Best Players’ Distance Irons 2025: The data-backed power machines for lower handicaps
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Our test team puts 2025’s leading models through their paces to find out which players’ distance irons top the yardage charts.
The best players’ distance irons pack a lot of technology into a head shape that still looks desirable whilst typically generating more ball speed and distance than blade irons or pure players’ irons. If you’re not sure what type of iron you should be playing, check our comprehensive guide to the best golf irons.
The TaylorMade P790 is one of the most well-known examples of a players’ distance iron, with a hollow head that looks almost like a blade but packs a huge amount of power. Players’ distance irons don’t tend to spin as much as pure blades, but the high launch they generate helps shots hold greens.
Best At A Glance:
Best Overall: TaylorMade P790 | VIEW OFFER
Second Best Overall: Ping i530 | VIEW OFFER
Third Best Overall: ProtoConcept C05 TP | VIEW OFFER
Best for Max Distance: Ping i530 | VIEW OFFER
Best for Max Control: TaylorMade P790 | VIEW OFFER
Who are players’ distance irons for?
From our experience, many players who use blades or players’ irons would actually be better suited to players’ distance irons. They’re certainly not a wonder drug for all golfers, but if you’re anything from a 12-handicapper to a low single-figure player, then they’re well worth your attention.
In many instances, the clubhead size in the players’ distance category will be a little larger to inspire more confidence at address. The toplines are reasonably thin, and shaft weights tend to be a little lighter than those found in blades. The rapid growth of the players’ distance iron category can not only be attributed to aspirational aesthetics but faster ball speeds and more distance than traditional players’ irons.
Best Players’ Distance Irons 2025:
Best Players Distance Iron & Best Players Distance Iron for Max Control 2025
Price: $1,399.99
What we say:
Another TaylorMade iron and another category winner! This time, we’re looking at the leading model in the Players Distance category instead of the Game Improver top performer in the Qi irons.
It just goes to show that TaylorMade know their stuff when it comes to improving the games of everyday golfers – they’re at the forefront of technology in this regard.
The latest generation of the P790 have been refined in their technology but also in their sole design, with a wider camber across the whole base helping to improve the club-ground interaction from multiple different lies that will be encountered.
What our tester says:
You can immediately see TaylorMade’s point about this iron being one you can fit to a massive range of golfers. It looks good, oozes class despite the power under the hood, and it feels even better than ever when you make contact. I didn’t think they’d improve on the previous version, but they’ve surprised me.
Data:
Loft 30º | Clubhead Speed 92.3 MPH | Ball Speed 124.9 MPH | Carry 179.5 Yards | Spin 5,856 RPM | Launch 16.8º | Height 33.9 Yards | Descent Angle 47.9º | L-R Dispersion 2.7 Yards
Another TaylorMade iron and another category winner! This time, we’re looking at the leading model in the Players Distance category instead of the Game Improver top performer in the Qi irons.
It just goes to show that TaylorMade know their stuff when it comes to improving the games of everyday golfers – they’re at the forefront of technology in this regard.
The latest generation of the P790 have been refined in their technology but also in their sole design, with a wider camber across the whole base helping to improve the club-ground interaction from multiple different lies that will be encountered.
What our tester says:
You can immediately see TaylorMade’s point about this iron being one you can fit to a massive range of golfers. It looks good, oozes class despite the power under the hood, and it feels even better than ever when you make contact. I didn’t think they’d improve on the previous version, but they’ve surprised me.
Data:
Loft 30º | Clubhead Speed 92.3 MPH | Ball Speed 124.9 MPH | Carry 179.5 Yards | Spin 5,856 RPM | Launch 16.8º | Height 33.9 Yards | Descent Angle 47.9º | L-R Dispersion 2.7 Yards
| Set Options | 4-PW, AW |
| Stock Shaft | Nippon NS Pro Modus Tour 105 |
| Stock Grip | Golf Pride Z-Grip Plus2 |
| Left Handed | Yes |
Second Best Players Distance Iron & Best Players Distance Iron for Max Distance 2025
Price: $1,302.99
What we say:
The i530 iron has come in as both our second best Players Distance iron overall and the longest model in the category. It’s a great highlight for how seriously Ping are taking this category now, showing they know how to make a versatile iron set as well as one that appeals to a particular subset of player, a la the G730 or Blueprint models.
