September 7, 2023

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Mid-handicappers usually seek the game improvement set that easily gets the golf ball into the air shaping every shot precisely and thus long distances are certain. To get the best irons on the market, avoid any golf irons for mid-handicap players that have either "Pro" or "Tour players" in their name as they are best used by either professional players or low handicap golfers. An example of such is the Callaway Mavrik Pro golf irons. Below is a list of the best irons on the market with some of their advantages and disadvantages.

Product
TaylorMade Golf M6 Iron Set, 5-PW, AW, Right Hand, Regular Flex...
Cleveland Golf 2018 Men's Launcher CBX Iron Set
Cobra Golf 2020 King Forged Tec Iron Set
TaylorMade SIM MAX OS Irons, Steel Shaft
Mizuno MP-20 Golf Iron Set Series (MP-20, MP-20 MMC, MP-20 HMB,...
Product Image
TaylorMade Golf M6 Iron Set, 5-PW, AW, Right Hand, Regular Flex...
Cleveland Golf 2018 Men's Launcher CBX Iron Set
Cobra Golf 2020 King Forged Tec Iron Set
TaylorMade SIM MAX OS Irons, Steel Shaft
Mizuno MP-20 Golf Iron Set Series (MP-20, MP-20 MMC, MP-20 HMB,...
Product
TaylorMade Golf M6 Iron Set, 5-PW, AW, Right Hand, Regular Flex...
Product Image
TaylorMade Golf M6 Iron Set, 5-PW, AW, Right Hand, Regular Flex...
Product
Cleveland Golf 2018 Men's Launcher CBX Iron Set
Product Image
Cleveland Golf 2018 Men's Launcher CBX Iron Set
Product
Cobra Golf 2020 King Forged Tec Iron Set
Product Image
Cobra Golf 2020 King Forged Tec Iron Set
Product
TaylorMade SIM MAX OS Irons, Steel Shaft
Product Image
TaylorMade SIM MAX OS Irons, Steel Shaft
Product
Mizuno MP-20 Golf Iron Set Series (MP-20, MP-20 MMC, MP-20 HMB,...
Product Image
Mizuno MP-20 Golf Iron Set Series (MP-20, MP-20 MMC, MP-20 HMB,...

1. TaylorMade M6 Irons

TaylorMade Golf M6 Iron Set, 5-PW, AW, Right Hand, Regular Flex...
  • Package quantity: 1
  • Country of Origin: China
  • No batteries required
  • Product Type: GOLF CLUB

TaylorMade M6 Irons are among the best mid-handicap set of irons because they are crafted with exceptional playability and come with the speed bridge technology that promotes the optimization of energy transfer from the golf iron to the ball.

The M6 iron is an improvement of the M5 and the M6 best golf irons have made it to this list because it has a large sweet spot which when combined with a moment of inertia and the high launching, provides plenty of forgiveness.

Pros

  • Has a high trajectory
  • The accuracy is high
  • Comes with speed bridge technology
  • It allows a better distance

Cons

  • The price is a bit high

2. Cleveland Golf Men's Launcher CBX Iron Set

This is one of the best golf irons for mid to high handicap golfers and they are popular for their quality wedges. Cleveland Golf Men's Launcher CBX iron set has a hollow construction that results in additional forgiveness and also for the same as a large cavity back.

The cavity back also reduces as you progress to short irons and as a result achieve more of a control-based feel. This best mid handicapper gives the best of both worlds by making it easy to control shorter clubs and hit longer irons. It also has a low deep weighted crown for achieving a high ball flight. To generate longer distances, the iron set has ultra-thin face flexes and a consistent feel.

Pros

  • High launch and gliding through the turf
  • The ball usually goes straight and sometimes reducing the shot shapes to draws and baby shapes
  • The design is very versatile
  • Ideal for a handicapped better player who hits towards the toe
  • The feel of this golf set is consistent
  • Comes in a progressive V design

Cons

  • It is a bit pricey in comparison to other iron sets
  • Has a matte finish and this means the scratches can be seen clearly

3. Cobra King Forged TEC Irons

This is the best mid-handicap irons that are reserved for mostly game improvement model that offers great distance and forgiveness. The feel of Cobra King Forged irons is of a blade with a back cavity and also guarantees plenty of forgiveness.

