Callaway Golf extends their Diablo brand, which up until this year only consisted of drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids. New for 2010 are the Diablo Edge and Diablo Forged irons, each of which is geared towards specific types of players.
Both models take a number of features previously seen on Callaway’s X-22 and X-22 Tour irons, and builds on them for this new release. The Diablo Edge was designed with the player looking for more consistency and distance in mind, while the Diablo Forged caters more towards the better player. Which of these has the qualities you’re looking for? Follow along to find out!
Diablo Edge Irons
Any time we talk about a game-improvement iron, one of the key traits is a low, deep center of gravity and the Diablo Edge is no different. The new stainless steel irons help higher handicap players achieve longer and more consistent distance, while improving accuracy by moving the weight back and deep.
Like the popular X-22 irons, the Diablo Edge uses Callaway’s VFT Technology, which increases perimeter weighting to provide a healthy amount of forgiveness. To further optimize weighting, S2H2, which relocates weight from the hosel to the perimeter of the head, is also incorporated into the design of the Diablo Edge. As if that weren’t enough, the 360-Degree Undercut Channel was brought in to take the forgiveness of this club to another level.
Another key piece to the Diablo Edge is the Solid Impact Sole, which allows the sole to glide smoothly through the turf and minimize the negative effects of hitting a shot fat or thin. Even if the shot is struck a little fat or off center, the improved Tru-Bore design has been integrated to enhance feel. It does this via the use of a polycarbonate tip plug, which effectively dampens vibration, which your hands will thank you for.
In designing the new Diablo Edge Irons, we’ve taken our proven technologies and combined them with insight on where average golfers make contact on the club face, then moved the sweet spot accordingly. The result of that effort is greater distance overall and greater distance consistency.
Dr. Alan Hocknell, Senior VP of R&D, Callaway
Options & Availability
The Callaway Diablo Edge is available from a 3-iron all the way up to a lob wedge, and can be purchased with either a graphite or steel shaft. The graphite option uses Callaway’s own Diablo Edge Graphite shaft if you prefer a lighter, “flexier” option. If steel is more your thing, the low torque True Temper M10 Flighted steel shaft is also available. With the exception of the lob wedge, the entire set is available for both right-handed and left-handed players. The steel shafted Diablo Edge set is available now for only $599, while graphite will run you $200 more.
If hybrids play a big part in your game, the Diablo Edge irons are also available in a combo set, which replaces two long irons with hybrid equivalents. Though this raises the price upwards of $200, hybrids can definitely be a major benefit to players who have problems hitting their long irons consistently.
Diablo Forged Irons
If you’re looking for more feel and workability than what the Diablo Edge offers, the Diablo Forged irons may be for you. Crafted from soft 1020 carbon steel, the Diablo Forged is what Callaway is calling “the forged iron for the rest of us.”
The head of the Diablo Forged is smaller than the Diablo Edge in every way, and it should be evident at address that this club means business. The top line is thinner, the sole is narrower, and there is only a very minimal amount of visible offset. This all equates to a more workable iron that has a generous amount of forgiveness, without some of the distracting qualities that you may find in other irons.
Precision welded onto the 1020 carbon steel body is a 455 Carpenter Steel face, which is going to help produce the soft, responsive feel players in this market desire.
We used an exceptional combination of materials to design the Diablo Forged Irons. The thin, high-strength steel face and the soft, forged steel body allowed us to move the center of gravity lower and create a unique combination of added distance and forged feel.
Dr. Allen Hocknell
Options & Availability
Unlike the Diablo Edge, the Diablo Forged Irons are available for right handed players only. The standard set consists of 3-iron through PW, though a 51° gap wedge and 56° sand wedge are available as well. Your standard shaft choices consist of the Nippon NS1100 steel and Callaway Diablo Edge Forged graphite, though there are a number of others available from Callaway’s custom shop if you so desire. Custom shafts will add on to the $999 price tag (steel only, graphite is $1199) though, so keep that in mind when shopping around. If you’re looking for a way to make them more affordable, remember that Callaway has a great trade-in program.
Wow, those are ugly clubs. I am surprised that they don’t have some kind of flame graphics on the shafts…..
Yeah definitely ugly, but I bet you they perform out there. Typical Callaway.
These aren’t so new…….they were available in Europe last year.
^ … And they were ugly then too!
Hit the forged ones, didn’t like them.
For the forged irons, why make the carcass out of soft 1020 mild steel, and then make the face from something harder? Surely the whole point of a forging is to make the face soft?
Yuck.
UGLY??? I don’t think the Diablo Forged irons are ugly at all and they hit beautifully for me. I guess beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder (holder). I love the look and feel .. I guess thats why I purchased a set and can’t wait for them to arrive.
They sure are Ugly…. I love my x-22 tours and was at a demo day in Phoenix last week and hit the Diablo forged. I was suprised that I was one club longer with them. Until the local pro reminded me that my x22 tours had 3 degrees more loft then the Diablos. They felt good but do I reallt need to hit a 9 iron 150. I mean I will just have to add more wedges to my bag….LOL
Ugly or not ugly – who cares. (Unless you are sleeping with your clubs.)
