Golf Clubs for Teens and Advanced Juniors

Below are examples of some of irons for junior golfers based on different levels of experience and expertise. The club head weight indicated is that of a 6 iron. As a comparison to the weights of each iron reviewed, the largest US Kids Golf Tour Series irons (i.e. size 60 & 63) weigh approx. 250g. 

The Ping i210 irons were introduced in 2018 as the replacement for the Ping i200 irons. These irons are suitable for advanced juniors (e.g. single handicap players) and are Tour player irons.  

The performance of these irons is similar to the i200's but with a better feel, thanks to the larger elastomer insert in the 210's. The leading edge is improved for less friction and the Hydropearl face finish is meant to improve ball control from wet and rough conditions as well as prolong the life of the club.  

Introduced in 2017, the Ping G400 irons are a little lighter weight than most adult clubs and are, in fact, only slightly heavier than the USKids TS3 V5 irons. The G400 irons are designed for more distance (thanks to a thinner, hotter face) and more forgiveness. All this while keeping a good look and feel club. These irons have slightly more offset than the Ping i's and i200's.

In 2019 Ping introduced the next version, the G410 irons. They are slightly more expensive than the G400. The G410's are great looking irons and are suitable for all levels of golfers although (similar to the G400s), they may be a little on the bulky side for single handicap players. 

The Ping i500 irons were introduced in 2018 and use more advanced technology than both the G400 and the traditional i-series irons (e.g. the i200's and i210's). These great looking clubs are "fast faced" enclosed cavity back irons and similar in design and looks to the Taylormade P790 and Titleist T-MB irons (see below). The higher launch of these clubs allowed Ping to make the irons with approx. 2.5 degrees stronger lofts, resulting in more distance than regularly constructed irons.

The face is made from maraging steel which is the same high quality material as the hot face G400 fairway wood. The irons have a cavity back that is completely enclosed resulting in a club with clean lines and a great sound.

The Ping i500s have a "players iron" look. The downside is that they are on the expensive side at approx. $1,140 for a 7 club iron set. In general you can also add approx. $200 for the more flexible graphite shafts. 

TaylorMade makes a number of sets of irons that are suitable for juniors transitioning into adult clubs. The TaylorMade custom ordering page on the TM website is very intuitive and a great tool to help you "fit" new clubs, including selecting which irons you want in your set (e.g. 5i-PW), loft adjustment, lie adjustment, shaft material & flex, grip size etc. Graphite shafts are available for juniors, as are ladies and senior flex shafts.

Similar to the Ping i500's, the TaylorMade P790 irons are a great combination of forged look and feel with distance and forgiveness. The distance and forgiveness is partly thanks to the hollow body design with "speed foam" inside. In addition, the 3-7 irons have a high density tungsten weight inside that increases MOI in the longer clubs and also a speed pocket to increase face flex (thus ball speed).

The polished matt chrome finish is a great look. These are high tech clubs suitable as transition clubs for juniors. While they are on the expensive side, certain junior tournaments do offer significant Taylormade discount for junior golfers playing in those tournaments. We see these clubs in use at many high level junior tournaments including national tournaments such as AJGA, Hurricanes, USKids Teen World etc. as well as at many of the junior golf camps and schools. 

In addition, these irons are in use by a wide variety of players from beginner to advanced juniors and we have also seen these being used by several very good adult players with scratch or better handicaps and also some golf teaching professionals.

TaylorMade also has a Black finish P790 option that has the same technology as the standard P790 irons but with a high quality black PVD finish for all irons. These are combined with new all-black True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 shafts for really sleek unified look at "inspires and intimidates".

The TaylorMade P770's are forged, cavity back irons for advanced players who like a more compact style head (slightly smaller with a thinner topline than the P790 heads), providing workability, while still having some forgiveness. The forgiveness in the 3 to 7 irons is thanks to a tungsten bar that lowers the CG and increase the MOI = forgiveness and a higher launch. These irons are used by a number of tour pro's who sometimes mix and match the P770's with the P750's (i.e. longer irons being the P770's and shorter irons the P750's). Similar to the P790's these are on the expensive side if purchased new.

The TM M3 irons are compact, classic looking, player's irons with excellent distance and more forgiveness than the P790's. Compared to the previous M1 irons, the M3's have a thinner topline, improved shape, better aesthetics, a lower spin rate and more carry.

