Callaway Tour Authentic X Prototype Irons - Wow?!?

[Tom]

Alright. On December 22nd I got an X-22 Tour set. I hit these really well. These replaced some Mizuno blades (MP-62) of mine. There was no difference in distance between the 62s and the X-22s. My standard distances... I really like(d) the X-22's but missed my blades. So I just bought a set of Callaway Tour Authentic X Prototype Irons and got them yesterday afternoon. I got PX 6.0 flighted shafts, standard GP TV grips, 3-PW - same configuration as the X-22s.

First impression - these look really terrific! Now it's time to give it a rip. So, I peeled the plastic off of the head of the 6-iron, grabbed my X-22 Tour 6-iron and went outside. I have a crude little hitting area with net on my downstairs verandah where I warmed up. Then I went out on the course. (I live on the 9th hole - #9 is a 510yd Par 5).

I headed to where I would normally have 185 yards in (my Mizuno 6-iron was this distance). I took my X-22 and ripped two good solid shots. I was just a bit short. But I expected I might be - it is really cold here. Then I took my X TA Proto 6-iron and ripped a good solid shot. Bop ( I'll spare the flight characteristics, or the excitement I felt as I watched...) GIR . "Can I do that again, was that a fluke?" Second time... I took care to tell myself "...standard shot, don't get on it..." Bop - hit the green and rolled onto back apron. I'm thinking "This is money. Crazy... "

This morning I took the PW out, got on the ladies tee (I placed a flag in the ground next to where I hit so I could go to where the balls land, use my Bushnell scope and notate the precise distance) and hit 4 balls. Two landed at 149, one at 148, and one at 142. "Ok" I'm thinking "These things are long..." My normal PW is 138. These are 10-11 yards longer. A full club... I would guess that the 6-iron was also a full club longer (at least) than the X-22 6-iron.

I'm planning to visit my proshop today, get these clubs on their lie/loft machine and see if there's a physical difference. It seems there absolutely has to be.... if not, Callaway has done some serious engineering in these clubs.

BUT....getting extra length is not what I want, nor what I need. I know most people want extra length, but I digress. If there's no physical difference in loft and my other irons, I'll have to dial in my distances again, and boy is that a pain in the arse. It kind of concerns me that the PW is so darn long... Normally, a PW is a money club from 138 to 110, then my 56 goes from 115 down to 65, then my 60 starts at 85 down to 40 or so, then I'm chipping. Now I'll have this big gap in the wedge of 149 to 110.... I'll have to consider a GW now, then that introduces another club to my bag and I don't want that... Currently, with my set I have 15 clubs. Depending on what course I play I either remove my 5-wood or 3-iron. If I get a GW, I don't know what I'll do...

Below are the lofts as per Callaway dot com... You see that the increase the loft on the 6-iron thru wedge, by one (1) º.

X-22 Tour Irons
321º
424º
527º
630º
734º
838º
942º
PW46º
--------
X Prototype Tour Authentic
321º
424º
527º
631º
735º
839º
943º
PW47º

I'll update the post once I get the lofts physically checked.

[McIlroy_man]

what shafts did you have on the x-22 tours? could just be the shaft that is making the big distance. also did you get them fitted?

No doubt though they are SWEET clubs, i hit them at my work when the callaway tour truck came round and they were great but im not sure if they are worth the cash compared to other premium blades like 67's, VR's MBs etc
I mean over here they are over £1100 with none of the other sets i said being over £700! i do however know a lot of pros around my area that use them and they all seem to love them....i think i would too if i got them for free!

[Tom]

alright. got back from the shop a little while ago. the lofts are dead-on with the manufacturer's specifications inserted below (again). i talked to the "golf smith" (not the store "golfsmith" ) for a while and told him about the vast difference in distance. he's an older fellow - in his late 60's and used to work for MacGregor for years and years - quite knowledgeable and proficient with his "Mitchell Lie/Loft machine"

Perhaps the reason for the extra distance, which we discussed adnasium is the CG on these clubs is lower which gets the ball up right away on a properly struck ball vs. Mizuno's for example, which CG is higher on the face.

X Prototype Tour Authentic
3 21º
4 24º
5 27º
6 31º
7 35º
8 39º
9 43º
PW 47º

[Tom]

what shafts did you have on the x-22 tours? could just be the shaft that is making the big distance. also did you get them fitted?

