Callaway MAVRIK Irons

[kiwichris]

I can't believe they've held the price down so low for so much R&D investment and each iron being pretty much a new build through the AI design.

All other OEMs must be scrambling to match this, will we see some of the other big boys trying to compete at this price point?

 

[radiman]

I can't believe they've held the price down so low for so much R&D investment and each iron being pretty much a new build through the AI design.

All other OEMs must be scrambling to match this, will we see some of the other big boys trying to compete at this price point?

They made a significant investment last year for the Epic Flash. So, they are able to use the same system/software to perform the calculations. I did ask a few questions about their system. But, I wasn't able to get much in terms of details on it.

 

[BuckNasty]

I can't believe they've held the price down so low for so much R&D investment and each iron being pretty much a new build through the AI design.

All other OEMs must be scrambling to match this, will we see some of the other big boys trying to compete at this price point?

SIM and Speedzone irons are same price point

 

[VictorValiant]

I can't believe they've held the price down so low for so much R&D investment and each iron being pretty much a new build through the AI design.

All other OEMs must be scrambling to match this, will we see some of the other big boys trying to compete at this price point?

They made a significant investment last year for the Epic Flash. So, they are able to use the same system/software to perform the calculations. I did ask a few questions about their system. But, I wasn't able to get much in terms of details on it.

Yeah, I would think it would be a significant initial outlay that they could amortize over a given period thereafter. There may not be much additional cost to using it going forward. Presumably, they have a defined set of variable parameters for each club and just let the computer iterate until it finds an optimized design for each club and then they prototype and test. Who knows though.

 

[radiman]

Yeah, I would think it would be a significant initial outlay that they could amortize over a given period thereafter. There may not be much additional cost to using it going forward. Presumably, they have a defined set of variable parameters for each club and just let the computer iterate until it finds an optimized design for each club and then they prototype and test. Who knows though.

Honestly, in our R&D tour, you'd be amazed how much testing they can do without even having a physical prototype available. It's insane what kind of technology that they're utilizing even outside of the AI designs.

They did mention that the biggest limitation for their AI is the human that has to figure out exactly what to ask the system to account for. If you're not asking the right questions, you won't get the answer you want. They're learning from what they have done to this point and I would expect to see it expanded in the future. Take the Standard Mavrik Driver. In the past, the way to increase forgiveness was to put weight low and further back. They were able to use their face to provide forgiveness that used to take very high MOI numbers to accomplish. So, they have a driver that is forgiving and not a higher spinning design. They took that and were able to add aerodynamics to it since they didn't need the weight so low. If you look at the way the sole scoops up and where the weight is placed, it's definitely not low.

Anyways. It is pretty cool what they can accomplish now. I am really eager to see what they can do to build off of what they've done at this point.

 

[BigMac]

Anyways. It is pretty cool what they can accomplish now. I am really eager to see what they can do to build off of what they've done at this point.

The possibilities are pretty amazing. I remember them saying in one interview that the biggest thing now is totally reframing their definition of what is "possible", because it opens so many doors nobody had even considered before.

 

[Kdbama7]

How do the Mav Pros compare to the Apex CF19 (non-pros)? Also, how is the launch on the Mav Pro long irons? Are they easy to hit high? I struggle to get height on my longer irons so looking for a "players" iron that can offer some help in that area.

 

[VictorValiant]

How do the Mav Pros compare to the Apex CF19 (non-pros)? Also, how is the launch on the Mav Pro long irons? Are they easy to hit high? I struggle to get height on my longer irons so looking for a "players" iron that can offer some help in that area.

I have irons down to the 5i, and the lower irons in this set are my favorite to hit. While I've been mostly hitting into a net during quarantine, when I looked at my stats on my SC-300, I'm hitting my 5i, 6i and 7i the most, which was not the case with my prior irons.

I don't give much merit to the launch angle calculation on the SC-300, but I feel I can control the height as I see fit with the longer irons. I also have a 4i sitting in my cart and I'm thinking of pulling the trigger.

 

[Shep]

Although they may not fall into the same "player type" or whatever label one wants to use both are cast clubs with inventive design. Referring to the Maverik Pro and the current good deal on 0211s. I play Apex 19 5-g Lz 5.5 but as usual boredom this time of year especially as a shut in has me eyeing rons. Can't demo but before lock down did hit the Mavrik Pros and liked the feel as distance as I did with the Rouge Pros last year. I went with a tried and true 3 year model type in the Apex 19.
Anyway never hit the 0211 nor any PXG of late but although curious of anybody demoed these two irons and there thoughts.

 

[radiman]

Next week! I'll finally be able to get out and hit these again next week!