Pros

  • It has a hollow design
  • Low spin with a great carry distance
  • Tungsten weighting that allows higher and straighter shots
  • Every shot with the Cobra King Forged tec irons has a great sound and feel primarily around the green

  • The aesthetics are great and it looks like a good club

Cons

  • In comparison to other clubs, it is more expensive
  • Only works well for the golfers on the mid handicap's topside
  • A small head which results in more mishits


4. TaylorMade Sim Max OS Irons

TaylorMade Sim Max is a very forgiving iron that easily reduces side spins to a minimum punishment and also behind the face there is a speed bridge bar. The SIM MAX OS irons have a large sweet spot and oversized clubs which make this game-improvement iron one that captures the ball with every swing while maintaining a good feel. The SIM MAX face also features the progressive inverted cone technology optimizing accuracy on shots that strike the face's center.

Pros

  • Come with an oversized face that offers more forgiveness
  • Echo damping system which reduces vibrations
  • Has a great feel and sound
  • Has a speed bridge bar that stiffens the head giving more power to the golf ball directly
  • The SIM MAX offers a high launch and great distance as a result of the low COG
  • Provides elevated spins with high irons that provide exceptional shot stopping

Cons

  • Considered bulky

5. Mizuno MP 20 MMC

Mizuno MP 20 MMC irons are classified as an elite cavity iron because they are somewhat larger and the loft is stronger and as a result, offers more forgiveness than the blade counterparts. The long irons help with distance even with the off hits, your shots don't suffer a lot while offering great precision, a decent ball speed, and good forgiveness.

It comes with a dual tungsten weighting that works to lower the COG and increasing the moment of inertia. This is the reason why this set has a decent launch. Another plus for these best irons for mid-handicap is the Grain Flow Technology which Mizuno MP 20 uses that has titanium forged into the back cavity and as a result produces more inertia at impact without sacrificing the great feel.

Pros

  • Provides quite a decent launch, excellent ball speed, and great distance
  • Uses new technology that has titanium forged into the back cavity
  • The whole golf equipment offers consistent performance from the 4 irons to the pitching wedge
  • The irons have a great look and feel exceptional while being set up
  • It has a copper underlay that produces a softer feel at impact
  • Mizuno MP20 iron clubs produce the best-golfing sounds in the world.

Cons

  • In comparison to other best golf irons on our list, it can offer slightly less forgiveness

Why is a golfer considered to be a Mid-Handicapper?


TaylorMade IronsA golf handicap is a single digit or a double-digit number. The golf handicap range for mid handicappers is between 11 and 20. Therefore a mid handicapper is someone who plays with a golf handicap that ranges between 11 and 20.

A good number of golfers fall in the category of mid handicappers which means that the majority of them can hit great shots and as a result, achieving a great distance but at the same time, they struggle most with the consistency because of the mishits between the strikes.

Therefore, to get the best out of your game, it is ideal to purchase golf clubs that offer maximum forgiveness and thus boosting consistency. The irons are the best when they strike a balance between the forgiveness level and playability while offering a great sound and feel.

What makes an iron set forgiving for a mid handicap player?

Two things make an iron set for mid-handicap golfers more forgiving and they are:

a. Shafts

There are two main types of shafts for irons and they are graphite and steel where the graphite material is mostly used for golf hybrids and also drivers. Graphite is mostly used in hybrids and drivers and it can help with distance especially if your swing speed is very low.

They have a lower shaft weight and this helps when you want to boost your distance by picking up more MPH in ball speeds. On the other hand, steel irons have a better feel than graphite and provide an extra weight that gives golfers a better feel becoming better players and most preferred in gaming.

The shaft flex does not necessarily depend on the handicap but mostly depends on your swing speed. There are several types of shaft flex and they are the Regular Flex which is ideal for golfers that have a swing speed ranging between 70 and 80mph, the Stiff Flex which is better for swing speeds ranging from 80 to 90 mph, and for the Extra Stiff shaft flex counts as anything above 90mph. The ball speed that is below 70mph calls for the use of an A or L flex. Do not hesitate to get some advice and help from a local pro for you to be able to get the best out of your purchase.

b. Club Head Design

The club head also comes in two designs which are the cavity back irons offer the most forgiveness because of how they are weighted and the muscle-back/Blade irons are mostly used by professionals or low single-digit handicappers because the majority of their weight is behind the face and sweet spot. For mid handicappers, it is an advantage to have a weighted perimeter which can easily save you some common slight mishits.

What is the difference between golf irons for mid handicappers and low handicaps golf irons?

