Callaway X Forged & X Forged Max Irons! In-Hand Pics!

[Asiangolfer1995]

No gap wedges in either set, gotta look elsewhere...such a shame, it looks really good at address 

[clemsondds]

4 hours ago, MichMan123 said:

 

I hit them yesterday and loved them.  And I dislike Callaway as a brand but yes kinda MP54 ish 

Would you think you would go with a combo set or stick with a full set of max? 

[discover-it]

Similar to the J40's.  

[ThunderBuzzworth]

Once again a set of irons I’ve been waiting for for over 5 years finally comes out and isn’t available left handed. This is becoming an absolute joke. Shame on these OEM’s. It is 2025, not 1979 

[QuigleyDU]

20 minutes ago, ThunderBuzzworth said:

Once again a set of irons I’ve been waiting for for over 5 years finally comes out and isn’t available left handed. This is becoming an absolute joke. Shame on these OEM’s. It is 2025, not 1979 

I get it. But it is just not worth making them in left hand for the 7 world wide golfers that would buy them. 

[clemsondds]

Anyone compare these with the AI150?  Thanks

[kiwii]

On 7/20/2025 at 7:08 AM, mp29 said:

Are these Endo forgings?  Typically S20C material is Endo.  

According to Callaway US website this version we are getting are 1020 Carbon steel. So the JDM possibly yes. And the US possibly no. But I thought Endo does 1020 as well given all the Bridgestone and srixon models done by them.

 

I am guessing they made slight changes to adapt to the US market. Mainly making the head weights heavier than the JDM. I would have thought they would punch out more of the JDM version. 

[me05501]

14 hours ago, discover-it said:

Similar to the J40's.  

 

 

Srixon Z765's too. 

[ThunderBuzzworth]

2 hours ago, QuigleyDU said:

I get it. But it is just not worth making them in left hand for the 7 world wide golfers that would buy them. 

 

I don't care anymore, that is a BS excuse. Callaway has the 2 most famous lefties in the world on staff and id bet one or both of them will have these irons in their bag at some point. to not even offer them in lefty as a custom option means they should not be on the conforming list along with ALL the other clubs that aren't made available in left handed. RH golfers have a ridiculous equipment advantage when it comes to wedge grinds, finishes, driver lofts, fairway wood head & loft options but especially iron options are severely lacking. It is starting to become a discrimination issue. 

[QuigleyDU]

2 minutes ago, ThunderBuzzworth said:

 

I don't care anymore, that is a BS excuse. Callaway has the 2 most famous lefties in the world on staff and id bet one or both of them will have these irons in their bag at some point. to not even offer them in lefty as a custom option means they should not be on the conforming list along with ALL the other clubs that aren't made available in left handed. RH golfers have a ridiculous equipment advantage when it comes to wedge grinds, finishes, driver lofts, fairway wood head & loft options but especially iron options are severely lacking. It is starting to become a discrimination issue. 

Phil is no longer on staff.. 

[ThunderBuzzworth]

5 minutes ago, QuigleyDU said:

Phil is no longer on staff.. 

I know, but he still plays their irons, wedges, ball and the Tiger Slayer sometimes. Heck, he currently has an old version of these exact irons in his bag so its pretty much set in stone that they will make them, why not now? It makes zero sense for them to not release the players CB. 

[car1]

4 minutes ago, ThunderBuzzworth said:

I know, but he still plays their irons, wedges, ball and the Tiger Slayer sometimes. Heck, he currently has an old version of these exact irons in his bag so its pretty much set in stone that they will make them, why not now? It makes zero sense for them to not release the players CB. 

He was actually playing these exact irons in February. There is a what's in the bag on youtube where he talks about them. No sure if he is back to the 2013 version. 

[LoonyTunes]

7 minutes ago, ThunderBuzzworth said:

It makes zero sense for them to not release the players CB. 

 

 

... to you it makes zero sense. Let's be clear, Callaway would make them in left hand if they knew they were going to be profitable. 

[QuigleyDU]

8 minutes ago, ThunderBuzzworth said:

I know, but he still plays their irons, wedges, ball and the Tiger Slayer sometimes. Heck, he currently has an old version of these exact irons in his bag so its pretty much set in stone that they will make them, why not now? It makes zero sense for them to not release the players CB. 

I get you and I am sorry. But I also understand the economics of it and why they didn't. I wonder if the japan version comes in lefty? 

[LoonyTunes]

1 minute ago, car1 said:

He was actually playing these exact irons in February. There is a what's in the bag on youtube where he talks about them. No sure if he is back to the 2013 version. 

