Best Iron Shafts — (The Golf Instructor’s Buying Guide)

Best Iron Shafts from tell me more golf instructors talking about steel shafts

As the head of the Golf Instructor team here at Tell Me More Golf, I’m going to help you find the Best Best Golf Grips for Seniors from our list!

The right shafts for irons are crucial, and to find the best iron shafts we focused on these expert review guidelines:

  • Feel
  • Distance
  • Apex
  • Control

#1. Project X LZ Shafts – Best Steel Iron Shaft


OUR TOP PICK
Project X New LZ Steel Iron Shafts Set (Choose Flex and Quantity) (6PC Set (5-PW), 6.0)

Today, we focus on these review guidelines for our chosen clubs:

  • Feel
  • Distance
  • Apex
  • Control

The Benefits:

The LZ in the new Project X Shafts stands for “loading zone” and means that these irons deliver a higher energy transfer than ever before, which increases the ball speed and makes you hit longer golf shots. These shafts have slightly more flex than a regular steel shaft – making them more comfortable and easier to hit. 

The LZ Shafts also provided a friendly and high apex which, combined with the increased ball speed, makes them very long-hitting. On top of that, we felt that they were easy and consistent to control with plenty of workability. 

Nevertheless, steel shafts are targeted at the faster swinging golfers and are not always suitable for seniors or slower swing speeds.

Pros

  • Increased energy transfer 
  • Very comfortable for steel shafts
  • Long-hitting

Cons

  • Steel shafts aren’t for everyone

#2. Fujikura Pro Series 95i Shafts – Best Graphite Shaft


BEST GRAPHITE SHAFT
Fujikura New PRO Series Iron 95i Graphite Shaft (Choose Flex) (Regular - R)

Graphite shafts are great for a wide range of golfers, including slower and faster swing speeds. When searching for the best graphite iron shafts, we looked for something that was both forgiving and high-performing.

The Benefits:

The Fujikura Pro Series 95i were the best graphite shafts that we tested out, and they are genuinely high-launch iron shafts. The high apex combined with the added weight makes it easy to get the golf ball up in the air and fly a long way. We enjoyed the soft feel, and despite the forgiveness, these shafts were really long-hitting

With that said, graphite shafts do have much flex, which is great for many amateurs, but higher-level golfers with fast swing speeds should most likely stick with steel.

Pros

  • High apex with an easy launch
  • Fantastic feel 
  • Long-hitting, especially for graphite shafts

Cons

  • Too much flex and forgiveness for fast swing speeds

#3. Project X Rifle 6.0 Steel Shafts – Best Ball Flight


BEST BALL FLIGHT
New Rifle Project X 6.5 Satin 3-PW Steel Iron Shafts .370 Parallel Tip -- Set of 8 Shafts

While many golfers benefit from a higher apex, high-level golfers can reap the benefits of a lower and more penetrating ball flight. Ball flights like this usually go longer and give you way more workability.

The Benefits:

For a steel shaft, we found the Project X Rifle 6.0 to be very forgiving. Even though they were highly forgiving, they also produced a relatively low and penetrating ball flight which brought a ton of distance. The Rifle 6.0 Shafts are slightly lighter than many other steel shafts, which we really enjoyed because of the comfortable and confidence-inspiring feeling. The lower ball flight also meant that we had a great time working the golf ball both right and left.

Lower apex shafts can be great for high-level golfers with fast swing speeds, but for most beginners we recommend some of the other shafts on this list instead.

Pros

  • Low and penetrating ball flight
  • Very long-hitting 
  • Super workable

Cons

  • Not great for beginner golfers

SUBSCRIBE  for FREE GOLF TIPS from our EXPERT INSTRUCTORS!

#4. Grafalloy Golf ProLaunch Blue Iron Shaft


Grafalloy Golf ProLaunch Blue Iron Shaft .370' Stiff Flex [41']

The feel of the iron is largely a result of the shaft. In search of the shafts with the best feel, we mainly looked at how soft they felt at impact combined with the response of the golf shot.

The Benefits:

The Grafalloy Golf ProLaunch Blue Iron Shafts are very forgiving graphite shafts that suit a wide range of golfers. These shafts are very stable, which promotes a square clubface and straighter shots as a result. The ProLaunch Blues also deliver an easy launch with a high apex – making it easier to hit and stick greens. Lastly, they are very light, which makes them one of the best iron shafts for senior golfers as well as beginners. 

Higher swing speed golfers may find these shafts overly wobbly due to the high flex and light weight, but this shouldn’t be an issue for regular golfers.