Assuming the weather is decent when my schedule allows. Our club got the go ahead from the state and we're now just waiting for the tee sheets to open up.

 

[VictorValiant]

Although they may not fall into the same "player type" or whatever label one wants to use both are cast clubs with inventive design. Referring to the Maverik Pro and the current good deal on 0211s. I play Apex 19 5-g Lz 5.5 but as usual boredom this time of year especially as a shut in has me eyeing rons. Can't demo but before lock down did hit the Mavrik Pros and liked the feel as distance as I did with the Rouge Pros last year. I went with a tried and true 3 year model type in the Apex 19.
Anyway never hit the 0211 nor any PXG of late but although curious of anybody demoed these two irons and there thoughts.

I have not demoed the 0211, but I've been eyeing them recently based on the sale. Looking for them for a backup bag as this year I will have two separate courses and I'm thinking of leaving my Mavrik Pros at my main course. I've been hitting my Mav Pros mostly into a net and every once in awhile I'll go to the large nature area by my house, which is not in use, and test out my clubs to see my ball flight. I can't say enough good things about the Mav Pros. These irons are really nice and feel much different than their predecessors (Steelhead and Rogue). Callaway did a great job with this whole lineup.

 

[McLovin]

How do the Mav Pros compare to the Apex CF19 (non-pros)? Also, how is the launch on the Mav Pro long irons? Are they easy to hit high? I struggle to get height on my longer irons so looking for a "players" iron that can offer some help in that area.

my gamers before the mav pro were cf19. i really loved the cf19. that said, the mp are better for me. better turf interaction. better spin. straighter. the cf19 were great, but mav pro gives me that little extra aesthetic that i prefer.

as far as ease of elevation, i would say mav pro launch lower than cf19. keep in mind mav pro and cf19 have almost identical lofts.

 

[Shep]

my gamers before the mav pro were cf19. i really loved the cf19. that said, the mp are better for me. better turf interaction. better spin. straighter. the cf19 were great, but mav pro gives me that little extra aesthetic that i prefer.

as far as ease of elevation, i would say mav pro launch lower than cf19. keep in mind mav pro and cf19 have almost identical lofts.

Would you rate the forgiveness similar as say a couple internet sellers . Hard to tell during a couple range sessions that seems years ago. I felt the MPs had a slightly larger head FWIW. When the local range/club retailers open up again will probably need a reservation with all the pent up golf jones.

 

[Shep]

I have not demoed the 0211, but I've been eyeing them recently based on the sale. Looking for them for a backup bag as this year I will have two separate courses and I'm thinking of leaving my Mavrik Pros at my main course. I've been hitting my Mav Pros mostly into a net and every once in awhile I'll go to the large nature area by my house, which is not in use, and test out my clubs to see my ball flight. I can't say enough good things about the Mav Pros. These irons are really nice and feel much different than their predecessors (Steelhead and Rogue). Callaway did a great job with this whole lineup.

If you don't mind I got to ask what two courses? Also it has been my observation of late that along with the 0211 sale there seem to be a lot of sets up for resale after not too long of ownership. Over my 40+ years of playing and 50 some sets of irons that gives my pause . Got to fight the boredom until I can hit the 0211's at least once.

 

[VictorValiant]

If you don't mind I got to ask what two courses? Also it has been my observation of late that along with the 0211 sale there seem to be a lot of sets up for resale after not too long of ownership. Over my 40+ years of playing and 50 some sets of irons that gives my pause . Got to fight the boredom until I can hit the 0211's at least once.

My home course is the local Pete Dye designed course and my second course will be the local country club so my family can enjoy the pool, tennis and other amenities. Haven't decided if that will be the club with an executive par 3 course or the club with the Bill Newcomb designed course, which is a fair distance from my house. Having younger kids the additional travel time matters. My home course doesn't have a pool, which the wife and kids need during the summer. However, it is just a few minutes from my house.

 

[McLovin]

Would you rate the forgiveness similar as say a couple internet sellers . Hard to tell during a couple range sessions that seems years ago. I felt the MPs had a slightly larger head FWIW. When the local range/club retailers open up again will probably need a reservation with all the pent up golf jones.

this is hard for me to say for sure. i would say the mp us very similar in its forgiveness. what skews my perception of forgiveness is feel, though. the mp feel so good out of the middle, but you can definitely tell when you mishit it. cf19 seemed to be softer on mishits. but i don’t know that the results were any different. ...except the thin miss. cf19 was great on that miss, mp is more similar to other irons with that miss.

