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The Callaway MAVRIK Pro irons have impressive forgiveness and consistency for their size. Good looking clubs with excellent feedback.
Introduction
One of the most popular questions we get at Plugged In Golf is, “When should I switch to players irons?” Most golfers assume that when they transition to a slim-looking club, they’re going to give up on forgiveness, so they put off making the move. With the MAVRIK Pro irons, Callaway packs a ton of technology into a good looking club which will help more golfers play an iron they love to look at.
Check out Callaway’s latest players distance iron, the Rogue ST Pro, HERE
Looks
Having tested almost the entire MAVRIK line prior to hitting these irons, what I noticed first was the lack of orange. For the skilled player, Callaway has given the cavity a more classic look with a black and silver color scheme. An interesting mix of textures keeps the club from looking dull in the bag.
At address, the top line is fairly thin, and the head is smaller than average from heel to toe. The combination of matte and chrome on the face makes the club look a bit smaller, and the modest offset should be acceptable to good players.
Sound & Feel
What stood out most to me about the Callaway MAVRIK Pro irons is the amount of feedback. Callaway has put a lot of emphasis on the urethane microspheres in the club head that are designed to absorb unwanted vibration. This led me to fear a lack of responsiveness in the Pro model, but I was wrong. On center, the MAVRIK Pro feels very soft. That feel firms up very noticeably when you miss the center. The microspheres keep the misses from stinging or feeling harsh, but any player will be able to tell the difference between pure contact and mishits.
In terms of sound, the MAVRIK Pro irons are a little louder than most players irons. They’re not problematically loud – no one will confuse them for a distance iron – but if you need a near-silent “thud,” these may not be for you.
Performance
Each iron set in Callaway’s MAVRIK family was designed for a different type of player. Where the MAVRIK MAX irons [review HERE] wowed me with their ball speed and consistency, the MAVRIK Pro irons are geared toward the player who prizes control over distance.
In my testing, I found that the MAVRIK Pro irons delivered good, but not outrageous, ball speed. A small part of that is due to their lofts which are the weakest in the MAVRIK iron line up. While the top end distance is not as impressive, I was very pleased with how much forgiveness Callaway packed into a fairly compact head. This iron has a great performance profile for the golfer who is improving but doesn’t want their mishits to land 30 yards short of the green.
Another attractive distance-related trait of the MAVRIK Pro irons is their gapping. As a low launching player, I often find that iron sets get bunched up at the top end of the set, meaning that the 3, 4, and 5 irons don’t have meaningful gaps between them. For me, each MAVRIK Pro iron had a 10-12 yard gap to the next all the way from 4I through the gap wedge. This makes constructing your bag and pulling the right club much easier.
Finally, another characteristic that will make the MAVRIK Pro attractive to the good or improving player is that it’s fairly low spin. That low spin translates into straighter shots. If you want a players iron look but are happy to leave the big fades and draws to Bubba, this is a great iron.
Conclusion
Golfers often look at irons in a binary sense – it’s either forgiving or for better players. Callaway’s MAVRIK Pro irons show that to be a false dichotomy. These clubs deliver a very attractive look and shot control while offering impressive forgiveness and consistency.
Callaway MAVRIK Pro Irons Price & Specs
Matt Saternus
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You make the point that the lofts are the weakest in the Mavrik lineup, however they are identical to the Max irons as per the referred review.
Barry,
The scoring irons are the same, but the Pro irons are 0.5 to 1 degree weaker in the rest of the set.
Matt
Hey Matt,
What do you prefer, Mavrik, Apex, or Cobra Forged Tec? and why? Thanks Matt and keep up with the great content.
Neil
Neil,
That’s splitting hairs, you’re talking about three of the best irons in the category, maybe the three best. I haven’t hit them all head to head, which is exactly what I’d do if I were going to buy a set. Obviously I’ve hit the MAVRIK Pro most recently, and I think they’re great, but I don’t want to give advice that’s skewed by recency bias.
Best,
Matt
Where do these fit vis-a-vis the Apex lineup? Judging by the pictures and lofts, it looks very similar to the standard Apex, but slightly more game-improvement than the Apex Pro.?
Brian,
Yes, I’d say that the MAVRIK Pro is very similar to the standard Apex.
