Best Budget Irons 2024

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It’s not uncommon to spend more than a thousand dollars these days for a good set of irons. If you can afford it, why not? But you can actually get a really good set of irons for much less than that, especially if you’re willing to go the gently used route.

The truth is that the irons made a few years ago with all the claims of extra forgiveness and length are still forgiving and long today. Some of the companies, like PXG, still sell some older models at significant discounts. While others, like several Callaway models, can be found in excellent condition on the secondary market.

We surveyed GolfPass members what they believe are the best budget irons, and they responded with models that have been offered for a couple of years to some that have been around for close to a decade, which of course means they can be had at a lower price. Here are their top 10 selections:

PXG offers a lot of really good performing irons, but the best deal of them all is probably the PXG 0211 XCOR2 irons, which have been out for a couple of years now. They offer some of PXG’s best technology at a really affordable price, roughly $100 for each club new. They’re long, feel great and are one of the company’s cleanest and most sleek-looking irons..

Inside the hollow club head is the XCOR2 polymer (which is found in the 0311 Gen 5 irons and up). This special polymer provides a soft feel, plus it’s very light, which means the rest of the weight can be distributed lower and in the back of the club head for more forgiveness. They also feature one of the thinnest faces in golf, measuring less than 1.5 mm, which creates a very springy effect, resulting in long distances. Combined with strong lofts, these compact players’ distance irons really go. 

Shop PXG 0211 XCOR2 Irons

Certainly of Taylormade’s most popular irons over the last seven years, there’s one caveat here when talking about these golf clubs: They’re expensive if you buy them now. Fortunately, however, they’ve been around long enough that it’s not hard to find a set of used ones from previous years at a really reasonable price, and the previous versions still perform very, very well. In fact, you could say the P790s are really what put the players’ distance category on the map with their hollow body design, clean looks and really great feel.

The bottom line is that they’re forgiving, yet have a players club look to them at address. They are also very long. They’re also a great club for a high variety of players, all the way from single digit to mid-handicapper golfers. 

Shop TaylorMade P790 Irons

The predecessor to the PXG 0211 XCOR2 clubs, these are still a very solid choice for anyone looking for a lot of quality and features at a budget price. Finding a new set of these might be challenging, but you should be able to locate a set in good condition used at bargain price.

Like the PXG XCOR2 irons, these compact irons have a very clean look.  They are hollow as well, so they are very forgiving. A combination of polymers inside the club head give them a terrific feel, and they are very long.

The Hot Metal irons have been around for about seven years, and the Mizuno JPX921 model was several generations into it when it was introduced just a few years ago. While the current model of the Hot Metal irons have some enhancements, the JPX921 is still a solid performing game-improvement iron that looks good in the bag and at address.

What’s unique about these is Chromoly 4140M, a high strength alloy that allows Mizuno to create a multi-thickness face for increased ball speed. The irons have a great chrome/matte finish that makes these golf clubs look really great. They are very forgiving and long, and they don’t look like game-improvement clubs, which is exactly what they are. Still, it’s a club design that should appeal to a wide range of players, from mid-handicap golfers to high handicappers. It's certainly one of the top performers on this list.

The TaylorMade SIM Max, which came out about five years ago, is still very relevant in today’s game. It offers a wide sole and hitting area with plenty of offset. It is very forgiving, too. A thick topline certainly makes these game-improvement clubs, but they’re not so bulky that a seasoned player wouldn't have these in the bags. There’s also an OS version of these for even more forgiveness. 

They basically replaced the old TaylorMade M6 and M5 irons, sitting in between them in terms of club head size. They offer a better sound and feel and probably more forgiveness. They also go very straight, which places them among the best game-improvement irons on the market.

First off, these irons are absolutely gorgeous. The lines on the Cobra King Forged Tec are like a sleek sports car, and fortunately, it has the performance to match. 

There have been several generations of this club in the last few years, and they just keep getting better. Another example of a players’ distance iron, these golf clubs have an incredibly responsive feel and pleasant sound. They are made with a five-step forged body with tungsten weighting to help launch the ball and a foam insert to help dampen shock. And the ball jumps off the face. These are truly a joy to hit.

Shop Cobra King Forged Tec Irons

These have been around for the better part of a decade and have always represented good value with Callaway, especially compared to its more premium irons. While the Callaway X2 Hot irons aren’t the best-looking golf clubs you can buy, you are getting lots of distance and forgiveness with these.

They feature a large undercut channel to increase the face flex, which means more ball speed after contact. They also have maximum perimeter weighting to increase the sweet spot and increase launch. The relatively wide sole helps with turf interaction, making them more forgiving for slightly heavy shots. All-in-all, these represent a solid game-improvement option. 

This is another iron that’s a great buy when you find them used. And there seems to be lots of inventory available, offering decent sets for less than $600, including the Mavrik Pro.

There’s a lot of good technology to be found in the Mavrik irons, including an AI-designed Flash Face Cup for distance and forgiveness. Urethane microspheres give them terrific feel, and there’s a tungsten energy core to help launch your shots higher. They also have a clean look to them.

Shop Callaway Mavrik Irons

While the SIM Max is a solid game-improvement club, the TaylorMade SIM2 offered a number of new features that make it well worth considering. 

First off, it has what the company called an all-new Cap Back Design and Thru-Slot Speed Pocket. What that means is the SIM2 Max irons have an intelligently positioned sweet spot that spans the most common impact points, delivering maximum ball speeds and consistency in all the right places. An optimized center of gravity delivers a high launch to help you carry the ball longer and stop it sooner. And while a lot of game-improvement irons have a draw bias, these simply are engineered to go straight, which seems like a pretty good way to go. 

Shop TaylorMade SIM2 Max Irons

With a slightly larger club head size than the Mavrik, the Mavrik Max is designed for maximum forgiveness and a higher launch. The forgiveness comes from more perimeter weighting, and the higher launch comes from lofts that are a few degrees higher than the regular Mavriks. The idea is to maximize carry for golfers with slower swing speeds.

The bottom line is that the ball jumps off the clubface. And the wide sole encourages the club to glide through the turf, meaning you don’t have to strike these perfectly to hit good shots.