I want to make one thing very clear: lightweight irons are not always better.
The lighter the clubs, the more quickly you can swing. However, the faster you swing, the bigger your misses will be, and you’ll be less consistent.
Who Benefits from Lightweight Irons?
Who profits from super-lightweight clubs? Those have extremely sluggish swing rates. Typically, elderly golfers and guys with sluggish swing speeds for various reasons (weak flexibility, short arms, low athleticism) should purchase lightweight clubs. If you 1) are exhausted at the conclusion of your round owing to the weight of your clubs, or 2) know that you should be striking the ball farther than you presently are, you should consider purchasing lighter clubs.
“Lightweight” refers to the total weight of the iron. The club head, shaft, and grip all contribute to the overall weight. When it comes to enhancing club head speed, the club head weight is the most important factor, but the shaft isn’t far behind.
Finally, all of the irons discussed in this essay will have graphite (rather than steel) shafts. Graphite shafts are far lighter than steel shafts, and they are also gentler on the joints. Steel shafts have no function in a senior’s club bag, with the exception of a putter and a wedge.
Sorry for the lengthy introduction. These are the four lightest sets of irons for guys.
XXIO Prime 11 Iron Set
If cost is not an issue, XXIO will be your go-to brand for the lightest clubs on the market. They dominated our piece on the lightest men’s drivers, and their irons easily won gold.
Given that their whole business strategy is based on providing light weight, forgiving clubs, they’ve proven rather popular among older golfers. Their primary client base is international, although the Americas are rapidly growing in popularity.
The XXIO Prime irons are the lightest irons ever made for men (apart from poor off-brand clubs that will not perform properly). It’s quite incredible that they can create an iron set that is so sturdy, forgiving, and long-hitting all while being incredibly lightweight.
Unfortunately, most companies do not indicate the weight of their iron club heads or provide a total for the complete iron. The only exception is XXIO; may their soul be blessed. I’m guessing that other firms will be unable to equal their “lightweight-ness”.
Pros:
- The lightest irons that you can buy
- Very forgiving design that’s great for mid to high handicap golfers
- Made by a brand that specializes in lightweight club for seniors, unlike the other brands that just so happen to make some models for seniors
Cons:
- crazy expensive
- can sometimes be difficult to find
- extremely difficult to test out before you buy
Cobra F-Max Airspeed Irons
Despite the fact that Cobra does not always produce the lightest clubs available on the market, the company is consistently improving its super game enhancement line of clubs, which is known as F-Max. The most recent set of irons that the brand has ever produced, the Cobra F-Max Airspeed iron set, is the lightest irons that the brand has ever produced. It is also 15 grammes lighter than the previous set of irons that was the lightest. A lighter clubhead, a lighter shaft, and a lighter grip of the Airspeed irons resulted in a reduction of three grammes, five grammes, and seven grammes, respectively.
With the exception of the weight of the club, the Cobra F-Max Airspeed clubs are exceptionally forgiving and feature great launching capabilities. The majority of senior golfers who have difficulty striking the centre of the clubhead and gaining adequate height on their iron shots will find that this combination is an excellent solution for them.
Pros:
- lightweight design to help you swing your irons faster
- very forgiving and high launching set
- less offset on shorter irons for a sleeker look; more offset on longer irons for a better impact position
Cons:
- not as light as the other brands mentioned here
- still on the pricey side of irons
Wilson Staff D200 Irons
The previous ten years have been quite difficult for Wilson. Although the pricing of their clubs are far lower than those of other manufacturers, not a lot of golfers are purchasing them. This is the one thing that a lot of golfers are unaware of: Wilson manufactures some of the lightest clubs that are currently available on the market. Their D line of golf clubs continues to be among the lightest clubs available, making them an excellent choice for older players who are interested in hitting the ball further.
There is a strong impression that the Wilson Staff D200 irons are the lightest irons that Wilson has ever produced. When it came to the D200 driver, the same thing held true as well. In spite of the fact that the difference in weight between the D100 and D300 sets is, at best, negligible, any reduction in weight will be beneficial.
Pros:
- best value option of the four… BY FAR
- very lightweight shafts, clubhead, and even grip!
- tons of perimeter weighting for extra forgiveness
Cons:
- not as highly reviewed as the other clubs, but that’s probably portrayed in the price anyway
- their graphite shaft option (which is what you want) is far more rare than their heavier steel-shafted option
- clubs look noticeably cheaper overall, especially at address
Callaway Epic Flash Star Iron Set
Callaway’s former Big Bertha iron set, which had graphite shafts that were extremely lightweight, propelled the company to the top of the lightweight irons market. On the other hand, it appeared that they shifted their focus away from the lightweight aspect and instead transferred their attention to increasing ball speeds through the use of thinner club faces.
The Callaway Epic Star Flash irons are completely different from anything else that the company has ever produced. It has the compact profile and forged feel of a players iron, but it has the lightweight and forgiving design of a game improvement iron. Additionally, it has a minimalistic approach to its design.
Despite the fact that the Callaway Epic Star Flash irons are a little bit expensive, you could discover that they are worth it because of the lightweight construction that enables you to launch the ball higher than you ever have before. It is highly recommended that you be fitted first before you spend this money. This will allow you to locate the shaft and head combination that is most suitable for YOUR game. Thank you for your consideration.
Pros:
- best looking iron of the four in my opinion
- Callaway’s lightest weight iron set in the past decade
- much better distance control than the three others
- great feel and sound at impact compared to the other clubs, due to the forged construction
Cons:
- very pricey due to the recent release
- not quite as forgiving as the other three