Updated January 5, 2023. This article was thoroughly audited by multiple golf experts and coaches for its accuracy. You can read more about our rigorous testing protocol here.
The Rundown:
Best Overall: TaylorMade SIM MAX OS Irons
“This Iron Set can change your game overnight – these are some of the longest, highest and most forgiving irons we’ve ever played for mid handicaps.”
Most Forgiving: TaylorMade M4 Iron Set
“With patented technology, the M4 will increase distance, boost your launch angle, soft entry shots, and provide max forgiveness for less sidespin.”
Best for Accuracy: TaylorMade SIM2 MAX
“The SIM2 MAX is an exceptional set that increases distance and boosts launch to golfers with mid handicaps. If you want to continue your improvement as a golfer, the SIM2 MAX really delivers excellent shot-making ability.”
One of the best areas that mid handicappers can attack to push their golf game to that next level is finding a new set of the best mid handicap irons that fit their game by improving accuracy and extending distance.
For golfers who have handicaps that sit between 10 and 18, the best mid handicap irons have several characteristics that will help boost ball height on shots and dramatically decrease the length of birdie putts.
Here are the best mid handicap irons that offer a variety of features that will delight and upgrade their golfing experience.




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Table of Contents
Best Golf Irons For Mid Handicapper
Here are the best irons for mid handicappers!
- Best Overall: TaylorMade SIM MAX OS Irons
- Most Forgiving: TaylorMade M4 Iron Set
- Best for Accuracy: TaylorMade SIM2 MAX
- Best for Feel and Response: Callaway X Hot Iron Set
- Best for Distance: TaylorMade M2 Iron Set
- Forged Feel and Consistency: Callaway Apex CF16 Iron Set
- High-Tech Forgiveness: Callaway Mavrik Iron Set
- Forged-Cast Hybrid Head: TaylorMade Golf P790 Iron Set
TaylorMade SIM MAX OS Irons
Best Golf Iron for Mid Handicapper Overall
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PROS
- Oversized face provides a larger sweet spot for better forgiveness and higher launch
- Deep, low center of gravity offers a higher launch with more carry for boosted distance
- Elevated spin with high irons for outstanding shot-stopping from inside 150 yards
- Speed Bridge bar stiffens the head for more power directly to the golf ball
CONS
- May take an adjustment period for golfers who are used to irons from the fairway
The TaylorMade SIM MAX OS Irons are a great entry set for beginners. The SIM MAX OS set is an absolute delight, featuring several of TaylorMade’s patented innovations.
Starting with the front of the iron, the face on each SIM MAX OS Irons offers a huge sweet spot. Since the “OS” on the clubs means oversized, these game-improvement irons capture the ball on every swing. These best mid handicap irons keep the ball along the golfer’s intended target line even on off-center hits.
Very forgiving, the SIM MAX OS set works very hard to reduce side spin to keep the punishment from a wayward shot, like a slice, to a minimum.
Each iron also features a Speed Bridge bar across the back of the head. The bar stiffens the face by connecting the sole and top edge of the iron. The feature creates staggering distance with increased ball speed.
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TaylorMade M4 Iron Set
Most forgiving iron set we’ve seen, packed with the latest technology
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PROS
- Speed pocket at the bottom of the club keeps shots straight and long
- Face slots behind the clubface aid in boosting ball speed
- RIBCOR Technology helps correct off-center strikes through flexible clubface
CONS
- Beginning golfers may want to find a less expensive starting iron set
TaylorMade has created an impressive set with the M4 irons.
Showcasing a host of features that help the golfer keep the ball long and straight, the M4 irons utilize patented TaylorMade technology to provide a golfing experience that will vastly improve the game of mid-level players.
With RIBCOR technology, the M4 iron set will increase distance, boost your launch angle for higher and softer entry shots into the green and provide maximum forgiveness for less sidespin. These features result in one of the best upper-tier iron sets we’ve hit in a long time, as the M4 irons deliver the goods.