 

I belive he is gaming the X Forged Prototype irons, which are a CNC Milled version of these and way more expensive/rare. 

[ThunderBuzzworth]

1 minute ago, LoonyTunes said:

 

 

... to you it makes zero sense. Let's be clear, Callaway would make them in left hand if they knew they were going to be profitable. 

 

The forging process takes time no matter what hand they are making. like i said, it is 2025 not 1979

[car1]

Just now, LoonyTunes said:

 

I belive he is gaming the X Forged Prototype irons, which are a CNC Milled version of these and way more expensive/rare. 

Probably right. There is an article on here from December when Akshay had them in the bag. 

[LoonyTunes]

6 minutes ago, ThunderBuzzworth said:

 

The forging process takes time no matter what hand they are making. like i said, it is 2025 not 1979

 

[Sean289]

I‘m gutted that these aren’t available here in Europe. A lot of people are going to do a Titleist T150 vs AI 150 head to head but relatively, the T150 vs the X Forged Max would be a much closer apples to apples head to head comparison.  

[ThunderBuzzworth]

59 minutes ago, LoonyTunes said:

 

 

Trust me i get the point you think you're making but it is not a viable excuse anymore. Callaway spends a billion on their ball plant but cant release an iron in LH & RH? Give me a break. 

[LoonyTunes]

4 minutes ago, ThunderBuzzworth said:

 

Trust me i get the point you think you're making but it is not a viable excuse anymore. Callaway spends a billion on their ball plant but cant release an iron in LH & RH? Give me a break. 

 

It literally is a viable excuse, you just don't want to accept that. Fair play to you if you just want to be mad about it, but to claim it's not a viable excuse to not want to lose money on a market that has shown over and over again is not a lucrative market, than you're just being grumpy.

[dmeeksDC]

6 hours ago, clemsondds said:

Anyone compare these with the AI150?  Thanks

The Ai150 is high-tech, like a smaller version of a Srixon Zxi5 or a slightly larger P770. But in the short irons 8-G the Ai150s are like a slightly more larger and forgiving TCB. These ai150s are all filled, multi-material heads, but the scoring irons have the same 17-4 face as the TCB. They feel really good. If you like the idea of a Zxi5 in a head less bulky, these are worth a look. 
 

The X Forged is going to be most like the 2013 and 2018 X Forged heads. New one has a different shape and sole. Pure forged iron with minimal cavity and a bit of perimeter weighting. For what it is, it offers some help but solid ball strikers will fare the best. 

 

The X Forged Max is a pure forged iron, simply larger, almost like they made a one-piece version of the Apex DCB. Probably a touch smaller than that. I have a set of New Level 702CB+ irons that are 1020 carbon steel heads and to me the X Forged Max will play very similarly. Because I already have the New Levels, I got a set of the Ai150s. Have hit them once and they are really nice. Look and feel great. Super consistent on distance. 

Edited July 21 by dmeeksDC

[is1ander]

7 hours ago, ThunderBuzzworth said:

 

The forging process takes time no matter what hand they are making. like i said, it is 2025 not 1979

 

It's not about the time. It's the cost of the forging molds. There simply is not enough demand for Callaway to break even on the molds. I hear a lot of OEMs are already taking a hit on right-handed MBs. Cobra's 3D printing is different. That requires no extra molds and only requires them to mirror the programming.

[FAbb]

I saw a full demo set of the standard x forged in a store.  They're really good looking throughout the set.  Comparing to some other irons, they most closely resembled the Srixon ZXi7 from address.  They've got the same high toe and angular profile.  The x forged appeared slimmer and less offset. 

 

I'd like to get a look at the max model in person to see how well they could blend for a combo set.

[Scott0000]

10 hours ago, is1ander said:

 

It's not about the time. It's the cost of the forging molds. There simply is not enough demand for Callaway to break even on the molds. I hear a lot of OEMs are already taking a hit on right-handed MBs. Cobra's 3D printing is different. That requires no extra molds and only requires them to mirror the programming.

I understand both sides of this, however also as a lefty it bothers me when other major manufacturers offer nearly all their premium products in LH.  Heck, just 3-4 years ago it would be mind boggling to see Callaway not list their tour players iron in LH.  I've always understood niche lofts and things like 7 woods, etc but now it is trending into major release offerings.  It is a sign of the times unfortunately as the bottom line for manufacturers has gotten thinner (which is wild given the game growth and how many elite junior left-handers I now see coming).

