If you don’t strike it well enough or hit it far enough then you have come to the right place. Callaway are claiming their new Callaway Rogue ST MAX irons are their longest ever.
Replacing the Callaway Mavrik iron family as well as the original Rogue irons from 2018 let me introduce you to the new Rogue ST Irons.
There are four models in this comprehensive new family for 2022 in the family: the Pro (which I found extremely impressive), Max, Oversize and Oversize Lite. This review is all about the model aimed at most golfers - the Max.
The Tech
A high strength 450 A.I. Face Cup that’s never been seen before in the golf industry features to maximise ball speed.
Callaway have also kept the Urethane Microspheres to the 6th groove which improves feel and have massively increased the tungsten weighting. The Rogue ST Max features a whopping 62g of high-density tungsten, which in context is a 260% increase over the Mavrik irons. This is said to provide improved launch conditions and also maximise speed across the face.
Rogue ST Max irons are rounded to increase confidence for the less confident golfer and have the strongest lofts in the Rogue ST family.
All in all, these are built for a wide range of golfers who want help and effortless distance.
Callaway Rogue ST Max Irons Review
Looks
To me, these irons look like Callaway irons used to look like in the 90’s. Think classic Big Bertha irons and you're getting somewhere near.
They’re full bodied and thick at the top end, offset and well-rounded. They have the classic Callaway chrome finish with a black cap on the rear covering the tungsten weighting. I like the look of these irons, they're modern and look powerful but as I say, seem to be classic Callaway when you're looking down at address.
The 6 iron has 24.5 degrees of loft and the pitching wedge is 41 degrees which is unbelievably strong, even for 2022's low standards.
Remember however, these are the longest irons in the range and loft is a lot of the reasoning behind this, they’re big in size but not as big as the Oversize or Oversize Lite models.
Feel
I found these irons to be incredibly forgiving and full in the strike. One thing that surprised me was that they didn't launch as low as I thought with the 6 iron, achieving an average height of 78 feet.
Dispersion-wise they also did not go left outside or inside during my testing which was nice to see. They also certainly stopped the ball from leaking right which will be a huge help for a lot a golfers.
I wouldn’t say that you get a soft feel from the Rogue ST Max irons but to be honest with an iron like this you aren’t supposed to are you? They’re rockets off the face but not something you’d wouldn't want to hit a floating lob shot with if I'm honest.
The Data
My data from testing indoor on Trackman 4 showed that as expected, the Rogue ST Max irons were half a club longer than the Rogue ST Pro irons, which carried 142 yards through the air.
On-Course Performance
I took these for a spin around Reddish Vale GC and had a very easy day playing and that's what these irons will give you. I was swinging within myself and I could easily reach the indoor yardages with know extra effort.
The ball seemed to flow lower outside and this penetrating ball flight gave me an extra 5 yards. I don’t often hit it further outside than inside when testing irons so this could be either a positive or a negative depending on which way you look at it.
Full shots were not a problem from the fairway, tee or rough but I found that short game was an issue as the PW was 41 degrees. When hitting shots with the longer irons I found the ball released far too much. However if you buy the AW, SW and LW this can be rectified. You no longer need a 4 iron but you should still by 7 irons, my advice would be to start with the 5 and load the bottom of the bag instead of the top.
Also, these aren't the kind of irons you make big divots with, I found the sole skipped across the surface and the flight is straightened out by the technology. It’s a real “go” ball flight and you will need to play for some roll on your shots into the green. They are powerful and fast of the face but also when they hit the green.
But with 80% of mid iron shots coming up short, for the type of golfer these are aimed at - this can’t be a bad thing. You launch the ball with these, they don’t pop into the air like the Oversize model might.
Callaway Rogue ST Max Irons Verdict
In the looks department, the Rogue ST Max irons are very similar to 2020's Mavrik irons but there is more weight to help get these stronger lofted irons into the air quicker. You feel the ball spring from the face and the stability of the head keeps the flight straighter. If you're looking to gain a club in distance, whilst swinging at the same speed - these will be an easy win.
They are the perfect club for below average swing speeds and mid to high handicap golfers. If you don’t play or practice enough but what to enjoy your golf when you do get to play that once or twice a month, then these will look after you and help you enjoy your game without stressing over perfect ball striking.
Finally I will say, be warned that if you can put some speed into your swing however, like a tour pro, then these will go silly distances. It wouldn’t surprise me if I saw a video of a male professional golfer hitting one of these 6 irons around 210 yards, which is really crazy distances...
Who Are They Aimed At?
I'd recommend these irons to any golfers who are single figure handicappers upwards. If you're in the low single figures you'll probably want something a little more compact which gives you greater feel and workability, such as the Rogue ST Pro or Apex models.
Would I Use Them?
These are a little too big and offset for me, so I think I'd probably go for the Rogue ST Pro irons. If you want the extra forgiveness and need some more distance though, these could be for you.
If you enjoyed this, you may also like:
Callaway Rogue ST Pro Irons Review
TaylorMade Stealth Irons Review