Irons are customarily differentiated by a number from 1 to 10 (most commonly 3 to 9) that indicates the relative angle of loft on the clubface, although a set of irons will also vary in clubhead size, shaft length, and hence lie angle as the loft (and number) increase.

The standard Cleveland HB3 iron set comes with #3 through #9 hybrid-irons plus a pitching wedge.

Numbers that indicate loft The biggest and most obvious number on your golf club will relate to how far it will hit the ball – as we mentioned above, the lower the number, the further the ball should travel. An iron with a #4 on it will hit the ball further than one with a #9 on it.

Cavity back irons are more forgiving because the sole, or bottom of the club, is wider, allowing for more bounce. They're also a bit heavier, giving the iron a lower center of gravity which allows for greater launch and distance on your shots. All Stix irons feature cavity back club heads.

They also produce a full range of golf clubs and accessories. In October 2007, SRI Sports acquired Cleveland Golf.

Generally speaking, a 3-wood is used for a shot in the range of 210 yards, while a 3-iron is used for a shot in the range of 180 yards. A 5-wood is used for a shot of about 180 yards, while a 5-iron is used for a shot of about 160 yards.

The higher the golf club number, the more loft, the more intense the angle on the golf club face, which means the golf ball will travel higher, but for a shorter distance.

Here are some guidelines around which iron to use according to Dick's Sporting Goods:

1. 2-iron = 105 to 210 yards.
2. 3-iron = 100 to 205 yards.
3. 4-iron = 90 to 190 yards.
4. 5-iron = 80 to 175 yards.
5. 6-iron = 70 to 165 yards.
6. 7-iron = 65 to 155 yards.
7. 8-iron = 60 to 145 yards.
8. 9-iron = 55 to 135 yards.

Ping G430s are our #1 recommendation for the most forgiving irons for a couple of reasons: The large clubheads are confidence builders for higher handicaps at address. They elevate the ball easily with or without great contact. Hot all over the face with distance to burn.

The best forgiving irons for distance are the Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Pro irons.

Srixon focuses on golf, with its balls holding the largest number of patents worldwide, and having previously supplied other leading manufacturers such as Dunlop Slazenger. They also produce a full range of golf clubs and accessories. In October 2007, SRI Sports acquired Cleveland Golf.

Sumitomo Rubber IndustriesSRI Sports Limited Cleveland Golf/Parent organizations