RAM FXT Irons Review
GolfMagic tests out the new RAM FXT Irons.
Some of the best looking game improvement irons on the market,
Packed full of power and forgiveness
RAM FXT Irons Key Features:
- Precision weighted screw: Toe side screw weight helps raise MOI and reduce the impact of twisting on off-center strikes
- Hot muscleback design: Special heat-treatment delivers a forged-like effect, for fast ball speeds and more forgiveness
- Dual Material Construction: engineered from 431 stainless steel body with a 17-4 super hot face
The newest addition to RAM's iron lineup, the FXT player's distance irons, are carefully crafted to offer bags of distance, excellent forgiveness and premium feel.
Going head to head with the likes of Callaway's Ai Smoke Irons and TaylorMade's QI range of irons, RAM has some tough competition.
However, where they do have a big competitive edge is price.
RAM is currently offering a set of FXT Irons for £299, which is incredibly good value in this day and age.
To see if the FXTs can compete with the biggest brands in the business, we took them out to Foxhills Country Club before getting some data to back up our findings at Custom Golf Works in Woking.
Let's get into it.
Player Level
Due to the larger head profile, additional offset and added distance these irons offer, we would recommend them for mid to high handicap golfers looking for an ideal blend of power and forgiveness.
RAM FXT Irons Looks and Feel:
It feels unfair to refer to the FXT irons as a budget set, but at their current price point, they are undoubtedly ideal for golfers looking for a combination of performance and value.
With that in mind, these irons are undoubtedly the best-looking budget irons on the market in 2024.
Despite being marketed as player's distance irons, the FXTs definitely have the profile of a game improvement iron at first glance.
Down at address they have a thick topline, a healthy amount of offset, and a high toe.
Flip the clubs over, and they have a lovely satin chrome finish and a contoured back that features modern and simple RAM branding.
The thick sole also features a screw near the toe that helps improve the overall MOI of each head. While this detail is integrated primarily for performance reasons, we think it also adds nicely to the overall visual appeal of the clubs.
Looking down from above, these clubs have a large, confidence-inspiring profile. In all honesty, if we were looking specifically to purchase a player's distance iron, this head size would be a touch too large for our taste. However, despite the marketing, we believe these irons are better suited to the game and eye of a player purchasing game improvement irons.
The differences between the two categories are subtle, but we believe that compared to the likes of a TaylorMade P790, which is one of the most sought-after players' distance irons, the FXTs are a more direct comparison to the likes of TaylorMade's QI irons, which were some of the best performers in the game improvement category.
The long blade length and high toe height give the head quite an oversized profile, but one that will undoubtedly appeal to golfers who may struggle to consistently find the middle of the club face.
Overall, these irons look great. Will they appeal to lower-handicap golfers? Probably not, but for the vast majority of players who desire a clean-looking iron that also offers plenty of club behind the ball, they will fit the eye perfectly.
In terms of feel, these irons perhaps lack that premium semi-forged feel that can now be obtained in irons aimed at high—to mid-handicap golfers. Callaway's Ai Smoke range, for example, feels incredibly crisp at impact while also offering that trampoline-like sensation you would expect from an iron of this profile, an achievement RAM hasn't quite matched.
We will come on to performance shortly, but these irons certainly feel hot off the face, and that sensation was certainly reflected in the data we gathered.
All in all, these irons look fantastic and feel solid but not quite superb. However, when you take price into consideration, too, they're punching well above their weight.
RAM FXT Irons Performance and Forgivness:
As you can see from the numbers above, these irons pack a serious punch. So serious, in fact, they rank as the longest irons we have tested so far in 2024.
It's worth noting, however, that that extra distance came with a sacrifice: spin rates.
A six-iron should ideally spin between 5,000 and 6,000 rpm, and in the hands of our resident equipment tester, Alex Lodge, that spin rate of 3,199 was just too low.
Despite Alex's low spin rate, the apex of his ball flight was still quite impressive. The low CG of these irons still worked remarkably well to launch the ball high into the air, meaning his eventual rollout numbers weren't as lengthy as they could have been.
The numbers above do come with a caveat. Alex is a five-handicap golfer who can achieve very fast swing speeds, so it's fair to say that these irons are not ideally suited to him.
In an attempt to gather figures perhaps more reflective of the audience who would be purchasing these irons, I also recorded my data on the GC Quad at Custom Golf Works to give you a more appropriate idea of how these irons perform in the hands of a mid-to-high-handicapper.
I'm a 13-handicap golfer and am pleased to report I was still able to achieve very solid distance numbers, with my average total distance coming in at 185 yards, just where I would ideally want to see a six-iron finish.
The other big positive from my results was that at a slightly slower swing speed, I was able to achieve much more suitable spin rates.
I swing a six-iron at roughly 88 MPH, and at that speed, I generated spin rates averaging out at 4,612 rpm. While this is still perhaps a touch lower than optimal, it was far more manageable than Alex's low 3000s.
These results confirmed our suspicion that these clubs are better suited to players with low to medium swing speeds who want additional distance from their clubs.
In terms of forgiveness, we were really impressed by the consistency of distance and spin these irons produce from across the face.
The high MOI construction and perimeter weighting worked well to keep the ball on target, and the solid build quality contributed towards ensuring that spin rates didn't fluctuate too aggressively when shots were struck out of the toe or heel, a key factor to consider for players who struggle to consistently find the centre of the club face.
Overall, we were really impressed with the performance these irons offered.
They are powerful, strong lofted, and very forgiving, making them an ideal choice for the vast majority of amateur golfers looking for as much power and forgiveness as they can get from their irons.
If long, straight distance is what you are after, the FXTs are well worth taking a look at.
Should you buy a set of RAM FXT Irons?
If you're looking for a really solid set of irons, and you don't want to break the bank to do so, then the RAM FXTs are well worth your time and attention.
As previously mentioned, these irons are marketed as player's distance irons. However, due to their profile, size, and lofts, we would argue they fit more appropriately into the game improvement category.
While that particular category is incredibly competitive, the FXTs are almost unbeatable when you consider price, performance, and looks.
