Equipment
Callaway Epic Forged irons: Premium speed in a forged body
With the release of the original Epic irons, Callaway did something they had never done before—build an iron that oozed ball speed and hid a lot of tech in a mid-sized package. Now imagine all that technology and greater speed in a more refined shape with a forged body…that is the all-new Epic Forged.
Built with the idea of offering speed and shotmaking in one package, the Epic Forged achieves all of that thanks to tech that is being used for the first time in a forged iron. The most notable being the Suspended Tungsten Core—which is comprised of the densest form of this heavy element. The issue with using this almost pure form of Tungsten is that it’s extremely hard to work with when using conventional construction methods. But Callaway defies convention and is using the patented Urethane Microspheres in the Suspended Tungsten core of the Epic Forged to precisely position mass creating the ideal center of gravity. This promotes controlled launch and spin, while allowing the face to flex as needed to create maximum ball speeds.
So what good is all this speed if you can’t control it?
Variable Face Thickness: Sure this tech isn’t new, it dates back to the above Hawkeye VFT driver (that was a great driver in its day), but if the Epic Flash driver has taught us anything, it’s that by looking beyond convention you can find new ways to utilize known technology. Built into the 360 Cup Face, the newly designed VFT pattern helps players achieve even more consistent ball speed and spin rates club to club. The reason this is so important: Callaway knows even average golfers want a club they can hit controlled shots with. A 7-iron isn’t any good if you’re not confident in the hitting the shot you want to.
Don’t think that we’re done talking about what these have under the hood just yet…
Since the Epic Forged irons go all the way into a sand wedge, there were some design decisions to be made to on how to make sure the scoring and recovery clubs still offer forgiveness but with even greater consistency and feel, Starting at the approach wedge and going to the sand wedge (the set goes PW, AW, GW, SW), instead of using the 17-4 SS cup face, Callaway engineers are using a forged faceplate to compliment the forged body. Inside of these still-hollow wedges, they are using a resistance welding technique to precisely locate a MIM (metal injection molded) Tungsten weight to achieve superior trajectory control.
The last piece to the puzzle.
A club will always be the sum of its parts and Callaway is pulling out all the stops with the Epic Star Forged set and the components that will accompany this technology package. The stock options will include Aerotech Steelfiber FC (flight control) and Mitsubishi Chemical’s Tensei AV Silver shaft to optimize feel and control. The other upgrade is the Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align Silver Grips (Align grips offer a textured raised rib on the bottom of the grip to help the golfer place their hands in the same position over and over again). All of these pieces come together to create a premium iron from Callaway.
The Epic Forged will be available at retail starting August 2nd. 4-SW. Retail price of $300 per iron.
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Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (10.5 degrees)
Mini driver: TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper (13.5 degrees)
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (19 degrees)
Irons: TaylorMade P790 (4-8, PW), TaylorMade P760 (9)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG Hi-Toe (52-09, 56-10, 60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2 Prototype
Check out more in-hand photos of Drew Brees’ clubs here.
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We always get some great photos of some phenomenal putters at tour events and love to share them. Here are a few from the 2024 Zurich Classic that caught our eye and seemed interesting. (And as a reminder, you can check out all our photos from New Orleans here)
MJ Daffue’s Scotty Cameron T-11 Prototype
MJ is going with the new Scotty Cameron T-11 Prototype this week. The putter is a multi-piece mallet that puts an emphasis on stability with the wings on the back. Daffue’s putter does have a design that differs from retail with a monotone finish, which eliminates the black paint on the aluminum parts that we see at retail. He also has a half siteline milled into the top and an L-neck welded on for some additional toe hang. The face features a deeper milling that should offer a softer feel and slightly quieter sound.
Scotty Cameron T-7.5 Prototype
We spotted a few different Scotty Cameron Phantom models with modified rear flanges. It looks like the straight black flange was cut into a half circle for a little softer look at address. On this T-7.5, you can still see the raw aluminum from the back view, so this might have been a last-minute job to get them out on tour. The semi-circle also has a white line on it, maybe to frame the ball differently.
