There are two types of golfers when it comes to choosing irons. Those who don’t really care what they use if the clubs allow them to hit the ball straight, and those who are particular about the way their irons feel and look, regardless of whether they are able to use them or not.

If you belong to the second category – what industry insiders like to call “aspiring golfers” – then the four irons on these pages are definitely worth a second look.

This, of course, does not mean that these irons are difficult to play. On the contrary, technological advancement, materials development, and careful R & D has done wonders in the creation of what was previously known as “players irons” to clubs that any midhandicapper can play.

Titleist is undoubtedly the name on every “aspiring golfers” lips. To have clubs with the italicised logo in your bag speaks volumes of the kind of golfer you are. The current line-up of Titleist CB and MB irons, while more suited to good amateurs and professionals, offer you a leg up on the pecking order of equipment ownership that few other brands afford.

Yet the CB (S$2,120 for 3 – PW from all authorised dealers) in particular is fast becoming a club that many golfers of varying ability can play with pleasure, thanks to key features embedded in the new clubs. These cavity-back irons with inner cavity muscle behind the impact area offer improved feel fom the forged 1025 carbon steel and a softer topline for visual confidence. With increased inertia and more forgiveness compared to the MB, the CG long irons also have a higher flight. Other features include a slightly longer, constant blade length and a blunted leading edge and cambered sole for playability in trying lies.

The MB (S$2,120 for 3 – PW), on the other hand, are as pure as blades come, and offer the kind of control and classic looks that “highly skilled golfers” look for. The irons are forged from 1025 carbon steel with constant blade length, minimal progressive offset and a thin topline. Clubheads have uniform muscle shape behind the impact area and narrow, cambered sole with optimised bounce angles.

Mizuno has two irons in the market currently with the same target segment as the Titleist CB and MB. The MP-58 and MP-68 continue the legacy of the MP range, and aims at golfers looking for players clubs while requiring some forgiveness.

The MP-58 (S$1,700 4-iron to PW in Dynamic Gold steel shaft, S$1,800 in NS Pro steel, and S$2,050 in Project X steel) uses multi-material technology reflected in an 11g titanium insert forged directly into the outer muscle of the club. Increased thickness behind the impact area and increasing perimeter weighting offers stability and a trademark solid feel from offcentre hits.

The club has a thin topline and sole (compared to the retired MP-57) and is touted as being more forgiving than the MP-62 and more workable than the MP- 52 (which has a deeper weighted CG).

Mizuno doesn’t call its MP-68 a “Tour Blade” for nothing. These muscle backs are as sweet as they come. The scalloped muscle back and shorter hosel allow for a more centred CG position, to promote a penetrating, workable ball flight, while the neutral bias face angle allow shots to be shaped both ways.

The head shape, offset and turf interaction is a result of feedback from Mizuno’s Tour Workshops modeled after the legendary MP-33. The new club, however, has a more cambered top edge, straighter leading edge and a more compact pitching wedge. The MP-68 comes in a choice of traditional chrome plating or soft, low-glare Black Ni, and offers shaft options of Dynamic Gold (S$1,650 for 4-iron to PW) or NS Pro steel (S$1,750). Mizuno irons are available from Golf House in Singapore.