Unless you’ve been living under a rock you’ve seen the new ads by now. Like me, you’ve probably noticed a difference in the attitude of Callaway Golf in these new ads. The New Callaway is what they’re calling it and they are ready to take on the world. They’re not making any bones about it – they’re aware that they needed to step it up and they’re here ready for the fight of their lives. These new ads are bold and they’re very direct in what the New Callaway is going after. They want to be number 1 again and these guys will not stop until they are there.
The ads and the new attitude are both great, but let’s be honest here – if the gear isn’t great, then there’s going to be a short end to this “5 year war” they’re embarking on. THP has received a set of the new 2013 X Forged irons for an up close and personal look at just how big their guns are for this battle. Prior to this review I’ve enjoyed seeing the new attitude from Callaway. Deep down I’m hoping that the gear backs up the claims, because when I was growing up, Callaway was always the big dog on the block. Being an unbiased fan of golf equipment, I just want to see a good fight. Let’s take a closer look at the new X Forged irons.
The X Forged is a tour-inspired forged cavity back iron crafted by design-chief Roger Cleveland with direct input from Callaway’s Tour players. We’re not dealing with a muscleback, but the X Forged is definitely a smaller and sleeker looking iron. The X Forged iron will appeal to lower handicap players who are looking for feedback and workability more so than distance and forgiveness.
The set I reviewed came as a 4-PW set with the stock Project X PXi shaft in 6.0 (stiff) flex. From the word go I’m happy. Call me old fashioned, but I like…no, I need a 4 iron! It seems like standard sets of 5-PW are becoming too common for my liking. So right out of the shoot we’re off to a good start. In fact, sets are available in 3-PW configurations as well. I’ve grown up playing forged players irons and I am a firm believer in playing an iron set that you enjoy the looks of. I don’t care how good I hit the irons – if they’re ugly or clunky I won’t enjoy playing them as much. So let me get this out there before I even go any further. The X Forged irons are GORGEOUS! There, I said it.
The bright chrome finish of the X Forged immediately catches your eye. The smooth lines and simply stated graphic in the cavity of the iron combine for an overall great look that would stack up very well next to any iron on the market in a beauty contest. The shape and flow of the iron creates a very appealing look at address as well, which I personally put a lot of stock in. Size-wise, the X Forged seem to fit perfectly between a muscleback and a cavity back iron. At address you’re looking down at an iron that heel-to-toe gives the impression of having a little meat behind the ball and that inspires a good level of confidence before even starting the swing.
The X Forged also feature V Grooves. According to Callaway, V Grooves are the most precise grooves ever put in an iron of this type. They’re designed to deliver more control and shot-shaping for pinpoint accuracy. Hitting balls with the X Forged, you immediately feel the benefits of the V Grooves. It’s almost like you can feel the ball stay on the face for a split second longer. Speaking of feel, as expected the X Forged irons feel amazing when struck solidly. A smooth swing results in solid contact and what usually came next was a gorgeous high and piercing ball flight. The Triple Net Forging process used on the X Forged irons is designed for more aggressive grooves and extreme precision to add to the great forged feel and high performance.
The X Forged irons feature CG (Center of Gravity) Height Progression. What this means is the center of gravity is lower in the long irons for a higher ball flight. It also places the CG higher in the short irons for a flatter trajectory and easier to manage ball flights in the scoring irons. This is actually opposite of Callaway’s previous forged cavity back irons, the RAZR X Forged, where the center of gravity was actually the lowest in the short irons. It doesn’t take long to see the advantages of CG Height Progression. There’s nothing like seeing a towering 5 iron that gets up in the air and stays there longer than what you’re used to. Definitely not something I immediately expected with this iron set.
I knew a couple things going into this review. First, I knew that I loved the look, and second, I knew that they’d feel great and perform when struck solidly. What I didn’t know and what had to be answered was how they work when the shots aren’t crisp and everything’s not hit flush. As a 7 handicap, I have my days when I’m just not clicking on my iron shots, and for me to have the confidence to play a set of irons, I need them to be there for me on these days. I’m not asking them to bail me out when I miss the sweet spot by 3 inches. I’m just looking for a little help when I miss a groove or two high or low on the face.
In my testing I had a little bit of both. I had days where I was hitting most shots flush and basically walked around the course looking like a love struck teenager. I also had a couple of those rounds were I just wasn’t quite there. I can say that in my testing, the best score I shot with the X Forged irons in the bag came on a day where I didn’t have it. I wasn’t hitting everything pure, but the X Forged offered me just enough of an assist that I was still able to get around the course with a respectable score. Every miss-hit is different, so I can’t put an exact number on the yards lost, but I can say that you don’t have to carry a + handicap index to be able to enjoy the game with the X Forged in the bag.
The X Forged come equipped with the new Project X PXi shaft. According to Project X, “The PXi incorporates the hallmarks of the Project X brand (tour-caliber spin, control and tip stability) in a lighter weight shaft producing greater distance and improved feel through an optimized butt to tip stiffness calibration.” I felt the shaft was a perfect pairing in this iron set. Regardless of the type of shot I played, I felt as if the shaft was more than up to the task of delivering on solid feel and excellent performance.
Another area that I was pleased with was the distance I saw with these irons. I can’t say that distance was one of the top 2 or 3 things I was really expecting, but I was more than happy with it. The lofts of the 2013 X Forged are 1 degree stronger than last year’s Razr X Forged (6 iron is 30 degrees), so that can explain part of it, but I also feel that the CG Height Progression lends a hand here as well. The X Forged irons are definitely a half club longer than any other forged cavity back iron I’ve played recently. This added punch will surprise some people when they start testing them against other similar irons on the market.