Taylormade's RIBCOR technology provides a stiffer frame and more flexible (faster) face resulting in increased ball speed. The tungsten sole weights in the 3-7 irons provide a lower CG resulting in improved launch and stability. Speed pockets and face slots improve distance and accuracy on off-center hits. Overall these are great irons for distance, forgiveness, feel and sound.

Compared to the M3's, the M4 irons are slightly lighter weight (yet a larger club face), offer more forgiveness and are ultra game improvement irons (even more forgiving than the M3 irons). They are also slightly cheaper than the M3's. 

Introduced in 2019, the M5 and M6 irons take these already good clubs to the next level but at a slightly higher price.

Overview of Titleist irons:

Way back in 2008, Titleist introduced the first AP1 and AP2 irons series. The original AP1 was a super game improvement iron and the AP2 was a game improvement iron. Since then, Titleist has brought out a new series every 2 years - hence the AP1/AP2 710 (in 2010), AP 712, AP 714, AP 716, and the latest AP 718 (2018). The AP2 irons have evolved from a game improvement iron to a tour player iron.

Below we have included the 2018 versions (718's). The prior season 716 irons are also great clubs for juniors and can be bought new (or used) for much less than the 718's. In 2018 Titleist introduced the 718 AP3 which were designed to fill the gap between the AP1 and the AP2.

The other Titleist irons (not reviewed here) are (i) MB Forged (muscle back blade, a true player iron with "Classic" playability factor and not recommended for juniors), (ii) T-MB which is a hollow face iron that is shaped like a MB - i.e. a similar concept to the TaylorMade P790 and Ping i500 (both reviewed above), similar in performance to the AP2 reviewed below, and could work well for juniors, and (iii) the CB Forged which is a blade/ cavity back model and is actually similar in forgiveness to the AP2 and T-MB, and could work well for single handicap junior golfers that really want the look and feel of a forged blade iron. We have selected the AP series here based on what we see juniors playing with most frequently and overall reviews and recommendations. 

The Titleist AP1's are  great clubs for junior golfers of all levels, from beginner to advanced. High density tungsten weights in the corners of the club face provide a high MOI. The lower center of gravity in these irons (thus higher launch) means that the irons could be built with much stronger lofts resulting in longer carry distances. The AP1's are not as workable as some lower handicaps might like while the AP2 and AP3 irons have more workability.

These super game improvement irons do a great job of providing extreme forgiveness while still having the feel and sound of better player irons. It is not uncommon to see single figure handicap players using these irons, and frequently a combination of AP1's for longer irons and AP2's or AP3's for the shorter irons.

The Titleist 716 AP1's are also still very good irons and a set of seven irons (e.g. 5 iron to Gap Wedge) can be purchased new for $650 (+ $200 for graphite shafts) which is a great price for a new set of quality clubs for your junior. 

The AP3's provide forgiveness in a compact design. Titleist was aiming for a "distance iron" with a fast face but that is still a players iron. The longer distances also do not come at the expense of holding the green. The 3-7 irons are more forgiving with tungsten weights in the head and toe. For shafts, Titleist has its ascending weight shafts that are lighter in the long irons and gradually get heavier as you move to the short irons. In addition there are many other custom fitting options through Titleist.

These are great irons for intermediate to advanced juniors. At well over $1,000 for a set of seven irons, these clubs are on the expensive side, especially if you add custom fitting and graphite shafts. If you are looking for something similar but at significantly less price consider combining the 716 AP1 long irons with the 716 AP2 short irons.

The 718 AP2 is a "better player iron", and is used by a number of PGA Tour players. It is suitable for single handicap players. It is the successor for the 716 AP2 that was the most widely used iron on professional golf tours in 2017. It has a more compact head with slightly more solid feel than the AP3 while being more forgiving than the MB blades (but similar in forgiveness to the T-MB and CB Forged irons). The 3-7 irons have a steel face inserts while the 8-PW irons are forged 1025 carbon steel.

A good option for advanced juniors may be to go with AP2 for the short irons and AP3's or T-MB's for the long irons.  In case this helps put these clubs in perspective, in 2018/19 Jordan Spieth played the AP2's for 5-9 irons and the T-MB's for 3-4 irons and Adam Scott used the T-MB 3 iron. If these caliber players feel that they can benefit from a little forgiveness in the long irons then your junior can also!

