Should You Buy Golf Irons Separately? Some Tips and Where to Buy
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Patrick Corley
- 06/15/2023
Did you know that most professional golfers have at least one club that is not uniform to the rest of the set?
As long as you follow a few guidelines, buying golf irons separately could turn out to be a smart move. Continue reading as the expert team at Tell Me More Golf can help provide some insight into this strategy and why it might work for you.
Table of Contents
Single Golf Clubs to Customize Your Game
A single golf club could be anything from a putter, utility iron, fairway wood, and everything in between. As buyers, we have been conditioned to buy a set of clubs in a certain way. Typically we will shop for a set of irons separately from a driver and our wedges. In my experience, if you peek into a player’s golf bag, you are likely to see one brand for irons, one for woods, and one for wedges.
There are some very good reasons to look for a single golf club including:
- Adding hybrid clubs when your long irons are not forgiving
- You want to replace an individual club and do not need a full new set
- You play in at different courses in different conditions
- There are certain brands of clubs like the Srixon utility club or Callaway wedges (two of my favorites) that give you more confidence
- A club was “accidentally” broken on the course and you have been looking for a reason to buy that Cleveland Launcher
If you feel like a certain part of your game is not performing as consistently as the rest, then stay here so we can help you determine if it may be worth considering single golf clubs. This goes for professionals down to beginners. Your golf equipment does not have to be uniform. Keep in mind that putters and gap wedges We will lay out some scenarios here to guide you on your way to game improvement.
The Go-To Tee Shot
Course management is a skill that should be taught more at the junior and beginner level. Coaches and golf-specific sports psychologists will tell you that you need a go-to shot, especially off of the tee.
On every golf course, there will be a hole where there is water, a tight fairway or you do not feel confident. The go-to shot might be a 3-wood, hybrid, or driving iron. If you do not have a club that you always feel good about from the tee box, start looking for one. Here are some recommendations:
- Cobra Radspeed 3 Hybrid or 4 Hybrid
- Callaway Big Bertha 3, 4, or 5 Hybrid
- Taylormade SIM2 Fairway Wood – 3 or 5 wood
- Srixon Utility Club – 18, 20, or 23 degrees of loft
These clubs with graphite shafts (or steel shafts if that is your preference) in them can be great for your own go-to shot.
Different Golf Course Conditions
At some point during my amateur and short-lived mini-tour time, I have been fortunate enough to play all over the US. Golf courses in Pennsylvania are very different from those in Florida which are different from California. What I can tell you is that all golf courses are not the same. Seems obvious, right?
But, what do you do to adjust to changing conditions? Now that I do not travel for golf tournaments anymore I play the same 27 hole course the majority of the time. Even this course plays very differently from one day to the next. So instead of trying to adjust my swing or force different shots with the wrong clubs, I switch out clubs as needed.
For example, if the wind is blowing, I will replace my 5-wood with a lower lofted hybrid to keep the ball lower. I even switched out my pitching wedge to a Titleist Vokey with a very stiff shaft flex and clubhead that travels on a much lower trajectory.
You Are Unique
The ability nowadays to buy individual golf clubs instead of a complete set provides golfers with the freedom to fit their equipment to their individual games. When I first started playing over thirty years ago, the number of options for clubs was only a fraction of what they are today.
The left-handed golfers on my high school team had a limited number of options. Game improvement brands like XXIO did not exist. If you did not want to wait for a new custom-fit golf club, every shop had a bag with individual used clubs where you might find what you were looking for.
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Taylormade Individual Irons
Single irons can be a great way to further customize your set. Taylormade has done a great job in providing offerings that allow you to get individual irons. Here is a quick tip on how to do this. If you are looking for a specific Taylormade Iron, you can go to the website, click on custom, and then click on the iron set that you would like.
This process will take you through how to pick the individual irons you want and customize them. The SIM2 Max OS irons for example are a great option for game improvement. Through the Taylormade site, you can get individual irons that you feel will be a good supplement to your game.
