Simple, Sensual, Sophisticated

When a modern clubmaker launches a new iron that doesn’t come with a 1,500-word (or longer) press release listing every one of its tech features and how each is designed to increase launch angle or ballspeed or decrease spin or improve down-range dispersion, or something, you naturally wonder what this new club could be trying to sell you.

The new X-Forged is similar to its predecessors (it first appeared in 2007 and underwent three updates before being discontinued from the Callaway catalog) in that what you see is really what you get.

This club was originally released in Japan last year and built with feedback from Japan Tour, Japanese LPGA, and Korean Tour players – golfers who appreciate the looks and feel that simple forgings offer. Indeed, the new X-Forged clubhead is forged from a single piece of 1020 Carbon-Steel, features a higher toe than is usual on Callaway irons, and has all the hallmarks of an elite ball-striker’s club – there’s virtually no offset, the top line is pretty thin, and it is compact with a capital ‘C’.

The only ‘techy’ feature of the new X-Forged is the Tri-Level Sole that features a beveled leading edge (chamfer) and some relief at the back. The little extra bounce at the front of the sole prevents digging while the trailing edge relief enables the club to exit the turf quickly and efficiently. This sole is ideal for pinching irons off the zoysia turf primarily used on Japanese courses, and it is becoming more popular on this side of the Pacific.

A little extra mass is positioned directly behind the center of the clubface to enhance the feel of impact. This is weight positioned where the consistent ball-striker will certainly appreciate it. Those who tend not to find the sweetspot with the regularity of a Tour pro or scratch player but who still appreciate good looks and the feel of a single-piece forging will be better-suited to the X-Forged Max.

Like the standard X-Forged, the X-Forged Max clubhead is a forged, single-piece of 1020 Carbon-Steel though just a little bigger, with a fraction more offset, a slightly wider heel, and with toe and heel pockets that gave Callaway engineers some discretionary weight to push down to the bottom of the clubhead, thus helping the 5-10-handicapper get the ball airborne – a very welcome feature when hitting the 5 or 6-iron(also a feature that might appeal to some when creating a combo set – X-Forged Max 5 and 6-irons, for instance, and X-Forged for the rest.

The Tri-Level sole is present on the Max, too, helping the club get in and out of the turf quickly for precise ball-striking and distance control.

The X-Forged is best described as “no-frills”. There’s a paucity of hi-tech features, separating it from Callaway’s Apex CB and Apex Ai200, but there is the special feel that only a single-piece forging can give and which good ball-strikers will love. And golfers who enjoy forged feel but need a touch more help than what the Tour/college/plus-handicap golfer is getting with the X-Forged will appreciate the one or two low-key frills of the X-Forged Max.

$220/club ​(both models – X-Forged available in 4-PW; X-Forged Max in 5-PW)
Loft –​​4 – 23˚, 7 – 33˚, PW – 46˚  (X-Forged)
​​5 – 24˚, 7 – 31˚, PW – 44˚  (X-Forged Max)
Shafts –​​True Temper Dynamic Gold MID 115 Steel (X-Forged)
​​True Temper Dynamic Gold MID 100 Steel (X-Forged Max)
Available – Right-hand only
Pre-sale on the Callaway website began on Monday. At retail on July 25th.

callawaygolf.com