There’s good reason to revisit the Retro and Power Spec Loft options as well, if you need to adjust these irons for trajectory, as well as the toe-sided screw that allows for precise internal weighting.
This iron feels powerful, but it doesn’t come at a cost of control either.
What our tester says:
It comes off the face so fast – I’m really impressed with Ping! You could definitely just play these as a complete set and not really have any issues with gapping. They look really clean. The simple finish works for the brand image, but you're sold on these from the first hit.
Data:
Loft 29º | Clubhead Speed 90.3 MPH | Ball Speed 123.5 MPH | Carry 184.8 Yards | Spin 4,686 RPM | Launch 17.5º | Height 33.3 Yards | Descent Angle 46.1º | L-R Dispersion 5.7 Yards
The i530 iron has come in as both our second best Players Distance iron overall and the longest model in the category. It’s a great highlight for how seriously Ping are taking this category now, showing they know how to make a versatile iron set as well as one that appeals to a particular subset of player, a la the G730 or Blueprint models.
There’s good reason to revisit the Retro and Power Spec Loft options as well, if you need to adjust these irons for trajectory, as well as the toe-sided screw that allows for precise internal weighting.
This iron feels powerful, but it doesn’t come at a cost of control either.
What our tester says:
It comes off the face so fast – I’m really impressed with Ping! You could definitely just play these as a complete set and not really have any issues with gapping. They look really clean. The simple finish works for the brand image, but you're sold on these from the first hit.
Data:
Loft 29º | Clubhead Speed 90.3 MPH | Ball Speed 123.5 MPH | Carry 184.8 Yards | Spin 4,686 RPM | Launch 17.5º | Height 33.3 Yards | Descent Angle 46.1º | L-R Dispersion 5.7 Yards
| Set Options | 4-PW, UW |
| Stock Shaft | True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid 100/115 |
| Stock Grip | Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 |
| Left Handed | Yes |
Third Best Players Distance Iron 2025
Price: $1,979.94
What we say:
The C05TP is ProtoC’s step into the Players distance category, offering a more unique design than just a lower Center of Gravity position for forgiveness and distance. There’s not much offset here, and a more cambered sole (similar to the latest edition of TaylorMade’s P790).
These factors make the C05 much more playable for a variety of golfers, from the more advanced golfer looking for some extra distance without it costing them looks, to the higher handicap who wants more versatility than a Game Improver can offer.
Ultimately, it’s a very consistent iron in its metrics, even if they aren’t always the very, very top of the class within the Players distance category.
What our tester says:
This is such a different iron compared to the other options in the category. It looks similar to the others, but I think this could be a really great option for the person who wants a full set offering help without looking like a distance iron.
Data:
Loft 32º | Clubhead Speed 93.3 MPH | Ball Speed 122 MPH | Carry 175.9 Yards | Spin 5,559 RPM | Launch 17.6º | Height 33.3 Yards | Descent Angle 47.6º | L-R Dispersion 4.8 Yards
The C05TP is ProtoC’s step into the Players distance category, offering a more unique design than just a lower Center of Gravity position for forgiveness and distance. There’s not much offset here, and a more cambered sole (similar to the latest edition of TaylorMade’s P790).
These factors make the C05 much more playable for a variety of golfers, from the more advanced golfer looking for some extra distance without it costing them looks, to the higher handicap who wants more versatility than a Game Improver can offer.
Ultimately, it’s a very consistent iron in its metrics, even if they aren’t always the very, very top of the class within the Players distance category.
What our tester says:
This is such a different iron compared to the other options in the category. It looks similar to the others, but I think this could be a really great option for the person who wants a full set offering help without looking like a distance iron.