Callaway has such a large selection of irons currently on the market (no less than 20 different head options), that it can be difficult to figure out the best options for a regular golfer, never mind a junior golfer. Below is a high level summary of the numerous Callaway iron options (and this excludes combo sets, hybrids sets, some women's sets, and prior year models!) with our view on their suitability as junior transition irons:

• Epic, Epic Pro and Epic Star: high end irons, expensive materials, the latest technologies, high ball speed, forgiveness and performance. These are "Game Improvement irons" and the Epic and Epic Pro both weigh 260 grams. The Epic irons are Callaway's premium product and thus are very expensive (twice the price of the excellent Callaway Rogue irons). Starting at $1,750 for a set of 7 irons and $2,100 for a set of 7 Epic Star irons.  Good transition irons for juniors if price is not a consideration - or consider buying certified used iron sets at the Callaway Pre-Owned site. 
• Rogue, Rogue Pro, Rogue X, Rogue W: These irons utilize the latest materials and technologies, designed for distance, accuracy and playability. Cheaper option than the Epic and great clubs at the price. Starting at ~$800 for a set of 7 irons. Very suitable as junior transition irons and reviewed in detail below.
• Steelhead XR, Steelhead XR Pro: Combination of fast face and very forgiving. Both are Ultra Game Improvement irons and weigh 255 grams and 260 grams, respectively. We found these on sale at $700 for a set of 7 irons, a great deal for a very good club and well suited as a junior transition iron. More information below.
• Big Bertha OS: High MOI, weight distribution for forgiveness, fast face for high ball speeds and optimal distance. Super Game Improvement irons that weigh 257 grams. On the expensive side for slightly older clubs, starting at ~$960 for a set of seven irons. More information below.
• Apex CF 16, Apex Black, Apex Pro 16, Apex MB: The Apex is Callaway's flagship iron and is used by many tour pro's. It has been around for a few years and is regularly tweaked for new technologies. These are "better player" irons and are generally suitable for advanced juniors. Priced from ~$1,050 for a set of 7 irons. See detailed review below.
• X Forged: Less forgiving than all other Callaway irons except the Apex MB. On the more expensive side, starting at ~$1,140 for a set of 7 irons.

Buying advice - below we have provided links to some good buying options. We also like the excellent Callaway Golf Pre-Owned website. A set of "excellent condition" irons can go for half the price on the Callaway Pre-Owned site than the same model sells for new. We recommend visiting the site and browsing not only Certified pre-owned Callaway clubs but also other brands.

The Rogue irons have Callaway's excellent 360 Face Cup (the same as the Great Big Bertha and Epic irons) that provides high speed off the face, Variable Face Technology (as opposed to the Exo-cage structure of the GBB and Epic) that provides excellent speed, even on off-center hits, and tungsten weights that provide maximum forgiveness and playability. A special urethane compound (infused with specialized microsphere bubbles), provides good feel and sound by soaking up vibrations and high pitched/tinny sounds, while still allowing maximum face flex. The Rogue irons replace the Callaway Steelhead XR and Steelhead XR Pro iron line. 

Below is brief overview of the difference between each of the Rogue models and some of the other major brand clubs that are comparative to these irons.

Rogue: all-round great performance that can be used by any level player. Comparative irons are Taylormade M4 and Titleist AP1. These look and feel like player irons but provide all the forgiveness you could want.

Rogue Pro: smaller face and thinner topline giving a "player iron" look. More workable than the pro model, not quite as forgiving. Comparable irons are the Taylormade M3, Titelist AP3, and Ping 790. Callaway also brought out the Rogue Pro Black irons in June 2018.

Rogue X: longer shafts, lighter shafts, stronger lofts. These irons benefit adults with a slower than average swing speed that are able to hit the ball relatively accurately.  Longer than the other Rogue irons and also longer than most other irons on the market. 6 irons tests were approx. 7 yards longer than the Rogue and Rogue Pro irons. In general juniors do not benefit from the longer shaft and they will generally be using lighter shafts anyway. In addition, the stronger loft does not necessarily benefit juniors.

Rogue W: designed primarily for ladies and seniors, these come with light weight graphite shafts and are designed to get the ball into the air easier and provide more distance. The forgiveness and distance comes from a very low CG, wide sole, and large cavity back design. These are suitable for juniors with slower swing speeds and beginner to intermediate juniors that can benefit from a little more forgiveness. 