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TaylorMade SIM2 MAX
Best Golf Iron for Accuracy: Well-crafted with exceptional playability
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PROS
- Fast and highly forgiving face creates tighter shot dispersion
- Cap Back Design increases distance and boosts launch
- Thru-Slot Speed Pocket maximizes flexibility with increased ball speed
- Outstanding feel with minimal vibration for clean, crisp contact
CONS
- Not for mid-handicaps that are inexperienced with shaping shots
TaylorMade’s SIM2 MAX Irons offer high levels of forgiveness, distance, and consistency. Ideal for mid handicappers, these game-improvement irons have many features familiar to TaylorMade fans that tighten shot dispersion into the green.
Beginning with the new Cap Back Design, the SIM2 MAX irons improve upon the standard cavity-back iron design with increased forgiveness, length, and great feel. Along with the Cap Back Design, the company’s Thru-Slot Speed Pocket increases flexibility and the spring-like effect across the face for explosive ball speeds with deep, low CG.
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Callaway X Hot Iron Set
Best Mid Handicapper Iron for Feel and Response
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PROS
- The undercut cavity backing creates one of Callaway’s longest irons ever
- Feel Management Technology fine tunes the iron set for more feel and better response
- Speed Frame Face increases ball speed for long and consistent distance
CONS
- Great game-improvement iron, but don’t expect the clubs to help you shape shots
The Callaway X-Hot Iron Set is a terrific option for mid handicap golfers as the collection provides excellent forgiveness, long distance, and a balanced feel throughout the swing.
The best feature of the X-Hot set is Speed Frame Face technology. Callaway borrowed the innovative advancements used in their drivers and transferred them to their irons.
The result is better forgiveness, longer and more consistent distance, plus better launch angle for higher and softer shots that stop dead on the green.
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TaylorMade M2 Iron Set
Best Golf Iron for Distance: low center of gravity with state-of-the-art technology
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PROS
- The lower center of gravity on the M2 irons forces shots to soar higher for greater distance and softer landings
- Face Slot technology is coupled with TaylorMade’s speed pocket for a thinner clubface that increases distance and forgiveness
- One of the cleanest looking game-improvement irons on the market
CONS
- There are many options available on the M2 irons, which could potentially overwhelm an inexperienced golfer
The TaylorMade M2 Iron Set is ideal for players looking to dip their toe into the lake of shot shaping. Most entry-level clubs are sledgehammers in that they have one function; to get the ball up into the air and with distance.
But the M2 irons have moved weight lower behind the clubface to provide incredible launch and dynamic control. TaylorMade’s Face Slot technology also corrals those errant tee shots that start on the toe or heel for exceptional forgiveness. Without a doubt, these M2 irons will boost your entry game into the green in considerable ways.
Read our full review: TaylorMade M2 Iron Set, Full Review: Should You Buy It?
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Callaway Apex CF16 Iron Set
Best Golf Iron with Forged Feel and Consistency
PROS
- Beautiful design, one of the best available in the market
- Great, loud sound
- Excellent and consistent feel throughout the set
- Very responsive with excellent feedback
CONS
- Not very forgiving with a compact head and no cavity back design
In golf clubs, the brand Apex can be considered a legend, known for its high-end quality and beautiful design.
The brand Apex was recently re-launched under the Callaway brand, and Callaway has combined their touch of technology with the premium looks and overall quality, giving birth to a beautiful iron set that is good-looking and excellent in performance.
The Callaway Apex CF16 Iron Set features a multi-material forged head made of six different pieces, mainly a 17-4 stainless steel face, a 1025E forged carbon steel body, and other supporting parts to improve sound and feel.
The CF16 adopts Callaway’s Cup Face technology in the 3- to 7- irons, first introduced in their 2015 fairway woods.
Read our full review: Callaway Apex CF 16 Irons Review
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Callaway Mavrik Iron Set
Best Golf Iron with High-Tech Forgiveness
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PROS
- Oversized hitting area offers plenty of forgiveness for straighter shots
- Game-improvement iron set delivers more consistency and easy launch
- Wide sole provides clean turf interaction for crisp contact
- Moderate head size works to provide shot shape and function
CONS
- Relatively modest on shot-shaping ability
Callaway’s Mavrik irons, our choice for the most forgiving irons for mid handicappers, provide frequent golfers with a sturdy set that they can depend upon for reliable performance for several years.
