Equipment
Callaway upgrades a classic, introduces Steelhead XR fairway woods
Callaway is bringing back the Steelhead name that is already responsible for selling more than 2.3 million fairway woods; that includes the original Steelhead, Steelhead Plus and Steelhead III woods. As its most popular fairway wood line ever, the modern version of the clubs, which Callaway is calling the Steelhead XR, are packed with distance-enhancing technologies to go along with the classic shapes that Steelhead fans have come to adore.
Related: Callway’s Steelhead XR irons and hybrids
Steelhead woods had a cult-like following since their initial release in 1998, and GolfWRX members say they had the fairway wood in the bag well over a decade later. The steelhead designs were defined by a Hawkeye Sole that was rounded for versatility, a compact pear shape, a deep face, a light crown and low center of gravity for high launch and low spin. Also, according to Evan Gibbs, the Director of R&D for Metalwoods at Callaway, the Steelhead 4+ fairway wood — which was geared toward better players who wanted a slightly lower ball flight with lower spin than the standard models — was the most iconic fairway wood in the company’s history because it ushered in the new low-spin, high-launch philosophy.
“It was one of the first clubs that got people comfortable with launching the ball high with very little spin,” said Evan Gibbs, Callaway’s Director of R&D for Metalwoods. “When people were using low-lofted drivers, [Steelhead 4+ fairway woods] went as far as drivers for some people.”
While every equipment company has now embraced the low-spin, high-launch philosophy, the 2017 Steelhead XR fairway woods will be a welcome re-release for those who are nostalgic about the Steelhead shaping, and for those never played the woods, they may find versatility in the Hawkeye sole. Callaway also loaded the Steelhead XR fairway woods with its modern designs to help golfers produce more distance.
While the fairway woods will still have a club face made of steel for that familiar Steelhead-feel, the crowns are made from J-36 carbon to lower center of gravity and move it more forward; that will help it produce lower spin like the original designs. According to Callaway, the crowns weigh just 6 grams — that’s 20 grams lighter than Callaway’s XR crowns.
The Steelhead XR fairways will 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 was first introduced Callaway XR ’16 metalwoods, which improves aerodynamics to produce higher club head speeds.
The fairway woods are available in 3+ wood (13.5 degrees), 3-wood (15 degrees) , 4+wood (16 degrees), 5-wood (18 degrees), 7-wood (21 degrees), 9-wood (24 degrees) and the company’s “Heavenwood,” which will measure 20.5 degrees. They will be in stores July 14 and sell for $229.99. The stock shaft is Mitsubishi’s Tensei CK.
Discussion: See what GolfWRX members are saying about the Steelhead XR woods
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Equipment
Cobra launches 3D-printed LIMIT3D irons
Cobra released its first commercially available 3D-printed steel putter in 2020. Now, the company is bringing its first 3D-printed irons to retail with new LIMIT3D irons, which Cobra’s vice president of product architecture, Jose Miraflor, calls “the most significant technological advancement to happen to the category in the past 20 years” and “a look into the future of golf club design and performance.”
Cobra leveraged the expertise of computational design software firm nTop to create an ambitious design: a compact players blade that offers similar forgiveness as a larger, game-improvement style club and forged iron feel.
Speaking on the partnership, Mike Yagley, Vice President of Innovation & AI, Cobra Golf said, “nTop’s computational design tools integrated with 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, allowed us to create an incredible new design that looks and feels like a forged blade but performs like a larger, game-improvement iron. No one has done this before, and we’re excited to introduce these unique irons to the world.”
As Cobra explains, more forgiving irons are traditionally larger and sacrifice feel. Due to the limitations of casting and forging, creating a more compact, better-feeling iron that still delivers forgiveness was only possible with 3D printing. The resulting profile of Cobra’s LIMIT3D irons is smaller than Cobra’s King Tour irons.
LIMIT3D irons are 3D printed for 316L stainless steel with an internal lattice structure, which allowed engineers to position 33 percent of the iron’s overall weight to the exterior for greater MOI. 100 grams of tungsten is positioned in the heel and toe of each clubhead for low CG for ease of launch and high MOI for greater forgiveness.
Additionally, using nTop’s design software and additive manufacturing allowed for a substantially faster prototyping process, which enabled engineers to test more designs and mass placements for a superior finished product.
Cobra LIMIT3D irons: Pricing, specs, availability
- 350 individually numbered sets available in the U.S. and Canada (500 sets total worldwide)
- Available for custom order June 7
- Price: $3,000
- Set: 4-PW, RH only
- Full range of aftermarket shafts, grips
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (5/14/24): Mizuno Pro 241 Azalea Edition irons
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 set of Mizuno Pro 241 Azalea Edition irons.
From the seller: (@ayc25): “Brand new in box / plastic. 4-PW. Custom shaft bands, grips, ferrules. Dynamic Gold S200 Tour Issue. NO TRADES. Ships next day UPS Ground from Northern Virginia. $1695 shipped or best offer.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Mizuno Pro 241 Azalea Edition irons
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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Whats in the Bag
Michael Block WITB 2024 (May)
- Michael Block what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 “Dot” (9 degrees @7.5)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (15 degrees @14.25)
Shaft: 2024 Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 X
5-wood: TaylorMade M5 (19 degrees @17)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Orange 70 TX
Irons: TaylorMade Stealth UDI (4), TaylorMade Proto (5-9)
Shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD DI Hybrid 85 X (4), Project X 6.5 (5-9)
Wedges: TaylorMade Milled Grind 4 (46-09SB, 60 [unconfirmed]), TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 (52-09S, 56)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Odyssey White Hot 2-Ball
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
See the rest of Michael Block’s WITB in the forums.