 

[McLovin]

gawd did i have a great day with the mav pro. 11 greens, and could have been 14 if i had clubbed correctly on a few other holes. i can’t get over how easy it is to work the ball both ways. draws and fades at will. punches are a breeze. my confidence is really high with these. i am loving everything about these irons.

 

[radiman]

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Ok, I am sorry to bombard with a bunch of pictures first. I had to cleanse the pallet after the leaked pics were of pretty poor quality.

Here we are. The Mavrik Pro irons. A set that I never would have dreamt that I would end up with, lol. Now, not that I assumed it wasn’t a great iron. I have just always played a forged players CB. So, the internet golf snob within me ate a bit of crow once I saw these clubs in hand and saw how they performed. They are absolutely gorgeous. I mean, look at these things!

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They have so much built into such a great looking package. The topline is manageable. It’s not quite as thin as what I am used to, but it’s not a deal breaker for me by any means. The sole is just about the same size as my previous Apex Pros. The offset. Visually, they almost appear to have less offset than my Apex Pros. They just check all of the boxes visually for me.

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The Tech Story:

So, as you are all are aware by now. The same AI that has been optimizing faces for metal woods has been leveraged to optimize the faces of the Mavrik irons. Much like the woods, each club has a face design unique to itself. So, my Mavrik Pro 8 iron has a different face than my 7 iron, my 6 iron, and so on. But, what’s cool about that is that my Mavrik Pro 8 iron has a different face than the Standard Mavrik iron, which has a different face than the Mavrik Max iron. Each club is a completely unique design in and of itself.

Behind that uniquely designed face is a blend of tungsten and urethane microspheres. Giving the irons a very solid feel. They are a cast club don’t get me wrong. But, they do not feel like a cast club I have hit before.

Looks:

I don’t know if I really need to say anything about their looks other than drop these here.

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Performance:

These irons are ball speed monsters. Lol. In head to head testing, I have seen anywhere from 7-10 mph more ball speed between these and my Apex Pros. Equating to just over a full club longer in length. My first test was on a GC2. I am posting the numbers here, but want to make mention that the spin readings in a driver test shortly after this was reading way off. So, take these with a grain of salt.

Mavrik Pro 7 Iron
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Apex Pro (2016) 7 Iron
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It is kind of hard to tell on the screen shots. But, my Apex Pro was carrying roughly exactly what I expect to see in mid season. 185 vs the Mavrik Pro at 209. The spin was reading pretty low on this unit that day, so I do not trust those carry numbers 100%. Below are some Trackman readings that are probably a better representation.

This past weekend, I tested these two irons again on an actual Trackman and saw similar results. Still a club longer, and still a ball speed monster.

Mavrik Pro 7 Iron
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Apex Pro 7 Iron
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These results are a lot more palatable. The Mavrik 7 iron is essentially going to replace my 6 iron at that distance.


They produce a little bit less spin, but I am seeing similar decent angles between the two clubs. While playing at The Hideaway, I was not having any trouble holding greens with these clubs all the way up to the 5 iron (the longest club I hit out there). I am also noticing a significant drop in launch angle. These irons are putting me into a more ideal launch window. The spin numbers seem low. But, I attribute that to being indoor readings on mats. I don’t doubt that once I am hitting these off real turf that my spin should increase.

During the fitting process, we only hit 7 irons. It was frantic and at the end of the hour long full bag fitting, my fitter asked what set makeup I wanted. I just said 4-PW as I always get. That was a mistake. With the additional length, I will be dropping the 4 iron and adding a set GW. I will essentially just slide my distances one club over to start with. The beauty of this is, my new 5 iron is easier to hit than my old 4 iron, but goes the same distance. All I have to say about that is, there won’t be a safe par 5!

I won’t lie. Something about picking up a club + across the entire bag is a little scary. But, I am optimistic that I can turn that into an asset this season.

To end this post, all I can say is that I go down to my basement and stare at these clubs at least twice a day. Can you blame me?

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So, just over 4 months after posting this, I think I will finally be able to feel these bad boys cutting through the turf again.

It's been a long winter. I have a feeling I'll be spending the first few rounds of the year getting to know these clubs. Outside of the Grandaddy nervousness. Home court.

Given everything I've been able to see in my testing, I think I'll be struggling a bit as I try to find my distances and get used to the gapping. There'll be some greens sailed I'm sure. But, I'm so excited.

I'm hoping to play Wednesday and Saturday. I'll drop in and post some thoughts after each round. After getting a few rounds under my belt, I'll be going through this initial write up if mine and reanalyzing everything. See what held true. What maybe surprised me most. All that fun stuff.

