Callaway MAVRIK Irons Review

50 Words or Less

The Callaway MAVRIK irons are the longest irons in the MAVRIK family.  Great ball speed off the entire face.

Introduction

When there are three irons in a family, one called MAX and another Pro, you expect the third to be a middle child, somewhere in between the other two.  In the case of the Callaway MAVRIK irons, you’d be wrong.  These irons have a personality all their own, with more distance than either brother and so much forgiveness they almost swing themselves.

Check out the new Callaway Rogue ST Max irons HERE

Looks

The step up in size from the MAVRIK Pro irons [review HERE] to the standard MAVRIK is substantial.  These irons have a lot of offset and a very thick top line.  At address, these irons are very close in looks to the MAVRIK MAX irons [review HERE].

In the bag, the standard and MAX irons are nearly identical.  The sole of the MAX is wider, but the cavity is the same.  There are only two stripes of the signature orange, but it’s enough to give the cavity some character.

Sound & Feel

You don’t need to see ball flight or launch monitor numbers to get the sense that the Callaway MAVRIK irons are fast.  Centered impact feels crisp with a slightly loud impact sound that screams “speed.”

What surprised me about these irons, especially given the forgiveness that I’ll discuss soon, is how much feedback they provide.  The MAVRIK irons do not lie to you when you mishit the ball.  Striking the ball on the heel or toe does not feel or sound good, which, in my opinion, is as it should be.

Performance

Direct from my notes: “The ease of use is stupid.”  

I know that it’s easy to roll your eyes at all the buzzwords that OEMs throw around – I do it too – but in the case of the MAVRIK irons, the tech adds up to something very real – huge distance and forgiveness.  For me, the standard MAVRIK was the longest of the three MAVRIK irons, and it was the most consistent.  Mishits went a long way – I hit a shot 155 yards seemingly off the hosel – and pure shots all went the same distance without those occasional long outliers.

All this performance comes courtesy of two key technologies  The headliner is the Flash Face Cup Technology – each iron face is individually designed by artificial intelligence to maximize ball speed.  That’s paired with Callaway’s Tungsten Energy Core to dial in the center of gravity to optimize launch and spin.

The MAVRIK irons differ from the MAVRIK MAX irons in two important ways.  First, the MAVRIK has stronger lofts – 2 to 3 degrees stronger throughout the set.  For most, that’s going to mean a little more ball speed, lower launch, and less spin.  That should mean more distance in the short and mid irons but it may create gapping issues in the long irons.  Make sure to get fit.  The other key difference is that the MAVRIK does not have the strong draw bias of the MAVRIK MAX.  The MAVRIK does favor a draw thanks to the offset, but fades and cuts are in play, too.

Conclusion

For the golfer that wants to reclaim some lost distance or just make the game easier, the Callaway MAVRIK irons need to be part of the fitting.  These irons have loads of ball speed no matter where on the face you strike the ball.

Callaway MAVRIK Irons Price & Specs

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Matt Saternus

Founder, Editor In Chief at PluggedInGolf.com
Matt is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Plugged In Golf. He's worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking. Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.

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45 Comments

  1. Bruce Robert Neerhof

    The lofts on these are getting ridiculous

  2. Wow these are about 2 clubs stronger lofted than my Apex Pro 16 irons; I think my 6i is 30*. No wonder you need a GW and an AW. I understand the larger heads and right shaft can allow for higher shots, but you would think that many of the players opting for this type of iron might need help elevating shots.

  3. Just found the website this week! I’ve been enamored with the content. Great stuff. Love this review. I do have a question for you. I’ve always been a “PING” guy. I’ve played Eye2’s, i3’s, i5’s and now G15 irons. My handicap is a 19. I’m now 40 (in August) and not very flexible but love to play. Never been very good but this spring I am getting better. Would I benefit from trying some of these longer more forgiving irons? (Would it hurt me having always played Pings?) Also, how do you feel about graphite shafts?

    • Matt Saternus

      Jay,

      Welcome!
      As you become more familiar with the site, you’re going to find that my standard advice is, “It’s best to get fit.” While forgiveness is a good thing for most golfers, the benefits of stronger lofts primarily go to players who hit the ball high, and even then you need to be aware of potential distance gapping issues. Thus, there’s no way for me to credibly tell you if you would benefit from irons like these. You might go to a fitter, try a “players iron” and realize that’s what you swing best.
      It’s the same story with graphite. There are plenty of great graphite iron shafts out there, but there’s no simple way to say, “You should play graphite, you should play steel,” in large part because both those categories are so big that just saying, “Play a graphite shaft” is nearly meaningless.

      Best,

      Matt

  4. I have the Rogue Irons would it be a good idea to take the Callaway trade in 50% bonus to purchase the Maverick standard Irons . Would I see an incremental improvement?

    • Matt Saternus

      Anthony,

      Unless the MAVRIK is a better fit, I think the improvement would be very incremental.