Data:
Loft 32º | Clubhead Speed 93.3 MPH | Ball Speed 122 MPH | Carry 175.9 Yards | Spin 5,559 RPM | Launch 17.6º | Height 33.3 Yards | Descent Angle 47.6º | L-R Dispersion 4.8 Yards
| Set Options | 4-PW, GW |
| Stock Shaft | Nippon NS Pro 950 GH / True Temper Dynamic Gold |
| Stock Grip | Golf Pride Tour Velvet |
| Left Handed | No |
A punchy players' distance irons that will fight it out with the best.
Even though the new fast-face Mizuno Pro 245 gave up 4.8mph of ball speed and 13 yards of 7-iron carry distance compared to our longest players distance iron this year (the Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Pro), our test pro was adamant this was the model he’d want in his bag.
His thinking came down to loving the punchy feel of the Pro, and how its slightly weaker 7-iron loft gave him the hanging rather than boring ball flight he prefers. Our test data utterly supports what his eyes and gut feel were telling him. Unless you specifically want to lower ball flight with the JPX923 Hot Metal Pro, the 245 launched and flew higher (1.5° and 1 yard respectively) span 600 RPM more, and hit the green at a 1.8° steeper descent angle, all numbers that will help golfers score better on the golf course. Ok, the JPX was 13 yards longer (with a 7-iron) but its dispersion/shot area was also 63.4% bigger which is a huge price to pay in the area of the bag most golfers crave accuracy.
Tons of golfers will be weighing up a choice between the Pro 245 and other leading hollow body irons like the TaylorMade P790, Titleist T200, Ping i525, and PXG 0311 P GEN6 this year. My advice to anyone trying to fathom this conundrum is to go and try them side by side. Very quickly you’ll narrow your choice to a couple of favorite options based on head shape, feel, and ball flight traits.
From there be led by your ability to customize. All in, you can’t make a bad choice, these are great irons, hence why they all feature on my shortlist of top-performing Players’ Distance Irons of 2024.
Read our full Mizuno Pro 245 irons review.
His thinking came down to loving the punchy feel of the Pro, and how its slightly weaker 7-iron loft gave him the hanging rather than boring ball flight he prefers. Our test data utterly supports what his eyes and gut feel were telling him. Unless you specifically want to lower ball flight with the JPX923 Hot Metal Pro, the 245 launched and flew higher (1.5° and 1 yard respectively) span 600 RPM more, and hit the green at a 1.8° steeper descent angle, all numbers that will help golfers score better on the golf course. Ok, the JPX was 13 yards longer (with a 7-iron) but its dispersion/shot area was also 63.4% bigger which is a huge price to pay in the area of the bag most golfers crave accuracy.
Tons of golfers will be weighing up a choice between the Pro 245 and other leading hollow body irons like the TaylorMade P790, Titleist T200, Ping i525, and PXG 0311 P GEN6 this year. My advice to anyone trying to fathom this conundrum is to go and try them side by side. Very quickly you’ll narrow your choice to a couple of favorite options based on head shape, feel, and ball flight traits.
From there be led by your ability to customize. All in, you can’t make a bad choice, these are great irons, hence why they all feature on my shortlist of top-performing Players’ Distance Irons of 2024.
Read our full Mizuno Pro 245 irons review.
Pros
- Expect beautifully shaped heads.
- Guaranteed great feel and feedback.
- Lots of shaft options at zero upcharge.
Cons
- All the Mizuno Pro irons are seriously costly options in 2024.
| Availability | 3-PW |
| Stock shaft | Dynamic Gold Mid 100 |
| 7-iron loft | 30° |
Anything but traditional
Best Looking Player's Distance Iron
Price: $2,099.99
The 'Players' Distance Iron' category was only really created in 2014 when Callaway reintroduced the forged but strong lofted Apex marquee, which golfers went gaga for. Just ten years on it doesn’t sound quite right to say there’s a traditional Players’ Distance Iron out there, and the Callaway Apex Ti Fusion encapsulates that.
