New Clubs for 2014 – Part Two – Hybrids & Irons

Welcome to the second of our three part series of articles looking at some of the new clubs set to hit the shelves of your local pro shop. In this middle article, we will take a look at those all-important hybrids and irons.

Outlined below are four of the most eagerly-anticipated new sets of irons brand new for 2014 from some of the world’s finest golf manufacturers.

Will you be adding any of these to your bag in 2014? If you do, let us know your opinion!

Ping i25 Irons

You can opt to take the i25 with long irons, or hybrids nowadays, and these are a great set of top quality Ping Irons aimed at golfers of all skill levels.

Of course, one of the biggest attractions about buying a set of Ping clubs is that as part of the service, you get your irons custom fitted. This is a real bonus for beginners in particular who may be playing with clubs which are not set up to optimise their game.

Ping’s fitting service certainly ensures you’ll get good performance from the i25 but there is more to them than that. They look superb with a fogged chrome finish and with differentiated centre of gravity throughout the clubs, making it easier to get the ball airborne with long irons and offering better control and spin with shorter irons, they work well on the course too.

As a set for a beginner to mid-handicapper, the i25 are hard to beat.

Callaway Apex Pro Irons

If you are a low-handicapper or scratch player seeking a set of clubs to take your game to the next level then the striking Callaway Apex Pro Irons are certainly worth closer consideration.

They may look similar to the 2013 X Forged range of irons at address but they are strikingly different when viewed from behind.

These clubs have lots of little tweaks, such as  tungsten inserts near the foot of the irons, lowering the centre oif gravity allowing for cleaner shots from lower on the club in lower irons, and in short irons, a higher center of gravity which allows the player to launch the ball lower with more control and without introducing excessive spin on the ball.

Another feature is a high polymer damper insert which reduces vibration mean that even though the clubs are 17% thinner than the X Forged range, they still produce a satisfying click on a clean strike.

Apex Pro Irons aren’t cheap at a RRP of $1099 for steel shaft and graphite shafts coming in at $1299.

Adams IDEA Hybrid Irons

Coming with a striking Mitsubishi Bassara Eagle True Temper Dynalite shaft and a striking blue Idea AG4 multi-textured grip as standard, the new 2014 incarnation of Adams IDEA hybrid irons certainly come with a ‘wow’ factor when it comes to appearance.

The big positive point of Adams is their hybrids are much easier to hit than traditional 3 or 4 irons and the added elevation you get from the club gives the player a softer landing, an ideal bonus for player seeking more control from around 180 yards and out when hitting to a green.

The new Cut-Thru Slot technology gives greater club head speed, launching the ball higher, faster and gives added distance, even on off centre shots.

With Ernie Els joining up to the ranks of players using Adams clubs, it seems likely that 2014 may be a good year for this underrated club manufacturer.

TaylorMade Tour Preferred CB Irons

Released on January 6^th, after plenty of hype and somewhat secretive development, TaylorMade introduced their new range of Tour Preferred Irons (CB, MC and MB) irons to an expectant golfing public who weren’t disappointed.

The MC and MB range appeals to mid handicappers to scratch players, but it is the Tour Preferred CB Irons (RRP $899) which are likely to appeal to most amateur hackers from low handicappers upwards.

The CB have a larger head than the other two irons and the 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 irons come with the TaylorMade Speed Pocket, which gives the club additional speed through the air through better aerodynamics.

The 8-iron onwards does not have the speed pocket, but offers excellent feel. The set is even cast from different steel, with the 3 to 6 irons cast from 17-4 stainless steel, while 7-iron to wedge are cast from 431 stainless.

Custom shafts and grips are available and a lovely satin-nickel chrome finish really gives these clubs a lovely look.

All Images Courtesy of Adams Golf, Callaway, TaylorMade and Ping.