Equipment
Member Reviews: Callaway Steelhead XR Fairway Woods
One of the many benefits of being a GolfWRX Forum Member is exclusive access to Giveaways and Testing Threads. In this Testing Thread, we selected six members to test a Callaway Steelhead XR fairway wood built to their specs.
The Steelhead XR has a club face made of steel for that familiar Steelhead feel. The crowns are made from J-36 carbon fiber to lower center of gravity and move it more forward; that will help it produce lower spin like the original designs that sold 2.3 million units. According to Callaway, the crowns weigh just 6 grams — that’s 20 grams lighter than Callaway’s XR ’16 fairway wood crowns.
Full Tech Story: Callaway upgrades a classic, introduces Steelhead XR fairway woods
The Steelhead XR fairways also have a Hyper Speed Face Cup that produces more ball speed across the face, and Speed Step technology, or the raised portions on the crown, that were first introduced in Callaway XR ’16 metalwoods. They improve aerodynamics to help golfers produce higher swing speeds.
Each member completed a detailed analysis and rating of the club. You can see the full reviews here. Below, we pull quotes from the reviews to give you a feel for what this choice group of WRXers had to say. The responses have been minimally edited for brevity and style. Thanks to all of those involved in the testing!
lutomrSC
- Club Tested: Callaway Steelhead XR (13.5 degrees)
- Shaft Tested: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Blue 65X
“I like almost everything about how this club looks. The color combination of the dark blue against the steel face gives a nice contract. I really like how the carbon fiber looks under the blue paint.”
“At times the ball appeared to have a little too much spin and would tend to climb to a height that would be above my current gamer off the tee. It would tend to go further because of the stronger loft, however, usually about 5-7 yards. Perhaps a different shaft could help the spin, but it would need testing. The Mitsubishi Tensei CK Blue 65 Graphite X-flex is a great stock option. It has a good feel and a weight that I prefer, and I think it can keep up with higher swing speeds without issue.”
SDickenson642
- Club Tested: Callaway Steelhead XR 4+ (16 degrees)
- Shaft Tested: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Blue 65X
“The appearance of the Steelhead is amazing. The shape is perfect for my eye, as I prefer a smaller profile down by the ball in fairway woods. The face is pretty deep compared to my [Cobra] Fly-Z+ I’ve been playing for three years now. The sound is amazing off the head. I never had the privilege of playing the original Steelhead fairways, but it does remind me of the original woods I played as a kid, which I think where Tommy Armour 845’s.”
“With the deeper face of the Steelhead XR, I thought I would have issues launching the ball from the deck on par 5s, but I did not see any issue. Turf interaction with the Steelhead was great. I was able to try multiple lies from the fairway, rough, and even a bunker. From the fairway I could easily control it and actually get the ball up in the air enough and with enough spin to hold greens.”
MillerLowLife
- Club Tested: Callaway Steelhead XR 4+ (16 degrees)
“The top of this club looks awesome at address. I really liked the look of the crown that is a dark blue and shows the carbon fiber underneath. That, coupled with the silver steel face, makes it easy to frame the ball. This is a steel club so the sound and feel will be a sharper metal sound that’s accustomed to the old Steelheads. Has great swing weight and feel. Felt really easy to hit this in the tee box, fairway, or rough.”
“I really enjoyed the versatility of the 4+ with the shorter playing length, heavier swing weight, and flatter lie angle. For me, it felt like a bomber off the tee box, but it was still something I could use to get me out of less-than-ideal lies outside of the fairway — something I wouldn’t think about with my current gamer.”
Hackster
- Club Tested: Callaway Steelhead XR 4+ (16 degrees)
“This club is all business. Longer than my 3-wood, flies higher and able to work the ball left and right. On the tee, the ball jumps forward when it hits fairway. Does not lose much distance on off-center hits.”
“Long off the fairway, just put on cruise control and fire away. I struggle in the rough with any fairway wood, so not much to compare to — that’s what hybrids are for. Love this club. Had concerns where it would fit in the bag, but easily able to replace my 14.5-degree 3-wood with the 4+. Much more versatile than my current 3-wood and longer.”
drifliboy
- Club Tested: Callaway Steelhead XR 3+ (13.5 degrees)
“This club with the lower loft of the 3+ worked well for me off the tee. It was close to my driver on distance. It seemed to launch quickly and then maintain its height. It did not balloon for me. It also really seemed to want to go straight, a couple of times shots almost seemed to correct a little in the air, particularly if I had pushed it. This club at this loft is pretty much a driver replacement for me.”
“If you are looking for a very classy fairway wood that is solid, long, with some forgiveness and doesn’t look like it was developed by a “mad” scientist, this club should be on your short list. It works well off the tee and turf. Please test and get fitted for the right loft and flex. I think this club provides most golfers with very good options that should be considered if they are looking to upgrade any of their woods.”
Discussion: Read the full responses here.
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/18/24): Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made.