Featuring a forged titanium face—uncommon in irons—they are said to offer increased ball speed and a larger sweet spot. The forged steel hollow body, paired with urethane microspheres, ensures a soft, responsive feel. Callaway's Ai Smart Face technology provides consistent spin and dispersion across the entire face.
I can’t say the Forged was the fastest or longest in the category, but all the numbers from our testing pro were very impressive, with above average data across the board. The L-R dispersion caught our tester's eye too, along with an explosive feel across the entire face.
Costs have sky-rocketed over recent years and the Ti Fusion is no different, with an eye-watering sum for the 4-PW set.
Read our full Callaway Apex Ti Fusion review.
Featuring a forged titanium face—uncommon in irons—they are said to offer increased ball speed and a larger sweet spot. The forged steel hollow body, paired with urethane microspheres, ensures a soft, responsive feel. Callaway's Ai Smart Face technology provides consistent spin and dispersion across the entire face.
I can’t say the Forged was the fastest or longest in the category, but all the numbers from our testing pro were very impressive, with above average data across the board. The L-R dispersion caught our tester's eye too, along with an explosive feel across the entire face.
Costs have sky-rocketed over recent years and the Ti Fusion is no different, with an eye-watering sum for the 4-PW set.
Read our full Callaway Apex Ti Fusion review.
Pros
- Incredible looks
- Very consistent across the face
Cons
- Black finish is not durable
- Very expensive
| Availability | 4-PW, AW Available (RH,LH) |
| Stock shafts | Dynamic Gold Gunmetal 100 |
| 7-iron loft | 30.5° |
Beautifully proportioned and perfectly playable for confident ball strikers.
We specifically create an indoor lab when club testing over winter, as it gives us a pleasant controlled environment to hit shots within all day, the confined space also accentuates the sound clubs make at impact. Despite the franchise being on the market since 2017, Titleist’s T200 iron still has, compared to the competition, a relatively loud clicky impact sensation, a feature that doesn’t go hand in hand with the desires of many decent players. Our test pro has fitted lots of golfers into new irons since the most recent T200s launched in August 2023, and he’s seen players routinely opt for the forged body T150s over the forged face and cast unfilled body of the T200s for this very reason.
If sound doesn’t bother you this phenomenon is absolutely nothing to worry about. The T200s are beautifully proportioned and thanks to their very reasonable lofts I see them as a model that’s playable for reasonably consistent and confident ball strikers, even at slightly more average speeds. When I was fitted for the T-Series in 2023 thanks to the slightly extra loft giving a better ball flight and spin numbers I had the option to play the model, even though I eventually chose the T350 for the reassurance of the bigger heads upping forgiveness.
If you’re drawn to the T200 I’d thoroughly recommend getting fitted through Titleist, from my experience the company has tons of fitting appointments around the country, and their fitters come armed with tons of options and product knowledge. My advice though would be to try and hit a TaylorMade P790 beforehand just to see if you can hear/feel the difference between the filled and unfilled hollow bodies.
Read our full Titleist T200 irons review.
If sound doesn’t bother you this phenomenon is absolutely nothing to worry about. The T200s are beautifully proportioned and thanks to their very reasonable lofts I see them as a model that’s playable for reasonably consistent and confident ball strikers, even at slightly more average speeds. When I was fitted for the T-Series in 2023 thanks to the slightly extra loft giving a better ball flight and spin numbers I had the option to play the model, even though I eventually chose the T350 for the reassurance of the bigger heads upping forgiveness.
If you’re drawn to the T200 I’d thoroughly recommend getting fitted through Titleist, from my experience the company has tons of fitting appointments around the country, and their fitters come armed with tons of options and product knowledge. My advice though would be to try and hit a TaylorMade P790 beforehand just to see if you can hear/feel the difference between the filled and unfilled hollow bodies.
Read our full Titleist T200 irons review.
Pros
- Very good looking in the play position.
- Hit all four heads during a fitting to see how ball flight changes, which will help you decide which best maximizes your scoring potential.
