When Callaway Golf introduced the Epic irons a few years ago at the $240-per-club price point, the message was simple: These clubs are our cutting-edge answer to PXG, and they'll go farther, higher and straighter, too.
Despite the talk about loft-jacking, which is something most every company does with game-improvement irons and not to trick golfers, the Epic irons were well received.
For the next iteration in the concept-car line, Callaway wanted to push the boundaries farther. So they did. And living on the cutting edge isn't cheap. That's why the new Epic Forged irons are $300 each.
The new Epic Forged irons draw you in with the look. They look premium. The original Epic irons looked more like miniature extensions of the original GBB Epic line. These don't. The aesthetic is luxury and quality with a platinum chrome finish and an appearance more reminiscent of the stunning Apex line.
The materials making up the head aren't dramatically different than what you'd see in player's distance and game-improvement irons these days. There's a 1025 carbon steel forged body, and then there's a 360 Face Cup made of 17-4 stainless steel laser welded to it. That's pretty standard fare for a distance iron that feels great.
The beauty is on the inside.
Like most every manufacturer these days, Callaway used tungsten with the Epic Forged irons, but they did so in a unique way. With the Epic Forged higher-density tungsten is suspended inside the body of the iron, positioned exactly with the use of a TPU overmold and the urethane microspheres Callaway has used in recent iron designs to improve feel and performance by absorbing vibration and impact.
In the shorter irons, the suspended tungsten core is higher, more in line with impact for a piercing trajectory and better spin control. In the other irons in the set, a new variable face thickness (VFT) design creates ideal launch and spin conditions for maximum distance while maintaining control.
That all sounds lovely, and an eight-piece set will run you $2,400, please.
Of course, that price point isn't for everyone, and that's the point. These are premium irons at a premium price. In a few years, some of the facets of these irons will be more common in Callaway products, but not yet. So, if you're a player who's looking for more distance and can run your plastic for that much without blinking, then the Epic Forged will be on your short list.
The Callaway Golf Epic Forged irons are available Aug. 2 for $300 each in either Aerotech Steelfiber FC stock steel shafts or Mitsubishi Tensei AV Silver stock graphite shafts.
And if you're a player looking for some hybrids to round out your set, Callaway has introduced its Epic Flash hybrids to come out as a simultaneous complement to the Epic Forged irons.
The Epic Flash hybrids are designed for that middle-of-the-road player: not too small and iron-like and not too big and wood-like. The performance improvements here are derived from using metal-injection-molded tungsten weights in multiple places on the club, including inside the head, to drive down center of gravity to an optimal position. The weight savings to make that tungsten placement possible came from a redesigned OptiFit3 hosel and a new triaxial carbon fabric crown.
Unlike the Epic Forged irons, the Epic Flash hybrids do feature Jailbreak stabilizing bars behind the 455 Carpenter steel face cup for explosiveness at impact.
The Callaway Epic Flash hybrids are available Aug. 2 for $300 each in 18-, 21-, 24- and 27-degree heads with Mitsubishi Tensei AV Silver stock graphite shafts for medium flight.