While Taylormade does a great job, Callaway also allows for custom versions in a variety of options to include individual irons. In other articles we have talked about how having a mix of irons and hybrids in a set can be valuable and provide you the forgiveness and consistency that you are looking for. The Callaway Mavrik has the option to mix quality irons and hybrids.
Also, I have purchased clubs from Callaway’s pre-owned site and they have done an amazing job of inspecting and communicating the condition of a club, while pricing is appropriate.
While many companies are moving towards more individualized options, Taylormade has been one to lead the way as they look to stay ahead as golf continues to grow exponentially. Callaway is not far behind and as the game continues to grow more equipment companies will follow suit.
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Ping Individual Irons
Tell Me More Golf loves to research and track the progress of the world’s most popular equipment companies. As far back as I can remember, Ping was at the top of the list for iron technology and quality. They have continued that tradition of excellence when it comes to quality clubs.
While Ping is a great brand with golf clubs for all swing speeds and skill levels, they do not make it as easy to buy individual irons. As Taylormade and Callaway allow for you to select individual clubs on their site and buy, Ping has not adopted that approach. Their approach is more time-intensive. You have to find a local retailer, set up a time to talk about what you are looking for and they will order the club(s) for you.
Ping wants to make sure they are putting the right people into the right clubs. But, the process can be both confusing and unnecessary. If you know the specs of your clubs and are looking to get an individual iron, it will still take quite a bit longer if you decide to get an individual Ping iron in your bag.
Where Can I Buy Single Golf Irons?
Whether it is an individual men’s or women’s club, a replacement for that Mizuno JPX, or the lob wedge that you left on the course, there are plenty of websites to go to find a single golf iron. A few come to mind in addition to the equipment-specific sites. GlobalGolf and Rockbottom golf come to mind.
They have such a great inventory of clubs, their shipping speed is fast and dependable and they allow you to trade in your existing equipment to offset the cost of the club(s) that you are looking for.
As we said, single golf irons can be purchased fairly simply through some sites. Others like Ping and Wilson make it challenging to do so. But, that should not deter you if you have a strong preference for one of these brands. Talk to your local golf shop or the club company directly to see if and how you can get single golf irons if the website is not clear.
Frequently Asked Questions: Single Clubs
Can I buy individual golf irons?
Yes, and it can be a great way to get the best performance out of your game. Whether it is because you want to be flexible for differing course conditions, or you want to replace clubs that are not performing, buying individual clubs can be a great strategy.
Can you buy individual irons from Titleist?
Yes, but you will likely need to reach out to a pro shop or to Titleist directly. When I played the mini-tours, Titleist was always happy to customize individual clubs but they wanted to make sure you had the right specs for the clubs you are ordering.
Can you mix and match irons?
Of course! And, as I have said it can prove to be a great strategy to get max performance. Just make sure you do your research and understand the process to get different irons because each club company has its own way of doing so.
Do you need a full set of irons?
Nope. In fact, I am a +2 handicap and until recently, I played with 13 clubs. Several years ago, I took out my three iron and lob wedge to make room for a hybrid or driving iron. I do not carry the hybrid and driving iron at the same time as they serve the same purpose for my game. This strategy made for easier decision-making. In other words, it simplified my game, made it more fun, and paid off with lower scores and more consistency.
Conclusion: Research by Tellmemoregolf.com
Always consider coming to Tell Me More Golf when making golf equipment decisions. We are a team of golf experts passionate about providing advice for today’s modern players. We know what goes on in the minds of PGA Tour players and the club companies that support them.
We pride ourselves on our ability to provide you with content that you can use for your game. Buying irons, whether in a set or individually, requires finding what works for you without staying loyal to one brand. Let us do in-depth research so that you can shoot lower scores, beat your friends, and be confident in your club buying decisions.
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