Callaway Rogue st pro Irons

[LinksgolfFever]

I had been debating changing up my bag.  I had been gaming PXG gen3 P irons, while content with them I wasn’t “happy” with my results as often as I want to be.  After combing through reviews, a few demo runs and a lot of conversations in my head, I ordered the Rogue ST Pros with the Rogue triple diamond LS Driver, LS 3 and 5 wood.  
The clubs arrived yesterday and I got some grass range time today.  4-PW, with project x 6.5 XI shafts.  First impression is 100% right choice.  I wanted something heavier (shaft and head).  I am very visual and the top line on the clubs is nice and thin, offset is minimal and the head size is compact.  1st round is this Saturday, I will post specifics from the round.  Maybe for a different thread but as a side note the Rogue triple diamond is a FAIRWAY FINDER!!!  I am very happy with these clubs and will keep the review running

[LinksgolfFever]

1st round (finally got out) and it went well. Best feeling ball strikes in a long time.  The Rogue ST Pro has great feel and feedback.  I wanted something that I could  tell where my contact was on the club face and these clubs accomplish that.  I think it will be a few more practice sessions until I have my timing down due to the increased weight, not complaining that I’ll have to play more .  The clubs are between .5-1 degree stronger than the PXG setup so I had expected some increased yardage.  First few range sessions have shown more than expected, today in the course was more of the same.   I am seeing better than a club difference on near pure to pure strikes, and basically the same yardage with slight mishits.  Best news my draw is back, and working the ball for a fade was very manageable (so far on the range and on the course).

a few yardages from today:

pitching wedge fairway 138 carry

pitching wedge fairway 128 carry (toe/mishit)

pitching wedge tee 146 carry

4 iron fairway 208 carry

6 iron fairway 185 carry

6 iron tee 192 carry 

9 iron fairway 152 carry (uphill)

* as a side note triple diamond driver was great today ( tee height is much lower than old driver).  Low spin keeps the ball flight on a string, and I can hit a draw again!!!!

more to come, 1 practice round this week (hopefully).  Otherwise 1 club matchplay competition on 5/27.

 

[LinksgolfFever]

Round 2 after a range day yesterday.  Ball flight is consistent.  I am really enjoying the feedback from the good and not so good shots.  Timing is getting real close, some bombs we’re definitely hit today.  Rogue ST irons are workable.  I had a few tee shots today that ran through the corner of a dog leg and had to get creative.  Low hooded draw, check.  Low soft fading stinger, check.  Downwind tee shot needing a high draw, check.  While I am still adjusting my yardages have been consistently 10-15 yards longer than my previous numbers.  1st tournament round with the Rogue ST, this Saturday I’ll post more after the round

 

[Madden B]

So I got a set of 4-PW last week and have been dialing them in on the range. These clubs are absolutely solid and I am very pleased with them. They are replacing my Taylormade 2019 P790 5-PW and 2018 M4 4 Rescue Hybrid. Here is my setup:

• Gender : Mens 
• Hand : Right 
• Length : Standard 
• Lie Angle : Standard 
• Set Composition : 4-PW 
• Shaft Flex : 6.0 (Stiff)
• Shaft Material : Steel 
• Shaft Type : Project X Rifle 105 Tour Flighted Steel

First thoughts - I love the look of these clubs, they have very nice finish to them. The topline is a little thicker than my last clubs but I feel really confident standing over them. The head shape is pretty classic and I actually like the clicking sound they make when I hit the ball solid. I have heard that some people didn't like the sound but I love it. The flighted shafts are new for me in the full set and I am getting used to them. I also moved up to stiff shafts because my swing speed is getting faster now that I am growing a bit, so that is also going to be a little adjustment for me. But standing over these clubs is a dream, I feel very confident with them. 