Alex Fitzpatrick’s Bettinardi SS16 DASS
Alex’s SS16 is made from Bettinardi’s famous D.A.S.S., or double-aged stainless steel, for a softer and more responsive feel. The face has a unique diamond pattern milling and features a logo that I feel like I have seen before, but can’t put a name to. The putter is a classic mid-mallet style with a simple, single white siteline on the top. The sole is clean with just the SS16, DASS, and a green triangle logo on it.
Steve Stricker’s Odyssey White Hot No. 2
This putter has made some amazing putts in its long career! Stricker’s White Hot No. 2 might be in the top 10 of most famous putters in golf. When you see all the dents and lead tape, you know the heel will be up and it will be sinking putts! The soft White Hot insert looks to be in good shape and has less wear on it than the rest of the putter. We don’t know how much lead tape is on the sole, but it has to be multiple layers compacted down over the years.
Doug Ghim’s Scotty Cameron T-7 Prototype
This T-7 should win the award for “best color finish” in this list with its deep chromatic bronze. It looks like Scotty added a cherry bomb dot to the heel of the deep-milled face and filled it with a very dark blue paint. The rest of the putter looks pretty stock with its single site line on the topline and twin site lines down the “fangs” of the putter. Twin 5-gram weights are installed in the sole and the putter is finished off with a gloss black double bend shaft with a fill shaft offset.
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic
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Project X’s Denali wood shafts have been seen in more and more golf bags this year as we start off the season. As a refresher, Denali Blue is the mid-launch and mid-spin model while Denali Black is for players seeking lower launch and spin.
Denali combines great feel with stability and increased ball speed. Currently, Project X only offers Denali Blue and Black in wood shafts, but we spotted a hybrid shaft in Daniel Berger’s bag at the 2024 Zurich Classic.
The shaft looks to be a Denali Blue 105G – HY in TX flex. No word on details from Project X yet but we can assume that this is a mid-launching shaft that weighs around 105 grams in Tour X-Stiff flex.
Berger has this shaft in his TaylorMade P770 3-iron, likely for some added launch and spin to hold the green from longer distances.
Hopefully, this means we will see some more shafts coming under the Denali name in the future, as I think many of us would like to try one in a hybrid or utility iron!
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic
- Check out in-hand photos of Daniel Berger’s full WITB here.
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Drew Brees WITB 2024 (April)
View this post on Instagram A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx) Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (10.5 degrees)...
Daniel Berger WITB 2024 (April)
Daniel Berger what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here. Driver:...
Rasmus Højgaard WITB 2024 (April)
Rasmus Højgaard what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)...
Rory McIlroy WITB 2024 (April)
Rory McIlroy what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus...
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19th Hole2 weeks agoDave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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19th Hole3 days agoJustin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
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19th Hole2 weeks agoTiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
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19th Hole3 days ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
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19th Hole2 weeks agoTwo star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
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19th Hole1 week agoReport: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
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19th Hole1 week agoNeal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
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19th Hole1 week agoBrandel Chamblee has ‘no doubt’ who started the McIlroy/LIV rumor and why
Reese
Oct 1, 2019 at 7:26 pm
All I know is that I hit a demo seven iron this week. Awesome feel and I hit it easily 150 yards,which, since I am seventy years old and a 20 handicap, the equivalent to my five iron. It is expensive but at my age why hold back any longer ????
John Doe Argie
Jul 30, 2019 at 11:38 am
PW at 41 degrees? Give me a break! From a set a sticks I just expect consistency and performance, not a placebo for my ego. For that I have my therapist already….
Martin
Jul 26, 2019 at 6:52 am
Nice looking irons, but $300 each ouch.