Low handicap is the players who can get the ball off the ground without the help of a large sweet spot. The main difference between the low handicap and the best mid-handicap irons is that low handicap golf clubs have standard hosels, small sweet spots, and are blades, unlike the cavity back irons.

Mid-handicap irons have some specific characteristics that help to cater to mid-handicap golfers such as:

  • They should come with a 5 iron, pitching wedge, and a sand wedge
  • Mid-handicap irons should be cavity-backed and as a result, provide you with a large and more forgiving sweet spot
  • They should come with a perimeter weighting that increases the sweet spot
  • The best golf irons for mid-handicappers have an offset hosel that increases straighter ball flight

On the other hand, low handicap golfers use thin-soled blade irons that offer the best feel delivering great control through contact. The golfers choose their iron sets mostly based on their professional level playing style and therefore they upgrade to sets of blades or muscle backs. Low handicap irons lack all the above characteristics of mid-cap handicap irons and therefore they don't come close to iron sets that should be used by mid-handicappers.

How do Mid-Handicapper Irons Improve your game?

Hitting more greens helps a golfer to gain more confidence and making more birdies and pars that result in dropping the mid handicap to the single digits. Game improvement irons for mid-handicappers provide dramatic results and therefore it is unnecessary to use a set with a smaller sweet spot unless you play 5 days a week.

Mid-handicap irons designed for golfers improve your game in three main ways:

  • The mid-handicap irons land amazingly softly on the greens-center strikes
  • They have very forgiving on off-center strikes
  • They help to improve your high launch while using minimal effort

How Cavity-Back Irons Boost the Mid-Handicappers Performance

1. Offset Hosel

The offset design of clubheads is the one in which the hosel or the neck of the head has been positioned in the clubhead's front face in such a way that the clubhead appears to be set back slightly from the club's neck. The more the offset the farther the clubhead's center of gravity is back from the shaft and the farther the center of gravity is from the shaft, the higher the trajectory for any loft on the face.

For golfers who struggle with getting the ball up in the air well, more offset can help by increasing the height of the shot. Most of the forgiving iron sets in the market have offset hosels and as a result, encourages a draw reducing the club's workability to be able to hit fades.

2. Wide Sole Design

The purpose of the wide sole is to lower the COG meaning more weight can get under the golf ball of your shots producing an arching high ball flight also on mishits and also improve your shots in the event you hit the ground before the ball.

The additional weight on the sole bounces off the ground rather than dig into the earth the way a thin sole would do. A moderately wide sole is the best for mid handicappers whereas, for new golfers, a fat sole is the best. The supermax game improvement irons don't work the best as mid-handicap golfers have already better skills to get the ball into the air.

3. Perimeter Weighting

Cavity back best irons for mid handicappers have a perimeter weighting which goes out to mean that they hollow out the back of a muscle back iron putting the spare metal around the border of the club's back.

The perimeter weighting, as a result, adds more weight behind the face on the off-center shots. A cavity back iron that has a perimeter weighting has a large sweet spot because the face is wrapped with a lot of reinforcement through the perimeter weight.


FAQS

1. What are the best irons for a mid-handicap golfer?

The game improvement irons are the best irons for a mid handicapper because they have wide hitting zones that help you shoot your mishits far and straight. They offer plenty of forgiveness while improving the quality of your shots. When you start achieving a lower handicap, feel free to switch to player's clubs that provide more solid and consistent strikes.

2. What is considered a mid-handicap in golf?

In the golf game, you are more of a pro if your handicap lies on the lower side. A mid-handicap is considered to range between 11 and 20 and it means mid-handicappers can achieve the 80s with every round and be able to break 90s occasionally.

3. What clubs should a mid-handicapper carry?

A mid-handicapper should have several clubs in their bag and they include the driver, the 3-wood, the putter, 4 and 5 hybrids, 6,7,8 and 9 irons, the sand wedge, and the pitching wedge. Also, consider adding a gap wedge or a lob wedge if you are a mid handicapper that is strong in the short game.

About the author 

Andrew Robertson

My name is Andrew and I have been playing golf since I was 5! I currently play on HCP 2 and I have been working as both PRO for many years where I have been instructing both junior golfers and more established and experienced golfers. I have been working part-time at a large Golf Shop where I have been in charge of purchasing and custom fitting. My favorite item in the bag at the moment? My TaylorMade Spider X Putter, for sure. I hope you enjoy my guides here at Pine Club Golf. Leave a comment or send me an e-mail at Andrew@pineclubgolf.com if there is something you want to ask!

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