Range thoughts - When you hit these pure, the ball just jumps. I know that they are slightly stronger lofted (8,9, PW only) than my last set so I am getting an extra 3-8 yards per club on the head to head challenge with those clubs. The same lofted clubs seem to come out a little lower, but overall distance is about the same. The ball flight is a little lower but they still seem to have plenty of stopping power. Mishits for me have just been thin shots, so lower trajectory but still plenty of distance on them. Those thin shots roll out a ton but have still been pretty online. The weighting of the clubs is a little different for me from the last set but I really hit them well in the simulators when I was figuring out what to buy, so the adjustment is coming along nicely. I really do love the feel of these clubs. I normally play a baby draw with my irons and that remains in place with these. I can comfortably hit a fade with them when needed and really feel like they are workable clubs. And they are more forgiving than my last set, without question. Even my dad says that, and he needs more of a game improvement iron. But he hits these the ST Pros better than he could hit the P790s. He is way more consistent and feels like he could maybe even play these with a little practice. He is about a 10-12 handicapper with about 105 swing speed with driver. All in all, these clubs are fantastic and I can't wait to have my distances dialed so that I can start gaming them daily.

Sort of 1st round thoughts - I took my PW, 7, and 4 out with my old set and played 9 holes yesterday to see them head to head on the course and I was not disappointed. I love the 4 iron and it is replacing a Taylormade M4 Rescue. I needed the forgiveness of the hybrid when I was a little younger and now don't need it as much. But I hit both clubs head to head 3 times on my round and the 4 iron was the winner. I don't hit it as high but I get better distance and contact with it. I feel like I can be more aggressive with the swing because it is an iron and the end result head to head was easy to see. Better distance and carry, as well as more accurate. Really happy with that. 7 iron challenge was good, I used it off the tee a couple times and in the fairways, just to hit it head to head. I think that the distance won out with the Rogue ST Pros because they are just more consistent and forgiving on those slightly off center misses. Accuracy was about the same for me and both clubs do great there. I did have 2 shots that I hit fades on just to see workability and the P790s were better for me. I think that it is because I have used them for 2 years now and am more comfortable with that shot with them, so I am not worried and feel like I will dial these in with practice. And with the PW the loft is 2 degrees stronger, so it does have a bit more pop than my old PW. Accuracy was great on both clubs but I feel like the ST Pros are already slightly better. Both clubs check up nicely and I played my little draw with ease on the new clubs. And again, I think that they are more forgiving so everything was just a little more crisp and better struck with them. I am super pleased with how they are performing and can't wait to swap out the entire set. 

So I have my first junior tournament of the summer on June 7th and will be using the ST Pros for sure. I plan on using them for men's association tomorrow night and will be grinding with them today at the range and probably a quick 9 holes. I am very happy with these clubs, they are really, really amazing!

 

[LinksgolfFever]

Sorry for not getting more on here in a timely fashion, I’ve been golfing.

round 2 with the Rogue set up went really well for the most part (where it didn’t was all me and not the clubs).  The short story was I won the match 5&3.  LS woods with Tensei raw blue 65 shafts x-stiff driver and stiff 3 & 5 wood.  I got the 5 wood 1/2” over to match 3 wood length.  
Rogue ST pro and project x IO shafts 6.5 flex.  
the clubs have and continue to surprise me with their responsiveness.  When you pure or nearly pure a shot you get the most rewarding compression feeling a soft audible click at contact and watch it fly.  Thin shots give you a great reminder why you don’t want to hit it thin…a subtle jarring/stinging but not as rough had you hit it thin with blades.  Off the toe gives you a slightly different, softer feedback not quite as alarming as the thin shot and a unique muted click like the clubs are speaking to you.  I can really feel the project X shafts load and flex from the apex of my swing through the follow through.  For me all of these things are leading to better scores and a better index.  I would say that my distances are getting dialed in but they seem to be increasing still.  I am narrowing in on them though.  
Tournament round average yardages

