We have been crafting combo sets of irons for our customers for over twenty years, but 2021 seems to be the year that major club manufacturers are actually specifically designing blended sets of irons for several categories of players. Specifically, TaylorMade with their “P700” series and Callaway with their Apex line are making a big push for combo iron sets in 2021.
What is a Combo Set Anyway?
The theory behind the combo set is that longer irons are more difficult to hit so maybe a player should have a more forgiving club in their longer irons. The usual route for higher handicap and slower swing speed golfers is to swap a hybrid in for say a 4 or 5 iron. But if you are a better, stronger player, maybe you just need a little more forgiveness or versatility in the longer irons.
How we Developed our Model Combo Sets
I won’t lie to you, we took a little from TaylorMade and Callaway’s set make ups but we have extended the offerings quite a bit. Here is what are model is based on:
Tier 1: Stronger, better players that love hitting long irons. The 2 iron is typically a utility iron. We only go through Pitching Wedge as most of these sets only go through PW. Typically break at 6 or 7 iron to the players irons.
Tier 2: Still strong, better players but not as consistent with long irons and need even more help. Comfortable with cavity back irons in the 8 – PW.
Tier 3: Mid handicap players that probably have a hybrid to replace a 3 iron and maybe even a 4 iron. Still like hitting a 5 iron but need more forgiveness. Break at 8 iron for the scoring irons.
Tier 4: More forgiveness and maybe even a 3 and 4 hybrid for these mid handicap players. Like the feel and performance of a cavity back 8 – PW.
Tier 5: Only two companies, Mizuno and Titleist, had enough iron models to go to this tier. Could even mix three models of irons or start with a 5 and 6 hybrid.
Recommended Shafts:
Our Fit Quiz will give you recommendations for length, shaft weight, flex, trajectory, spin and swing weight. The only exception we would make is to use a slightly lighter shaft in the 2 iron.
Schedule YOUR Iron Fitting Here!
So Here are our Combo Iron Sets For 2021:
Models from Callaway, Mizuno, Srixon, TaylorMade and Titleist with their Tier make-ups below. You will need to tweak the lofts in most combo sets slightly to get proper distance gaps. The exceptions are the combo set makeups from Callaway.
Callaway:
As I mentioned above, Callaway is making a big push into combo iron sets. They are even making very specific sets so lofts will give proper spacing when you change head models.
Callaway | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Tier 4 |
2 iron | X Forged UT | |||
3 iron | X Forged CB | Apex Pro | ||
4 iron | X Forged CB | Apex Pro | Apex 21 | |
5 iron | X Forged CB | Apex Pro | Apex 21 | Apex DCB |
6 iron | X Forged CB | Apex Pro | Apex 21 | Apex DCB |
7 iron | X Forged CB | Apex Pro | Apex 21 | Apex DCB |
8 iron | Apex MB | Apex MB | Apex Pro | Apex 21 |
9 iron | Apex MB | Apex MB | Apex Pro | Apex 21 |
Pitching Wedge | Apex MB | Apex MB | Apex Pro | Apex 21 |
Gap Wedge | Apex MB | Apex MB | Apex Pro | Apex 21 |
Schedule YOUR Iron Fitting Here!
Mizuno
With seven different head models, not including the left handed SEL model, we stretched the combo sets to five tiers. We included the MP-20 and JPX-921 models below:
Mizuno | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Tier 4 | Tier 5 |
2 iron | MP-20 HMB | ||||
3 iron | MP-20 MMC | MP-20 HMB | |||
4 iron | MP-20 MMC | MP-20 HMB | MP-20 MMC | JPX-921 Forged | JPX-921 HotMetal |
5 iron | MP-20 MMC | MP-20 HMB | MP-20 MMC | JPX-921 Forged | JPX-921 HotMetal |
6 iron | MP-20 MMC | MP-20 HMB | MP-20 MMC | JPX-921 Forged | JPX-921 HotMetal |
7 iron | MP-20 MMC | MP-20 MMC | MP-20 MMC | JPX-921 Forged | JPX-921 HotMetal |
8 iron | MP-20 | MP-20 MMC | JPX-921 Forged | JPX-921 Tour | JPX-921 HotMetal Pro |
9 iron | MP-20 | MP-20 MMC | JPX-921 Forged | JPX-921 Tour | JPX-921 HotMetal Pro |
Pitching Wedge | MP-20 | MP-20 MMC | JPX-921 Forged | JPX-921 Tour | JPX-921 HotMetal Pro |
Gap Wedge | JPX-921 Tour | JPX-921 HotMetal Pro |
Schedule YOUR Iron Fitting Here!
Srixon
The new ZX irons follow in the footsteps to the X model irons from 2019. While there are only three models, the Z Forged, Z7 and Z5, the ZX Utility adds a nice long iron to the mix.
Srixon | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
2 iron | ZX Utility | ||
3 iron | ZX7 | ZX Utility | |
4 iron | ZX7 | ZX5 | ZX5 |
5 iron | ZX7 | ZX5 | ZX5 |
6 iron | ZX7 | ZX5 | ZX5 |
7 iron | Z Forged | ZX7 | ZX5 |
8 iron | Z Forged | ZX7 | ZX7 |
9 iron | Z Forged | ZX7 | ZX7 |
Pitching Wedge | Z Forged | ZX7 | ZX7 |
Gap Wedge | ZX7 | ZX7 |
Schedule YOUR Iron Fitting Here!
TaylorMade
When the new “P” series was introduced in the fall of 2020, we were blown away by TaylorMade’s commitment to more players irons. The P7MC and P7MB were very nice additions to the P77- and P790 models.
TaylorMade | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Tier 4 |
2 iron | P790 UDI | |||
3 iron | P7MC | P770 | ||
4 iron | P7MC | P770 | P790 | |
5 iron | P7MC | P770 | P790 | P790 TI |
6 iron | P7MC | P770 | P790 | P790 TI |
7 iron | P7MB | P7MC | P770 | P790 TI |
8 iron | P7MB | P7MC | P770 | P790 |
9 iron | P7MB | P7MC | P770 | P790 |
Pitching Wedge | P7MB | P7MC | P770 | P790 |
Gap Wedge | P770 | P790 |
Schedule YOUR Iron Fitting Here!
Titleist
Not to be outdone, Titleist has no fewer than seven iron models not including the two utility irons. Again, an extensive list of combinations here. Due to the stronger lofts of the T400 and T100S models, there may need to be some loft adjustments for proper distance gaps.
Titleist | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Tier 4 | Tier 5 |
2 iron | U 510 | ||||
3 iron | 620 CB | U 500 | |||
4 iron | 620 CB | T100 | T200 | ||
5 iron | 620 CB | T100 | T200 | T300 | T400 |
6 iron | 620 CB | T100 | T200 | T300 | T400 |
7 iron | 620 MB | T100 | T200 | T300 | T400 |
8 iron | 620 MB | 620 CB | T100 | T200 | T300 |
9 iron | 620 MB | 620 CB | T100 | T200 | T300 |
Pitching Wedge | 620 MB | 620 CB | T100 | T200 | T300 |
Gap Wedge | T100 | T200 | T300 |
Schedule YOUR Iron Fitting Here!
Dan Sueltz