Equipment
2020 Callaway Mavrik irons: Mavrik Pro, Mavrik, and Mavrik Max
New for 2020, Callaway has three new iron models: Mavrik Pro irons, Mavrik irons, and Mavrik Max irons.
The Callaway Mavrik irons are taking total iron set performance further than the company ever has before, with the help of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) and precision engineering.
For at least a half decade, Callaway has been one of the undisputed leaders in introducing new technology into the iron category, starting with the original Apex and Apex Pro. You could even argue that the Apex alone created an entirely new category for irons that produce tremendous ball speeds without sacrificing a player-preferred appearance.
2020 Callaway Mavrik irons: What’s new
Artificial intelligence has allowed Callaway to go way deeper than the company ever has before when it comes to better understanding what it takes to make golfers more consistent. Heck, they even made a video about it—it’s funny too
Callaway, like other OEMs, also knows that when its comes to irons and iron designs, one size doesn’t fit all—and it doesn’t take a supercomputer to figure that out.
The Technology (behind the faces) of Mavrik Irons
Imagine going through a custom iron fitting, and after checking off all the conventional required specs like length, lie, loft and shaft flex, going through one more final step to get fit for your iron faces based on impact point and common misses.
This is what Callaway is trying to achieve by using A.I. to uniquely design each iron face for every loft in each model in the Mavrik iron lineup from top to bottom—it’s an impressive feat when you consider the total of 29 different clubheads spaced out over three models; the Mavrik, Mavrik Max, and Mavrik Pro.
360 Face Cup with A.I. developed Flash Face: The 360 face cup is not new to Callaway irons but never before had engineers attempted to bring the Flash Face technology to irons. The Epic Flash driver was the original test subject, and once it was a proven concept, it was time to share the technology love with other products in the line as innovations developed. This technology application, along with actual engineering from the design team, has allowed the Mavrik irons to carry more robust ball speeds over a larger area of the face.
It’s like boosting iron MOI with face technology without having to adjust mass properties, leading to higher peak heights, more carry, and more distance, especially on mishits. Speaking of mass properties…
Tungsten Energy Core with Urethane Microspheres: Precisely locating the Center of Gravity (CG) of any golf club is a vital component to performance. By using materials like tungsten, Callaway, can do a better job condensing more mass into a smaller area to boost MOI and improve launch conditions. This technology was first introduced in the premium Epic line, but as the technology has been refined, it has allowed Callaway to combine this with the new Flash Face in the Mavrik irons to deliver a better performing iron to a new segment of golfers.
And there’s another reason: Historically, golfers have said that nothing feels like a solid forged club, the reason being sound = feel, and clubs that were hollow or had a large cavity felt hard, louder, or literally sounded “hollow.” This is where the urethane holding the suspended tungsten core in place allows the face to remain unsupported but has precisely positioned contact points to keep vibration frequency low to give the irons a powerful muted sound preferred by most golfers—without having any adverse effect on ball speeds.
With each iron having a different face, along with a uniquely tuned suspended tungsten core, manufacturing the Mavrik irons takes much greater precision—but this is a part of the industry where Callaway has pushed the envelope before, including the MD5 wedges that require more tool changes more often to keep wedges right up to the legal limit.
Meet the models and their specs
Callaway Mavrik
The standard Mavrik iron incorporates all of the new technology into a great-looking, midsized, game-improvement package and is also the longest of the three models.
Like similar irons in the category, it has a healthy amount of offset, but the hosel transitions do a nice job of hiding it as best as possible from address.
The Mavrik irons also feature a progressive sole to help with ground interaction at slower speeds into the turf with shorter irons—just because your irons are hollow doesn’t mean they still can’t finesse inside 150 yards if needed.
Callaway Mavrik Max
Common thinking would have you believe the Mavrik Max irons would just be Callaway’s way of creating a juiced up, stronger lofted, bigger version of the Mavrik to offer the “longest iron ever” handle in an attempt to get you hitting your 8 iron 200 yards, but stop right there!
The Mavrik Max lofts are weaker than the flagship standard Mavrik—on average 2.5 degrees weaker in loft across the set. They also have no intention of calling it the longest iron in the series—that title belongs to the standard model.