The Callaway Steelhead XR and XR Pro irons are also a great option for juniors of all skill levels. The XR Pro's are slightly smaller than the XR with less offset and have a matt black finish. The XR's can be purchased new for less than $600 for 7 irons and the XR Pro's for less than $700 for 7 irons - an excellent price for a great club. They can also be purchased for less than $400 at the Callaway Pre-owned store.

The new 2019 Big Bertha irons are very forgiving clubs that are a good option for beginner to intermediate junior golfers. Club heads weigh 255 grams and are Super Game Improvement rated. 

The Callaway Apex irons have been played by numerous golf pro's for a long time and have a dedicated following. The CF16's (stands for Cup Face 2016) are a combination of forged irons with Cup Face technology in the 3-7 irons.

The Apex CF 16 is more forgiving than the regular Apex and Apex Pro, thanks to the advanced design, multi-compound materials and manufacturing techniques such as the face plate weld. 

These irons will appeal to advanced players, with the small top line profile as well as a great sound and feel. The standard shaft is the True Temper XP95 which may suite juniors transitioning into adult clubs as these shafts are a little lighter than the Dynamic Gold that many advanced clubs come with. Note that younger juniors may need a lighter flex and/or graphite option instead of the XP95. 

The CF16 is suitable for advanced juniors. Comparable irons are the Titleist AP2, TaylorMade P770/P760, and the Ping i210. Overall this is a great looking club with good performance and reasonable forgiveness. The CF16 Black series is the same club, just in a good looking matt black finish that will appeal to some juniors. 

Starting at just over $1,000 for 7 clubs these are on the expensive side but not as much as some comparable irons. The Callaway Pre-Owned site also has a good selection of certified used CF 16 irons.

Mizuno are famous for making the highest quality forged irons, thanks largely to their patented grain flow forging technology that uses a bar of carbon steel to make the whole club head, including the hosel. Historically Mizuno has specialized in blade type irons with "conventional" and "classic" performance, designed primarily for better players (e.g. the MP or "Mizuno Professional" line). Recently, Mizuno has also started producing some very good game improvement irons such as the JPX line.

Below are two great JPX options and we have also provided an overview of MP options that might be suitable for more advanced juniors.

The Mizuno JPX 919 Hot Metal and Hot Metal Pro are great looking and excellent performing game improvement irons. The ultra thin cup face provides very good ball speed and distance, while the cavity design and weight positioning result in a good level of forgiveness for intermediate junior golfers. While this is not a Super (or Ultra) Game Improvement iron, it could potentially also be used by less experienced juniors golfers. 

The 919 Hot Metal Pro is very similar to the regular Hot Metal but has a more compact look to it and is the same size head as the 919 Forged but is a cast head vs the forged head. These compare well to the cavity back, fast faced irons like the TaylorMade P790, Ping i500 and Titleist 718 T-MB. 

At just over $100 per club these are an excellent choice for juniors looking for a top quality and performing iron while not wanting to break the bank! There is a good reason that these one of Mizuno's top selling irons.

The Mizuno JPX 919 Forged has the feel of a forged iron but with a little extra forgiveness thanks to the use of light weight boron which allows more weight to be moved to the outsides of the frame and allows for a thinner, hotter face. The variable thickness frame also allows for higher ball speeds on off center strikes.

The JPX 919 Forged is a great option for teen golfers that are trending to advanced levels of play. We see these clubs in the bags of many of the top junior golfers and they are currently the irons that our older juniors plays with after comparing them against the other top irons in a professional fitting session. The only downside is that they are one of the most expensive options.

Overview of the MP 18 models:

• MP18-MMC (Multi Material Construction): Best for advanced juniors. These are the most forgiving irons in the MP line. Mizuno uses lightweight titanium and heavier tungsten parts sealed within the 1025E mild carbon steel head to provide a moderate level of forgiveness in great looking irons. According to Mizuno, these are comparable in performance to the old Mizuno MP-54 irons. These are suitable for juniors shooting in the 70's or low 80's.
• MP18-SC (Split Cavity): The slightly wider sole and split cavity make the MP18-SC more playable than the muscle-back (Standard) model. These are superb performing irons for elite players and may be suitable for older juniors that are single digit handicaps (from men's tees). 
• MP18-MB (Muscle Back): These are true blade irons with a short blade length and thin top line. Despite the fantastic look of these clubs there is really is no reason for juniors to be using these. Although a fair amount of Tour players do still use MB irons, many are opting for irons with more forgiveness than these types of irons.
• MP18-Fli-Hi: This long iron replacement is a hollow body (cavity backed) long iron with a maraging steel face (the same material as is used in many modern fairways woods) and tungsten toe weighting. These are great to blend with other MP irons. For example, a good setup for advanced juniors might be Fli-Hi's in the 4-6 irons and 7-PW in the MP-18 MMC or MP-18 SC.

