Cavity back irons are more forgiving and will help you improve quickly. That is a great reason for you to consider adding these golf clubs to your bag.
With a wider sole on the bottom of the club and more bounce than a traditional iron, these clubs are great for hitting longer, higher, and straighter shots. (Yes! I want all of that!)
As a high handicapper or beginner, you should choose irons, drivers, balls and other accessories that make the game more enjoyable. Walking up to the first tee with a set of blades as a new golfer is going to make the next 4 hours miserable for you.
We didn’t like the movie Misery, and we don’t want you to feel any on the course. For that reason, we picked 5 sets of Cavity back irons that you can order today and put in your golf bag just in time for this weekend’s tee time.
Let’s find you some new sticks!
Best cavity cack irons
Cobra King F9 Speedback
Cobra King irons have a unique look, which their performance accentuates. This lineup of irons by Cobra Golf packs a lot of features, and they have aimed it at average golfers. When it comes to the looks, these irons are somewhat similar to the King F8 irons. The most noticeable change is the belt around the sole that adds mass to the iron low and wide.
When you look at the sole, you’ll see that the width of the chrome strip is that of a conventional iron. But the matte-finished area shows the wide body aspect. Cobra made things interesting by embracing the width. The cavity of the iron looks lean and appealing in the bag. The topline and the offset are modest. The mill marks of the face create a nice hitting area. But some may find the shine of the chrome on the toe a bit distracting when it’s sunny.
This iron, when well struck, produces a crisp, clear sound. The feel is responsive and almost soft. These clubs produce long-distance shots without increasing the loft, made possible by the use of technology. The Speedback shaping of the face has lowered the center of gravity of the club for launching the ball. Also, the forged PWRSHELL face allows the return of more energy for high ball speed.
This iron has 1.8 mm thickness in the thinnest part of the face. The variable thickness of the face increases the sweet spot on off-center strikes. This allows for more forgiveness, which is what many average players look forward to. This iron has 33-grams of tungsten in the toe and hosel of the 4 through 7 irons, which maximizes MOI. The lengths of the hosel progressively increase for CoG positioning. The Lamkin Crossline grips have a built-in Cobra Connect sensor.
What We Liked
- Variable thickness across the face increases distance on off-center hits.
- The three-piece multi-material medallion reduces vibrations.
- Low CoG increases the speed with tungsten in the heel and toe.
- The grooves and face are CNC milled.
- It has one length configuration for accuracy and convenience.
- It allows performance tracking with the sensor used in the grip.
What We Didn’t Like
- It doesn’t come in a standard length.
Cleveland Launcher CBX
These irons hit long shots and are very easy to use. They are designed to perform from any lie. They provide distance with forgiveness at a very reasonable price. If you switch to these irons, you will surely be getting longer off the tee, but they are also appropriate if you’d like to make shorter club hits on the greens. You’ll feel comfortable looking down at these irons. The topline is thick, and the offset is high.
The club looks very compact from heel to toe at the address. It is longer than the Rogue Pro iron, but its shaping somehow makes it appear smaller. The sound and feel of thin-faced iron are dialed in because they perform better, but the feel is not great. To fight this, Cleveland has used elastic-urethane microspheres. This dampens the vibrations off the face but doesn’t impact COR.
The resulting iron produces a firm clap when it hits the ball, and users will find this sound very satisfying. This game-improvement iron will give good feedback. You might not have pinpoint accuracy in locating impact, but you’ll definitely be able to differentiate between a pure strike and a mishit. These irons will go longer than you can imagine. Loft plays a part, but that’s not just it. The ball speed and the smash factor that it produces are very high.
However, what is more impressive is its forgiveness. Slight mistakes will barely affect the result. If you have been thinking about a game-improvement iron this year, then these irons should definitely be on your list. They are long and very easy to hit. They put the balls in tight circles, whether you hit them right or not. Some users may find them expensive, though.
What We Liked
- These irons provide good playability, accuracy, and distance.
- The urethane microspheres reduce vibrations.
- Its multi-material construction and the variable face thickness encourage more distance and speed.
- The tungsten weighting in the toe and heel allows optimal control.
What We Didn’t Like
- Some golfers may think that they are rigid.
TaylorMade M6
All of TaylorMade’s products are good, but they are very proud of their M6 iron. Its engineering includes a new Speed Bridge structure. The face slot is absent, but it has a flexible through-slot speed pocket. This speed bar that it has uses very little mass. Since the face slot is also absent, this makes the iron very light. It also generates very good speed and low frequency upon meeting with the ball. The low sound frequency produces a very good sound of impact with the ball.
