Callaway XR OS Irons Review

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Tech: Feature specially heat-treated cup faces to improve strength, while a softer heat-treated body improves feel. All this tech is combined with a wider sole for ultimate forgiveness. 

We say: Callaway made its iron name on big, chunky irons – the original Big Berthas catapulted Monty to European No.1. Now the OS aren’t quite as “bulky” as those relics, but they are certainly in a different league to the slimmed-down XRs of 2015. All testers posted very good distance numbers with them, even though the lofts are 3° weaker than the strongest on test. That says to us the cup faces are working. Two testers commented how the shorter head didn’t inspired confidence quite as readily as some, even though carry distance and ball speed drop-off suggested a strong performance against other models on test.

Verdict: When it comes to forgiveness the OS are very difficult to fault. They can hold their own against the stiffest of competition. They won’t bag any beauty contests, which means they’ll primarily attract golfers after out-and-out game improvement tech, who typically worry less about the trade-offs that presents.   

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2016 Callaway XR OS Irons Review

www.callawaygolf.com

Availability: 4-GW, SW (5-SW)

Stock shaft: True Temper Speed Step 80 (s) Mitsubishi Fubuki AT (g)

7i loft/length: 31.5° / 37.25”