[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":18},["ShallowReactive",2],{"article-iron-buying-guides-irons-what-to-know-before-you-buy":3},{"slug":4,"title":5,"subtitle":6,"image":7,"imageAlt":8,"category":9,"html":12,"wordCount":13,"prev":14,"next":15},"irons-what-to-know-before-you-buy","Irons: What to Know Before You Buy","Understand the fit, feel, forgiveness, and gapping questions that matter before you spend money.","\u002Fimg\u002Firon-buying-guides\u002Firons-what-to-know-before-you-buy_irons-know-before.png","Irons: What to Know Before You Buy illustration",{"slug":10,"title":11},"iron-buying-guides","Iron buying guides","\u003Ch3>Start with your miss\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>Buying irons is easier when you are honest about the shot you hit most often. If your common miss is thin and right, a compact blade because it “looks clean” may make golf harder. If you launch everything too high with too much spin, a different shaft or head profile might help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Your irons should support the swing you have while leaving room for the swing you’re building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3>The big buying factors\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>Focus on the pieces that change performance:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Head style:\u003C\u002Fstrong> game-improvement, players-distance, cavity-back, or blade-like.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Shaft:\u003C\u002Fstrong> weight, flex, and feel through transition.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Lie angle:\u003C\u002Fstrong> whether the sole sits correctly at impact.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Set makeup:\u003C\u002Fstrong> long irons, hybrids, utility irons, and wedge gaps.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Budget:\u003C\u002Fstrong> new, previous model, or used in good condition.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Ch3>Test like you play\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>Don’t judge a set by the one perfect 7-iron. Hit enough balls to see the bad shots. Try a longer iron and a scoring iron if possible, because some sets shine in the middle but feel clumsy at the ends.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3>Quick recap\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>Good iron buying is not about chasing the most advanced head. It’s about finding clubs that launch, gap, and miss in ways you can live with on the course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",208,null,{"slug":16,"title":17},"how-to-compare-irons","How to Compare Irons",1782812355285]