Forged golf irons are a step above cast irons. The materials used to make them and how they’re made is a bit different. To understand forged vs. cast, it’s important to know the two main ways in which forged clubs were originally made: hand forging and machine forging.
Last update on 2024-04-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Hand Forging
In the past, all forged clubs (drivers through wedges) were made by hand – meaning they took a lot of time and effort to produce. The whole club was shaped using one giant hammer and an anvil, often requiring multiple blows from both tool and man. This process led to higher quality head designs that had more precise weighting distributions than cast clubs and also made them feel much better when hit.
Machine Forging
This manufacturing process is a variation of the original hand forging method, but with a few key differences. Machine Forged Clubs are created in a multi-step process that starts by creating the cast club head on a CNC machine (Computerized Numerical Control) through injection molding or spin casting. Once this part is complete, it is then attached to an aluminum shaft & grip and placed into a massive forging press which pounds out all imperfections from the head design while simultaneously shaping various notches for weight management across the entire face of the clubhead. After each blow from this massive press, a worker then uses a hammer to manually shape the head and finish off each detail.
The end result is a product that has been shaped by both computerized machines and hand-composed notches for increased weighting distribution at every possible location on the club head – giving machine forged irons stronger lofts while maintaining their thin back designs, which give golfers more control over their shots.
Nowadays, most forged clubs on the market are machine-made. However, higher-quality Machine Made Forged Clubs still possess many of the design aspects of their predecessor Hand Forged Clubs due to being created on the same type of machines.
This is why most Machine Forged Clubs are more expensive than cast clubs – they require more production time, materials & manpower to create. However, some companies have taken this manufacturing process even further by using even more advanced methods on their clubheads.
What Is The Benefit Of Forged Irons?
A major benefit of forged irons is their appearance. Hand Forging gives clubs a cleaner, more distinct appearance than casting does – whether they are machine-made or not.
This difference in appearance can be seen most clearly by looking at the borders on the faces of each individual clubhead:
Forged Irons also have many benefits regarding their performance. The use of stronger materials allows for higher lofts while maintaining thin back designs, which allows golfers to get more control over shots from mid-range and short distances.
In some cases, this means that a golfer might be able to hit a wedge with less effort while still getting maximum spin and control of their shot.
What Handicap Should Use Forged Irons?
A golfer with a handicap of 10-20 should use forged irons. They are typically more expensive than cast clubs, but they also provide many benefits that can improve your game dramatically. Golfers who don’t hit shots very far may find that they lose distance (and thus score) by using these clubs.
What’s The Difference Between Forged And Regular Irons?
The biggest difference between forged and regular irons is the material used to make them. Forged Irons are made of a higher quality steel than non-forged ones, which allows them to be shaped more precisely (on both machines and by hand) before they are finished with high-polish processes. This also gives them better overall weight distribution throughout each clubhead – an important factor in mis-hit shots.
More dynamic lofts on forged irons allow golfers to hit shots that land at the same point on the fairway or green even if their club was slightly off-center during impact. This benefit alone can save golfers many strokes every round they play.
Are Forged Irons For Pros?
Since better players typically get maximum distance from every club in their bag, Forged Irons are typically not necessary for golfers with a handicap of 10 or less.
However, they can still be used by these golfers to improve their chances of landing shots close to the green and on the fairway – even if the ball is slightly off-center during impact. This will help lower your scores and make you a more efficient golfer overall.
Can High Handicappers Use Forged Irons?
Yes. High handicappers can benefit from Forged Irons in a number of ways. They’re more precise than cast clubs, which allows golfers to get better distance and accuracy even when shots are slightly off-center.
This also ensures that each club is easy to control due to the increased weight distribution throughout the clubhead – an important factor for players who struggle with mis-hitting their clubs.
Who Makes The Best Forged Irons?
That’s a hard question to answer. Each company has its own unique history of forging clubs and methods for creating them, which means that some clubs are better suited for certain golfers than others.
Club testing is the only way to know for sure if a club will be right for you or not – but this is true about any golf club on the market, forged or otherwise. Big brands like Callaway and Titleist (and many high-end newer brands like Srixon and Tour Edge) make forged irons that golfers of all handicaps can benefit from.
Companies, such as Callaway, Srixon, Bridgestone, PING, etc., offer individual forged clubs for sale to the consumer market. Most popular brands use machines to mass produce their clubheads and stamp them with an “Irons” designation – which means they aren’t really “forged.” Instead, they are cast or milled and made of different materials than the actual forgings produced by companies listed above.
This allows Big Brands to reduce costs while still maintaining a reputation for quality.
