Edited by Rob Sauerhaft; Reviews by Michael Chwasky, Mark Dee and Brendan Mohler. Photography by Michael Chini

A gleaming new driver impresses your pals, but the right irons—the workhorses of any golf bag—can shrink your handicap fast. Luckily, manufacturers continue to find ways to boost ball speed, improve ballstriking consistency and—above all—make the game easier and more fun. Which models rise above the rest? To find out, 40 experienced ClubTesters tried out 30 models during two weeks at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla.

To help you find your perfect set, we grouped irons according to skill level: Better Player, Game Improvement and Maximum Game Improvement. Our research partner, Hot Stix Golf, fit each tester with the proper shaft flex and lie angle, then used launch monitors to record data on thousands of shots. Testers also played the clubs on course for a real-world read on what works best.

PHOTOS

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