      Best,

      Matt

  5. Alex Deacon

    Hello, as someone who has started the move from
    NikeGolf to Callaway, I was initially looking at the Rogue, but as a player who feeds off confidence, the MAVRIK seems a much better choice! My only worry is the strength of the lofts, my current AW is 55 and my absolute go to club! What would you recommend to plug this gap? PM Grind? Enjoyed the article!

    Deax, York, England. Handicap 15

    ps. I’m also an avid Truvis collector! Let me know if you have any unique balls from your part of the world!

  6. Joe Golfer

    I agree with the other posts about the loft strength. It is ridiculous.
    I think Callaway sells individual clubs on their own website, rather than purchasing a set of 4-PW or whatever.
    I’d recommend that route. If an average player uses hybrids, they might be starting their set with the 6 or 7 iron from this particular model, depending on how many hybrids they use.

    • I went to get fitted and gave these a whirl. Wound up buying a set. Will see how they play in time but I can already tell these were what I needed. I don’t have any loft issues but do tend to push a few. When I hit my all time common mistake it didn’t take much of the distance off, and depending on the hole that could translate to a great thing.

  7. I’ve played 3 rounds with the std Mavrik irons. They’re super forgiving and confidence inspiring. I’ve had no issues with the 7 to AW, but on a long par 3 the 5 iron did fail to stay on the green. Actually rolled off a good 8 yards uphill. My friend wasn’t so sure I could get there with a 5, but it’s lofted like a 4 iron. I’m still uncertain with the set, but I’m enjoying the extra distance most of the time and the forgiveness all the time. Surprisingly good feel for a cast club too!

  8. todd warren

    Hello Matt, i am in the market for a new set of irons. I went and did a fitting at a local golftec. I am torn between the Mavrik’s and the T300’s. Any input on this as i cannot find a side by side comparison. I hit both irons about the same but i am a little concerned about longevity of the clubs on both sides.

  9. mike ferri

    Matt would these be comparable to the Ping G710’s I don’t mind spending the money on the Ping’s but the Maverik’s seem intriguing and much cheaper! love to hear your thoughts.

    • Matt Saternus

      Mike,

      Yes, I think the MAVRIK is comparable to the G710. As always, I recommend testing both and being fit – one might perform much better for you – but broadly speaking they are similar irons.

      Best,

      Matt

  10. Hi Mat I am in the process of purchasing a new set of irons. I am your typical average golfer shooting in the mid 90 s . I am looking at the Callaway Mavrik and taylor made sim max. Any preference. Thanks

    • Matt Saternus

      Chris,

      I haven’t tested the SIM irons, so I can’t offer a comparison there. I would strongly recommend being fit so you can get the heads, and just as importantly the shafts, that will maximize your game.

      -Matt

    • Just restarted the game after a 25-year plus absence. I was never any good. Was recommend to use the Mavrik MAX irons and did so for four weeks before exchanging for the standard Mavriks. I just found the ball trajectory on the MAXs to be too high and short. I don’t even have a handicap yet, but I felt that the standards would be better fir the long run. I’m probably an idiot, but it’s probably not going to be a huge difference either way. I got the 6-PW, AW, GW, SW set.

  11. Does that mean that because AI is used to develop individual faces for each iron that the need to mix sets so that there are more forgiving longer irons is no longer needed?

    • Matt Saternus

      Ed,

      If you want a much more forgiving long iron, mixing sets is still a fine option, but the individually designed faces do make the long irons more playable.

      -Matt

  12. Ken Weatherford

    Hi Matt! I’ve already been fit for Mavriks and decided to throw in the 5, GW, AW. I’ve always hit the ball high (upper body longer than my legs), so I’m a +1/2” and 3 degrees up.

    When I got fitted by Club Champion, the fitter had no clue about the strong lofts. I pretty much guessed +3, and he said +1/2. Needless to say, like everyone else, I discovered these are stupidly long! Like +25 yards longer with a 6 iron for me.

    I haven’t gotten them yet but now I worry more about the gapping between 5 and 6….or even the wedges (PW, GW, and AW only). Should I be? Club Champion says they offer a guarantee, but I bet not for gapping.

    Thanks!

    • Matt Saternus

      Ken,

      I wouldn’t worry about anything until you get the clubs and see something that you don’t like. If the clubs don’t work the way you want, Club Champion will take care of you.

      -Matt

  13. I am 67 years old and play the standard Maverik with regular graphite shafts fitted for me, +1 inch and 2 degrees up.. Shot 66 last week, one shot better than my age.. I really like these clubs.. They preform well for me…

  14. I have played Callaway for several years and just traded my Rogue Pro’s for standard Mavriks. My set is 6-PW. I am 74 years old and play to a 10.3 index. If you want to gain the distance you once had in your thirties, Buy MAVRIK, you wont be disappointed, if regaining distance is your option. example:
    ROGUE PRO PW 100-105 YARDS …MAVRIK PW 120-125 YARDS, Mavrik is my old distance I use to hit it and now can hit it again.
    I agree get fitted if you not sure.

