RAZR X Black irons

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Golf Monthly Senior Staff Writer Paul O'Hagan tests the Callaway RAZR X Black irons

Callaway RAZR X Black irons
Golf Monthly Verdict

GM verdict: Going all the way back to the X12 model, Callaway has a tradition of producing easy-to-hit irons without them looking enormous at address. The RAZR X Black irons clearly aren?t ultra compact, but they do offer a lot more forgiveness than the mid-size head would suggest. They can be combined with RAZR X hybrids, but the long irons are so easy to hit that many will stick with the full iron set. What also impresses is the level of control on offer. Sets this forgiving can sometimes produce shots from the middle that go unexpectedly long, but these are very consistent. However...the black PVD finish does an excellent job of reducing glare from the sun, however it can become more worn than more traditional finishes. PGA Pro verdict: The black finish of this head is immediately striking and the performance matched the impressive look. The head looked slightly smaller than previous Callaway X offerings, but when combined with a deep cavity the strike was excellent. The weight in the head is quite a long way back thanks to the wide sole and cavity. This meant the ball hung in the air longer than most and helped to produce impressive yardages. The top line was quite thick, but this wasn?t distracting at all next to the compact head. Test Team Rating Performance 4/5 Visual appeal 3.5/5 Innovation 3.5/5 Value 3.5/5 Overall 3.5/5

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Key technology

The aim was for a game-improvement set without enormous heads or wide soles. Forgiveness is achieved by redistributing weight to the cavity of the iron and shifting the centre of gravity. Weight is positioned differently through the set to improve consistency. Behind the face a combination of aluminium and thermoplastic polyurethane fine tunes the sound and improves feel. A black PVD finish reduces glare.

Will suit: all those with control and forgiveness as priorities.

Paul joined Golf Monthly in 2006 in a junior role and has since worked as senior staff writer and now as technical editor. He writes equipment and instruction content and tests the vast majority of golf clubs that are introduced every year.