Best,
Matt
Matt,
i have the 2019 apex irons w/catalyst shafts, will the maverik pro give any advantage over the apex?
Guy,
I think the Apex is a great iron, and for the majority of golfers will probably perform pretty similarly to the MAVRIK Pro.
Best,
Matt
Please comment compare Callaway Pro, Apex/ApexPro, Mizuno Forged, Mizuno HM Pro, Srixon 585, Bridgestone HF2.
Kent,
There are reviews of all those sets on the site. You can find them with the search feature.
-Matt
Guy – I’d stick with your Apex. The Mav Pros don’t feel nearly as good.
Matt,
Did you test the MAVRIK Pro with the stock Elevate 105 shaft? If so, what did you think of that shaft/head combo in terms of feel, spin, launch?
Kirk,
Yes, I tested the MAVRIK Pro with the stock Elevate. All my comments in the review pertain to that combination.
Best,
Matt
Matt,
I’m a 17-19 ( depending on course) handicap player with a club speed around 90-95. I’m 68 and still a little competitive. I’ve been playing with Callaway’s steelhead XR w reg steel shafts. and want to upgrade. Thinking about the Mavrik Pro or Max- what would be your advice. Every ball i hit has a bit of a fade. I’d like to get a few more yards distance – but being straight is a priority as well.
Jack,
As always, I would recommend getting fit, but it sounds like you’re a better candidate for the standard MAVRIK than the Pro.
-Matt
(I also posted this question in the Forged Tec review, but accidentally put it as a reply to another person’s comment, so I decided to put the question here too as a more appropriate place.)
Matt, thanks for these great reviews! I’ve done a couple of fittings on a quest to replace my 25 year old irons. For me the Mavrik Pro, the D7 Forged, and the King Tec Forged all made a good case to be the ones. I read your reviews and the positive things you had to say about each one. Also saw where you answered one person’s question that you prefer the Forged Tec to the D7 Forged. All of that to ask … Which do you prefer between the Forged Tec and the Mavrik Pro?
BTW, another iron I was extremely impressed with was the XXIO X Black Forged (forgiving, long-but-not-outrageous, better/higher backspin numbers, and buttery soft). Decisions, decisions…
I never tested them head to head. I like both a lot but might favor the Cobra purely for feel.
-Matt
How do these compare to the Ben Hogan Edge irons?
Travis,
I have a complete review of the Edge here: https://pluggedingolf.com/ben-hogan-edge-irons-review/
-Matt
Matt,
Your reviews are a really valuable asset to golfers.
I want to buy a more forgiving iron between Mavrik Pro and Apex 19 ( Not Apex 19 pro).
Thank you!
Oh, I missed my question.
Which is more forgiving between Mavrik Pro and Apex standard?
Kenny,
I haven’t tested them head to head but I believe the standard Apex is a touch larger and might be more forgiving on thin shots.
-Matt
Hi Matt,
Great review of the Mavrik Pro. Looking to make the switch from game improvement to players irons. These are a candidate.
I would like a set I can grow with, keep for a long time and a hit single digit. Currently hcp. 15.
I came across a set of Cobra KING forged tour irons. Model a few years old but brand new at an amazing price.
Are those Cobras similar to the Cobra forged Tec?
Klaus,
I’m having some trouble remembering the Cobra KING Forged Tour, so I can’t reliably compare them to the current Cobras.
Best,
Matt
I had a set of Mizuno JPX919 Hot Metal Pros. I never felt confident with the distance control. I found that every now and then a shot would go 15 metres further for no apparent reason.
I’m now looking at the Apex (Standard) and Mavrik Pros.
Am I likely to experience the same?
I play off 5 but probably more due to accurate driving and a good short game. 4-7 iron is my weakness.
Thanks
Paul,
Those flyers are the result of strong lofts and log CGs. The Apex and Mavrik Pro don’t have their CG as low as your current irons, so those shots should be less likely.
-Matt
Matt,
I currently play with the Taylormade M2 2019 and im looking to get the Mavrik Pros. How do the 2 sets compare? Both are graphite shafts but I want to make sure im not going to lack the feel im use to with the mavrik pros
William,
My best advice is to compare your current set to several new options in a fitting.
Best,
Matt