New from Callaway are the X-20 Tour model irons. They offer the best of Callaway's X series technology and innovation, while still providing that great forgiveness of a cavity back iron. The X-20 Tour's are made specifically for better players, within reach of a scratch handicap or better. They are basically the best between both worlds of performance and forgiveness.

New Designs and Technology:

Heel: The heel of the club is designed to reduce drag through the ground. Callaway has done this by thinning out or grinding the bottom of the iron at the heel. On some of the very forgiving sets of irons out there the sole is made to be very wide which helps reduce the little twists of the face when contact is made with the turf or ball. Heels are wider and cut straighter to the bottoms of the irons. You will also notice the more forgiving clubs will sit flatter on a flat hard surface and they take very little to balance. On the X-20 Tour, the heel is rounded and thinned out, similar to an advanced blade iron. This will reduce big divots and fat shots, it allows the golfer to shape the shot adding a slice or hook when needed. If this sounds ridiculous to you, adding a hook or slice because you are trying to get rid of the ones you already have, then these clubs are not for you.

Clubface: The face on this club is unlike any other X-series of Callaway. It is smaller, and more rounded. The top line which runs from the heel to the toe and is visible to the golfer upon address and is sharper and beveled. Basically it is a very thinned down version of
the X-20 standard model club. The toe is rounded up a little bit higher then the standard as well.

Hosel: One of the first things you will notice when looking at this club and comparing it to the other X-models is the longer hosel. The hosel is the part of the club where the shaft enters the head or face. The longer hosel is used on this club to position the center of gravity a little bit higher than the standard X-series which will help the golfer control ball trajectory.

360-Degree Undercut Channel: This is Callaways new technology used in their cavity backs and X-series irons. It maximizes perimeter weighting by moving the Center of gravity lower and farther back in the clubhead, enlarging the hitting area and stabilizing the clubhead for more forgiveness. If you look at the new X-20 and the X-20 Tour models, you will see the center of gravity on the standards is lower. The perimiter weight on the Tours is higher and a little bit closer to the center. I think this feature is what is keeping this club out of the hands of the pro's. It is very forgiving and pro's are not really looking for forgiveness, they are looking for clubs that they can shape shots with and get optimum distance and feel.

Extreme Notch Weighting: This is the cavity on the back of the club. Coming from the bottom of the club on the trailing edge you will see two peaks on each side of center. This distributes weight to the perimeter of the iron to create added forgiveness and club head stability.


I love the regular X-20 model from Callaway and I know what type of player I am and ability level I am at right now. I tried these clubs a bunch of times on the course and on the range. They are a little bit above my level but they are still playable. I have a little more ball action with the X-20 Tour's from left to right and right to left compared to what I get from the X-20's. I take smaller divots with the Tour's. I am able to shape shots better, sometimes on purpose but most of the time not. I have no reason to get away from the X-20's right now but I will keep the Tour's for that next step. I recommend them for players who have been using blades but have not improved their scores. Try these out. They are right inbetween the X-20 standards and the Tour forged model from last year. I get more distance from the Tour model of the x-20's than the standard model.

I am not so sure these are Tour level clubs, I have yet to see any of the touring pro's using them. They feel about as close to a blade as I have used yet for shaping shots but they still offer great loft like many cavity back irons. They are the closest cavity back clubs to blades made.


Specifications:
Club Loft Lie
2 iron 18° 59.5°
3 iron 21° 60°
4 iron 24° 60.5°
5 iron 27° 61°
6 iron 30° 61.5°
7 iron 34° 62°
8 iron 38° 62.5°
9 iron 42° 63°
P.Wedge 46° 63.5°

Price and Availability:
Just about every online golf site carries these clubs. The MSRP for the Steel shafted set is $799, and for Graphite's are $979. You shouldn't have to pay that much, shop in the price range of about $50 less for each. All of the major golf shops are carrying this model.

Check out my other Golf Reviws:

Titliest Pro-V1 Best of the Field, Best in the Field

Callaway FT-i New Driver Technology"

Callaway X 20 Irons, Get better Clubs, Get Better!

Samoset Golf Course

Callaway FT-5, Long Distance"


Recommended: Yes