blue with XLink Tech, Hzrdus Black, Tensei 1K Black
Fitted shafts (no upcharge) Graphite Design Tour AD UB, Tour AD DI, Tour AD IZ
More information: Ping Website
PXG 0311 P Gen 6
These irons are LONG. 2 whole clubs longer than Hannah is used to, which must have some performance benefit over a season.
These hollow head irons have a super thin face and precisely placed tungsten weighting, making these the most forgiving and the most accurate irons PXG have ever made and possibly out on the iron market right now.
You can’t help but stand over the ball with confidence, knowing you are swinging with the firepower of the PXG 0311 P Gen6 irons.
The PXG 0311p Gen 6 irons are seriously impressive and well worth testing out if you want more distance out of an iron that looks seriously good. There is more technology in these clubheads than a lot of player’s distance irons available to buy, so they are well worth the investment.
PROS
- Well designed top line
- Huge ball speeds
- Excellent custom fitting process
CONS
- Stronger lofts make gapping tricky in the long irons
- RELATED: Read our full PXG 0311 P Gen6 irons review
- RELATED: PXG Black Ops Driver review
The Details
Available: Now
RRP: £189 Per Iron
Right-handed lofts: 7 iron 30°
Shafts: 53 Shafts available
More information: PXG Website
Srixon ZX4 MKII
The first strike of the ZX4 MKII blew me away. I was expecting the fairly common feeling of an explosive, low-spinning strike but I was surprised by a feeling of a forged player’s iron in my hands that left me wondering whether I’d picked up the right clubs or not.
These irons were bonkers long but I do wonder how well I or another player who naturally hits the ball low would find the long irons.
I do think that these irons have a great potential to help short hitters gain some much-needed distance, or for a mid to low handicapper to play in a split set. They look so similar to the ZX5 MKII and ZX7 MKII irons that you could seamlessly blend them into a split set for more control with the short irons and more forgiveness with the longer clubs.
PROS
- Forged face feels so soft
- Crazy long ball speeds
- Forgiving on off-centre strikes
CONS
- Super strong lofts produced a pretty low flight for me which may not suit everyone
- RELATED: Read our full Srixon ZX4 MKII irons review
- RELATED: Srixon ZX7 MKII Irons Review
- RELATED: Srixon ZX5 MKII Irons Review
- RELATED: Srixon ZX MKII Utility Iron Review
The Details
Available: Now
RRP: £167 per steel shafted iron, £184 per graphite shafted iron
Lofts: PW 43°, 9i 39°, 8i 33°, 7i 28.5°, 6i 25.5°, 5i 23°, 4i 21°
Shafts: KBS Tour Lite (steel) Diamana ZX Graphite (graphite)
More information: Srixon Website
The Most Forgiving Irons 2024
As a beginner, it’s essential to have golf irons that are forgiving and cater to your specific needs and skill level.
With top brands like Cobra, TaylorMade, Ping, Srixon, and PXG offering specialized golf irons for beginners in 2024, there are plenty of options to consider.
With features like perimeter weighting, wider soles, and larger sweet spots, these golf irons can help beginners achieve greater forgiveness and accuracy on the course. Consider your own preferences and skill level to determine which iron set is the right fit for you and get ready to enjoy improved performance and greater confidence on the course.
How do we test irons?
At National Club Golfer we are passionate about producing accurate and thorough reviews and make sure our testing process is rigorous so we get a good understanding of how each club performs.
Each iron is hit with Pro V1 golf balls to allow us to collect launch monitor data with our in-house TrackMan and Flightscope. After this it is time to head out onto the golf course and test the clubs in practice and competition play. We do this across a variety of golf clubs in our base of Yorkshire.
What is important when buying a new iron?
When buying a new set of irons it is important to know what you want from that club to help you improve.
Most people are looking for more distance, each iron model is optimised for different things. Depending on your swing and your impact conditions, you may not actually hit the model that is advertised as the longest, the furthest. So if you want more distance it is always worth giving different models a hit before you make a decision.
For most golfers, especially high handicappers, something that is more forgiving is going to yield the best performance. Most forgiving golf irons have a slightly bigger club head with perimeter weighting for high MOI. They also have a center of gravity that is further back to help players get more height on their shots.
Do you want something that is draw bias? There are so many models out there to help with slice correction, it would be silly not to take a look if you see your ball disappearing into the right trees too often. A closed face and draw bias weighting can get you hitting straighter shots in no time at all.
Don’t forget about the shaft either. Getting the correct shaft can help dial in your spin, launch angle and can also give you some extra distance. Having a club fitting or trying different options with your local pro can really improve the performance of your new driver.
The most forgiving golf irons 2024: FAQ’s
What is a forgiving iron?
Forgiving irons are generally irons that fall into the game improvement iron category and are designed to help players hit the ball straighter, higher and further. They are cavity back irons and can be some of the longest irons you can get your hands on.
This is generally achieved with a lower centre of gravity and stronger lofts. Distance AND forgiveness? Yes, please.
What handicap are forgiving irons best suited for?
These type of irons are ideal if you’re a high handicap golfer. Typically, if you’re shooting above 85 or only occasionally hitting a shot in the sweet spot then they’re also the go-to. Handicap-wise, mid-to low handicappers will benefit most from these clubs. And as we know, the average handicap is between 14 and 20, hence why they’re so popular on the shelves!
They are also great for players with slower swing speeds as they can help with higher launch, which these golfers can struggle with, especially in longer irons.
What brand produce the best forgiving irons?
All of the products in this most forgiving golf irons 2023 article are picked from the brands that offer the best-performing game improvement irons.
Do any pros use game forgiving irons on tour?
Unsurprisingly, most PGA Tour pros don’t opt for the most forgiving golf irons. As we covered earlier, the sort of irons are best suited for mid-handicap golfers looking to – quite literally – improve their game.
The most elite golfers in the world tend to game players’ irons or blades. These forged irons are thinner, have a smaller sweet spot and therefore are much harder to hit consistently than game improvement irons. From time to time, some pros do add forgiving clubs with a wider sole in as longer irons or driving irons for a more forgiving option off the tee.
Jack Backhouse
Jack is a PGA Golf Professional who specialises in coaching, teaching golf to beginners and top-level amateurs for 10+ years. He also loves his golf equipment and analysing the data of the latest clubs on the market using launch monitors, specialising in blade irons and low-spinning drivers despite having a chronically low ball flight.
Although Jack has no formal journalism training, He has been reading What's In The Bag articles since he started playing at 12 and studying golf swings since his dad first filmed his swing to reveal one of the worst over-the-top slice swings he reckons has ever been recorded, which set him off on the path to be a coach. His favourite club ever owned was a Ping G10 driver bought from a local top amateur with the hope that some of the quality golf shots would come with it (they didn't), and worst was a Nike SQ driver he only bought because Tiger was using it.
Jack is a member of Sand Moor Golf Club and regularly gets out on the golf course to prepare for tournaments. Jack uses a TaylorMade BRNR Mini driver, a half set of TaylorMade P7MB irons, MG4 wedges and a TaylorMade TP Reserve putter.
