Unless you play a lot and close the shooting range every night, there's no reason a set of irons shouldn't last five to ten years. In terms of technology, it depends on what you want in your irons. If you play with traditional wrought irons, nothing substantial has changed in decades. There is no evidence that golf clubs deteriorate over time.
Well-maintained clubs will last a lifetime. Golf irons wear out over time, with the sticks that are hit the most often being the first to go. For an average golfer who plays or practices several times a week, you should get a good 7-10 years with a set of irons. For those looking to save money, the second-hand market is an option.
However, if you have 20-year-old irons, it is recommended to get new ones as technology has improved significantly in the past 5 to 10 years. When it comes to different types of golf clubs, here are some tips on what you should keep in mind when you're considering replacing them. If you play a lot or don't take good care of your clubs, or you've chipped your irons playing once too often from rocky roads, it stands to reason that this can affect the duration of your clubs and how often you need to replace them. For those looking for more performance out of their irons, it is important to remember that it's all about the “performance” of your irons and what you're looking for rather than age.
After years and years of hitting the same clubs in the same places, hundreds of shots a day, the irons have started to wear out. Ensuring that the grooves of your irons are kept in good shape is important when it comes to irons and when it comes to wedges, that level of importance increases one level. Golfers with wrought irons, especially professional ones, who play very often, however, regularly find the lie of their clubs altered between 2-3° and the lofts change 1 or even 2 clubs over the course of a couple of years. Modern hybrids have almost completely taken over when it comes to long irons, so if you keep persevering with your old long irons, you're likely to leave blows on the table by not replacing your old sticks. You can increase your swing speed by achieving better physical condition, or you can take some lessons to learn why your current golf swing isn't as efficient. All golf irons are made differently and use different materials; each golfer treats their clubs in a certain way.
And the simple reason for this is that when it comes to the question of how long golf clubs should last, the answer is that the vast majority should last a long time. If that's the case, the answer if you want to improve is to spend more time on the practice street than in the golf shop.