The playability is what counts.
These irons rock. Great feel, great length and ball flight. Got mine with the
KBS tour shafts. Best irons I have ever hit. Anyone thinking about getting new irons should hit these babies.
Hit the forged irons .. Loved them
and Beauty is in the eye of the club holder … 🙂
I just bought a 5-PW set of the Diabolo forged after trying them at a Demo Day. These are absolutely the most solid feeling forged clubs I have ever played. The ball literally explodes off of the club face. Callaway has definitely come up with a winner in these irons.
Jim G… I totally agree with you (about their 6 iron anyway – since my clubs have not arrived yet ). Sad that I ordered my Diablo Forged Irons March 6th and I found out today they are not due to be shipped before April 27th. By the time I receive them it will be almost 2 months for Callaway to fill my order. That is ridiculous for a company introducing a new iron to take almost 2 months to fill an order.. Shame Shame on you Callaway. If I didn’t totally love these irons I would have cancelled my order long ago. I just hope your customer service is unnecessary, given your time needs to fill an order.
They are the ugliest clubs ever created. With that being said I love the way they perform. Now only if I can find a set for less than $800 I’ll be happy.
As an update to my earlier post my March 8th order is now due to be shipped ( 4th delay ) First week of June. Making the order almost 3 months old. The say it was a quality control production problem with some of the Forged Irons. But only Callaway really knows why they are so screwed up on this 2010 production product…
800??? Where the hell are you shopping? Roger Dunn’s? You Can buy a Brand-New set for 400-500.
Ken,
The prices provided here are normally the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.
I just bought the Edge after trying about 7 different sets including Wilson, Ping G15, Adams Idea A7OS, and others. These were the best combo of accuracy, distance and forgiveness of the bunch. I was quite impressed.
When I first saw the forged set I turned away in disgust. I had been playing the Titleist AP 2’s and was looking for something a tad more forgiving. I bought the Miz MX 300. Played with them for 2 mos until I could take no more. I swallowed my pride took the Mizzys to Golfsmith and walked out with the Diablo forged. Thought I would puke when I got them on the course but to my surprise I loved them. I love them more each day. They feel great, hit the ball farther and straighter than anything I have played and I am now beginning to ignore the medallion. I’m playing better and having more fun
Hip Hip Hooray !!!! I got my diablo irons yesterday. Played my first round with these clubs today. Let me say they are everything I could possibly ask for in a golf club. Once I get the distance difference down I am sure they will be everything I knew they would be when I ordered them … These are the BEST clubs I have ever played bar none. They handle miss hits better then any blade I have played and they are sweet-spot awesome. Do yourself a favor and try these clubs for yourself If you are a mid to low handicapper you will love them ..
I just came from the range and hit the Callaway Forged Diablo and the Titleist AP2 Forged …… they were both very nice and when struck flush the results were almost identical. The AP2 may have been a bit longer but that could be the extra 1/2 inch length I was using, but the Diablo had better miss-hits and fewer overall thin or fat ball strikes. I could work the ball and hit a nice draw with now problems with either club. I felt like the Diablo had better weight and feeling in my hands, and when you hit it flush it takes off smooth as silk with a nice ball flight piercing through the breeze. They are expensive so I would suggest getting a professional fitting when purchasing. I am leaning towards the Diablo for the workability and feel factor. I am about a 13 handicap and feel like these clubs could get me to single digits with consistent ball striking. Good luck and hit em’ straight.
These clubs rock. Don’t care that some folks don’t find them as pretty. Consistent ball flight, rocket fuel-type lauches, workability when you need it – they are great. Go ahead and play your blades; I’ll let you buy me beer at the 19th.
Only issue is that by strengthening the clubs so much I have a gap and may need to add a wedge…
I would much rather shoot par golf with ugly clubs than boggie golf with pretty ones 😉
I just purchased this set, hit them at the shop and loved them. They told me they were good for mid to high handicaps. I’m (24). Everything I’m reading say’s low to mid handicap. So I just hope they work out for me. Any ideas, and opinions would be greatly appreciated.
What is carpenter steel?
I got a set of forged for $450 shipped directly from Callaway via eBay… the smart hunter can get some deals if he stays patient… anywhoo… not as pretty as my 09 Forged/KBS Tours but will fill the bill as a easier club to hit. They will take the place of my X-22 Tours I had sitting around.
I will take them out for a round today!
If you got them from ebay you are probably playing counterfeit clubs, Unless you bought pre owned ones. I’ve had mine for a couple of weeks and just LOVE them and I don’t think they are ugly at all. Very easy to work the ball anyway you want. If you don’t hit the center of the face a lot I doubt you will like these. I got Callaway stock graphite stiff shafts and didn’t lose any distance and gained a ton of accuracy. And the crap about no spin with U grooves is just that… crap. 160 yard 8 iron backs up with these, and the 5 iron will stop with in a yard or 2 of where they land from 195 unless the greens are like a rock. Have fun with them…. I am!!
Ugly but beautiful. Distance and accuracy are what counts and this club delivers in spades.