You McIlroy_man... the shafts are identical to the X-22 Tours - Project X 6.0 Flighted. My Mizuno's are X100... distances between Mizzies and the X-22's are the same.

[andef]

they look sweet and i hope u have great success with them
if i was a good enough ball striker i'd play these or the 710 MB

[Shanks A Million]

Man those are sweet, I'd love to hit those. My favorite shafts in them too! How do they compare to, say, Mizuno MP-67 or MP-68?

BTW, a tip, I've replaced my Sand Wedge with a lower bounce 53° wedge. So, basically, I have 2 sand wedges (Clevelands). This works well, my PW is about 135-140, my Strong SW (53°) is 110-115, and my Weak SW (60°) is 85-90. This gap is easy enough to shave some yardage from (just open the face a few degrees and knock off 10 yards).

they look sweet and i hope u have great success with them

Don't ever be afraid of blades, when I was learning to play, all we had were cast blades the size of teaspoons! Cavities were around when I was young, but I learned to play with old clubs. A blade is actually quite easy to launch, and in my opinion, more predictable. If you learn where to miss it, you can actually use it to your advantage. I practice swinging with an accepted miss in mind. When I have trouble right, I err toward the toe. When trouble is left, then I err toward the heel. Cavities are less controlable, they tend to have a mind of their own.

[Tom]

Yo Shanks... you probably already know this, but your 53° isn't a "weak sandwedge (Dohh!). It's called a "Gap Wedge." But a true gap is calculated between the actual loft of your PW (normally 46°) and the actual sand wedge (56°). The difference there is 10°, meaning a Gap Wedge for your set would be 5° from 46°, or 51°. If your PW is 47° (mine is) your gap should be 52°. 53° is too close to your 56°, where as you said "

This gap is easy enough to shave some yardage from (just open the face a few degrees and knock off 10 yards

)."

[Shanks A Million]

Yo Shanks... you probably already know this, but your 53° isn't a "weak sandwedge (Dohh!). It's called a "Gap Wedge." But a true gap is calculated between the actual loft of your PW (normally 46°) and the actual sand wedge (56°). The difference there is 10°, meaning a Gap Wedge for your set would be 5° from 46°, or 51°. If your PW is 47° (mine is) your gap should be 52°. 53° is too close to your 56°, where as you said ")."

Don't forget it's all semantics. 54° is a standard pro sand wedge. My 53° sand wedge therefore is a "strong sand wedge", being 1° stronger, but a sand wedge all the same. I chose it because it does cover the gap nicely, but I don't consider it a "gap wedge" becuase it's used from the sand. My PW is 47° (Nike Forged Blade), and my lob wedge is 60° (Cleveland CG12), therefore the exact center of those two is 53.5°. In my opinion, a true "gap" wedge is one that comes in between the PW and the SW,

not between PW and LW.

[TinCupTampa]

I got my Proto's on the 5th and I also noticed about 6 or 7 yards more than my 57s... about even with my 32s. My 57s are PX, my 32s are DS300, and my new Protos are DG Black Gold which I like. They really did lower my flight by about 20% so that could be the reason for the added distance as well.

[Shanks A Million]

I got my Proto's on the 5th and I also noticed about 6 or 7 yards more than my 57s... about even with my 32s. My 57s are PX, my 32s are DS300, and my new Protos are DG Black Gold which I like. They really did lower my flight by about 20% so that could be the reason for the added distance as well.

Do the long irons land and stay, or do they come in hot? No use in extra distance in irons when you can't hold a green with your long irons.

Hey, you also live both on the east and west coast of Florida!

[TinCupTampa]

I only went 5-PW... I havent played a round with them... just the 16th fairway behind my house but so far they seem to check well.

[Lithium56]

I just bought a set off ebay that should deliver Thursday.  That gives me next weekend to swap out the PX 6.0 Flighted with the PXi 7.0's I currently have in my 2007 Callaway X-Forged.  Everything I read makes me think these will be my dream clubs (hope springs eternal).  The following weekend we are playing the Las Vegas Paiute golf resort and I can't wait to see.  Too cold here in SLC to play so MLK weekend in LV and a week in Feb in Phoenix and I "might" make it to spring...