Dave r
Jul 17, 2019 at 6:55 pm
Ya right $300.0 a club . There is no way one club is worth that much. R&D has not gone up 700% in the last 5 years who are you people kidding. No wonder the game is dying
Travisty
Jul 17, 2019 at 6:04 am
$300 per iron?! What is happening to golf equipment lately?!? These insane price hikes across the board just make me sad. And that’s coming from someone who can afford these if I wanted to. OEM’s are actively not growing the game by releasing $2-3K iron sets, $600 drivers, $200 wedges, $500 putters. It’s getting absolutely ridiculous.
jgpl001
Jul 17, 2019 at 3:46 am
A little bit further up the web page you had the new MP20, now you have this ugly ducking?
Truly awful
Callaway make some good stuff, but it time to stop this nonsense, nobody will buy this stuff
Brandon
Jul 17, 2019 at 12:47 am
I don’t understand the need to rename the clubs. Why not just call the 18 degree a 2 or 3 iron and go from there???
Bobbyg
Jul 16, 2019 at 11:48 pm
Give me blades or give me death.
Midwest Golfer
Jul 16, 2019 at 8:38 pm
Yes $300 an iron is too much. and expected of these PXG WANNABES. 41 degree PW is too strong and there would be 11 degrees difference between it and my 52 gap wedge.
Johnny Penso
Jul 17, 2019 at 10:14 am
Yes, you couldn’t possibly find a wedge to bridge that gap.
cajunone1983
Jul 19, 2019 at 12:58 am
People get caught up on the certain clubs loft. Forget that the pw is 41° and just go with the aw as your pw and go from there. Look at the lofts and not the club. If you play a hybrid than your set would stop at a 5 iron instead of a 4 iron. I have the first Apex Irons from 2014 and I have a 5 iron and a u85 3 utility bent from 20° to 21° to make the gapping correct. Worry about putting your set together by lofts and not which club it is. The aw is the pw
jim
Jul 16, 2019 at 7:41 pm
yall are upset at 300$ a club but not upset at a 41 pitching wedge…gonna need 3 gap wedges in this set.
JP
Jul 16, 2019 at 9:54 pm
It’s getting plain stupid. Soon enough they’ll market iron sets by the distance the Pw flies. 190? 200? Haha
Gibson888
Jul 17, 2019 at 9:38 am
They’re essentially forcing you to buy a 9 club set to attempt to keep the gapping consistent. Sneaky sneaky.
Books Kepka
Jul 16, 2019 at 3:11 pm
3 clams per iron?!! So uhhh….really?! Callaway iron, $300 per? Does the club swing itself? Callaway? Come on game ‘o golf, you’re better ‘n that!
2putttom
Jul 16, 2019 at 2:02 pm
300 a club ! that makes em’ a target for theft.
Thomas A
Jul 16, 2019 at 10:48 am
Jacked lofts. That’s it, nothing more.
gunmetal
Jul 16, 2019 at 10:52 am
Amen
dat
Jul 16, 2019 at 9:20 am
Insane price for insane people.
Big mike
Jul 16, 2019 at 9:00 am
Have any of the Callaway “Premium Offerings” ever been a hit? I’m thinking Epic and Epic Pro Irons which can be found now for about a third of their original price. I guess this is Callaway attempt to go after the ultra premium PXG consumer and I can’t fault them for that any more than I could PXG for chiming out with their cast,0211 irons
Patrick J Floyd
Jul 16, 2019 at 8:55 am
$300 per iron, I sell golf equipment and I can tell you this will be a tough sell. The ultra high end iron is falling away-
JP
Jul 16, 2019 at 8:24 am
“Suspended Tungsten Core—which is comprised of the densest form of this heavy element”
Really? How many different densities does one element come in? What kind of marketing babble is this?
Optimum COG? That changes player to player. So these will not be suited to everyone.
A. Commoner
Jul 16, 2019 at 12:22 pm
Great post!
gdb99
Jul 16, 2019 at 4:40 pm
I’ve heard many reports that some OEM’s use a lighter tungsten. It’s mixed with other metals, not pure tungsten.
Gunmetal
Jul 16, 2019 at 6:19 pm
Then it’s not tungsten.
JP
Jul 16, 2019 at 9:48 pm
Bingo.
PG
Jul 18, 2019 at 9:48 pm
That’s like saying Ti alloy isn’t Ti…