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Hap
Jun 23, 2017 at 10:12 am
I love cheap trailing edge technology. it also lets you find out what is staying in players bags and whats not from the previous versions. I’m still playing Mizuno 800 pros which I got for a song. Upgraded to a Cally 815 with a Matrix Black Tie from Cally pre-owned this year for around $180 I think.
Mr Poopoo
Jun 21, 2017 at 7:34 pm
I like that they are using the classic groove pattern.
Me
Jun 21, 2017 at 8:46 am
All the bitterness towards TM with their product release cycles 5 years ago, well now Callaway, Cobra and to some extent Ping are releasing product at quicker intervals than Taylormade ever did. Cobra is the worse, every 6-nine months- now being forced to give away free fairwaywoods to sell last March’s release.
My local retail golf shop has a ton of 1-2 year old Callaway that is collecting dust …Interesting also is the amount of Callaway Epic drivers on their trade in rack.
The automobile industry got caught up in this mess decades ago, constantly manufacturing and re-badging old as new
Americans Ruin Everything by Talking
Jun 21, 2017 at 10:56 am
You just compared cars to golf clubs lol
Ude
Jun 21, 2017 at 12:23 pm
love affair with cars and golf clubs same sxual thing
Was
Jun 21, 2017 at 2:31 am
Nope
Ude
Jun 21, 2017 at 12:12 pm
Yup
Minnesota golfer
Jun 20, 2017 at 2:06 pm
Anyone know if this is a replacement of the XR Hybrid which was first released in 2014? I am an all-Callaway-in-the-bag person but have found it harder to keep up with constant new releases.
Minnesota golfer
Jun 20, 2017 at 5:15 pm
Oops… it’s not hybrid. Never mind.
Was
Jun 20, 2017 at 12:55 pm
Why are they releasing the woods separate from the irons and not at the same time? Makes no sense
Ude
Jun 21, 2017 at 12:13 pm
confused? suck yer thum
Howard
Jun 20, 2017 at 12:43 pm
The Steelhead III 3 Wood nostalgia is flowing through me right now.
Ude
Jun 21, 2017 at 12:21 pm
release yer pent up nostalgia juices flowing through you right now abuse yerself
Chris
Jun 20, 2017 at 10:58 am
You guys have to remember that the XR ’16 product cycle is coming to an end and this is what is going to take its place. It may be weird for a mid-season launch but better now when people can use the clubs rather than at the end of the season.
TR1PTIK
Jun 20, 2017 at 12:46 pm
It’s also important to remember that these are part of a completely different line than Epic. I think people want to see release cycles like that of Titleist or Ping, but it’s honestly a smart move by Callaway IMO. Spreading the release of each line across the calendar year keeps Callaway in the news. Months ago it was the Epic drivers, weeks ago it was the Epic hybrids and iron. Now, it’s the XR fairway woods, and in a few weeks/months time I’m sure we’ll see something else. If you look at Callaway’s product portfolio, you’ll realize they aren’t much different than Titleist. The only real difference is how they release products. For that matter though, Titleist staggers their woods, irons, and golf balls for what I’m sure is the same reason. How relevant would a company be if they released all of their product updates once every 2 years?
Csmit82
Jun 20, 2017 at 10:57 am
Can’t wait for the release of the Epic Apex Steelhead XR hybrids and woods in 3 months.
JimmySmits
Jun 20, 2017 at 4:51 pm
I’m gonna hold out for the Epic Apex Steelhead XR BigBertha CF16 SubZero Fusion GreatBigBertha woods.
Robert Parsons
Jun 21, 2017 at 12:14 pm
The pro version of that will be even better.
Ude
Jun 20, 2017 at 9:47 am
I want those beauties in my bag fast.
Tom1
Jun 20, 2017 at 11:54 am
I loved the original, I’m sure these are good if not better.
Ude
Jun 20, 2017 at 1:51 pm
new is fresh, old is stale. i want new new new
AceW7Iron
Jun 20, 2017 at 9:26 am
Got the Epic driver last month….Real deal
Like the look of the Steelhead line so maybe upgrade to them from my XR’s in 2018.
Ude
Jun 21, 2017 at 12:15 pm
you are one wicked gearhead golf hound — arf
Dat
Jun 20, 2017 at 9:01 am
Another release? Callaway seems determined to go the way of Taylormade.
Timmy
Jun 20, 2017 at 4:54 pm
Callaway is Taylormade………Taylormade is Callaway. These companies are the same. Have been for a very long time.
Johnnythunders
Jun 20, 2017 at 8:22 am
The faster they launch products, the faster the last generation gets reduced in price. Since performc is
Pretty much the same we win.
rebfan73
Jun 20, 2017 at 7:29 am
Like ’em………but Callaway is turning into the new TaylorMade with constant product launches.
Beefhouse
Jun 21, 2017 at 4:35 am
Not turning, turned. Pro shops are flooded with Callaway stuff. They’ll struggle to shift the models from 6 months ago. Supply and demand is key. Not sure the demand will keep up with the supply.
Dave2017
Jun 21, 2017 at 8:21 am
If only the older models were reduced. Not in the NY Metro region. they still want high prices for stuff released almost 2 years ago. If they were to blow out the old stuff when new stuff comes in, I would be very happy. The places here are greedy and the golfers have to show off their new clubs along with their new BMWs and Rolexes.
Ude
Jun 21, 2017 at 12:18 pm
new clubs, new BMWs and Rolexes = status bling = sxual impotence