With Apex Pro Series coming out in a few weeks, I thought it pertinent to give a refresher on Forged Irons. This is a post that I originally posted last year, but it touches all the bases. Enjoy:

Often I hear the question what is the difference between forged and cast? Or, “I can’t hit those, they’re forged”.

Let’s dispel that myth. Simply put, these are two manufacturing processes – or, metal shaped in one of two ways – either by forging it, or by casting it. That’s it.

If that’s it, where did all the confusion come from? About 50 years ago, Ping was trying to sell a new brand of clubs, and they marketed their new irons as “easy to hit investment cast irons”. And… it stuck. People thought “Wow, these ARE easy to hit. Must be that castings really are easier to hit than forgings”. Not true at all, and I’ll show you why. Essentially the confusion came from a marketing department somewhere, and it still sticks today. Give that person a raise!! Haha

CAST vs. FORGED – The real difference

A clubhead that is cast is made by taking a raw metal, melting it down to a liquid and pouring it into a mold. once it cools, the mold is broken off and the resulting piece is ground down and finished off. A forged clubhead is hammered into shape much the way an old blacksmith would have done it 200 years ago. Only now, we use a huge 30 ton hammer press and exquisite molds to help shape the steel. Ultimately, both clubheads are made of steel and are shaped the way the manufacturer wants, and to the naked eye, they don’t necessarily look that different, so what exactly is the difference?

First, the major differences. Castings use stainless steel (so they don’t rust), and manufacturers tinker with different types of steel to gain strength, weight or flexibility advantages over their competition. Forgings, use carbon steel, which is generally a higher quality of steel. Carbon steel is generally much higher quality, softer than stainless steel, has more feedback and feel to the player, but will rust if the coated finish wears through.

Why not use carbon steel in a casting? This is the million dollar question. When a raw metal is manufactured in a steel mill to get ready to be forged into place, the steel gets a “grain” to it – like wood. This grain transmits feel through the head (due to the vibration at impact). By heating it to a red hot state so it can be pounded and bent into shape, the steel retains much of the grain structure. By contrast, when metal is melted to be poured into a mold, the grain structure is eliminated. So, if we use soft carbon steel in a cast head, it’s a waste of money since the advantage the metal has has been lost in the manufacturing process.

Second, carbon steel vs. stainless steel? I get that they are different, and that Carbon steel is a higher grade of steel, so is that why they cost different amounts? Partially, but not entirely. Forgings also require a significant amount of additional manpower to move the heads from station to station, and the molds used in the manufacture of forged heads cost north of $10,000 each (each iron head has it’s own mold), and are only good for a finite number of hits. Different steels will cost different amounts. Typically, the higher the carbon content in a steel, the softer it will feel, the more feedback it will provide, but it will make it more expensive. 

In the good old days (5+ years ago and older), forged Carbon steel used to have a number indicating the grade of the steel. 1025 Carbon steel was the gold standard. That number indicates the hardness of the steel. 1020 was sometimes used, but it was so soft it wasn’t very durable, and clubheads made using that metal would often move away from their original forged specs (read: loft and lie). 1030 was harder and almost felt as if it was a cast club, so… 1025 was the sweet spot. In todays world, every company tries to push the envelope – “can we use a different metal that provides the same feel as a 1025, but can be thinner, or more durable, or this, that or the other thing?” Today we often use a 455 Steel that will accomplish many of these things (455 is in Paradym, Some Apex Pro Irons, Apex UT to name a few)

Third, isn’t cast easier to hit than forged. The answer is NO. 50 years ago, it was not possible to make a cavity back golf club via a forged manufacturing process. So, the equation became Oversize Cavity Back Cast club vs. Muscle back Iron Forged club. The manufacturing process was the limiting factor. Obviously, the cavity back head was easier to hit, but not because of how it was made. It was by the design of the club head.

Today, most forged clubheads are also cavity back designs – it’s the best of both worlds for a good player or a passionate player. The feedback is exceptional. Forgings like Apex are made in the same vain as their case brother, the Rogue. Both use Face cup, multiple piece designs, tungsten and Urethane microspheres. Apex just utilizes a higher grade of steel.

The interesting thing is that while many forged clubheads chase the forgiving designs that their cast brothers offer, cast clubs now chase the feedback and feel that their forged brothers offer. Cast club heads, like Rogue, utilize a softer stainless steel in the face, and Urethane Microspheres inside the head to soften the feel, all while offering extreme forgiveness. Add in a shaft that absorbs some vibration (like the True Temper Elevate family or any graphite), and it’s often tough for all but the most discriminating player to feel the difference.

It truly is a great time to be in the club market.



I hope this helps!! Happy Fitting.