4 iron, 3 shots average 210 carry

5 iron, 1 shot 195-200 carry

6 iron, 5 shots average 185 carry

7 iron, 4 shots 170+ carry

8 iron, 3 shots 160+ carry

9 iron. 1 shot 145 carry

Pw, *3 shots between 125-140 carry

My natural tendency on swing misses is to fire from the top and close the club face.  When I swing in tempo these clubs hit bombs, firing from the top creates low hooks.  Now it’s practice time.  
Two more rounds since the tournament and my only complaint is I haven’t spent enough time around the green chipping and putting so my short game has suffered a bit, but that is getting taken care of with new practice schedule.  I feel like I can split my time more equally between short and long game.  Vacation for a week and no golf so I’ll be back on next week with more testing information.

happy start to summer

 

[Madden B]

Okay, after about 8 full rounds now with the Rogue ST Pros I would have to say, they are awesome!!! I feel like I have them pretty well dialed in now and my last round was a 69 and I hit 15 GIRs. My irons were so dialed in and I feel like I can just hunt pins with them and put the ball right where I want to. If I mishit it these at all, it is usually just a thin shot with the 4 or 5 iron, and it still goes plenty far. But I really don't feel like I have any issues or mishits with any of the other clubs, they are just like butter in my hands. And when you hit them pure, the feeling of them is incredible. I love the sound they make and the way the ball jumps off the face. They are very workable and I can play a draw or fade with them pretty easily. HUGE HUGE fan, these clubs are sick.

Now, the ONLY downside that I have found thus far is the stronger lofts left a gap for me that I had to fill in. The PW is a 43 degree loft and my vokey wedges started at 50, so that that gap was too much for me and I was having to try and hit 80-90% PW shots to try and squeeze the ball in around that 110-125 range, which I didn't like to do. SO, my dad took me to the golf store and we were able to find a 46 degree Vokey SM9, which was a really lucky find because they aren't as common in that loft. I know that the Rogue ST Pros have an AW, but that is at 48 degrees and that is too close to my 50 so adding in the 46 has filled in that gap nicely for me. But now in tournament play, I am going to have to drop my 54 because I have to have that 46 in the bag, it is too common of a distance in for me and makes it awkward without it. So be aware that you may want to hold on to your old PW if you are planning on making the jump. Or if you get the AW, you may have to shift around your other wedge lofts too so that you have enough of a gap between them. 

Anyways, that is the update for now, I have a 3 day tournament next week that is a big one, really excited to take these clubs out on the course and see how they handle the pressure of tourney play. More updates to come. 

[LinksgolfFever]

Got a solid round in this morning before work.  Today was round 8 and I am feeling like I have the yardages down now.  With the exception of the random hollow patches of what appears to be solid turf they do not disappoint.  There is such a great feel when you pure these clubs, I swear I can feel the trampoline effect off of the face when I hit these on the screws.

the mishits ( closer to the toe, for me) still have decent carry and seem to provide a healthy amount of topspin so yardage is about 85% of good/great contact.  The gapping issue mentioned by @tbarnes80 wasn’t a real problem for me since these are 1-2 degrees strong compared to my previous set (PXG gen 3 P-irons) as I had to dial my wedge set back for those.  I am gaming Edison wedges and I really like them, 49/53/57 for me feels like a good spot.  I have about 15-18 yards in between my 49 (120-125) and PW (140-145), but out of need or by design my 3/4 wedge game has been improving dramatically.  
the round today was middle of the road, no fault to equipment just me not capitalizing on opportunities.  6 bogies, 12 pars.  The clubs have really restored my confidence with there feel and consistency.  I really feel like I can get to any yardage between 130-230 and know I have an iron that can tackle that distance.  Practice becomes so much more enjoyable when you can repeat shots, have predictable outcomes and really push to get new shots in the arsenal when you know the basics are solid.  My new Joy is a nice stinger with my 4 or 5 iron.  Tournament tomorrow with my guys (who haven’t been playing since I got the new sticks) so that should be a real treat, maybe a lucrative one too if I can get some pin hunting in and a long drive or two