Callaway X Forged & X Forged Max Irons! In-Hand Pics!

[BlkNGld]

23 hours ago, Pnwpingi210 said:

Bravo!

 

I think you should apply here.   https://mba.wharton.upenn.edu/application-guide/

 

Is this what you meant?   https://facultyjobs.upenn.edu/#wharton-school

[Pnwpingi210]

15 minutes ago, BlkNGld said:

 

Is this what you meant?   https://facultyjobs.upenn.edu/#wharton-school

Nope.  Business school.  Go there, get mba, graduate and become the most successful ceo ever cause you have it all figured out…

 

just truly revolutionary mind and will change the face of business forever.

 

i can see it now ….. “how i took golf companies from selling 5 lefthanded forged players irons to 10!!!”  Ny times best seller

Edited July 23 by Pnwpingi210

[HTRN-25]

So back to forging….. Endo forged? What say yee? 

Edited July 23 by HTRN-25

[SaunaKing]

Would I be better off bending the max forged 4i 2* weak to combo the X forged or bend the max forged 5i 1* strong to be at 23*???

[Turbulators]

On 7/21/2025 at 7:03 PM, dmeeksDC said:

The Ai150 is high-tech, like a smaller version of a Srixon Zxi5 or a slightly larger P770. But in the short irons 8-G the Ai150s are like a slightly more larger and forgiving TCB. These ai150s are all filled, multi-material heads, but the scoring irons have the same 17-4 face as the TCB. They feel really good. If you like the idea of a Zxi5 in a head less bulky, these are worth a look. 
 

The X Forged is going to be most like the 2013 and 2018 X Forged heads. New one has a different shape and sole. Pure forged iron with minimal cavity and a bit of perimeter weighting. For what it is, it offers some help but solid ball strikers will fare the best. 

 

The X Forged Max is a pure forged iron, simply larger, almost like they made a one-piece version of the Apex DCB. Probably a touch smaller than that. I have a set of New Level 702CB+ irons that are 1020 carbon steel heads and to me the X Forged Max will play very similarly. Because I already have the New Levels, I got a set of the Ai150s. Have hit them once and they are really nice. Look and feel great. Super consistent on distance. 

I have the xforged max.   To my eye they are quite a lot smaller than the APEX DCB and MUCH less offset.  I cannot agree with a comparison to the DCB in any way.  The DCB rings shades of G440 in my head.  That is nothing at all like this max iron.    In fact, the Max looks surprisingly tight behind the ball.  Really like it.  

[Turbulators]

3 hours ago, HTRN-25 said:

So back to forging….. Endo forged? What say yee? 

Don’t know but i am wondering why it matters.   If there were a foundry in the US then I’d say ok, let’s look into that.  But every thing is forged off shore.   And all those forging houses are just as good as they manufacturer specs them to be.  (Well, unless you need copper underlay - that was joke btw).   So I mean, China, Vietnam, those are your most likely sources.   Endo is a company, they own forging plants that are not just in Japan.  

[dmeeksDC]

10 minutes ago, Turbulators said:

I have the xforged max.   To my eye they are quite a lot smaller than the APEX DCB and MUCH less offset.  I cannot agree with a comparison to the DCB in any way.  The DCB rings shades of G440 in my head.  That is nothing at all like this max iron.    In fact, the Max looks surprisingly tight behind the ball.  Really like it.  

Yeah, I wasn’t talking about the specs, and I sure wasn’t getting into any offset discussion, and I did say the X Forged Max is likely smaller than the DCB. I haven’t held one in my hands. It’s just a discussion. But I don’t agree they are nothing alike. X Forged is smaller, but it’s not a small iron, and it does have a deep cavity depth that I thought looks similar to the DCB. The deep cavity is one of the first things I noticed on the X Forged Max. I’d also like to see a sole comparison of those two. X Forged sole looks pretty wide to me. 

[BirdieBob]

33 minutes ago, SaunaKing said:

Would I be better off bending the max forged 4i 2* weak to combo the X forged or bend the max forged 5i 1* strong to be at 23*???

If you bend the X Forged 1* strong, ie 32* 7i then there is only 1* difference between the XF and XFM.

 

[ThunderBuzzworth]

On 7/21/2025 at 11:30 PM, is1ander said:

 

It's not about the time. It's the cost of the forging molds. There simply is not enough demand for Callaway to break even on the molds. I hear a lot of OEMs are already taking a hit on right-handed MBs. Cobra's 3D printing is different. That requires no extra molds and only requires them to mirror the programming.

 

Callaway would only need to sell about 300 sets of these irons to break even on the forging molds. If they're going to cease offering anything in the line it should be the MB's. Not only lefties but nobody is buying those, surely there is not enough demand for Callaway to break even on those molds yet here we are. 