I'm sure current tariffs in place play a huge role in this as well.  I always jokingly swore that one day lefties were going to win a lawsuit that everything had to be offered in both!   I can always dream.  

[halfsumo]

35 minutes ago, Scott0000 said:

I understand both sides of this, however also as a lefty it bothers me when other major manufacturers offer nearly all their premium products in LH.  Heck, just 3-4 years ago it would be mind boggling to see Callaway not list their tour players iron in LH.  I've always understood niche lofts and things like 7 woods, etc but now it is trending into major release offerings.  It is a sign of the times unfortunately as the bottom line for manufacturers has gotten thinner (which is wild given the game growth and how many elite junior left-handers I now see coming).

I'm sure current tariffs in place play a huge role in this as well.  I always jokingly swore that one day lefties were going to win a lawsuit that everything had to be offered in both!   I can always dream.  

These were meant to be a Japan only release. Nobody plays golf left handed in Japan, they had zero reason to make a LH version when originally designed. In Japan if you are left handed they encourage you to be right handed.

[BlkNGld]

18 hours ago, ThunderBuzzworth said:

 

Trust me i get the point you think you're making but it is not a viable excuse anymore. Callaway spends a billion on their ball plant but cant release an iron in LH & RH? Give me a break. 

 

They can, of course.   And they do with others.   But for a niche product it's a money loser.   It's about more than the time it takes to produce.   There is tooling, distribution, stocking of fitting carts, spares for warranty, etc.   

 

Companies spend a lot of time trying to minimize part counts.   For sure there are costs that go with creating a one off for someone like Phil, but it pales compared to multinational distribution of a product.

 

Regardless if any of us like it or think it's fair, it's telling that a company like Callaway with what looks to be doing more and shorter release cycles not to mention variations on type and color of its drivers and iron sets thinks those will be profitable.

 

If they thought LH XForged would have comparable margins and return on investment they'd surely offer them.

 

Even the argument "XXX company does it, why can't Callaway"?   Those companies likely have a different portfolio emphasis, cost structure, and profit goals.

 

Why do you think they choose to not offer in LH?   

[ilikegolf26]

20 hours ago, ThunderBuzzworth said:

I know, but he still plays their irons, wedges, ball and the Tiger Slayer sometimes. Heck, he currently has an old version of these exact irons in his bag so its pretty much set in stone that they will make them, why not now? It makes zero sense for them to not release the players CB. 

Callaway didn’t even release the new TCBs in left handed which were offered in the previous generation of TCBs.  Odyssey hasn’t offered a lot of models left handed either lately.  It’s unfortunate because my bag was pretty much all Callaway clubs but my last few new additions to the bag have been mostly non-Callaway. 

[ThunderBuzzworth]

1 hour ago, BlkNGld said:

 

They can, of course.   And they do with others.   But for a niche product it's a money loser.   It's about more than the time it takes to produce.   There is tooling, distribution, stocking of fitting carts, spares for warranty, etc.   

 

Companies spend a lot of time trying to minimize part counts.   For sure there are costs that go with creating a one off for someone like Phil, but it pales compared to multinational distribution of a product.

 

Regardless if any of us like it or think it's fair, it's telling that a company like Callaway with what looks to be doing more and shorter release cycles not to mention variations on type and color of its drivers and iron sets thinks those will be profitable.

 

If they thought LH XForged would have comparable margins and return on investment they'd surely offer them.

 

Even the argument "XXX company does it, why can't Callaway"?   Those companies likely have a different portfolio emphasis, cost structure, and profit goals.

 

Why do you think they choose to not offer in LH?   

Left handed clubs are losers all the way around the board. By your comparison, nobody should make left handed gear at all. Its not our responsibility as left handed players to make up a OEM profit loss on other garbage they release that nobody buys, or the Top Golf losses in Callaway's case. Ultimately, we are the consumer / customer, just like you and the customer is always right. Callaway will probably make half a billion in profits this year but sure, a set of irons being produced in lefty would just break the bank for them. Do you realize how absurd that sounds? 

 

[Pnwpingi210]

1 hour ago, ThunderBuzzworth said:

Left handed clubs are losers all the way around the board. By your comparison, nobody should make left handed gear at all. Its not our responsibility as left handed players to make up a OEM profit loss on other garbage they release that nobody buys, or the Top Golf losses in Callaway's case. Ultimately, we are the consumer / customer, just like you and the customer is always right. Callaway will probably make half a billion in profits this year but sure, a set of irons being produced in lefty would just break the bank for them. Do you realize how absurd that sounds? 

 

Bravo!

 

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