My game is around the mid to low 80s. I work at a golf course and I have a lot of opportunities to try out all of the new (and old) stuff that comes on the market. In my opinion, Ping and Callaway are neck and neck as far as quality clubs go. However, having played the Ping I3's and the new G5's along with callaways x-16 and x-18 I am convinced that the x-16 steelhead set is the best of those four popular sets. The x-16s have a broader heel and toe which helps to prevent fat shots and mis-hits. The are back AND perimeter weighted and you can hit the ball off of the toe and it will still fly.
For me, I gained about 5 yards for each club and a little too much on the pitching wedge (the pw is a little too strong). Overall, these clubs really delivery and I would highly recommend them above the $600+ sets. These retail right now for $449 new. Get them while you can!!!

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I've tried the taylormade racs and they are OK. the nike NDS clubs are a rip off. I am not impressed with any of the Nike club sets. With them, you are paying for the swoosh and reputation rather than quality and engineering. The Ping G5's are a great set and their fairway woods are incredible! The price is up there though. Also, the Hogan Apex Edge irons are really quite good but they are very over prices (my clubhouse sells them for $710)

wow, to put it lightly wouldn't be doing it justice at all. these irons are possibly the best looking, feeling irons that I have ever played. just looking at them makes my want to go out there and golf. I got these irons last year around this time and since, my handicap has gone from a 17 to a 10. it is crazy... the other day I shot 77 and I still think I can do better (I'm only 15 yet). if you like to play good golf please buy these irons or give them to someone as a gift. they are the best irons that money can buy!!! trust me.

Customer Service

I havent really dealt too juch with the callaway customer service line but I would like to comment on what I have heard about them. they are very nice, friendly and in a bit of my personal experience, will do anything to make sure that you're product makes it to you without any sort of error.

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callaway has always been my favorite golf company because of the reliability of theri amazing products. I have used several of their drivers and loved them all. I am currently using callaway forged + wedges too and they are unbelievable. if you want results, then go buy callaway.

Wow! These irons are great. They are so easy to hit its unbelievable. I saw no loss of distance on mis-hits. If you sweep the ball off the grass, it feels so solid and goes exactly where you want it to go. I usually can't control my trajectories at all, but with the X-16s, i can hit high shots, low running shots, even draws and fades. They feel so good at impact with no loss of feel or feedback. I love these irons and can't wait to play again.

Customer Service

Haven't used but hear Callaway is the best.

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N/A

I've played with the KingCobra Oversize iron set with "hump" shaft for about 10 yrs, I like it but I kept slicing the balls with 3,even 4 irons. I just bought a new set of X-16 at the same time I bought the Callaway 2004 BB Titanium driver, so it's a learning curve for me again. My X-16 irons come the the UL-55 grams R-flex graphite shaft. I had no trouble adapting the new driver, but I was frustrated with the new X-16, especially the pitching wedge, not only that I did not gain distance, I believed I lost 5+ yards (I normally play the balls right in the middle of my stance.) I spent more time on a driving range trying to learn how to hit with new irons. Now I found that I can hit the balls much better with the balls back on my stance and my arms are in front, this allow me swing more "inside out" ... Now I can hit the balls SO STRAIGHT, even with my 3-iron which was impossible before with old iron. About the pitching wedge, I took a lot of practice in my backyard with real ball, What I found is that I have to punch the ball a little bit harder, and the balls will fly high and land softly. Now I am getting use to this set of irons and I love them for the following reasons (1) I can get more distance (2) I can hit the balls very straight, even with the 3-iron which is a joy to play with now (3) my accuracy is very with these irons - in the last few rounds, I was able to hit par-3 greens 75% of the time, which gave me more opportunity for birdies or at least pars (4) I love my pitching wedge now, after lots of practice and getting used to it, my chipping game around greens is VERY good now. So for people who plans to buy UL-55g R-graphite flex shaft: It will take more work to get used to light wt shafts (probably in the Senior shaft range). But with work, I went from frustration to loving of these clubs, pitching and chipping allow the balls jump off the club face, high and land very softly on the greens. I am shooting in the high 80s now, hopefully, by the end of this season I would shoot in the mid-80s (if my putter agrees with me)

Customer Service

I did email Callaway about my disappointment with Callaway UL 55-g R-flex graphite shaft and ask them what they can do for me. They emailed me back and asked me to call their toll free numbers so that they can discuss options with me. Now I don't need to call anymore, I KNOW I will get better and better with these clubs

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King Cobra Oversize irons, hump shaft. Callaway X-16, 75-g R-flex graphite shaft, King Cobra SS or SZ irons (rental clubs- and really like them, even with steel shafts)

Just a correction on my game. Hope to break into the 70's soon.

