Forged golf irons feel better. There is no better way to say this or explain it. If you want to play golf with a club that truly rewards you for a shot hit in the center of the clubface, the forged iron is the best choice.
Golfers that play with forged irons are typically looking for something with more workability, some distance, and a tad bit of forgiveness.
We have pulled together a few of our favorite forged irons in 2023. More and more companies are moving towards forged technology simply because it is becoming longer and more forgiving.
Best Forged Irons: Our Top Picks
- Best Overall: TaylorMade P770 Irons
- Best Value: Cobra King Forged Tec
- Best Premium: Mizuno Pro 221 Irons
- Most Forgiving: Callaway Apex DCB Irons
- Best for Distance: Titleist T200
Best Overall: TaylorMade P770 Irons
These irons have a compact clubhead shape with a thin topline. They have a forged hollow body that uses speed foam technology.
- Compact design
- Amazing feel
- Incredible workability
- Impressive distance
- Progressive clubhead engineering
- Accurate
- Compact head doesn’t suit average players
The TaylorMade P770 irons are one of the best forged golf irons that the game has ever seen. They have a look that will appeal more to the lower handicap player. Golfers who use the P770 irons typically like a thin top line, tremendous feel, and a bit more workability than the P790.
This iron is a forged hollow body golf iron with incredible distance and power. The P770 has a very thin face, and the ball speeds are strong across the entire face. So even if you miss slightly, expect plenty of distance.
The progressive engineering of the club head also makes the P770 a bit easier in the long irons. Short irons remain controllable. The spin in the short irons is strong, allowing you to stop the ball exactly where you want it on a green.
Pros
- Thru Slot Speed Pocket technology
- Very playable club head, especially in the long irons
- Great distance
- Forged hollow body construction for impressive feel even on mis hits
Cons
- Doesn’t mix all that well with the P790 for a combo set
Best Value: Cobra King Forged Tec
- Hollow construction
- Forged face insert and impressive feel
- Arccos Caddie app to track performance
The Cobra King Forged Tec Irons are some of the most unique-looking forged golf irons on the market. These golf irons were designed with the help of Rickie Fowler to be a high-quality and impressive overall golf iron that has long distance and plenty of workability.
The Tungsten Toe weighting has helped to get the center of gravity positioned in a way that promotes maximum forgiveness and distance. In addition, the foam microspheres promote a softer feel and a bit better launch as well.
For the golfer that is new to forged iron construction, thinking about making the change, the Cobra Forged Tec is a great decision. These clubs have the necessary technology, and they come in at a fair price. In addition, with this great copper look, you will have a hard time finding a better-looking golf iron on the market.
Pros
- Use Cobra Connect technology to track your performance
- Tungsten weighting has helped maximize distance
- Foam infused core for less vibration at impact
Cons
- Some say launch angle is slightly lower with these forged irons
Best Premium: Mizuno Pro 221 Irons
Made at Mizuno's iconic facility in Hiroshima, Japan, these irons are Grain Flow Forged. You can expect a beautiful feel and instant feedback on impact.
- Beautiful feel
- Produce a penetrating flight
- Superb workability
- Solid construction
- Versatile
- Sleek look
- Limited forgiveness
If you are serious about your golf equipment and want a very impressive upgrade this year, the Mizuno Pro 221 irons are a great option. This is a brand new release made from a 1025E mild carbon steel, and it has an incredible feel. You can tell that Mizuno put precision into constructing this club head.
When you play a Mizuno blade type iron like this, you can’t expect too much forgiveness. However, the graduated tapered blade was adjusted to help fine-tune the sweet spot and get golfers more distance throughout the set.
Essentially with the Mizuno Pro 221, you are well rewarded for a great shot, but there is a chance for punishment if you miss the center of the face. When it comes to workability and control, there is no better option on the market.
Pros
- Premium look, feel and sound
- Impressive design with plenty of distance
- Lots of control in the short irons
Cons
- Not the best choice for forgivenes
- Expensive new release
Most Forgiving Forged Irons: Callaway Apex DCB Irons
The Callaway Apex DCB is a unique golf iron with the forgiveness of a cavity back and the feel of forged.
- Most forgiving Apex iron Callaway has made, without sacrificing any distance
- Lots of ball speed
- Incredible forged 1025 feel
- Urethane microsphere for reduced vibration at impact
- First Apex iron created with AI
- One of the higher-priced iron choices on the market
The most forgiving forged irons on the market are the Callaway Apex DCB Irons. These golf irons are the most forgiving forged golf irons that Callaway has ever made; in fact, the Apex was not typically known for being forgiving, but things have changed.
The Tungsten Energy Core in the center of the golf iron will help promote a higher launch and a bit more consistency from your irons. Golfers that like a very thin top line will have to adjust to the thicker look of the Callaway Apex DCB golf irons, but the performance will be well worth the adjustment.
The urethane microspheres help improve the overall feel and sound on the Apex DCB irons. In fact, we found that the feel here was just as good if not better than the standard Apex golf iron.
Pros
- 1025 mild carbon steel
- Urethane microspheres
- Tungsten Energy core
- Very high ball speeds
Cons
- Top down look is a bit thick
Best Forged Irons for Distance: Titleist T200
These powerful irons have a surprisingly good feel. The D18 tungsten weights help with the launch, while the hollow construction adds forgiveness.
- Premium irons
- Great distance
- Sleek look
- Premium feel
- Excellent launch
- Good forgiveness
- Other options are more forgiving
The Titleist T200 golf irons are a forged players distance iron that gives you Titleist feel and precision while still allowing for plenty of distance. The performance from the Titleist T200 is tour-proven and has been seeing a strong presence on the PGA Tour already this year.