The Max fits a huge growing need in the game improvement category to help golfers at slower swing actually increase spin and launch angle. Spend enough time in iron fittings and it doesn’t take artificial intelligence to have you figure out too many golfers don’t launch the ball high enough or with enough spin to maximize carry distance or hold greens. The biggest reason for this beyond just clubhead speed is the modern low-spinning multi-layer golf ball. Lower spin is great for the driver, but as loft decreases in the mid-irons many players struggle to hold greens. With all the technology packed into the larger profile of the Mavrik Max irons, you can expect for these to be very popular.
But wait, there’s more…
I know I said The Mavrik offers three new models that was a bit of a lie. There is a line extension within the Max resulting in five total models available…
Mavrik Max Women’s, and Max Women’s Lite
This is not just a new paint job and call it a day set of irons. The Max W (women’s) set is a re-engineered with flatter lie angles a different placement of the tungsten in each iron head to further optimize launch and spin for women players. Just like with many of their male counterparts women with generally slower speeds have even more trouble creating enough spin and launch to improve carry and the ability to stop the ball on greens.
The Mavrik Max Lites are the final set in the lineup. To make these as lite as possible for players that struggle to control heavier clubs, Callaway has taken away the tungsten in favor of making the heads lighter. They still have the urethane microspheres to keep feel inline with the other models but, rely on conventional weight placement to boost MOI.
Callaway Mavrik Pro irons
This is the most self explanatory of models in the Mavrik irons family. The Pro combines every bit of technology as the more game improvement models but in a sleeker package. Callaway engineers picked out little bits of each of the most popular smaller style heads in their entire line up from Apex to Rogue Pro, to create the ultimate package for players that don’t struggle with creating spin or launch.
The Mavrik Pro offers a more compact look with a shorter heel-to-toe blade length. There is also less offset to create a confidence-inspiring look from address. Flip it over, and you’ll also find a thinner sole with a rounder camber for increased playability in various turf conditions.
Greater speed, greater forgiveness in a smaller package is what Mavrik Pro is all about.
Specs, pricing, and availability
Stock Shafts
- Standard Mavrik – Steel: True Temper Elevate 95. Graphite: Project X Catalyst 55g, 65g, and 75g
- Mavrik Max – Steel: KBS Max 80g, Graphite: Project X Catalyst 55g, 65g, and 75g
- Mavrik Pro – Steel: True Temper Elevate 105, Graphite: KBS TGi 90
Pricing
Standard and Max models are $799.99 for steel and $899.99 in graphite in seven-piece configurations.
The Mavrik Pro is $899.99 in seven-piece configuration in steel.
Availability begins January 14 for fitting tools and pre-orders, with product available at retail starting February 6th.
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Whats in the Bag
Kevin Streelman WITB 2024 (April)
- Kevin Streelman what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6 X
3-wood: Titleist TSR3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X
5-wood: Ping G (17.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 10 X
Irons: Wilson Staff Model CB (4-9)
Shafts: Project X 6.5
Wedges: Wilson Staff Model (48-08, 54-08), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks (58-L @59)
Shafts: Project X 6.5 (48), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (54, 58)
Putter: Scotty Cameron TourType SSS TG6
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Check out more in-hand photos of Kevin Streelman’s clubs here.
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Equipment
Choose Your Driver: Which 2012 driver was your favorite?
The year was 2012. Gangnam Style ruled supreme, its infectious beats and ludicrous horse-riding dance moves hypnotizing us with their stupidity. Everyone was talking about the Mayan calendar, convinced that the end of days was near. Superheroes soared on the silver screen, with the Avengers assembling in epic fashion. Katniss Everdeen survived The Hunger Games. And the memes! The memes abounded. Grumpy Cat triumphed. We kept calm and carried on.
In much the same way that automotive enthusiasts love classic cars, we at GolfWRX love taking a backward glance at some of the iconic designs of years past. Heck, we love taking iconic designs to the tee box in the present!
In that spirit, GolfWRX has been running a series inspired by arguably the greatest fighting game franchise of all time: Mortal Kombat. It’s not “choose your fighter” but rather “choose your driver.”
Check out some of the standout combatants of 2012 below.
