The 6-, 7- and 8-irons are the workhorses of your bag. They cover the all-important 130– to 180-yard range where you’re often hitting approaches that set up scoring opportunities. Differences in loft and strike quality make a big difference in how far your mid irons go.
However, if you want a general guide to work with, Shot Scope helped us with some data for this mid-iron distance chart. These distance performance averages filter out mishits to give a clear picture of how far a solid strike should travel with your mid irons.
25 Handicap
At the 25-handicap level, mid irons often bunch together in distance, especially the 6- and 7-iron. Launch and carry can be inconsistent, and misses tend to finish short of the green. With a greens-hit rate under 20 percent with an 8-iron, the focus should be on improving solid contact rather than chasing distance. Switching to more forgiving irons with higher launch can also help you hold (and reach) more greens.
Club | P-Avg Distance (yds) |
---|---|
6-iron | 137 |
7-iron | 132 |
8-iron | 122 |
20 Handicap
Mid-iron yardages start to separate here, but gapping issues are still common. Greens-hit percentages are still under 30 percent with any of these clubs, and proximity over 120 feet means most approach shots leave long putts or chips. A loft and lie check with a fitter can confirm whether each club is delivering the gap it should.
Club | P-Avg Distance (yds) |
---|---|
6-iron | 151 |
7-iron | 146 |
8-iron | 138 |
15 Handicap
The 15-handicap golfer sees more consistent yardage gaps and better control. Greens-hit percentage with the 8-iron reaches the high 20s, but proximity from the hole is still over 100 feet. Most approaches leave two putts. At this skill level, it may be a good time to start working on partial shots. Hitting a 7-iron 10 yards shorter on demand can open up scoring opportunities.