I have been playing for two years now. Age 40, I started late. I had an old set of Knight golf clubs I bought at a pawn shop a few years ago. My game wasn't bad but I was not very consistant with my irons. I bought the Callaway X-16's three weeks ago and have been very pleased with them. They took a few rounds to get used to but I feel more confident when I address the ball. Especially when I pull out the 3,4, and 5 clubs. In the past, I never knew where they were going to go. But these clubs naturally want to go straight. Everything I read says these clubs are difficult to shape the ball with but I'm not having any trouble. Draws and fades are much more controlled. Grant it I have only tried doing this forabout six months but I have much more control with these clubs. The pitching wedge plays longer than my other wedges and takes some getting used to. The ball gets up in the air easy but anything under 100 yards is hard to control. Especially chip shots. I turn to my warrior wedges for anything under 100 yds. Although I am planning on getting a sand wedge and an approach wedge to see if this helps. Price? Right at $400.00 at 2nd swing. Great place to go if you are not sure what you need. My advice, if you are going to spend a few hard earned dollars on a new set, hit as many as you can and take your time. But be sure to give these a try . When you hit clubs at a golf shop, hit all of them..PW through 3. This is the only way to get a real feel for the clubs as a set.

Customer Service

Not needed yet.

The wife said I could get a new set for a graduation gift. Yippee! I wanted to try everything, and did. I really liked the Callaway line. I hit the Bertha 2004's, the X-16's, and the X-18's. I didn't hit the Fusions, as they looked a little too strange for me and the price tag was out of my league. The Berthas are incredible as far as getting solid impact almost every time. However, I prefer a slightly smaller clubhead. I was convinced I was walking away with the X-18's because I really liked the new looks, however, the X-16's felt better in my hands and had an amazing feel at impact. The sales rep told me to stick with the ones that felt best. He was exactly right. I have been playing Titleist 690cb's for the last three years. Naturally, the Callaways were much easier to hit and offered significant forgiveness. I was prepared to sacrifice workability with the Callaways, but was pleasantly surprised to find out the X-16's were easy to shape shots with. One thing you have to come to terms with about hitting blades or other irons with smaller heads; you'll never be able to work the ball if you can't hit the iron well in the first place. Switching to a more forgiving club has really taken my game up to the next level. In addition, I feel much more confident at address and less likely to overswing. I use Cleveland wedges. Before the Callaways, I use to perform all my greenside shots with my 588 wedge. Since getting the Callaways, I have been chipping alot more with the X-16 pitching wedge. It has a nice heavy feel to it and really gets the ball up and rolling nice. I won't say these are the best clubs out there, but for me, I've found the clubs I've been searching for. I paid $399 new. What a deal!

Customer Service

haven't needed them for servicing, but they have returned my emails fairly quick.

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titleist 690cb, Taylor burner

I've been playing with King Cobra hump (sp?) shaft for 10 yrs, thought that I may get better with new technology, so I bought a brand new set of X-16, graphite, UL 55 R-flex, and here is what I learned after 2 rounds with this set (1) I DO NOT get any more distance than the old King Cobra (2) The Pitching wedge takes some practice. I have to punch a little bit harder for the ball to go (3) Not sure if I made a mistake buying Ultra light wt 55 (?) what if I go with 65 or 75 grams,? I thought that light wt would give me more club head speed ,and hence more distance... So far it's not the case. Maybe I will learn more about these clubs as I get used to them (4) 3-iron and 4-iron are easier to hit than the old club It seem like I swing harder and not getting any further distance than my old clubs, for that reason I am a little disappointed. So it's hard for me to believe that other reviewers reported 15-20 yds gain. If they hit them straight before, I don't believe that they would gain that much more with new clubs. Hopefully I will learn to love these clubs as I play more with them.

Customer Service

do not use

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King Cobra hump shaft,

Coming back from a 6 year break form golf, I decided it was time to update my clubs. Found a set of these fella's from golfgalaxy for 599.00. I got them and was very happy. I went from not knowing whether I'd get a hook or slice (lots of mis-hits), to sending the ball straight. The confidence that was brought back by the irons was enough to kick me into high gear, the forgivness was amazing.....and my shots got better and better. On bad swings, the ball will still go relatively straight, but it creates a huge arc sending the ball up into the air. Theres not a whole lot of feedback on hits, but if you pay attention to how high up the ball goes, it tells you how well you have swung. Using these clubs allowed me to work on regaining the proper drive stance and swing. They are a "no worry" club. Only thing I didn't like was the pitching wedge, but other then that it was great.

Customer Service

Haven't had to use them.

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Old school Northwestern clubs.

I am POSITIVE next time I write a review I will be able to select level "Shoots in the 70s". I wish I hadn't clung to my old Lynx knock-offs for so long. Wow! Honest to God, they are the most forgiving and accurate clubs I have ever touched. I bought them because I saw the difference they made in my 16 year old son's distance and accuracy, but being a lefty I couldn't try his. I was so anxious to try mine, I went to the range in the drizzle and 48 degrees just to see. I was like that old geezer on Caddy-Shack grinning ear-to-ear in the rain. Today I hit 5 buckets. Swinging the 3 was like swinging the PW. Every shot dead straight; even if I mis-hit, it went straight, just not as far. When I had about 20 balls left in my fourth bucket, I was hitting consistantly within 10 yards of a marker, about 120 yards out. I said to myself I would quit when I had a bad shot (like missing an imaginary green). I had to get another bucket. I hated my pitching wedge before; all over the place. Every club feels the same. The X-16 grip even has a little ridge on the underside that fits the bend in your knuckles so you know your holding the club straight. TRY THESE CLUBS!!!! I can not wait to play!

Customer Service

No need yet.

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Lynx Knock-offs for way too long.