Are Callaway X-22 Irons Still Good? Are They Forgiving for High Handicappers?

Are Callaway X-22 Irons Still Good? Are They Forgiving for High Handicappers? 

“The Callaway X-22 irons build on the success of previous X and Steelhead iron models.” 

Callaway once proclaimed their X-22 irons the best they’ve ever made. While the Callaway X-22 irons bear a lot of the same features as the X-18 irons, Callaway states that they have made improvements on almost all of them.  

For instance, the  improved perimeter weighting of the Callaway X-22 irons is said to provide 10% higher MOI than the previous X-18 model. But what does any of that mean for high handicappers? 

A lot of us have been fans of the Steelhead and “X” irons so we were really excited to go out and test the Callaway X-22 irons.

We tested them specifically to see how they perform for high handicappers. Take a look at our findings. 

Are Callaway X-22 Irons Still Good? 

“In a word, yes. The Callaway X-22 irons look great behind the ball and all of the individual components have been designed to work synergistically with one another.” 

You can feel the love and care that went into the design of these irons. When we first started testing these irons, we were convinced that they were still high quality based on the feel and looks alone.   

They have the look of a premium set of irons and are packed with forgiveness features. Now it should be noted that most of the key technology that went into these irons is concerned with moving more weight to the perimeter of the club head.  

But aside from that, the Callaway X-22’s are still good simply because they feel good. We would definitely categorize them as game-improvement irons; but they don’t look or feel like game-improvement irons.   

They have more of a traditional player’s iron profile but they still provide a lot of forgiveness.  

Are the Callaway X-22’s Forgiving for High Handicappers? 

“The notch weighting design really helps increase head stability when you miss the hitting zone.” 

You can actually see these weights in the back of the club head. They jut out from the corners of the heel and toe and extend a bit into the cavity. You can feel the support they provide when you miss the center of the club head.  

Our testers were getting exceptionally straight shots when they intentionally mis-hit. This also resulted in very tight shot dispersion throughout the set. Side spin was almost completely eliminated in these irons too.   

The Callaway X-22’s feature variable face technology as well. This is the feature we think is to thank for the fast ball speeds.

Even shots we made near the heel of the club head were producing ball speeds comparable to on-center strikes.   

If you have been struggling with your impact positioning, the Callaway X-22’s will definitely help you.

While they don’t have an oversized footprint and the toplines and soles are relatively narrow, they provide forgiveness in other effective ways. 

Callaway X-22’s Vs Callaway Rogue ST Max Irons 

“The Rogue ST Max irons actually have a shape reminiscent of the Callaway X-22 irons.”  

However, the Rogue ST Max irons have a larger footprint overall. After testing these iron sets side by side, we could tell that the ST Max irons place a high emphasis on improving ball speed.  

They feature a high-grade steel design that gives them a solid feel. And like the Callaway X-22 irons, the ST Max irons provide very high MOI.

The ST Max irons launch higher than the Callaway X-22 irons too. Performance was almost identical between these two sets.  

However, the ST Max irons launch higher and have a heavier feel to them. Meanwhile, the Callaway X-22’s irons produced more stable flight and were more forgiving on off-center strikes. 

Callaway X-22 First Impressions 

“We were really impressed with the looks and shaping of these irons.”  

They are not too bulky but they’re not too small either. While we could have done without the electric green color accenting in the cavity, that doesn’t have anything to do with how they perform.  

Callaway X-22 Selling Points 

• Variable face thickness technology 
• Short hollow hosel design 
• Precision notch weighting 
• Narrow soles 
• Narrow topline 
• Modified Tru-Bore design 
• 360 degree undercut channel 

Callaway X-22 Key Technology 

“While nothing new was included in the design of the Callaway X-22 irons, the features were improved upon compared to previous X and Steelhead models.”  

Modified Tru-Bore Design: This new Tru-Bore design features the same “shaft through club head build” but there is a new polycarbonate shaft tip plug that helps dampen unwanted vibration.  

360 Degree Undercut: The design of the undercut channel allows more weight to be placed to the perimeter of the clubhead which helps increase MOI.  

Tour-Inspired Head Shape: The Callaway X-22’s have slightly narrower soles and toplines compared to previous X models which gives them more of a player’s performance look.  

Callaway X-22 Loft & Lie 

Club	Loft	Lie
3 iron	21	60.5
4 iron	24	61
5 iron	27	61.5
6 iron	30	62
7 iron	33	62.5
8 iron	37	63
9 iron	41	64

Who Should Buy the Callaway X-22 Irons? 

“The shaping of the Callaway X-22 irons will endear them to mid and even low handicappers; but the real value lies in their distance and forgiveness.” 

So how long do these irons play? Our moderate swing speed testers were averaging 195.7 yards with the 3-iron in this set after 3 swings.

The Callaway X-22 irons also excel at keeping the ball on its line so we would say that they’d be great for high handicappers.  

If you are struggling with accuracy, the Callaway X-22’s, like the previous X model, will be a great asset for you.

While the distance wasn’t stellar, they are still long enough for high handicappers by a wide margin.   

They would be good for pretty much any golfer but they are truly great for high handicappers.

Distance: 95/100

Forgiveness: 97/100

Workability: 96/100

Overall Performance: 97/100

Value: 95/100

Overall Score: 97/100

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