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Equipment

Iron (Golf)

A category of golf club with a thin, angled metal head, numbered by loft and used mainly for controlled approach shots.

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Definition

An iron is a type of golf club with a relatively thin, flat-faced metal head, used mainly for approach shots where accuracy and control matter more than maximum distance. Irons are numbered, and as the number rises the loft increases while the shaft shortens, so a higher-numbered iron hits the ball higher and a shorter distance.

Irons sit between woods, which are built for distance, and the putter, which is used on the green; the highest-lofted irons are the wedges used for short, steep shots. Players commonly carry a graduated set of irons to cover a ladder of consistent distances.

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2026-08-04

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