- There's an iron within the family for pretty much every golfer on the planet.
Cons
- You may need to give up a little ball speed or carry distance to reap the benefits of better distance control, dispersion, and a steeper descent angle.
| Availability | 3-PW |
| Stock shaft | True Temper AMT Black (Mid Launch, Mid Spin steel) or Mitsubishi Tensei Blue AM2 (Mid Launch, Mid Spin graphite) |
| 7-iron loft | 30.5° |
A Premium Iron with Incredible Feel
Players' Distance Irons: Best of the Rest
Price: $1,399.99 - $1,599.99
The JPX925 Hot Metal family launched at the back end of 2024, with the forged coming in 2025 to join the Hot Metal and Hot Metal Pro, bridging the gap between
With 121.0 ball speed, this certainly isn't the hottest iron in our testing, and there aren't any data metrics that will blow you away. However, if you take a further look at the data overall, everything is incredibly consistent, most notable the dispersion.
The JPX925 family offers an iron for everyone in 2025, and the forged was my personal favourite, alongside our testers. You can never go wrong with a Mizuno iron, with the data showing the consistency and premium nature of one of the best brands in golf.
Read our full Mizuno JPX 925 Forged Review
With 121.0 ball speed, this certainly isn't the hottest iron in our testing, and there aren't any data metrics that will blow you away. However, if you take a further look at the data overall, everything is incredibly consistent, most notable the dispersion.
The JPX925 family offers an iron for everyone in 2025, and the forged was my personal favourite, alongside our testers. You can never go wrong with a Mizuno iron, with the data showing the consistency and premium nature of one of the best brands in golf.
Read our full Mizuno JPX 925 Forged Review
Pros
- The JPX925 l family is a brilliant option for club golfers.
- Choose from a huge array of shaft options with no upcharge.
Cons
- No stand out performance from the pack.
| Availability | 3-PW |
| Stock shaft | Choose from 21 premium options |
| 7-iron loft | 30.0° |
A great sounding and feeling iron that's a solid performer.
Players' Distance Irons: Best of the Rest
Price: $1,299.99
Generally, hollow body irons launch higher with a little less spin, whereas cavity backs like the Srixon ZXi5, and Mizuno JPX925 Forged will launch a fraction lower with additional stopping power. There’s an argument to be made for both construction methods depending on how you deliver the club at impact and the flight you create.
While after testing pretty much every model on the market I feel there are slightly better newer options out there than the Cobra Forged Tec, thanks to having been in the market for some time this is a model you may well be able to pick up for less than the competition in 2025. The Forged Tec has a lovely refined head shape, and thanks to being filled with foam inside it sounds and feels good, while 20g of tungsten helps significantly boost forgiveness. Our test data doesn’t show the Forged Tec ripping up trees, but after having tested the model several times against various competition I’m confident this is a very solid performer that won’t let you down.
Read our full Cobra King Forged Tec irons review.
While after testing pretty much every model on the market I feel there are slightly better newer options out there than the Cobra Forged Tec, thanks to having been in the market for some time this is a model you may well be able to pick up for less than the competition in 2025. The Forged Tec has a lovely refined head shape, and thanks to being filled with foam inside it sounds and feels good, while 20g of tungsten helps significantly boost forgiveness. Our test data doesn’t show the Forged Tec ripping up trees, but after having tested the model several times against various competition I’m confident this is a very solid performer that won’t let you down.
Read our full Cobra King Forged Tec irons review.
Pros
- Lovely refined head shape.
- Looks and sounds fantastic.
- Very workable.
Cons
- Not as much stopping power as some.
| Availability | 4-PW |
| Stock shaft | Steel – KBS $-Taper Lite shaft regular (R110) and stiff (S115), 102g; Graphite – Custom fitting only, (KBS TGI 85 stiff/x-stiff and 75 reg) |
| 7-iron loft | 27° |
Best Players’ Distance Irons: The Data
Below is the data from our independent testing of the best golf players’ distance irons available in 2024. You can read about all the other models that didn’t make our shortlist above in our golf club review pages or category-specific irons pages.
