Forged irons — clubs created from a single piece of metal — are beloved for their soft and responsive feel. But creating them is a labor-intensive process, which means forged models tend to be more expensive than their cast counterparts.
What’s the difference between forged and cast clubs? A few years ago, Patrick Boyd, founder of National Custom Works, offered a great answer on GOLF’s Fully Equipped podcast.
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“The forging process is taking a solid billet of steel, and then through various steps, using heat, pressure, and tooling dyes to refine it into a part that can be used for golf clubs,” he said. “And in the process of forging a golf club, the grain structure — the internal structure of the metal — is further condensed. … [Forging is] really the most time-consuming and expensive way to manufacture golf clubs. With cast, you’re taking something liquid, pouring it into a mold, and then it’s cooling in that mold.”
How big is the price difference between the two? For Mizuno’s JPX 925 model, the forged option is $200 per club while the Hot Metal option is $149.99 — a significant difference, especially if you’re interested in buying a whole set.
But New Level Golf Co.’s latest offering is hoping to bring forged irons to the masses — not only by designing their 702 series of irons to benefit the full spectrum of ability levels, but also by offering a more affordable price point of $149 per club.
“You don’t have to be an elite ball-striker to play a club like this,” said New Level’s Kevin Masterson on a recent episode of Fully Equipped.
New Level’s one-piece forgings also have weaker lofts than modern game-improvement irons, which helps players get the ball in the air.
Intrigued? Check out the selection of New Level’s forged irons below, and click the link to buy now!
New Level Golf Co. 702 MB Forged Custom Irons
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New Level Golf Co. 702 CB Forged Custom Irons
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New Level Golf Co. 702 + Forged Custom Irons
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