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Nike VRS
Often harshly critiqued during its years releasing golf equipment (right, Phil Mickelson?), Nike’s tenure in the club-and-ball business gets a gloss of nostalgic varnish, with many of its iron and putter designs continuing to attract admirers. Among the company’s driver offerings, the 2012 VRS — or VR_S, if you will — drew high marks for its shaping and toned-down appearance. The multi-thickness, NexCOR face was no joke either.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Callaway RAZR Fit
Callaway’s first foray into moveable weight technology (married with its OptiFit hosel) did not disappoint. With a carbon fiber crown, aerodynamic attention to detail, and variable and hyperbolic face technologies, this club foreshadowed the tech-loaded, “story in every surface” Callaway drivers of the present, AI-informed design age.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Cleveland Classic 310
Truly a design that came out of left field. Cleveland said, “Give me a persimmon driver, but make it titanium…in 460cc.” Our 2012 reviewer, JokerUsn wrote, “I don’t need to elaborate on all the aesthetics of this club. You’ve seen tons of pics. You’ve all probably seen a bunch in the store and held them up close and gotten drool on them. From a playing perspective, the color is not distracting. It’s dark enough to stay unobtrusive in bright sunlight…Even my playing partners, who aren’t into clubs at all…commented on it saying it looks cool.” Long live!
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Titleist 910
While there’s no disputing Titleist’s “Titleist Speed” era of drivers perform better than its 2010s offerings, sentimentality abounds, and there was something classically Titleist about these clubs, right down to the alignment aid, and the look is somewhere between 983 times and the present TS age. Representing a resurgence after a disappointing stretch of offerings (907, 909), The 910D2 was a fairly broadly appealing driver with its classic look at address and classic Titleist face shape.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
TaylorMade RocketBallz
The white crown. The name. You either loved ‘em or you hated ‘em. TaylorMade’s 2012 offering from its RocketBallz Period boasted speed-enhancing aerodynamics and an Inverted Cone Technology in the club’s titanium face. Technology aside, it’s impossible to overstate what a departure from the norm a white-headed driver was in the world of golf equipment.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Ping i20
Long a quietly assertive player in the driver space, Ping’s i20 was more broadly appealing than the G20, despite being a lower-launch, lower-spin club. Ping drivers didn’t always have looks that golfer’s considered traditional or classic, but the i20 driver bucked that trend. Combining the classic look with Ping’s engineering created a driver that better players really gravitated toward. The i20 offered players lower launch and lower spin for more penetrating ball flight while the rear 20g tungsten weights kept the head stable. Sound and feel were great also, being one of the more muted driver sounds Ping had created up to that time.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
GolfWRXers, let us know in the comments who “your fighter” is and why!
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/29/24): Krank Formula Fire driver with AutoFlex SF505 shaft
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 Krank Formula fire driver with AutoFlex SF505 shaft.
From the seller: (@well01): “Krank formula fire 10.5 degree with AUtoflex SF505. $560 shipped.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Krank Formula Fire driver with AutoFlex SF505 shaft
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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Broomsticker
Jan 15, 2020 at 8:39 am
A 27* 7 iron and a 41* PW. Just stop already.
Brian
Jan 15, 2020 at 8:18 am
Why can’t Callaway make a GI iron that isn’t offensively ugly?
Charlie Waffles
Jan 14, 2020 at 7:52 pm
This is what Callaway is trying to achieve by using A.I. to uniquely design each iron face for every loft in each model in the Mavrik iron lineup from top to bottom—it’s an impressive feat when you consider the total of 29 different clubheads spaced out over three models; the Mavrik, Mavrik Max, and Mavrik Pro.
Wish Callaway would show us the inside of their irons so we could see the AI face. That won’t happen…..
Weasel pNess
Jan 14, 2020 at 6:57 pm
Yea im gonna go with Callaway took a step (or 3) backwards with this whole line.
Not sure why but the thing thats sticking in my head is they look very Cobra f-7ish
the dude
Jan 14, 2020 at 6:22 pm
Pro’s look pretty good at address…..the backs of them all are very cheap looking….
Rory O Donnell
Jan 14, 2020 at 10:43 am
They look terrible – I’d rather they use common sense / REAL intelligence
Karsten's Ghost
Jan 14, 2020 at 4:29 am
There is no AI involved. Maybe some machine learning… they might have someone doing some Python somewhere, but it isn’t AI. Ultimate marketing nonsense.
dat
Jan 14, 2020 at 9:19 am
AI doesn’t even exist outside of seriously advanced applications. The rest is just software programming automation. It is all fluff, which is something Callaway is particularly egregious about.