Equipment

Callaway’s new XR OS irons and hybrids

Published

8 years ago

Jan 12, 2016

Callaway’s XR irons and hybrids from last year (the standard models, not the “Pro”) were classified as game-improvement clubs, industry code for high-launching, forgiving clubs with big profiles and wide soles. The new XR OS irons and hybrids — the “OS” stands for over-sized — are made to be super game-improvement clubs. That means they’re the highest launching, most forgiving irons and hybrids Callaway has made to date.

Who is the new XR OS line for? Golfers who are either inconsistent or have slow swing speeds, and need the longest, easiest-to-hit irons and hybrids possible. If you had interest Callaway Big Bertha irons, or super game-improvement clubs from another company, these are for you.

So what makes the XR OS line more forgiving, and how exactly will they help your game?

Callaway’s XR irons, released in 2015, were the first generation of irons to utilize Face Cup, a Callaway technology used to improve ball speed across the face, especially on mishits. The new XR OS irons have an improved Face Cup. The second-generation design has thinned out areas around the perimeter, making those areas faster, and a sweet spot located lower on the face where most high-handicap players tend contact the ball. The improvements give the XR OS irons higher ball speeds in the areas where golfers want to hit them (low and in the center of the face), as well as where they hit them when things go wrong.

Many irons with extremely thin and fast faces can sacrifice feel due to the significant vibrations that can occur from such designs. To reduce those vibrations, Callaway engineers put TPU between the face and the cavity — called a “snubber” — ultimately improving sound and feel.

For a higher launch and better contact, Callaway redesigned the soles with a trailing-edge bevel. It has the two-fold benefit of moving the center of gravity (CG) lower and more rearward, as well reducing turf interaction to help golfers make cleaner contact for longer-flying, more consistent shots.

Another problem that high-handicappers and slow-swingers face is differentiating the distance their long irons fly. For instance, maybe their 3, 4 and 5 irons all carry within 5-10 yards of each other. That hardly justifies the need to have all these clubs in the bag. But with the XR OS irons, Callaway has added loft and length to the longer irons, helping golfers spread yardage gaps and establish proper spacing throughout the set.

Here’s a look at the progressive loft-gapping, showing the differences in lofts between irons throughout the set: 4-6 irons (3 degrees of change), 6-8 irons (3.5 degrees), 8-9 irons (4 degrees), 9-PW-AW-SW (5 degrees). All of the lofts are below:

4-iron: 22 degrees
5-iron: 25
6-iron: 28
7-iron: 31.5
8-iron: 35
9-iron: 39
PW: 44
AW: 49
SW: 54

The spacing makes creating a combo set more seamless since yardage gaps are more identifiable, according to Callaway.

The XR OS hybrids, like the irons, are the highest launching and most forgiving option in Callaway’s stable of hybrid offerings. They feature wider soles and larger profiles, and utilize the latest Hyper Speed Forged Face Cup for high ball speeds across the club face. They also have a low and back CG, a high moment of inertia (MOI) and increased draw-bias, making them easier to get airborne and turn over compared with the original XR hybrids.

A new sole, which Callaway calls “Dual-Keeled Utility,” is large, but is said to reduce ground contact by 50 percent, improving the versatility of the hybrids.

The XR OS hybrids (3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) come stock with a Mitsubishi Fubuki AT 60 shaft, and are available Jan. 22 for $219.99. The XR OS irons will be available on Jan. 22 in both steel, graphite, and combo-set offerings.

XR OS Pricing

Steel: $799.99
Graphite: $899.99,
Steel Combo Set: $899.99
Graphite Combo Pricing: $999.99
Available Irons: (4-SW)

See more photos and join the discussion in the forums.

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

9 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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