  15. Ralph Easley

    I shoot in the high 80’s low 90’s ,I’m looking for a new set of irons.I don’t hit the ball high,don’t know which set would be best ,the standard or the max,I’m leaning towards the standard,I plan on getting fitted ,I guess my problem is I keep thinking th max are for beginners

  16. NoTalentLefty

    Been using this the Mavrik irons for about year and will continue for the future. Best clubs for gapping I’ve ever had. Yes the lofts are jacked from the current traditional lofts. But then again the me in the past played a 50 degree PW so lofts have been changing forever. The 41 degree PW in this gets up in the air like the wedges of old with a arc more like them than the old 8 irons. The clubs are amazingly easy to hit.

  17. Hello Matt, Hope I’m not too late on this post. Have been trying a friends Rogues, Nippon Zeltos regular ( he got fitted) loved and pured them. Read Mavrik was an improvement. Question, I purchased Mavriks, standard true temper elevate regular ( alas, no fitting available) to bring a bit of fun to my game. I am playing callaway x forged, Project x flighted, I hit equivalent lofts same distance as Mavriks, tending right. Would this change with a proper shaft fitting for the Mavriks?
    Thanks, John

    • Matt Saternus

      John,

      It’s likely that a shaft change would change your results. How big a change would depend on how well the PX Flighted fit your swing.

      Best,

      Matt

  18. I can’t say enough about my MAVRIKs. I’m a mid-high 70s scorer on average and I took a “step back” from my Mizuno player irons to these and have loved the results. I’m a natural high ball hitter so the strong loft hasn’t been much of an issue. My side spin has been cut in half and my misses are now manageable rather than punitive. 20-25 yard distance boost throughout the set from my old clubs. You can still work them left and right as needed. 10/10.

  19. Cormac Smith

    I was fitted for Maverick irons 6-SW. I have used Callaway irons for the past 10 years and these are by far the easiest to hit, most accurate and coolest looking irons I have ever owned. Don’t over think it, these are the real deal, I did not hit Max or Pro but I’m sure they have are awesome.
    Rogue Driver 12.5
    XR 4 Wood
    Epic Flash HW
    Rogue 5 HY
    6-SW Maverick
    Odyssey V Line
    ProV1

  20. Hi Matt,
    Yes, you were correct. A change from the lighter TT elevate shafts to KBS tour has resulted in the length, and better consistency I anticipated from the Mavriks. I do still enjoy the PX Flighted shafts in my X forged and I find the KBS closer to their weight. (Working harder on a lazy swing also helped – haha).
    John

  21. Hi Matt,
    Just found your site today and have really enjoyed the reviews. They make me feel much better after the purchases I made this week.
    I am 71 and have never been a serious golfer. After retiring I found myself on the course much more often and also found that the last set of clubs I had purchased, in 1990, were not giving me the distance and overall performance I wanted.
    I decided to get fitted for clubs, something I had never done before. I have no idea how many swings I took getting fitted for driver, fairway wood, hybrids and iron but I was worn out. I had never tested todays high performance clubs and most I tested easily out performed my old clubs. To my surprise Calloway fit me best in every category.
    I ended up with the Epic Max driver and 3 wood, Apex 4 and 5 hybrid, Mavrik 6-PW and GW irons and then added a 56 Mack Daddy CB. Expecting delivery in a couple of weeks and can’t wait to get them on the course.
    EPIC MAX 10.5–SET SLIGHT FADE
    EPIC MAX 3 WOOD ORDER#44994292
    CALLAWAY APEX 4-5 HYBRIDS
    CALLAWAY MAV IRONS 6-PW, GAP
    CALLAWAY MACK DADDY CB WEDGE 56
    STD LGTH AND LIE ANGLE, RECOIL A FLEX

  22. Hudson Mccarthy

    HEY DADDY MATTHEW. How are you doing today big cat. I’m in the market for a new set of irons and would do ANYTHING in order for a reccomendation.(I’m freaky) So how about it dad? <3

    • Matt Saternus

      Hudson,

      I’m good, thanks for asking.
      If you’re looking for a good recommendation, visit your local Club Champion. It costs far less than ANYTHING and will be data-driven.

      Best,

      Matt

  23. Nicholas Elderkin

    Hi Matt love this review and will definitely book a fitting with my golf pro to get fitted for these irons.

  24. Trevor Majdalani

    Matt!

    I always love your insight, I am currently gaming a set of M6 irons.

    Going to do a full fitting Tuesday for the Mavriks/Rouges ST’s to compare them to my gamers.

    Do you expect to see a noticeable increase in performance from my gamers to the mavriks? Or will it mostly depend on which ones fit better.

  25. I’m a big fan of Callaway irons. I’ve had a few over the years and they’ve all been great. The MAVRIK irons are no exception. They’re well-made and look great on the

  26. I’m a big fan of Callaway irons. I’ve had a few over the years and they’ve all been great. The MAVRIK irons are no exception. They’re well-made and look great on the

  27. I’m a big fan of Callaway irons. I’ve had a few over the years and they’ve all been great. The MAVRIK irons are no exception. They’re well-made and look great on the

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