 

[Shep]

this is hard for me to say for sure. i would say the mp us very similar in its forgiveness. what skews my perception of forgiveness is feel, though. the mp feel so good out of the middle, but you can definitely tell when you mishit it. cf19 seemed to be softer on mishits. but i don’t know that the results were any different. ...except the thin miss. cf19 was great on that miss, mp is more similar to other irons with that miss.

Understand,thanks.

 

[radiman]

The Mavrik Pros will be feasting tomorrow. Going to be hunting pins and playing ultra aggressive. Because, why not?

I'm heading into my first round full of confidence. Usually, reality sets in before I get too far into the round.

But, tonight is Golf Season Eve.

I don't have Arccos or anything terribly fancy. But, I have my SX500 and will figure out my yardages real quick. I don't know if I will be able to tag all of my shots for carry distance as the course will be packed.

 

[OldandStiff]

I don't know if I will be able to tag all of my s***s for carry distance as the course will be packed.

Sounds explosive! Haha


Seriously though, have fun dude. Love the 'why not' attitude!!

 

[radiman]

Sounds explosive! Haha


Seriously though, have fun dude. Love the 'why not' attitude!!

Oh, WTF. Lol. Good catch. Swipe typing at it's best

 

[radiman]

I just left the course. I have some thoughts to share. Going to wait until I'm home with the computer. Could be a lot to type.

Stay tuned.

 

[radiman]

Alright, last night my daughters homework took precedence over my own.

But, here we go.

So, I will start off by just reiterating what my expectations were heading into the round. I knew that my distances would be off and I will be working on that for a while. I expected these to be a club longer across the bag. I expected the ball flight to be flatter. I expected to benefit from some added forgiveness.

My first attempt with the Mavrik Pros was an approach shot on the first hole from 165 yards. That is what I hit the PW indoors on trackman. I wasn't sure that I would be getting that extra distance with real grass under the ball. But, there was no trouble just short of the green. I could afford to come up short. I pulled the PW out of the bag, and put a tentative swing on it. Give me a break, it was my first iron shot of the year, lol. But, I got 160 out of it but pulled it just left of the green. I was pin high once the ball bounced forward. Not to brag, but since it was a par 5 and I was just left of the green lying two. I managed to get up and down to start my year off with a birdie.

That high was quickly dispelled when I proceeded to live on the heel on the driver for a couple holes and the bottom of the club face with my irons. On that note, these aren't forged. And, I will not lie and say that they feel like they are. But, when you miss, you know it. They are a little clickier than I am used to, but when you traverse the clubface, you can feel and hear the difference. As I said, after a few holes, those things were worked out.

One particular hole that stands out to me. I pulled my driver left, and was behind some trees with the ball above my feet. I pulled an extra club, aimed far enough right to allow for the draw bias of my lie to take effect. I just put an easy swing on my 7 iron and hit a beautiful draw, over the trees, and just off the green. That was kind of the story of the day with these things. As long as I hit the center of the face, I was getting effortless distance. If I wanted to really step on one, I got crazy distance.

I had a hole where the pin was on the very front of the green. I had 205. I had hit that 7 iron anywhere from 190-200 with varying effort. So, I pulled it out of the bag, and really stepped on it. Well, I flew well over the pin and hit the very back fringe. 220 yards... WTF? Where did that come from? lol. I was in the fairway at the time and the ball stopped very close to it's divot. So, I do not think it was a flyer.

It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows for me though. As I said, I knew that I would have to work through the unknown and figure out my distances. I took what I was getting out of that 7 iron to choose some of my clubs at different times. I ended up leaving a beautifully struck 8 iron well short of where I would have expected based on that 7 iron and had to take a penalty. I had a few of these head scratchers. But, once I get more accustomed to them, I suspect things will level off a bit. These things are so long that I didn't even need to pull out anything over a 7 iron other than using my 5 iron off the tee once on a short tight par 4.

So, after one round, I see a lot of potential. Effortless distance. Very forgiving. A very unique powerful feel. Plenty of stopping power. Easy to flight up and down. The biggest question mark is the gapping. Having the set AW and then going to my 52, 56, etc in my set progression is a must. I just need to keep with it and gain some confidence with them. Get to a point where I know exactly how far each will go.

Still a work in progress. But, assuming these are just as consistent as any other club Callaway has produced, once I know the numbers, those will be the numbers that I can rely on.

 

[McLovin]

@radiman that's a great write-up! also, you can kiss my a$$ with your 220y 7-iron haha

i'll be curious to track your time with these over the season and see if you get the gapping figured out. it's still early for me too, but right now my gaps from 5 through aw are 7y, 11y, 11y, 10y, 15y, and 7y. so actually pretty darn good.