This club’s ultra-thin face has a patented inverted cone technology, which increases ball speed and provides a large sweet spot. This allows for greater playability for all kinds of players. As a result, it keeps the center of gravity low and produces a high trajectory. The CoG lessens with the help of a 360-degree fluted hosel. This has allowed for greater ball speed and launch angle. The advanced HYBRAR damper used in this iron reduces vibrations and enhances the sound.
These irons look bigger. They have more offset, better loft, and wider soles. The stock shafts offered for M6 by TaylorMade are Fujikura Atmos Orange and KBS Max 85. The stock grip offered for this iron is Lamkin Dual Feel Reminder. It comes with a KBS Max 85 steel shaft. The lightweight metal used in the hosel goes around the shafts. It is available in standard sizes in two colors, which are orange and black. It weighs 47-grams, with a butt size of 0.6 mm.
These irons are ideal for low to mid handicappers. They are one of the best in the market for this. Because of the inverted cone feature, even your mishits will be straighter. This is because of its off-centered position, which gives it a directional bias.
What We Liked
- Currently, they are among the fastest irons in the market.
- They produce low spin and high launch for impressive carry distance.
- The fluted hosel and the 360-degree undercut make the CG very low and deep.
- The advanced HYBRAR damper reduces the vibrations and delivers a very soft feel.
- The large address will boost your confidence in intense situations.
- The inverted cone feature makes them very forgiving.
What We Didn’t Like
- The price will be an issue for some golfers.
Titleist 716 AP1
This iron is a good option for high handicappers, but it wouldn’t look out of place in the hands of an advanced player. It comes loaded with tungsten low in the toe of the mid and long irons. This makes it easier to throw the balls high. Because tungsten drives the CG down, the lofts of these irons are made one degree stronger to cover more distance. More tungsten also means more MOI, which means the clubhead will resist twisting on off-center hits.
This iron looks very appealing at address as it has a thinner top line compared to its predecessors. It is not chunky, unlike some models, which many golfers would appreciate. The angled lines on the back with the dark interior look attractive, while the red accent on the badge is a nice touch. They have moved further from the cavity line being paralleled to the sole. This draws your attention to the cavity.
The satin finish on the top line, hosel, and face eliminates glare and makes the iron look elegant. The grip of this iron is the standard Titleist grip, which is very similar to Golf Pride Tour Velvet. Titleist has placed 42.5 grams of tungsten in this iron, but it hasn’t increased the blade length. It also has a leading edge and cambered sole, which allows for smooth contact with the ball.
The balls will feel strikingly solid no matter how you hit them. This has all to do with the high-density tungsten. Some players may prefer the soft feel of the previous models. This is the largest, longest, and the most forgiving iron in this range of irons by Titleist.
What We Liked
- The 360-degree undercut cavity produces a thin face.
- It also has a large sweet spot.
- The use of high-density tungsten pushes the weight towards the perimeter.
- The distance and speed are more due to high MOI and stronger loft.
- It is very forgiving and suitable for use by all types of players.
What We Didn’t Like
- Some may not like the solid feel.
Ping G410
If you are an intermediate golfer and know how to approach the game but only need some help with the strokes, this cavity back iron is for you. The technology used in this iron is from their G700 series, which makes this iron suitable for players of all skill levels.
The weighting system of this iron is unique. The discretionary weights in this iron are placed in the lower part of the toe. Ping has balanced this weight with another weight in the hosel. The weight distribution system of these irons will remind you of barbells. If you look in the middle of the cavity in the clubhead, you’ll see the COR-eye technology installed in its face. This technology works by stiffening the center of the face. But since the blade length is a bit short, the distance control is very precise.
The flexible face increases the distance covered by it. The club’s face is thinner with the help of metal wood-based tech installed in its cascading sole. This increases the MOI. The head cavity of this iron uses co-molded aluminum and elastomer badge with a waterproof finish, which increases the durability of the club.
The co-molding reduces the vibrations and the shock you may feel upon impact with the ball. This sleek and stylish iron will allow you true game enjoyment. The stock shaft options are also very attractive. The sound at impact is very audible; you’ll know right away whether you hit a shot that you’ll be satisfied with or not.
What We Liked
- The blade length is short.
- The offset is 10% less.
- A co-molded cavity badge with aluminum and elastomer allows for a very powerful feel and sound.
- The flexing face provides forgiveness.
- The hydro pearl chrome finish reduces friction.
What We Didn’t Like
- It’s very expensive.
Guide for the Best Cavity Back Irons
We will take you through the list of favorite cavity back irons that we have carefully selected but first, let us discuss them and their features.
What are irons for golfers?
Irons are clubs that golfers use to send the ball on distances between fairway woods, hybrids, and wedges. People call them irons because their heads consist of metal. Woods clubs also consist of metal, but that is a recent development.