From the seller: (@DLong72): “Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made. ?: $1150. ?? 100% milled collectors item from the limited releases commemorating when Ping putters won every major in 1988 (88 putters made). This was the model Seve Ballesteros used to win the 1988 Open Championship. Condition is brand new, never gamed, everything is in the original packaging as it came. Putter features the iconic sound slot.
Specs/ Additional Details
-100% Milled, Aluminum/Bronze Alloy (310g)
-Original Anser Design
-PING PP58 Grip
-Putter is built to standard specs.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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As you probably know by now, Collin Morikawa switched putters after the first round of The Masters, and he ultimately went on to finish T3.
The putter was far from the only change he made last week, however, and his bag is continuing to change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage.
On the range of The Masters, Morikawa worked closely with Adrian Reitveld, TaylorMade’s Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, to find the perfect driver and 3-wood setups.
Morikawa started off 2024 by switching into TaylorMade’s Qi10 Max driver, but since went back to his faithful TaylorMade SIM – yes, the original SIM from 2020. Somehow, some way, it seems Morikawa always ends up back in that driver, which he used to win the 2020 PGA Championship, and the 2021 Open Championship.
At The Masters, however, Rietveld said the duo found the driver head that allowed “zero compromise” on Morikawa’s preferred fade flight and spin. To match his preferences, they landed on a TaylorMade Qi10 LS 9-degree head, and the lie angle is a touch flatter than his former SIM.
“It’s faster than his gamer, and I think what we found is it fits his desired shot shape, with zero compromise” Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the RBC Heritage.
Then, to replace his former SIM rocket 3-wood, Morikawa decided to switch into the TaylorMade Qi10 core model 13.5-degree rocket head, with an adjustable hosel.
“He likes the spin characteristics of that head,” Rietveld said. “Now he’s interesting because with Collin, you can turn up at a tournament, and you look at his 3-wood, and he’s changed the setting. One day there’s more loft on it, one day there’s less loft on it. He’s that type of guy. He’s not scared to use the adjustability of the club.
“And I think he felt our titanium head didn’t spin as low as his original SIM. So we did some work with the other head, just because he liked the feel of it. It was a little high launching, so we fit him into something with less loft. It’s a naughty little piece of equipment.”
In addition to the driver and fairway wood changes, Morikawa also debuted his new “MySymbol” jersey No. 5 TP5x golf ball at The Masters. Morikawa’s choice of symbols is likely tied to his love of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
Not enough changes for you? There’s one more.
On Wednesday at the 2024 RBC Heritage, Morikawa was spotted with a new TaylorMade “Proto” 4-iron in the bag. If you recall, it’s the same model that Rory McIlroy debuted at the 2024 Valero Texas Open.
According to Morikawa, the new Proto 4-iron will replace his old P-770 hollow-bodied 4-iron.
“I used to hit my P-770 on a string, but sometimes the distance would be a little unpredictable,” Morikawa told GolfWRX.com. “This one launches a touch higher, and I feel I can predict the distance better. I know Rory replaced his P-760 with it. I’m liking it so far.”
See Morikawa’s full WITB from the 2024 RBC Heritage here.
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Equipment
Why Rory McIlroy will likely use the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper at the RBC Heritage
Although we spotted Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper last week during practice rounds at the Masters, he ultimately didn’t decide to use the club in competition.
It seems that will change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage, played at the short-and-tight Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head.
When asked on Wednesday following his morning Pro-Am if he’d be using the new, nostalgic BRNR Copper this week, McIlroy said, “I think so.”
“I like it,” McIlroy told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday regarding the BRNR. “This would be a good week for it.”
View this post on Instagram
According to Adrian Rietveld, the Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, the BRNR Mini Driver can help McIlroy position himself properly off the tee at the tight layout.
Here’s what Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday:
“For someone like Rory, who’s that long at the top end of the bag, and then you put him on a course like Harbour Town, it’s tough off the tee. It’s tight into the greens, and you have to put yourself in position off the tee to have a shot into the green. It kind of reminds me of Valderrama in Spain, where you can be in the fairway and have no shot into the green.
“I’m caddying for Tommy [Fleetwood] this week, so I was walking the course last night and looking at a few things. There’s just such a small margin for error. You can be standing in the fairway at 300 yards and have a shot, but at 320 you don’t. So if you don’t hit a perfect shot, you could be stuck behind a tree. And then if you’re back at 280, it might be a really tough shot into the small greens.
“So for Rory [with the BRNR], it’s a nice course-specific golf club for him. He’s got both shots with it; he can move it right-to-left or left-to-right. And the main thing about this club has been the accuracy and the dispersion with it. I mean, it’s been amazing for Tommy.
“This was the first event Tommy used a BRNR last year, and I remember talking to him about it, and he said he couldn’t wait to play it at Augusta next year. And he just never took it out of the bag because he’s so comfortable with it, and hitting it off the deck.
