Edel Swing Match System Irons Review

Edel Golf has officially launched their exciting new Swing Match System (SMS) irons, featuring adjustable weighting to fine-tune each iron’s center of gravity. Using similar technology seen in their outstanding SMS wedges, Edel hopes to expand the same benefits throughout your golf bag.

Let’s take a deeper look at the new Edel SMS irons.

Edel SMS Irons Design and Technology

As mentioned, the Edel SMS irons feature interchangeable weights to bring a level of customization that hasn’t been seen in golf recently. While competing irons may offer similar weight port designs, Edel’s irons allow you to adjust the weights along the iron’s back sole with the turn of a wrench, similar to what is seen in drivers and fairway woods.

By moving the heaviest of the three weights to the ideal position for a golfer’s swing, the player experiences unmatched club face control and predictable ball-flight and turf interaction. Simply stated, the SMS weight system allows you to alter each iron’s COG to eliminate a right or left miss, increase distance, improve accuracy, and optimize performance for each individual iron.

In a way, Edel has incorporated the same customization features you likely have in your driver into these new player performance irons.

“We built this company with a singular mission to ensure golfers get better by playing clubs that are fit to their unique attributes as a human and as a golfer,” said David Edel, Founder. “When you look at the swing through a biomechanics lens, it’s very clear that golfers are predisposed to certain positions and angles in the swing. We knew we had to design an iron that you could adjust to match a multitude of swing types.”

Why Does This Matter?

Think about the last set of irons you purchased. Chances are you focused on qualities like forgiveness, distance capabilities, lie angle and loft. At most, you went to a club fitting or big box store and took a few swings with a set of irons you were interested in. This extends to club companies, too. Typically, golf companies will pick one variable or one swing speed at which they know they’ll see the max benefit of the club.

In Edel’s testing, they were shocked to see how well their SMS irons performed following an adjustment to the “ideal weight setting” for a player in comparison to competing iron models.

Ball speed gains increased more than 3 mph in the SMS iron, equating to over 5 yards of distance. Peak height and descent angle metrics improved as players hit the ball higher with a more predictable descent. Most importantly, shot dispersion improved by almost 2 yards to the centerline, thus showing an increase in accuracy.

“The majority of golf clubs on the market are static, meaning once you buy them, you have to adjust your swing to the club,” said Chris Koske, Chief Marketing Officer. “When we first started playing with weights in wedges and irons, we saw overwhelming data that showed golfers were getting better results by being able to customize the club to their specific swing. When was the last time you hit a non-adjustable hosel driver? It’s probably been a while. We believe golf clubs should be fit to the golfer, not just how they were swinging the day of the fit, but truly be able to change with you as your game changes.”

Edel SMS Irons Performance and Feel

As someone who has been fit for golf clubs many times, I agree that how I was swinging the club during my fitting doesn’t always translate to the rounds that follow. Yes, this is an obvious statement and one that golfers have accepted for decades… but Edel is questioning why.

Having tested and played their SMS wedges for a full season in the past, I was already a believer that the ability to adjust a club’s weighting was beneficial to me. Having the opportunity to do so in an iron set was exciting… yet I was still skeptical. Could these irons live up to the performance in Edel’s wedges?

The answer was a resounding yes.

Make no mistake: these irons are incredible. The width of the iron’s sole places it closer to a game improvement category, yet the topline remains thin and pro-looking. The cavity back design will appeal to players who prefer more forgiveness in an iron, while skilled ballstrikers will appreciate the overall compact design.

Each Edel SMS iron comes equipped with two 2-gram weights and one 8-gram weight, however weights of 4-, 6-, and 10-grams are also available. Every weight is interchangeable, allowing you to place more toward the toe, the heel, or right in the middle of the sole.

I did feel that the Edel SMS iron was a bit heavy in comparison to my gamers. This isn’t as much a critique as it is an observation, as it took a little getting used to for my review session. Of course, the overall head weight can be adjusted.

I enjoyed experimenting with the weights in different positions and seeing my ball flight and shot metrics change as a result. I was literally able to fine-tune the iron to hit a draw, be more fade-biased, or keep the heaviest weight in the middle to heighten shot trajectory.

While I don’t like to compare one brand to another, I have to admit the versatility of the Edel SMS in terms of shot shape customization is something my gamer irons simply cannot match.

Overall Impression

At $250 per iron, the Edel SMS irons are definitely more expensive than many other options. However, when coupled with no upcharge on a large catalogue of shaft and grip options, they’re not outlandish.

The performance of the iron speaks for itself. They feel fantastic, offer the right amount of feedback on miss-hits, and of course the adjustability offers a level of customization you cannot find anywhere else. Mixing and matching weight placement throughout an iron set is incredible, allowing each iron to stand on its own and offer individual benefits for any shot at any distance.

The Edel SMS irons are truly unique in every way, and golfers of any skill level should give them a try. You might be surprised at what you find.

For more information on the Edel SMS irons, visit their company website here.