Upgrading my irons had been on my mind for a while. The set I had been playing was the Titleist AP1 718 irons—a set I originally bought after using them as a rental and really enjoying the feel and consistency. Before that, I had been gaming a set of Nike irons, so the AP1s were already a step forward in performance and forgiveness.
Currently playing to about a 15–18 handicap, I started to realize that I wasn’t getting the most out of my iron play. While the AP1s are solid game-improvement clubs, I felt like I needed something more tailored to my swing and current ability—specifically something that offered maximum forgiveness and distance consistency. That pushed me toward the “game improvement” category rather than the “players distance” irons.
I decided to go through a proper fitting at Golf Galaxy after watching my son go through their process. Seeing the data-driven approach and how dialed-in his final setup was gave me confidence that it was the right move.
Going into the fitting, I didn’t have a brand preference. My goal was simple: hit a wide range of current models and let performance and feel dictate the decision.
We started with the Titleist T250 irons, which fall into the players distance category. While they performed well on paper, I didn’t love the feel—something just didn’t click. In hindsight, I probably should have also tried the more forgiving Titleist T350 irons, but I moved on from Titleist after that but in hindsight I should have hit the T350s. I was gonna try the Srixon irons we never got around to those.
From there, I tested several of the latest offerings across major brands. That included the Callaway Quantum max irons, Ping G740 irons, and the Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal irons. Each had its strengths—especially in terms of ball speed and technology—but none quite stood out as the complete package for me. I did really like the Mizunos, those were a close second place.
The set that ultimately separated itself was the TaylorMade Qi Max irons.
From the first few swings, they felt noticeably more forgiving. My mishits retained better ball speed and direction compared to my old irons, and even compared to some of the other models I tested. Distance was also a standout factor—I was consistently seeing longer carry numbers without sacrificing control. More importantly, the dispersion tightened up, which is critical for someone in my handicap range. I also went with the graphite shafts as they were lighter and that helped increase my swing speed as well.
Another major factor was the fitting itself. At 6’5″, with relatively shorter arms for my height, standard clubs have never been an ideal fit. Based on the data, we landed on a setup that was 2 inches over standard length and 2° upright. We debated between +1.75″ and +2″, but ultimately went longer with the understanding that it’s easier to trim down later if needed. That level of customization alone should make a significant difference in consistency and ball striking. The Titleists I replaced were only 1 1/4 inch overs that was quite a change.
After getting the clubs on the course, the results have backed up what I saw in the fitting. I’m hitting them well, my misses are more manageable, and overall confidence in my iron game has improved.
At this point, I can confidently say I have no regrets about upgrading. The combination of modern technology, proper fitting, and finding the right head design for my game has made a noticeable impact.