You can identify these clubs by the numbers 3, 4, 5, etc., which you can see on the sole of each club. As you go from 3-iron to pitching wedge, you will notice that the loft increases slightly. The length of the shaft increases as you go from 3-iron to pitching wedge. Irons are either short irons, mid irons, or long irons. Beginners will find short irons easier to play with. As your skill level develops, you can move towards mid and long irons.
What are cavity back irons?
Cavity back irons or simply cavity back is a term used for a design feature of irons that creates perimeter weighting. This makes the irons with a cavity in the back more forgiving on mishits. In such irons, the back of the irons is scooped out, leaving behind a hollow space. A wide range of players can use these irons.
The purpose of the cavity is to remove weight from the back in the center of the clubface. This means that most of the clubhead’s mass is around the perimeter or edges of the clubhead. This adjustment of the clubhead’s weight also adjusts the physics of the impact between the golf ball and clubface.
These types of irons have big sweet spots, a high moment of inertia, and more forgiveness. These irons don’t eliminate mishits totally, but they reduce the severity of the mishits. Players using cavity back might slice and hook, but they will be lessened.
Forged or Cast Irons?
Irons are either made by casting or forging. The belief of many golfers is that the forged irons are soft, which means that they feel soft on impact with the ball. The forged iron is pounded and compressed until it takes the shape of the club. The cast iron is heated until melting point and then poured in a mold to take the shape of the iron.
Experts say that the manufacturing process does not affect the performance of the iron unless there is a difference in other features of the clubs. The design differences determine whether they feel soft or not. The making process of cast irons allows manufacturers to make many game-improvement features such as perimeter weighting, higher MOI, etc.
On the other hand, forged irons are expensive and are mostly aimed at skilled golfers.
What about iron shafts?
Generally, three types of shafts are a part of golf clubs. These include steel, graphite, and multi-material shafts. Steel shafts are famous for irons, and steel gives golfers the traditional feel and stability. They are flexible yet strong. This allows improved feel and response on impact.
Steel shafts also come in a wide range of flex, weight, and twist profile options that help achieve good ball flight. You can hit your irons with much more force than other irons. Shafts made with graphite have reduced weights.
Seniors can take advantage of the reduced weight of the graphite shaft of irons. The multi-material shafts combine the benefits of graphite and steel. These shafts are less common.
The Making Material of Irons
Knowing what kind of material manufacturers use in the engineering of the iron is important because it determines how it would react, feel, and sound. It also influences their durability and ability to endure impact.
Since we are talking about irons, we can’t ignore stainless steel. Some manufacturers also use tungsten, while others have decided to make use of titanium, urethane, aluminum, and TPU to promote good feel, performance, and fewer vibrations. Shafts mostly consist of graphite, but some are also available in steel.
About the Ease of Use
High handicappers traditionally used cavity backs, and better players avoided them. As technology advanced, many golfers started approaching them and gradually switched towards them. It has now become a common notion that cavity back irons are not just for high handicappers. Advanced players can now benefit from them too.
This is mainly because they are very easy to use. These irons have low weight compared to the muscle back irons. That is why they allow players with a weak swing to achieve large distances with more control and precision. The thing that attracts advanced players more is the sound and feel of these clubs.
Advanced Features
Manufacturers have changed the design and the way they make cavity back irons. They have added many new features to these clubs that make them look, feel, and behave in a very golf-friendly way. Modern technologies have given these irons many features that were not a part of them in the past.
Each manufacturer equips its products with advanced features and represents them in their own way. You may notice multi-material construction on some irons, which encourages better performance by dampening vibrations. Some of them are designed with CNC milling, which makes deeper and larger grooves in the clubs. Others are made in one length size and have graphite shafts.
There are cavity back irons configured with performance tracking sensors in their grips. These sensors provide exact data to the golfer about their performance.
Price
It is true that you get what you pay for, but in this world of high competition, manufacturers are trying their best to appeal to the buyers by providing good quality at a reasonable price. When it comes to cavity back irons, there is a wide price range. However, more price means good quality.
Most renowned brands make expensive products, but they also provide more value at that price. You can still find good irons at a reasonable price.
Conclusion
We cannot understate the importance of choosing the right type of iron, whether you are a novice or an expert. As the game of golf increases in popularity with time, more and more people are starting to look for ways to understand the game and improve their skills. One of the best ways to understand which cavity back iron is best is to try them out. Take your time in searching and exploring all of your options and selecting the best one. In this article, we have enlisted what we think are the five best cavity back irons.
But what wins the race of best iron among them is Titleist 716 AP1. You’ll love this iron so much. It comes with two gap wedges. The thinner topline of this iron will appeal to many players. This game-improvement iron will let you cover large distances with high accuracy. This forgiving iron comes with easy-to-control stock shafts. These golf clubs will take your game to the next level.
