The XR and XR Pro Irons bring the Cup 360 technology that Callaway debuted in the Big Bertha Irons together with the speed ethos of the XR range of clubs.
Callaway XR Irons
The XR irons bring together some of the successful features found across Callaway's iron family and marry them with a new 2-piece construction for their first high speed, cavity back, cup-faced iron.
Face cups were developed from Callaway's hybrids and fairway woods, acting like a spring on shots that are hit low on the face to increase ball speeds, an area that is a popular "miss" amongst a lot of golfers. The XR face doesn't just compensate for off centre strikes here however, with speed higher across all other impact areas on the face as well.
Another technology we've heard a lot about from Callaway metals is the Internal Standing Wave, essentially a piece of metal inside the club attached to the sole that looks like an breaking wave. This as the effect of both lowering the centre of gravity as well as increasing the moment of inertia meaning the XR irons are easier to get in the air and also more forgiving. This weight placement gives the face cup the freedom to flex for more ball speed across the face.
Callaway think that the XR irons could redefine the category of irons built for speed and distance and they have had to bring a new construction into play to give the club the support and looks it deserves. The XR is a 2-piece construction manufactured using a dual heat treatment that Callaway say brings a precision and level of meticulous craftmanship to the iron to lift it to a different level.
Calllaway XR Pro Irons
The Pro version of the XR irons packs in all the distance, speed and forgiveness characteristics of the XR and combines it with a more refined iron shape that is preferred by better players.
Like the XR the Cup 360 face provides greater ball speed all across the face and the Internal Standing Wave complements this by lowering the centre of gravity and increasing MOI to make the XR Pro an extremely forgiving better players iron.
The head of the XR Pro iron is more compact than the XR iron and has a thinner topline with a narrower sole width to suit the eyes of golfers looking for a sleeker, players club.