Callaway X Hot Irons Vs TaylorMade M2 Irons Review & Specs 2023
Sometimes you want new irons but you don’t want to drop close to $1,000 to get them.
Iron technology doesn’t move as fast as driver technology so there are many bargains out there if you look at models that are a few years old. You can pick up new clubs at a fantastic price.
This article is about two sets of irons that are astoundingly good and that could bring huge gains to the bags of many golfers.
Any club with the Callaway or TaylorMade mark is going to turn heads, but let’s concentrate on two of their older irons in this article.
Introducing The Club Sets
The Callaway X Hot and TaylorMade M2 irons are both made for added forgiveness and maximum distance.
These are both cavity backed irons that are perfect for mid-handicapped golfers looking for a bit of playability whilst retaining the margin for error that a cavity back brings.
Why Choose The TaylorMade M2 Set?
TaylorMade refined this iron set more than many ever would and created a club that feels wonderful.
The low centre of gravity (CG) helps you get the ball in the air whilst adding forgiveness. The clubs also sound brilliant which is always a nice bonus.
Overall Score: 94/100
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Why Choose The Callaway X Hot Set?
These clubs go miles, they also have a thick topline which will be a confidence inspirer for those that are looking for forgiveness in the shot.
Low CG helps you get the ball in the air, like the M2 set whilst a thicker sole helps you with more consistent contact through the bag.
Overall Score: 91/100
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Who Are Each Set For?
Both of these sets are best suited to high or mid-handicappers with the TaylorMade M2 probably being for the slightly better player.
The Callaway set is perfect for people who hit a lot of fat and thin shots whilst the TaylorMade irons are great if you want some help getting height and spin on the ball.
TaylorMade M2 Vs M4 Vs M6
The M4 set is my favourite looking of the three here, they are stunning. These clubs are designed to help you get the ball up in the air fast and are perfect for those with slower swing speeds.
If you are looking for more distance and forgiveness than the M4s then you should consider the M6 set.
These clubs look not too dissimilar to the current TaylorMade SIM2 Max irons and are perfect for mid to high handicappers looking for maximum distance and forgiveness.
In my opinion, the M2 irons sit nicely in the middle of all of this, they have really stood the test of time quite exceptionally.
Callaway X Hot Vs Callaway Rogue
One of the best things to come out of the Callaway kitchens in a while are the Rogue line-up, especially the irons.
These clubs feel like tour irons but come with seemingly impossible forgiveness. These clubs are for more skilled golfers than the X Hot set suits.
The Callaway X Hot irons have that chunky, game improvement look that can make you feel more confident when you address the ball.
They are also great for those that chunk the ball a lot as they have thicker soles to improve turf interaction. Both irons are great but for different levels of golfer.
How Do They Compare On Loft?
Club |
Callaway X Hot Loft (Degrees) |
M2 Loft (Degrees) |
4 iron |
N/A |
19° |
5 iron |
25° |
21.5° |
6 iron |
28° |
25° |
7 iron |
32° |
28.5° |
8 iron |
36° |
33° |
9 iron |
40° |
38° |
PW |
44° |
43.5° |
AW |
N/A |
48° |
SW |
56° |
N/A |
As you can see, in the table, the TaylorMade set has significantly stronger lofts through the bag. This is part of TaylorMade’s quest for greater distance.
What Shaft Options Do You Get With The M2 Set?
The steel shafted version gets you REAL HL 88 from FST which comes in stiff and regular.
You get M2 REAX graphite shafts in stiff, regular, senior and ladies flex if you would prefer not to have steel. There are options here for golfers of all swing speeds.
What Shaft Options Do You Get With The X-Hot Set?
This set comes with True Temper XP85 in regular flex as a steel option.
If you prefer graphite shafts in your irons this set comes with a ProjectX shaft in regular flex. It is fair to say that the M2 set comes with far more options.
How Do They Compare On Length And Lie?
Club |
Callaway X Hot Length |
M2 Loft Length |
Callaway X Hot (Degrees) |
M2 Lie (Degrees) |
4 iron |
N/A |
38.88” |
N/A |
61.5° |
5 iron |
38” |
38.25” |
61.25° |
62° |
6 iron |
37.5” |
37.63” |
62° |
62.5° |
7 iron |
37” |
37” |
62.5° |
63° |
8 iron |
36.5” |
36.5” |
63° |
63.5° |
9 iron |
36” |
36” |
63.5° |
64° |
PW |
35.75” |
35.5” |
64° |
64.5° |
AW |
N/A |
35.5” |
N/A |
64.5° |
SW |
35.25” |
N/A |
64° |
N/A |
How Do They Compare On Performance And Feel?
These clubs are fairly similar on both of these fronts.
The lack of options in shafts for the Callaway X-Hot makes the TaylorMade clubs potentially more desirable, however the incredibly strong lofts on these irons make them a little tougher to get used to in some ways.
How Do They Compare On Price?
These clubs are priced around the same, a good deal less than the newest premium sets.
You can pick up a new set of each with steel shafts for around $399 and the graphites for about $450.
Other Sets To Consider
TaylorMade M6
A newer version of the M2 set, the TaylorMade M6 irons look more like SIM Max irons.
They have a more satisfying sound and feel than M2 but little performance improvement.
Overall Score: 95/100
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Callaway Rogue
The Callaway Rogue set is less forgiving than the M2 but feel a lot better, some may be happy for this trade-off.
They are for more skilled golfers than the M2s.
Overall Score: 94/100
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Ping G410
The priciest iron discussed here and the most up-to-date, the Ping G410 set is an engineering marvel.
An iron of this size shouldn’t be as forgiving as it is, perfect for those who like the look of smaller club heads.
Overall Score: 93/100
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Which Do We Recommend?
The TaylorMade M2 set is a bargain for those looking to take their game to the next level.
If you are at that next level then you may prefer the Callaway Rogues or the Pings. All three are fantastic sets.
Conclusion
Investing in good quality clubs to help progress your game is a must for any serious golfer.
You may be near the start of your journey in the sport but good clubs can really help take you forward. These TaylorMade and Callaway clubs can become your on-course friends.
The TaylorMade M2 set has great options and can be there for golfers with almost any swing speed.
The Callaway X-Hot set has fewer options but if you are a higher handicapper and need a regular flex shaft they could be better for you.
Try them both and see which feels best in your hands, there is no right answer.
Hi, I am Matthew, a mid handicap golfer who likes to play as much as possible. I love trying out new gear and this blog is where you can find all the gear I have tested over the years!
