What are the best golf club sets for intermediate players?
Selecting the right set of golf clubs for your game can be a tricky task, especially if you don’t take much notice of everything that’s going on in the equipment world, where new releases come thick and fast. It can be especially difficult for mid handicappers or intermediate players because golfers of this standard—say those in the 8-18 handicap range—can potentially use every model in a manufacturer’s line-up with some degree of success.
Generally speaking, a set that offers good ball speed, a solid feel, and plenty of forgiveness will suit the intermediate player, as well as a profile that’s not too busy or clunky—so as to be aspirational for the user to improve. To help you narrow down your search for the perfect set of irons—and we always recommend going the custom fit route—here are seven models you might want to try.
The D9 Forged irons have been engineered for speed and distance, and they’ll appeal to a wide range of players—certainly the intermediate player. They offer the player a compact, classic shaping and soft, forged feel, together with ball speed and forgiveness. Power holes are positioned along the sole of the club of the long and mid irons, which helps them flex more at impact. There’s more to like than just speed, though, and users should find that the 8620 carbon steel used to forge the face provides a wonderful feel at impact.
The Ping i525 irons will certainly win a lot of golfers over with their stunning looks. This player’s distance iron, which replaced the i500 model, is engineered with a forged, maraging-steel face which significantly increases speed and distance while providing a pleasing feel and sound. Meanwhile, the players-style blade length and offset with a modest topline create a clean, compact profile.
Whilst more of a game improvement iron, this model, which replaced the SIM2 Max, boasts an aspirational look that should make it appealing for those in the mid handicap range. In fact, TaylorMade engineers have done such a good job blending elegant looks with forgiveness, even those players a touch lower might lean towards giving them a try. The advanced design of the clubhead shifts mass from the extreme high toe of the head and repositions it in the sole to create a lower CG. As a result, users should find them long, forgiving, and easy to launch. That’s quite an appealing package.
Designed for low to mid-single-digit handicap golfers, the Rogue ST Pro is a beautiful hollow body iron with slightly more traditional lofts than the other Rogue ST models in a compact, player shape. It’s engineered for speed, but the elegant shape will appeal to those intermediate players on the up. One of the key pieces of technology is Callaway’s new A.I. Face Optimization, unique for each club in the set to create spin rate consistency across the face. It also features urethane microspheres, enhancing sound and delivering a pure feel while maintaining fast ball speeds.
Billed as the ultimate game improvement iron, the T300 irons offer a strong combination of forgiveness, distance and feel. The power source lies behind the head—Titleist’s improved Max Impact technology, which now includes an enhanced polymer core that improves both the feel and mass efficiency of the club at impact. The gentle offset means this model will appeal to a wide range of players seeking forgiveness and distance.
Mizuno is renowned for its expert craftsmanship, and the Japanese manufacturer is responsible for producing some of the finest looking iron sets on the market. It has every level of golfer well covered, with this compact model more geared towards the mid handicap player. Grain Flow Forged HD in Mizuno’s facility in Hiroshima, Japan, the JPX921 Forged irons offer an identifiable and classic Mizuno feel. At the same time, additional perimeter weighting with toe bias creates a Stability Frame to maximise results from off-centre strikes.
Srixon, in the past, has tended to focus its efforts on the more accomplished ball striker. This model is aimed at the higher handicap player, although there’s plenty of appeal here for more intermediate golfers. It’s designed to produce long carries and offer more forgiveness on off-centre hits, and it manages to achieve this in a classic shape. Despite featuring the widest sole and most offset in the ZX family—which slicers will appreciate—it still offers a clean view at address and frames the ball nicely.
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