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Left or Right
Irons are designed differently depending on whether you are left or right handed or dependant on which way you swing. A good test is to swing a pole to see the direction you instinctively swing it. If your upswing goes from left to right then you are right handed and vice versa.

Lofts
Each club will have a loft. The loft is the term given to describe the backward slant on the head of some golf clubs that is designed to drive the ball high in the air. The higher the amount of loft specified on the club, the higher the ball will go when struck. Loft is always displayed in degrees. The lower the loft angle then the more run you will gain on the ball.

Graphite or Steel
Steel shaft clubs are generally for men that are an average build or stronger, they will tend to swing the club faster and prefer to have heavier clubs to main control in their game. Graphite shafts are ideal for ladies, seniors and juniors. This is generally because they do not have the power to swing the club quickly and forcefully. The lighter graphite allows the player to swing the club faster and harder to gain more distance and far more control.
Designs of Irons

Blade Irons
A blade golf iron is made more for the more experienced golfers that have had plenty of practice. The smaller head and smaller shaft means that a higher level of accuracy is needed. The force is distributed evenly across the blade so if the ball is hit centrally the ball will go longer and straighter, if hit off centre though the trajectory and distance will be highly unpredictable. As the weight is placed behind the sweet spot, players will get more feel to the shot.

Cavity Back Irons
The cavity back iron is simply that, the back of the iron is cut out. The cavity back iron is made from stainless steel which offers a hard hitting golf shot. The iron distributes the weight evenly around the head which creates a larger sweetspot. This makes the club more forgiving, players with a larger handicap will find cavity back clubs more to their satisfaction as they will find that a lot more of their off centre shots will be corrected and their shots will go further and longer.

Hybrid Irons
These irons are a step further on from the cavity back irons. The larger rounded head means that the weight is distributed lower and further back in the club, allowing a higher moment of inertia. It also increases the size of the sweetspot, again allowing more forgiveness in the club.

Forged Irons
Forged irons are irons that have been made how a blacksmith would make tools long ago. The metal is sunk into a rough shape, then the metal is beaten until the desired shape has been achieved. The finished article will be milled, ground and drilled to get that defined smooth shape. The forged iron is more for the more experienced player that wants to feel the play and gain more accuracy, the sweetspot on a forged blade is severely reduced.

Cast Irons
Making this iron involves pouring the metal into a mould, using a mould means that the manufacturers can create more complex club heads. This style of creating clubs is far more favourite in today’s golf market as there are new shapes and technology clubs being developed every day.

Flex
This is the amount of give and bend that the shaft of your club has. A local pro will be able to tell you the amount of flex that’s best for you. The more flexible shafts are better for more weaker players that want to gain more control.

How Many
Generally most golfers will carry in their bags, 3-SW 4-SW or 5-SW. 3-SW. These are for golfers that are very good at striking the ball and do not struggle with the longer irons. It is normally just men that are able to use the 3 and 4 irons. Some people will lose their 4 -5 iron and opt for one of the newer hybrids instead.