Bettinardi CB24 Irons
Bettinardi — Bettinardi CB24 Irons · By Andy · Jan 21, 2026
A putter company's bold debut into forged irons, blending tri-material construction with classic players' iron aesthetics.
The Big Picture
Bettinardi has spent 25 years building a reputation on CNC-milled putters for the likes of Jim Furyk, Fred Couples, and Matt Fitzpatrick. The CB24 represents the company's first-ever foray into irons, and it is a more ambitious debut than you might expect from a putter maker dipping its toes into new waters.
Face and cavity of two irons on concrete surface
The CB24 is a forged cavity-back iron built from a one-piece co-forged 1025 carbon steel body with high-density tungsten and military-grade ceramic matrix composite (CMC) integrated before forging. This tri-material construction allows Bettinardi to progressively position the center of gravity throughout the set -- lower in the long irons for easier launch, higher in the scoring irons for controlled spin. The result is a players' iron that promises more forgiveness and playability than its traditional appearance suggests.
Priced at $1,600 for a set, the CB24 is not inexpensive, but it sits comfortably within the premium forged iron market. These are aimed at mid-to-low handicap golfers who want a blend of workability, forgiveness, and that satisfying forged feel, roughly the same audience shopping Srixon ZX5 MK II, Ping i530, and TaylorMade P790 irons.
At Address
The CB24 presents a compact, refined profile behind the ball that leans heavily on Bettinardi's design sensibility. The cavity features the company's signature honeycomb milling pattern on the rear -- a distinctive touch that signals this is not a generic forged iron. The topline is thin enough to appeal to better players without being intimidating, and the overall blade length sits in that comfortable middle ground between a pure muscleback and a game-improvement iron.
Offset is minimal, which promotes a clean, square look at address. There is a slight draw bias built into the design through the weighting, but it is subtle enough that it will not alarm players who prefer to work the ball both ways. The chrome finish is clean and traditional -- nothing flashy, just well-executed craftsmanship.
Sound & Feel
This is where Bettinardi's putter-making heritage pays dividends. The CB24 produces a satisfying, solid sensation at impact that genuinely impressed me. The forged 1025 carbon steel body delivers that buttery feedback on center strikes that blade and cavity-back enthusiasts live for, while the multi-material construction manages to keep the feel from becoming harsh on mishits.
Face-on view showing grooves and thin topline
Sound at impact is clean and confident -- not hollow, not clicky, just a pure, forged iron sound that tells you the strike was good. There is slightly more acoustic presence here than you get from a pure muscleback, which is likely a byproduct of the cavity design and the CMC material, but it is not unpleasant. If anything, it provides a touch more audible feedback on off-center hits, which some players will appreciate.
For a company making irons for the first time, the feel and sound of the CB24 are remarkably well-calibrated. It is clear Bettinardi spent considerable time getting this right.
Performance
Ball Speed & Distance
Testing with a 7-iron, I was seeing ball speeds around 130 mph and carry distances in the neighborhood of 172 yards. Those numbers are competitive with other players' cavity-back irons in this segment and reflect the progressive CG positioning doing its job. The tungsten and CMC elements in the longer irons push the CG lower, which helps generate ball speed without resorting to the aggressively strong lofts you find in game-improvement irons.
The CB24 is not trying to be a distance iron. It is a players' iron that delivers honest, repeatable yardages with enough ball speed to keep up with the competition.
Launch & Spin
Launch conditions were impressively high for a players' cavity-back, with the long irons in particular producing a towering flight that was easy to get airborne. This is where the progressive CG really earns its keep -- the 4 and 5 irons launched noticeably higher than I expected, making them playable for a wider range of swing speeds.
Spin in the scoring irons was well-controlled, with enough RPM to hold greens confidently on approach shots. The transition from low-spin long irons to high-spin short irons felt progressive and natural, without any jarring gaps in the set.
Dispersion & Shot Shape
Dispersion was tight and consistent, which is exactly what you want from a players' iron. The perimeter weighting from the cavity-back design provides genuine forgiveness on off-center strikes -- noticeably more than a muscleback, though still less forgiving than a full game-improvement iron.
Back cavity view showing honeycomb insert and B logo
Shot shaping was responsive and predictable. Draws and fades were easy to produce with subtle swing adjustments, and the ball flight obeyed my intentions without requiring dramatic manipulation. For a mid-handicapper who wants to start working the ball, the CB24 offers a forgiving platform to develop that skill.
Verdict
The Bettinardi CB24 is a genuinely impressive debut iron from a company known exclusively for its putters. The tri-material construction delivers on its promise of progressive launch and spin characteristics, the feel and sound are excellent for a first-generation product, and the overall performance sits comfortably among established competitors in the players' cavity-back category.
Strengths: exceptional feel for a multi-material iron, progressive CG that makes long irons playable, tight dispersion with genuine forgiveness, and the build quality you would expect from a company obsessed with precision manufacturing.
Weaknesses: the $1,600 price tag is a real consideration, availability of left-handed models is limited, and Bettinardi does not yet have the fitting infrastructure of larger iron manufacturers. You are also placing trust in a first-generation product from a brand without an iron track record.
The CB24 is best suited for mid-to-low handicap players (roughly 8 and below) who value feel and workability but want more forgiveness than a muscleback provides. If you are the kind of golfer who gets fitted and cares about what your irons are made of, the CB24 deserves a spot on your short list.