[ThunderBuzzworth]

On 7/21/2025 at 11:30 PM, is1ander said:

 

It's not about the time. It's the cost of the forging molds. There simply is not enough demand for Callaway to break even on the molds. I hear a lot of OEMs are already taking a hit on right-handed MBs. Cobra's 3D printing is different. That requires no extra molds and only requires them to mirror the programming.

 

Edited July 24 by ThunderBuzzworth
duplicate

[ThunderBuzzworth]

On 7/21/2025 at 11:30 PM, is1ander said:

 

It's not about the time. It's the cost of the forging molds. There simply is not enough demand for Callaway to break even on the molds. I hear a lot of OEMs are already taking a hit on right-handed MBs. Cobra's 3D printing is different. That requires no extra molds and only requires them to mirror the programming.

 

Edited July 24 by ThunderBuzzworth
duplicate

[me05501]

"Solving" the lack of left handed options would make the lack of left-handed options worse while making all clubs more expensive. 

 

If every OEM made every single club in lefty, the limited pool of buyers would have more options to choose from and they'd all choose the model they liked best. This would spread the limited demand across more options resulting in fewer sales of each specific option. 

The costs to manufacture and stock all those unprofitable left-handed sets would be spread across entire product lines so right-handed players would be subsidizing the availability of all those unsold left-handed options. 

Within a decade the market would adjust and we'd end up exactly where we are now. 

The current availability of left-handed golf clubs is optimized to market dynamics. It's okay to dislike this situation but it isn't going to change. 

Edited July 24 by me05501

[clemsondds]

11 hours ago, Turbulators said:

I have the xforged max.   To my eye they are quite a lot smaller than the APEX DCB and MUCH less offset.  I cannot agree with a comparison to the DCB in any way.  The DCB rings shades of G440 in my head.  That is nothing at all like this max iron.    In fact, the Max looks surprisingly tight behind the ball.  Really like it.  

Great to hear!  How do they play?   Pretty forgiving?   Trying to decide between these and the ai150. thanks

[ThunderBuzzworth]

17 hours ago, Pnwpingi210 said:

Nope.  Business school.  Go there, get mba, graduate and become the most successful ceo ever cause you have it all figured out…

 

just truly revolutionary mind and will change the face of business forever.

 

i can see it now ….. “how i took golf companies from selling 5 lefthanded forged players irons to 10!!!”  Ny times best seller

 

Yep, we have all seen and heard all the same old stale BS for decades. You must be the self-proclaimed "funny man" amongst your 3 friends? 

Here we have the single most successful golf company in the world failing to produce a highly sought after product that they haven't had a parallel product on the market for over 7 years specifically ostracizing over 10% of the population. They add all these new features on the design, pre worn leading edge, many pros have stated "this is the best looking iron at address they have ever seen" so of course lets nerf the  heck out of it. Callaway lost a couple hundred million back during the Rule 35 ball days and their Top Golf venture is another failure but of course one set of forging molds would drive them straight into the abyss.  Its not about making EVERY SINGLE OPTION available in left handed but the correct options would be a nice place to start. I was thinking about buying the new Elyte TD 8* driver and possibly a 7 wood to experiment with too... oh wait those lofts are only available in RH. If I wanted to build a set of Callaway wedges I cant even do that due to the extremely limited bounce/ grind/ finish options. The more I look into Callaway lefty options, the bigger joke they become. 

[clemsondds]

please stop with the stupid left hand debate...no one cares.  If you guys want to continue fighting about it...start another thread. This one is to discuss the x-forged. 

[Pnwpingi210]

9 minutes ago, ThunderBuzzworth said:

 

Yep, we have all seen and heard all the same old stale BS for decades. You must be the self-proclaimed "funny man" amongst your 3 friends? 

Here we have the single most successful golf company in the world failing to produce a highly sought after product that they haven't had a parallel product on the market for over 7 years specifically ostracizing over 10% of the population. They add all these new features on the design, pre worn leading edge, many pros have stated "this is the best looking iron at address they have ever seen" so of course lets nerf the  heck out of it. Callaway lost a couple hundred million back during the Rule 35 ball days and their Top Golf venture is another failure but of course one set of forging molds would drive them straight into the abyss.  Its not about making EVERY SINGLE OPTION available in left handed but the correct options would be a nice place to start. I was thinking about buying the new Elyte TD 8* driver and possibly a 7 wood to experiment with too... oh wait those lofts are only available in RH. If I wanted to build a set of Callaway wedges I cant even do that due to the extremely limited bounce/ grind/ finish options. The more I look into Callaway lefty options, the bigger joke they become. 

