Callaway X2 Hot Irons

[Canmanbda]

I currently have a set of Mizuno MP60s which are beautiful clubs. I have had them for about six years and while I do not play as often as I like they are very difficult clubs for me to hit consistently. They feel great at the driving range hitting off a regular flat mat but on the course itself is a much different result. I personally think they are "too good" for my playing ability.

I recently upgraded my woods to the Callaway X2 Driver, X2 Hot Pro Fairway and X2 Hot Utility. They have been great and I really enjoy the change and personal game improvement.

I have been looking for irons online and the X2 Hot Irons look like a good choice based on my ability. I have two big problems 1) I live in Bermuda and the available selection is paper thin 2) I am a lefty reducing the ability to test out clubs even further. When I played more regularly I was a solid 12 handicap but now closer to 20. Anybody test or buy these new clubs? Were you able to hit both the regular and pro lines? They are attractively priced and, for the most part, received complementary reviews.

Any help is appreciated.

[mvmac]

Can anyone help? Has anyone tested the X2 Hot irons?

[WUTiger]

I tried the X2 Hot and X2 Hot Pro irons, and they didn't really impress me that much. Neither one had that much feel, and I couldn't seem to get "in the groove" with either one. The fitter swapped out three different shafts, but nothing helped. That's rare, because I usually warm up to Callaway irons quickly. (And, we won't even talk about the Hallowe'en orange trim).

I much preferred the X.Hot and Pro from the prior year. I got good results with the Pro shafted with the lighter PX.95 Flighted at 5.0 flex. I hit them a both a demo day and a golf expo. Word on the street is that many golfers are trying to get the earlier X.Hot varieties rather than the X2 stuff.

If you try the X2.Hot, you may find the stock 85-gram shaft is a bit light. Just something to consider.

Right now, I'm trying to decide between playing my Calla X20 Tour irons (reshafted recently with NS Pro 8950.GH / R.flex), or the TM SLDR irons.

[Zeph]

I haven't tried the X2 models, but I'm currently playing X-Hot Pro irons. They works well for me, but that's of course no guarantee they will work for you. http://thesandtrap.com/t/66998

Buying clubs without trying them is always risky, if you're not very confident in your ballstriking and that the clubs will fit. I drove 2 hours to the store just to try clubs, then 2 hours back home. Definitely worth it.

[TexasTom]

I did the whole Golfsmith fitting after walking in convinced I was getting Ping... I smacked the Xhots all day long. I have the whole set, my woods I have been told "should be illegal" they hit so far. I am confident that my higher handicap is NOT my clubs :)

[Canmanbda]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I played on Tuesday and finally decided to join a golf course. While I was completing the membership application I noticed a "new" set of lefty Taylormade RBZ Irons in the office. They looked virtually brand new. I was then offered to take the iron set with me for the round but opted only for the 7 iron. I played almost the entire round without taking this club out once until the 18th hole when I was laying 156 yards from the center of the green whereas the pin was located half way between front (140ish) and center.

I currently hit my MP60 7 iron about 150 yards. I also play my irons quite high with a small cut. I hit my first shot with the MP60 and was pin high approximately 20 feet away; total distance was 145 yards. I finally hit the RBZ 7 Iron. Wow, I couldn't believe how easy this club was to hit! I played my normal shot but hit the ball dead straight and long as it was on the back in the first cut. I then decided to play a few more holes and hit this club a second time. I was in the rough 160 yards away to the front with an obstructed approach. The iron sliced through the rough with minimal resistance, flew high and landed on the front of the green. Again the ball flew dead straight without my normal cut.

To make a long story short I was astonished at the ease of this game improvement iron. Before my Mizunos and many moons ago I played three years on the golf team in school with an 11 handicap. Naturally I thought I was ready for a better player irons and really have not enjoyed the MP60s (based on my ability). I agree that I should test out irons before making any type of purchase but I am overly eager to replace my irons. Since many companies don't offer their full lines in lefty versions I have been researching the Mizuno JPX825, Nike VRS Convert 2.0, TM Speedblade and Ping G25 & Karsten.

Any feedback on these irons? I must admit after hitting the Taylormade Brand these irons are definitely to be highly considered. Price is really not a factor in these sets since they are all priced under $1K.

Thanks again.

[Lilfrier]

I never hit the 825s, though I was considering them. I ended up going with the Mizuno EZs myself. What's your price range on a set of irons? I'm just wondering what has you looking at the 825s, but not the EZs or the brand-new 850s, since you mentioned the $1,000 price tag (my EZs were just under $800 post-tax for the 3H-PW, with a switch to a graphite shaft on the hybrid). I'm honestly not a good golfer, and I just got back into playing this year, after not going out since late-2007 (been shooting mostly 110-125). Still, I'll say that when I'm not doing too terribly, I hit my irons pretty well. The only thing is that I have some issues with consistency on the 4 and 5, and the fact that I'm not a hard-swinging golfer means that I don't have significant distance gaps, so my 6 and 8 don't get used too much.

I guess I'm mostly just curious as to what your price range is, along with your local selection. One thing I really appreciated was that I had to get custom clubs (+1", due to my height), and while they said it could be a couple of weeks before the clubs arrived from Mizuno, I got them in 4 days, which was awesome. Not sure how other manufacturers are on shipping times, though the folks at Golfsmith told me they're pretty much the fastest with shipping. Just something to consider if you need to custom order anything, if you want your clubs ASAP.

[meenman]

I bought the regular x hot irons about a year ago and am much more consistent with them than I was my previous Titleist AP1s.

I recently picked up a grapite x2 hot 6 iron to see if graphite would benefit me. In my limited playing time with the x2, the sound is beautiful when well struck, but I have not seen a huge difference between the x hot and x2 hot at this point.

[Jakester23]

I have the X2 Hot pro irons and I'm very happy with them. They have a thinish top line and not much offset but they are very forgiving. I was gaming G15's before the X2 Hot. They feel more solid than the pings and the look a lot more like a classic club. They have good feedback when you miss hit them (which I like) and they look nice. I definitely get a flatter ball flight with them but that good thing. I used to hit my pings really high. Good luck

[Mr. Desmond]

You were a 11 hc, so assuming you hit irons decently, I'd look at the i25s, instead of the G25 (too wide, too much offset), not off the rack but a custom order, and for me, I'd look at a D2 balance in swing weight, and go 5-PW. Get a 24-25 hybrid as a 3/4i, and then fairways down from there... but that's me. I like the bounce in the Pings for better ground/turf interaction and forgiveness.