On the course, we found the Mavriks to provide a smooth striking experience. Featuring a clean turf interaction, we didn’t dig in with the iron head, instead creating the dollar-sized divots you see on Sunday.
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TaylorMade Golf P790 Iron Set
Best Golf Iron with Forged-Cast Hybrid Head
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PROS
- Excellent ball speed with low spin, producing excellent performance in carrying distance
- Very beautiful clubs, if not some of the best available today
- Excellent forgiveness for mid-handicaps
- Forged face with hollow head combining the feel of the forged iron with the lightness of cast irons
CONS
- Muted sound and feel
- Lack of consistency due to the less responsive feel
While the TaylorMade P790 is marketed as a forged iron set, it is technically not forged, at least not all of it.
Most of the body is made from cast carbon steel, except for the face and the perimeter, which uses forged carbon steel.
So, the part that hits the ball is forged, and you will feel it during impact, especially on well-struck shots. But that’s not the only special thing about the P790 head.
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What Should I Look For When Buying Golf Irons For Mid Handicappers?
Clubhead Size & Design
Forged Irons
The term ‘forged’ refers to how the metal material is shaped into the clubhead: a single piece of metal is heated into a rough shape and then is hammered, ‘forged’ into the desired club head shape.
Forged iron is generally better suited for low-handicappers looking for shot-shaping features and trajectory control.
Cast Irons
With ‘cast’ irons, the material heated into liquid shape is poured into a mold, allowing more complex head designs and the combination of different materials.
Casting a club head is far more affordable and easier than forging and allows a bigger club head with an intricate, more forgiving design.
Offset Hosel
Using a club with an offset hosel is all about correcting a slice.
By limiting the opportunity of leaving an open face at impact, the offset hosel gives the club head a fraction more time to return the face to strike the golf ball squarely. It may not seem like an advantage, but most slices hit by golfers are usually created because the club needs a split second more to return to the square.
Shaft
For mid-handicappers, there is an advantage to playing graphite shafts. Players with higher averages typically have slower swing speeds. The math is simple on this one, as slower ball speed off the tee box means longer second shots into the green.
Graphite shafts help mid-level players because they are lighter than steel shafts. Lighter clubs translate to increase swing speed. This is why you’ll always see graphite shafts in woods and hybrids.
Sole Design
For mid-handicappers, a good rule of thumb is to find a club sole that is wider than your largest finger. Larger soles on golf clubs promote forgiveness but sacrifice control. But this is a sacrifice worth making for golfers who need more time to work on their swing.
Wider soled clubs are considered to be game-improvement irons. Equipment manufacturers specially make the best mid handicap irons to help higher handicap players obtain maximum height on their shots and increase ball speed.
Tungsten infused
Tungsten Infused weighting places a weight into the iron’s sole to lower the center of gravity in the club. The club can produce higher launches for better carry and more distance by lowering the CG. The weighting also decreases vibration and improves the feel for a more pleasing overall experience.
Extra sweet spot
An extra wide sweet spot provides better contact quality, forgiveness, and distance to help mid handicaps improve their overall performance. A sweet spot on the face of the iron designates an area where the golfer will see the best production on each shot. Shots that go off-center of the sweet spot will fall shorter with less accuracy.
Set composition
Mid handicaps should consider how set composition affects their overall score. Since golfers can only carry 14 clubs during a round, each one must help to enhance their game. By crafting a set that maximizes distance and helps improve control, the golfer covers every situation they’ll face on the course.
Leading edge
The leading edge of iron is the point on the club where it first enters the ground. Shots where the golfer hits the ball with the leading edge first are thin, low, and weak. Instead, golfers want the best mid handicap irons with a leading edge that moves into the soil easily so that the ball can meet the sweet spot.
Weighting
The iron has several areas where weighting plays an essential factor for a mid handicapper. Perimeter weighting around the edge of the iron’s head helps balance the club with enhanced forgiveness. Weighting in the iron sole produces launch, carry, and distance with improved turf interaction.