Start a golf company, make left handed clubs.  Solve your problem

[Scott0000]

18 minutes ago, clemsondds said:

please stop with the stupid left hand debate...no one cares.  If you guys want to continue fighting about it...start another thread. This one is to discuss the x-forged. 

Agreed.  I didn't want it to turn into this, just made a comment.  Back to the original thread topic.  Excited to see how performance is for those that received. 

[Turbulators]

6 hours ago, clemsondds said:

Great to hear!  How do they play?   Pretty forgiving?   Trying to decide between these and the ai150. thanks

Probably not going to be able to help much.  I just don’t understand the “forgiving” issue.   I have a half dozen different sets of irons I play.  From P7MB and Apex MB (2024), 925 HM Pro, G440, and these Max.   I have to say I hit the blades as consistent if not more so than any of the others.  The HM Pro is the longest , by far.   And these Max are “nice”.   I think maybe it has to do with offset, not sure.  Best I can say is they play  - like you would expect.  Get close to the center and you get a nice ball.  Move 10mm out and you get a crap shot.  I mean, that’s pretty much how it is for all of them.  Sorry I could not offer more.

[Turbulators]

7 hours ago, ThunderBuzzworth said:

 

Callaway would only need to sell about 300 sets of these irons to break even on the forging molds. If they're going to cease offering anything in the line it should be the MB's. Not only lefties but nobody is buying those, surely there is not enough demand for Callaway to break even on those molds yet here we are. 

The MB is a status club.   They stop offering that, then they stop being a serious player, by perception.   The cost of the molds.  And the cost of distribution and stocking and extra sku units.  Sku are expensive to carry.  Step back a second and think just a bit - Callaway is all about making money.  That is all they want to do, and they would market a silver plated pickle in left hand if it made them money.   If they do not offer something ,it is because they do not believe it will make them  money.   And for anybody, anybody, to think they know more about callaway’s business than callaway does, well that says a lot about the person who believes that.

[ThunderBuzzworth]

7 hours ago, clemsondds said:

please stop with the stupid left hand debate...no one cares.  If you guys want to continue fighting about it...start another thread. This one is to discuss the x-forged. 

NAH, lefties do care and this is a discussion about a set of irons. Said set of irons arent made available in LH so that fact will also be discussed. Again, Callaway is the making literal billions, it would be pocket pennies for them to release these irons in LH if they even noticed at all. Even if the molds cost them $1M it wouldn't dent their overall yearly revenue. Only 1 solid LH forging option over the course of a decade from Callaway is quite laughable. The privileged right handers sure don't hesitate to ostracize lefties just like 90% of manufacturers. None of you know the feeling whatsoever and it shows. Id be willing to bet Callaway ends up making these in lefty eventually for Akshay or Phil (just like every other model they make one-offs for them like the TCB so the molds do exist) and then any lefty who was excited for the release is going to see immediately that they arent offered and go buy something else. The motion for the USGA to ban any club from the conforming list that isn't widely available is already in the works so these jokers better get to it.

[dmeeksDC]

I play golf right handed but I am with the left handers on this issue. I think these companies could sell enough left-handed sets to make money. There is a way to make the numbers work even if they had to charge more for left-handed as a “custom” up charge. At least offer something. I would hope with the advent of 3D printing perhaps in the future costs will come down and options will go up.
 

It would seem in this day and age that someone could find a solution to meet this market. Heck, even if they only produced them after making enough pre-order sales to justify it, that would probably be fine with lefties. The excuses seem too easy to trot out instead of coming up with a win-win, which does seem possible. It’s strange because with all their irons on offer and their annual revenue, Callaway is one I would expect to be more active in selling to lefties. 

[clemsondds]

2 hours ago, Turbulators said:

Probably not going to be able to help much.  I just don’t understand the “forgiving” issue.   I have a half dozen different sets of irons I play.  From P7MB and Apex MB (2024), 925 HM Pro, G440, and these Max.   I have to say I hit the blades as consistent if not more so than any of the others.  The HM Pro is the longest , by far.   And these Max are “nice”.   I think maybe it has to do with offset, not sure.  Best I can say is they play  - like you would expect.  Get close to the center and you get a nice ball.  Move 10mm out and you get a crap shot.  I mean, that’s pretty much how it is for all of them.  Sorry I could not offer more.

Thanks! That does help. Yeh, I guess I just mean off-center hits…are they severely punishing distance wise? I am still improving on my ball striking so just didn’t want something too harsh. Anyone hit these and the ai150? Curious how they compare. 