A lot of the early comments I heard from THP Forum members talked about how nice looking these irons are, and there is no doubt about that. I also heard a few people mention how much they like them, but how they didn’t think they had the game to be able to play them. After playing for a few weeks with them in the bag, I can say that the X Forged irons aren’t for every skill set, but I believe that they offer more playability than a lot of people expect. If you’re relying on a Super Game Improvement iron to help you get the ball in the air I might suggest looking at a set of X Hot or even X Hot Pro until you get a little better. If you’re a decent ball striker, I would definitely suggest adding these to the demo list this year.
The 2013 X Forged irons are available now for $875 (4-PW). The X Forged are one set in the wide array of iron offerings from Callaway Golf in 2013. I’ve personally demoed them all and highly recommend you do the same.
The New Callaway has a plan and we are the ones that are going to benefit from this ‘5 Year War’ more than anyone. Something about being a consumer in a market where all the biggest companies are exchanging blows with great new products gets me very excited. Now that I’ve begun seeing what Callaway is arming themselves with, I can’t help but wonder what will come next. What can another company counter with? We’ll definitely see, but one thing is certain – Callaway won’t stop and this fight has just begun. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the benefits of being a golfer right now, because we’ve got it good. Real good!
Jake that was some good wordage bro. I’m glad you saw the forgiveness you did and played some solid golf without your good stuff. It says a lot about the irons.
I ain’t wait to be theses in the bag.
Nice review Jake! I do think these are some of the best looking irons out there and I am glad to see there is enough forgiveness packed in to make them enjoyable to play. I will be taking some swings with these for sure at the Outing on Friday.
Great review Jake…Callaway is certainly headed in the right direction. I saw this morning in Golf Digest Stix that their first quarter sales numbers were up 12-13% from last year, so the quality products are definitely translating.
Great review Jake, when I look at these clubs, forgiveness is not the one thing I would expect one to get. Im glad that wasnt the case in your situation and the fact that your better scoring days were on “off days” speaks volumes about these clubs.
Awesome review Jake. The X forged have to be one of the nicest looking forged iron offerings out there this year. I am anxious to take a swing or 12 with these in July!
You rock Jake these beasts are brake hearts in MB
Jake, this is one of the best reviews period on irons I’ve read. Been looking forward to this one for a while and you did not disappoint.
I really get a sense of just how much these irons appealed to you after reading the review Jake. Really enjoyed it! The CG Progression really is something that I love the sounds of. It’s a great way to increase playability for guys that struggle as the irons get longer. They are ridiculously good looking too.
Excellent job Jake, that got my blood pumping just a bit between the pictures and the performance you saw in these. they are likely a little out of my league, but we can always dream.
Great write up. Every time I’m in a golf shop I’m pulled towards these. The look is amazing, and with the results you’ve spoken about it makes these a front runner for the next club change. Thanks Jake
Great review Jake, I’ve been looking forward to this one. I love my X-Forged, but based on how the CG is distributed in the new line I think I’d like these even better!
excellent review Jake. These irons are very appealing just on looks alone. Back it up with a good stock shaft offering and some performance and it’s sure going to be a winner for Callaway. I like how they packed a bunch of tech in to these and yet kept the heads pretty slender.
Great review. It is exciting to see Callaway get aggressive in advertising AND in club making. Competition in clubmaking is good for all golfers.
Excellent review! You summed up my sentiments about the X Forged perfectly. They really are visually stunning and perform very well. Callaway’s first few salvos in the 5 Year War have been pretty heavy and these irons are certainly one of their strongest offerings!
Now that is one heck of a review!! It’s easy to put down into words when the clubs are just this good, isn’t it Jake! You already know my stance about these irons – perfect in every way! You just summed everything I’ve thought about these clubs into one write-up. Thank You! Job well done!
Great review! Like you, I think these irons are just gorgeous, moreso in person. As you mentioned though, these are not for everyone and certainly give us hackers something to dream about aspiring to.
That was a very nice review. Ive never really been excited by Callaway products however, these have my attention.
it really is a great review jake you have definitely got me excited about buying these babies !!!!
Great review bud! I’ve tested these irons on a live launch monitor and was blown away by the numbers, ball flight, workability and as you said, forgiveness. I have looked at a few different iron options and keep coming back to these. I’m waiting to hear back from the shop I tested them out at to see if the delay in shipping/manufacture has been resolved here in New Zealand. If so I think I may be biting the bullet and getting these in 4-PW, along with the Razr Fit Extreme driver and 3 wood. Odd that there aren’t many reviews on YouTube yet?
Keep up the great work and I look forward to reading your next review or even possibly an update.
Nice review. I don’t buy the latest and greatest from any manufacturer but if I did I would still stick with Titleist because there quality control has always been top notch and they’ve always put out a consistent product.
Callaway started us down this “new club every season” road and I believe golfers have suffered greatly for it.
Callaway has become synonymous with marketing and gimmicks and it will take a lot of work for them to overcome that reputation and get “players” to switch over.
Had my clubs stolen this weekend. I had the Callaway x forged 2007 model and loved them. I jut had these delivered today and cannot wait to try them out! Thanks for the review!
I have been playing these for a month now and all I can say is they are the real deal!!
They have everything a better player wants. Feel, forgivness, distance, workability, looks etc. Sensational irons.
I love the pxi shaft too. The dispertion of these is very good. The short irons have a perfect trajectory.
I am a 4 cap and when I first got these I just played the 7-pw and played the Diablo Forged in the long irons. After a few rounds the short irons were so good I thought I would try the 4-6 even though they did not look too forgiving. Boy was I surprised!! The long irons were very playable and the ballflight was so good they kicked the Diablo forged out of the bag. Now that is high praise indeed!
These are stunning irons and I cannot say strongly enough how good I think they are.