Robot testing confirms these 5 irons greatly improve heel misses

Go ahead and pick up the 7-iron in your bag and take a look at the wear pattern on the face. Unless your name is Tiger Woods or Moe Norman, there’s a good chance you’ll find some marks out on the heel or toe. Of the two locations, a heel strike is less common and comes from an inside path generally attached to better players.

We’re not saying a heel strike is the calling card of all better players but as you’ll notice from the list below, the Golf Laboratories swing robot highlighted several iron models geared for elite ball-strikers who miss it in the heel, including the impressive Mizuno Pro 241.

Of course, not every model on this list is a blade. For the game-improvement crowd, Ping’s G730 and XXIO’s 13 saw minimal distance loss on heel strikes when compared to geometric center impact. So, too, did the Blueprint S, a cavity-back model geared for the better player who still needs perimeter weighting for those mishits.

And if you’re wondering whether it’s better to miss it out of the heel or toe with your irons, the clear answer is the heel, according to the robot data. Across the 40-plus models tested, heel strikes averaged just 6.5 yards of distance loss versus 12.3 yards for toe misses. Now you know why better players tend to live in the heel when they don’t pure it.

(Methodology: All testing was conducted with a 7-iron at 80 mph — using the same shaft and attack angle — with six shots recorded from the geometric center and toe. The carry numbers below compare center and heel distances to achieve a carry delta.)

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Mizuno Pro 241 | 1.1 yards (carry delta between geometric center and heel strikes)

Mizuno Pro 241 Custom Irons

$200

The Mizuno Pro Irons are the result of a longstanding connection between Mizuno’s club engineers and the legendary Grain Flow Forging plant in Hiroshima, Japan. Every fraction of a millimeter and subtle curve has been meticulously considered, shaping the future of golf club technology. KEY FEATURES OF THE MIZUNO PRO 241: Grain Flow Forged HD in Hiroshima, Japan Soft Copper Underlay for enhanced feel Center mass for enhanced feedback Aggressively tapered blade for an ideal trajectory Thinner, tour preferred topline More compact short irons Increased bounce angle for improved turf interaction Full Satin Brush finish

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Wilson Staff Model Blade | 2.1 yards

Wilson Staff Model Blade 2024 Custom Irons

$171.43

Tour-proven performance is the hallmark of the Wilson Staff Model Blades. Designed for advanced players looking for the ultimate control, the Blades feature soft Forged 8620 carbon steel with precision-milled grooves that generate maximum spin. Precise toe weighting keeps the club face open until impact allows it to square with the ball, helping to eliminate hooks and resulting in more forgiving shots. THE PURSUIT OF PURE The finest clubs in our bag have proven their worth on tour and every course they play. Wilson Staff Model Blades offer absolute control to the advanced golfer, allowing them to shape each shot precisely as they see fit. PRECISE TOE WEIGHTING Eliminating the low left shot, the precise toe weighting keeps the club face open while maximizing forgiveness and ultimate control shot after shot. FLUID FEEL HOSEL Designed to eliminate unused weight, the Staff Model Blade hosel is an adaptation of our classic Wilson Dyna-Powered irons. It redistributes weight toward the toe, elevating its overall performance.

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Ping G730 | 3.3 yards

PING G730 Custom Irons

$170

Maximizing distance was the primary objective in PING’s longest and most forgiving iron to date, generating typical distance gains of approximately five yards from the flexing, hyper 17-4 stainless steel face. Flexing Face By employing hyper 17-4 stainless steel through heat treating, we thinned the face and optimized its overall structure to increase flexing and help lower the CG, delivering higher-launching shots with ball-speed gains and approximately five more yards of distance. Powerful Sound The cavity-back design is supplemented with the proven PurFlex cavity badge that enhances feel and produces a more powerful sound. Extreme Forgiveness The bigger head, more offset and wider sole in the investment-cast design increase the MOI in both axes, elevating forgiveness for improved stability and accuracy in this premium game-improvement design.

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XXIO 13 | 4.2 yards

XXIO 13 Irons

$1539.99

The all-new XXIO 13 Irons deliver the ultimate in moderate swing speed performance. Their advanced, four-piece design has a remarkably low Center of Gravity for a satisfyingly high launch. 4-PIECE CONSTRUCTION XXIO 13 Irons feature a low Center of Gravity thanks to their 4-piece construction, which uses titanium faces and tungsten-nickel sole weights. That weighting, combined with our unique Rebound Frame structure which alternates stiff and flexible zones for added ball speed, gives you a satisfyingly high launch with incredible distance. REBOUND FRAME Rebound Frame uses alternating layers of stiff and flexible zones to enhance overall COR, creating an effect that acts like a spring within a spring. It adds ball speed and distance to every shot. On the Irons, a thinner face flexes more extensively while perimeter grooves etched deep into the interior of the Iron body add even more flex, especially for shots struck low on the face.

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Ping Blueprint S | 4.5 yards

PING Blueprint S Custom Irons

$212.5

Developed following extensive testing with PING’s top tour pros to meet their “must haves” — control and precision — Blueprint S delivers the score-lowering performance demanded by the best players in the world. COMPACT SHAPE The compact shape fits the discerning eye with a thin top line and minimal offset. The 8620 carbon steel head boasts a clean cavity design, distinguished by an eye-catching forged textured pattern and hydropearl 2.0 chrome finish. PRECISION POCKET FORGING This patented forging technique allows PING to forge a pocket into the cavity of the 3, 4 and 5 irons. The pocket saves 10 grams of weight, which is re-allocated to increase the MOI and optimize the center of gravity position for more distance and trajectory control.

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Want to overhaul your bag for 2024? Find a fitting location near you at GOLF’s affiliate company True Spec Golf.

Jonathan Wall

Golf.com Editor

Jonathan Wall is GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com’s Managing Editor for Equipment. Prior to joining the staff at the end of 2018, he spent 6 years covering equipment for the PGA Tour. He can be reached at jonathan.wall@golf.com.

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