While Cobra do make and sell Cobra junior golf clubs for 13-15 year old junior golfers (see our review here), it more of a beginner set and we recommend their adult irons for teens or advanced juniors.

The Cobra King F8 irons are best for junior golfers with moderate to high swing speeds. These are good looking clubs with technology designed to help intermediate golfers with longer carry distances and higher trajectory. The irons all come with the Cobra Connect Arccos Technology that provides best in class shot tracking for game analysis and feedback. 

The 4i to 7i have a hollow construction to lower the CG and a hot face plate for increased speed and higher launch. The 8i to PW have a cavity-back design for increased accuracy and control on approach shots. Carbon fiber inserts dampen vibrations and improve feel. The irons are approx. 5% longer than the old King F7 irons and we found them to generally be 5-10 yards longer than comparable irons. These are one of the few irons sets that have Gap wedge, Sand wedge and Lob Wedge.

Cobra has a newer version of these irons, the KING F9 Speedback and One Length. The F9's are even more forgiving than the F8's and thus suitable for beginner to intermediate junior golfers. Advanced golfers may find the larger heads a little bulky looking and may not need the high level of forgiveness that these clubs offer. Priced at around $799 for a 7 iron set they are good value for a great set of irons.

There is also the option of one length King F8 irons for the same price. One length irons became very topical when Bryson DeChambeau became only the 5th player in history to win the NCAA Division I championship and the U.S. Amateur in the same year - using Cobra single length irons.

We do not see many juniors using single length irons but there is certainly some merit in the science behind them. For more information about one length irons we like this article by TomWishonGolf.

Cobra also offers light weight graphite shafts including a Lite/Senior flex shaft with a 63 gram weight. In addition Cobra sell a women's King F8 iron set that comes with lighter shaft and swing weight. 

Comparable irons from other manufacturers include: Callaway Rogue, Taylormade M4, Ping 400/700, Mizuno JPX900, and Titlesit 718AP. 

Advanced juniors wanting more workability and feedback than the King F8 irons should consider the 2018 Cobra King Forged Tec Black irons. These are better player shape irons with a great look while still having good feel and forgiveness.

Technology advancements have been applied compared to the previous Cobra Forged Tec irons. These multi-material construction irons are made with 4140 stainless steel face insert for longer, high flying, straighter shots. Tungsten weights in the heel and toe provide more forgiveness. The TEC in the name stands for Technology Enhanced Cavity and includes a carbon fiber insert that improves sound and feel.

Cobra offers a 71 gram Recoil 660 shaft that could be well suited to many juniors. Similar to the King F8 there is a Forged Tec Black "One Length" version available. Cobra also offers black utility irons and wedges to complete the set. 

The King Forged Tec irons are also a great option for advanced juniors and can be found for approx. $200 less than the newer Forged Tec Black. 

The transition from kids' clubs (such as USKids and Flynn Golf) to adult clubs can be difficult given the sheer number of options and variables involved.

The basics are:

1. Choose a club design with playability suitable to your junior's level. Always go with more forgiveness than less to give your junior the best experience. Forged blades may look cool but they generally are not going to be suitable for juniors.
2. Get fitted if you can. If you cannot do professional fitting make sure you choose a shaft that is the right size, flex and weight for your junior (e.g. do not get stiff steel shafts for a junior with a slower swing speed). Get the right size grips put on the clubs.
3. Do not be in too much of a rush to move juniors out of U.S. Kids or Flynn Junior Golf clubs. Both are some of the best junior golf clubs - they both make high quality junior irons suitable for kids right up until the time they are big enough and strong enough to play with full size adult clubs. They are also approx. 1/2 the price of new adult clubs so can be replaced every season. In addition, there is a strong second hand market on eBay for good used U.S. Kids club sets and U.S. Kids even has a trade in program that can be used.
4. We generally find that there is a need to change shafts approx. once a year given how fast juniors grow and get stronger.