[Pnwpingi210]

42 minutes ago, ThunderBuzzworth said:

NAH, lefties do care and this is a discussion about a set of irons. Said set of irons arent made available in LH so that fact will also be discussed. Again, Callaway is the making literal billions, it would be pocket pennies for them to release these irons in LH if they even noticed at all. Even if the molds cost them $1M it wouldn't dent their overall yearly revenue. Only 1 solid LH forging option over the course of a decade from Callaway is quite laughable. The privileged right handers sure don't hesitate to ostracize lefties just like 90% of manufacturers. None of you know the feeling whatsoever and it shows. Id be willing to bet Callaway ends up making these in lefty eventually for Akshay or Phil (just like every other model they make one-offs for them like the TCB so the molds do exist) and then any lefty who was excited for the release is going to see immediately that they arent offered and go buy something else. The motion for the USGA to ban any club from the conforming list that isn't widely available is already in the works so these jokers better get to it.

A Successful business isnt going to intentionally lose a million dollars to make an extremely small market of golfers.  It’s not their responsibility.  End of debate.

 

if you feel otherwise, start your own company and fill that market void.  Thanks

[Mainlinegolfer]

On 7/23/2025 at 2:31 PM, Pnwpingi210 said:

Nope.  Business school.  Go there, get mba, graduate and become the most successful ceo ever cause you have it all figured out…

 

just truly revolutionary mind and will change the face of business forever.

 

i can see it now ….. “how i took golf companies from selling 5 lefthanded forged players irons to 10!!!”  Ny times best seller

Chip Brewer, Callaway's CEO, has a Harvard MBA. Maybe if he had gone to Wharton he might not have done the Top Golf deal. 😉 

[Pnwpingi210]

2 minutes ago, Mainlinegolfer said:

Chip Brewer, Callaway's CEO, has a Harvard MBA. Maybe if he had gone to Wharton he might not have done the Top Golf deal. 😉 

Eh, high risk.  It’s good to see them taking a chance on something.

 

producing more left handed clubs is not taking and chance on something.  They know the market and know the returns they are already getting (it’s not profitable)

[Mainlinegolfer]

5 minutes ago, Pnwpingi210 said:

Eh, high risk.  It’s good to see them taking a chance on something.

 

producing more left handed clubs is not taking and chance on something.  They know the market and know the returns they are already getting (it’s not profitable)

Ok. It was a joke about Harvard vs Wharton MBAs. 

 

FWIW, while not left-handed and having no dog in this fight, I kind of understand the business stuff. MBA, 40 years corp and i-banking, and taught corporate finance.

 

So, how about them X-Forged/Max?

[ThunderBuzzworth]

43 minutes ago, Pnwpingi210 said:

A Successful business isnt going to intentionally lose a million dollars to make an extremely small market of golfers.  It’s not their responsibility.  End of debate.

 

if you feel otherwise, start your own company and fill that market void.  Thanks

There is no intentional loss whatsoever. By providing a left handed option in the only one-piece players forging they offer it would only create more opportunity for sales and more profits. This reminds me of the time I was selected for a GolfWRX opportunity to test and review all the new equipment a few years ago but then right before the event I was contacted and removed from the list because over half of the new releases were not available left handed yet. The golf industry bends us over time and time again so all of you can sit back and listen to every single complaint we have today and forever. 

[Pnwpingi210]

5 minutes ago, ThunderBuzzworth said:

There is no intentional loss whatsoever. By providing a left handed option in the only one-piece players forging they offer it would only create more opportunity for sales and more profits. This reminds me of the time I was selected for a GolfWRX opportunity to test and review all the new equipment a few years ago but then right before the event I was contacted and removed from the list because over half of the new releases were not available left handed yet. The golf industry bends us over time and time again so all of you can sit back and listen to every single complaint we have today and forever. 

Then start a company and fill that void. If theres truly a demand that drives more profits, no company would pass it up to shaft, or in this case, no shaft the lefties….

 

its absurd you think companies would pass up easy money to not produce an iron left handed.

[HTRN-25]

On 7/23/2025 at 8:05 PM, Turbulators said:

Don’t know but i am wondering why it matters.   If there were a foundry in the US then I’d say ok, let’s look into that.  But every thing is forged off shore.   And all those forging houses are just as good as they manufacturer specs them to be.  (Well, unless you need copper underlay - that was joke btw).   So I mean, China, Vietnam, those are your most likely sources.   Endo is a company, they own forging plants that are not just in Japan.  

Because I want the talk to be more about the irons than this lame left handed who's MBA is better stuff. 

 

I like Endo forging clubs be I think they feel better. 

[TiScape]

-LHs, get over it. It’s not gonna change.

-Wharton/Harvard MBA. College is over rated (read it on WRX) 

-Endo forging/China forging. I have a grand that’s says nobody here could identify which was forged where if there was 10 identical looking blades. 
 

-What was this thread originally about???