Callaway has skills with steel. And as if their recent
success with irons (see the Apex family) weren't
enough to prove that, out comes the newest addition to
the XR family, the Steelhead XR Irons.
These modern marvels combine the shaping and
playability that made the Steelhead X-14 (released in
2000) one of the most popular irons of all time.
Callaway engineers paid special attention to some of
the design aspects on the original Steelheads, including
a slightly longer blade length, a slightly more rounded
toe and the signature hosel-to-face transition.
"Of the many requests we get from golfers," says
Callaway VP of R&D Dr. Alan Hocknell, "a frequent one
is 'bring back the Steelhead.'"
You might say they've done it, but this is no replica set.
The X-14 set golfers asked Callaway to start making
again, for
example, didn't have
the next-generation 360 Face Cup.™ The Face Cup on
the Steelhead XR allows the edges of the ultra-thin face
to freely flex and release at impact with greater
efficiency. This results in increased ball speed and
distance, especially on off-center hits. (The boost in
face-speed is so significant that it’s hiked the COR close
to the USGA limit.)
More speed and distance on mis-hits is made possible
by the modern Hollow Bore-Thru hosel design, which
allowed Callaway engineers to remove weight from the
hosel and reposition it in strategic areas within the
head.
The result is an increase in moment of inertia (MOI) for
more forgiveness on mis-hits and a precisely-
positioned center of gravity (CG) in the long, middle
and short irons.
How does that work, you might ask, and what could it
do for me?
Well, for starters the Steelhead XR long-irons feature
an exceptionally low and far-back CG to make them
easier to launch high and long. (Anyone who played X-
14 knows that the long irons were one of the nicest
parts of the set.)
The middle-irons have an exceptionally low and mid-
back CG to promote easy launch and keen control,
while the short-irons have a low and mid CG to make it
easier to strike lower, high-spinning shots when you're
in attack mode.
Great feel and sound come from our new steel-infused
polyurethane layer positioned low in the head, behind
the lower portion of the face. In addition to absorbing
unwanted impact vibration to promote a remarkably
satisfying sound and feel at impact, it also helps lower
the CG to promote faster ball speed and higher launch
characteristics for more distance.
Callaway has strategically launched new products
based on some of their most important brands. The
Great Big Bertha is just one example -- the same club
that helps average players hit longer, straighter drives
helped Jim Furyk fire a Tour-record 58.
The Steelhead XR irons bring so much technology to
the table that when they ship on Sept. 2, that Callaway
is predicting a big hit. We don't disagree.
A FEW FACTS
AVAILABLE LOFTS: 3-LW
DATE AT RETAIL: Sept. 2
STOCK SHAFTS:
Steel: True Temper XP-95 (Stepless)
Graphite: Matrix F15
Pricing
$799 Steel/$999 Graphite