Test Pro data:
| Make | Model | Loft (º) | Club Speed (mph) | Ball Speed mph) | Carry Distance (yds) | Spin Rate (rpm) | Launch Angle (°) | Peak Height (yds) | Descent Angle (°) | L-R Dispersion |
| Ben Hogan | PTX Pro | 34 | 88.6 | 116.4 | 167.8 | 5,482 | 18.8 | 31.7 | 46.8 | 14.9 |
| Callaway | Apex Ti Fusion | 30.5 | 89.2 | 121.6 | 178.0 | 5,252 | 17.6 | 32.9 | 46.6 | 4.5 |
| Callaway | Apex Pro | 33 | 89.1 | 116.3 | 169.7 | 4,984 | 18.3 | 30.4 | 45.7 | 12.2 |
| Cobra | King Tec | 29.5 | 93.3 | 123.3 | 179.0 | 5,373 | 16.2 | 31.4 | 46.1 | 8.4 |
| Fourteen | TB5 | 30 | 93.6 | 125.4 | 184.5 | 5,075 | 15.9 | 31.9 | 46.1 | 12.6 |
| Mizuno | JPX 925 Forged | 30 | 89.9 | 121.0 | 180.9 | 4,576 | 18.0 | 32.5 | 45.9 | 5.8 |
| Mizuno | Pro 245 | 30 | 90.1 | 119.3 | 174.5 | 5,181 | 18.2 | 32.4 | 46.5 | 6.4 |
| Ping | i530 | 29 | 90.3 | 123.5 | 184.8 | 4,686 | 17.5 | 33.3 | 46.1 | 5.7 |
| ProtoConcept | C05 TP | 32 | 93.3 | 122.0 | 175.9 | 5,559 | 17.6 | 33.3 | 47.6 | 4.8 |
| PXG | GEN7 P | 30 | 89.1 | 120.6 | 179.4 | 4,706 | 18.4 | 33.1 | 46.2 | 10.5 |
| Ram | FXT | 30 | 88.5 | 118.8 | 172.7 | 5,353 | 18.7 | 33.0 | 47.0 | 8.8 |
| Srixon | ZXi5 | 31 | 90.5 | 122.0 | 182.9 | 4,539 | 17.8 | 32.8 | 45.7 | 10.0 |
| Takomo | 101 T | 32 | 91.8 | 120.9 | 171.3 | 6,167 | 17.6 | 32.9 | 48.4 | 13.7 |
| TaylorMade | P790 | 30 | 92.3 | 124.9 | 179.5 | 5,856 | 16.8 | 33.9 | 47.9 | 2.7 |
| TaylorMade | P770 | 33 | 91.0 | 120.1 | 167.6 | 6,780 | 16.6 | 31.1 | 47.4 | 6.8 |
| Titleist | T200 | 30.5 | 89.7 | 121.7 | 180.3 | 4,887 | 17.3 | 32.0 | 45.5 | 12.9 |
| Wilson | Dynapower Forged | 30.5 | 89.6 | 121.4 | 179.8 | 4,849 | 17.1 | 31.3 | 45.3 | 21.9 |
| Category | Average | N/A | 90.6 | 121.1 | 177.0 | 5,253 | 17.6 | 32.3 | 46.5 | 9.6 |
| Test | Average | N/A | 90.2 | 120.2 | 175.1 | 5,327 | 17.6 | 31.9 | 46.4 | 9.7 |
How we tested the best players’ distance irons
We asked the leading brands to send us their 2025 players’ distance irons in our test Pro Neil Wain’s specs.
We created an indoor test lab at Keele Golf Centre to ensure a controlled environment, which meant we could use premium TaylorMade TP5x golf balls and a Foresight GC Quad launch monitor to create the most reliable data possible. We rejected major misses but recorded how shots launched, span, peaked out, and how far they flew in which direction.
See more about how TG tests golf clubs and other equipment.
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Best Players' Distance Irons 2024
