Cast Vs. Forged - Which Irons Are Best?

The common misconception is that Cast irons are large, cavity back clubs designed for the mid to high handicapper, while forged irons are strictly blades used by tour pros and low to scratch handicap players. While at one time this were true, it is simply no longer the case.

You can find cast blades, forged cavity backs, and even a few very forgiving forgings given the new manufacturing techniques that have hit the market over the years. Computers have changed the way everyone on planet earth live, and it has done a lot for your golf equipment too.

Most forged irons are made by using a soft piece of carbon steel, setting it in a mold and then putting it into a drop press that puts thousands of pounds of pressure per square inch until the basic shape of the golf club is laid out. It then goes to the process of having the grooves either stamped or milled into the face, along with any graphics or numbering/writing that may appear on the club. They are then sent off to be chromed and finished by sandblasting the face, filling in the score lines and graphics with paint and shipped off to the final process of receiving a shaft and grip before finding their way to your bag.

Cast irons, are quite different in the way they are made. They are formed by melted steel being poured into a mold. From here, several processes go into setting that mold before the raw head is shaped. The irons are then heat treated by being baked in an large blast furnace. Once this process is complete, the irons are finished by being ground down, groves milled out, club heads polished and filled in with paint, then shafted and sent out.

These are just the bare basics of how these clubs are made. Whats more important is the features you receive from each club. While I stated that most forged irons are blades or slight cavity backs, the truth is that there are few actual forged clubs left. Most are now what is called "form forged" this is the process used in the making of cast clubs, however using the soft carbon steel. This gives a forged feel at a price that the manufacturers can afford. It also leaves open options for the designers to be able to create playable "forgings" that were previously unattainable by the old drop forging method.

Forged irons, with their soft feel do have a drawback though. They do tend to wear more quickly due to the softer material, and while they are easily adjusted for loft and lie angles to fit the player, these specs over time have been known to be knocked out of place if a player hits a lot of balls off the hard driving range mats so it is a good idea to get your grooves, loft and lie checked each Winter just to make sure everything is where it should be.

Cast irons will last longer and can defiantly be made to counter many issues the mid to high handicap player encounters. Wider soles to help fat shots, being able to make the molds with hollow spots that can be later filled with tungsten or copper to enhance perimeter weighting, and the fact that these clubs are generally cheaper and last longer are all advantages to purchasing a set of cast clubs. There are even many players on tour that take advantage of these advancements in technology.

Which one is for you is matter of feel. My advice is to go out and try several of each iron and go with the set that gives you the best results. If you are a better player and find that the cavity backs perform better for you than the blades, dump the ego and work with whats going to make you a better player! Same goes for those starting out, gone should be the days of "Tiger Plays It, So Should I". Be honest with yourself, get the clubs fit by your local pro or club-maker and watch your scores drop!