The new T200 has a very sleek shape and a thin topline. There is minimal offset in the golf club head, making it a good option for the lower handicap player that likes the sleek iron shaping. In addition, there is always the option that you can combine the T200 distance irons in the long irons with something like the T100 in the short irons.
As with almost all new releases this year, we are seeing more Tungsten. The tungsten weights in the T200 golf irons are ideally placed with an ideal center of gravity to promote better forgiveness and feel.
Pros
- Strong distances from a Titleist players club
- Forged L Face feels solid and powerful
- Tungsten weighting for precise center of gravity
- Improved acoustics
Cons
- Although distance is improved, it’s still not the most forgiving golf iron on the market
How to Choose the Best Forged Irons for You
In years past, there were always just a few forged iron choices on the market to choose from. Luckily as time has gone on and more golf companies have realized that forged feel is preferred for many players, there are now endless forged options for golfers to choose from.
Here are a few ways you can be sure that you end up picking the best forged irons for your game.
Shaft
The golf shaft you put in your forged iron set is almost as important as the club head. If a golf shaft does not have the correct specifications, then you will continue to struggle with it on the course. Players must consider the weight, flex, and length of the shaft they choose.
Faster swing speed golfers need a golf shaft with a bit more weight and a stiffer flex. The slower swing speed golfers should consider a golf club with a lightweight shaft and maybe even a graphite shaft option.
Steel and graphite shafts both have important performance benefits, and you may have to go for a custom club fitting to determine which one is the perfect choice for your golf game. Most golfers looking for extra control will choose steel, while those looking for extra distance will choose the graphite shafts.
Club Head Design
The forged golf iron does not necessarily need to be a blade. With modern golf technology, many clubs on the market are now more of a cavity back design with forged golf technology incorporated in. For instance, the Callaway Apex DCB is a deep cavity back design with a fully forged face.
Try to consider your handicap and playing ability before deciding which club head design will be the best for your needs. Some golfers do pretty well with a blade-style club, and others will enjoy just a bit of help from something with a wider sole.
Pricing
The forged golf irons are typically more money than a cavity back iron. When you think about the process that these forged irons go through when they are made, this will probably make more sense to you. It takes more time and precision to make a great set of forged golf irons.
The good thing about the higher pricing of a forged golf iron is that the golf irons often hold their value a bit longer than a traditional cavity back iron. Therefore, you can make a forged iron purchase less frequently than a cheaper cavity back iron.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few of the questions that we are most often asked about the best forged golf irons on the market. Forged irons are typically a bit more expensive than cavity back irons, so asking questions and being careful about the choice you make is essential.
What are forged irons?
Forged irons are golf irons created from a single piece of metal. This metal may have inserts, or it may be hollow, and it will go through a unique process to help ensure a soft and responsive feel at impact.
When you look at a forged golf iron under a microscope, you will see that there is very little room for vibration of the metals, which is why golfers describe a more pure feel at impact.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of forged Irons?
The advantage of forged irons is more feel and workability. The disadvantage is typically a bit less forgiveness and a higher price point.
Many new golf irons are coming to the market with a forged face and incredible forgiveness. These golf irons are in high demand because they finally give higher handicap golfers the feel and precision they have missed in their previous cavity-backed irons.
Are forged irons better than cavity back irons?
Forged irons typically have a better feel than cavity back irons, but they are not always as forgiving as the cavity back. There are different types of golf irons on the market for a reason. As a golfer, you need to choose the golf iron that is the best fit for your game and ensure that you have the playing ability to use this iron effectively.
Forged irons are not better than cavity back irons; they simply offer different advantages.
Related: Forged vs. Cast Irons: Which is Best for Your Golf Game?
What is the advantage of forged irons?
The main advantages of forged irons are feel and workability. When you hit a great forged iron golf shot, expect it to feel very smooth and stable at impact.
This improved feel helps golfers know what they need to do to hit any type of golf shot. With the enhanced feel, golfers will learn to hit high and low lofted shots and balls that turn left and right on command.
What handicap should use forged irons?
The great thing about how golf technology changes and improves is that golfers of all handicap levels can use forged golf irons. There are now forged irons made for high handicappers and low handicappers.
For the most part, forged technology is preferred by the lowest handicap players because of its impressive feel. Golfers that require a specific smooth feel at impact will enjoy what the forged golf irons have to offer. This typically happens to be mid to low handicap players.
What are the different types of irons that exist?
The different types of irons are cavity back and forged golf irons. Many times the forged irons are mistaken for blades, but you can also have a cavity back iron with a forged face and forged technology.
Essentially the forged concept means that a club was created from a single piece of metal, and because of that, there is minimal vibration or movement at impact. This helps better players get more consistent results from their golf shots.
What iron shaft should I choose?
When choosing an iron shaft, you must consider both the weight and the club’s flex. The best thing to do is determine your swing speed. Once you have your swing speed figured out, you can evaluate which flex would likely be the best fit for your game. Higher swing speeds need a stiffer flex in their golf shafts.
The weight of the club shaft will impact the ball flight. A heavier golf shaft keeps the ball flight down, while a lighter golf shaft will help players hit higher shots. Choose a shaft that will help you hit great shots on the first and 18th tee. Don’t try and play with something that feels like it is forcing you to swing harder.
Conclusion
We hope you now feel as though you can choose the best forged golf irons for your game. With all of the great choices out there, it was tough to narrow these down.
However, the TaylorMade P770 irons stand out as some of the very best we have seen. With an impressive feel, a clean top line, and plenty of distance technology, the P770 is the perfect alternative for the better player that was impressed with what the P790 had to offer.
