Are Tommy Armour 845 Irons Still Good? Are They Forgiving for High Handicappers?

“Naturally, there has been skepticism over house brands like Tommy Armour.”

It’s quite normal to wonder if a set of irons offered as a Dick’s Sporting Goods brand is actually worth your while.

When the Tommy Armour 845 irons first came out, they were labeled as super game improvement irons. They drew the attention of beginners and high handicappers because they were affordable and promised maximum forgiveness.

Today, you can still get a set of Tommy Armour 845 irons for a very reasonable price (under $500). But are they worth even that very humble price? We tested them to find out.

Are the Tommy Armour 845 Irons Still Good?

“Testing the Tommy Armour 845 irons again was like meeting an old friend after a long absence.”

We were actually very surprised at how much design detail went into the Tommy Armour 845 irons. The Tommy Armour 845 irons feature a cavity undercut and a concave hosel so that the sole could be expanded.

A fairly intricate design for a set of irons that costs less than $500. The result of this tandem of features is nearly effortless launch. The Tommy Armour 845 irons are nothing if not forgiving. They certainly live up to the super game improvement moniker by providing a very forgiving face without making it feel like you’re playing shovels.

These are cast stainless steel irons and feature an L-shaped face insert to cover up your low misses. The complete set runs from 5-iron to Gap Wedge. In short, the Tommy Armour 845 irons are indeed still good if you are a high handicapper or beginner.

Are the Tommy Armour 845 Irons Forgiving for High Handicappers?

“The Tommy Armour 845 irons are ideal for high handicappers on a budget.”

Golf may not be for everyone. You may be interested in picking it up as a sport but not certain how far you will go with it. And that’s fine. What’s not fine is spending thousands on an iron set only to realize you don’t really like golf.

The Tommy Armour 845 irons are perfect for anyone just starting to play; but who may be unsure if they will stick with the sport long-term. They are certainly forgiving enough for people who just started playing.

Notice that you can’t even buy a Tommy Armour 845 4-iron – that’s because 99.9% of beginners and high handicappers can’t hit a 4-iron. So right off the bat, you know that the set was designed for high handicappers.

Tommy Armour 845 Vs Ping G425 Irons

“If you’re looking for a more recognizable brand name, the Ping G425 irons may be more to your liking.”

First off, the Ping G425 irons have a more compact design and run shorter from heel to toe. So they might pose a problem to beginners who are having trouble with striking accuracy. However, the Ping G425’s do have variable face thickness which goes a long way toward covering up your mis-hits.

We like the Ping G425 for mid handicappers or high handicappers who are knocking on the door of 100. But the Tommy Armour 845 irons are still the more forgiving clubs.

Tommy Armour 845 First Impressions

“The Tommy Armour 845 irons have sort of a plain look.”

And that’s certainly not a knock against them. They don’t have a lot of flashy design elements which keeps things clean in terms of aesthetics. They look like your typical cast, cavity back irons – and they are.

But you can tell right away that they will be forgiving. That’s because they have a considerable footprint behind the ball. The offset is also noticeable.

Tommy Armour 845 Irons Selling Points

  • Cavity back design
  • Undercut cavity
  • L-shaped face insert
  • Concave hosel
  • Large profile
  • Considerable offset

Tommy Armour 845 Key Technology

“The technology that went into the Tommy Armour 845 is fairly basic; but effective.”

431 Stainless Steel: The cast stainless steel design helps increase head stiffness and MOI. This will help resist twisting at impact and should make for straighter shots.

Pre-Worn Leading Edge: The leading edge doesn’t have a stark angle since it’s been preworn. That means it will move through the turf a bit smoother.

Undercut Cavity: The undercut cavity allows for more mass to be positioned low in the head. This helps with launch.

Tommy Armour 845 Loft & Lie

Club Loft Lie
5 iron 24 61.5
6 iron 27 62
7 iron 31 62.5
8 iron 35 63
9 iron 40 63.5

Who Should Buy the Tommy Armour 845 Irons?

“Any beginner who wants to save money on a forgiving set of irons should seriously consider the Tommy Armour 845 irons.”

Before we go any further, we should mention that the Tommy Armour 845 irons give something up in the way of distance. The launch was emphasized at the detriment of overall distance. So while they are incredibly forgiving and easy to hit even for beginners, don’t expect to be launching missiles down the fairway with these irons.

Even as your swing speed increases, the launch angles you get from the Tommy Armour 845 irons will certainly hold you back in carry distance. Other than that, the Tommy Armour 845 irons are an excellent choice for any budget-conscious golfer who is just getting started with the game.

The great thing about them is that they will likely encourage you to continue refining your game because they will give you confidence where the game of golf usually rips it away from new players: in the iron game.

They will certainly help you get the launch you need and they play surprisingly well from the rough – where new players tend to find themselves. The Tommy Armour 845 irons certainly still have something to offer beginners and high handicappers so if that’s you, we encourage you to check them out.

Distance: 93/100

Forgiveness: 97/100

Workability: 92/100

Overall Performance: 94/100

Value: 96/100

Overall Score: 94/100

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