“So you look at Rory, and you want to have the tools working to your advantage out here, and the driver could hand-cuff him a bit with all of the shots you’d have to manufacture.”
So, although McIlroy might not be making a permanent switch into the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper, he’s likely to switch into it this week.
His version is lofted at 13.5 degrees, and equipped with a Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft.
See more photos of Rory testing the BRNR Mini here
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TG
Sep 16, 2017 at 5:38 pm
The X2 Hot pro 3 wood is still one of my favorites from cally. I’m too young to have played with the original steelheads but the X2 Hot still has a place in my bag!
Nick
Sep 18, 2017 at 2:13 am
Thanks for telling us the X2 Hot Pro is your “favorite from Cally”… and that you’re “young” and it’s “in my bag”. You must be a happy happy boy… now seek human contact.
JJVas
Sep 15, 2017 at 8:53 pm
Bought the XR 4+ because I loved the old Steelheads, and I tried it with 3 different shafts, starting with the Tensei 65-X that was too light. This is THE BEST looking FW to my eyes because I have no trouble getting the ball up and hate shallow heads. I cannot remember wanting a club to work quite so badly, but it just didn’t for some reason, and I gave it every shot. I’m back to my Srixon F45 that I can set a bit open, but man… I’m still sad about this one. They look perfect.
Nick
Sep 18, 2017 at 2:10 am
So you just bought it because they “look perfect” and you “loved the old Steelheads”, and you are “getting the ball up”, and you “want it so badly”. Do you sleep with the club too?
Keith
Sep 15, 2017 at 2:20 pm
I’ve had a 2014 SLDR 3-wood in the bag since, well, 2014. Wanted to give these steelhead’s a look so went to my local shop and got mine and the steelhead on the monitor. They only had a 3+ (13.5d) so I set my SLDR on the low setting of 13.5d as well. Steelhead had the stock X in it, my SLDR has the Speeder 77 X in it.
Average on 5 balls was 268 with my SLDR, 255 for the Steelhead. Slightly higher launch with the steelhead and a bit more spin. After seeing the numbers, guy told me that even if I wanted it, he wouldn’t sell it to me.
BO
Sep 15, 2017 at 8:36 pm
Talk to Swingman/Jerry below who claims they’re the greatest he’s ever hit and they make him feel good all over.
Swingman/Jerry
Sep 17, 2017 at 1:32 pm
Yes, do that
LLC
Sep 14, 2017 at 1:21 am
Isn’t “Steelhead” somewhat misleading given the carbon fiber construction?
Perhaps a more accurate name would be “Compositehead”XR.
LITM
Sep 14, 2017 at 6:49 pm
Sue em!!!!
BO
Sep 15, 2017 at 8:34 pm
They need skrews in the head….. like PXGeez
OBSERVVANT
Sep 13, 2017 at 8:03 pm
I’M FLICKING TIRED OF LOOKING AT “NEW & IMPROVED & $$$$$” FLICKING GOLF CLUBS!!!!
ShTFU ALREADY !!!!!!
Casa Nova
Sep 13, 2017 at 8:18 pm
Hey, it’s called progressive planned obsolescence as golf technology rapidly creates longer and better golf clubs for the grateful golfing public. What are you, some kind of luddite who can’t keep up with newer and better golf club developments?
BO
Sep 14, 2017 at 5:25 pm
It’s called scamming adult men with childish mentalities buying new toys.
Swingman/Jerry
Sep 13, 2017 at 6:10 pm
I’ve played them since mid- July. Great fairways off the tee and deck. The rounded, cambered sole does help you out of difficult lies. Be aggressive and you will get distance and a mid to high flight. You ought to have at least the 5 wood in the bag – very long, and more consistent than the 3 wd, with almost as much distance. Give it a go.
BO
Sep 14, 2017 at 5:27 pm
No thanks, Cally/Jerry, now go back to work and stop promoting yer clubs.
Swingman/Jerry
Sep 15, 2017 at 11:16 am
Just a regular guy on golfwrx. Steelheads are versatile and long. Prefer them over Epic.
BO
Sep 15, 2017 at 8:32 pm
Yer an obvious shill for Callaway. Nobody believes your propaganda feelings.
Swingman/Jerry
Sep 17, 2017 at 1:31 pm
LOL! I only wish Callaway was paying me in Product or $$$
Jerry
Nov 4, 2017 at 4:19 pm
I like the feel of the Tensei – smooth and lively. At the same time, the 55 feels a bit whippy for the flex. If you are having issues and like the head, try another shaft, which is what I’m doing.
OX
Sep 13, 2017 at 4:31 pm
Just kidding, I’ll take 3!
OX
Sep 13, 2017 at 2:51 pm
Nice to read the comments from golf store and Cally employees. Sorry, boys, but I will not be buying those beautiful Steelheads because my 5 y.o. clubs are still working fine for me.
BO
Sep 15, 2017 at 8:37 pm
Mine too !