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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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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Equipment
Spotted: TaylorMade P-UDI driving iron
It seems like the RBC Heritage is full of new gear to be spotted, and you can add TaylorMade’s P-UDI utility irons to that list.
We spotted a 17-degree P-UDI 2-iron in Nick Dunlap’s bag yesterday, and now have some photos of both the 3- and 4-irons. Nick has his P-UDI 2-iron setup with a Project X HZRDUS Black 4th Gen 105g TX shaft.
From what we can tell, this new P-UDI utility iron looks to have some of the usual TaylorMade technology as we can see the Speed Slot on the sole of the club for additional face flexibility. A toe screw is usually used to close off the hollow body design that will probably be filled with a version of TaylorMade’s Speed Foam that is present in the current iron lineup. This hollow body, foam-filled design should offer additional ball speed, soft feel, and sound, as well as an optimized CG for ball flight.
“Forged” is etched into the hosel, so we can assume that either the face, body, or both are forged for a soft and responsive feel. The club looks good from behind and at address, where we can see just a little offset and a topline that I would consider medium thickness. We don’t have the full details on what is under the hood or how many loft options will be available yet.
TaylorMade P-UDI 3-iron – 20°
TaylorMade P-UDI 4-iron – 22°
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage
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Whats in the Bag
Collin Morikawa WITB 2024 (April)
- Collin Morikawa what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. More photos from the event here.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 LS (9 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 60 TX (45 inches)
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (4), P7MC (5-6), P730 (7-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Mid 115 X100 (4-6), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (7-PW)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-SB09, 56-LB08), TaylorMade MG4 TW (60-TW11)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: TaylorMade TP Soto
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour 2.0
Grips: Golf Pride Z-Grip Cord
Ball: TaylorMade TP5x
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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.