Pros

  • Straight shots due to high stability
  • Easy to launch with a high apex
  • Very light

Cons

  • Can feel wobbly for high swing speeds

#5. KBS Max Iron Graphite 55 Shaft


KBS MAX Graphite Iron 55 Senior Flex Golf Shaft - .370 Parallel Tip

Forgiveness is crucial in irons, as you want all shots, including poor hits, to hit the green. Shafts play a big part in forgiveness, and to find the most forgiving shafts we looked at the dispersion of multiple shots.

The Benefits:

Just like the Grafalloy ProLaunch Blues, the KBX Max Iron Graphite 55 shafts are targeted for slower swing speeds. These shafts are among the lightest on the market but still have excellent control and responsiveness. They are easy to launch and deliver a high apex that makes them very enjoyable to use out on the golf course. To top it off, they’re really comfortable and give off a stable feeling.

Once again, if you’re a high swing speed player, we recommend investing in slightly less forgiving shafts, as you can lose distance with an apex this high.

Pros

  • Extremely light shafts
  • High apex with easy launch
  • Great control

Cons

  • Not suitable for fast swingers

What Makes the Best Iron Shafts – Our Buyer’s Guide


The Critical Parts of a Great Iron Shaft

  • Feel

We all know that feel is essential to both play well and enjoy your time out on the golf course. However, you might not know that a significant part of the feel of your irons comes from the shafts. The feel that suits you is highly personal, and to find the shafts with the best feel we recommend getting a custom shaft fitting at your local golf shop.

  • Distance

Distance is another crucial factor in good golf, and the shafts can make quite a difference. Shafts won’t automatically increase your distances by 40 yards, but they can definitely make a 10-20 yard difference if you’ve used the wrong ones before. For slower swingers, your club head speed will generally increase if you use golf clubs with graphite shafts and vice versa with steel. 

  • Apex 

Typically speaking, a high apex with your irons is very desirable. This allows many amateur golfers to hit the ball a longer way, while also being able to stick the greens and have shorter putts than they would with a low launch. Iron shafts use different technologies to impact the apex, but things like material and flex can play a big part. 

  • Control

The shot dispersion combined with workability is another vital part of good shafts. This is especially the case for long irons since they tend to have a wider spread. By using more stable shafts with an appropriate flex and weight, you can optimize your ball flight to be more consistent and hit more fairways and greens.

How to Choose an Iron Shaft

  • Material

Golf club shafts usually come in two different materials: steel and graphite. The steel version is popular for men’s irons because of the performance they deliver at higher swing speeds. Graphite designs are always used in fairway woods and drivers, but are also popular in ladies’ and seniors’ irons. We always recommend investing in the lighter graphite shafts for beginners with slower swing speeds.

  • Flex

The shaft flex means how easily it bends, and the most common options are regular flex and stiff flex. There are more options, both with more and less flex, but for most male golfers the choice will lie between these two. Slower swingers will benefit from less flex and produce more distance, while the contrary is true for fast swing speeds. Then it’s also critical to point out that the right shaft flex is always very individual and often up to preference. 

Why the Shafts for Irons Matter 

Golf is hard enough as it is, so the golf equipment should make your life easier. While you may not need custom shafts as much as the players on the PGA Tour, we strongly recommend finding the best shafts for your irons to improve your play and have a better time out on the golf course. The right shafts will give you more distance and consistency with more comfort.

TellMeMoreGolf.com – Frequently Asked Questions


What are the best golf shafts for irons? 

Through our extensive testing, we found that the best golf shaft for irons is the Project X LZ Steel. This is the best steel shaft for irons because of its performance combined with comfort and forgiveness.

Which are the best iron shafts for high handicappers? 

We believe that the best iron golf shafts are the Fujikura Pro Series 95i Graphite Shafts because of their outstanding forgiveness and feel. 

What are the best iron shafts for mid handicappers? 

For mid handicappers with an average swing speed, we recommend the Project X LZ Shafts, which are also our top pick for this list.

SUBSCRIBE  for FREE GOLF TIPS from our EXPERT INSTRUCTORS!

In this article, we’ve covered the best golf club grips for seniors and why a proper grip is a must – especially for senior golfers. There are plenty of terrific senior golf grips to choose from, and hopefully you now have a better idea of what to look for.

SUBSCRIBE  for FREE GOLF TIPS from our EXPERT INSTRUCTORS!

Tell Me More Golf Browser Icon Theme for Website

GET FREE GOLF TIPS
FROM OUR
EXPERT INSTRUCTORS!

Tell Me More Golf Instructor Free Golf Tips Coaching Advice and Expert Instructional Courses for Free